Blackstone Inc. (Book 2)

Part 17

As we stepped out of the car a swarm of cameras were pressed into my face, the flashes so bright that I, once again, was blinded until I felt Prestons' arm around my waist, ushering me into the restaurant.

"Jesus, is it always like that," I muttered.

"Unfortunately, yes," he sighed as he walked up to the podium.

"Good evening Mr. Blackstone," the young man behind the podium greeted Preston, "Mr. Blackstones' lady friend," he smiled at me.

"José," Preston greeted, "One of your more private booths please."

José nodded, grabbed two menus from his side of the podium and walked us further into the restaurant.

It was dimly lit with candles being the main source of light on the tables. The restaurant was quaint and quiet, giving off a very intimate atmosphere.

We walked to what seemed like the far side of the restaurant until José stopped beside a rounded booth in the corner and placed our menus on the table, "Is this okay?"

Preston nodded before gesturing for me to slide in first, "Thank you, José," he said before sliding in next to me.

***

"So, tell me a little bit about yourself," Preston asked as I cut into my steak.

I took a bite, savoring the flavors of the medium rare steak before swallowing and taking a sip of my wine he so desperately said would pair greatly with the meal...he was right, of course.

"Uh, what do you want to know," I asked as I cut another piece.

He took a sip of his wine before continuing, "Let's start with the real reason why you haven't gone to college."

I chuckled before looking back down, "I already told you, I didn't want the ridiculous student loans and my parents made to much for grants."

I looked up and saw him nod, "And they couldn't help you pay for college?"

I snorted, "They wouldn't help me. I'm a failure to them."

I heard him growl low in his chest, "You are not a failure. Why would you think they feel that way about you?"

"Because Hawthorne is my parents favorite. He can do no wrong in their eyes," I said bitterly, though I tried not to, "He was the quarterback for the school, always dated the prettiest girls, always had the good grades and now he plays at Texas Tech, but if they only knew...And me," I snorted and cut the steak a little too harshly, "I didn't play sports, I didn't get good grades, and all of my exes are 'unsavory'."

"'Unsavory' how," he asked.

"I would sneak out to go meet them in the middle of the night just to get away from...home. I would drink and smoke with them. I would let them hurt me and then go to school and sleep through my classes," I sighed.

"Hurt you how," his attention was solely on me now, his food long forgotten.

I sighed again before backing away from him and raising my left arm so he could see the underside of my upper arm.

The small pink scars etched into the creamy white skin like reminders of my failures.

"Are those..."

I nodded before dropping my arm, "Yeah, cigarette burns."

His face was hardened, "Why, Daisy?"

I chuckled darkly before taking a real interest on the napkin on my lap, "Because I liked the pain. I would have them burn me before touching me. I was a virgin before we had sex, Preston, but I let them touch me, I let them hit me, I let them rough me up because I needed something to help...And maybe if my parents just so happened to see one of the marks then maybe they'd pay more attention..."