Chapter Fifteen

Odette

“B abydoll?” Aiden’s soft tone barely woke me. It was his third or fourth attempt at waking me. He must have stepped away to shower before trying again. I could smell his aftershave, and it did nothing to aid him in getting me out of his bed.

“Carrying it is,” he chuckled. His arms slithered under my body, hoisting me up into his arms bridal style.

Peeking my eyes open, I watched him walk down the long hall, nearing Dominic’s room. “What time is it?” I asked, noticing the dark windows. No sunlight or dawn could be seen.

The hall was freezing cold like the house always was. Sleeping next to Aiden, I was warm and cozy throughout the night, but the chill in the house was a harsh wake-up call.

“Almost 5:30. I’ve got a meeting before classes begin,” he explained the early start. I fought a groan at the daybreak, and Aiden must have noticed my disdain. “You can go back to sleep. I just didn’t want to leave you to freeze to death,” he joked.

That was the best news I’d heard all day. Granted, my day hadn’t quite begun yet. Nonetheless, it was still news that made me smile.

Sleep was coming easily to me these days. It was no longer a struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep—even without the magic of melatonin supplements. I wasn’t ignorant enough to ignore the only variable that had changed. It was because I wasn’t sleeping alone anymore. I was in one of their beds almost every night, and when I wasn’t, I had Cat. I hated to admit it, but I didn’t like sleeping alone—it was impossible.

Aiden pressed his lips to my forehead in a tender kiss before he knocked on Dominic’s door.

“I’m awake,” Dominic called from the other end. The exhaustion was evident in his rasped voice. Had he been up all night?

When Aiden pushed the door open, I saw Dominic sitting upright in his bed, with a laptop and hundreds of papers sprawled around him. Since living with them, I’d gained a new insight and respect for educators. Their students took up all their time, grading never ended, and they constantly checked emails.

“Special delivery,” Aiden muttered quietly as if trying not to disturb the comfortable silence in the room.

It may have been my drowsiness or the dim lighting, but I could have sworn Dominic began to smile. He collected some of the papers, clearing off a large section of the bed for me. He pulled the black silk comforter back, and Aiden placed me in bed with him. Soft footsteps and the closing door were his only farewells as he left.

To recover from my exposure to the cold outside world, I clung to Dominic’s side.

“Cold?” He whispered the question.

In response, I pressed my hands against his bare chest. “Put your laptop away and warm me up?” I insisted gently. It wasn’t my place, but I didn’t like that he hadn’t slept. No amount of coffee would replace sleep, although I was sure he would try. Hoping to steal more of his warmth, I wrapped my icy leg around his middle.

Surprisingly, he finished typing moments later and closed the laptop. He collected the paperwork into a neat pile and placed them on the bedside table. Shifting his body, he laid on his back and pulled me onto him.

“Come here, Darling,” he whispered. I was fully laying on his body, absorbing all of his heat. His hands traveled under my shirt, up my back, over my ass, and down my thighs before he repeated the pattern again. “Is this better?”

The touch reminded me of how I’d felt when he first held me. I loved it then, and I loved it now. I loved any touch, kiss, smile, or gesture they gave me. Something about someone as seemingly unaffectionate as Dominic holding me in such a tender manner made me swoon.

Relaxing, I practically sunk into him as my limbs became jelly. Cramps and lower back pain had been slowly killing me. His gentle makeshift massage did wonders to soothe my womanly aches. Pressing my lips against his bare chest, I kissed him before returning to my cheek. I hummed in an approving tone. “It’s like a lullaby.”

Selfishly, I didn’t want his pattern to stop. However, I cared more about the man’s lack of sleep than my affection deprivation. There was plenty of time to make up for my years without caring, purposeful touch. For now, I wanted him to rest. “When you close your eyes, what do you see?” I asked. Part of me wanted him to close his eyes, allowing exhaustion to hit him so he’d pass out. Another part of me was genuinely curious.

There was a long silence for a few minutes as his pattern continued. Unlike Aiden, Wyatt, and Niko, when Dominic spoke, his words were well thought out, and his intent was never lost. When there were gaps in our conversations, I used to get anxious, assuming he thought the topic was dumb or he wasn’t interested enough to have a conversation with me. Now, I knew that he just took a little longer to respond to any questions that had any depth, emotion, or personality to them. His walls were higher than mine, and I respected it.

“Mostly black,” he finally answered. “There’s a purple square from the light of my screen in the middle.” His hands moved over my back again, and I smiled. “Are you trying to manipulate me into sleeping, Baby?”

“That depends on if you fall asleep.”

“It’d be impossible not to sleep with the world’s best weighted blanket on me.” He hugged me tighter, stopping his pattern. “Sleep, Darling. I’ll wake you up in a few hours.”

Grinning, I cuddled further into him, trying to make myself seem heavier. “Goodnight, Daddy.”

The name that had been lingering on my mind for weeks. I didn’t have an explanation for my compulsion to call him that. It just felt right. Even now, after I mindlessly said the word, I didn’t feel embarrassed, ashamed, or flustered like I thought I would. At that moment, I understood what Reesia was talking about. Dominic (and all my professors, for that matter) made me feel everything synonymous with worthy, protected, and peaceful. Never in my life had I felt that way—as much as my inner feminist hated to give credit to men (of all creatures), it was because of them.

