Page 84 of Look My Way
“What you doing over there?” Keeling beside me, he rests his hands on his knees, spreading them a little. “Is that for me?”
“Yes, but you aren’t supposed to see it yet,” I bite out.
He laughs and kisses my cheek. “Okay. In that case you keep doing what you’re doing, and I’ll go do some work outside.”
“You don’t have to do that anymore.”
“But I want to, and I’m happy I can give it to you as a gift from me instead of him.”
Warmth spreads along my ears. “Okay.”
“I’ll be back inside in a couple of hours, and then we can watch a movie or I can check to see if there’s anything highlighted for me in the doc.”
My heart jumps, chest shaking. Oh yes, the doc. My favorite place to admit to what I want whenever I’m not ready to say it out loud. Telling him about Daniel’s car already took so much out of me, and I’m glad I have another outlet to go to for any other requests I may have sooner. “You’re still here,” I say, the playfulness in my voice unmistakable as I feel his heavy presence in the room.
His chuckle drifts as he his steps retreat from the room. Going back to painting, I find myself humming “Smile” and stop. But this is Zavier’s song, not Daniel’s. This stone is for Zavier and so am I. So I sing the words out loud, smiling like the song says to, because my heart was breaking until Daddy came along and slowly repaired it.
Thirty—Two
Zavier
Daniel was here. He didn’t touch any of his shit on the porch, but he was here. Changing the locks may have kept him out of the house but it’ll take more than that to keep him away from Liam. I don’t mention to my boy about his newly ex placing an air tag on his car earlier. He didn’t see me parked down the road and standing behind a large sycamore tree in my neighbor’s yard. I followed him back to the house and snatched it off as soon as he was gone. No one follows my boy but me.
It’d only worry Liam if he knew, so I keep it to myself, acting my usual self and staying upbeat. He’s been in a better mood these last couple of days and I want it to stay that way. I can see the relief in his eyes. Wiping sweat from my eyes, I set my tools to the side and stand back to examine my work. I’ve finished the second box, with one more to go. They’ll all need a fresh coatof paint, and I bet my carino would love to leave some designs behind to add some more color.
I blink up at the fading sky and look toward the back gate. Going to the garage, I search for a lock I set in there yesterday and put it on the latch to make it harder for anyone to slip in the back without the key I tuck away in a safe place. Liam won’t need it for a while. He doesn’t ever use that way to exit, he prefers walking through the whole house.
When I’m back inside, surrounded by the cold air of the kitchen, I strip out of my shirt and kick off my pants. Liam enters behind me, looking devious with his sex-riddled eyes. “The sun and heat look good on you.”
“You think so?” I carry my clothes to the hamper in the laundry room connected to the kitchen.
“I really do. Want to shower with me?”
“Do I ever.” I step in front of him in nothing but my underwear and caress his bare hips peeking out from his too-large joggers.
“Okay. I’ll get the shower ready, then. Don’t track all that grass into my tub.” He wags a finger at me, using his best strength face, and I laugh.
“Did we change places?”
Eyes full of amusement. “Only when you forget to leave the outside where it belongs, Daddy.”
There’s my sweet boy.
Tugging him toward me, I kiss his cheek and rub my dirt-covered hands all over him. He pushes at me, all smiles, and pretending to be upset but failing.
“There. So dirty you now require extra cleaning.”
“I could always be dirtier.” He smirks, sauntering toward the bedroom.
“You could be, and I’ll be there to help you with that soon.”
He hurries off and I check all the doors before looking down at my phone to check on Daniel’s location. He’s heading to hisapartment, the same as yesterday. Will he sleep there again? I haven’t checked the lake house again, but something deep down is pushing me to. This thick, heavy, soft sensation. I will tomorrow. I’ve been away from Liam long enough today as it is, and I have an inkling there’s a message highlighted for me in the doc.
Sure enough, I open my copy of his book and there it is. My eyes trail each word, excitement and a rush flooding through me. My naughty boy wants to wake up in the morning, tied up and left completely defenseless for me. He doesn’t want me to stop when he tells me to, and is asking to be gagged whenever he starts screaming it out loud. It’s a chance for him to struggle and fight, coming back on top of the world once we’re done.
I can’t wait to take him there. It’s one of those places just for us, like the restaurant and back yard are. The list is growing, and it won’t be long until we claim Daniel’s back seat too.
Liam’s back is to me when I enter the shower, and he’s singing my favorite song while his hands massage shampoo into his hair. Is he cleaning it so I can get that super dirty too?
