No Strings Attached

Chapter Nine

Shannon threw her dirty laundry aside, and unpacked her overnight bag later that day. Balling up the soft fabrics and hurling them at the wall actually probably didn’t count as unpacking.

Groaning in frustration, she threw herself back against the mountain of animal print cushions on her double bed, pulling a lacy zebra pillow over her face.

She couldn’t sub for him, she just couldn’t.

His domination had always been complete take over – no holds barred, rip open your soul to pick at the pieces kind of domination. At least, with her it always was.

There wasn’t a single place to hide when he was in control.

Now there were secrets she desperately needed to keep for herself.

She wiped her dark eyes with a tissue from her bedside, pushing everything off the bed with a sweep of her arm, before going over to the shelves inside her fitted wardrobes and reaching up for a large white dress box.

She bundled herself up against the mound of pillows, sitting Buddha style laying the box out in front of her gently, running her hands over the elegant silver script on the top lovingly.

In Memorium.

It was still a burning pain in her chest to think of the beautiful tiny baby girl – it still hurt to think of how lost she’d felt when she had to say goodbye to the last piece of Nate she had left. She’d pinned everything on the child inside her – hopes, dreams, and all the “one day” fantasies that rolled through her. She never faced losing him, not really, because by the time she really felt she had to, she’d lost Molly too.

She’d looked just like him – a dark spattering of hair against her porcelain skin, her soft face already showing traces of his elegant bone structure.

She’d always wondered whose eyes she would inherit, hoping and dreaming that it would be Nate’s unique dark silver gaze in the days leading up to her arrival.

Hoping she would still have those eyes to drown in – somehow. But she’d never known, and she never would.

Steeling herself, she slipped off the lid, and opened the crepe paper that was protecting the delicate lace and satin.

With tears shimmering in her big, dark eyes, she unfolded the beautiful layers of ivory and cream, caressing her thumb over the delicate embroidery. She’d picked up some tiny pearls, while she was shopping with Tori, and had decided to create a majestic edging on the top layer of the skirts.

A soft knock sounded at the door, and she shook her head, quickly wiping away her errant tears with the back of her hand. Tori’s head peeked around the edge of the door, her long blonde ponytail falling around her face in soft waves. Violet eyes danced over the beautiful silk creation on the bed, and heartbreak flashed across her face as she quietly closed the door behind her and moved behind Shannon on the bed.