Exposed Exposed (Dom Nation #1) - E. Davies Page 0,98
was the only thing I could think of. One thought of Isaac could chase away the sweet, bold man I loved and leave in his place the deer in the headlights who had just fled.
I hated him for having that power.
“Don’t take this out on me,” Seb warned, bristling. “I can’t keep him out of the room. Only away from you. This is between you and your play partner.”
My gut roiled again. This was more than one session between us. More than a short-lived fling. It had to be. I’d given my word.
Unless I’d just screwed everything up, and I couldn’t bear that thought. I didn’t know what I’d do if I was too fucked-up to even keep safe the one man I’d promised that to.
The need to look after Slate—to comfort and calm him, and to drive off the nightmare that had closed in around him again—pulled at me, sharp and urgent.
“Not play partner,” I corrected heatedly. “He’s my boy, and he fucking needs me. I’m not waiting around any longer.” How could I stand here talking when Slate was wrapped up in his fears, lost and alone and in need of his Daddy to take care of him? “I promised,” I whispered fiercely, stepping up to Seb and staring him in the eye. “I promised, Seb.”
My friend dipped his head slightly. He signaled another DM and then said, “Let’s move. We’ll talk to Tony and see if he’s left.”
For once, our slim, snarky friend didn’t have a razor-eyed glance for me. “Yeah, he left a few minutes ago,” he told us, his eyes on me rather than Seb, who had asked. “Everything okay?”
“That depends,” Seb said gravely. “Did Isaac leave, too?”
Shit. My guts froze as I turned to look over my shoulder, like I’d find him standing there, leering in victory. I’d just assumed he was still lurking here, like a tiger circling the herd to pick out the weak prey.
“Yeah.” Tony glanced at the curb. “You just missed him. He called a taxi.”
“Fuck,” I hissed. I turned to the barrier, but before I could step over it, Seb grabbed my arm.
“Think carefully,” Seb told me quietly. He stepped between me and the line of guys waiting to get in and casting me curious glances. “If you think Isaac is capable of harm…”
I folded my arms over my chest, shivering as the night air cooled the frantic sweat from my forehead. “Then I can’t let him get a head start. He’s a possessive creep. He saw us together, and now he’s going after Slate. I know it.” I fished out my phone and stabbed for the taxi number.
Seb pressed his lips together hard and then nodded. “Call for help if you need it. And go straight to Slate’s. No delays.”
He had a point. The last thing I wanted was to be cornered by Isaac in some dark alley without help.
“Fine. Shit,” I swore, my gaze fixed on the corner like the taxi would come reversing around the corner with a furious Isaac in it. Okay, maybe I needed a shirt, too. And sensible shoes. Although these stilettos would put a hole somewhere Isaac needed one.
When I hung up with the taxi on the way, Seb watched me. “Don’t get caught up in Isaac. Fix this between you and Slate,” he told me.
“I don’t know if I can.” I shook my head. Defending Slate from Isaac? Easy. Talking to Slate, begging his forgiveness for failing so badly as his Dom on our first public outing? God, it was scary.
“If being his Daddy hurts too much, be Master X,” Seb told me quietly. “I don’t care who you want to tell yourself you are—underneath, it’s always the same man. And I know you’re capable of this. Human to human, he needs you, Rex.”
My throat was too tight. I couldn’t speak. I just nodded, the strap digging into my hand as I clutched my bag close to me. “Thank you.”
Seb nodded and detached the barrier for me to walk through. I sprinted for the taxi and climbed in, already kicking my heels off as I buckled up my seatbelt.
I gave Slate’s address and then thrashed around the back seat to get into my jeans and sneakers while the bored-looking cabbie fiddled with the music.
Two blocks from Slate’s house, I spotted another taxi in front of us, and I immediately knew who it was. “Oh, shit,” I whispered and leaned forward, between the seats. “Follow him, but not too close.”