Page 21 of Dark Promises

Chapter 13

Daniel

“Ryan, I thought youand your partner agreed to keep Sam for a week. I have a date tonight.” That I wasn’t going to keep, but he didn’t need to know that.

“I’ve never known you to have a date in the last two years. Something changed? Don’t tell me you’ve finally gotten tired of waiting for Cole, and decided that playing with your cock and balls wasn’t going to satisfy anyone, not even you.”

“I hope you remember who you’re talking to. If not, then let me remind you that you were in my office begging for your job, and I was gracious enough to disregard the money you owed for all the drinks you claimed your partner inadvertently gave away while I was trying to get some rest.”

“I know. I know, and I apologize,” Ryan said, the sound of his voice a bit contrite. Not enough, but I’ll take his apology for now.

“You’re going to have to put off your date... for another time. For now, you’ll have to play with your... I mean... that rambunctious little terrier, because he’s missing.” I raked my fingers through my hair, and paced from one end of the room to the other. Then I faced Ryan.

“What the fuck do you mean?” I narrowed my glance. Ryan stepped back.

As much as I blamed Sam for chasing away the few dates I had, he wasn’t to blame, and I’d come to love Sam. I guessed I needed someone to blame, because I still hurt deep down and he was the nearest thing to Cole, and Cole had hurt me. I’d been trying to replace Cole with someone ever since he disappeared on me, and there’s no one who could replace him.

Cole had turned my body inside out and my mind was a hot mess. He was the only man who I’d connected to sexually and mentally lately. The very thought of Cole had my hands trembling from the excitement of knowing I’d be in my playroom, and I’d do some of the most exciting things to him. The thought made my cock ache, and it frustrated me, annoyed me, and thrilled me at the same time, because it seemed unnatural for any individual to have that much control over me for all these years, and I didn’t know why.

I suspended my thought after I realized what Ryan had said, and once more I was taking my frustrations out on him, and since Sam wasn’t here, Ryan became the fall guy. He and that useless partner of his, Jay. I found myself saying things that I didn’t mean.

Ryan, can’t you do anything right?I thought, but I didn’t want to make the situation worse between us, so I didn’t say what I’d thought since I’d hired him. Right now I needed Ryan. “I gave you a little dog to take care—”

“He’s not any little dog. He’s mischievous, and I swear he knew what me and Jay were saying about him. We had no privacy...”Welcome to my world,“...and we were trying to get in our lovemaking, because I work all hours since you made me a manager.”

“Don’t act as if you didn’t want that position. That’s all you asked for was to be a manager, and when I said what I’d pay to get home and have a life, and I needed time off, you agreed, so don’t pretend now that it’s too much. Now, tell me what happened to Sam?”

“The job wasn’t too much, it was Sam. Sam was causing so much trouble when we closed the door on him to our bedroom, and we went to bed, but couldn’t sleep. He was scratching and whining, and I couldn’t get an orgasm, so I got up to walk him, hoping that would wear him out. Well, when I put on the collar, he resisted and jerked away from me, so I brought him outside without a leash. When I turned my back, he darted across the street, and I couldn’t find him or see him anywhere. I came in and called you. Doesn’t he have a micro-chip or something?”

“It’s in his collar,” I barked, “and we know where that is. He wouldn’t let the vet install the chip, even though the vet said it was tiny. He bit him before he could do it, and the vet kicked Sam out of the kennel. I had to beg another vet to take care of him, and pay him higher fees. Now you tell me he’s gone.”

“What do you want from me? You couldn’t handle him, and you expect me to.”

“I expect you to find him. I don’t know your area. Put out posters, put his video on Tik Tok. Facebook, I don’t know, and I don’t care. Just find him, even if you have to go door to door. Offer a reward anything, and if you don’t find him within a week, you will have to pay for everything along with whatever else you owe me. I have to find Sam. He’s all I have.” I couldn’t believe I let those words slip from my mouth. There was complete silence coming from Ryan. Maybe he was as shocked as I was at that revelation, and totally hysterical.

“Hire someone to find him. It’s either that, or you and your partner will be looking for another job. It’s as simple as that.” There was another silence and then I heard the phone cut off.

I sat and looked out over the city. Sam wasn’t used to roaming around the city without me. Where was he going? Was he looking for Cole? He hadn’t been the same since Cole vanished on both of us. Cole deserted the two individuals who loved him the most, and I couldn’t forgive him for that.

I placed my head in my palms, and whispered, “Wherever you are, Cole and Sam, come back to me.” I didn’t believe saying those words would make a difference, but I thought if you put something out in the universe, then maybe it would come back to you in a positive way.

“What’s wrong?” I glanced up.

“Nothing. Nothing at all,” I said to Sidney. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“I need you to take my place tonight. I’m not feeling up to going out on a date. But there’s something you should know first. It’s a date with a cute guy who thinks I’m a BDSM master—”

“Well, are you?” Sidney raised an eyebrow.

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