Trigger's Light - Carol Dawn Page 0,19
I mean, that is if it’s okay for me to be here.”
“PREZ,” I shout.
“YEAH,” his shout returns from his office, causing Thea to giggle.
Such a beautiful sound.
“IS THAT CHAPTER PARTY GOING ON TODAY?” I ask.
“NAH, DELAYED UNTIL TOMORROW BECAUSE HAWK AND BOO COULDN’T MAKE UP THEIR FUCKING MINDS.”
“HEY,” Hawk adds with a shout from the bathroom. “IT WAS BOO’S FAULT. HE’S TOO PUSSY TO DRIVE HIS BIKE IN A LITTLE RAIN.”
Thea laughs harder. “You all are a bunch of goofs. Also, it’s pouring outside.”
Smiling down at her, I say, “I’ve never been called a goof before.”
“He’s more of an emotionless asshat, to be honest,” Ink says, sitting beside Thea. “well, maybe not so emotionless after all. I didn’t know you knew how to smile.”
I don’t say anything and just threaten Ink’s life with my eyes.
“Ah,” he smiles. “There he is.”
“If you get tired, my room is the last door on the right, just up those stairs. Brick can show you if you need it.”
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Brick says from behind me. “You threaten my life if I so much as blink in the direction of your door. You’re on your own with that mission, darlin’.”
“You’re an awful big guy,” Thea says, blushing. “Oh no, I’m so sorry, that was supposed to stay in my head.”
Brick laughs. “Well, you’re not wrong. But don’t let my size scare you little darlin’. I’m a big teddy bear.”
“Yeah, until those days, you come in with bruises all over your body,” Ink says. “What do you do, man, fight a pack of wolves every other night?”
Brick just smiles gleefully.
Crazy bastard. I know exactly what he’s been up to. If he’s not careful, he’s going to get himself killed.
“I’m going to change this bandage before I leave, little one. I’ll go ahead and show you where my room is because Brick is correct. No one is allowed in my private room.”
“But I am?” she asks shyly.
I lean down to kiss her forehead. “Always.”
“Awe, who knew our little Trigger was such love hearted sap?”
I guide Thea toward the stairs, making sure to slap Ink on the back of the head as I pass.
“Fucker,” he mumbles.
“Wow, it’s so clean in here,” Thea says, entering my room.
“You sound shocked.”
“Oh gosh,” her face turns red. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I just wasn’t expecting you to be so tidy.”
Chuckling, I walk to my bedside table and pull out a notepad.
“This is my number,” I tell her. “Call me if you need me. If you don’t hear back from me within half an hour, don’t freak out. Just go to Bear and ask him because he has other ways of contacting us.”
“Alright,” she says softly.
I place the notepad on the table and grab the first aid kit. After having Thea sit on the bed, I take my time at changing her bandage. As I’m cleaning up the trash, I catch sight of a tear falling down her face.
“Fuck, did I hurt you?” I ask, cleanup forgotten.
Shaking her head, more tears fall.
“No, it’s not that,” she finally says. “It’s just that, when I first met you, I figured my body didn’t interest you. But I remember thinking that I have a pretty enough face. Maybe, if I try hard and lose weight, you’d be interested in me. Until then, I still had a pretty face. Now, I have nothing. I’m just a fat, ugly girl who will never find love and most likely won’t be granted custody of her nephew.”
I’m silent as I think through my next step.
“First,” I say after a few minutes. “We will get custody of Brendon. I have zero doubts. Second, that’s now fifteen.”
Her confused eyes look up.
“Fifteen what?”
“Fifteen spanks on your little bottom. Five for calling yourself fat, and five for calling yourself ugly. Plus, the first five for talking bad about yourself. I was planning on waiting for you to heal, but I think you need this lesson.”
I pull her against my chest to give her a small amount of comfort.
“When we get home tonight, you’re getting your spanking, little one, do you understand?”
She nods her head ever so slightly.
“I only want you to learn that you can’t talk about yourself like that. I think you’re the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The cutest Little in the entire world. And all mine. Being mine means you don’t get to talk about yourself in negative ways. It not only hurts you, but it also hurts me. Do you want to keep hurting