Ari
Iwasfinished.Finished washing Shaw’s car which now sat in the driveway, so clean you could eat off it. Following the new paint job, I’d wanted the inside to look as new as the outside. The interior had been vacuumed and air freshened. I’d washed the floor mats and the slip covers for the headrests.
But Shaw’s car wasn’t the only thing I was finished with. I finished cleaning the house from top to bottom, and I still felt restless. Like I had something to do. And I knew exactly what, but Shaw wouldn’t let me, and now I was a ball of energy trying to fill my days cleaning so I didn’t have to think about it. About how that asshole Judd forced his way into our happy home and threatened my Daddy. How did Shaw expect me to turn a blind eye when I had to sit across from him at meal times and see his swollen nose? Or when he grunted in pain from me kissing him because he accidentally bumped his nose against mine.
Hands placed on my hips in fists, I stared around the yard. I already mowed the lawn, so there was nothing left to do unless I wanted to individually inspect each blade of grass was the same height. And I was vengeful, not crazy, so not even I would go that far. Yesterday, I dug up and replanted his rosebush and repainted the gate while he was at work.
That’s it.
I turned to the house. Painting it would be a good project to keep me busy for a few days, and if I really took my time to do it, it could even take weeks instead. Maybe by then, the bloodlust would have left me, and I would be satisfied just being Shaw’s lover again.
I returned the hose I’d been using to wash the car to the garage, then ran inside. Did I deliberately track mud from my shoes inside just so I’d have something to clean up after? Yes, definitely. But first, I had to talk to Shaw.
“Daddy! Daddy!” I cried, rushing into the living room.
Shaw, who’d been napping on the couch, startled awake, his face full of concern. “What is it? Did Judd return?”
He was more worried about Judd than he wanted to admit to me. His mind immediately went down that road because he thought I was in trouble.
“No, I just finished washing your car.” I rocked back on my heels, staring at the trail of mud I’d tracked onto the carpet. “Now I’ll have to clean the floor and carpet, but I was thinking, before I do, can we go get paint?”
“Paint?” He stared at me, his face a picture of confusion. His nose was almost back to normal on day eight post-Judd’s appearance. “What do you need paint for, Ari?”
“To paint the house.” I beamed at him. “It’s perfect.”
“I just had the house painted six months ago.”
“So? I could do it all over—”
“We’re not painting the house, Ari.”
“Why not?”
“Because it doesn’t need painting. Why don’t you come sit beside Daddy and rest? You’ve been going nonstop for a week, baby.”
Shaw calling me baby was the best damn thing ever, but I fought the warmth and instinct to obey him because he was my Daddy. Didn’t he realize I needed to keep busy?
“I don’t want to sit and rest.”
He patted the couch beside him. “But you’ll do it anyway because Daddy asks you to.”
“No, I want to paint the house!” I glared at him, my inner little being forced out. “I want to paint the house! I want to paint the house!” And for good measure, I stomped my feet. “I want to paint it now.”
His expression turned thoughtful as he regarded me. Please. Please understand what I need.
“You're not going to do what Daddy says, Ari?”
“You’re a meanie!” I threw at him. “I hate you. You never let me do anything I want.”
I couldn’t kill Judd. I couldn’t paint the house. Daddy’s stupid rules. I should just disobey him anyway, but I was so scared he wouldn’t love me anymore. For now, all I could do was throw a tantrum and express how unfair and stupid everything was. Somebody hurt him; I took care of it. That was simple.
Why wouldn't he let me take care of Judd?
“You need to calm down right now, or you’re going to end up right across my knees.”
“I don’t care if you spank me. I still want to paint. In fact, I’m going to get paint with or without you. Maybe I’ll call Nathan. I think he’d love to give me a ride. Don’t you think, Daddy?”
It was a low blow. I knew how much he hated the idea of me being around horny Nathan, but if something didn’t give, I was scared of what I would actually do. And of course I now had my car and could drive myself, but little kids didn’t drive, so my little wouldn’t let me.