Chapter 17
17
S tay calm. She’s okay. You’ve taken care of her injuries. You’re soothing her pain. She’s here, and she’s safe.
Worry and instinct have my nerves so tightly wound that I have to play those thoughts on repeat in order to function. It’s in my nature to protect what’s mine, and I’ve failed . Why else would Ari have gotten to the point that she broke down the moment she saw me? Why would she have thought the solution to her worries was not to lean on me, but to push me away?
My hands tremble from the adrenaline coursing through my system, and I pull them out of the warm water and away from her body before Ariana can feel how rattled I am. When I pictured how our date tonight might go, her showing up at my door bloody and weeping, telling me that we need to break up, was the last thing I could have imagined. Gods, I’m a mo ron. She’s been struggling, and I was too busy worrying about how to explain my minotaur side and get my cock inside her, that I didn’t see it.
Guilt sits like a stone in my stomach. The signs of her stress have been there for months. Dark circles under her eyes, fading hair that she kept putting off re-dyeing, canceled plans with Doug. She’s told me multiple times how busy she is. I just didn’t realize how busy.
My mind screams at me to find a way to help her. To shoulder some of the burden so she can breathe again and prove that I’m a worthy partner who can take care of her. The small rational voice attempting to tell me that Ari’s struggle goes far beyond me gets drowned out by my instinct, which demands that I make things right.
She looks so small in my bathtub, barely taking up a third of the space that’s built to accommodate my bulk. Staring up at me with wide, watery eyes, she searches my face for a moment, then reaches out a hand to me. “Will you come in with me?”
Her hesitant question snaps me out of my spiraling thoughts. “Yes, if you want me to.”
Her lip wobbles, and she nods. “I want you,” she whispers.
I don’t know if she means she wants the comfort my body can provide, or if she truly wants me . There’s a not insignificant, terrified part of me that wonders if she’s changed her mind about being together, and that I’m forcing things because I’m desperate to have her in my life. But I can’t deny her anything, and right now, I need to be near her as much as I need air.
“You have me.”
She scoots forward to make room for me as I remove my sweatpants, and I ease in behind her, more grateful than ever for the size of my tub. I coax her to lean back against my chest, and she lets out a shuddering exhale as I wrap my arms around he r. She fits against me like she was made to be there, and my damn cock loves the contact of her lush ass pressed against my groin, but it’s going to have to chill the fuck out. Now is not the time.
Neither of us says anything for a minute, as I stroke her stomach and hips, carefully avoiding the heavy swell of her breasts and the tempting curls between her thighs. She’s tense at first, like she’s trying to hold her weight off of me, but with time, she lets herself sink against me. Lying here with Ariana in my arms, the coiled tension in my chest bleeds out into the steaming water.
When the haze of my need to protect her fades into a manageable ache, I kiss her shoulder, careful not to gore her scalp with my horn. “Alright. Tell me what’s going on.”
She tenses against me, and I caress her hip to encourage her to relax. “I’m sorry,” she says, her voice trembling and soft.
It breaks my heart to hear her sound so worn down. “I didn’t ask for an apology. I need to know what’s going on in that pretty head of yours and why you said we should break up.” I hesitate for a moment, but make myself ask the question. “Is that really what you want?
“No! I don’t!” She sputters, trying to turn to look at me, but I hold her still, pressing my palm against the pillowed curve of her stomach possessively. Letting out a deep sigh, she reluctantly lies back on me again and continues. “But I told you… I’m a total mess. I don’t know how I’m going to manage being your girlfriend, and I don’t want to be selfish.” Her hand squeezes my thigh like she’s trying to anchor herself to me. “I can’t string you along with no plan for fitting you into my life.”
Even though I hate her answer, it makes an annoying amount of sense that she’d feel that way. Ariana is so giving that she’d rather be in pain than let anyo ne else suffer. She gave up her entire life in another state—a boyfriend, a decent job, and a circle of close friends—to move to Moonvale and take care of Doug when he was bitten. She’d never take credit for it, but she’s the reason he made it through that terrible time. Of course she’d think that because she couldn’t give me everything or be the “perfect” girlfriend, she shouldn’t be with me at all.
Ariana deserves to have someone show her the same care she pours into others. The only thing stopping me from being the one to do that is her fear of asking for help.
“So let’s make a plan.” I run my hand down her arm, then place my hand on top of the one holding onto my leg.
