Page 156 of At Her Pleasure
Despite all that, she hoped she seemed outwardly calm. She met Ros’s gaze. “Unless you’ve already planned something special.”
“No. I haven’t.”
They could have made a big deal about going somewhere they’d never been invited. But this was why they were her family, and such good Dommes to the men they chose. They knew when someone was vulnerable, even if just by doing something anyone else did without a second thought.
“That would be lovely,” Ros said smoothly. “You’ll need to text us the address.”
“Okay. Just the four of you. Mick will be there.”
Full stop, as the significance of the directive gripped the table. “Are you sure he’s ready?” Skye signed first. “We know it’s been rough.”
Yeah, it had been.
Mick had already bolted twice. She hadn’t gone after him. The first time, he’d returned after twelve hours.
The second had been three days.
“Do it one more time,” she told him, “And I will chain you up in my shed.”
She wasn’t going to lose him to his demons.
But the threat wasn’t why he hadn’t done it since. She’d put him through a grueling beating that night, one that evened them both out, supposedly. But later that night, he’d woken to find her in her yard, digging a hole for plants she didn’t have, the helpless worry so unbearable she had no outlet for it other than the physical rending of the earth. Until he appeared and she turned the anger on him.
He'd held onto her as she struck at him. He’d known that, for once, she wasn’t looking for a fight. They’d ended up kneeling together on the dirt. “All right.” His voice was raw. “I won’t do that again, Mistress. I won’t leave you.”
He’d let her put a location app on his phone, so if he needed some time to himself, and was too deep in his head to call or send a text, she’d know he was somewhere close by. Like at the park, or the Audubon Zoo. He liked watching the elephants. It told her he was taking time, not taking off.
He wouldn’t consider therapy, and she was the last person to push it, but she’d spoken to Abby about Dr. Mo, aka Maureen Whisnant, the woman who’d helped Abby with her schizophrenia. Sometime in the future, maybe Mick would find his way to her. Right now it was just day by day.
“It’s not about him being ready,” Cyn answered Skye’s question. “It’s about me.”
Ros smiled, her gaze serious. “So it’s time.”
“Yes. I’m certain.”
“Good.” Proving the importance of the declaration, Abby’s gaze held Cyn’s for a full few seconds before it slid to the left, but she held on at Cyn’s earring. “So were we. But I won the bet on when you’d figure it out.”
Cyn made a face, and everyone chuckled. Except Vera. She had her head bent over her tablet.
“Vera?”
The HR manager lifted her head, her pale gray eyes thoughtful. “I’m so glad for you.”
“Do you have a concern?” Ros asked.
“Would it matter?”
The uncharacteristically edgy response startled Cyn, but she met Vera tone for tone. “Yes. I don’t give a shit what the whole world thinks, about how I live my life or the choices I make. But you’re my family. Your opinion matters.”
Regret crossed Vera’s face. “When you and Mick are together, it’s obvious. We all saw it, the moment you crossed paths at the club. His darkness concerns me, because it’s deep.” She gave Cyn a pointed look. “You got shot while you were on a camping trip with him.”
“Please. Everyone here knows I don’t need a man’s help to get myself shot.”
Vera sighed, rubbed her forehead. “He’s going to take a lot of healing.”
“And I’m not the nurturing type?” Cyn’s fingers curled defensively on the table. She wasn’t in the habit of disguising her reactions in this company. She wouldn’t now.
“The healing fits the patient.” Vera met her gaze. “I think you’re exactly what he needs. What I hope you know is that you have a whole team to help you.”