“Okay, thank you—” I begin, before abruptly interrupting myself when I feel someone behind me.
“Papa!” squeals Aurora.
Damn it.So much for the secret.
She jumps into Logan’s arms. I turn to him with a bashful expression, then freeze when I take in his pale, neutral face.
“I’ll take that, thank you,” he says curtly, grabbing the bag from the saleslady’s hand. “How much do I owe you?”
“Uhm… uh…” His furious expression has her flustered. “The lady just paid.”
“I see.”
His voice is so cold that it makes me shiver. He adjusts Aurora so that he’s carrying her on his hip and holding the bag with the same arm that’s around her waist. His free hand grips my wrist, and he tugs me out of the store in the same violent way he once used. It’s been a while since he’s been this brusque.
“Logan,” I begin nervously, “you seem a little upset, and I can explain… This was supposed to be…”
“I don’t want to hear your voice right now, Lia,” he says, his tone just as neutral as his face.
He opens the car door for me, and I sit down, not daring to protest. It’s been a very long time since he’s been angry, really angry at me, and I’d forgotten how terrifying he can be. I don’t protest when he buckles me in, before slamming the door and buckling Aurora into her seat.
“Papa, we have a present for you! Happy birthday, papa!”
He’s all smiles as he kisses her curls. “Thank you, sweetie.”
“It’s a surprise, shh! Don’t tell mama I said. Surprise!”
“It certainly is,” he agrees, then settles behind the steering wheel.
“Logan, I can explain…” I try again.
He turns to me slowly, and I quake under his cold gaze. “Don’t make me repeat myself, Lia.”
Right. Fuck.
He starts the car while I sink back into my seat, torn between resentment and regret. I knew he wouldn’t be thrilled I’d snuck out, but I thought the present would make up for it. Maybe a part of me also wanted to test the limits of my cage. Still, I never imagined he’d react in this very unsettling way.
His impassive expression tells me he must be furious. The kind of furious that a hard spanking couldn’t resolve. Which istoo bad, because the thought of that suddenly does something to me.
Something one quick glance at him quickly quells. That’s clearly not going to happen tonight.
In fact, none of the things I had daydreamed about seem bound to happen tonight. I had hoped to surprise him with his present, and Dolores baked him a cake, because I would probably burn the house down if I tried. She bought balloons and candles, and even offered to be the one to buy the present, and in retrospect, I should have said yes.
But I wanted the thrill of choosing and buying it myself.
The resentment grows, squashing the regret. I should be allowed to walk to town and buy something. The thing I bought was forhim, and this is how he reacts! I spent two years waiting for this moment, all forthis!
Resentment turns to self-pity, and angry tears bubble up in my eyes.
He glances over at me, and I suddenly find myself hoping they’ll have their usual effect on him. Instead, though, he looks…enraged.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
By the time we reach the house, I’m just as angry as he is. For the first time in two years, I’m fully aware of the bars on my cage. I feel helpless, weak, and most of all, furious that I’ve spent so much time and effort on something, only for him to be pissed off.
Fuck him!
He parks in front of the car, unbuckles Aurora and carries her in on his shoulders, much to her delight. With her, he’s never anything but kind, no matter how worried, preoccupied or… angry he is. But when I try to get out to follow them, the door’s locked. I have to wait, stewing in my anger, for him to return and open the door. Some might imagine it to be chivalry, but I knowwhat it is. It’s control. He wants to show me just how much he controls me, and I hate it.