The mood in the room was calm, given my quiet outbursts of one-worded emotion. Dominic’s reaction matched mine. There was no pause in his hand movements; he didn’t hold me any tighter or looser than he had been, no dramatic gasp, and his breathing didn’t change. The only tell that the word had any effect on him whatsoever was his heartbeat. I would have never known if my ear wasn’t pressed against his chest. A slight change in rhythm gave me all the validation I needed that I hadn’t made a fool of myself (albeit I had already known).

“Are we done pretending you didn’t hear me now?” he asked. I could somehow hear the smile in his voice. Surprisingly, he actually sounded relieved that I called him Daddy.

“Mhm,” I hummed. “I just needed a couple of weeks to recover.” I hoped my truth would come off as a joke, but I doubt I had him fooled.

A sigh of contentment and exhaustion left his lips as he started drifting to sleep. I wasn’t far behind as I slipped into a dreamland of my own.

“Odette, wake up!” Dominic yelled.

I groggily snapped my eyes open, stopping the screams and unknown ramblings I was making. My heart was hammering, although I didn’t know why I was panicked.

“You’re okay, Honey,” Dominic hushed from behind me. Still snapping out of sleep, I took a few moments to take in the world around me. We were downstairs, in a room I’d only been in once, when Niko gave me a tour of the manor. It was used for storage and had miscellaneous furniture items everywhere.

His arms were tightly wrapped around me, his chin resting against my shoulder as he soothed me. “I’m sorry,” I apologized after taking several deep breaths.

“That’s alright, Honey. We know you’re only sleeping,” he said gruffly. His hold began tightening on me, and I started to feel suffocated.

“Dominic?” I placed my hands on his arms. “Dominic, you’re squeezing me.” I tried to push his arms off of me, a new panic settling in. “Let go!” With all my might, I broke away from him.

Stumbling forward, I turned to snap at him. When I turned, I was no longer my six-foot self. I was much closer to the ground than before. Dominic was nowhere in sight, and the room had changed. What was once a room used for storage was now a blurry room.

A sinking sensation washed over me as I saw three large figures standing a few feet away. Squinting my eyes changed nothing; I couldn’t make out anything but shapes.

“What if she wakes up?” An echoing voice asked.

“Who?” I asked, but my voice wasn’t heard. “Who are you talking about?!” I screamed into the open air. As much as I shouted, I couldn’t even hear my words.

I was trapped in this dream. I tried pinching myself, but my arms wouldn’t move. Once again, I was asleep; only this time, I was conscious of the dream playing out in front of me.

The body I was in was my younger—apparently sleepwalking—self. The shapes around the room mimicked Charles’ wing from my nightmare yesterday.

It’s not real, Odette. Wake up!

One of the figures turned to the other two. “He’s been giving her sleeping supplements. She’s never woken in the handful of times I’ve come for a business meeting,” another voice responded.

“Get away!” I screamed, trying to step back from the men, but I couldn’t make my past body move. I was stuck.

“He only leaves for twenty minutes,” the same voice echoed. The middle figure moved towards me before I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder, touching the strap of the cami I wore.

“Charles said no touching?”

“Who’s going to tell him? Come on, it’s just a little touching.”

I was screaming, but not even a whisper left my lips as the strap was slid off my shoulder.

The other two figures moved closure, touching their waists. “Just remember to clean up any mess you make,” the man behind me instructed.

With a gasp, I opened my eyes. I was my adult, usual self again, lying in Dominic’s bed. Quickly turning, I examined Dominic’s sleeping face. In our sleep, we’d somehow shifted to our own sides of the bed—though our legs were intertwined. I envied the peaceful expression he wore. He surely wasn’t having sick, demented nightmares like I was plagued with.

My imagination couldn’t possibly be that dark. Charles had always been the villain in my life, but for my subconscious to paint him in such a sick, corrupt way... it was beyond unsettling.

As much as the mere thought of it made bile rise—I began to worry there was truth in the dreams.

I lay there pondering the possible and impossible. If the images were true, why was I recalling them now? If not, what triggered me to create such horrific scenes?

Most of me, the rational part, knew there was simply no possibility that Charles would ever stoop as low as pimping out his child daughter. The paranoid, self-loathing part of me was saying what if.

Feeling dirty from the dream, I let Dominic sleep as I showered in my bathroom. It took great effort, but eventually, I forced myself to think of anything other than the dream.

Instead, I pushed the thoughts out of my mind and busied myself with making breakfast. Luckily, when Pops fixed the stove, it stayed fixed, and I didn’t almost catch myself or anything else around me on fire.

I’d finished making one pot of coffee and three pancakes when Dominic appeared in the kitchen. “I didn’t hear you get up,” he said.

He was dressed very formally, in black slacks and a navy blue button-up. Examining his outfit, I lifted my brows. “What’s on the agenda for today?” I pried.

Making himself a cup of coffee, he leaned against the counter. “I have a meeting.”

“I thought Tuesdays were your day off?” I recalled while flipping a pancake. “I’m not going to eat all of these myself,” I invited with a smile.

Stepping behind me to grab a plate of pancakes, his hand slid across my waist. Pathetically, the gesture made my stomach flutter.

“They are. Many students taking my class are on the path to becoming doctors. Every few years, I get a doctor to come into class to talk about what he does. This guy’s the best of the best; every other anatomy, biology, or anything health-related Professorgets jealous when he chooses to present in my class,” Dominic explained proudly. “He’s speaking in my classes tomorrow, and he’ll be here soon to go over topics that’ll be covered.”

