"Don't try to fool me, girl. I can tell you're head-over-heels for him. Consider this my last warning," Father says. "He'll never love you. No one in this town ever will."
I swallow thickly just as the car comes to a stop in front of the Booth Mansion. Kelley opens the door and I step into the blinding sunlight of the late Sunday morning.
Dex is waiting on the steps of his house, his arms crossed and a troubled expression on his face. His shirt sleeves have been rolled up, exposing inches of his tanned, muscular arms. My stomach tightens again. He's so handsome it hurts.
"Get out," Father snarls at me while Kelley gets the door for him. I rush to get out of the car, afraid of his punishing hand. Father's wounds from where Brazen beat him are healing, but I have never seen him more eager to inflict hurt on others than he is now.
I walk toward Dex shakily when Father shoves me from behind, making me stumble on the pebbled driveway. Dex steps in front of me, facing off with Father.
"Here's your whore," Father smirks. "You spent your family's earnings... your position at the company... on her. I sincerely hope - and doubt - it was worth it. Have fun."
He looks at me, smirking as he adds, "If you were hoping for a prince in shining armor, daughter, you'll be sorely disappointed. Because after this, your prince is broke. More of a pauper, really. Maybe that's why you get along so well. You're both charity cases."
Dex takes a step closer until he's inches away from Father's face. They dare each other to hit first while I struggle to pick myself from the driveway. I smooth down my jade-colored dress and wait for the face-off to be over.
"Come on, Pandora," Dex hisses, still watching Father. "We're going inside."
He turns around and leaves Father standing there. Before he can say something else, Dex has shut the front door behind us, effectively shutting him up.
"Is... is that true?" I whisper as he storms down the hallway.
"What?" he hisses. God, he's in a bad mood. And it looks as if it's all because of me.
"That you're broke..." I follow him to the living room where the fireplace is burning like always.
"Does it make a difference?" Dex's angry gaze meets mine. "Would it make you leave if I was?"
"I-I don't know," I whisper. "Do you even want me here?"
He doesn't answer, sitting down on the Chesterfield couch instead and staring at the burning embers with his forehead resting on his knuckles.
I sit down on the rug next to him and lean my chin against his knee. I have no idea what sparked the sudden intimacy, but I want Dex to make things better. Not just for me, but for both of us. I need to hear him say everything's going to be okay.
He doesn't.
He just stares down at me, absent-mindedly combing his fingers through my hair. I don't know when this strange sense of intimacy developed between us, but it doesn't look like it's going anywhere, and it kind of turns me on.
"Are you mad at me?" I ask softly.
"No," he replies, his answer instant and confident. "I'm not."
"Then what?"
"Then nothing."
"But your money." I swallow when his fingertips linger on my cheek. I love the sensation of him touching me. "Is it really all gone? You don't have anything left?"
"I'll be fine," he mutters.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I still have the house and... something else Emilian Oakes might want."
"Huh?" I narrow my eyes at him. "Are you going to tell me what it is?"
"Someday," he murmurs. "Maybe."
As if he's suddenly changed his mind, he picks himself up from the chair. I can still see the faint traces of blood drops on the back of his shirt. I thought he would have healed fully by now, but the extent of my father's beating is now plainly visible. I hurt for Dexter, and yet I have no one to blame for his pain but myself.
"I'm going to do some work," Dex adds.
"What am I supposed to do?"
He looks at me with those nearly black eyes again. "I don't know, Pandora, do what you want to do. Fuck my friends, fuck yourself, fuck anyone you want. Just let me get on with my day. And don't go on the first floor."
He leaves me standing there, feeling utterly inadequate as he sets off for the stairs. With a huff, I collapse on the couch and wonder what I've done to upset him now. Dexter is so unpredictable. His moods shift so fast I can barely keep track - from hating me one moment to wanting to fuck me the next.
But still, the Booth Mansion is my home now, too. I can make myself comfortable, because I have nowhere else to go for the time being. And a sick, small part of me is still eager to get Dexter. To make him all mine, twirl him around my finger like I have done with the other boys. He's the most resilient so far, and it intrigues me.
