Page 97 of The Dom with the Clever Tongue

“A bottle.”

“Is your towel close by?”

“Yes.”

“Wrap it around your feet for a few minutes. If they don’t stop bleeding, I’m calling an ambulance.”

“Hello, 911? I’m in Milan and my girlfriend is a drunken sword-dancing idiot.” She snickered. “They’ll think you’re fucking with them. It’s just cuts. There’s no glass in them.”

Reece shuddered and Scarlet used the towel to wipe the blood off the screen before she wrapped it around her feet.

“Why are you so drunk?”

“I was bored and lonely, so I thought I’d have fun.” She ran a hand through her hair, satisfied that it was clean.

“Drinking alone isn’t fun.”

“Would you rather I go out all alone? I went to the movies alone last night andI felt like a big fucking loser. I don’t have any friends, other than you, remember? I had one friend, but we sent him away.” She sniffed and blinked back the water that threatened to leak out of her eyes.

“I miss him too, Scarlet.”

“I know.” The miserable tears started in earnest and she grabbed the corner of the bedsheet and wiped her face with it. “I just miss him and I’m drunk and I’ve been thinking about the two of you all day. Did you know that when you’re not here no one would care if I died?”

“Now that’s not true. Your mom cares.”

“She has to love me, I’m her daughter. It doesn’t count.” She wished there was more alcohol in the house. “Do you think he would have stayed if I was prettier? I’m sorry I’m not pretty and that he left because of me. I ruin everything.” The tears running down her face and into her neck were making her itchy and she ran a hand over the moisture in annoyance.

“Oh my god, Scarlet! Cut it out. He left because he’s in love with Ivy and he wants to try to have a relationship with her.”

“Then I wish I was her and you were you and you loved Ivy-me and he’d stay with us.”

“Don’t say that, Scarlet! You’re breaking my heart. This has nothing to do with how you look. You’re gorgeous! I wish I could be there to hug you.”

“I’m not very personable. Maybe that’s it.”

She grunted. “Now I wish I was there to smack you! You’re a sad, sad drunk.”

“If you were here I wouldn’t be drunk and sad.” Scarlet pouted.

Reece snorted. “I have to be here for work, dork, otherwise I’d be home.”

Scarlet’s Domme instincts sat up and took notice. “You don’t call your master a dork, little kitty.”

“If my Domme wasn’t slurring and looking at me cross-eyed, maybe I’d be worried she’d remember to punish me when I got home. And you’re not my master. I’m not a slave or a puppy.”

“I’m going to put a bell on your collar...and buy you a butt plug tail.” It seemed to take forever to get all of her words to come out.

“Knock yourself out. If you remember, I might even allow it.”

Teasing her about this stuff wasn’t even as much fun if Malachi wasn’t around to tease her too. She heaved a big sigh and frowned. “I should text him.”

“Drunk texting him is probably a bad idea.”

She chewed at her lip. It felt funny. “Maybe if I explained that we love him he would come back to our den of...of...sex and cuddling. And talking about dumb shit.”

“Oh, sweetheart!” Reece’s face got close to the screen and Scarlet reached out and traced the line of her jaw. “It’s too late for that. He’s playing house with Ivy now. We have to give him his space. From all accounts, she’s a nice girl. Sabrina told me she’s done some crazy things to help out her and Q over the years.”

“We love him more. He belongs with us.” Scarlet stared her down sullenly, and eventually Reece’s big brown eyes teared up too.

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