Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Lucian and I faced changes too. I only hoped our boundaries would remain the same, because I didn’t want to share him with anyone outside our foursome.
I chewed on my lip and flicked a glance at the TV.
On the other hand, that was probably the least of our worries. Lucian had never indicated he wanted to explore with anyone else. Our changes would likely be about trust and…I didn’t know. Somehow restricting our play? We kind of had to, didn’t we? My heart couldn’t take a twenty-four-seven total power exchange when I was constantly afraid my Owner was going to drop from a heart attack.
My eyes smarted for the millionth time today, and I clenched my jaw and swallowed hard. Blurry gaze fixed on the screen, I did my best to get my shit together, but I was just getting worse. Everything felt so damn hopeless, and no solution was permanent or long-lasting. Because, yeah, sure, I could ease off a bit. Maybe Master and I didn’t play as intensely anymore, and I would…miss it. Crave it. So would he. Maybe he would be like, “We’ll be careful, slave. You can trust me.” And I would hesitate, knowing what was smarter, knowing that I shouldn’t, and risking it all. At some point, I’d get hurt. The rift was already there, and it would continue to grow.
“Yaaay, I love this movie.” Corey cuddled closer to Archie before throwing a look toward the hallway. Possibly to make sure there were no kids around.
I looked away from them, the painful void in my stomach growing unbearable, and I…instantly whipped my head down the hall when I spotted Master Greer coming out of their bedroom.
Tell me he wants me to come home. Please tell me KC’s coming to pick me up.
Though, why would they? I’d stupidly asked for space, and KC wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize whatever progress I might’ve made out here.
Which was zero.
Master Greer crossed the hallway, peering briefly up the stairs, and then came to a stop in the doorway to the living room. He lifted his brows at me a little, only to furrow them.
“I reckon I just lied to Lucian.” He scratched his forehead.
“What?” I sat forward with my heart in my throat.
“Well, you haven’t calmed down, have you?” He huffed and ran a hand through his hair. “I told him you’d finally relaxed for the night—you know, Archie said you were gonna watch a movie.”
I frowned. “We are.”
“Right. That’s why you almost jumped outta the chair when you saw me.” He switched to amusement, and he nodded at the hallway. “Come on, let’s have a chat outside. I think I’m about to make you cry.”
Oh God, what had happened?!
“Don’t enjoy it too much!” Corey hollered.
Master Greer laughed.
I hurried out of the living room and stuck my feet into my shoes.
Master Greer trailed outside onto the porch in just jeans and a tee, so I didn’t bother with my jacket. Then I noticed he was switching on heaters.
Was this going to be a long talk?
“How’s he doing, Sir?” I asked nervously.
He smiled a little and sat down at the table, and he patted the seat next to him. “Sit.”
I sat.
I also folded my arms over my chest because the heaters didn’t exactly turn a dreary March evening into summer.
“Before I tell you how he’s doin’, I’m gonna pass along a message,” he said.
Fuck, fuck. I tensed up and wanted to barf. My insides twisted with unease and fear.
“Lucian quit his job today.”
What?
No.
No way.
I stared up at him. No, fuck that—no. The words didn’t compute. Master had not fucking quit his job.
“He also asked me to add that he quit for the right reasons,” Master Greer told me. “He’s not going back there again. He burned all his bridges too, whatever that means.”
Oh God.
No.
Wait, what? Could he really have…
A weird sound bubbled up my throat, and I slapped a hand over my mouth as my eyes flooded with tears that immediately spilled over. No fucking warning. Emotions exploded within me and needed out. Oh my God—oh my fucking God! He’d quit? He was never going back there? I whimpered and couldn’t even begin to keep the sobs at bay. I broke down right then and there, and Master Greer scooted closer and hugged me to him.
“I told you, pet,” he murmured. “Y’all’re gonna work this out.”
I cried like a freaking baby and didn’t know what the fuck was happening to me. Was it relief? Did I believe him? My body sure reacted like we were going with this. Lucian had quit his job—for the right reasons. What did that mean? That he did it for me? Or for himself? Which was the actual right reason. Crap would never work if he’d done such a thing for someone else, regardless of how much he loved me. He’d ended his entire damn career—he better have done it because it was what he wanted. Otherwise, who knew—he might grow to resent me.