“You make it sound so easy.” She lets out a weak laugh. “I spent a week thinking about it and came up with nothing.”
I’m glad she’s facing away and missing my exasperated expression. I release a frustrated huff. “That’s because you were trying to do it alone. And I would bet anything that you weren’t thinking about finding actual solutions. You were freaking out and telling yourself you aren’t enough. You’re the smartest woman I know, but you need someone to help ground you when you freak out.” I nuzzle her shoulder, lowering my voice to a mock whisper. “In case it wasn’t clear, I’m that someone.”
“Wes… I can’t ask you to do that. It’s not?—”
“Good thing you’re not asking,” I interrupt, unwilling to let her guilt or toxic self-sufficiency keep us from figuring this out. Ariana needs a firm hand, both in and out of the bedroom. She agreed to let me be her daddy, and I’m done tiptoeing around it. I want her in my life, and I want her to be happy. The only path I can see to get there is taking some of the control out of her hands. “I’m telling you I’m going to help you. If you don’t let me, you’ll only make both of us miserable. Do you want that?”
She shakes her head as best she can in this position. “No, of course I don’t.”
“Good. It’s settled. I’m helping you.” I can sense the argument building inside her as her arms stiffen. “And before you tell me it’s unfair or not my responsibility, just listen. I’m not human. It’s easy to assume we’re the same because monsters put a lot of effort into not standing out. But as a minotaur, there are certain instincts that you need to understand if we’re together. The most important one being the need to protect and provide for my partner, followed closely by the need to stake my claim on you so that everyone knows you’re mine.” My hand on her belly squeezes her closer, and I have to suppress a groan when she gasps softly at the feel of my hard cock pressing insistently against her lower back. “So what would be unfair is if you didn’t respect those instincts. The danger to our relationship isn’t you not having enough time to devote to me, it’s you not letting me devote time to you. I want to give you so much, baby girl. But I can’t do that if you don’t let me.”
“Well… shit.” My stomach clenches with anticipation, unsure of what her reaction means, but it melts into relief and arousal when she twists to look back at me. She’s smiling. Not an appeasing, nervous smile, but her genuine, lopsided Ari smile that makes my breath stutter with how much I love her.
Shit, I love her. I mean, of course I do. She’s mine. But I hadn’t let myself think those words until this moment. It’s a little terrifying, but so is everything else that’s worthwhile in life.
She turns away again and lets her head fall back on my shoulder, reaching up with one hand to caress my horn. The intimacy of that gesture and her trust makes my head swim with heady desire. “I knew that monsters have different needs after helping Doug with his change, but I didn’t consider what that meant for a relationship. I didn’t realize you weren’t just trying to be nice—that it went deeper. I want you to get what you need. That’s all I wanted when I… when I mentioned breaking up. Now I get how utterly wrong that was. I’m sorry, Wesley.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I didn’t tell you it went beyond being your boyfriend or your daddy, so you didn’t know.” I stroke her face and she leans her cheek into my palm, her eyelids fluttering closed. The way she sinks into my touch warms me to the core of my being.
She takes a deep breath before continuing. “I haven’t let anyone take care of me. It’s easier to not ask for anything than to be let down when someone decides I’m not worth the effort.”
My hand roaming her stomach creeps up higher to tease the underside of her breasts, and I bring my other down to tug her up so my cock rests firmly against her ass cheeks. “You’re worth it. Fuck anyone who told you otherwise. Including that mean voice in your head.”
She laughs, the sound breathy and intoxicating. I wish I could bottle it up and keep that effervescent magic that is pure Ariana with me at all times. “Okay, okay.”
I slide my hand up to cup her breast possessively. “Say it.”
She ducks her head toward her shoulder with a groan of protest.
“ Say it. ” This time, the command comes out as a rough growl.
“I… I’m w-worth it.”
The hesitance in her voice makes my heart ache for her, but it’s not good enough. Releasing her breast, I slide my hand up and rest it against her throat, cupping her chin. “You can do better than that.”
“W-Wes,” she half-protests, half-moans. She squirms against my hold, but there’s no way in hell she’s getting out of this.
I grab her hip with my free hand, fingers kneading into her softness as I put a hint of pressure on her throat. I barely resist the urge to grind against her ass when she lets out a breathy whimper.
