AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Focus on one thing at a time. Get Mia out of this place and safely back home.
I pull my T-shirt off over my head, tug it down over Mia’s, and pull her arms through the sleeves. It comes down to her knees like a dress. She’s spitting with anger now and trying to get away from me, but I haul her fireman’s-lift style over my shoulder and head for the door.
Mia’s nails dig into my bare back. “Youasshole, Laz.”
The bouncer blocks the doorway, but I push past him. “Don’t bother throwing me out, we’re leaving. I’m parked out front, the black Camaro. Can you bring me Mia’s things? I have a twenty for you in my car if you do.”
The bouncer hesitates, and then heads off to wherever the girls have their lockers. I suppose I’m not the first man who has dragged his girlfriend, wife, or daughter out of this place.
We draw a load of stares from the patrons and passersby in the streets as we head for my car, the shirtless man with a stripper in a T-shirt over his shoulder. I look straight ahead, comfortable in the knowledge that no one can recognize Mia upside down in a wig and an oversized T-shirt. If they recognize me, well, it’s not the craziest thing I’ve ever done in this city.
I open the door of my car and tumble Mia into the back seat. When the bouncer arrives, I take her things from him and pass them to a fuming Mia. “Get dressed. I’m taking you home.”
I fish a twenty-dollar bill out of the glove box and pass it to the bouncer. “Thanks, man. She won’t be working here again.”
The man laughs, shaking his head as he turns away. “Sure, she won’t.”
I sit in the driver’s seat while Mia takes off her wig and makeup and puts her own clothes back on. As soon as she looks herself again, I start the car and we drive in silence toward home.
I pull up two doors down from the house so that Giulia won’t see my car if she glances out the window.
Meeting Mia’s eyes in the rearview mirror, I say, “The photo of you with your tits out. That wasn’t taken at school, was it?”
Her gaze drops away from me and she whispers, “No. Kaleb and his brother came to the club. The bouncer threw them out for taking the photo, but it was too late.”
What a couple of pricks. I wish I’d punched them harder. “That’s the first and last time you ever lie to me. Out.”
She blinks at me in surprise. “What?”
“You’re home. Get out.” The mood I’m in after what we just did, I dare not risk walking in with Mia and Giulia seeing us together. I can’t act natural when all I’m thinking about is dragging Mia upstairs and fucking her hard until she agrees to do everything I say.
Her expression closed and angry, Mia slides out of my car, slams the door, and walks quickly up the sidewalk to our house. I wait to hear the front door slam and then peel away from the curb.
I intended to drive around for another hour and cool off, but there’s a tug in my chest. For the first time in a really long time, years probably, I just want to go home.
A few minutes later, I pull into the garage and turn off the engine.
Inside, Giulia’s sitting at the kitchen counter while Mia pours herself a glass of juice. My stepdaughter stares at me, and I guess she didn’t expect me back so soon.
Neither did I, but I needed to see her here, back to normal.
Giulia wrinkles her nose at me. “Where have you been? You smell like a cheap whore has been rubbing herself all over you.”
Over her shoulder, Mia turns pale and her jaw tightens. I can only imagine the hell that would be rained down on her head if Giulia discovers where she’s been tonight, and all the other nights she’s been dancing at the club. Being dragged down to the basement, tied up, and flogged might not be off the table.
“Me? I ate a lilac-colored ice cream earlier and it wasn’t cheap. It was delicious and sweet and just what I wanted.”
Giulia throws me a baffled glance and turns back to her phone. Over her shoulder, I give Mia a meaningful look.
“Actually, it was perfect.”
You’re perfect.
Then I have to get the hell out of there because the inside of my jeans is a mess and I need a shower.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m sitting on the edge of the bed with a towel around my hips, rubbing my hair dry while I search through emails on my phone. I must have Mia’s email address somewhere.
I finally find it included in one from Giulia back when she was planning our wedding and she CC’d the whole family. She’s even included Mia’s phone number in case anyone had questions about our special day.