“Oh, I heard something about this! My thermodynamics teacher had a guest speaker last quarter,” I smiled. It was cool because we basically had a free day without any assignments and a better understanding of what life actually looks like from someone with an occupation in the field I wanted to go into.

“I’ve had students quit after his lectures before. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It weeds out the students that don’t have what it takes,” he deadpanned.

My eyes rounded at his bluntness. I was suddenly very glad I wasn’t majoring in the medical field.

Turning the stove off, I sat beside him on the kitchen stools and put a thick hazelnut spread on my pancake. “So, a lot of the other professors want this doctor to speak in their classes?” I pushed, not wanting him to get quiet when he was so willing to converse.

He nodded.

“Why do you get him? I mean, how’d you get him to speak for your class?” I stumbled through my words.

He seemed to think for many moments as we ate. Turning his body towards me, he finally spoke. “I mentioned breaking my leg as a kid,” he started. I nodded. “He was the Doctor who put me back together. I recognized him at a conference a few years ago, and we caught up,” he explained.

Suddenly, my antisocial ass realized the power of networking. Life really was all about who you know. “You never finished explaining how you broke your leg,” I reminded. Aiden had interrupted him last night.

Dominic seemed prepared for the question as he nodded. “There was a bully who gave me hell for years. One day, when I was big enough, I fought back,” he stated. His eyes changed, and instead of looking at me, he seemed to be looking through me—lost in a memory. “I kept kicking the bastard even after my leg snapped.”

The pain was evident behind his eyes, and my heart ached for him. I placed my hand tenderly on his arm, “It sounds like he got what he deserved,” I said.

It was hard for me to imagine anyone picking on Dominic. I only knew him as a man. A colossal, intimidating, scary man. “I can’t imagine anyone being big enough to bully you, Dominic,” I admitted.

Looking from his coffee to me, he chuckled. “I wasn’t always the biggest guy in the room, Darling, believe me.” He assured. “But after that, I made sure I was.”

With a playful smirk, I took the opportunity to lighten the mood, “So you are on steroids then?” He was so huge that everyone at school speculated.

That earned me a chuckle. “On the contrary. I just work out a lot.”

Daydreams of a shirtless, sweaty, grunting Dominic flashed through my head. I was definitely getting tickets to that show, no matter what I had to do. “Like at a gym?” I asked, ready to sign up for a membership.

He shook his head. “We have equipment in the basement,” he explained before taking a sip of coffee.

“Good,” I sighed. Free membership. Free gun shows. I cleared my throat. “I mean, it’s nice and convenient to have a home gym,” I tried to save my dignity.

He saw right through my act, seeing my horny instantly. Turning his chair towards mine, he pulled my stool, bringing me close to him. “You know what I’ve been thinking about during my workouts for the past month?” He questioned.

Nervous from the close proximity, I only shook my head.

“I’ve been thinking about how easy it’s going to be to throw you around,” he admitted in a voice just above a whisper.

Tasteful images of being manhandled flashed through my mind. My jaw about unhinged as I stared at the bold man. Everything in my body fluttered and pulsed, both flattered and turned on at the idea. Thrown around. The two words had me spiraling down a dark path of vile, lovely thoughts.

It was when Dominic chuckled at my dumbstruck expression that I gave in to every impulse, every urge, and my inner slut that’d been clawing at the surface for the past month.

Catching him off guard, I lunged at him, practically attacking his lips with my own. Even with an oil leak, my pollution factory was hard at work and cranked up to ten. Honestly, I think the oil leak was what put the factory into overdrive.

Dominic was only stunned for a moment before his lips took complete control. He wrapped his hands around my waist, pressing me as close to him as possible with his chair in the way. His tongue played with mine, earning a desperate moan.

My arms were wrapped around his neck, my hands tangled in the back of his short hair. A low moan left his lips as he pulled away from me.

Looking up at him with rounded eyes, I waited for his next move, hoping we weren’t done.

Granted, I knew I couldn’t get what I wanted today, thanks to my oil leak. Still, I was beyond ready and getting antsy, waiting for one of them to finally fuck my brains out.

An eternity passed in the five seconds he stared at my lips. When he finally moved, it was earth-shattering. In two seconds flat, he’d used his arm to push our dishes out of the way. They clattered and crashed against each other, but I didn’t have the time to worry about any loud noises or possible shattered glass. In one swift movement, he stood, towering over me, and lifted me onto the counter by my hips.

When his body was between my open legs, his lips were on mine again. His hands weren’t shy as they roamed my body. My thighs, ass, breasts, neck, hair, absolutely every part of me except where I wanted him most got his full attention. Every touch was calculated and intentional and drove me wild.

One of his hands was firmly wrapped around my throat, tilting my head up to his lips. The other was massaging my inner thigh, creeping impossibly closer to my pussy.

My hands were behind me on the counter, propping my body up. My mind went fuzzy as I succumbed to every sensation. I couldn’t think; I had no thoughts—it was just his touch, lips, and tongue.

His tongue touched mine again, and I whimpered, pulling it between my lips as I sucked it. His lips were parted as both of our eyes opened, staring at each other as I sucked his tongue.

His eyes narrowed on me as he gave my throat a squeeze, pulling away from me. My lips remained parted, dumb and lost in lust. He watched me in a trance as he lifted his middle and ring finger to my lips. His fingers were cold against my tongue as he slid them to the back of my throat and then pumped them out again.

