by A. Zavarelli
He bent down until he was on my level and surprised me by taking my hands in his. “I know you’re nervous, pet, and it’s completely normal. But I promise you that your fears are bigger than any challenges you’ll face in that building.”
I turned away, frustrated that he knew so much about me when I hadn’t given the information freely. I hated him for making me do this.
He unbuckled me and helped me from the car, and I followed because it was pointless to argue. Today, I would have to go inside. But that didn’t mean I had to stay. I could slip out to go to the bathroom and then make a run for it. There were a million options that Lucian had no say in. That was the only comfort I had as he led me in to the slaughter.
The building was large and empty. The kind of empty that made our footsteps reverberate off the walls as we walked. It smelled like lemon-scented cleaner and freshly sharpened pencils, and probably the stuff of every failed dropout’s nightmares.
Lucian stopped in front of a door numbered 105, and I squeezed my fists together as he knocked. Someone called out from the other side for us to enter, and I froze to the spot. Lucian opened the door and then guided his hand to my lower back, bringing me forward with him.
I expected to see a bunch of pimply faced teenagers judging me from their seats, but instead, the classroom was empty apart from one woman. An older woman who looked like she was more suited to a Paris runway than this learning center.
She was beautiful and classy in a Helen Mirren type of way with silvery strands of hair pulled back to proudly display every crease she’d earned on her face. I was surprised by the warm energy surrounding her, and even more so when she reached out and hugged Lucian.
“My sweet Lucian,” she whispered. “How I have missed you.”
He remained stoic as ever when she pulled away and turned her gaze to me. “And you must be the beautiful Miss Gypsy I’ve heard so much about.”
I looked up at Lucian curiously, but he didn’t give anything away.
“Thank you for doing this, Kate,” he said. “Gypsy is going to be on her best behavior for you, aren’t you?”
When he looked at me, there was a spark of pride in his eyes, and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. Nobody had ever been proud of me before.
“Here.” He produced a brown paper bag from his other hand. “I packed your lunch.”
I clutched the sack in my hand and stood wordlessly as he exchanged a quick goodbye with Kate. I was still anxious even without the prospect of a classroom full of people to bask in my ignorance. Lucian must have sensed it because he pulled me toward the door to give me one last parting gift.
“You can do this, pet.” His fingers skated down the length of my arm and caught my trembling fingers. “Just remember, you’re always the smartest woman in the room.”
I didn’t know if it was just to delay the inevitable, but I clung to his hand. And when he leaned down to kiss me for the second time, there was no disputing that this time I kissed him back.
“SO IT’S JUST THE TWO of us?” I asked.
Kate sat down at the desk across from me and smiled. “Yes, it will just be the two of us.”
I didn’t know if that was better or worse. She seemed like a nice enough lady, and I felt it was only fair to give her a heads-up of things to come.
“Just so you know, this is a waste of time,” I said. “I’m probably going to quit or run out. It’s inevitable.”
“Well, we’ll have to make the most of the time we have together then, won’t we?”
I examined her, not quite sure how to handle someone who was so… happy. She was still smiling at me after I’d told her this was a waste of her time.
“Where do we start?” I asked, eager to get the show on the road so I could plan my escape.
“Have you ever noticed that most people will ask you broad questions?” Kate tapped at her chin thoughtfully. “Well, I’m not really about that, Gypsy. So I’ll tell you a few things about myself. Three things you’d never guess.”
She took a sip of what appeared to be a cup of tea, staring off into the distance as she spoke. “My star sign is Pisces. I’m a member of a hardcore rock band. And I was a victim’s advocate for thirty years, so there isn’t a thing on God’s green earth you could say to push me away.”
I shifted in my seat, already uncomfortable with where this conversation was heading. I didn’t like that she’d used the word victim as if it somehow related to me. And I liked even less the fact I wasn’t sure how much she knew about my life.
“I don’t know your story,” she said. “Lucian told me a little but not much. Just that you didn’t make it through school, mostly. And I’m here to help you with that. What I’m not here to do is coddle you or play into your fears. You can tell me that you’re going to quit every two minutes if it makes you feel better, but we both know that Lucian won’t let you. And neither will I.”
I had to respect the woman for being so honest. It wasn’t what I’d been expecting at all when Lucian talked about school. But it was clear that Kate wasn’t about to let me get away with anything, and she was right that Lucian wouldn’t either.
“Why don’t you tell me three things about yourself,” she suggested. “Anything you want.”
I stared at a poster on the wall. It was a cat hanging by one paw with a motivational phrase beneath it. I was used to telling lies, so I considered telling a few now. But I think a part of me was tired of lying because what came out was nothing but the truth.
“My star sign is Leo. I listen to country music but pretend that I don’t. And for the past four years, I’ve been a professional con artist.”
Kate flashed a conspiratorial smile and patted my hand. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Now we can get started on the fun stuff.”
True to his word, Lucian arrived at four to pick me up from the learning center. I got into the passenger seat, and he waited for me to buckle in before driving out of the parking lot.
“How was it?” he asked.
I fiddled with the radio station. “Boring.”
