“Mother,” I cut in, squeezing Parker’s fingers back beneath the table, “I am naïve, your husband is not wrong. Always making rash decisions. Following my heart instead of my head. Coming home was a one of the first good decisions I made. I need to be here where I have all of you. I am not sure I need to grow up,” I offer, squeezing the fingers twined with mine again, “or not but whatever I need to do, I need to make my choices. You made yours and I am so happy for you, Mother. I trust you made the right choice for you. You can trust me that if it is the wrong choice,” I turn my gaze towards Grant as I pause, “I would still be here for you. Can you all do the same for me?” I ask gently, noticing all three of them are watching me intently. I clear my throat and flush, but I keep my head up.
“Paker is my choice, Mother. Please trust that choice.”
“Oh, toots,” mother coos, reaching across the table, “I love you so much. You are the most important thing I ever did. Of course, I am always going to be here. No matter what choices you make, good or bad. I make some rash ones myself, didn’t I?” she teases with a shove at her brand-new husband.
“Sir,” Parker speaks up again, all of us turning to him, “I can’t say I know just what you felt when you met your new wife. Because I can’t put into words what I felt when I met Perri. I am not asking for your permission because only Perri can give me that. I do not think she is too young or too naïve to follow what she feels. She is a helluva lot wiser than I am when it comes to that. I can say I won’t ever hurt her because the thought of her being hurt wrecks me,” his voices goes tight and he squeezes my fingers again, “we just met so this is nuts, but it is not wrong. I will be good to her. I will take care of her. I swear to both of you. To all of you,” he follows up with a smile directed at me.
Grant seems unmoved by our words, but I don’t care. I have made my choice and my mother does not argue when I tell her I will be staying with Parker for now. Grant just grunts at us and nods. Maybe he knows Parker better so maybe I should take it as a red flag that he watches us closely for the rest of dinner.
It pains me to think I could cause a rift between the two, since it is clear Parker thinks highly of his Commander. After we tell them goodnight and I force a hug on Grant, our ride back to his place is quiet. Sitting silently at his place for a long moment, I am worried he may be having second thoughts.
“Perri,” his voice is raw, deep, his breathing heavy, “you know what you did tonight? By saying all those things you said to them, about you and about us?” his voice shakes and I tremble, shaking my head as he turns glittering eyes on me in the darkness.
“N-no. Did...did I do something bad?” I wonder softly.
“No, pet. You were a good girl,” he growls, and I realize he is barely holding back, his eyes glitter with heat and need, not anger or second thoughts. “You were such a good girl for daddy. Daddy wants to reward his girl. Go inside and go to our bedroom,” his voice gets even deeper, and he is struggling to get his commands out, “take off that dress. Leave on the shoes. Wait on the bed for me to come take care of you.”
Moments later I am waiting on the edge of the bed as he demanded—no dress with my shoes still on. I shudder with longing as I hear his footsteps hit the hardwood floors. Sounds of his belt coming undoing make me moan.
“Daddy’s good girl. Waiting for me to take care of his pet.”