Chapter 25 – Shay
Chapter Twenty-Five
Shay
My throat hurts when I wake up. I gave Cody my answer yesterday, but he still wanted to torture me.
I think he wanted me to really sit with my decision and to own it.
He wants me to sit with the feeling that I chose to be here.
But Cody also wants to punish me severely for leaving, hence the terms and conditions of my release.
I can’t move like I moved last night. My wrists are sore as blood finally pooled in all the wrong places.
My body aches everywhere, especially between my legs where Cody left his thick plug of creamy cum.
While he wiped away the edges of my lower lips, I’m still a sweaty, greasy mess in need of a shower.
Cody returns to our room just after sunrise. I don’t ask where he spent the night, mostly because my throat is too sore and raw from the previous night to speak.
“Good morning, Shay,” he says with a stiff, probing voice. I’m awake. He doesn’t have to test me.
“Good morning.”
“I brought you water with honey and lemon. Also, a pot of coffee. I just need to confirm that you agree to the terms laid out last night before we move forward.”
He sounds so formal – almost cruel. My voice barely croaks out, “Yes. I agree.”
Cody undoes my binds so I can sit up in bed.
I slowly stand up and find my clothes from the day before, not caring if they’re dirty or not.
My legs are shaking by the time I return to the bed.
I don’t touch the water or coffee until normal blood flow returns to my fingers.
Cody practically traps me there with one of those wooden tables for sick people once I sit back down.
I can’t complain about the water or coffee.
I drink the entire pitcher of water and have to send Cody out for more before I get to the coffee.
After that, I get dressed, avoiding eye contact with Cody throughout.
He watches me the entire time, barely withholding his glee. It’s not that he’s smiling or doing anything outwardly expressive like that… But I know him.
After I drink enough coffee that my face isn’t visibly slumped, Cody sits on the edge of the bed like he’s finally going to talk to me instead of just staring at me. I look up at him past the lid of the coffee mug. I agreed to his terms, what more does he want?
“You haven’t had your period since you came here,” he says. “I want you to take a pregnancy test after you check on Caleb this morning.”
“Is that before or after you assault me?”
His expression flattens. “You don’t have to agree to the terms. You can stay tied up and renegotiate.”
“I’m going to see my son.”
“I love you, Shay.
I can’t handle him saying that right now. I set my coffee down and politely excuse myself from the room. I can feel Cody’s eyes on me as I leave. As much as he frustrates me, I can’t stop myself from noticing the tenderness he tries to express. Is he really more of a mess than I am?
Caleb doesn’t even realize what a crazy night I had. He seems disappointed that I’m not Cody, which I try not to take personally. Kids love hurting your feelings that way. I give him a bath, a change, and we head downstairs to breakfast together.
It’s pretty late for breakfast, and I normally like to keep Caleb on a regular routine, but he seems stoked about the entire concept of brunch – freshly introduced to him by my lurking husband.
I try to ignore Cody, but he offers to help and then forces said help upon me, so I soften to his presence.
Especially when he teaches Caleb a song from church – a place I would have expected Cody to burst into flames upon entering, if I’m being honest.
By the time we prepare waffles, bacon, eggs, and sausages with small bowls of oatmeal so Caleb doesn’t throw a tantrum from hunger, it’s almost noon and I almost forget that I’m angry with Cody. He pours my glass of orange juice before kissing me on the cheek.
I want to tell him that I love him back.
All I can do is mutter, “Thanks, Cody.”
“No problem, baby.”
Baby. I hate how good it feels to let him call me that.
We don’t get three or four bites in before Kylie walks into the house.
I can hear her revving up the much older ranch truck – Cody’s 2012 F-150 – in the driveway, and I try not to act like it surprises me.
I didn’t think she would come back, but I also had way bigger problems last night.
I glance down quickly at my wrists as Kylie gets closer, making sure there’s no visible evidence that I spent the night tied up.
Kylie looks straight at Cody with fury in her eyes.
“Are you crazy?”
“He helped, didn’t he?”
“Yes. He helped.”
Their eyes meet as they exchange some secret sibling communication. I don’t know if I need to worry about this or not. I keep eating and give Caleb a piece of sliced watermelon off my plate since he finished his own pieces and has a bottomless appetite these days.
“Alive?” Cody asks.
“Yes. Club house.”
“Good.”
“You know we hate each other, right?”
“Yup,” Cody says. “I didn’t like your attitude.”
Kylie rolls her eyes and turns to me. “Shay. I truly apologize about your taste in men. If you need help murdering my brother, it would bring me great pleasure.”
“Want some breakfast?” Cody asks.
“Yes,” Kylie says, flinging her shoes off every which way. “I’m fucking starving.”
She gives Cody a final menacing glare. “You ever stick me with Grayson Hollingsworth again, I’ll beg Wyatt to let me kill you. I’ll sell my soul.”