Sweet Little Lies (Dirty Little Lies Duet 2)

“Yes, Master.”

That’s right. How it should be. A compliant little mouse. I inhale deeply, feeling a bit more like myself, and pick up a feather whip. The softness of the winged straps drag along her bare shoulders, and I watch and wait for her skin to shiver as my little bird’s did. Stop. I throw the feathered whip and replace it with a leather one. I rear back and slash one lick across her back. The woman doesn’t react.

“Tell me, how many licks will it take for you to beg me to stop?”

“As many as you wish, Master.” Usually, I would enjoy how submissive she is. How she would let me tear up her back as long as it pleased me. But her answer only further frustrates me. Because in the back of my head, all I hear is her. Do your worst. I whip her again. And again. But nothing. There’s no relief. Suddenly, I’m taking in her backside. None of it is comparable. I grab at her hair and pull her head back to get a look at her. This woman doesn’t hold power over me like she does.

“Out.” She doesn’t move fast enough. “OUT!” I yell, and she hurries out of the room, forgoing her clothes.

I tell myself not to do it. To stay away. But I’ve proven myself to be a bad man. Nothing will stand in my way from what I want. No matter what I have to lose to get it. I find my phone and dial her number. It’s late, but I couldn’t give a shit. It rings too many times. I expect it to go to voicemail when the line connects, music blaring in my ear.

“Hello?” Her voice is off. She’s drunk. Which only angers me more.

“Why are you out so late?” I ask like I’m her goddamn father.

“Why are you calling me so late?” she retorts. That smart little mouth is going to cost her. I swipe my hand down my face, searching for my control.

“Because I’m checking in to see where my little cunt is.”

She inhales sharply. “What did you just call me?”

Jesus. “You belong to me. Which means that cunt of yours is mine. And I want it home.”

“Gabriel, you can’t own a cunt. It’s, like, impossible.” She starts to giggle. “And I’m having fun, so no, I’m not going home.” She hiccups, further infuriating me.

“Hazel, get the fuck home. Now. Call me when you’re alone. You owe me something.”

Her mouth is too close to the phone, and her words come out muffled. “Oh yeah, and what’s that?” If I were there, I would spank her until she couldn’t sit for a week.

“Hazel, who are you talking to? Babe, let’s get in the pool.” I hear a guy’s voice. He’s too close. Sounds too clear. I’ll fucking slay any motherfucker who touches her.

“Oh, uh, no one. It’s my dad. Right, Daddy? You were going to tell me what happens if I disobey?” I see red. Another loud squeal echoes through the phone, along with a splash and tons of laughter. I faintly hear Hazel’s voice. “Oh my God, I fell in the pool!” Followed by a round of drunk laughter.

I hang up.

And then take my fist to the wall.Hazel“Make it stop,” I groan, holding my head so my brain doesn’t fall out. God, I would pay a million dollars for someone to shut the blinds and block out the morning sun.

“I wish I could.” Violet laughs at me while I lay in my bunkbed dying. My head is throbbing, and my entire body is sore.

“Explain to me again how I ended up in the pool?”

“Great question. One minute we were playing flippy cup, and the next you were in a conga line dancing around the pool. Evan was there. To be honest, I think one of the girls hitting on Evan may have pushed you. She didn’t look very happy that his attention was on you and not her.”

Holy shit, I don’t even remember seeing Evan. I must have been a mess. “Did I make a fool out of myself?” Violet doesn’t answer, and I groan, smashing my face in my pillow. “Nooo… I did, didn’t I?”

“I mean…he still tried to take you home. You’re welcome for me stepping in. I had to fight you out of his arms. Didn’t feel right letting you go. You were wasted, and he knew that. Didn’t sit well with me.”

Just hearing her say that creeps me out. It takes me back to the first party where we met up, and he mauled me two seconds after saying hello. “Yeah, thanks.”

“No problem. Oh…here’s your phone. Thankfully you dropped it just as you fell in the pool. Evan mentioned you had been talking to your dad?”

I shoot upward, my sour stomach suddenly swooshing around. “What?” Tell me I didn’t get drunk and call my dad. No. No. No. She hands me my phone, and I unlock it and scroll through my recent calls. “Oh,…fuck.”