I moaned, wrapping my lips around them as he toyed with me. “That’s it, Baby. Show Daddy how pretty you are when you want something in your slutty little mouth,” he husked. His eyes were focused entirely on my mouth, entranced with the way I sucked his fingers.

Licking and sucking his fingers, I felt the sensitive part of me, the aching, desperate part of me between my thighs, pulse.

He hummed lowly, biting his bottom lip. “Do you like having your mouth fucked, Darling?” He questioned, but we both knew the answer.

With a moan, I nodded.

“Yeah?” He taunted, a devilish smirk pulling at his lips. He removed his hand from my throat, grabbing my hand and placing it over the rock-hard tent straining against his dress pants. “If you’re good, I might let you play with my cock later. I think that would keep your mouth occupied for a while.”

His fingers hit the back of my throat, and I rolled my eyes back, palming him through his pants. That sounded mind-numbingly delicious. I wasn’t ashamed to admit that I loved having my mouth filled.

Removing his fingers from my mouth, they were replaced with his lips again. This time, more hungry than before. My surprise came out in a breathy gasp before he silenced me with his tongue. My mind was beyond fuzzy as my lips reddened against his.

I continued to stroke his dick over his pants, my other arm wrapped around the back of his neck, using him to keep myself upright.

Large hands gripped my upper thighs as he roughly pulled my ass to the very edge of the counter—the suddenness of the movement catching me off guard.

Dominic must have been as lost as I was, as desperate low moans escaped his throat, practically growling in approval. His hand quickly slid under my dress, and my body greedily opened my legs for him.

His finger stroked the outside of my panties once before I snapped my eyes open, remembering that now wasn’t the best time for... this. Unfortunatly.

“Dominic,” I tried to break him out of the trace he was in. I could barely catch my breath, let alone speak with his lips on mine.

“Huh?” he mindlessly murmured, trailing wet kisses down my neck. His finger was in the danger zone, now putting pressure on my clit on the outside of my panties.

With flashing red alarms in my mind, I flinched, snapping my legs shut around his wrist. I also released his dick and instinctually grabbed his arm embarrassingly fast.

Blush stained my face as red as my swollen lips as my spazzy movements snapped him out of it.

He pulled away from my neck and quizzically eyed me. At first, he seemed worried, but after looking at my beat red expression, he cocked a brow. “What? Are you getting shy on me now?” he joked with slight humor.

“Um, no,” I shrugged before piercing my lips together. I was raised very properly, so it was hard to talk about periods... especially with a man whose hand was between my legs. He’d clearly forgotten about Aiden’s discovery last night, and now I had to remind him.

He looked at my hand, which was firmly gripped on his arm, before looking impatiently back at me. “Did I do something to make you uncomfortable?” he pushed, confusion mixed in his tone.

I knew I’d sent him mixed signals, from eagerly spreading my legs for him to snapping them shut. My eyes darted away from him, embarrassment flooding through me. “No!” I assured with a quick shake of my head. “It’s just not the best time for... that ,” I answered, hoping he’d catch on so I wouldn’t have to explain further.

He removed his hand from between my legs and placed both hands on either side of me, trapping me between his arms. I peeked up at his amused expression as he intimidatingly stared at me. What could he possibly find funny?

The fact that he found humor in this was irritating. I leaned slightly back, getting a better view of him. “What?”

“You’re very red,” he answered with a laugh. “Being on your period isn’t something to be embarrassed about, Darling.”

“Can we not talk about this?” I sucked in a sharp breath, struggling to meet his eyes again.

“We don’t have to talk about anything,” he comforted. “But you should know, none of us are particularly bothered by blood, and showers are in every room... in case you find yourself having a rough week,” he deadpanned before untrapping me from his arms and lifting me off the counter.

My eyes were as wide as saucers as I stared at him. I suddenly understood his humor-laced tone and smug grin. Dominic hadn’t forgotten Aiden’s outburst at dinner. He knew and was probably testing me to see how far I’d let him get before I said something.

With his hands still on my waist, I glared up at him. “That was mean,” I gently scolded.

Still amused at his own games, he grinned. “If it makes you feel any better, I did forget for a moment. And by the time I remembered, it’d clearly slipped your mind too,” he defended.

Annoyed at his cockiness, I rolled my eyes. I opened my mouth to complain, but his lips were on mine before I even finished taking a breath.

In a second flat, I was once again putty in his arms. I’d let him kiss my annoyance away just this once.

“I’ll be nicer,” he whispered against my mouth.

A gentle knock on the front door interrupted our kiss. Dominic looked over me twice, lingering on my thighs and lips before he reluctantly released my waist with a sigh. “He’s early,” he rasped, but he didn’t seem upset with the Doctor’s early arrival—just interrupted.

Trying to zone back into reality, I took a deep breath, pretending I wasn’t completely turned on. “What are the chances of you telling him to go away and come back later?” I joked.

Surprisingly, he laughed, the corners of his eyes wrinkled at the fullness of his smile, and I swooned. “Slim, but never zero,” he responded.

He quickly moved to the other side of the granite, washing his hands—or washing my saliva off his hands. It was probably a good idea; people liked to shake hands in business meetings. “You’re welcome to stay downstairs; you don’t have to hide,” he announced. “Although, the conversation probably won’t interest you.”

