Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
I shake my head, but the tears keep coming.
“Talk to me, Luna,” he commands.
The use of my given name startles me. I sniffle and meet his gaze before lowering my face to look at my lap and fidgeting my fingers. “You’re not going to let me move around at all now.” I sniffle. “You think I’ll get hurt if you give me any freedom. I’m sad.”
He doesn’t say anything for a long time. Finally, he puts the ice back on my nose. “We’ll talk about it, okay?”
I shiver.
He glances at my arm and then chuckles. “How will I ever get those stains out of your clothes?”
“Do you have any hydrogen peroxide?”
He shifts his gaze to mine. “Yes. Why?”
“It will take the blood out,” I tell him.
“Really?”
“Yes. I can do it myself if you give me the peroxide. I’ll clean both our shirts.”
A smile grows on his face and stays there. I’m not sure why. “I’ve underestimated you, Luna.”
I swallow. He has. Over and over, but I don’t tell him that.
“I don’t want you to be upset. It breaks my heart when you cry. I want you to smile and giggle every day. Those sounds make me happy. I don’t want to do anything to make you unhappy.”
My heart beats faster. Maybe there’s hope here.
When I presume the fifteen minutes are up, Daddy stands, cradling me. He takes the ice to the kitchen and then heads for the bathroom. “Does your head hurt, Little pet?”
“No, Daddy.” My nose is sore, but I don’t have a headache.
“Your face is going to be tender for a few days. It might bruise.”
I hold my breath. If he tells me he’s not going to have sex with me because I fell, I might throw a tantrum. At least that way, I would end up naked over his lap. I’d rather get the spanking of a lifetime than have him treat me like porcelain.
Daddy bends over and turns on the water to fill the tub. “Let’s get you cleaned up, then I’ll share your surprises with you.”
This perks me up. There’s hope for tonight after all.
SIXTEEN
Daddy is so careful with me in the tub, and he lets me play while he works on getting the blood stains out of our clothes. I feel like I matter as I explain to him how to use the peroxide. He’s impressed, and I can’t stop smiling.
When he lifts me out of the tub, he sets me on my feet. For a moment, I can’t figure out what’s wrong with this picture. He kneels in front of me, keeps his hands on my waist, and holds my gaze.
It takes me a second to put weight on my legs and prove to us both that I can stand.
Daddy slowly smiles. “Yeah?”
I look down. I’m standing. I’m good. “Yes, Daddy,” I reply softly.
“Are you steady? My heart can’t take you falling and cracking your chin open on the edge of the tub or the floor.”
I reach out and grab the tub just to be sure. “I’m good.”
He slowly releases me and carefully pats me dry. When he’s done, he stands and takes my hand. “Think you can walk?”
I take a tentative step and then another. It’s been less than two weeks since I last walked. It’s not like it’s been forever, but my balance is off from the extra gravity I’m experiencing. Nevertheless, I manage to shuffle all the way to the bedroom.
There’s a package on the bed. I didn’t see it before. Daddy lifts me to sit next to it and holds it out for me. It’s a gift. It’s wrapped in pretty paper. I’ve never had a gift before. We never had luxuries like presents on the space station. We didn’t acknowledge holidays or birthdays. We didn’t have the resources for such frivolity.
But I know what gifts are. I’ve seen pictures. I’ve read about them. My hands are shaking as I carefully open the wrapping paper. I’m giddy when I set it aside to open the box.
The breath leaves my lungs as I stare at what I can already tell is a dress.
Daddy holds the box so I can lift the dress out. It’s so pretty. A soft shade of pastel pink with lavender flowers sewn into the hem. The same little flowers make up the straps that will go over my shoulders.
Daddy tosses the box to one side and takes the dress from me. “Arms up, Luna.”
I’m about to cry yet again as he lowers it over my head. It fits perfectly. It falls around me, landing about mid-thigh, which is confirmed when he sets me on my feet on the floor. I lurch forward to hug him. “Thank you, Daddy. I love it. And I love you.”
He wraps his arms around my thighs and picks me up, holding me so we’re eye to eye. “Say that again.”