“Could Candy really do something like that to her own daughter?” Rocco asked the room.
“Yes! Candy is a self-centered bitch who has always been jealous of her daughter’s beauty. Dakota looks exactly like her daddy. What that man ever saw in Candy, I’ll never know. I thank God they only had Dakota. Dale did his best to be a good husband and was so damn proud of his baby girl. He doted on Dakota. I made him a promise I would look after that little girl no matter what happened in life.” Eddie told the room as he text back and forth with his wife.
“Is there a chance she was being sexually abused by the stepfather?” Raso asked the question no one wanted to ask, causing several loud, low, menacing growls to vibrate around the room.
“I don’t think so.” Shane answered softly.
“What makes you think that, Shane?” Wolf asked, trying to calm down.
“Think about it. Most girls, when they are being sexually abused, they tend to withdraw from shame. They are hesitant around other males. She didn’t do that with Eddie or Pattrick. She stayed the same around them. She stayed bubbly and cheerful, not withdrawing, her grades were still straight A’s.”
“There are some rare ones that can keep an appearance when they are around their friends, especially if it didn’t happen often.” York commented with a shrug.
“York is right. There’s two ways a victim will act. The most common reaction is to withdraw from society and their friends, especially men. What if Dakota had something on Ruiz that could have been her way to control him to keep him at bay after the first time or first couple of times?” Cortez said, looking at everyone, stopping on Shane.
“But what would have her looking for information on BDSM?” Pratt questioned, curiously.
“Could have been something she overheard, read or something they saw on tv.” Eddie shrugged, lost in thought.
“Well, they are old enough to have heard of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’.” Diesel sneaked into the conversation.
“Eh, I liked Sylvia Day’s ‘Crossfire Series’ better.” Pratt commented with a shrug. “Although both Christian Grey and Gideon Cross together in a room would be a dream come true.”
“Oh really now lass?” Highlander growled, looking down at his wife, narrowing his eyes at her.
“Well babe, I got the best of both worlds in you.” Pratt sweetly told her husband as she batted her eye lashes at him.
Highlander leaned down to his wife’s ear, “I’m sure ye arse will not agree with ye tonight.”
“Hmm.” Pratt winked at her husband.
“Minks” Highlander chuckled.
“What exactly is BDSM?” Diesel asked the room, causing Pratt, Raso, York, Highlander, Dude, and Eddie to cough loudly into their hands.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” York asked, shocked.
“Well I mean what is it really? I thought it was just something made up in books, but with Red and Highlander’s comments, I’m wondering what it is really.” Diesel shrugged as she looked at the men up and down.
“I’m happily married and don’t practice the lifestyle.” Wolf said, backing up, hands in the air and laughing.
“Party pooper!” Diesel fired back, pouting.
“Diesel! Good Lord woman. Find your own man, and if you think of looking at mine, I’ll cut you!” Shane warned Diesel as she looked their way.
“Y’all are no damn fun.” Diesel pouted, slumping her shoulders as she looked toward Pratt and Highlander.
“Bitch, I will auction you off. Already got one bid for fifteen minutes with your ass. The buyer likes chocolate!” Pratt warned Diesel, narrowing her eyes at her.
“Daddyo’s got a sweet tooth tonight baby!” Snake commented, wiggling his eyebrows at Diesel.
“Eh, forget it, I’ve lost interest now.” Diesel pouted as she slumped into the chair. “Damn party poopers.”
Everyone laughed at Diesel’s pout. “BDSM is different between each person that practices. But it’s basically safe practices between two partners. It’s erotic practices between the partners that can include bondage, role-playing, spanking, dom/sub relationship, and so on. It truly depends on the partners and their desires.” Dude explained, trying to hide his smile as Diesel cringed.
“So consented abuse?” Diesel shrugged, cocking an eyebrow at Dude.
“Here we go.” Pratt mumbled, shaking her head. “No Diez, it’s not consented abuse. It’s not even abuse when both partners agree with it. In fact, if it’s a dom/sub relationship, there are rules that both follow if they participate in the lifestyle.”
