Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

LUNA

I ’d never had real rules before, aside from the ones Master Derek enforced for the single submissives in his employ and those were like second nature to me by now.

Drake had a lot of rules.

All the usual ones, about honesty, obedience, safety, respect, of course, those were pretty much a given in any lifestyle relationship. But he had other ones too. Like bedtime and water intake, and grades. My schoolwork was very important to Drake it seemed.

He also had what I thought of as the fun rules, like no panties at home, and no clothes at bedtime as well as no playing with others without permission, and letting him pick my clothes when we went out together. I’d always thought that having a lot of rules, and especially arbitrary ones, would make me feel stifled, but with Drake, it just made me feel… amazing. Loved, cherished, wanted and like someone genuinely cared about my well-being.

And Drake was a total Daddy. I didn’t know how I’d never seen it before. As soon as the rules had all been talked out, settled on, and written down, he took over for the night, and led me into the shower.

“I can get ready for bed by myself,” I whined, though I didn’t really mean it. I liked the idea of being pampered a little bit.

Drake pampered me a lot . He turned down the lights, lit candles and helped me into the shower where he washed my hair and my body and despite my earlier insistence that I didn’t need it, made me come, hard. On his face. Twice.

After the second time, I could barely stand on my wobbly legs, swaying as I sagged against him.

“Aww, baby, did Daddy wear you out?” he teased.

I had nothing to tease back with, so I merely nodded.

Drake shut off the water, wrapped a fluffy towel around my body then had me sit on a stool while he dried my hair, pulling it into a ponytail at the base of my neck for when I slept.

“Thank you,” I told him as I bent to rummage under the sink for the extra toiletries I’d always kept at his house. “I just need to wash my face and brush my teeth and stuff,” I said. “I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

Frowning, Drake turned and leaned against the corner, facing away from the mirror as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m fine. I want to watch so I can do it for you sometimes.”

It was my turn to frown. He wanted to wash my face for me? That felt… more like a Little thing. “I don’t need you to wash my face. Ever.”

Drake rolled his eyes. “Really? What if you break your arm? What if you’re sick? What if I just want to pamper you with a Daddy spa day?”

I couldn't help but smile, and I certainly couldn’t find an argument for that logic. “Yes, Daddy,” I finally agreed.

Drake stood there watching, asking the occasional question as I went through my entire night-time skincare routine. I didn’t dare let him know that I had a different routine in the morning. He really didn’t need to know, and I was pretty sure his head would explode. He was already looking pretty overwhelmed at all the steps.

He patiently waited for me to finish before going through his own routine of washing his face and hands, brushing his teeth and flossing, which all took less than ten minutes, then led me out of the room and pulled back the covers, tucking me into bed before climbing in beside me.

Drake wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I leaned my head on his chest. I thought we’d lay there and talk like we usually did, but within minutes my eyes were starting to close and the only sound in the room besides my breathing was Drake's knowing chuckle.

“Tired, babygirl?”

“Mmm,” I answered.

“Did Daddy wear you out?”

“Yes, Daddy.” It was true. My body was bone-weary, my lids heavy. I was more tired than I could ever remember being, but also, I was soo, so happy. Satiated. Loved. Protected. Cherished. “I love you,” I whispered, seconds before I drifted off to sleep.

DRAKE

After what was probably, arguably, the best night of my life, I woke, with Luna still in my arms to an incessant, loud pounding on the door of my apartment.

“What the fuck?” I grumbled, startling awake. I glanced around the room which was still pitch black. I sat up like a shot and waited for my eyes to focus on my bedside clock. 3:32 am.

The pounding continued.

Luna stirred beside me, but I brushed her hair back with my hand and whispered “Sshhh, baby. Go back to sleep.”

Pulling on my boxers and a pair of sweats, I padded out of the bedroom, down the hall, and pulled the front door open.

“What the heck?” I whispered when I caught sight of my mom on the other side of the door, her hair still in the rollers she wore every night, the ratty robe she’d had since we were kids tied tightly around her nightgown. Her feet were stuffed into a pair of my dad’s old sneakers.

Dread chilled my bones.

“Mom! What’s wrong?”

I stretched my arms wide without thinking, and she fell into them, collapsing against me, a sobbing mess.

“He… I… The amb- hic -bu-lance… heart…” She blubbered into my shoulder words I could barely make sense of. The sense I could make, I didn’t want to.

“Mom. Mom.” I grabbed her and all but pulled her into the house, keeping her body tight against my side, to keep her from collapsing even though I felt like collapsing myself.

Somehow I managed to get both of us on the couch, my mom still clinging to me, her nails digging into my shoulder.

“Drake,” she sobbed. “He’s gone!” The last part was delivered in a high-pitched wail that sent a chill down my spine. My hands went cold. Bile rose in my throat. My stomach knotted and clenched.

“Mom,” I managed. “Who’s gone?” And though I was sure I already knew the answer, I managed to choke out, “Mom, where’s Dad?”

Her only answer was to throw herself face first against the back of the couch and let out a heartbreaking, blood-curdling wail.

Fuck. I had my answer, even if I didn’t.

“Mom. Mom.” I shook her shoulder and gathered her in my arms. She allowed me to hold her and clung to me, her sobs shaking my body. “Mom,” I gasped out. “Tell me what happened. Please.”

I had to know. I mean, deep down I knew, but I had to hear it out loud. Had to hear details.

“Oh, Drake,” my mom cried, pulling away to pat my cheek as tears fell like waterfalls down her cheeks. “He loved you so, so much and he was so proud of you. Never doubt that.”

Fuuuckk. I couldn’t hold back my own tears now. They filled my eyes and spilled down my cheeks.

“How?” I whispered again, my voice cracking. “Mom. please. Tell me what happened.”

As if my please pulled out the caretaker in her—the mother in her—she dragged the backs of her hands across her cheeks, drying her tears and drew a shuddering breath. “I woke up to him grabbing my arm. I sat up and looked at him and he was grabbing his chest with his other hand and gasping for air. And then his hand fell and his eyes closed. And I…. He was gone before I could even call 911.”

“Oh my god.” I couldn’t believe it. How could I? He’d been here mere hours ago, drinking whiskey with me. Sitting by me down at the lake, sharing his wisdom in the way he always did. Clapping me on the back and calling me “son”. And now he was gone.

My brain went to the short hug we’d shared as they were on their way out the door. If I’d known it was the last one I’d ever get from him, I would have held tighter, hugged longer. I would have made him stay longer, shared another glass of whiskey, squeezed every last bit of advice I could out of him.

But now he was gone. Lying in a mortuary somewhere.

“Fuck!” I screamed. I let go of my mom, and jumped to my feet, kicking the coffee table. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” A frustrating combination of rage and despair filled me, and I was filled with the urge to throw things. To smash plates, to punch walls. To break things.

Of course, I didn't do any of those things and instead, covered my face with my hands as my legs gave way underneath me and I sank to the ground in front of my couch. My mom tried for a few moments to provide support, her tiny hands kneading my thick shoulders as she pressed her head against mine and tried to be strong for me, but she only managed a few minutes. Not that I blamed her.

Finally, she sank onto the floor beside me, and held me as we sobbed in unison.

That was how Luna found us an hour later as the first morning lights were starting to peek through between the slats in the blinds.