After a lengthy talk with Lin, Dick finally left the shop. He walked down the dimly lit street, hands in his pockets, heading back to his car. Sliding into the driver's seat, Dick started the engine, the smooth purr of the McLaren cutting through the silence of the slum streets.
Graves Estate was the same as always. He made it to the dinner table, slipping into his usual seat. It was a scene he'd grown numb to, a routine so predictable it barely registered anymore.
Sirius sat at the head of the table, staring past everyone. There was always a cloud of authority hanging over the man, but it was muted—detached. He didn't bother engaging.
Across the table, Clara was performing as always. Her laughter, forced and practiced, filled the air as she regaled them with some story, probably fabricated or exaggerated. No one listened to her, but that never seemed to stop her from filling the space with sound, eager to maintain the illusion of a perfectly poised matriarch.
Melissa, as usual, smiled at everyone. Her smile was her armor. Pressing a few buttons here and there, she'd drop casual jabs, knowing exactly how to irritate each person without crossing a line. She threw a few angry glares at his direction, but Dick acted oblivious.
Emily, on the other hand, was distant—so distant, she might as well have been a ghost. She didn't speak, didn't interact, just sat there as if the entire room was invisible to her. Dick could never tell whether she didn't care about any of them or if she just preferred to disappear into her own world. Either way, it didn't matter. Emily had checked out long ago.
But tonight, something was different about Jessica.
She sat at the far end of the table, her usual biting attitude strangely muted. After what happened the day before, when Dick gave her his phone to delete the video of her and Giselle, the dynamic between them had shifted. She hadn't expected it—hadn't expected him to just hand over the leverage like that. Most of all, Jessica hadn't expected his words to stick with her.
"If I wanted, I could have you," he said. "I don't like forcing."
It was that simple, yet it had left her unsteady. he idea that Dick could have taken that power from her, but chose not to, had rattled her more than she cared to admit. Now, she wasn't quite sure how to deal with him.
Her eyes flicked to Dick across the table, but when their gazes met, she looked away. Dinner carried on, the usual blend of tension and silence that no one bothered to fix.
After dinner, Dick returned to his room. Jessica had been eyeing him throughout the meal, an eagerness in her gaze, like she wanted to talk, but he ignored her completely. He wasn't in the mood for whatever she thought she needed to say. Not now.
Once inside his room, he collapsed onto the bed, letting out a slow breath. His phone vibrated—messages. He glanced at the screen, scrolling through without much interest. Lana. Ignored. Paige. Left on read. Karen sent something about work—he replied with the bare minimum to keep things smooth. And then, Victoria asking about Isabella again. Left on read.
But the last one caught his attention.
Alice: I may need your help. It is getting worse.
Dick frowned. Alice's mother was a relentless cunt who controlled every aspect of Alice's life. He'd offered to take care of her before, but Alice said it wasn't necessary. For her to reach out like this now, things must have taken a turn for the worse. Without hesitation, he dialed her number, but before the call could connect, another message popped up.
Alice: Can't talk. Park behind my house. 15 minutes.
Without wasting time, Dick grabbed his keys and got up from the bed. Alice needed him, she was one of the few friends he had. The McLaren roared to life as Dick pulled out of the driveway, heading toward Alice's place. The streets were mostly empty, the soft hum of the engine the only sound cutting through the cool night air.
Pulling up behind Alice's house, he killed the engine and waited. The neighborhood was quiet, the soft glow of the streetlights barely illuminating the rows of identical houses. He kept his gaze on the back door, his hand resting casually on the wheel as he waited for her to show. Exactly fifteen minutes later, the door creaked open. Alice slipped out, her movements quick and quiet as she approached his car. Her face was pale and there was an unmistakable tension in her eyes.
She slid into the passenger seat, her breath shallow, as if she'd been holding it in for too long. Her hands fidgeted in her lap, fingers twisting the hem of her oversized hoodie. The girl looked smaller tonight, more fragile than usual.
"Thanks for coming," Alice muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced at him, but her gaze quickly dropped again, her shoulders hunched.
Dick didn't waste time on pleasantries. "What's going on?"
Alice bit her lip, her hands still nervously twisting the fabric of her hoodie. "She's… she's threatening to send me away," she finally said, her voice trembling slightly. "Some boarding school away. She said if I didn't start 'acting right,' she'd make sure I was gone by the end of the month."
Dick's jaw tightened. Alice's mother had always been a control freak, but shipping her off was a new level of bullshit. "Did she say why?"
Alice's laugh was bitter, almost hollow. "Because I'm not good enough. Because I don't fit into her perfect little mold. It's always something." She swallowed hard, her voice shaking. "This time it's because I didn't want to go to some dinner with her new boyfriend. Said I embarrassed her."
