Page 72 of There's a Way

“If you need to talk, I’m here. Davy will need to go to bed early tonight. He has an early appointment with Dr. Woods and then he’s scheduled to work the rest of the day.”

“I know. I’m looking forward to turning in early, too.”

“I had a nap, so I’ll have to see how tired I am.” I took a breath. “I’ll probably go home tonight. Maybe.”

“I hope you stay, but I understand if you need some time alone.”

“It’s more about…” I could be honest with him now, so why was I hesitating? “My bear needs some time in the woods.”

“Ah. Is that something you can do here?”

I shook my head. “I can’t take a chance on someone catching an image of a bear with a drone flying over the road.”

“Fair enough, and I guess it explains why you’ve needed to go home as often as you have.”

“Honestly? It’s both a matter of needing to be my bear and needing time with Matty. He’s been my best friend for so long, I miss him when I don’t see him every couple of days.”

“Perhaps we can invite him over more often, though I can see how it’s easier when he’s just right there, when you’re at your apartment.”

“I get that you want this to be home for me, and it’s…” I shrugged. “It still feels a little like I’m a guest, and yet, I also feel at home here. I’m comfortable making food in the kitchen, using the pool, and taking a nap. I have some clothes here, but most of my stuff is still in my apartment. I admit it’s kind of nice not having to worry with laundry, but when I’m home and I use my towels, sleep in my bed, it feels good.”

“I had my construction guys work on some ideas to put another closet in, and after looking over all their suggestions, I think the best plan is to give you Davy’s closet, and have them…”

He sighed and told me, “Walk with me to the guest bedroom next door?”

I followed him down the hall to the room closest to the master bedroom, and then into the close of that room. He pointed to the back of it. “My closet backs up to that wall. They’re going to put a wall here, where the door is, and then a door on that wall, so we can access Davy’s closet through mine. I’ll buy a big armoire to go in this bedroom, so whatever guest is in here will have a place to hang their clothes.”

The closet he’d built for Davy was bigger than my closet plus it was automated, so it would hold a whole lot more than mine. I considered how Davy might feel about this, and realized it probably wouldn’t matter where his clothes are, since he doesn’t have access to them. He has another closet in the garage for his work clothes, and that’s the only one he can open.

“I don’t want to take his closet, but it’s mostly you getting things from his closet anyway, since he doesn’t get to pick what he wears except his work clothes. It makes sense the closet with his non-work clothes is accessed through yours.”

“He can open it when I’m on tour, or he did for the last one. You might end up doing that the next time I’m gone.”

“I want to say we need to make sure he doesn’t get his feelings hurt, but that isn’t our relationship with him. Still, if it truly bothers him, we might need to step back and rethink it.”

“I don’t expect it to bother him, but if it does, we’ll address it.”

Chapter 33

Davy

I got the hated black cane and kneeled by the humbler. He hadn’t told me I was going to be caned in the humbler, but he clearly wanted me to prepare for it. Was it a mindfuck, or was that his plan? I had no way of knowing, so I kneeled in complete silence, my arms over my head with the cane balanced on my palms. Alone with my thoughts.

A slave doesn’t get to decide what happens to him. A slave exists solely for the pleasure of his Master. Will needed to hurt his slave, and it was up to me to suffer for my Master.

I’d been disappointed when he just sent me to clean the pool and then work out. This was what I’d wanted, so I should be thankful. I tried to talk myself into being thankful, but I never quite got there.

I don’t know how long I sat with my thoughts before music suddenly flooded the room. Drums and guitar. Raw. Feral.

Sometimes Master hurts me and fucks me in perfect silence. Sometimes there are ballads in the background. Occasionally, he pulls out something completely unexpected, like Enya or Air Supply.

But just raw music? Riffing on the guitar with drums and nothing else? It meant my Master was in a mood, and I was finally relieved to know he was going to reassert what we are to each other: Master and slave. Sadist and Masochist. Owner andowned. All the anxiety from moments earlier was gone. Now that it was about to happen, I only felt relief.

I was indoctrinated into the lifestyle as a slave. I’ve never been a mere submissive. I understand that the kind of devotion I have to Master isn’t seen as normal by most, but it’smynormal.

However,after being away from constant reminders of my status for a while, kneeling with my arms over my head while holding one of Master’s most brutal canes, second only to the damned stainless one…

I suppose it’s dark romance to most, but it’s just plain old romance to me. Proof of how much I mean to Master. Proof he’s my Master and I’m his slave.

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