“I’m worth it. ” It’s slightly less tentative this time.
Sliding the hand on her hip across her belly, I dip it between her thighs. She parts them for me, allowing my seeking fingers better access to her pussy. Fuck, she’s so hot and silky. My dick jerks futilely at the feel of her, desperate to experience it too.
“Again,” I command, circling her clit with a teasing stroke.
Her hips buck against my hand, legs parting further as she silently begs me for more, but I don’t move my fingers, cupping her pussy instead, like it belongs to me.
She frowns as she realizes my game. “I’m worth it.” She says the words with a hint of petulance and frustration.
Gods, that tone has me growing even harder for her. “Good girl,” I rasp. “Now tell me what you’re going to let daddy do.”
She bites her lip as I continue to play with her, too teasing to be enough to get her off. “I’m going to let you fuck me?”
“Hah! Only good girls who’ve earned it get their daddy’s cock, Ari. What are you going to let me do?” The thumb on my hand spanning her throat presses into her lower lip. Having her in my tub, wet, desperate, and completely at my mercy, is clouding my mind with lust, but I won’t give in to it. I need her to know how serious I am about this.
That doesn’t stop my cock from throbbing and leaking pre-cum as she swallows heavily against my palm. “I’m going to let you help me.” Her voice is quiet, but sincere.
I want to shout in triumph and carry her out of the tub, throw her down on the bed, and fuck her again and again. Instead, needing to reward her vulnerability, I settle for stroking her clit and watching the delicious tension on her face over her shoulder as she gets closer to release. Water splashes against the side of the tub as she rocks her hips into my touch and I can tell she’s close when she gasps my name.
Fuck, I don’t have enough hands to touch and hold her the way I want to. I reluctantly release her throat to grasp her breast. She cries out as I roll her nipple. “That’s it, baby girl. You’re so perfect for me. Let daddy give you what you need. Take what you deserve.”
Her chest rises and falls with rapid breaths as she nears her peak. “I want you to fuck me. Please, daddy. I need you inside me.”
My stomach clenches as I hold back the sudden surge of arousal at her words. I’ve waited all damn week for her, and I’m not about to come before she even touches me.
“Be a good girl and come for me first.”
She shudders and tenses, and I want to slip a finger inside her and feel her coming on it, but it’s too difficult at this angle, so I settle for continuing my firm pressure as I rub her clit until she breaks, coming with a soft cry as she grabs onto my forearm.
Her urgency fades as her orgasm subsides, and as much as my aching cock begs to be inside her, I can sense fatigue overtaking her arousal. I let her rest against my chest and stroke a hand up and down her stomach and chest, scooping up water to let it sluice over her as her breathing evens out. I don’t bother actually soaping her up since neither of us were dirty to begin with, just letting the warm water and the path of my touch continue to soothe her.
I’m content to stay here indefinitely, secure and blissful in the knowledge that I’ve satisfied Ariana, but after a minute, her stomach growls, breaking the comfortable silence.
“Thought you weren’t hungry,” I say, chuckling at the loud sound. “You stay here and relax while I get dinner ready.”
Ariana pushes herself up and turns in the tub to frown at me. “But what about… don’t you want to…” Her eyes drop to my unflagging erection poking up out of the water, then back to my face, her cheeks flushing.
Gods, she’s adorable. Even after everything, looking at my dic k makes her blush. “Sweetheart, I’ve waited all week to fuck you. Another hour or two won’t make a difference.”
She places her hand on my thigh and starts to slide it slowly upwards. “What if I don’t want to wait? I’ve been good, haven’t I?”
Her pinky brushes against my balls, and I suck in a sharp breath as my cock bobs with interest. “You have. I don’t like you being hungry, though, so it’d make me feel a lot better to get dinner ready for you.”
“I don’t want food,” she says, her tongue darting out to wet her lips.
Fuck, I can’t resist her. I know once I get inside her, that’s all I’ll want to do for the rest of the night, but I can think of a compromise. “Hmm, you’re hungry for daddy’s cock?”
She nods, a hint of a smile forming on her lips at the cheesiness of my words, but her pupils still dilate. I love that I can say these silly, filthy things to her without shame.
I shift back, spreading my legs to make room for her and pushing my hips up so my cock juts farther out of the water. “Then put it in your mouth, dirty girl. If you do a good job, daddy will give you a special treat.”