“Yes, ma’am.”
Shortly after the cab arrived and I gave the driver my address, my eyelids grew heavy. I resisted sleep, but the temptation to give in grew too great. My last sight before succumbing was of Jeff, looking out his side window.
“Hey,” he said, what seemed like seconds later. “We’re here.”
Those two words filled me with dread because I knew Nathaniel would be pissed. My dread grew even greater when Jeff insisted on walking me to the door after paying the driver.
“You don’t have to,” I said. “My husband, uh, Master, is going to be upset enough as it is.”
“Ah, so you are a sub?”
“Yes.”
“If it were me and my sub was drunk, alone, and in the situation like you found yourself in, I’d be ready to pound someone into the ground.”
“Yes, so you see why it’s best if you leave now.”
“No, that’s even more reason for me to stay.”
He had that Dom look that told me he wasn’t going to change his mind. He was actually very dour-looking. I’d probably be scared if I wasn’t so drunk. Fuck, I was so drunk. Nathaniel was going to kill me.
Nope, Mr. Parks wasn’t going to change his mind. I knew his type. Hell, I’d married his type. I glanced down at his left hand. No ring.
“Do you have a sub right now?” I asked.
“No.”
“You’re not going to expand on that, are you?”
“No.”
“A man of few words.”
“Yes. And you’re stalling.”
We walked inside and I waved at the doorman. Together, Jeff and I rode up to the penthouse and I gave silent thanks the kids would be asleep when we arrived.
At our floor, I opened the door and stepped inside. I wondered where Nathaniel was.
I heard him before I saw him.“Abby, you’re back sooner than I expected.” He walked into the foyer with a smile that disappeared when he saw Jeff. “Who’s this?”
I waved at Jeff. “This is Jeff Dark. Dark man. Dark Dom.”
He stepped closer. “Are you drunk?”
“Slightly.” I held up two fingers. “I had three.”
He glared at Jeff. “What the fuck is going on and who are you?”
Jeff held Nathaniel’s gaze and simply crossed his arms across his chest. “A Dom who knows better than to let his sub go to a shady BDSM dive, get drunk off her ass, and have to be rescued from a would-be rapist who doesn’t know the definition of a safe word.”
“Excuse me?”
“You can ask her, but if it wasn’t for me … Well, I don’t like to guess, but the man she was with didn’t take too kindly to her use of the word ‘red.’ ”
The tops of Nathaniel’s ears grew red. I’d never seen that before.
“Abby,” he said, so calmly I felt cold. “What the fuck happened tonight?”
My words rushed out. “Meagan’s a switch but didn’t tell me and took me to a BDSM club and went off with a guy and I might have had too many drinks and when I went looking for her I got trapped with a guy and this guy got me away from him.” My stomach rolled. “I think I’ll vomit now.”
I ran to the hall bathroom and when I returned, the men were shaking hands.
“Good to meet you, Jeff,” Nathaniel said. “Glad I had a chance to meet you before our meeting on Monday, though I wish the circumstances were different.”
“Likewise.” Jeff lifted a hand in my direction. “Good night, Mrs. West.”
“ ’Night.”
Jeff gave Nathaniel a curt nod and left. My heart beat wildly as Nathaniel turned to me. He didn’t look angry anymore, though; he looked shaken and scared, a combination I’d never seen on him before. At the sight of it, all the night’s events hit me at once and I crumpled into sobs again.
“Abby,” he said, hastening to gather me in his arms. “It’s okay. You’re okay. I have you.”
“That man …” I started, but couldn’t get out any more.
“Come here.” He lifted me up and carried me to the bedroom, all the while whispering to me. I clung to his shirt like it was a life vest. In that moment, it probably was.
“I’m going to take your dress off,” he said once he set me on the bed. “Are you okay with that or do you want to do it?”
“You do it.” The man at the club hadn’t touched me, but I needed Nathaniel’s hands on me to help erase his memory.