Page 23 of Becoming

She sat in the chair, in the same position she had been in when Cassidy first came into this room. And she waited.

“Mistress?”

The waver in Cassidy’s voice shook Mistress’s resolve. Do it. For her. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Cassidy. If she did, she may not be able to go through with this.

“Get dressed and sit, Cassidy.” Cassidy dressed but didn’t sit. “Please.”

“What’s with the mask?”

“This will be our last session, Cassidy.” Though it hurt her to say those words, Mistress kept her tone even as to not give up any emotion.

“What? Why? What did I do? If this is because I kissed your…”

“It’s not that,” Mistress interrupted. The pain, fear, and anger in Cassidy’s voice were like torture. So, she did the only thing she could think of to make this marginally easier on both of them. She lied. “The business that I was called away for? I’m opening a new club. I’ll be going there to get it up and running.”

“No. We—we just started. You told me you would teach me.”

It was unfortunate that Mistress, no that Rebecca, felt the same desperation she could see in Cassidy. Yet, she continued.

“This is for the best, Cassidy.”

“For who? You? Am I that bad? You can’t tell me you didn’t get off on all of this!” Cassidy gestured angrily towards the bed.

It took everything in her not to flinch at Cassidy’s anger. She didn’t believe Cassidy would do anything to hurt her, but anger never bodes well for her.

“It’s normal for a Sub to get attached…”

“Don’t! Don’t fucking do that!” Cassidy stood abruptly. “I didn’t get attached to my Dom! It’s more than that. You know it!”

A small trickle of fear made it past Mistress’s defenses as Cassidy towered over her. She looked up at her, genuinely apologetic for causing this animosity between them. “I’m sorry.”

“Where?”

“What?”

“Where are you going? My job is flexible.”

Though she knew that to be true, Mistress had nothing to offer her. Besides, there was no ‘other club.’ “Cassidy, you can’t leave your home here.”

“I’m pretty sure I can do whatever I want. Except in this fucking room.” Unable to hold her gaze, Mistress lowered her eyes. Apparently, that only managed to piss Cassidy off more. “Ah, I get it. It’s time for you to move on, right? What’s the matter, Mistress? Run out of conquests here? You successfully recruited me, and now you have to find more?”

Those words hurt as much as any blow to her. But, Mistress couldn’t—wouldn’t—allow anyone to hurt her like that ever again. Her shutters came down with force.

“You are welcome here at the club anytime you want,” Mistress said evenly, hoping that Cassidy would never show up here again. She just couldn’t fathom thinking of her with someone else here. “But this room will be closed. Indefinitely.”

“Please, Mistress. Please don’t go. Please don’t leave me.”

Mistress stood immediately as this beautiful, strong, proud woman fell to her knees and begged. It was something Mistress never expected. And something she never wanted to see. She wasn’t worth it. No one was.

“Get up, Cassidy.” She grabbed Cassidy’s shoulders when she didn’t move. “Please get up. You don’t deserve this. Get off your knees.” She pulled Cassidy desperately. “This world isn’t for you.”

“Have I not done everything you’ve asked of me? I may have had some issues, but I got over them. All I want is to be… is to be a good Sub for you.”

Cassidy’s tears brought Mistress to her knees. Kneeling in front of her, she took Cassidy’s face in her hands “God, Cassidy, you are so much more than this. I’m leaving because it’s what’s healthiest. For both of us.” She wiped Cassidy’s tears with her thumbs, fighting to keep her own tears from falling. “I should have left you alone,” she whispered, then leaned in to feather a kiss on Cassidy’s cheek. “I was selfish, and I’m sorry. I’ll never forget you, Cassidy.”

She rose quickly and left before she didn’t have the strength to. It was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do. With all that she had been through, she found it curious that a woman she had just met could affect her so profoundly. And wondered if she had the power to move on this time.

“HOW LONG AM I going to have to apologize for this, Hunter?” Rebecca tapped her fingernails on the table as she talked to her old friend on the phone.