Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 69936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“Huh…”
“This is not the sort of thing I’m supposed to discuss on a date, is it?”
At least he was observant. “Well, I just want you to be yourself.”
“But what about the deception?”
“Stop. You’re thinking too much.”
“It’s kind of my thing as a Furker.”
“Well, here on Earth, we have art and plenty of it features death, but they just pretend to die.”
“I have seen stories presented in this way too. Although, the species I was referring to with the dance, they lack the imagination that could allow one to find a fake death compelling.”
Because of his experience with other species, Daddy had such an interesting perspective about things I never had any reason to consider, and as odd as some of these things were, it was fascinating to hear about them anyway.
I told him about movies and TV shows we had here, like Friends and Golden Girls. After the waiter arrived with our meal, I let him take a few bites before asking, “How do you like your steak?”
“It’s delicious. Are you enjoying your chicken schnitzel?”
“It has the perfect amount of crisp to it. I think I might get a little dessert afterward. Would you like that? They have a red-velvet cheesecake I love. Want to share?”
“I would enjoy that as well.”
I beamed, and he did that thing where he stared at me as though taking notes about me. Weird as it was, it was nice too, like he was thoughtful enough to take in information about me.
I was waiting for the waiter to return, when a familiar voice said, “Well, well, well…”
The hairs on my neck pricked. Daddy’s face flushed red, and he pushed to his feet.
“Oh, whoa, big guy,” Carter said, sidling up beside me.
I cringed as I turned to him, seeing Leo at his side. “Hi, Carter. Leo.”
Carter extended his hand for a shake, and given Daddy’s demeanor, I was a little nervous he might do something wild like tear the guy’s arm off. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy that a little—no! That’s mean!
“This is my ex—”
“Cheating Asshole,” Daddy said, which made my face hot again, and unlike most of the times around him, for all the wrong reasons.
Carter was understandably taken aback. “I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve met.”
“I’m Daddy.”
Carter and Leo exchanged a look, smirks stretched across their faces.
God, can’t I just be dead?
“Kinky,” Carter said, judgment in his tone as he shot me a look.
“Please just go away.”
“You guys on a date?” he asked.
“Yes,” Daddy answered. “And I think it’d be better if you would leave.”
“Relax, big guy. He was mine first.”
“I wasn’t yours,” I said through my teeth. “We were just boyfriends.”
He placed his hand over his heart. “Ooh, breaking my heart.”
“Can I take that as a request?” Daddy asked.
Given everything that had come up during our discussions about some of the other cultures Daddy had encountered, I felt it was important to interject. “No, he’s just saying stupid shit. You don’t need to hurt anyone.”
“In some cultures, you’re killed when you betray your mate,” Daddy told him, and nice as it was to have him standing up for me, the way Carter’s expression twisted up, he seemed reasonably confused by all this.
“Betrayed?” Carter asked. “I mean, I feel like I was the one betrayed in the relationship. Charlie was always going out with those guys.”
What. The. Fuck?
Why would he say that?
“Oh, did he make it seem like I was the bad guy in the relationship?” Carter asked. “Wow. Don’t believe he’s as innocent as he claims to be. That’d be a mistake.”
Rage rose up within me, especially as Daddy studied me as though trying to work out if there was any truth to it.
“Why would you say that?” I asked.
“The truth bother you?”
“You’re not telling the truth,” Daddy said. “Twink is.”
Leo snickered. “Twink?”
I gritted my teeth.
“And here I couldn’t even get you in restraints,” Carter said, and all I could think was how glad I was I hadn’t caved to his interests since he clearly never gave a shit about me. “But now I found a guy who can actually give me what I want, so I guess it’s all good, right?”
Leo tucked his head low, obviously not wanting Carter to share something so private about him, and I kind of felt bad for the guy. But only kind of, especially since I really just had one goal. “Will you just leave us alone?”
“You should listen to him,” Daddy warned, and I found myself checking behind him to see if a tentacle was popping out of the place I’d last seen it. Fortunately, there was no sign of any alien appendages.
“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Carter added before taking Leo’s hand. He gave me one last look, as though wanting to rub in what he’d gotten away with behind my back.