Nefretiri
Ricky looked pissed that she'd interrupted his attempts to get on my good side, but he said nothing.
Stephanie and Jackie believe they're his darlings, but Darla is his true favorite.
He's never scolded or insulted her, and when she's here, it's like she's the wife and I'm her servant.
It's funny that she doesn't want the position. The others mock me and tease that I need to divorce Ricky so they can take my place, but Darla's busy encouraging me to be a better wife and plays peacemaker.
Still, I'll take her over the others.
That doesn't mean I like her. There's a reason she's Ricky's favorite.
As mistresses go, she checks all the boxes. She stays in her lane and doesn't step out of it, but she gives him everything he wants without question, and it always looks perfect.
Darla stepped right out of a magazine, airbrushed and all, but somehow still natural. Just being around her made you want to get cosmetic surgery and start extreme diets for the chance to look ten percent as good as she did.
I won't pretend I wasn't affected, but my reaction wasn't as personal.
No matter how sweet and kind she seemed, Darla was still one of Ricky's bitches, and she came into my home and treated me like I was beneath her. Each was a pain, but Darla always left me feeling inferior.
Everything I did never matched what Darla did. How could it be when she'd pick up a broom and mop—something the others refused to do—and made Ricky happy? She was fucking Cinderella without the trauma.
"That sounds good." Ricky didn't sound enthusiastic about it, but he'll never refuse Darla's requests. "We can go to your favorite place in Farmington. Would you like that?"
"Sure," I wouldn't be here in the morning, but I wouldn't argue. Ten minutes was almost down by half. "I'd like that."
"Good…" he tried to pull me into his arms, but I tensed, not wanting to touch him or have his lips on mine.
It's strange how I never noticed how Ricky's touch affected me.
When Ivan did, it was soothing, warm, and calm where I needed it, with gentle sparks that tingled my skin.
Ricky's touch did the opposite. The heat made me clammy, the cold like ice, and the electricity was more like a burn. It still pulled at me, but in all the wrong ways.
His kisses aren't welcome anymore.
"I just want a kiss," he was getting agitated, and the need to get away grew strong. Even as he gripped my wrist, pinning me by the bone, I kept trying to get away.
"No," I tried, keeping my voice low, aware of the werewolf in the den who was aching to get his hands on my husband. "I'm tired… I'm going to go to bed."
"Hey…" Ricky let me go, assuming my anxiety was fear. It was, but not because of him. "I won't hurt you."
I was okay with pretending if that's what he wanted to believe.
The fear he'd inspired vanished, and all of it was thanks to the Alpha. His power and confidence rubbed off on me.
Ivan took care of me, healing my body and expecting nothing from me in return. He could've forced himself on me, demanded I compensate for that magic with my body or something else, but he didn't. It might sound naive, but I don't think Ivan would ever ask me to give him something I wasn't ready for.
It might be a lie, but I want to believe it isn't. Hopefully, it won't be my undoing.
"Darla? Do you have any laundry to do?" Not wanting to deal with him, I turned my attention to the muffin top—my nickname for Darla, Stephanie, and Jackie—hoping to get this over with. "I can get that done now."
"Yes, sweetie, but they can wait. You're exhausted. You need to get some rest."
That was something I'd give Darla.
Every time she was here, she insisted I get to sleep. Even when Ricky threw a tantrum, she'd distract him and tell me to go to bed. I'd usually get at least eight hours, and the next few days were bearable.
The only problem with that was Ricky got very needy with me for those few days, wanting my affection and sex. Still, the faster she got him in the room, the quicker I'd leave with Ivan.
"No. I want to do it now…" I urged, hurrying over to her and grabbing the laundry basket. "That gets it out of the way."
"Alright," she glanced at Ricky, assuming I didn't notice. He nodded, still annoyed, and started toward his room.
"Fine," he'd wanted more from me, but Darla had a good hold on his dick, so I guess he was willing to obey her. "Goodnight, Diana."
"Goodnight."
It's unnecessary for him to realize that's as close to goodbye he's getting.
"You seem… different," Darla followed me to the hallway, so I stopped. She couldn't go to the den. There's no way to hide a seven-foot werewolf in there. Not that he would hide.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. Something's… off about you. Is everything okay?" She was prying. Did I really seem so different?
"Yeah, everything's fine. I'm just tired."
"I heard he got upset with you." Crossing her arms, she leaned against the archway, scanning me as if she expected me to grow a tentacle or something. "I hope you can play nice when the family shows up… Can you do that?"
"The family?"
No one told me they were coming!
"Well, the baby's a week old. The family should meet her, shouldn't they? I hear Ricky's invited someone special. An old friend of the family," she said, getting closer, and I had to keep from backing away. "Make sure you're on your best behavior and that the baby is presentable. This weekend is important for all of us, especially you. Who knows? If you play your cards right, you might find yourself in a better position than you are."
