The Pack Rule Number 1 No Mates

Chapter Thirteen

DRAVEN

I flipped the switch to shade all the downstairs windows and sit down to eat while getting to know my new phone. It seems to be a newer model and nothing I would have ever bought for myself with my own money.

As promised, it came programmed with one phone number. Mister Mayor's. I laugh before changing the name to Domonic and I have just put it down when it chimes

-Domonic

What are you doing down there?

Calling one of those numbers

you threw away?

-Me

Why aren't you asleep?

-Domonic

You know why.

-Me

I do.

-Domonic

Cancel your date tomorrow.

-Me

I can't. I won't.

-Domonic

Why not?

-Me

I don't have Paul's number.

-Domonic

Lol. That's real cute.

-Me

Maybe if you told me why

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Chapter Thirteen

you care so much.

-Domonic

I don't care. I just don't want

him getting attached to someone

that he can't have.

-Me

You don't care...

You tell me to cancel with someone

because you don't care.

Doesn't make much sense to me.

And tell me what makes you think

he can't have me?

-Domonic

It's not what I think.

It's what I KNOW.

-Me

If that's all, then the best I can do

is leave the shades open TOMORROW

night so you can watch us.

Sweet Dreams!

I stay downstairs until three-thirty in the morning, hoping that Domonic has gone to sleep. When I finally make it upstairs, I start the shower and flip the shade switch open. Nothing but darkened windows await me across the yard. With a sigh, I shrug my shoulders and begin to undress. Disappearing inside the bathroom in just my underwear. Freezing for a moment in front of the mirror, I note my bruises are still visible. Then with a sigh I step under the scalding water of the shower.

All the lights are out in my bedroom, and I know if Domonic is watching, all he can see at the moment, is the haloing glow of the bathroom light beneath the door. When I finish, I slip on the negligee which I am happy to see fits like a damned glove - then I exit the bathroom, flipping the shade switch closed after a long moment staring out the window. Then, I head straight for my bed.

I decide to save my little show for when my bruises are all gone. What kind of person, hosts a strip show covered in black and blue? A sicko, that's who. I hadn't seen any activity across the yard anyway. With any luck, he is asleep.

Two minutes later my phone chimes again.

-Domonic

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Chapter Thirteen

Why did you close the shades?

-Me

Did you get me this phone

just so that could harrass me?

Why aren't you asleep?

-Domonic

I've been watching for you.

I thought you were gonna

give me a show.

The thing fits you perfectly btw.

-Me

How did you see me without my

lights on?

-Domonic

I see better in the dark.

Open the shades.

I want to watch you.

-Me

Watch me?

Watch me do what?

LOL

-Domonic

Whatever I ask you to do.

Starting with you opening the

shades.

-Me

No. Go to sleep.

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Chapter Thirteen

Smiling to myself, I close my eyes. It is only my second day here and already I am crushing on someone. If it can even be called that.

Somehow, I know that it is more.

The draw, the pull, the ache. All of it bangs out a warning that this man could ruin my heart completely.

"What am I going to do with myself?"

Tossing and turning for the next half hour, I picture Domonic in his bed, staring at my windows. My mind strolls back to the massage he gave me and the sound of his voice when he told me to Get up here. God, I had never wanted anything so bad in my life. Each time he touched me my body zinged with energy. When he asked me how my neck was doing, I should have lied. I should have said it was killing me so that he would put his hands on me again.

But, of course, I'd been afraid. Scared that, like all the other men in my life, he only wanted one thing. And he probably does. I am terrified that if I give myself to him, that he will abandon me immediately afterward, or that I will become less important to him. And you're important to him now? Ha. That's a laugh.

I've never been into controlling men before, but somehow, he is different. I like his little bouts of jealousy. For me, they are a serious turn on. The fact that he refuses to admit that he likes me, is only making this whole thing more fun.

I wonder if he realizes Paul is coming over here for dinner. It'll be fun to see what happens when he finds out.

Playing out a few little scenarios in my head, I finally fall asleep.

DREAM SEQUENCE

*I felt, rather than heard him come into my room. Remembering that my mom was right next door wasn't any comfort. Not anymore. She was sick, and all that meant now, was that if I didn't do what I was told, she would get a lot sicker. I kept my eyes clamped shut, cursing myself for not thinking he might come in here after mom got back from the hospital. I thought for sure I was safe until her next treatment was set to begin.

I was wrong.

I felt him peel back the covers ever so slowly and the glide of his hand over my bare legs as he unbuckled his pants. I was trembling inside, knowing all I really had to do to stop this was reach under my mattress for the knife I had stashed there. "I know you're awake princess, but maybe it's better if you keep pretending, you're not."

I felt his tongue slide over my neck, but I kept my eyes clamped shut, not wanting to see the desire in his disgusting gaze.

His heavy breathing coupled with the sound of his pants dropping is what had me turn around. Until that night, all he ever really did was touch me. Sure, he had unbuckled his pants before, but he hadn't ever taken them off!

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

He laughed, his ugly brown eyes following his hand as he forced it up under my shirt.

"Tonight, I'm going to teach you some of what it means to become a woman."

My eyes fell to his penis, noticing for the first time not only had he dropped his pants, but his underwear as well.

"N-no!" I whimpered, scrambling

upward to sit up against the wall.

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Chapter Thirteen

"Shut your mouth or your mother will hear you! Do you really want to upset her? After everything she's been through?

I didn't want to be the one who caused her broken heart. Didn't want to be the reason her 'perfect' husband suddenly wasn't so perfect anymore. If she knew what was going on, it might break her. So, like any loving daughter would do, I hid it from her instead. I shook my head no.

"Well then do as I say and just relax. All I'm asking for is a kiss.**

END OF DREAM

I wake up sobbing.

Every now and then, not very often, but at least once every couple of weeks - I dream about him. My stepfather.

I should've known this was coming. Should've gone out to buy some chamomile tea or lavender or magnolia. Even a jar of melatonin gummies from the store might have been helpful. But I had hoped that being so far away from his evil for the first time might be remedy enough.

Apparently, I was wrong.

Drying my tears, I glance at the clock on the nightstand. Eight forty-five in the morning.

Not bad. More than four hours of sleep is definite progress. Maybe after I've been here a couple of weeks, I might even get six. Nice. Grabbing the bathrobe I bought yesterday - I shrug my arms into it and head toward the kitchen to make some coffee. Knock, knock, knock.

As I stumble down the stairs toward the door, I realize, it is practically nine a.m. Great! Domonic probably wants to do breakfast and my face probably looks like a battered tomato from all the crying I've been doing.

"What?" I snap ripping open the front door and trying to hide my face behind my hair as best I can.

He doesn't wait for me to invite him in, just pushes past me and shuts the door. His eyes scan the living room first, then the kitchen, them the stairs before settling on me.

"What happened?" He asks, his sultry gray gaze falling over me.

I lift my chin, shaking back the sob he urges forth with just the concern in his eyes. "Nothing happened. Bad dream. I get them sometimes." I turn away from him and head toward the pantry to grab some coffee beans for the grinder. "What do you want?"

I didn't even hear him come up behind me. One minute I am reaching for the beans and the next minute I am in his arms. They close around me from behind like warm blanket, gathering me close with an unspoken promise of cover. Burying his face in my hair, his nose tickles my ear. "You were crying," he whispers. "It felt awful

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The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates