“You sure everything is okay?”
Monica placed her bottle on the nightstand instead of in the top drawer where it normally went. “I’m fine. Hoping Abigail is fine. The child therapist said she doesn’t exhibit any signs of trauma, but who knows long term. I feel…” She sighed. “Guilty, somehow.”
“Guilty why?”
“Like if I hadn’t been so much myself… none of this would have ever happened.”
There were those thoughts again. Although the TV played the usual screensaver when they didn’t watch something for too long, she wasn’t distracted. Instead, Monica picked a corner of the large bedroom and fantasized about…
About what? Her being punished? Isabella being punished?Jacksonbeing punished?
“Princess.”
Henry startled her by rubbing her thigh beneath the covers. As his fingers toyed with the bottom of her nightgown, tenderly teasing her skin, she realized she felt nothing. Not a lick of attraction or desire. Yet here her husband was, attempting to arouse her in one of his favorite ways.God, no wonder.He pitched half a tent in his pajama pants.
Normally, Monica would only say no if she was too tired or didn’t feel well. After all, Henry was her Dom. If he yearned to be intimate with her, she wasn’t wont to say no.And it’s been a long while since we really let go.They only made love once since returning from Thailand, and Monica had been so spaced out that she knew it wasn’t that great for him, either.
“I love you,” Henry reminded her. “You tell me what you need. I’ll make it happen.”
Monica pushed herself beneath the covers and sidled up against him. “I’m just dealing with anxiety right now. Maybe I should start seeing my therapist again if she’s still available.”
“Perhaps that’s a good idea. You’ve been through a lot lately, Princess. We both have. Maybe we should both go to a counselor. As a couple.”
“I know you mean well, but I think there are some things in my head I should deal with myself. Because I’m not even entirely sure what’s bothering me the most. God, I keep forgetting about the IRS. That’s how twisted my gut is…”
Henry’s voice deepened as he offered her a tilted look. “Did something else happen on your trip to Thailand?”
She stiffened. “I don’t know what you mean. Why do you ask?”
“Eva said something the other day…”
Was this when Monica should grab his cock to distract him? Or would that betray the real feeling congealing in her blood?
Hate. Anger. Spite.
Jackson’s face flashed before her eyes. There he was, on his turf, not only threatening Monica – which she was prepared for – but Eva as well.“I was prepared to have sex with your sister in front of that man if that was what it took to save our daughter.”Monica couldn’t say that. She couldn’t confess that she had seen Jackson, let alone what she was willing to do with him.
But Eva… God… Monica felt guilty aboutthattoo.
“What did she say?” Monica hissed.
“Ah, just… that you went through so much stress while I was searching the dead end in Nice. I thought you might want to talk about it now that it’s been a while.”
Monica pulled the covers up over her mouth. “Not really.”
“Monica…”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, unsure if her husband heard her. “I know I’ve been a sad wife and a bad sub lately, Henry.”
“No, you haven’t. You’re neither. Sheesh, I’m barely thinking about the latter right now. I just want to make sure my family is safe now. That includes you, our daughter, and the other people in our family. If your mother lived with us, I’d be worried about her too.”
My mother?Monica hadn’t talked to her since Christmas. They only had a relationship because of Monica’s money. “I’ll be fine, Henry. I promise.”
She had to find a way to assure him that she had everything under control. Never minddistracthim from finding out the truth within his wife’s heart.I’ll do whatever it takes…That was the kind of woman Monica really was. Which was why sheheld no qualms about wrapping her hand around her husband’s half-hard cock and waking him up if it meant keeping him from figuring out the truth.It’s between me and my soul, Henry.His demeanor slightly betrayed his own truth as Monica worked his hardening shaft and prepared to go under the covers. He wanted to know. But he also wanted physical intimacy.
One was easier to bargain than the other.
And maybe Monica could forget for a few minutes as well. As soon as his cock was in her mouth, she attempted to forget. It couldn’t be difficult, right?
