Fettered

Diane

Compared to high school, life in college was no picnic. Their first semester had been filled to the brim with coursework, especially considering Persephone had taken high-level courses to please Ronald. Lucas had done the same for pretty much the same reasons. Jack and his mom still looked at him funny whenever they saw him lugging around ridiculous amounts of coursework. Now that it was mid-winter break, Lucas got to see more of Persephone and her family. The difficult coursework made it so damn worth the days he had to interact with Ronald — just so he could see that the asshole had no more words left. Ronald was either stunned into silence or feeling seething hatred; both worked.

Lucas's day started off normal — maybe a little mundane, even — until Persephone came over. He sat with her in his living room, movie playing in the background as they wound down and kissed on the sofa. It had been so long since he could relax; her in his lap, straddling him, hands all over his back, chest, and in his hair. He couldn't get enough.

Interrupting them, his mom's voice chimed in from the kitchen. "Lucas?"
Lucas pulled away and called back, "What?"
"Can you run down to the store for me? I need you to pick up a few things for dinner tonight."
"Sure, just gimme a list."

He rolled his eyes to Persephone who giggled in response. Adorable.

A few minutes after he got the list from his mom, he and Persephone were in the truck and out the front gates. Persephone kept the ride enjoyable, hand rubbing his thigh as he drove. Thank God his mom only needed a couple of things, so their jaunt into the store would be quick and he wouldn't need to quell his near-permanent arousal for very long.

Since they'd gone to a store his family didn't frequent, he had Persephone up against the wall in the back, kissing her neck and groping her body in front of several other patrons. He didn't give a flying fuck that people could see them. Actually, it kind of exhilarated him, but he stopped himself so they wouldn't get thrown out.

In the truck after shopping, Persephone remarked, "Did you notice Mrs. Tompkin in there? She saw us in the back."
Lucas laughed. "Been so long since we last seen her. Hell of a reunion."

Music blasted on the radio as Persephone tickled her fingers along his thigh. He couldn't wait to get back home, take her back to his room, and—

He had to stop thinking about it and focus on slowing down, otherwise he'd speed and get a nasty holiday ticket. They'd have the entire evening together, so there was no rush. He looked to her, then noticed her crane her neck to stare at something he'd passed. She said,

"Pull over."
"Why?"
"I think I see a dog out there."

A dog? Ah, Pers and her love of animals.

He pulled over onto the shoulder and they stepped out of the truck, following the side of the road until they came upon what Persephone had seen. Indeed, the ball of golden, dirty fluff was a dog, laying in a muddy ditch. The dog listlessly stared at nothing as she drooped her head across her single front leg and a lone puppy with its eyes still closed nuzzled into her for food. Momma dog seemed too skinny to have any milk left, though. Persephone approached the dogs slowly. Momma dog shivered but didn't do anything at all when Persephone knelt beside them.

Lucas's phone rang and he groped around in his pockets for it, engrossed by Persephone tending to the dogs. When he found his phone, he checked the caller I.D., then answered,

"Hey, Momma."
"Hey, sweetheart, I hope you haven't left the store, I forgot to put somethin' on the list."
"Sorry, Ma, kinda sidetracked right now."
"Sidetracked?"
"We found a dog on the side of the road."
"Oh dear, a dog? Is she a stray?"
Lucas looked the dogs over once more. "Seems it. She ain't got a collar on n' she's real skinny, with a baby."
"Oh, those poor things," his mom lamented. "Where's Persephone?"
"She's pettin' 'er now."
Persephone chimed in. "She's a real good girl — aren't you?"
"Well," his mom said with no hesitation in her voice, "you know I can't just let 'em stay out there. Bring 'em home — we'll keep 'em safe and fed."
"All right," Lucas agreed. "We'll be home in not too long. Just gonna load the momma dog n' baby up in the truck."