I busy myself by going through the bookshelves in the Booth dining room. I notice everything is dusty, so I grab some cleaning supplies from the kitchen and get to work on dusting the books.
I've made it halfway down the wall, wiping down book after book and allowing myself a moment to admire them before carefully setting them on the shelf again. Then, I hear a voice behind me.
"What are you doing?"
The question startles me and nearly makes me stumble off the step-ladder I found with the cleaning equipment. But Dex is right there to catch me, his fingers digging into my skin painfully, as if he's eager to hurt me despite saving me from tumbling down.
"I saw they were dusty," I shrug. "And I wanted to look at them."
"How long have you been doing this?"
"Since you went upstairs, I guess."
"Two hours?" He smirks. "Would've thought such a task would be beneath you, toy."
I flush when he uses my pet name. I'd never admit it to Dex, but I secretly love it when he calls me that. "I'm used to this, remember? At home we had chores and we had to do them every week."
"Ah, so you're an experienced dust bunny warrior," he smirks, sitting down on the sofa and motioning for me to keep going. I pick up the cleaning spray again and wipe down the next shelf. "And? What do you think of our book collection?"
"I haven't read many of them," I mutter, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Just some."
"Which ones?" I locate a copy in the shelves and turn to face him with it in my hands. Dex laughs out loud. "Wuthering Heights. So predictable, little toy."
I frown and put it back in its place, picking up another tome I've read before. "What about this one, then?"
"The Stranger?" He quirks an eyebrow. "I'll give you props for that one. You're not as utterly boring as I feared."
"It's my favorite." I put the book back on the shelf, feeling Dex's eyes on me as I sit down on the sofa opposite where he's sitting. "What should we do now?"
He scrutinizes me, his eyes taking in every inch of my appearance. "Maybe you should make yourself useful, toy."
"How?" My stomach flutters in anticipation of his answer.
He shrugs. "Make us something to eat. I'm hungry."
I'm disappointed, but I try not to show it, and I follow him into the kitchen. The fridge and pantry are fully stocked and even though I'm not an expert, I figure I'll be able to make something with the food on hand. As I start gathering the ingredients, Dex leans against the counter and bites into a perfect red apple.
"You'll ruin your appetite like that," I tell him.
"You sound like my mom," he chuckles, but his smile is gone the next second. We've never spoken about his parents, and I can imagine it's a difficult topic for him, but I'm so eager to find out more I have to ask.
"What was she like?"
"Beautiful," he mutters. "Kind. Caring."
"And your father?"
"Strict," he smirks. "But also kind and caring, like her. They were polar opposites in some ways and so very alike in other ways."
"You must miss them." I want to slap myself for saying it, but he nods, not even flinching at my words.
"Every day."
"Do you have any other relatives?"
"No." He looks away, and it makes me realize just how alone he is in the world. I don't have just one family - besides the Oakes’, I also have my Wildwood family, and my mother somewhere out there, too. Dex has nobody. It's just him and this huge, empty, dusty house. I vow then and there to help him, to make him happy. I want to see a look of genuine happiness on Dex's face. I know it's possible, and I'm determined to work hard until I see it.
"Well, you have me now." I pass him a slice of mozzarella cheese I've just chopped up with a grin. "Here. Something else to ruin your appetite."
He laughs, making butterflies swarm in my stomach. I blush, leaning forward so my hair blocks the view of my flushed cheeks. Dex keeps me company while I cook, and we chat about our likes and dislikes. I'm surprised to find we like some of the same music, but that's the only thing we have in common. Dexter is well-read and smart, making me feel ashamed for always treating school like just a boring necessity. He takes it seriously, and his straight As are a sign that he truly pays attention.
Half an hour later, I set the table with dinnerware and our meal. Dex tells me the plates were a wedding gift to his parents from mine, so I take special care putting them down. They must have sentimental value. Everything probably does, now that his parents are gone.
