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Just as well. I’ll be better able to plan for whatever the Cartwrights have in mind. And to have the important discussions she and I need in order for this to move forward.
Though…I suppose she could decide she doesn’t want any part of this lifestyle. Now that I’m less of a chaotic fucking mess, it’s easier to see that just because it’s in her nature, doesn’t mean she’ll accept everything that comes with being my sub. She still can’t leave. That’s not an option. But if not being mine is her decision, we’ll have to extricate her from everything she’s seen and heard so far. Not that I don’t trust her, but they’ve already hurt her because of the connection we made. Maybe I’ll put her up in a guarded apartment somewhere else.
I frown into her hair. That line of thinking makes every bone in my body ache. I’d much rather she stay as my…everything.
But on the flip side, if she accepts our brand, accepts my ownership, accepts this life… she’ll be accepting the very real possibility of her existence having value as leverage to those who want to take us down.
Because I would absolutely trade anything at this point, for her safety.
I frown deeper, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of her head, breathing in her scent. Maybe we’ll eat before diving into the heavy topics.
Lucy stirs, her toes digging into my skin a bit, back arching as she stretches.
“Mmmornin’ Bunny,” she mumbles, shoving her head under my chin and inhaling against my skin.
My heart squeezes, desperately fighting to escape my chest and leap into hers.
“Good morning, Firefly.” I wrap my arms around her and roll us a bit until her chest is resting on mine, her hips still on the bed.
She picks up her head with a snap, hair fluttering in all directions as she smiles. My radiant little star. “I like that nickname.”
“Mm. I’m glad,” I rumble, tugging at a lock of her hair before smoothing it back into place and tracing the mark on her cheek.
Her smile falls, brows pitching as she lowers her gaze.
The bruising is more angrily visible today, dark swirls surrounded by violent clouds of red, purple, and yellow. Tiny veins are swollen under her skin, spreading the marks out even further and mocking me. “How do you feel?”
She flicks her gaze up, relief so evident it hurts me. What she thought I was going to say, I have no idea.
“Fine. Good. Great, actually! I slept really well. You’re very snuggly.”
I twist my lips to the side, failing to hide my smile. Hopefully, it’s distracting from the heat storming my cheeks.
“I’m nothing of the sort.”
She giggles, and the feelings that well in me are nearly choking. I cup the sides of her face and stroke my thumbs over her cheeks.
“I could see myself wanting such utterly mundane things with you.”
Her breath catches, brows tilting, so I stroke those next, smoothing the pad of my middle finger over each one in turn. “Do you understand how terrifying that is?”
“No,” she whispers, swallowing. “B-but I’m glad we’re both scared.”
“This life, Lucy.” I exhale through my nose, chewing the side of my cheek. “My life. Is anything but mundane. I—Breakfast.”
She blinks at me, opening her mouth, which I promptly kiss silent.
“Breakfast first,” I say as I pull back. “Then harsh realities.”
“O-okay.”
With a grunt, I fling the blanket clean over to the other side of the bed, mainly because I want to see her body again.
“Eep, it’s cold!” She scoots backward like a shrimp, burrowing under the blanket pile. Finally, she pops her face out of a little hole.
I can’t help the laugh that tumbles out, or the way my stomach twirls at the softening of her eyes.
“I really like how that sounds.”
