Read Under His Control (For His Pleasure, Book 18) for Free Online

leaning in to check on Riley, who just cooed happily and pointed at Kennedy.
    “She likes you,” Nicole said, as if surprised.
    “I like her too,” Kennedy replied.
    “How nice.” Nicole, wearing a beautifully chic jacket and scarf sat back and looked at Kennedy appraisingly.
    “You really hate me, don’t you?” Kennedy asked.
    “I don’t even know you. Please don’t be so dramatic.” Nicole loosened her scarf as she spoke.
    Just at that moment, a waiter approached and took their drink order. “Coffee and water please,” Nicole said.
    “I’ll have the same,” Kennedy added.
    The waiter nodded and left briskly.
    Nicole’s eyes narrowed. “So…I couldn’t help but confront my father about this assertion you’ve made,” she began.
    Kennedy took a breath and nodded. “Okay.” She waited for the story to continue.
    “It’s true. My father admitted it. He had a child with another woman.”
    “He…he admitted it? Did your mother not know?”
    Nicole shook her head once, slowly. “No, she did not. And she does not. I think the reasons for that are obvious enough.”
    Kennedy put a hand over her mouth as a wave of dizziness passed through her body. “Oh my God, Nicole. I am so sorry. Really.”
    “Please, spare me your pity,” Nicole said. “You knew what you were doing.”
    “How could I have known? It never even occurred to me that your mother wasn’t aware…I suppose it should have, but it didn’t.”
    The corner of Nicole’s mouth twitched. “Perhaps we should just look at our menus,” she said, by way of changing the subject. “Everything here’s delicious.”
    Kennedy’s eyes widened at the prices, however.
    Nicole took note. “Don’t worry, I’m paying.”
    “Oh, no, Nicole. I really can’t allow you to do that.”
    “Why not? It’s the least I can do for my little sister .” Somehow, the way she said the words, it hurt as much as if she’d denied their familial bonds entirely.
    Kennedy let out a shaky breath and looked instead to Riley. Riley grinned toothlessly back at her, as if to say that she loved her no matter what.
    Riley squealed loudly.
    Nicole bent down and tried to give Riley her pacifier, but the little girl batted it away with an annoyed whine.
    “She’s so fussy this morning,” Nicole said.
    Kennedy glanced back at her menu, deciding on the stuffed French toast.
    The waiter arrived soon after that with their coffee, and then asked if they were both ready to order. They both assured him they were.
    Nicole said, “I’ll have the French toast, please.”
    Kennedy sighed and shook her head, looking back to the menu now.
    “Do you need a moment, ma’am?” the waiter asked.
    Nicole’s eyebrows rose. “I thought you were ready to order.”
    “I was.”
    “So order. I told you, I’m paying. As long as you don’t get the caviar for a thousand dollars, we’re fine.” She smiled, but just barely.
    The waiter was staring attentively at Kennedy, hovering, anxious.
    Everyone was anxious, especially Kennedy.
    “I’ll have the stuffed French toast,” she said, blurting it out as quickly as possible and then handing him her menu.
    When she turned back to Nicole, the other woman was scowling. “Really, Kennedy. You’re not proving anything with these gimmicks of yours.”
    “Do you think that I’m copying your order?” Kennedy said, stiffening.
    “It’s pretty obvious what you’re doing.”
    “I wanted that French toast, and I’m not going to order something else just to make it look like I’m not copying you.”
    Nicole smirked. “Have it your way.”
    “Nicole, do you really think this is how I want things to be between us?”
    “Honestly? Yes, this is exactly how I think you want things to be between us.”
    “That makes no sense,” Kennedy said.
    Nicole slowly began pouring cream in her coffee. “It doesn’t make sense to me, either,” Nicole said, setting the cream down between them. “But you’re the one who chose to begin our