I smiled. I was just about to ask that. I wasn’t sure if the doctor would care or even think anything of my being present. He was only here to discuss his lecture tomorrow. “Okay.”

Once Dominic’s hands were clean and my blouse and skirt were straightened, leaving no evidence of our steamy make-out session, we hurried towards the front door.

Making sure not to intrude and give them space, I stood a few feet behind Dominic. He opened the door, revealing a handsome man—the doctor. He wore tan slacks and a white button-up. His clothes were steamed and pressed to perfection; not a single wrinkle was seen. His short brown hair perfectly complimented his striking brown eyes.

He was only an inch or two shorter than Dominic but somehow seemed to take up more space than him. Dominic took a step forward and shook the doctor’s hand. “Doctor Arwien, it’s great to see you. Thank you for coming,” he greeted. “Please, come in.”

“It’s my pleasure, Dominic. Speaking to your students is always something I look forward to,” the doctor grinned while stepping into the house. “And please, call me Dane. We’ve known each other for too long to bother with formalities.”

I couldn’t see out the door, but quick footsteps crunching on gravel reached my ears. The shuffling continued, and the doctor—Dane, smiled behind him at whoever was approaching.

“Dominic, this is my wife, doctor Elora Carmine. She works as my personal anesthesiologist and will join me in my lecture tomorrow,” Dane introduced before the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen appeared. She was short, with a head full of long blonde waves. Just like her husband’s eyes, hers were striking, seemingly reflecting the sunlight and shining back a bright blue or gray—I couldn’t quite tell. Her attire was professional yet tasteful, clad in a tan pencil skirt and a white flattering blouse. Her outfit would have gone well with heels, but she wore flats.

If I had said it aloud, I would have sounded snobbish. But wealth recognizes wealth. In the short minute I’d seen them, I recognized a dozen tiny details that signified that, like me, they came from old money. The easiest tell was that her shoes and mine were the exact same pair, priced around two thousand dollars.

My outfit would have been better with heels, too, but I was clumsy.

She gave Dominic a dazzling smile, but it was undisputable that she was nervous. Over the past few years attending the university, I’d seen countless women swoon over my professors. She didn’t swoon. She didn’t bat her eyelashes at him, nor did she pay any mind to his bulging biceps. “Hi, I’m Elora. It’s nice to meet you!” She chirped, but she didn’t shake his hand. She waved.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Dominic nodded at her. He smiled at Dane. “Congratulations.”

The newlyweds seemed incredibly young to be doctors. Then again, Dane was supposedly a world-renowned surgeon. I was sure he had all the connections and would appear youthful for a long time. Whoever their surgeon was, they were skilled. I saw no signs of surgery when it was obvious they’d both had to have work done.

Dominic gestured to me. “This is my girlfriend, Odette,” he introduced. There was the slightest hesitation before he said the word girlfriend, which I was beyond thankful for. We were both uncomfortable with labels, and his hesitation meant that he didn’t consider me his girlfriend—neither did I. The stupid endearment still made my heart hammer.

Stepping forward, I stood closer to Dominic. “Hi, it’s nice to meet both of you,” I said politely. I shook Dane’s hand, but Elora waved again, and I returned it.

“The pearls with the shoes,” Elora smiled at me approvingly. “You wore it better.”

“Are you kidding me? The gold, tan, and shoes tie in perfectly,” I returned her compliment.

She looked down at her shoes and twisted her ankle to emphasize the shoe. “You know what, I almost wore heels, but I’m so clumsy that I’d certainly trip over my own feet,” she laughed.

...

It was like looking in a disoriented mirror. She was the same—but opposite of me. If I was a short optimist with blonde hair and chipper attitude, we’d be the same person.

She had stacks of binders in her arms that her husband took from her. “Shall we?” Dane asked Dominic. The two men took off down the hall, and Elora lingered in the foyer with me.

She fidgeted for a moment, and so did I. I didn’t know her, and she didn’t know me. “This is my first business trip type thing with Dane,” she admitted. “He’s really excited to speak in Dominic’s class,” she made nervous conversation.

“Dominic was just telling me how lucky he and his class are to have someone as talented as him speak,” I nodded, feeling uncomfortable at the forced conversation. “How long have you been married?” I asked.

She smiled. “Almost two years. It was a long engagement,” she answered.

“Is it weird working with your husband?” I asked. I’d heard of spouses that work together, and it almost always sounds like a nightmare.

She shook her head. “Not at all! I love working with Dane. Honestly, we only work special cases, so we work a handful of times a month,” she explained. She gestured to the kitchen door. “I should probably go talk doctor stuff, huh?” She joked.

For a doctor, she acted lightheartedly. Almost all doctors I’d met had a stick up their butt or took everything too seriously. I walked alongside her to the kitchen.

When we entered the room, Dominic and the doctor seemed to be in pleasant conversation, laughing (a rare sight for Dominic). From the looks of it, it didn’t seem like a business meeting at all. They were acting like old friends.

“Do you want anything to drink?” I asked Elora, as we seemed to be on the outside of their conversation.

Her eyes lingered on something behind me, and she shook her head. “I’m okay, thank you. What happened to your pepper?” she asked.

The pepper? I turned, seeing our seasoning rack shakers behind me. They looked just the same as they always were. Normal. “What do you mean?”

“Elora,” Dane mumbled, softly chuckling.