We dig into our chicken parmigiana - recipe courtesy of my mom back in Wildwood - with fettuccine. Dex even pops open a wine bottle, and we giggle while we check it for any added, unwanted ingredients. Though I'm secretly hoping for a repeat of the other night, I don't mention it. I remind myself to play hard to get and never, ever reveal my true feelings. Dex can't know I'm starting to fall for him... I have to keep my feelings hidden.
Once we're finished with dinner, we take our wine glasses to the living room and Dex peruses the bookshelves while I sit in front of the fire. It's starting to die, so I ask Dexter where the poker is after I add some logs.
"Should be in that wire basket," he says, but I tell him I can't see it. He furrows his brows. "Strange. Where else would it be?"
I shrug, but he's already distracted by the books again, and he brings back an older edition of George Orwell.
"Read Animal Farm yet?"
"No," I shake my head.
"You should." He deposits it in my lap and grins. "You'll like it. It's our kind of depressing."
The word our makes me needy for him to say it again, but I manage a smile instead and touch my fingertips to the book's cover. "I'll read it tonight."
"No, you won't."
My eyes shoot up and I stare at him with a questioning look. "What do you mean?"
"You're not reading tonight. We're doing something else."
"What's that?"
His eyes sparkle with mischief as he sets his wine glass down. "I'm going to have my way with you, and you're going to be too much of a mess to read a single sentence..."
Chapter Thirteen
Dexter
My promise hangs heavy in the air as Pandora watches me with anticipation. I'm going to take it slow, though. Now that I officially own her, I'm in no rush. In fact, I'm going to take my sweet time bending Pandora to my will. I'm going to torture her painfully slowly until she's begging for more.
But before I drag her to my bed, I want to get to know Pandora better.
"Tell me about your Wildwood family," I suggest.
"So different than the Oakes," she mutters. "They were warm. They loved me."
I nod. Can't really argue with that - the Oakes aren't a particularly warm or loving bunch of people. No one in Eden Falls is, not even Pandora.
"You had a sister, right?"
"Andromeda," she mutters. "Andie. She's my best friend."
"How long since you've seen her?"
"Years." She looks away, but the trace of tears in her eyes doesn't escape me. I'm half-tempted to reach forward and hug her, but I've been trained and taught not to give into the sign of a woman's weakness. Still, the temptation remains a pleasant sizzle in my heart, because I know I'll get to touch Pandora all I want soon.
"I want you to see her soon," I say. "I'll set something up."
Her eyes light up, but she tries to not look too excited. I know why. Because that murderous bastard Oakes would've dangled that opportunity in front of her only to yank it away the second he saw she actually wanted it. Piece of shit, that guy. He deserves to rot in hell, and if everything goes according to plan, he fucking will.
"Thank you, Dex," Pandora mutters now.
I feel the need to establish my dominance then, so I reach over to her and pull her onto my lap. She lets out a shocked little gasp that makes my dick twitch in my chinos. She straddles me, one leg on either side, her mouth dangerously close to mine.
"You're nothing like her," I mutter.
"Like who?" she whispers. "Lily Anna?"
I don't answer, instead allowing my fingers to sneak around her throat, holding her gently, but firmly in place.
"I thought I hated you because of that at first," I finally get out through gritted teeth. "Turns out, it's exactly what I needed. A little toy to hurt and torture and fuck all I want."
She flushes and tries to cover it up by turning away, but I don't let her, forcing her to look back at me. Her eyes are wide and scared and it makes me hard as fuck.
"Where am I going to sleep tonight?" she finally asks, and I smirk, lifting her from my lap. She giggles when I set her back down on the floor.
"Come with me," I suggest. "I'll show you."
She follows me up the stairs. My shoulders tense when we go past the hallway leading to Lily Anna's room, but surprisingly, my captive is quiet today, not making a single sound. I lead Pandora past the guest bedrooms to the master bedroom. A large four-poster mahogany bed stands in the center of the room.
"Isn't this your room?" Pandora wonders out loud as I lead her in.
