Soul Tied to the Incubus King [Book I]

Disappointed

--Miccoli POV--

"More tea for you Mr. Perrywinkle?"

"Why can't we change my name? Perrywinkle is so..so." Her bottom lips begins to quiver as she looks at me, and I find myself giving in. "I'm only kidding..I LOVE Mr. Perrywinkle!" I over-exaggerate. "Sucker." Addeline says in response while smiling. I had been outsmarted by a five-year-old. I scrunch up my nose, causing her to laugh. I'd grown to enjoy this time with her. Twice a week, I would come over and we would have tea. It's become our "thing", and as lame as it may sound, I was happy to have Addy as my friend.

"What are you thinking bout Mr.Perrywinkle?"

"Just that I'm glad to have you as a friend." Her eyes brighten and I feel my heart leap. She was such a beautiful child, both inside and out, reminding me so much of Cassidy it made me still feel somewhat connected to her. I respected her wishes of never seeing her again, only coming to spend time with Addeline when I knew she wasn't home. I put Beth in charge of all my marketing needs, and surprisingly, what started as a way to get closer to Cassidy, actually turned into work that I've grown to enjoy. I thought of her often though, each day partially hoping that she may summon me. She never did, and eventually, I grew to understand that she truly wanted nothing to do with me. 'I'm really happy you're here MinOKELI." Addy says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"You're the only person who plays tea with me when I'm home. Mommy use to...but she's so sad all the time now."

"Why is she sad?" Addeline shrugs her shoulders. "She doesn't go to work anymore..just stays in her room. I hear her cry sometimes." I sense Addeline's sadness and it tugs at me. Cassidy crying, but why? I wasn't sure of the reason, but I had a feeling it had something to do with that office. Cassidy loved her job and her daughter, even more, so for her to push away both meant that whatever happened had to have been bad. The thought of something happening to her didn't sit well with me. Could someone have hurt her? I felt my jaw clench at the thought.

"MinOKELI , I forgot to tell you that I'm going away."

"Where are you going?" I ask her, unable to hide my disappointment. She laughs. "Don't worry! Auntie Andrea is taking me to see my grandma and grandpa. It's their annanaverstory." Addeline says to me pouring me more tea.

"You mean anniversary. "

"That's what I said!" She huffs at me, putting her hands on her hips. "Of course, of course." I respond trying to refrain from smiling.

"When will you be back?"

"Sunday...I gotta go to school on Monday...don't you know anything about kids?"

"I wish" I saw pretending to be hurt.

"Don't you have kids?" That one did hurt. I had once wanted children so badly, but my wife died before we could."No, I don't have children." I respond quietly. "Well, we can do stuff together until you get some!" She responds sweetly causing me to smile.

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-- Cassidy POV--

You're lucky to be with me

Daniel's bloodshot eyes bore holes into me and he grabbed the back of my head, forcing my face into his crotch. "NO NO NO" I scream, trying to get away, but I can't. I feel myself being pulled farther and farther into the black hole.

"CASSIDY WAKE UP!...WAKE UP!" I hear Mark's voice, and I open my eyes. It was a dream. The same one I had been having since the day it happened. I lay allowing my eyes to adjust to the light of my bedroom. It was dark. "What time is it?" I ask. "It's 6 pm." I had slept all day again. "Cassidy you were screaming in your sleep again." Mark says, his face filled with concern. I hadn't told him what happened. I hadn't told anyone. "So-ory" I stutter out as Mark grabs me in his arms. I inhale his scent. It had been so long since he held me, and for a brief moment, I felt safe. "Don't apologize. I'm just worried about you. You've been having nightmares for the past week. What's going on?" My mouth drys. I want to tell him, but nothing comes out. What if he looks at me differently? Says its mt fault? What if he says that I led Daniel on? "Nothing, just bad dreams." I finally get out. Mark rubs his head and sighs. "Whatever you say Cassidy." He gets up from the bed and walks to the closet, and begins taking clothes, putting them into a bag.

"Where are you going?"

