Page 55 of No Rules

“Thank you,” Alex and his dad said at the same time, then grinned at each other.

“Follow me, Dad.”

Alex led him to the library. Thank god Jesse had solved his problem of wanting some privacy with his dad.

“Your mother sends her love,” his dad said as he removed his jacket and folded it over the back of a reading chair. “It made little sense for her to accompany me on such a brief trip, but she’s eager to see you again.”

“I know, but it’s hard to find the time to get away. Maybe after we’ve wrapped up this case.”

They settled on couches opposite each other. “Can you tell me what you’re working on?”

“I’ve been working with Ryan Mason, the private investigator on the team, on a case involving a dead racehorse.” Alex told his father the basics of the case, stopping briefly when one of the housekeeping staff brought a tray with coffee and some sweet and salty snacks. He didn’t need to tell his dad to keep the details to himself. The man had no other setting than discrete after his long career in the Army.

His dad whistled between his teeth. “Sounds like you guys got your work cut out for you. Which one was Ryan?”

Shit, he’d never even introduced Ryan to his dad, too nervous about the whole meeting. “The older guy with the silver in his hair.”

“I figured as much. He had that sharp look. He’s former law enforcement?”

“Homicide detective in Austin. I’m learning so much from him.”

“You seem happy, kiddo. I told you that when I first saw you, but it’s true. You have this glow about you that tells me you’re doing well.” His father narrowed his eyes. “Or is there someone in your life? If you want to tell me, that is.”

Shit. What did he do now? He flat out refused to lie to his dad, and denying there was someone would be a big, fat lie. He might not have figured out all the complex layers of his relationship with Ryan, but he’d become far more important than just a coworker—so had developing his submissive nature. If he was ever going to be honest with his father about who he was, now was the time. His heart raced as if it might burst through his ribcage at any moment.

“Dad, I’m… I don’t know how you will feel about this, but I want to be honest with you.” He took a deep breath. “I’m submissive, Dad. And I’ve found a Dom to train me and help me develop that part of myself. Ryan. I’m kinda with him, but it’s complicated.”

His father’s eyes widened. Shit, had he made a mistake sharing this with him? What if he took it the wrong way? Alex could see the wheels turning in his father’s head as he processed the information. When the silence stretched between them, becoming almost unbearable, Alex braced himself for an outburst of anger or disappointment.

“Son, I have to admit this is…unexpected.” His father’s tone was cautious but not unkind. “I don’t know much about this lifestyle other than what are probably stereotypes. Can you explain it to me?”

Alex exhaled. “Being a submissive means I willingly give control to someone else, my Dominant, because it fulfills a deep need within me. It’s about feeling cared for and protected, about letting go and allowing someone else to take over.”

His father listened intently. “And this person, your Dominant, what do they do?”

Alex was pretty sure his father didn’t want nor need a play-by-play of the scene he’d done with Ryan, but he also understood his father had a hard time picturing what it looked like. “Right now, we’re still experimenting to figure out what I need and how I respond to various things. So we’re trying impact play, for example, and other types of…play.”

“I’m sure ‘play’ is a euphemism here for a lot of things we’d both rather not discuss, but is it safe?” The concern in his father’s eyes was genuine.

“We have rules and boundaries, which we’ve both agreed upon. All I have to do is say one word, and everything stops immediately.”

“A safeword.”

“Yes. Everything we do is consensual, and we always have a safeword in place. If I ever feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed, I can use that word.”

“I won’t pretend to understand all this, Alex, but I love you and want what’s best for you. If this is what makes you happy and fulfilled, I support you.”

The wave of relief washing over Alex made him dizzy for a moment. He hadn’t realized how much he’d needed to hear those words until his father had said them aloud. “Thank you, Dad.”

A weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

“I’m not sure how to tell your mom though.”

“Does she need to know? Maybe we can keep this between us?”

“I think that would be for the best. Not sure your mom would want to know this.” He cleared his throat. “Have you talked to your brother lately?”

Alex’s older brother, Cole, was a fighter pilot in the Air Force. “Yeah, Cole and I spoke last week. He told me he’s gearing up for deployment.”