"Our room," I correct her. "Of course, you'll be sleeping right here..." I tap the bench in front of the bed. "Unless you earn your place next to me."
"You're such a prick."
"And you love it."
"That's what I have you believe."
"Sure," I chuckle. "You're such a cute toy."
She seems to like this, though she does her best not to let it show. I close the door behind us and turn the key before pocketing it. Pandora looks frail and nervous next to my bed in her pristine jade green dress.
"Take it off." I motion to the dress, then point to her strappy wedges. "All of it. I want to inspect my property."
"I'm not-"
"Save it, toy," I growl. "Off. Now."
She regards me with cool hatred before starting to painfully slowly untie the bows resting on her shoulders. I watch the dress slide off with a cold expression firmly in place on my face. She steps out of the dress. There's no bra on beneath it, but she is wearing a pink cotton thong, and she takes that off too before untying her shoes. Finally, she stands before me completely naked, arms defensively crossed in front of her body.
"Lower your arms." She shakes her head no. "You want me to do it for you?" She looks at me with contempt. Rolls her eyes. Then finally puts her arms down. "Good toy."
"Don't call me that," she mumbles.
"Why not? You fucking love it." I motion to the bed. "Get on all fours. Ass toward me."
She flushes but obeys, probably having realized she has no choice in the matter. I stand behind her, placing a firm hand on the small of her back.
"Arch it, Pandora. I want a proper position. Your back arched. Ass up, face down."
I can feel the heat coming off her body, the desire to defy me, but she's smart enough not to. Instead, she lays her face down on the pillow, her cheek resting against the silk and her eyes tightly shut.
"Now let's see..." I tap my palm on her ass, making her flinch. "Which hole should I inspect first?"
"P-Please."
"Please what, toy?"
"Please don't... humiliate me."
"Why not?" I smirk. "It gets you so fucking wet... and I like
that so very much."
She doesn't respond, just closes her eyes even tighter, I move to stand behind her, fingertips touching her puffy pussy lips, outlining the shape of her cunt. "Look at you, Pandora. Such a tight little pussy... They didn't even stretch you out properly like I do."
She whimpers and I take it as an invitation. Sliding my fingers into her wetness, I swipe them over her walls, filling her, forcing her apart so I can fit all four fingers in. This makes her cry out, but she thrusts her ass out at me the same time, which must be a good sign.
When I can tell she's getting desperate because her thighs are all sticky and wet, I remove my fingers, now lubed with her juices, and press them to the sensitive skin above her cunt.
"No, Dex," she cries out.
"You don't want it?" I circle my fingertips around her ass. "You don't like this. Tell me to stop."
She whimpers. She doesn't have it in her to stop me, not when she's loving this so much. She doesn't say a word as I push the tip of my finger inside her tightest hole. Her knees threaten to buckle but she forces herself not to react. I laugh out loud at her predicament. Pandora is so fucking stubborn. She'll deny being turned on by me until the bitter end, even when her pussy's squirting for me and her ass is desperate to have me stretch it.
"Cat got your tongue, toy?" I wonder out loud. "Thought you hated this..."
"Don't," she whimpers, and I force my finger in deeper, making her moan.
"Don't what, Pandora?"
"Don't... don't..." She swallows in an attempt to save herself, but it doesn't help, and the truth slips from her lips before she can stop herself. "Don't stop, Dex, please don't stop..."
"Good girl." I pull my finger out of her with a pop and she yelps before moaning again. "One hole left. Get on your knees."
She obeys frantically. Already so eager to do as I please, to give me everything I want. At least this toy puts up a little fight once in a while. It turns me the fuck on when she does.
"Open wide." She does. "Stick your tongue out." She does.
I grab her tongue and she protests as I hold her like that so she can't close her mouth.
"Let's try something new," I muse. "I want to see how well you handle instructions. I want you to hold your mouth open like this until I say it's enough. Can you do that for me?"
A Hurt So Sweet: Complete Dark Bully Romance Series Box Set: Elite of Eden Falls Prep Page 42