Page 36 of Dark, Forbidden, & Taboo

“Oh yeah, I’m super jealous, Rock. I’m absolutely heartbroken that it wasn’t me gagging on your dick.”

“Well, I’ll tell you what. How about we meet up somewhere? I’ll knock your teeth out, and we can see where the rest of the night leads us.”

“Counteroffer. Say you even live to see another fifty years? I’ll knockyourteeth out and watch you twitch in your own shit while you slowly die from cardiac arrest,” I shoot back.

He laughs good-naturedly as soon as I finish, and I sigh.Honey, not vinegar.

“Listen, the reason I called earlier was to see if you wanted to be my date for the gala tomorrow night?”

Rock muffles his phone as he shouts profanities at a car that apparently almost hit him as he crossed the street before he gets back on the line. “I swear, no one knows how to drive in this fucking town.”

“Rock?”

“Huh? Sorry, I missed what you said.”

I grind my teeth together because I know full well that he’s enjoying this far too much right now. He heard exactly what I said, but he wants me to say it again. Normally, I wouldn’t even be on the phone practically begging to be seen with him in public, but I can’t let Daddy down.

“The gala tomorrow night? I was wondering if you wanted to be my date,” I repeat patiently.

“What’s in it for me?” he asks.

Of course.

“What do you want, Rock?” I ask, testily.

“Me, you, and a friend. I have a free weekend next month. Bahamas sound good? And before you get any ideas, I remember summer camp when I caught you with that swimming instructor. I know that you probably eat as much pussy as I do, but that’s my price. Take it or leave it.”

“Rock—”

“Does Julius know, by the way? That his daughter is a dyke?”

Blackmail.

I forgot that was one of his many tactics to get his way because he’s never had to use it against me before. Hell, I’ve helped him with his little schemes once in a blue moon when I was bored, and we weren’t at each other’s throats.

“Done,” I finally agree quietly.

Anything to keep Daddy from finding out. Even if it’s not the whole truth.

“See you tomorrow night,” he says before disconnecting the call.

___

After I shove my phone into my pocket, I walk downstairs quietly, careful not to get anyone’s attention as I sneak out of the house. Am I proud that I got Rock to agree? Yes. Am I going to tell Daddy the price his little request has levied on my head? Absolutely not.

But something he said stuck with me.

He “caught” us at summer camp. There was nothing really to “catch,” though. I wasn’t ashamed of what I was doing, even if Amara was. Granted, she was ten years older than me, so she was probably worried about getting into trouble, but had she not sworn me to secrecy, I would have bragged about it to my cabin mates for the rest of the summer.

I walk clear out of the house and down the elongated driveway until I reach the front gates. Punching in my code, I let myself out and wander down the sidewalk until I’m a few streets away, then tap my phone back to life.

I hail a ride fromUber,then wait patiently.

Whoever picks me up is going to think that I’m crazy, just like the others do. However, it’s something I feel compelled to do from time to time. Wander the surrounding area near Skid Row, hoping to get a glimpse of Davina.

I want nothing more than to tell her I’m sorry for what happened. There’s no fixing our relationship since there never was one.

I worked on destroying that from the moment she walked into our home. I was worried that Daddy would love her more than he did me, and he did in his own, perverse way.

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