A slight tint of pink crept up her cheeks, and she smiled at me. “All the other spices have labels. The pepper doesn’t,” she pointed out.

Turning around, I noticed she was right. I’d never paid enough attention to the seasonings to notice. I chuckled. “Yeah, that is kinda strange.”

“Luckily, I always keep a label maker close by,” she smiled. Still, it was evident that something—I hope not the pepper—was bothering her. “I actually have one in the car,” she told me before she turned around and exited the kitchen.

“I’m sorry,” Dane said with a smile. “Organization is her niche,” he explained.

Dominic handed the Doctor a cup of hot coffee and placed it in front of himself. “That’s alright. What topics were you thinking of covering?” he asked, looking eager to get down to business.

As they started talking again, I slipped out of the room as quickly as I’d entered.

It was a long shot, but seeing as Elora and I weren’t contributing much to their conversation, I had a lingering question on my mind. I wasn’t sure if she’d even have an answer for me, but she was a doctor.

“Elora,” I smiled at her as she reentered the house, typing away on a small machine in her hands. “So you’re a doctor...” I instantly felt stupid for my start.

“Uh-huh,” she nodded while smiling at me. “What’s up?” she asked, noticing that I had a question or two.

“So...” I sat on one of the couches, thinking of the best way to ask without spilling my guts. She sat next to me, placing the label maker in her lap. “Is it possible to have memories that you can’t remember?” I asked.

She nodded. “Absolutely. I’m assuming you’re not talking about memories lost with old age, right?” She clarified, and I nodded. “There are lots of reasons why someone’s brain would choose to forget certain things. When I was going through school, I shadowed a few therapists. Long story short, a lot of those memories are from trauma. It’s like their brain is protecting them. Is that kind of what you mean?” She asked. “Sorry, I rambled.”

So, there was a chance the dreams were real.

My heart sank, but I held onto a sliver of hope that I’d imagined sick, twisted things. “What would cause the memories to come back?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Anything, really. It could be something as simple as a word that triggers you to recall it. Sometimes, people get hit in the head, making them remember. Or your brain feels safe enough to allow you to remember. Everyone’s different, so I’m probably not much help,” she nervously chuckled.

There was no reality where I’d want to remember those memories if they were real. I think I’d remember hitting my head— Wyatt’s desk.

I hit my head when I was under his desk...

The evidence was stacked against my sliver of hope. I’d hit my head, then had the dream later that same day.

“Are you okay, Odette?” Elora asked as her insanely bright eyes wandered my features.

Snapping out of my own thoughts, I gave her a reassuring nod. “Asking for a friend,” I lied with a smile. “Thank you,” I said genuinely.

“I’m just happy I had answers,” she said. “Sometimes, people assume doctors know everything without context. You’d be surprised at how often I’ve been asked something and have no idea how to answer,” she cringed. “It’s super embarrassing.”

She smirked at me. “Like right now, I’m about to go contribute nothing to their conversation because Dane always knows what to say and when to say it.”

I giggled with her. I was glad she was here, too; it was obvious she felt just as out of place as I did. “That’s not true. You may not be contributing to the conversation—honestly, who could? Those two are having a whole hoopla in there. But you did label our pepper, and none of us would have noticed that, like ever,” I laughed.

She grinned, holding the machine up as she stood. “How about we let them talk about the boring stuff, and we go find things to label!” She offered.

I grinned, liking the sound of that much better than standing awkwardly listening in on their conversation. “You get me.”

It was a shame that I would probably never see Elora or her husband, Dane, again. She was a sweetheart; if they hadn’t lived out of state, I could’ve seen us being close friends.

“How was your day?” Niko asked, wrapping his arms around me and resting his head on my shoulder. He and the others had just gotten home from work.

“Good!” I giggled at his touchiness while reaching for a cup in the kitchen. “Dominic had a doctor friend and his wife come over; she was nice. They left, we finished two Harry Potter movies, and I got homework done,” I gave a quick rundown of my day. “You?”

“Doctor Arwien? Yeah, he’s a nice guy. Way too much plastic surgery for his age, obviously.” He chuckled. He gently swung me in his arms. “It dragged, Cari?o. I spent the day insanely jealous of Dominic,” he admitted before placing a big, sloppy kiss on my cheek.

“I second that,” Wyatt agreed as he entered the kitchen, placing his work bag over the stool. “You look beautiful today,” he complimented with a smile.

“Think so? The skirt’s new,” I did a small twirl, basking in their attention and flattery.

“Mhm,” Wyatt hummed his response. He was leaning forward against the counter, using his arms to support his weight as he stared at me.

“Are you guys hungry? I could make dinner—”

“No!” Aiden called from the other room.

“I think Niko was going to cook,” Wyatt commented with a smile.

“We appreciate the offer, Cari?o,” Niko started. “You relax, I’ll cook,” he insisted.

I knitted my brows together. “Okay?” I mumbled as Niko practically ushered me out of the kitchen. The pasta salad I made last night was delicious, and they all enjoyed it, so I knew my cooking wasn’t bad.

Chopping it up to Niko really enjoying cooking, I entered the living room with Aiden and Dominic. I moved to sit next to Aiden on the couch, but before my movements came to fruition, Aiden grabbed me by the waist and pulled me onto his lap. “Do you know how many times I tried to wake you up this morning?”

“At least four?” I guessed sarcastically.

“You are not a morning person, Babydoll. You told me to fuck off three times.”