"Thanks…" I didn't try hiding the sarcasm. We weren't friends, and I wouldn't pretend. "Always appreciate the tips from the favorite mistress."
"I'm only trying to help you, D," she grabbed my arm, looking more serious. "The only one who can change your situation is you. If you want Ricky to treat you better, then earn that right. This weekend might be your only chance. Play your part, and things will change. If you don't… well, you're familiar with how he is."
"I don't need your advice," I stopped pretending, glaring at the woman who'd almost led me to an eating disorder. "I know what's best for me and my child."
"Good…" she assumed I was talking about this weekend, but I wasn't. "Remember not to use the green detergent. I'm allergic to it and the delicate cycle. Okay?"
"Of course…" I smiled, giving her a fake curtsy before sneering at her. Ricky won't let me get away with that, but Darla knew I'm not submissive. "Anything else, my lady?"
"How about you watch your attitude?" she turned, brushing against me before heading back toward Ricky's room. "You might actually survive this."
What the hell did that mean?
I didn't have time to worry about it.
The second I heard the soft click of the door, I moved, setting down the basket and running to Penelope's room to grab my favorite jacket. I'd almost forgotten it.
Next, I turned off all the lights, moving around by memory. The last of my things fit on top of Darla's basket, and the rest didn't matter. With that done, I hurried to the back of the house, only to have firm hands grab me and pull me against something harder than a brick wall.
"Ivan!" I gasped, dropping the basket with a clang. Freezing, I half expected someone to come and check what the sound was, but no one came.
"That was over ten minutes, Beautiful," he growled, his mouth assaulting my neck, especially a spot between my collarbone and throat. "He tried to touch you. His scent's all over your arms."
"I'm okay..." How did I focus? His mouth melted away the anxiety. The wave of security and invincibility returned, and I questioned why I didn't let Ivan take care of Ricky and Darla. "Darla... wanted to talk."
"I heard." We were in the dark, but I still saw his blue eyes as he moved away. "Let's go before I change my mind about ripping them to pieces."
Nope, that idea should not excite me.
"Hang on..." I stopped at the laundry room, turned the light on, and tossed Darla's clothes into the washer and the rest of my things into the duffel bag. Ivan looked confused until I grabbed the green detergent and poured half the bottle into the washer with a helping of bleach. I finished it by setting it on heavy duty. "A parting gift."
"Nice," Ivan chuckled, throwing the bag over his shoulder. "Will they hear the alarm?"
"No, I've gone outside plenty of times," I was proud of that. The keypad wasn't loud, and as long as you set everything quickly, it wouldn't set anything else off, not even Ricky's phone alerts.
"He really doesn't know you, does he?" Ivan turned to look at me as I shut the door and the alarm reset. "How could he not realize the system isn't telling him anything?"
"He sucks at technology," I shrug, breathing in the warm June air. "Can we leave? I... don't want to stay here."
"Yeah, come here," With a smirk, Ivan lifted me in his arms, coaxing me to wrap my arms and legs around him.
My legs work, but it was nice to be carried. My body was still sore, and I couldn't claim to be strangers with Ivan anymore after tonight. So, I let him treat me like a princess, feeling the weight of my life lighten with every step away from the house. I even managed a small laugh when Ivan bounced me so he could jump over the short brick wall by the plaza.
We're not in the clear yet, but I can already breathe.
"Will they notice you're gone soon?" Ivan set my bag in the back seat, then opened the front and placed me inside as if I'm delicate glass.
"No, Darla will keep him distracted for a while. It'll be morning before they realize I'm gone." I tried grabbing my seatbelt, but Ivan took it from me, carefully buckling me so the strap wasn't too tight, but I stayed safe.
"Good..." He paused, cupping my face, his expression somber. "She knew who you were."
"They all do."
"And his family doesn't mind?"
"Yeah... I didn't realize when we met, but they all do it. His dad has a harem, too. It's weird because they're friends with Ricky's mom. I've never understood it, never wanted to."
"You never have to worry about that... I only want one thing. You." He brushed his lips on mine before shutting the door and running to his side of the truck. "Are you hungry?"
"Yeah, a little." All this excitement burned through my dinner, and my stomach started complaining. "You know... I thought I'd feel something when I left. I used to. But this time, there's nothing."
"You don't see me complaining about that," Ivan pulled out of the plaza, his expression calm but thoughtful. "She has a lot of control over him."
"You didn't see her," I spoke about them as if I'm talking about a potted plant. They didn't matter anymore. "Darla's beautiful. He responds to that."
