29. Chapter 29

“Eleven!” I yell.

I’m on my Dom’s lap as he spanks me. Today, I decided to be extra bratty for the amazing attention he gives me. I love it when he breaks me down, only to lift me up and shower me in kisses and tenderness.

By the twentieth spanking, my ass stings so badly. My Dom never holds back, making sure each spanking hurts. Sometimes, he’ll use a crop, and I won’t be able to sit for a couple of days, the sting reminding me of how bad I’d been and the care he takes to reshape me, making me whole.

“Why are you so naughty today, my blaze?”

“Because I love you, sir.”

“You love me so much you want me to hurt you?”

“I like it when you make me good. I need to be good for you, sir.”

“That doesn’t explain why you were so bad. Be honest, Blaze,” he says, smoothing a gentle hand on my fiery ass.

“I… I need your attention, sir.”

“You will always have it.”

“B-but…”

“Say it,” he snaps, losing his patience.

“If I’m not bad for you, then you won’t need to… fix me anymore. I… don’t want us ever to end.”

He sighs. “Blaze…”

Before he can say anything else, the door to his home office bursts open. “What in the ever-loving fuck is this?!”

Howard suddenly stands, dropping me to the floor. I can scarcely breathe, seeing my mother standing there decked out in a cream dress, long, manicured nails, high heels, and her hair freshly highlighted.

I scramble to stand, hiding my junk with my hands, while Howard stands there in all his gorgeous naked glory, uncaring.

“Are you… fucking Aiden?”

“Yes,” is all he says.

My jaw drops. How is he so calm about this while I’m about to throw up?

“Get the fuck out of my house. Expect divorce papers in the next couple of days.”

“No!” I yell. He can’t leave. I need him.

My mother raises a brow at me. “No?”

“I… I love him! You can’t send him away. He… gives me love and…”

She eyes Howard. “Jesus Christ, how in the hell did you convince him of that? Get your shit and get out. Now. I’ll deal with Aiden,” she says, way too calmly, like the eye of a hurricane.

He nods his head once and walks away without a backward glance at me.

The panic is nearly explosive. He can’t leave me like this and alone with her. “Howard? Tell Mom,” I cry out. He can’t go. If he does, he has to take me with him. I don’t want to stay here anymore.

He stops, and the relief fills my veins. He turns to face me, but he’s frowning. “I’m sorry, Aiden. Goodbye.”

“What? No! Howard! I love you!”

But he keeps on walking .

“Howard!”

Mom comes over to me, and in a flash, she slaps my face with fingers covered in rings. I grab my cheek and look at her with all the hatred I feel for her. Years of neglect and never loving me have built up and festered. All that pent-up rage explodes.

“I hate you! You ruin fucking everything! All you’ve done in your sorry excuse of a privileged life is ignore me. Not once have you shown an ounce of care. Howard gives me attention and love.”

Instead of getting angry, she throws her head back and laughs. “Love? He’s a pervert, and you’re a fool for falling for it.”

Her words sting more than her slap.

“I fucking hate you,” I say again. “Why did you even give birth to me?”

“Good question.”

Despite knowing she hates me, too, her words still gut me. As I gather my clothes and put them on, she stands there, staring at me, her eyes burning a hole into my soul.

I’ll bide my time. I need to get out of this house first, and then I’ll find Howard, who will let me live with him.

“How long?” she asks.

I zip up my jeans. “How long for what?”

“How long have you two been fucking?”

“Three years.”

Mom looks shocked for a second, but she quickly recovers. Then, the rage sets in. She slaps me and hits me over and over. “He’s my husband! You willingly let me stay married to a pervert?! You piece of trash! Get the fuck out of my house! Now!”

“Gladly!” I yell, trying to fight her off without hitting her back. “I’ll get my shit and get out. Howard will let me live with him. He loves me.”

She scoffs and shakes her head, looking at me in disgust. “You are to leave now.”

“W-what?”

“Now!” she yells .

“But I need—”

She fists my hair and drags me out. My mom is taller than me, even without heels on. I’ve always been slight.

I don’t fight her because I know I have a place to stay. While I’d love to grab my things, I can do it later with Howard. Or he’ll take care of my finances and get me what I need.

Once we reach the front door, she opens it and drags me outside. She lets me go, slams the door, and locks it.

I stand there, my heart beating wildly, and I struggle to catch my breath. The only thing keeping me from panicking is knowing I have Howard, my Dom, my love. I didn’t care what he said earlier. He loves me. He only said those things to keep Mom calm.

After staying the night at Storm’s place, I take a cab to downtown Baltimore with the money his parents gave me.

Howard’s law firm is in a tall glass building on the tenth floor. I sign in at the registration desk in the lobby and go up in the elevator. Then I stop at the reception desk.

“Hi, I’d like to see Howard Decker, please.”

She scans me up and down, but she’s too professional to say anything. “May I tell him who’s here?”

“His son… stepson, Aiden.”

“Just a moment.”

She lifts her phone and calls him. After letting him know I’m here, she sets down the receiver. “He’ll be with you shortly.”

I nod and sit on the leather sofa in the waiting area, bouncing my knee, filling up with relief. I knew he wanted to be with me.

Howard soon comes out, wearing a navy-blue suit, crisp white shirt, and a pale blue tie. He says nothing as I stand to greet him. Instead of saying anything, he grips my arm so tight I wince, and I know instantly I’m in trouble.

Howard leads me to a small private office that’s empty except for a desk and an office chair .

“Sit,” he says.

I sit in the chair as he takes the corner of the desk.

“What are you doing here?”

My stomach twists. Something’s wrong. “M-mom kicked me out. I thought I could stay with you. I… need you.”

He runs a hand through his neatly cropped salt and pepper hair, then slowly shakes his head and sighs. “Aiden, grow the fuck up. You’re nineteen years old. You’re a grown-ass adult.”

“B-but—”

“No buts,” he interrupts. “Go find a damn job and learn to live on your own.”

“I-I… have nothing.”

“I’m sorry, Aiden. I can’t help you.” He opens his wallet and slides me a hundred-dollar bill.

My eyes water and my lip trembles as I snag the cash. I’m suddenly terrified to not only lose him, but to be on my own with nothing. I don’t even have the driver’s license that I fought hard to get back after my accident. “You said you loved me.”

Howard chuckles humorlessly. “You’re so na?ve, Aiden.” He stands and smooths out his suit, ignoring my flood of tears. “It’s been fun, but I cannot have you living with me. I’ve already risked my career with your mom finding out. I won’t let you ruin me.”

Howard opens the door but stops when I call him.

“Please, Howard… Dom. I’ll… do anything you want.”

Without turning to look at me, he says, “Goodbye, Aiden.”

My world shatters around me.