Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
“Any advice on what I should do?” Faith asked. “I thought, maybe I could rebel a bit? Then it would give him a bit of a push. He hasn’t threatened to spank me once. The only problem is . . . I’m not good at being rebellious. Not on purpose. If that makes sense.”
“It does.” Juliet nodded. “And I’m not sure it would work with Reuben anyway. He . . . he’ll be experiencing some big feelings. I’m worried. Reuben hates feeling helpless. He felt that way when I was younger because I had to go into foster care, and I was bullied to the point that I grew ill. I stopped eating. I withdrew into myself. And I know he blamed himself. It made him even more overprotective. And he was already protective enough. But I needed that protectiveness. To be sheltered from the world. I don’t think you’d be able to put up with that long.”
No, though she liked it, she couldn’t stay locked away in this tower forever.
“What do I do? Do I attempt a rebellion?”
Juliet shook her head. “That might work with someone like Xavier or Brick. Not Reuben. He needs to know that you will obey him. That he can keep you safe. Give him back his control.”
Faith bit her lip. Give him control? Fully?
Well. She guessed she could try.
“Thanks, Juliet. Are you all right?”
The other woman looked tired and pale. “Just nightmares. I keep hearing that car coming up behind me. Realizing that it’s going to hit me. I know Reuben is blaming himself for that too.”
“It seems insane that someone might be targeting us to get to him.” But that’s the way it seemed. Lou hadn’t turned up yet, which was making everything worse. Nighthawk was still trying to figure out who the heck she was.
All of those unknowns weren’t helping Reuben’s state of mind.
“Okay, I’ve got this,” Faith said.
“Good luck. I’m here if you need me.”
She ended the call and then swung her legs out of bed, standing slowly.
Reuben was letting her get up for a few hours a day to sit on the couch. But she was ready for more. Other than a few bruises and abrasions and her broken wrist, she was good. Sure, the broken wrist was annoying as heck, but at least it wasn’t her dominant hand.
Walking into the kitchen, she startled as she saw a short, dark-haired woman cooking at the stove. Then she realized this must be the mysterious Anita.
“Hello,” she said.
The other woman jumped and turned. “Oh! You scared me.”
“Sorry. I’m Faith.”
“Yes, Faith. Of course you are. I’m Anita. I didn’t realize you’d be up yet. Sit. Sit. I’ll get some food. You need lots of protein to heal.”
The other woman fussed over her, ignoring her protests, getting her coffee and a plate of scrambled eggs, mushrooms, and fried ham steaks. She didn’t have the heart to tell her that she didn’t have an appetite.
“Faith!” The yell came from the bedroom and Faith startled.
“Oh, Reuben isn’t happy.” Anita gave her a wide-eyed stare as she cleaned up. “Are you not supposed to be up?”
“Umm.”
Reuben stormed in, looking frantic. Faith felt a pang of guilt. Oops.
Relief flooded his face as he saw her. “What are you doing up?”
“Sorry. I was sick of being in bed, so I got up for some coffee. And Anita made me breakfast.”
The other woman walked over to Reuben, patting his arm in a motherly way. “I’m going to go now. I’ll be back early tomorrow. You behave.” She pointed sternly at Faith who stared at her in surprise.
Whoa.
Then Reuben was crouched in front of her, running his gaze over her frantically.
Shoot.
This was not giving him back control.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I wasn’t thinking.”
Leaning forward, he rested his face in her lap. “I’m losing my fucking mind.”
Fudge. Fudge. Fudging fudge.
She brushed her good fingers through his hair. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right, baby. It’s not your fault. I just . . . next time tell me if you want to get up. Please?”
She didn’t know why but that ‘please’ just made her feel worse. This wasn’t her Reuben.
Faults and all . . . she loved him the way he was.
“I think I have an idea of how to help you. And maybe it will even help me.” The idea was feeling more and more like it was the right path to take.
He leaned back to give her a quizzical look.
“I want to give up full control.”
He frowned slightly. “You want some Little time?”
“More than that. Full control. Little headspace or not. Although I think Little headspace will be easier, at least to start out. I mean . . . you making all of the decisions. Like what I eat. What I wear. What we do. Even when I go to the bathroom.” She was blushing. “If I get to come or whether I just suck on your cock without my own pleasure.”