21 - One Week
1063 Words
DJ
Ellie was out by the time Leah was done, so I carried her to the bed for some much-needed rest.
Silently thanking myself for keeping my phone on vibrate when Vic called. He was watching Nica, and just hearing his voice made me realize how much I missed my baby girl.
It also drove home why it hurt every time Ellie got a call from her son. Ellie was utterly devoted to her child, while Penny treated ours like a bargaining chip.
She knew I wouldn’t deny our daughter anything. That was half the reason I’d waited so long to divorce her—so I could ensure I’d get full custody.
I missed Nica like crazy, no matter how badly I needed this break. The twist in my gut was simple: I wanted to hold her, and I knew the woman I’d knocked up wouldn’t have a thing to do with our little girl once she realized she wasn’t getting anything from me.
I would always support family. I even made sure Dom arranged unlimited visitation. It was a toss-up whether Penny would use that to try to get me back or simply cut us out completely, thanks to the ironclad prenup my father had me sign.
She had no idea that the man she’d tried to cheat on me with was my lawyer. Or that the less-loyal friend who went through with the affair was one of his clients. I was sure there was some legal line blurred in using those tapes against her.
But as long as Dom represented me, I wouldn’t get caught.
It was no less than she deserved, and I refused to feel guilty about it. I’d buy her a house, a car, and whatever basics she needed to start her new life, but it wouldn’t be anywhere close to what she had with me.
I hurt for Nica most of all. She had never asked for any of it and deserved all the love in the world.
She deserved a mother like Ellie.
Every time Ellie saw Danny’s name flash across her caller ID, her face lit up. Her heart just melted. It didn’t matter what we were doing—she would never ignore a call from him. Even if it was just a quick “hi, Mommy,” she gave him her full attention.
We only had two more days together, and by some miracle my mother hadn’t found out yet. We’d managed to pacify my parents with a meal here and there, but with their trip ending and mine lasting another week and a half, I couldn’t stop wondering what I was going to do without her.
I wouldn’t say I was running out of ideas.
Every scene we played out gave me a dozen more I wanted to see her in. As much as I tried to control myself, I always ended up giving in—whether she could handle it or not.
And I knew with how much she’d been putting off work, our last forty-eight hours together weren’t going to happen the way I wanted.
It sucked.
I was waking up, like I knew I eventually would, and telling myself I’d handle it.
Still, I debated ways to get her to extend her trip.
Maybe if I made a few calls, or gave up a couple of gems I’d been considering, I could keep her here a little longer.
Every time we were together, Ellie only got better at it. Her body, even more responsive, told me everything it wanted. And those tells matched perfectly with my own wicked ends.
After her initial hesitation, she’d been as open as she was curious.
She wanted to learn. Wanted to try. She didn’t take for granted all the effort I put in—she wanted to match it. But Ellie had never been lazy or complacent. She had always earned what she had.
It was a good twenty minutes after I finished talking with Vic and LJ before she emerged from her closet.
The sense of upset that had begun the night before was now in full force. Her energy was frantic.
“Sorry, D. I have to cancel today.”
“What’s up?” I didn’t even try to hide the disappointment in my voice.
“I have a property that just can’t wait.” For the first time since the night I tied her to my bed, her answer was hesitant.
“I’ll go with.” The pluck at our ties had my more assertive side taking over.
“I need to do this on my own.”
The fact that she was putting on a bra and underwear—despite our agreement—was as telling as the rest. I wasn’t getting my way.
“Dinner tonight then?” I switched tactics, asking instead of telling—probably the dumbest thing I could do when she was already unraveling.
“DJ…” she huffed, licking her lips. “I don’t know…”
Evasive. Back in her head. And me not keeping my usual calm control was only adding to it.
“Ellie.” I stopped her, taking her chin in my hand, forcing her to look at me.
If she was going to end it, it had to be in no uncertain terms. “We agreed to be honest.”
I tried to keep the air of control, but with my stomach in knots, it was a wonder I could breathe.
“Okay.”
I felt her swallow. Watched her features pull tight and tell me what I didn’t want to hear before she even said it.
As long as I knew what was happening, I could fix it. I could change her mind.
That thought alone kept the oxygen moving through my chest.
It wasn’t that she was leaving. I knew that was inevitable.
It was when and how she was doing it that had me on edge.
Something had her spooked. Something had her frantic.
And the one thing I couldn’t tolerate was Ellie being upset.
“I think we should end this.”
The words hit, but her phrasing gave me just enough reassurance. She didn’t want to. I wasn’t being used. I wasn’t being played.
This meant something to her.
“Why?” I asked.
A simple question.
I just didn’t expect the answer I got.
- Writer