You forgot." He says annoyed. "It's my parent's anniversary weekend." Panic floods over me. Oh, gosh I had forgotten. I couldn't be around them right now. I could hardly look at myself in the mirror, let alone be around a room full of Mark's family and their friends. "I'm sorry." I say and Mark turns to me.

"Fine. Andrea is coming by later to pick up Addeline to drive her up. I need to go up now to help my parents get everything together."

"Why can't Addeline and I just go up with you?"

"Because I need to first stop past the office and I don't need the distraction." Mark retorts. His words cutting into me like glass. Is that what he thought of us? A distraction. I bring my legs to my chest.

"We-ll I can ride up with Andrea then."

"Are you gonna be ready by the time she comes?"

"Yeah, I can pack quickly and hop in the shower."

"You know that's not what I mean." He said pointing to my vanity. I look over and see the small bottle, and knew exactly what it was, hair dye. Mark hated for my tattoos or piercing to show at any of his family functions, but more than that, he hated when the front of my hair did. He often cited it as a distraction, claiming that it would take away from the focus people would have on whichever family members event it was. Over the years, I'd taken the brunt of it, telling him that Addeline was too young to have her hair dyed. It seemed to annoy him, but he didn't fight me on the issue. "I was thinking I wouldn't dye my hair this time." Mark glared at me.

"Cassidy, I've been really patient with you this week, picking up the slack around here, babysitting Addeline and taking her to school, cooking, and cleaning while you lazily lounge in the bed sleeping the day away, but enough is enough. I ask you to do this ONE thing and you act like I'm asking you to jump off a damn bridge"

"You're asking me to change something that is ME! Something I was born with, something I love to impress your family! And what do you mean babysit?" I say glaring back at him, getting off the bed. "You do not BABYSIT your child, YOU SPEND TIME WITH HER. Hell, this is the most time you've spent with her since you got your damn promotion."

"At least I got mine."

Silence fills the room, and I stare at Mark long and hard. I couldn't believe that he said that. After everything, I'd just been through. "How could you say that to me?" Mark continues to glare at me. "Dye your hair and meet me at my parents." He says before grabbing his bag and walking out of the room. I sink to the floor of our bedroom and let the tears flow. Never had I felt so lonely, so empty. I honestly didn't think I could feel even more disappointed in Mark, but he just seemed to let me down over and over again. I wipe my eyes and go to Addeline's room determined not to let my baby see me that way.

When I get to her room, she looks up at me and smiles. "Mommy!" She gets up from her tea set and hugs my legs. "Are you feeling better Mommy?" Her little voice says into my robe. I stoop down taking her into my arms. "Now that I've seen your face bug a boo." I respond bopping her on the nose. "Good...I don't like seeing you sad mommy." She looks down at the floor and I quickly lift her chin. "Hey, I love you." I say to her. "I love you too!" She says hugging me again. "My friend was sad that you were sad too." Addeline frees herself from my arms and goes to her dresser. "He said when you're sad, it hurts him here." Addeline points to her heart. "Well tell your friend that I said that's very sweet, but I'm okay." I say smiling at her. "I will!" She turns around and starts rummaging through her clothes. She's always had an inactive imagination, something else that annoyed Mark, but I on the other hand encouraged it. "Let's get you dressed and packed before your aunt Andrea gets here" As we begin to pack her clothes, I take a look at my daughter. She was such a beautiful child with her heart that radiates so much love and happiness that I still couldn't believe that she was mine. "Hey what do you think if we had a girls day next week, just you and I.?" She nods yes excitedly, a big smile plastering her face.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK light taps interrupt our conversation. "I guess your aunt's here early. Hurry and finish getting dressed." I say to Addeline exiting her room and walking to open the front door. "Hey, Andrea could you give me a mom-" my breath hitches in my throat.

"I tried calling you but you wouldn't answer, so I thought I would try my luck and show up."

The room begins to close in on me, and I struggle to breathe.

"How long?"

I can't get any words out. Everything in me says to shut the doors and run, but my legs refuse to work. I stand there staring at Beth's tear-streaked face, her eyes bloodshot from crying. "How long has it been going on?" She questions me again.