Dick's grip on the wheel tightened, his eyes narrowing. Alice's mother always found a way to cut her down, to make her feel like she wasn't enough. "What do you want to do?" he asked quietly. "Do you want to stay here and deal with her, or do you want to get out of there?"
She hesitated, staring at her lap, her fingers twisting the hoodie's fabric until her knuckles turned white. "I don't know," she admitted. "I want to leave, but… I don't have anywhere to go. And if I run, she'll just come after me, or make sure I can't come back."
Dick leaned back in his seat, rethinking fucking Alice's mother senseless. He wasn't about to let Alice get swallowed up by her mother's bullshit. "You don't have to go back," he said after a moment, his tone final. "If she's going to send you away anyway, might as well make the choice for yourself."
Alice looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "But where would I go?"
"I'll figure something out," he replied simply. "But running isn't the only option. You don't have to disappear, Alice. You can stand up to her, make it clear she doesn't get to dictate your life anymore."
Alice stared at him, hope and fear flashing across her face. "You really think I can do that?"
Dick gave her a firm nod. "I know you can. But you have to believe it too. You're not a kid anymore, and she can't just push you around forever."
She swallowed, her eyes dropping back to her hands as she took in his words. "I don't know if I'm strong enough for that," she whispered. "I've always just… done what she wanted. It's easier that way."
Alice slumped in her seat, a defeated look crossing her face. "She's in there with her new boyfriend. The guy's a total dick. Acting like my father. I fucking hate him."
Dick remained quiet, his gaze steady on her. He wasn't surprised. Alice's mother had a track record of finding the worst possible men and parading them around like they were the solution to all her problems. Each new boyfriend tried to assert some kind of authority over Alice, but this one clearly had a stronger grip.
"What's his deal?" Dick asked, his voice even.
Alice scoffed, staring out of the window. "He's smug. Always talking down to me like I'm a fucking child. Telling me to 'respect my mother' or 'learn some discipline.'" She shook her head. "I swear, if I stay there any longer, I'm going to lose it."
He looked at her, eyes steady. "My offer stands. If you want, I can go in and put some sense into her skull. But it won't be nice." He wasn't one to beat around the bush. Alice's mother? Just another obstacle. And Dick trusted his cock. He'd bent plenty to his will, turned them into addicts for his touch. What was one more?
Alice's eyes flickered with hesitation, fear and curiosity dancing in them. "You really think that'd work?" she asked, biting her lip. She wasn't naive; she knew Dick wasn't suggesting a heart-to-heart. He meant something else, something darker.
Dick shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Depends. I've handled worse." His tone was casual, but the weight behind it was clear. He could break her mother if it came to that. The question was, did Alice want him to?
She hesitated, her hands fidgeting in her lap. "I just... I don't want her to ruin my life anymore," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But I'm scared."
Dick leaned forward, resting his elbows on the steering wheel, his eyes locking onto hers. "Fear's normal. But it's a choice, Alice. You let her keep controlling you, or you take control back. I'm offering to help you. You just have to decide how far you're willing to go."
lice's breathing was shallow, her chest rising and falling quickly as she wrestled with the decision. Her mother had held the leash for so long, it was hard to imagine breaking free. But the thought of Dick stepping in, taking over, dealing with her mother in a way she never could? It was tempting. More tempting than she'd care to admit.
"What... what would you do?" Alice asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on her lap, as if asking the question was already too much.
Dick smirked. "Let's just say she wouldn't be able to tell you what to do anymore."
Alice swallowed hard, her heart racing. She knew what that meant. She wasn't stupid. But the thought of her mother, the one person who had always been in control, suddenly powerless? It was intoxicating. And Dick... he made her believe it was possible. That he could actually pull it off.
"Okay," she whispered, her voice trembling with fear and anticipation. "Do it."
Dick didn't need to be told twice. Without another word, he stepped out of the car, motioning for Alice to stay put. The look in his eyes said it all—he had this under control.
The night air was cool as he walked toward the house. He could already picture it. Alice's mother would resist at first, like they all did. But in the end, they always gave in. He'd fuck the arrogance right out of her, make her beg for his cock, break her down until she couldn't live without his touch.
He opened the door, stepping inside like he owned the place. No hesitation. No knocking. Just pure confidence.
The house was warm, the soft glow of lamps casting a comfortable light over the living room. Alice's mother, Janine, was sitting on the love couch, curled up next to her boyfriend. They were all over each other, her legs draped over his lap, the two of them nestled in like a couple of teenagers. The boyfriend was lounging back, one hand resting possessively on her thigh, while the other held a beer bottle. His smug grin spoke volumes—a man who thought he had everything in control.
They didn't notice Dick at first, too caught up in their little moment of bliss. He strolled in casually, not a care in the world, taking in the scene as if he were the one meant to be there. Without saying a word, he walked over to the coffee table, grabbed the bowl of snacks sitting there, and tossed a handful into his mouth.
That's when they finally noticed him.