Page 88 of Possess

“And if you need help, call me. A group of Doms can be there before you know it.”

“Will do.” Zeke was surprised by the offer. Well, maybe not. They were family at Wicked Sanctuary. His gut tightened. Family. Allyson didn’t realize it, but she had a family right here.

Zeke pulled away from Max and headed to Sweet and Savory. Dani was standing outside with the subs surrounding her. They were subdued as they waved as Dani hopped into his truck and they took off.

“Tell me everything Allyson said,” Zeke told Dani.

“She wasn’t making a lot of sense. Something about not being good enough.”

Zeke swore as he merged onto the freeway. “Where in Seattle am I going?” It was Sunday and traffic could be a bitch.

“Industrial district.” She fiddled with her phone. “The place we want is at the corner of South Hudson and First Street.”

“What the hell is she doing there?” He sped up.

“That’s where the party is being held.” Dani wrung her hands together. “I can’t understand her falling back into that old pattern. She told you about the private parties she attended in Seattle, right?”

His blood ran cold. “A bit. But she indicated she was done with them.”

“I thought so too. But Zeke, she sounded dejected, like her life didn’t matter anymore.”

“Damn it.” A semi pulled into his lane going fifty-five. Zeke swung into an empty lane and sped up.

“I tried to talk her into coming to my house if nothing else, but she wouldn’t listen. She kept saying she wasn’t worthy, and she needed to forget. What happened?”

“We had breakfast with my parents and sister. Questions about her parents and childhood came up.” Zeke still couldn’t figure out why that triggered Allyson. She’d told him her parents weren’t faithful to each other. Was she afraid she couldn’t be faithful? “We got back to my house, were talking, and she lost it.”

“Her parents. I should have guessed.”

“What is the deal with her parents? She said she hasn’t seen them since she was eighteen, and they weren’t a part of her life.”

“They were never a part of her life.”

“What do you mean?” Zeke wondered about that, but whenever he brought it up, Allyson shut down. And look where that landed them. He should have sat her down and pulled the information out of her.

“It’s not my story to tell.” Dani sighed. “Zeke, it isn’t you. Allyson doesn’t understand what a true relationship is about. She was like this when she first came to live with me and my grandparents.”

“What did you do?” Zeke spied the exit he needed.

“Gave her time. It helped that we’re the same age and female. My grandparents gave her space to make her own mistakes.”

Zeke slowed down as he turned onto South Hudson, checking the addresses. Actually, it wasn’t hard to find. There were cars parked all over the place. He finally found a place to park on the side street.

“You should stay here,” Zeke said as he climbed out of the truck.

“No.” Dani hopped out. “If I know this one, you’re going to need me to get in.”

As they walked closer, the beat of the music rattled the blacked-out windows. Zeke’s muscles tightened. With the music that loud a person couldn’t even hear themselves think, much less hear someone yelling a safeword.

“I need you to act like my Dom,” Dani whispered as they started up the stairs.

Zeke opened his mouth when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head and saw Allyson being pulled around the side of the building. “This way.” He grasped Dani by the arm and led her away from the door.

“Let me go!” That was Allyson’s voice. Zeke didn’t hesitate; he pulled Dani with him as he ran around the side of the building.

He saw Allyson struggling with a man. Zeke didn’t even think; he let go of Dani and grabbed the guy by the shoulders. “She’s mine.”

“Hey man, she walked back here with me.”

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