Page 11 of Echoes of Desire

I glance at Ollie, who’s still clinging to me, his sobs quieting but his body trembling. “He will,” I say firmly. “We’ll make sure of it.”

Knox nods, his trust in me unwavering.

Once Ollie starts to calm down, I ease him back onto the couch, making sure he has his stuffed animal close. Blaze takes over, sitting beside him and continuing to offer quiet reassurances.

I step back, my mind already racing. This isn’t just about one incident. It’s about what this place represents and the responsibility we have to the people who come here.

I think about Raven. Could she understand this part of our world? The nurturing, the protectiveness, the unspoken rules that keep everything balanced?

Would she be able to accept the way we care for the Littles and the dynamic between dominance and safety?

Would she even want to?

As I step out of the room, Blaze joins me in the hallway.

“He’ll be okay,” Blaze says, his voice low.

I nod, though my mind is still elsewhere.

“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?” Blaze asks, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips.

I don’t deny it. “You think she could handle this?”

Blaze leans against the wall, his arms crossed. “Honestly? I think she’s tougher than we give her credit for. But whether she can handle it isn’t the question. The questions are, would she want to, and would we be willing to change things for her if she couldn’t?”

His words give me pause.

I glance back at the door to the Little Room, my jaw tightening. “We’ll figure it out,” I say finally.

“Yeah,” Blaze replies, pushing off the wall. “We always do.”

As we walk away, I can’t shake the thought of Raven. Her gray eyes, her quiet strength, the way she’d looked at us tonight.

She has no idea what she’s walking into. But maybe... just maybe... she’s exactly what we’ve been waiting for.

Chapter Five

Raven

I’m late. I’m late. I’m late.

I completely forgot about my car still being at O’Neal’s. Luckily, it only takes five minutes to walk to the bar, but I’m already five minutes late and now I can’t focus on anything except for the messages I saw on my phone this morning. Apparently, Jaxon and Jasper created a group message to text me through.

I completely forgot to message them before I fell asleep.

Jasper: Reynolds has been back for an hour and we still haven’t heard anything from you.

Jaxon:We just want to make sure you’re safe, sweetheart.

Jasper:Not following one simple rule is grounds for punishment, Pet.

Jaxon:What my brother is trying to say is that we’re worried about you. Text us when you wake up.

Punishment?

Me:I’m so sorry. I fell asleep on my couch as soon as I got here. I mean, I didn’t even turn off my lights or change clothes. I woke up with my purse still attached to my shoulder.

I shove my phone in my pocket and rush outside. My boss is going to be furious.