AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thanks,” I mutter.
He eyes my “progress” subtly. “Can I help you now?”
I open my mouth to tell him to fuck off.
Instead, I start crying.
Great. Just great. To Dmitri’s credit, he does nothing except lower himself to where I’m slumped against the wall, fold me into his arms, and hold me tight. Not gonna lie, it feels miles better than it should.
But that’s exactly why I wanted to fix the bassinet on my own. I don’t want to have to rely on him for everything. He already does too much for me. I used to pride myself on being an independent, self-reliant woman.
And now?
I’m just Dmitri’s woman. A kept woman.
First world problems, I know. But repeating that to myself doesn’t seem to make them sting any less.
“I read that freaking manual so many times,” I whisper hoarsely into his shoulder. “It should be simple. It is simple. I’m just an idiot who can’t do anything anymore.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is true,” I insist. It’s a testament to his many powers that he can even understand me at this point. I’m blubbering all over him like some pathetic, helpless, silver spoon princess who’s never even had to tie her own shoelaces.
He holds the water to my lips. “Drink,” he commands. Reluctantly, I do as he says. When I swallow, he looks down at me and asks, “Better?”
“No. The bassinet still looks like a dumpster fire. Actually, it would be better off if it were in an actual, literal dumpster fire.”
“I can fix it.”
“I know you can. That’s not the point!”
He regards me with a long, questioning look. “I wasn’t aware there was a point.”
“Well, there is,” I huff. “I was going to put together the bassinet on my own. I have to prove that I can do shit on my own.”
“Who are you trying to prove this to?”
“Myself!”
He frowns. His hand dances lightly up and down my back. “You wanna tell me what’s really going on, Wren?”
“Don’t do that. Don’t use that tone on me. I’m not a child throwing a tantrum and I’m not a problem that requires managing.”
“I don’t think you’re either one of those things.”
There’s a small but mighty part of me wondering why I’m trying so hard to get a rise out of him. Am I trying to pick a fight to push him away? Am I trying to test the limits of this new “relationship” of ours? Am I trying to see how much he’ll put up with before he goes all bosshole pakhan on me?
“Then what am I?”
“Right now? I’d say you’re an exhausted pregnant woman who’s tired of being exhausted and pregnant.” He’s… not wrong. “Now, can you please tell me why it’s so important that you set up this bassinet on your own?”
Great question. If only I knew the answer. “I don’t know.” Despite my earlier declaration that I’m no child, I sound pretty damn childish, even to myself.
“If you don’t know, then maybe I should just finish the job.”
“No!” Why the hell can’t I let this go? “I need to do it.”
“Then let me be your hands. You take the lead. I’ll just be your helper.”