He smirked. Truthfully, it wasn’t that bad, but I wasn’t about to admit that to him. Kate must have been a good teacher because she had a way of presenting things in a way that made sense to me. It was easy to pay attention to her because she found a way to make every problem relatable, and I didn’t know if it was just like that with me or all her students.
“Are you ready for the barbecue?” Lucian asked.
“Sure am.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been looking forward to it all day.”
“I would tell you to be on your best behavior,” he said, “but I have a feeling it won’t make any difference. So instead, I’ll tell you this, pet. Don’t think for a second that because we’re around my colleagues that I will hesitate to punish you in front of them if you decide to act out.”
I shot him a glare. “That’s a little unfair, isn’t it? You’ve already pre-determined my course without giving me a chance.”
He gave me a sideways glance. “I’m not saying you will or you won’t, but I want you to be aware of the consequences.”
He could shove his consequences where the sun didn’t shine for all I cared.
We were both quiet for the rest of the trip to the park where the barbecue was being held, and when we arrived, I wasn’t in the best of moods. I couldn’t figure out why, but it irritated me that this morning he’d been encouraging and even vaguely sweet when he dropped me off, but now he was treating me like I was a wrecking ball.
Lucian parked the car, and we walked across the grass together. There were more people than I expected to see, and it occurred to me as small children zoomed in and around the adults that this was a family event.
Lucian charged through the maze with purpose, stopping along the way to say hello to a few people here and there. He was all business as he introduced me to Vincent, his other partner at the firm. I shook his hand and smiled and did all the things I was supposed to do, though I didn�
��t really care. These people weren’t any association to me, and it made no difference what they thought of me either. Regardless, I played the part of Lucian’s obedient wife. When that was out of the way, we went straight for the food and plated up, and it seemed like Lucian was in more of a rush to get out of there than I was.
We found a vacant picnic table and ate in silence until one of the employee’s children took it upon himself to join us. He was a cute little boy, probably only about six if I had to guess, and he was proudly displaying the water gun he’d brought with him. “Lucian, look what my daddy got me!”
I looked at Lucian, who seemed less than impressed and didn’t make an effort to respond. In fact, he’d turned downright cold and irritable as I gave the boy a smile for his benefit.
“You should get back to your parents,” Lucian told him.
The boy’s shoulders fell, and I glared at Lucian after he retreated. “That was rude.”
“It was rude for him to interrupt our meal,” Lucian countered.
I stared at him in disbelief. “He’s just a child. He was excited.”
Lucian’s response was to flatten his empty plate between his hands as he stood. “Finish eating. I need to speak to my colleague.”
I scowled at his back as he retreated and made a point to appreciate every bite of the hamburger and chips I had left. He only ever ate healthy stuff, and I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to enjoy something like this again. Lucian circulated through the crowd and disappeared on the other side of a large cluster of trees. And when he didn’t return after ten minutes, I decided I might as well have a little fun since none of the adults were talking to me.
I joined a group of young girls playing the bean bag toss, and then they challenged me to a game of horseshoes, which I accepted and then purposely lost. They were begging me to play another round when I checked my watch and realized Lucian had been gone for a while.
It wasn’t difficult to spot him in the crowd, considering he was about six inches taller than the average male. But what I didn’t expect to find was the company he was keeping on the other side of the park. A tall, beautiful brunette in a form-fitting pencil dress and heels.
My stomach lurched, and the reaction made no sense to me. I didn’t know what it was I felt, but it certainly wasn’t jealousy. Lucian meant nothing to me. The fact he had discarded me so he could go chat her up should have been a relief. But it wasn’t.
I found myself moving toward him like a lost puppy, only to stop and change my course midway. This was ridiculous. He’d forced me to marry him. He’d forced me to come to this stupid barbecue, and now he’d abandoned me to the wolves. But Lucian forgot where I’d come from, and I was all too happy to remind him.
I knew how to circulate a crowd too, and I already had my sights set on his buddy Vincent.
“ARE YOU SURE EVERYTHING’S OKAY?” Emily asked.
I adjusted my collar and gave her a tight smile. “It’s just a formality.”
My colleague was young and hungry. Still trying to make a name for herself and change the world, and because of that, she didn’t argue with what I asked of her. “I’m happy to take on his case, should it ever come down to that, as long as the client is willing.”
It was a conversation I’d need to have with Emmanuel, but I didn’t want to jump the gun. For now, I was just getting my ducks in a row.
“I should let you get back to the party,” I told her.
She nodded, and I looked toward the picnic table where I’d left Gypsy. It didn’t surprise me that it was empty, but it did surprise me when I found her talking to Vincent.
“Excuse me.” I nodded to Emily.
We went our separate ways, my sights set straight on the little brat who was currently making every facet of my life more complicated than it needed to be. Gypsy was oblivious to the wolf at her back door, and as I drew closer, I understood why. She wasn’t just talking to Vincent, she was working him.
Her body language was all wrong. Soft, pliable, charming. All the things she never gave freely, yet she was giving to him. Her laughter was vibrant, and her eyes were hungry. If I hadn’t seen her slip into this second layer of skin before, I wouldn’t even recognize her.
