Competing for the Dominant

Twenty-Two

Although Daniel promised no one would say anything about us being together, it felt like everyone was whispering about us and staring at me. When I looked around, of course, no was even paying attention to me.

I took a deep breath, trying to expel the nerves. From a few tables over, where Daniel had been talking to his aunt, I could see him look up at me and smile at me. I smiled back and waved.

"So, you're the spawn that's fucked up Daniel,"

I turned and for a split second, I was staring at my father, but upon further glance, I realized it was just one of Daniel's relatives. His comment finally registered and I was taken off guard.

"I'm sorry? 'Spawn that fucked up Daniel'?"

"Don't play dumb. We all know what happened between you two,"

I was getting angry. Who the hell did this guy think he was? "I beg your pardon?"

"He was just fine with Charlie. At least Charlie came from a respectable place. You're just a tramp,"

"Oh, fuck off, Ray," a female voice said behind me. The guy, Ray, sneered at me and sauntered off. I turned to find a girl that looked like a younger Edna.

"Just ignore him. Ray has and always will be that asshole cousin that no one likes to invite. I'm Angelina, but call me Angie. Not sure if Daniel's ever talked about me,"

"Once or twice. I'm Quinn, though I'm sure you already know that,"

She smiled and sat down in the chair next to me, "He talks about you so much, it's a little annoying. But, he's happier with you than he ever was with Charlie, so you're fine in my book. Plus, my mother keeps calling you her son-in-law—" I spit out my drink a little and she giggled, "Oh, sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Here's a napkin,"

"What are you doing to him, Angie? You okay, Quinn?" Daniel's hands were on my shoulders and I waved an okay sign at him as I coughed from the drink going down my throat weirdly.

"Why do you always think it's my fault?"

"Was it?"

"Maybe. Really, though if you think about it, it's Mom's fault for already thinking you're married,"

"I—she what?"

Angelina giggled again and rolled her eyes, "Please, Danny—"

"Don't call him that," I blurted and Daniel's hands gripped my shoulders tightly as Angelina gave me a shocked expression.

"Sorry, but that nickname has been ruined for him. And me too,"

Angelina made a small noise and smiled at me warmly, "Well, Daniel, looks like Mom may be right. You've got a little fighter here and definitely a keeper," she winked at me and stood up, "I'm, uh, going to go back to mingling, but I'll see you around, Quinn,"

Daniel took her place and gaped at me, "You didn't have to say that, Quinn. It's fine,"

"You tense at the name. I've seen you do it when your mom calls you that. I just didn't want to see you tense up again,"

Daniel laughed and leaned over to kiss me, "Thank you, Kuma. I'm a big boy, though. I can take care of it myself. However, I do have to admit that it was fun to watch my sister get told off by you,"

I hit his shoulder lightly and scoffed at his sibling rivalry. As we sat in silence, I couldn't help but think about what that guy, Ray, had said. I wondered how many other people thought of me as a tramp and thought that I wasn't good enough for Daniel. Were they right?

I wasn't from a good background. I came from a family, a father, that rejected me. I spent my late teens and early twenties begging for scraps and living on the streets, doing whatever I had to do to survive.