Page 149 of Daddy, Sir

“Maybe we could nuke it really quickly?” I asked after trying to chew a piece of cold broccoli. Fresh broccoli was fine, but steamed broccoli that was now ice-cold? Gag.

“Actions have consequences, darlin’. If you can’t bother to be on time for a meal, then we eat it cold.”

He didn’t seem to be having a problem with his, but I still felt guilty.

“Seriously though, just thirty seconds in the microwave.”

“No.”

“Okay, then how about just yours? You weren’t the one that was late; why do you have to be punished?” My voice was rising and getting screechy the more frustrated I got. I wasn’t sure why this one thing was setting me off so badly. I should have been grateful he was willing to eat cold broccoli with me.

“No. You also need to learn that your actions can also cause consequences for innocent people around you.”

“Okay, well now you’re just being dramatic.” I crossed my arms over my chest and sat back in the chair. I wasn’t even hungry anymore.

“I’m not being dramatic in the slightest. When you are late, it causes a ripple effect that you may not even get the chance to witness. This is a small example, but now you can see it for yourself. Your behavior can affect everyone around you.”

My shoulders slumped and I dropped my arms. He was teaching me a lesson and I was acting like a spoiled brat again. Was that who I was? I thought back to my time with Archer and realized though my reasoning and motivation had been different, my actions had certainly been bratty. I sighed. Maybe I would never change. Maybe I couldn’t. Maybe this whole thing was a stupid waste of time.

“I don’t think I’m hungry.” It wasn’t even that the food was cold. I’d just completely lost my appetite and wanted to go back to my room and hide for a little while.

“When was the last time you ate?” he asked.

Well, that was kind of a loaded question and I really had to think hard about what I last ate, and when. I winced when I realized I hadn’t had anything since the night before. I’d been too nervous to eat after the club, and my stomach had been in knots this morning.

“I had a light lunch… yesterday?” My statement came out more like a question.

Zeke’s eyebrows basically hit his hairline. “That doesn’t sound very healthy, and while I’m not of the mind to force someone to eat if they aren’t hungry, I think it’s reasonable to assume that your lack of hunger is emotional and not physical.”

His logic was annoying, but I couldn’t deny it, so I looked away and stayed quiet, refusing to make eye contact.

He didn’t say anything else, but didn’t move to continue eating, either. The silence was deafening, and finally I forced myself to glance up at him to see what was going on.

He just sat there, looking at me expectantly. What was he waiting for? It wasn’t like he’d asked me a question or anything. Why wasn’t he talking or moving or… something?

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I finally confessed.

“A civil conversation was what I was hoping for. A response, of any kind, to my statement. It’s rude to ignore what someone is saying even if you don’t like it or don’t agree with it. We’re getting to know one another, and I have to be able to discuss some things with you before I respond so as not to inadvertently set you back in any way.”

When he put it that way I felt even more like shit. Why was every single thing I did being made into some kind of personal attack on him?

“Look, I wasn’t late on purpose and wasn’t trying to be rude, but I didn’t know what to say. This is obviously not going to work. I’m just going to keep pissing you off. I should just go.”

I stood and he followed suit.

“Lola, I’m not going to force you to stay with me, but I also refuse to allow you to leave when you’re upset. Running away will not solve anything. Sit down.”

“I’m not running away; I’m walking. I’m too much of a burden. This isn’t going to work.” Hot tears pricked the backs of my eyes and I blinked rapidly to keep them from falling.

“When I said sit down, it was not a suggestion, it was a command, and in this house commands will be obeyed or there will be consequences. If you still want to leave when you’re calm, I’ll allow it.”

I really wanted to argue, but again, his infuriating logic didn’t leave much room for that.

“Zeke, this is never going to work!”

“Daddy or Sir,” he corrected.

“Ughhhh… Sir, Daddy, Sir. This is never going to work. Better?”

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