Page 28

DAYS WITH specials were, in fact, busy at Elaine’s. With every table full, there was little time to rest. However, I made it a point to make connections with everyone who placed an order. Impressed with my people skills,

Elaine praised my ability to upsell and bring in just a little more cash. When she talked to Dane, I overheard her say how I was a good hire; the best waitress they’d had in years.

My tips confirmed her words. I had been hired at minimum wage—six twenty-five an hour—however, my first check added up to seven dollars an hour. Because I enjoyed working with Elaine, I had to be sure it wasn’t a mistake. If it was a test, I wanted to pass. “Um, are you sure your math is right?”

“Yes, dear.” She raised one eyebrow.

“I didn’t mean anything by that, I’m sorry. But,” I added the amount in my head again. “We agreed on six twenty-five.”

“And you’re worth so much more, puttus .” Her warm hand touched my cheek.

Still getting used to the unique terms, I grinned.

“It means sweetheart, it’s affection. I wish I could pay you more.”

Floored at how she had given me a raise within my first week, I hugged her and waved to Dane on my way out the door. I skipped back to the apartment; not really, but if I were still a kid, I would have.

Proud didn’t come close to how elated I was to please my employer. If I had been honest with myself, it made me happy to not have to sell my body to walk away with money in my pocket.

PINK FAbrIC hugged my curves on top and floated loose on the bottom as I sashayed from the kitchen to the dining room. My new dress made me feel pretty, not gorgeous or sexy, but pretty.

For me, it was a special day; a time to celebrate two-fold. Dinner would be ready for Cody when he arrived home from work, and I was ready to reveal my special news.

Cranky when he walked through the door, he didn’t even notice me.

Or dinner. He went right past me—more like around me—I stood in his path to be sure he saw how pretty I had made myself for him.

Pork and barbeque sauce scented the room so I didn’t understand how he could have ignored the entire situation.

Heat rose up my chest and I knew to hide my emotions, so I popped one of the green and white pills I had hidden.

Thirty minutes later, with cold food layered on our plates, Cody sauntered out of the bedroom.

Two glasses of whiskey sat in the middle of the table: mine had been emptied more than twice.

I poured more and looked at him straight in the eye as I took a shot.

I was pissed and I knew the action would provoke him, but the pill removed all ability to give a shit. Hungry, I asked him to sit.

“Why? So, you can serve cold food?” He huffed and pulled his chair from under the table. After the first bite, he pretended to gag. “It probably tasted like ass before it got cold, too.”

Finally able to consume the meal, I pushed aside the flavor for substance. I hadn’t eaten since lunch at the restaurant, and I knew that if I had eaten dinner without him, I would be punished.

“Where’d you get the dress?” His words pushed past the food in his mouth.

Not “it looks nice on you,” or “you look pretty.” Annoyed, I told him the name of the store. It didn’t mean anything to him, he had no idea about the shopping areas around us. He certainly didn’t understand that it was a secondhand clothing store designed exclusively for women.

“Drop the attitude, Kennedy. You don’t have enough money to buy stupid shit like that.” He shot his whiskey.

No way was I going to tell him about my raise; he’d want to steal all my hard-earned money. I kept my mouth shut.

“How did you get to the store?” His ridiculous line of questioning got old.

Without taking my eyes off his, I pursed my lips and poured him another drink, then quickly regretted it.

“I asked you a question.” The drink went down in one gulp, and he poured another. “Answer me.” His voice was barely a whisper.

“I took the bus.” An unfortunate influx of my tone soothed him.

“And what have I told you about taking the bus?”

Shit . “You said I couldn’t take the bus to work .”

Cody inhaled and held his breath as he tilted his head back. I had seen this action in Alaska; it wasn’t good. Last time, I got slapped for being stupid and had to use makeup to cover the fingerprints on my cheek for three days.

I flinched when he moved; I knew better than to walk away when he was in a mood. A pill I didn’t recognize appeared in the palm of his hand; he wasn’t aware how I had already taken something to relax.

“This will help you keep your figure; I noticed you’ve put on some weight. I don’t like it. My woman will stay thin and keep a flat stomach.”

My face drooped. He was not going to like my news. “What are they?”

“You don’t trust me now? How dare you ask me what I’m giving you to better yourself. To make yourself more appealing to me—your husband.”

Beside my glass lay a round blue pill. I glanced between it and Cody.

“You’ll lose the weight. Do I make myself clear? Honestly, I thought you understood this requirement, but obviously not. You must be eating away your tips at the restaurant. I refuse to be married to a fat cow. Blubber is a turnoff and when I look at you, I want to instantly get hard.”

He stood, unzipped his pants. As they fell to the floor, he reached for me with one hand. The other stroked his erection. “Let’s get that childish dress off you.” His lips twisted into an evil grin.

Apprehensive, I allowed him to pull me to my feet. I had angered and disobeyed him; usually, that meant rough sex. But his smile told me the whiskey had calmed his nerves.

He wrapped one arm around my waist and held me tight enough that if I tried, I wouldn’t be able to wriggle out of his grip.

Warmth from his other hand on the inside of my bare thigh aroused me.

He stared into my eyes, not offering any sort of kiss.

He made sure I felt the enormity of his emotion.

The soft fabric of my dress gathered as he reached under it and caressed my sensitive skin.

When he stopped, I gulped. His eyes widened, then thinned. The moment he felt the fabric of my thong, his demeanor changed. I had broken the golden rule.

A low growl escaped his throat, and he picked up a steak knife off the table. Without taking his eyes off mine, Cody lifted my dress above my hip and slid the knife under the elastic of my thong, cutting it and my skin in one swift movement.

I cried out in pain. The action may have been sexy if the blade hadn’t cut me. Another scar to add to my collection. In one hard pull, the panties were ripped off. He discarded the knife on the floor then picked me up and sat me on the table. One cheek landed on a plate, and it broke under me.

Angry, he stood between my legs and stuffed the thong into my mouth. “What did I tell you about wearing skirts? Easy access all the time. Dammit, why do you deceive me?”

Pressure from him pushing fully inside me with one thrust took my breath .

I opened for him and permitted myself to enjoy his passion, whether it be created from lust or anger, or a little of both. I learned long ago that if I wanted to enjoy sex with my husband, I might have to endure a little pain.

When he was finished using my body, he pulled out of me and pushed me off the table. I caught myself before my face hit the chair. “Clean yourself up, you dirty whore. I don’t know why I bother with you.”

As I stumbled down the hallway, I wondered if it was blood or the remnants of sex that ran down my leg.