He smirked darkly. “Get to lickin’, pretty boy. Floor better shine when you’re done.”
With trembling hands, I lowered myself onto the cold, filthy concrete. My tongue touched the surface, and I instantly recoiled from the vile taste. I gagged, nearly vomiting.
“Don’t you dare throw up,” Bear warned viciously. “’Cause you gon’ lick that shit up too.”
My throat burned as I fought to keep down the bile. Slowly, miserably, I dragged my tongue across the grimy floor, tasting blood, dirt, and filth as Bear laughed.
This was my life now. I had been reduced from a man who thought he had everything to a helpless animal forced to lick floors clean, praying for death to finally come and take mercy on me.
AVIANA GREY
I stood there giggling as Mythic’s hands covered my eyes. “Come on, Mythic. Hurry up!”
“Can you see?” he asked playfully.
“No. I can’t see a thing, just hurry up. My feet are killing me!” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, trying to ignore how huge and swollen I felt. I was now seven months pregnant,and I was starting to feel like a balloon. My feet ached from being on them all day. My ankles were swollen and uncomfortable.
Mythic’s hands slowly pulled away from my eyes. “All right. you can look now.”
When I opened my eyes, I was immediately struck by the beauty of the room. The nursery he’d set up for our son, Sire, was breathtaking. My breath caught in my throat as I took in every detail.
Mythic had made me promise to stay out of this room all week because he wanted me to be surprised by what the interior decorator had done.
The walls were painted in soft, warm tones of yellow and green, with a gorgeous giraffe theme that was perfect for our little boy. The furniture was all wood with a cozy crib in the center, adorned with soft linens in a giraffe print. There were matching shelves with stuffed animals, books, and little giraffe figurines. A changing table stood nearby.
But what took my breath away the most were the 3D letters on the wall. Sire’s name was written in a playful yet elegant font. The giraffe theme continued on the wall behind the crib, where a mural of giraffes was painted. Their long necks reached up to the ceiling. It was soft, whimsical, and perfect for our little one.
Tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them away. “Mythic… this is beautiful.”
He stepped behind me, wrapping his arms around my swollen belly, pulling me close. “Not as beautiful as you.”
I turned my head slightly to look up at him, and I could see the love and pride in his eyes. Even in my state—swollen with a dark neck and spreading nose—he made me feel like I was still sexy. His affection for me had never wavered, and in that moment, surrounded by the beauty he had created for our son, I knew I was loved.
“I love it,” I said, turning in his arms. “It’s perfect.”
He kissed my forehead softly. “I’m glad. Now, take a seat, mama. You’ve been on your feet too long.”
I smiled, feeling my heart swell again as I looked around the room that Mythic had so carefully put together. It was real now. This was happening. Our family, our baby boy, was coming, and nothing in this world could make me feel more blessed.
I settled down on the loveseat in the nursery. The soft fabric molded to my body as I let out a sigh of relief. Mythic sat next to me and immediately lifted my swollen leg onto his lap. His hands were warm and gentle as he began to rub my feet. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting myself relax into his touch. Then I opened them, looking around the room to take it all in again.
As I rubbed my belly, I noticed the glint of my wedding ring on my finger. It had been almost a year since we’d rushed to the courthouse to get married. Neither of us wanted to wait any longer, especially with everything that had happened between us. We planned to have a big wedding ceremony soon after, but with the pregnancy, we decided to put it off. We planned to have the ceremony once I had the baby, after my body snatched back, as I liked to say.
Mythic looked at me as he continued to massage my feet. “So, how is giving birth gonna affect school?”
“Hopefully, it won’t since I’m giving birth in the summer. I just won’t take any summer classes so that I can bond with Sire before school starts again in the fall.”
“That sounds like a plan.”
I was a year into my bachelor of science in nursing, and after I graduated, I had to work for a couple of years before applying to a certified registered nurse anesthetist program. Then I’d have to complete a master’s program, and after that, pass a nationalcertification exam. It was a seven-to-ten-year process, but I was so happy that I was finally following my dreams.
“I’m proud of you, baby.”
I reached out, taking his hand in mine. “I appreciate you supporting me. I need your support to make this happen. You’re not just helping me financially; you’re helping me believe in myself, and that means more than anything.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, baby.”
As Mythic gently rubbed my feet, the tension of the day melted away under his touch. The heat from his hands was soothing, and I was starting to relax. But then, my phone rang, pulling me out of the moment.
