Page 30 of Making Choices

I’m frozen in one spot.

My feet refuse to move—either toward her or to leave.

With my fingers curled into fists, I look her up and down, and do my best to conceal my muddled thoughts. “Not sure you understand how this is gonna go, doll. I make the orders… you follow them.”

“Ooooo.” She tilts her head to the side and runs her gaze the length of my body. “Do we fancy ourselves a dom?”

Despite the uncertainty rooting me to the floor, my mouth runs without inhibition. “There’s nothing fancy about it. I’m a savage, I don’t play around with safe words and rules.”

For the second time, I attempt to take a step toward her, but my legs won’t cooperate. Icy foreboding surges within me, a sneaky wave that engulfs me from behind and threatens to take me out at the knees. I’m on the verge of conceding defeat when my phone starts ringing in the inner pocket of my cut. Outrage flashes in Bebe’s eyes as I hold up a hand to shush her and retrieve the device with the other. A glance at the screen sets my teeth on edge.

Phone to my ear, I ask, “What have ya done now?”

“Nothin’ that a good dickin’ won’t fix,” Venom replies with a chuckle. Gritting my teeth, I grind them hard as I battle to quell the urge to tell my best friend that I wouldn’t mind joining him… in his woman’s bed. “It’s what I’m about to do that I need your help with.”

“Will it be bloody?”

There is a hint of insanity in his voice when he replies, “If I have my way.”

“Tank’s already with Fret so I can be at the usual spot within half an hour.”

“Nah,” he cautions. I can hear his dark side taking control as he adds. “This is personal so it’s happenin’ off-site. Meet me at my shed.”

“Give me an hour.”

“Make it in half that time and I’ll let you have the first go at his dental work.”

“You’ve got yourself a motherfuckin’ deal.”

He ends the call and my adrenaline spikes. It floods my veins with anticipation and helps me shake free of whatever the hell had me rooted to the floor. With the opportunity to get my head back on straight looming high in my near future, there’s pep in my step as I tuck my phone back in its pocket and spin toward the door.

“That’s it?” Bebe snarls. “You’re gonna leave without an explanation.”

When I turn to her and our gazes lock, I’m surprised at the level of animosity in them. It reminds me of my initial impression of her. There’s something off here. It’s similar to the feeling I get with Jack. As I plaster an apology on my face and try to find the words to explain my weird behaviour, the calculation that gleams in her eyes gives me whiplash.

Is she upset that I’m ditching her without getting her off or is she playing with me?

Off-balance and uncertain how to proceed, I decide to lie. “You know our little deal?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s just say I can confirm it’s gonna happen sooner than you think.”

Her eyes narrow and she purses her lips. “As excuses go, it’s acceptable.”

“Anyhow.” I pull the hair tie free of my man bun and secure my locks at my nape so my hair is ready for my helmet. “Duty calls. I suppose we can…”

Although I trail off and leave my promise to pick up where we’ve left off unsaid, Bebe doesn’t take offence. She slides off the mattress and steps in close to me. When she lifts onto her tiptoes, I close the distance between us to press my lips to hers. The kiss is chaste. It doesn’t inspire my dick back into action, but I feel something. A light flutter in my gut that tells me I might be able to pursue this if I can stop pining after my best friend’s woman long enough to accept other women exist.

“I’m on night rotations for the next month,” Bebe murmurs when she pulls her mouth from mine. “It’s my punishment for standing up to Jack… we can give this itch of yours a proper scratch another night.”

“Sounds good.”

I’m halfway out the door when she calls after me, “I’ll text you.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her not to bother, but all intentions of doing the gentlemanly thing by not mixing business with pleasure die when I stop in front of the elevator doors, and Jack comes to stand next to me. We enter the steel box in silence. He hits the button for the basement carpark and I smile.

The universe is on my side tonight.

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