Vincent was a colleague, and I respected him, but he was also widely known to be overindulgent in his carnal pleasures, and right now, he wasn’t backing down from my goddamn wife. My hands balled into fists when Gypsy touched his arm. She hadn’t ever touched me that way. Not intentionally. And even if I knew it meant nothing to her—this was simply a game she was playing—it fucking bothered me.
It shouldn’t have. And I shouldn’t have let my temper get the best of me, but that’s exactly what I did.
“Gypsy.” My voice sliced through the space between them, and both of their heads swiveled in my direction.
“Lucian.” Vincent cleared his throat and took a reproachful step back from my wife. “I was just keeping your girl company while—”
I wrapped my fingers around her waist and laid claim to her with a grip she wouldn’t escape. “Did I ask you to keep her company?”
Vincent’s jaw slackened, and he held up both hands in a weak attempt to pacify me. “I’m sorry, Lucian. I meant no offense. Honestly.”
“We’re leaving.”
Vincent mumbled a quick goodbye, and I led Gypsy back to the parking lot. Once we were out of earshot, she tried to pull away, but I didn’t let go.
“What is your problem?” she hissed.
“Don’t play dumb with me, pet. It really isn’t becoming of you.”
Her eyes turned a flinty gray as she turned her nose up at me. “Have I told you today that you’re an asshole?”
I opened the door to the Demon and hoisted her inside, forcing her buckle into place and securing her in her seat.
“I’m not a toddler.” She smacked my hands away. “I can do it myself.”
I leaned down into her face and grabbed her chin. “Then maybe you should stop acting like one.”
“Maybe you should stop acting like a fucking prick!”
I had to take a step back to cool myself off because if I didn’t, I would punish her in anger, and that wasn’t what she needed. I tried to remember that when I got inside the car and started the ignition. But the entire drive home, she kept at it. She called me every name that her defiant mouth could think of and then some. I’d already decided I would need to call Ace to babysit her, but the minute we walked in the door, she was at my throat again.
“There isn’t a single good thing about you,” she shouted. “That’s why nobody likes you.”
“Go to the bedroom,” I ordered. “Stay there until I tell you otherwise.”
She stood her ground, forcing me to acknowledge every spiteful word she threw my way. “How about no. How about I hate you, and I don’t want to be married to you.”
I took a deep breath and tried to remember why she was doing this. Gypsy didn’t know how to deal with her emotions in a healthy way. She only knew how to lash out, and once we both calmed down, we could discuss this rationally.
“What’s the matter, Lucian?” she taunted. “Are you so weak that you can’t even fight with me?”
She could have said anything, but she chose to say that, not knowing it would be the thing to push me over the edge. I struck out like a snake and wrapped my hands around both of her arms, dragging her against me before I forced her chin up to meet my gaze. “Is that what you think?”
“Yes,” she spat. “You aren’t half the man Vincent is. You should have left me there with him.”
I wasn’t proud to admit that I knew exactly what I was doing when I dragged her down the hall and into the bedroom, forcing her onto her knees. “Undress.”
She glared up at me but didn’t dare try to move. “Fuck you.”
“Have it your way.”
I hauled her up onto the bed and pinned her there with my body while I secured her wrists and ankles to the bed posts with the ties I’d picked out for that
week. She fought me every step of the way, and I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed it so much that my cock felt like cement in my trousers as I cut her clothing from her body and tossed it to the floor. When it was done, I stepped back to look at the beautiful mess I created. She was at my mercy now. Naked and spread wide for me, her chest heaving, her beautiful features tainted with fear. I’d finally unleashed the monster I tried so hard to hide from her.
“Lucian.” All the fight had gone out of her voice when she looked up at me with kitten eyes. “What are you doing?”
I didn’t answer. In truth, I couldn’t move at all because my eyes were on her pussy. The scent of her fear and the moisture I saw on her delicate pink lips inflamed a craving I didn’t know how to suffocate anymore. I wanted to fuck her mercilessly. I wanted to plunge my dick inside her tight little hole over and over again until I stuffed her full of my come.
Her breasts were heaving, and her body was shaking, and I wanted her more in that moment than I could ever remember wanting anything else in my life. I longed to torment her. To punish her and teach her exactly how weak I wasn’t. I wanted to taste the tears she cried for me while I fucked her so hard she wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week.
She sensed the change in me. Gypsy knew how to spot a predator, and right now, that was me. She yanked against the restraints, the fabric chafing her wrists. Her panic rose when her eyes locked onto mine. Her breaths became shallow. Her pupils larger. Goose bumps filled the exposed spaces of her skin.
When I tied her up like this, I knew how it would affect her. But in the depths of her panic attack, my vindication slipped away. There was no glory in exposing her vulnerabilities the way she always seemed to expose mine. And when she started hyperventilating and shaking her head back and forth, it all came crashing down on me.
I did this to her.
Because I was still a monster, and I always would be.
I moved to her side, frantically trying to untie her, which was difficult when she was thrashing with all her force. It took me longer than it should have. I’d had years of practice, but suddenly, I felt as unskilled as the day I first experimented with the dark side of my desires.