“Hi, Dad.” Eli’s eyes shine with the promise of a challenge. He’s always been in some sort of weird rivalry with our father. “I called Mum so we could have her all to ourselves.”
“Not even if you’re reincarnated ten times in a row.”
Mum laughs, strokes Dad’s hand that’s on her shoulder, and looks at Eli. “Really, now. Stop antagonizing your father. You’re so bad.”
“Hear that, Dad? I’m bad. Probably worse than you, huh?”
“Not even close.” Dad tilts his head to look at me. “Look who we have here.”
“Hi, Dad.”
“Is everything okay with you, son?”
I nod, and Mum tells him that I’ve been getting perfect scores, completely omitting the part about how I sleep in most classes and don’t attend the other half.
That’s what mothers do. They play the role of a bridge, a mediator.
An anchor.
Or at least, Mum does.
That can’t be said about my other mother.
“I’m glad you could pop in, Creigh,” Dad says. “You, too, Eli.”
My brother points a thumb at himself. “Creighton’s rare appearance is all thanks to me. Besides, we both miss Mum.”
“And Dad,” I finish, earning a rare smile from my father.
He completely ignores Eli’s attempts to rile him. After a few more minutes of catching up, he decides we’ve had enough of Mum’s time and ends the call.
As soon as the screen goes black, I kick Eli in the ribs, sending him flying to the other side of the bed.
Once I have enough room, I lie back down with a palm beneath my nape and close my eyes.
A petite brunette with an infuriating mouth barges into my mind.
Or more like the images of the red handprints I left on her arse do. All bright against that pale skin that’s begging to be marked and bruised andowned.
That was two days ago.
And she’s tactfully avoided me for as long. Always making sure we’re in a group, as if she’s scared I’ll pounce on her.
I would.
Thing is, Annika tests my control, edging it to limits I didn’t think were possible.
And the more she tests it, the more my beast screeches with the need to own her.
That’s what started it all.
After she defied me despite my clear warnings, I had to teach her a lesson.
When I shoved her against those shelves, I had every intention to punish the fuck out of her, but what I received was way past my expectations.
Her submission.
I thought I’d glimpsed the secret submissive in her whenever my tone turned authoritative, but I never thought she was a natural.