"Bull," Ivan snorted, glancing at me before focusing back on the road. "Your perfection. You'd have him under your thumb if beauty was all it took. She talked to you as if she were your teacher. Is she always like that?"
"Sadly. But she's not the worst. That would be Jackie." I hated thinking of the other woman. She was the nastiest of the three. "If she'd been here, I might've changed my mind about letting you deal with them."
"I wish you had... I don't like leaving loose ends."
That sat between us. The drive grew heavier as I processed everything.
Was Ivan angry with me for not wanting bloodshed? It's not as if Ricky didn't deserve it, but it's wrong.
What if Ivan killed him? How would I feel about it? What happened to us?
"Whatever you want, you get," Ivan took me back to Farmington, wanting to get as far from Aztec as possible. The drive-thru was still open, but we're alone. "I'm starving."
I've never enjoyed seeing someone look awestruck like the poor guy at the window. We ordered so much that we had to park and wait for them to prepare everything. So I was glad Ivan tipped the guy with a fifty.
Now, we were alone with the rock station playing on the stereo. A new tension arose between us, but it wasn't bad.
"So, I wanted to talk to you about something." Tapping his hands on the wheel, Ivan turned the light on and faced me. "You remember that deal we made?"
"Yeah..."
"I need to go back on that," he tried to smile, but he was so nervous it looked forced. "I... can't let you go after tomorrow."
"Really?" I couldn't help but tease him, looking as shocked as possible, my hand over my chest. "Because... I kind of figured that out when you ripped my clothes off and got on top of me..."
"You know... you make that sound way worse than it was." Was the Alpha werewolf blushing? "But sadly... I can't do it. I can't watch you walk away. So, would you be willing to extend the deal? To... maybe a week or two?"
"That's a lot longer than a day..." Honestly, I didn't mind the idea. Where was I going to go? He had the power, but was acting as if he didn't. I'm not sure if that's genuine, but I'm willing to take a risk.
"I know, and believe me, I'm a man of my word." He made the scout sign, trying to be serious and failing. "I don't enjoy going back on my promises, but this time, I'm willing to do so for my princess."
"Penelope is fine either way. She's too little to understand."
"No, I meant you," with a heavy sigh, Ivan's eyes trailed from my eyes to my mouth, then quickly back up. "Don't get me wrong. I want to protect her regardless of what you choose, but I'm hoping for a little more time. A day... really isn't enough."
"I'm not a princess," I corrected, feeling my face grow hot. Could he turn off the light so he wouldn't see how red I'd turned? I never used to blush this much.
"You are to me."
"Why? Because you rescued me?"
"No," cupping my jaw, Ivan leaned forward, touching his lips to mine. "Because I can't call you my queen yet. I have to earn that right. So... in the meantime, you're my princess. The unattainable woman you have to prove your worth to."
"So, what role do you play? Are you a knight, a prince, or the king?" I licked my lips, remembering how good he tasted and how rough he could be.
"A bit of all of them." Before I'm able to come up with a response, he was kissing me again. But not with the roughness of before. That didn't make this feel lacking; it was just different.
Ivan was seconds away from getting me to promise anything he wanted.
As long as he swears I can kiss him whenever and however I want for the rest of time. There's so many forms of kissing, and making out isn't one I indulged in often.
We were teenagers in the front seat of his truck, experimenting with taste, touch, and sound. I was seconds away from climbing into his lap, and I don't think Ivan would mind.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of someone thumping on the window interrupted us, but we were too into the kiss to stop. So, the person tapped again, but we ignored it. I don't know if it was the fourth or fifth time we pulled away, gasping for air.
Only then did Ivan turn to face the girl holding our food.
The way she looked at him bothered me.
I had no claim over this werewolf, but an emotion I hadn't experienced in years crawled out of the darkness, circling around my heart like a shark. It didn't like how she flirted, astounded by Ivan's supernatural presence. She might have given him her number on the back of the receipt, and it wouldn't shock me.
That shouldn't bother me. So, why is it?
"Okay," I snapped, getting her attention. "Thanks, you can go now."
The girl started sneering at me as if she didn't think much of me until I felt the flare of magic and the familiar pull.
I don't know what I'd planned to do, but it'd scared the girl right back to the store. That was a bad thing. I've never reacted like that or revealed my magic to anyone out of emotion.
Was I... jealous? Was that even possible?
"Your eyes," Ivan murmured, staring at me with awe. "They're gold and silver."
"Shit," that's not how I meant to share that. "Sorry."
"Don't... let me see," he said, setting our food and drinks on the console. It terrified me, but I turned to face him, and my eyes glowed in the dim light. "I think I like it when you get jealous."
"Why...?"
"It's sexy." He grinned, pulling me into him to capture my lips again.