A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four - Isabella Starling Page 0,41

surprises us all by embracing Minnie. The maid returns her hug after a moment's pause, and when my sister pulls back, Minnie takes a step back as if she's done with the goodbyes. I'm about to cut in, but Brazen shocks us all by stepping forward, all six feet six of him emanating with barely held back anger.

"What about me, Minnie?"

"What about you?" the maid asks, her voice dripping with ice.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to me?"

Minnie's eyes meet Brazen's. We all hold our breaths.

"Goodbye, Master Oakes."

"Fuck, Minnie!" Brazen takes several steps, closing the distance between him and Minnie, but Dex intercepts him, blocking his path. "Are you really going to act like we're fucking nothing?"

"I'm not sure what you mean, Master Oakes." She takes a small bow, curtsying like all the staff has to at the Estate. My blood chills in my veins. "I'm just a maid, that's all."

"You're just a maid," he repeats incredulously. We take a collective gasp when he forces Minnie's chin up. Dex tries to push him back, but Brazen stands still, too proud to move back. "Tell me, Minnie. You just want to be a maid? You don't want any of my help, or my attention? You want me to forget about all of this?"

I watch Minnie's bottom lip tremble as her eyes connect with Brazen's. "There's nothing to forget, Master, because nothing ever happened."

Brazen lets go of her chin as if he's been burned. "Okay, Minnie. I'll remember that."

The tension in the room is palpable before he storms out, with Tianna following close behind. Minnie races back up the stairs, and Dex and I wave my siblings off distractedly.

"Think their little lover's spat is going to be a problem?" Dex asks.

"I think she fucked up," I whisper.

"What? He loves her."

"So?" I hiss, shaking my head and rubbing my temples. "It doesn't mean anything. Not here. Not in Eden Falls."

"Well, maybe it should." I look up into Dex's resolute face. "And maybe it's time things finally fucking changed."

16

Dexter

"You can open your eyes."

I hold the silk blindfold in my hands, waiting for Pandora's reaction. I'm expecting happy tears, a big hug, a kiss. I get anything but.

"What the hell is this?" she turns to face me with a scornful expression. "I didn't know anything about this."

"It was meant to be a surprise." I grin at her as she inspects the nursery I've been preparing ever since I got out of jail. "Do you like it?"

"Like it?" She faces me with an expression of pure rage. I instantly know she hates it, but I don't understand why. "How could you do this, Dexter?"

"It's for Reign," I grind out. "Our son. For when he gets back."

"But he's not back, is he?" Her voice wobbles as she speaks the words and she wipes her teary eyes in frustration. "And we don't know if we'll ever get him back."

"You have to stay positive." I make a move to touch her shoulder, but Pandora steps out of my reach. "Please, toy. I'm doing my best here, I want to get him back as much as you do."

"How am I supposed to stay positive when he's out there with her?" She rubs her eyes, smearing mascara all over her face. Instead of making me angry at myself, it only serves to make my cock jump in my pants in anticipation.

It's been months since I fucked her, almost a year. Apart from the time when I made her come, Pandora has kept her distance, and I let her have it. But my patience is waning, my need to own her taking over again and threatening to make me do something to her. I want her back. I want her body back. It was made for me. She was born to be mine.

"You're on thin ice, Pandora," I warn her coolly. "You're being a fucking brat again. You remember what happens to brats, don't you?"

She stares at me with contempt before marching toward the door of the baby-blue nursery. I catch her before she can leave, fingers wrapping around her forearm.

"You're hurting me," she hisses, but I pay it no mind, pulling her body close against mine.

"I did this to cheer us both up," I tell her firmly. "We both need it."

"What the hell am I supposed to do with a nursery," she spits out. "When I have no baby to put in it?"

She pulls my arm free of her reach with such force, I accidentally scratch her. She inspects the claw