Page 124 of Pretty Obsessed

He tilted his head like he was rolling it over in his mind. "Whenever we are in the same place?"

"Yes, you own me." Did he believe I'd deny him anything at this point?

"But I don't."

"You do."

"No, I don't. Ownership is more. It's not part-time." He pushed off the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know." He pulled on a pair of sweats. "Anywhere else, I guess, so you can be free to not be owned while I'm away for too long."

Each word stabbed like a new puncture. All aimed to hurt. Maybe he didn’t get it.

"That's not what this is about."

"Sure seems like it with all your rules." He pulled on a shirt.

"You seek out clubs for intimacy when you get to a point you can't stand it anymore. What is going to happen if we go weeks or months without seeing each other? What if I have to go on a book tour and we’re on opposite schedules?" I snapped, and hated myself the second the words were out.

"I was trying to stop the bleeding for an open wound with faulty patches. One has nothing to do with the other." The expression he wore killed me. Every line in his face contorted in agony.

He met my eyes then turned and walked out.

I stared at the door, not sure what to do. Should I follow him? Give him space? He’d walked away, which meant he needed time. I wanted to follow him, but I also wanted to respect the boundary. I hoped Iris was there. He needed someone to be there for him since I couldn't be at the moment.

I put my head in my hands. The person I'd call would be him. How had so much changed so fast? I picked up my phone, checking the time. I dreaded calling my other best friend. I didn't think he'd be happy about any of this. He knew where I'd been, and who I’d been with. Rather impossible to hide after how we met.

I dialed his number. If he didn't want to talk to me about it, he could make that choice. I just hoped he worked tonight.

"Can't be good if you're calling me at this hour," Octavius said when he answered.

I sighed, hating how well he could read me some days. "Are you at work?"

"Just leaving."

"Late night?" I asked, not wanting to jump into my issues and be that friend.

"We had a private party for someone that rhymes with Tanye Mest."

It took me way longer than it should have to put together who he meant. "What? Really?"

"Big thing. Lots of off-the-wall stuff. Some kink I've never seen before, not shaming anyone but…wow."

"I wish I was there. I won't push. I know you have an NDA."

"Maybe I'll tell you about it sometime, no names of course."

"I'll be back home day after tomorrow. Coffee?"

"Have you finished your book yet?" he asked, sounding like he was about to scold me like a petulant child.

"Nearly. I had a meeting with my editor. She's really happy with the direction. She wants more, now I just have to write it." It felt good to have made progress.

"Was the trip for the editor or him?"

"How do you know?"

---