My eyes rounded, and I turned to look at him. “I did not!” I defended. I didn’t curse like that, half asleep, drunk, or sober.

“You absolutely did,” he smirked. “I can’t remember if you snored more after the first fuck off or the second, but you definitely drooled more after the third.”

My cheeks flushed red for the split second when I believed his lies. “Aiden!” I flicked his shoulder. “You’re not funny,” I scolded, despite my laugh.

He chuckled. “You did tell me to fuck off, though.”

“I meant it, too,” I shot back playfully.

“Oh really?” He placed a lingering kiss on the back of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. “Because I think you want me,” he teased.

My heart skipped a beat, but I had to stay strong and not crumble. “Where did you get that idea?” I kept my eyes locked on whatever sport was playing on the TV, not daring to look at his surely smirking lips. “I don’t want you,” I teased.

“The goosebumps on your skin say otherwise.” His hands moved to my sides, where his fingertips gently dug into my middle. “Say you want me,” he ordered in a playful tone.

“Or what—” my snappy response was cut short as he started tickling my sides. Then, the struggle began.

I pressed my lips together, trying to pry his hands off me. “Aiden!” I shrieked, holding my laughs back as I squirmed in his arms.

“Say it, and I’ll stop,” he taunted, continuing his attack on my stomach.

Fits of giggles and breathless laughs finally escaped my lips. My hands were wrapped around his fingers, trying to pry them off me, but it was futile. Even when I’d fallen over onto my back, he’d just repositioned himself over me, now tickling my thighs, too.

“Three little words,” he chuckled.

“I’m—I’m gonna pee!” I was laughing so hard that my voice came out high-pitched and squeaky. I had no choice other than to use my legs. It was very unladylike with a short skirt on, but I pushed his body away with my legs. For the second I caught him off guard enough to actually move his body away from mine, I rolled off the couch.

I quickly stood, holding my sides and remembering how to breathe, recovering from the tickle torture. Aiden placed one of his legs down, his foot flat on the floor, ready to pounce any second. I narrowed my eyes at him. He wouldn’t dare. I’d escaped! That meant I won.

“My next move is entirely up to you, Babydoll. Say you want me,” he threatened.

The second I moved to run away, I knew that the chase would be on. I was competitive, and messing with Aiden seemed to be worth any tickles I might endure. I smirked, slowly turning my foot to bolt to the kitchen. “ You want me,” I repeated his exact words.

He stood up quickly, and I ran as fast as I could to the other side of the couch as he blocked the kitchen. I was on one side of the sofa, and he was on the other. I was giggling like a crazy lady but absolutely scared to get caught. I glanced at Dominic, who was watching us with a smirk.

Aiden chuckled. “He won’t help you, brat. You’re trapped between me and a wall. Just say the words. There’s no shame in losing.”

If I could somehow get to the kitchen, Wyatt or Niko would save me; I was sure of it. “I escaped once. I think I can outrun you, Aiden. What are you, like 50?” I shot.

Collectively, Dominic, Wyatt, and Niko snickered and made an ‘oof’ sound. Aiden’s playful smirk darkened, and he stepped on the couch and jumped over it. Oh shit!

He was hot on my trail as I darted to the kitchen, my heart hammering, hoping he wouldn’t catch me. I made it to the kitchen, feeling his hand graze my arm. I shrieked, getting away by the skin of my teeth. Wyatt was the first one I saw, and he was my safety net.

“Wyatt!” I called. “Save me, save me, save me,” I begged, grabbing onto him and using his body to shield mine.

“Wyatt, move,” Aiden insisted, waving his hand once.

Wyatt wrapped his arm around me protectively. “You know I can’t do that, man.”

I smirked and stuck my tongue out at Aiden.

“You’re going to defend her?” Aiden chuckled.

Wyatt shrugged. “I’ve got a thing for damsels.”

The front door opened without warning, and we all turned in the direction of the door. “Were you expecting someone?” Aiden asked, his playful mood deteriorating.

Niko and Wyatt shook their heads.

“Hey man, sorry to drop in,” I recognized his voice after a moment of racking my mind. It was their friend, Vincent.

Aiden pushed his eyebrows together. Wyatt and I followed him out of the kitchen, curious to know why he was there.

Vincent smiled at me. “Odette, just the girl I was looking for,” he announced.

What could he possibly want from me? “You’re not here to see us?” Wyatt asked.

Vincent shook his head. “Not this time. Sorry, guys,” he chuckled. His attention turned to me, and suddenly, his expression became serious. “Do you know what the meeting this weekend is about?” he asked.

I detached myself from Wyatt’s side, deeming myself safe from Aiden for the time being. This weekend was my much dreaded ‘family dinner’ with Charles. Until this very moment, I’d assumed it would be at least an hour of scolding, shaming, and whatever other belittling comments he had about me. “What do you mean?” I asked.

Vincent shifted, leaning his hip against the couch and crossing his arms. “Charles called me, and from the few calls I’ve made, several of his high-profile business partners requested our presence at his house on Saturday. One of my colleagues said that at least two of his ex-wives are also coming,” he explained.

Crossing my arms, I pondered what that could possibly mean. “I... I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything like that. I honestly thought it was just going to be the two of us.”

“Damn. I was hoping to have an idea of what we’re walking into,” he sighed.

