“Isaac and I will take care of it,” I assured him. “In the meantime, I want you to stay here. Pretend it’s not an option if you’d like.”
His jaw flexed beneath my fingers when he replied with, “Why?”
I opted for the truth. “Because I want you here.”
That seemed to settle him.
“I won’t hurt you,” I told him. I wasn’t attempting to make him feel safe, I was being truthful. I wasn’t a Sadist. Pain wasn’t my thing. If he needed it, I wouldn’t give it to him. Couldn’t.
“I don’t want you to.”
“Good. Then we’re on the same page.” I released his jaw. “Call in to work. At least through tomorrow. We’ll see where we are then.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You’ll come eat breakfast, then I want you to take a shower. And if you want to scene, I’ll meet you in the basement at two o’clock. There’s a rug in the TV area. You can kneel, wait for me.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed, his eyes flared, and when he said, “Yes, Sir,” I knew exactly where I’d find him at two o’clock.
SIX
Dante
Although I’d wanted to hide out, I had followed Ian’s instructions, joining them for breakfast.
Everly’s expression had revealed her concern, and I made an attempt to shrug it off, then felt guilty for it. Not enough to break down and tell her everything, but enough that I’d spent the morning with her and Heaven, watching TV while Ian and Isaac went down to the basement to work.
At one forty-five, Isaac returned, his eyes scanning the three of us where we sat on the sofa, me on one end, Heaven on the other, Everly curled up between us, her head on my lap. It was a position familiar to us, one we gravitated toward at the house. When Heaven wasn’t with us, I would often spoon behind Everly, resting my head on a pillow and watching TV over her while she snoozed. I think it was my instinctual need to protect her. What brought out that instinct, I didn’t know, but it had always been there. Only with her, though.
“How long’s she been asleep?” Isaac asked.
“An hour,” I told him. “Maybe two.”
He nodded, then, with minimal effort, slid his hands beneath her and lifted her up. He held her as though she was fragile, and it consoled me somewhat. He wasn’t going to hurt her, I knew that much. He cared about her, and though Everly hadn’t gone into detail about her relationship with Isaac or Ian, I knew they were important to her. She’d mentioned them a couple of times, told me about the scenes she’d done with them. I’d always noticed the wonder in her voice, as though she couldn’t quite believe they were real. However, she had always used words to belittle what they had: temporary, fleeting, fun. There was more to this than that, I could already tell.
Isaac’s eyes met mine before he turned. “Ian’s waiting for you downstairs.”
“Yes, Sir.”
His gaze turned to Heaven, but he didn’t say anything.
I wasn’t sure what dynamic was forming here, but it was interesting, to say the least. These two Dominants were definitely interested in Everly, but their attraction to Heaven was evident, as though she was a bonus.
What their intentions were with me, I didn’t know. But I certainly wanted to find out.
When Isaac left the room with Everly in his arms, I started to get up.
“Do you know who did this?” Heaven whispered. “Attacked Everly?”
I couldn’t look her in the eye. “I don’t know for sure.”
“Why would someone think she was me?”
That was the million-dollar question, one I didn’t have an answer for. Roger Cherlish only knew I had two roommates. I hadn’t given him any details about either of them. So any information he had, he’d dug up on his own.
“Whoever he is, he’s an asshole,” she muttered.
I smiled, couldn’t help myself. “He is.”
“How do we stop him?”
I shrugged. It had been the same question I’d asked myself a few dozen times in the past year. Ever since that asshole showed his true colors.
Before I could slip out of the room, Isaac returned. “Heaven, come with me. I’d like to show you something.”
“Sure.” She popped to her feet, a hint of uncertainty in her tone.
Realizing I was only minutes away from being late to my scene with Ian, I hurried to the basement stairs, trotted down. He was sitting at a desk, his full attention on the laptop screen in front of him. With his instructions clear in my mind, I headed for the small seating area at the far end of the room.
The basement was decked out as nicely as the house. Furniture was expensive and plentiful. From the desk areas that were structured as an office, to the small kitchenette with stainless steel appliances. There was a game section with a pool table, dart board, and a high table with two chairs. The seating area had two plush leather sofas facing an enormous television mounted on the wall.
