Page 14 of The Killer Cupcake
She turned and winced at the sting to her buttocks when she had to position herself in a sitting pose before him. He extended his hand to her, and she stood slowly, carrying the evidence of their violence like armor. His seed leaked from between the cheeks of her red and inflamed ass.
“Are you okay?” The question felt absurd even as he asked it.
She looked back, tears cutting through her smile. “I feel better now. Thank you.”
As she left to compose herself, he knew she'd return with salves and tenderness—the other half of their ritual. He closed his eyes and wondered, not for the first time: How would this end? When would it?"
CHAPTER 7
LOVE ANEW IN THE BAYOU
The guest room Janey had prepared for them was a sanctuary of understated elegance—pale yellow walls adorned with delicate watercolors of French gardens, gossamer curtains that filtered the afternoon light into something soft and golden, and a magnificent four-poster bed draped in creamy white fabric.
Kathy closed the door behind them. For eight months, they had existed in limbo, sustaining themselves on memories and wishes. Now they stood facing each other in the hushed quiet of their temporary paradise, suddenly shy as newlyweds despite everything they'd shared.
“You know we are married,” Carmelo reassured her.
Kathy smiled. “I… don’t think so… it’s not leagal and…”
“We are. Legally. No matter what anyone says to you. We are married. Maybe not blessed by God in a church, but our paperwork is legitimate. It has the state seal. We are married,” Carmelo said.
Kathy nodded to reassure him. The courthouse didn’t have that paperwork he bragged about, nor did the church. To her, it wasn’t sealed until they could be husband and wife properly. But she refused to state that.
"I can't believe you're really here," Kathy whispered.
Carmelo stood by the window, hands clenched at his sides, his silhouette rigid against the lace curtains. "Two hundred and forty-three days. I counted everyone."
The distance between them felt like miles and inches all at once. She stepped out of her shoes, the floor cool beneath her feet. When he began unbuttoning his shirt she moved closer without thinking.
"You look different," she said softly.
"How?" His voice was rough.
"Harder. Like the world's been at you." Her hands replaced his at the buttons, and they both stilled at the contact. His skin was warm beneath her fingertips.
"You look..." He swallowed, eyes searching her face. "Like a woman now. Not the girl I left behind."
"I was so afraid," she confessed, working the buttons slowly, needing the task to steady herself. "That time would change us. You're out there boxing, living a life we never planned. What happened to the zookeeper? The animal doctor?"
His laugh was unexpected, warm. It made her smile despite everything.
"Same thing that happened to the scientist," he teased gently.
"Now I'm teaching Science in Butt’s,” she winked.
He kept smiling.
She tried to speak, but her voice was caught up in emotion. "Waiting. Always waiting. And Big Mama—her sugar's getting worse."
"Cara..." His hand covered hers, stilling her movements.
"She's strong. We're managing." She couldn't meet his eyes, couldn't let him see her fear. "That's why I need to be there. Mama comes every two or three months to help. We're protecting her until..."
The words hung unfinished. His thumb stroked across her knuckles, and suddenly the room felt too small, the air too thick with everything unsaid.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“Don’t be,” she blinked away the tears and looked into his eyes. She is strong. We are strong together.”
