Chapter 6
MARA
When I climb deeper into Radomir’s embrace, I feel safer than I have in weeks. Calling him Daddy unlocked a side of me I never even knew existed. Made me burn all over, turned my first time from something threatening into something thrilling.
Now, as he holds me and gently strokes his hand through my hair, I feel like I belong. Like we belong together. Like, I don’t have to be trapped in my past.
With anybody else, I’d think I was letting my thoughts stampede ahead too much. But with Rad, it’s different. It’s like this … this energy in the air, like there’s an invisible hook connecting us together. Something I can’t explain.
“Do you feel it too?” I whisper, as my eyes grow heavy.
He kisses the top of my head. “I do,” he replies. “It’s like I know you, Mara. Like I knew you even before …”
“Before?” I prompt when he trails off.
He kisses me again. “Just sleep, beautiful. I know you want to.”
Maybe I’d argue with him if my body wasn’t so sore. If my soul wasn’t so uncharacteristically relaxed.
I drift off. For the first time in weeks, nightmares don’t try to shake me awake the moment sleep claims me.
I feel groggy when my eyes peel open again.
Rad is at the end of the bed, shrugging on his jacket.
My heart pounds hard. He looks like he’s been caught in the middle of something he shouldn’t be doing. No question about it. He’s sneaking out.
“So, this was just a … quick thing, then?” I murmur. “A little bit of taboo roleplay, take my virginity, then slip away, ghost me?”
He doesn’t even deny it. Just sighs darkly and looks down at the floor. Runs a hand through his hair,
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” I hiss, instinctively pulling the blanket around my naked breasts.
Even now—when he’s clearly sneaking away—his eyes still blaze when he looks at me. Like Daddy is still struggling to hold himself back. And even now, my body too responds with hungry, desperate aches. What the actual F?
“I shouldn’t have …” He bites down, glances at the wall, at a photo of Dad. “There are things you don’t know.”
My mind pauses. Freezes. No, wait, what! I don’t know why it hits me now. I feel stupid for taking so long. It was there in my mind, but I just did not want to let it in. Refused to let it in.
“Earlier, you didn’t ask my name. You just called me Mara. And it’s not a coincidence, is it, you being so close to me … twice? You were following me. Are you a detective? A PI?”
I leap to my feet, not caring that I’m still naked. He takes a step back.
“Fuck, Mara. No!”
“Tell me!” My arms fold over my body. Covering.
He turns away, as if just to look at me physically hurts. “I should’ve told you before,” he snarls. “But you turn me on. Something savage grabbed me. Us! It was mutual. I know you felt it too”
“Now, Rad.”
He glances at me. Looks away. “I killed your father.”
My world spins fast. Collapses. “You…” A pause, then a volcano erupts in me. “Get out! Get out right this second!”
I throw myself at him. Throwing slaps wildly and screaming, I don’t even aim.
He takes them, lets me hit him in the face, and backs out of the room.
“I’m sorry—”
“Don’t say that!” I scream. “If you were sorry, you wouldn’t have fucked me!”
I collapse on the floor, boneless, defeated. He stands at the door. Looking like he’s considering coming back. Then he turns away and leaves. Leaves me. Me, on the floor with my messy tears. Naked.
Alone.