“ I don’t know, but I know somebody who might,” I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my contacts. The chefs who cooked at my father’s house had worked there for as long as I could remember. Their son was my age. We weren’t necessarily friends, but we played together, sometimes growing up. As an adult, he planned to take over for his parents so they could retire. To prepare for that, he was almost always with them in the kitchen, where they got to hear all the newest gossip.

Putting my phone on speaker, we listened to the phone ring three times before Anthony picked up the phone. “Dotty?” he answered, probably surprised that this was the first time I’d ever called him. We haven’t spoken in several years.

“Hey Anthony, how are your parents?” I asked. They were lovely people, and I cared for them a lot. All three of them were genuine and kind.

“They’re alright. You know them, they’re not complainers. What’s up? I haven’t heard from you since you left for college.”

My eyes roamed between my professors and Vincent, who were all listening intently. “Sorry, I’ve been busy. But I’ll probably see you this Saturday. Will you be there?” I asked.

He scoffed, and his voice suddenly hushed. “Between us, I think everyone will be there.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Something weird is happening around here, Dotty. Mom, Dad, and I have been overhearing conversations between Charles, Charles’ assistant, and what seems like everyone the man has ever been close with. I’m talking ex-wife number four, Odette.”

“Number four?” I widened my eyes. “He hates her, and she despises him,” I chuckled.

He laughed. “Right? Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum have been lingering around, too,” I could hear the cringe in his tone.

“That’s never good,” I cringed. I put the phone on mute for a moment and looked at Vincent. “The Tweedle brothers are vile publicists. Charles uses them to manipulate the media into only letting the public know what he wants them to know,” I answered quickly before taking the phone off mute. They were just as corrupt as Charles because they knew just how horrible Charles was, and they made him out to be a saint. Anything for a check.

Vincent nodded, obviously familiar with the famous Tweedle name.

“There’s a lot of whispering in these halls, Dotty. My parents were told to prepare forty place settings and enough food for fifty.”

“Thanks for the heads up, Anthony,” I said, my concern growing.

“I’ll tell my parents you’re coming; they’ll be happy to see you!”

“Bye, Tony,” I smiled as I ended the call.

“He’s a good kid,” Vincent smiled. “Nice parents, too.”

“Who was that?” Niko asked.

“That was the chef’s son. They hear everything in the kitchen,” I explained, ignoring the jealousy in his tone. Anthony was harmless, and there was no need for them to worry.

“Ex-wife number four?” Vincent chuckled. “I only ever heard him call her ‘evil bitch’.”

“You should have heard what she called him—she was my favorite wife,” I smiled. She was the only one who stood up for herself.

“How many times was he married?” Wyatt asked.

“Eleven or twelve?” I guessed. I lost count if I was being honest.

This meeting was good news to me. Obviously, if there would be an abundance of people attending on Saturday, Charles didn’t intend to shame me. Still, I was beyond curious.

“Thanks for calling, although it didn’t really answer anything.” Vincent chuckled. “Are you driving?” He asked.

I shrugged. “Uh, he said he’d send a car for me, but I was planning on driving myself for a quick getaway.”

“I’ll drive you. I’m going anyway, and it’s about a two-hour drive,” he offered.

With my speculation about Charles’ business partners and what possibly happened to me as a preteen, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with that. Vincent had never given me a reason not to trust him, though. I glanced at Dominic sitting on the couch across the room, quietly watching everyone like he had been the entire time.

“Thank you, but I wouldn’t want to—”

“You’re not driving two hours there and back at night alone, Odette,” Dominic said, leaving no room for argument. “Thank you, Vincent.”

Vincent smiled. “I hope you like Metallica, kid; my playlist isn’t for the weak,” he joked, taking his leave.

“Bye, have a good night!” He called over his shoulder at my guys.

As soon as the door closed, I asked, “Do I have to go with him? I can drive myself,” I said.

“I can drive you. I don’t mind hanging around in my car for a few hours,” Wyatt offered.

“I’d feel bad with you just waiting,” I groaned.

“Do you not like Vincent?” Aiden asked, his eyes piercing through me.

My eyes rounded. “No, he’s fine—I just feel like an inconvenience,” I told the partial truth.

“You’re not. And you’re going with him unless you want one of us to drive you. Got it?” Aiden finalized.

“Fine,” I gave. I trusted them, and if they trusted Vincent, so did I.

Saturday was approaching fast, and I couldn’t decide if I was dreading the day or eager to see what awaited me. Regardless of Charles’ intentions, I knew one thing for sure: For my peace of mind, or possibly my demise, I would go into the one room I was never allowed in—the one I knew I had never seen... hopefully.

If I recognized the room, if it felt like I had been there before, the dreams were real. If not, it was my stick, demented mind playing tricks on me.

“Come on, Babydoll, let’s eat dinner, Aiden broke me from my thoughts, wrapping his arm around me and leading me back into the kitchen. Whatever Niko made smelled terrific, and my mouth watered.

I shrieked as he continued his tickle attack, completely catching me off guard. I fell to the floor, and he didn’t let up as he hovered over me. “Say it, and I’ll stop,” he bargained.

The tickling hurt, and I was breathless from laughing. “I want you! I give, I give,” I screamed.

He stopped tickling me and smirked down at me. “And how old am I?” He cocked an eyebrow.

“Thirty-something?” I guessed. I genuinely didn’t know.

“I’m 29, and the next time you call me old, I’ll strap a vibrator to your clit and see how long you can last being tickled then.”