Page 174 of Plaything

Aiden was no longer blurred, either, although I hated his expression. He looked at me like I was made of glass, ready to shatter at any moment. His eyes shifted between me and Dominic, calculating and possibly guilty.

Turning, I saw Niko and Wyatt too, un-blurred, both with downturned sad eyes.

Four tickets to the Odette freak show. Ashamed of myself and crestfallen, I let my eyes drop to my lap. I hated that they saw that, and I hated that they looked at me with such sadness. We had an amazing night; it was a bit intense, but I enjoyed every moment. Now, this was all they’d remember. A fucking panic attack because Aiden called me Honey. It was so stupid—a single word, and I spiraled.

They’d taken away my need to apologize long ago, but I couldn’t stop the near croak that crept up my throat. “I’m so sorry,” I rushed out, quickly bringing my hands to my face and wiping away any tears. It was no help; even if I hid the evidence, they were there to witness the whole thing.

“No, don’t do that,” Niko gently scolded from behind me before I felt him slide closer and wrap his arm around my middle. “You have nothing to be sorry about, okay?”

“I promise that had nothing to do with any of you or what happened at the club,” I began. I didn’t want them to feel guilty or blame themselves because they didn’t do anything wrong in the slightest. “I know how this must look, but I promise I was perfectly happy ten minutes ago and then—”

“Odette,” Wyatt cut me off, wearing a slight comforting smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “We don’t think that Baby,” he promised. “You had a trauma response; obviously, the word Aiden used triggered some bad memories. It could have happened anytime—to no fault to you or Aiden. It happens,” he comforted.

“Being as deep into subspace as you were didn’t help either,” Aiden chimed in. “I know none of us could have known that would happen, but I am deeply sorry to have caused it,” he gently shook his head, and I saw the contrite in his stormy eyes.

Aiden felt guilty, and I felt stupid. We were both wrong to feel the way we did, and I knew that now. Like Wyatt said, no one was at fault or to blame. I had a messed up mind and lots of unresolved trauma. “It’s okay,” I shot down his apology. “I’m just lucky it happened with you, instead of alone or around strangers... all things considered,” I shrugged, still feeling uncomfortable but trying to make the best of a shitty situation.

Niko gave me a squeeze, placing a kiss against the back of my head. “Let’s get you home; it’s freezing,” he pulled me back into the car. I winced as my ass touched the seat again. “Sorry, Cariño—Dominic wasn’t very nice, was he?” He smirked, once again an expert at lighting the mood.

He held me against his side as the others got into the car, Dominic taking Aiden’s place by my side while Aiden took passenger. I didn’t laugh at Niko’s false innocence (I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction, and I wasn’t exactly in the laughing mood). He was no angel either; he encouraged him and joined in. Honestly, my body was aching because of their collective work. My ass burned, my clit felt like it was hanging by a thread, my pussy was so sore it was uncomfortable to cross my legs, my throat was fucked raw, and the rest of my body felt like jello.

“I didn’t see a mirror in the room?” I questioned. I knew from everyone’s silence and Jamie’s comment in the club that people watched—but I don’t recall seeing any mirrors.

“The entire ceiling was a mirror,” Dominic answered, speaking for the first time since my freak out. That explained it. I wasn’t exactly looking up, and when I was there, a body was blocking my view. I wasn’t alert enough to feel embarrassed that people saw, although I was sure it would come later. When we were in that room, I’d honestly forgotten about the chance of anyone being able to watch—it felt like we were entirely alone.

When we got home, Niko showered with me, gently washing away any mess that hadn’t been removed by the cloth earlier. He kissed my shoulders, face, and neck, riddling my upper body in kisses. Taking his time, he lathered his manly shampoo and conditioner in my hair, massaging his hands through it. It felt like a steamy heaven as his soft compliments and praises filled the air.

By the time my pampering session was done and I was wrapped in a fuzzy towel, my hair brushed and braided, I was beyond ready to sleep.

Niko was opening his cabinets, looking for something, but he came up empty-handed. “Hey, guys?” he gently called. Where’s the lotion?” he asked.

A little later, Dominic entered the bathroom holding a bottle of soothing lotion. He was in boxers and a t-shirt, a second shirt draped over his arm.

“Are you hungry?” Niko asked me.

“Not at all,” I shook my head. We ate before getting ready to go to the club. Honestly, my appetite was severely lacking after the nauseating memories. “It’s almost midnight,” I added with a smile.

He didn’t like my answer but didn’t push it. “Fine. I’ll go get you something to drink,” he insisted before leaving the bathroom.

“How’s your ass?” Dominic questioned, a slight smirk playing on his lips. He held out the T-shirt to me.

Feeling a bit shy, I turned away from him as I dropped the towel and slid on the shirt, earning a chuckle from him. “Very sore; you should feel bad for me instead of smirking,” I jokingly scolded, turning back around once the shirt was on. It was huge on me, falling to my thighs.

“I tried to be gentle, Darling,” he smiled. He tilted his head somewhat playfully. “Your soft skin bruises easily.”

“Liar,” I widened my eyes. There was nothing gentle about that.

He shrugged. Pumping a few squirts of lotion into his hands. “Let me see the damage. I can fix my own disasters—although I do like your ass shades of red and marked with my belt and hand,” he admitted.

“I can do it,” I attempted but was silenced when he cocked an eyebrow at me.

“I know you can, my stubborn girl. Now do as I say,” he flirted, twirling a finger in the air, gesturing for me to turn around.

Letting out a small breath, I obliged. He lifted the oversized shirt just enough to expose my ass. He hummed in approval. “This looks good on you,” he teased before I felt his big, cold hand caress my ass. It stung at first, but the lotion felt cold against my skin. “Better?” He asked, reminding me of earlier.

“Maybe a little,” I hammed up. “Dominic?” A question played at my thoughts as I turned back to him. “How’d you know that looking at the stars would work?” I asked. He’d acted so quickly and spoke with such confidence in his voice. It clearly wasn’t his first time helping someone calm down.

He seemed caught off guard by the topic change, his eyes narrowing in thought. “Closing your eyes doesn’t help when the monsters are in your head,” he murmured.

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