Page 85 of What Doesn't Kill Us

I continue to glower at him. “That may be true, but you know what I’m saying. Do I need to remind you of what will happen if I find out that you did something intentionally to make something like that happen?”

He shakes his head and sighs again. “No, you made it perfectly clear that one time I had a laugh about that guy in the book who intentionally messed with her birth control and then gloated to his friends about it.”

“Well, if not for subterfuge, why would I need that?”

“Toni, be reasonable. Occasionally, genuine mistakes happen. That’s all. Most likely, you use it. It’ll be negative—no harm, no foul. You carry on as you have been until whatever bug you’ve caught passes. But if it is positive, then you likely would require some medical attention, and I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

I groan, the mere idea of that thing turning positive, making my skin crawl. I glance over at Dare, and he gives me a dirty look and then says, “Well, you don’t have to look so completely disgusted by the idea of carrying my child.”

“Don’t take it personally,” I say petulantly, my addled brain malfunctioning at the tiny chance I could be carrying Dare’s parasite. “Children are gross. I can barely take care of myself. Never mind the fact that we don’t exactly live a lifestyle that goes very well with child-rearing.”

“Fair, but just humor me.” He holds the box out to me.

I give it a dirty look but take it from him, saying, “Fine, but get out.”

He doesn’t argue; he stands and vacates the bathroom, closing the door behind him. I read the instructions about twelve times before finally accepting that it really is as simple as peeing on a stick and waiting. So, I do the peeing then wash my hands and quickly brush my teeth. I splash some water on my face, then exit the bathroom into the bedroom, where Dare is sitting on the edge of the bed on his phone.

I stare at him until he mouths that he’s talking to Tony. I try to snag the phone from him, but he dodges me, moving off the bed and across the room as I yell after him, “Whereis that guy?”

He shoos me away, continuing to walk away from me every time I try to follow him. I soon give up and sprawl out on the bed on my back, staring up at the ceiling. His footsteps move off into the bathroom, and I know he’s going to check the results of the stupid pregnancy test. It’s better he looks at it anyway because my initial reaction to a positive result will be complete anarchy, and I’m too tired for that right now.

I must’ve dozed off because I startle awake from a tickle on my inner thigh. I attempt to adjust my position on the bed, but I find I can’t move my arms, and my eyes fly open to find Dare lying between my spread legs.

“What are you doing?”

He glances up at me, both of his hands stroking up my inner thighs and spreading them wider as he smiles. He tilts his head back a bit as if he’s scenting the air, then sighs heavily and licks his lips. “Taking my turn.”

“Not funny, Darius. I’m disgusting.”

His smile widens, and he gives me a lazy shrug before his head falls forward, and he strokes my clit with the tip of his tongue, saying against my flesh, “You know I don’t give a fuck.”

I push down the moan, attempting to erupt from my chest, stopping myself from bucking my hips up, and instead, I manage to snap my legs together, squeezing Dare’s head between them. He chuckles, the vibrations against my sensitive pussy sending a shiver down my spine as he croons, “That’s right, baby girl. Keep me close.”

“That’s the opposite of what I’m trying to do. Now, get the fuck off me and let me go. At least let me shower first. And you have to tell me about your phone call with that fucker, Tony. He hasn’t been in contact for weeks, and we really need to know what the hell he’s doing. We promised Jayme—“

He shoves two fingers inside me, cutting off my tirade. Desire pools between my legs, my treacherous body begging me to give in. He adds a third finger, stroking in and out of me slowly, firmly, then he curls his fingers, pressing against my walls while his lips suck on my clit, his tongue swirling rhythmically.

I sob out a moan, my thighs falling open. I hook my feet over his shoulders for leverage so I can thrust myself up against his mouth. I know this is a trap. I know what he’s going to do, but I can’t stop myself. I buck my hips up faster, hoping to distract him from what I know is coming. I feel the pleasure building, the tension inside my body swirling, and I chase it, reaching for when it’ll break.

But then he stops.

I scream in frustration, attempting to kick out at him as I curse a blue streak, but he’s too fast in getting away. “You fucking prick. Get back here. Finish what you started.”

He’s standing by the edge of the bed, grinning down at me, and then his dirty chuckle washes over me. He avoids my thrashing legs, leaning near my torso to play with my nipple, giving it a good pinch.

“You better calm down.”

I snarl, yanking on my bound hands. “You better get your shit together and finish what you started, or else I’ll go out and find somebody who will.”

All humor evaporates from his features, and his eyes narrow. He reaches out again, giving my nipple a slap, and I gasp. He growls. “What the fuck did you say to me?”

I give him a big smile. “You heard me. Fuck around and find out—right, baby?”

The growl deepens in his chest, and he climbs up onto the bed so he’s kneeling beside me. Without warning, his hand comes out and slaps my pussy. I yelp in surprise. It hurts, but I can’t decide if it’s in a good or bad way.

I try to close my legs, but he leans on one, his other hand coming around to push the other one open, then he quickly releases it and slaps my pussy again, harder this time. I sob out a moan, and suddenly, my body is on fire.

I squeeze my eyes shut, breathing in sharply through my nose, then gasping as I push down another moan. I open my eyes, startled to find his face directly in front of me. He licks across my lips with the flat of his tongue, then presses kisses from the corner of my mouth along my jaw to my ear, where I feel his breath as he says, “Easy way or hard way, minx?”

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