Page 43 of Doubts & Fears

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Is it also safe to say that you agree confidentiality sits at the very heart of an effective therapeutic relationship?”

“Ms. Taylor—”

“The maintenance of trust in the practitioner and the wider profession requires that anything discussed in sessions, be they group or individual, remain private.”

“Ms. Taylor—”

“This is a simple yes or no. Do you or do you not believe that your profession requires you to keep things discussed in private?”

“Yes, I do believe that.”

“Good, then maybe you can tell me why you think I’d ever be interested in discussing anything personal about my life when you and your buddies have some kind of childish pact to not keep secrets from one another?”

“I can assure you—”

“I don’t want your assurances, Dr. Marcel. I asked you for help once, and you flat-out told me no.”

“In my defense, you said you weren’t a victim the first time. And I tried to help you the last time over the lingerie and collar incident. Which, by the way, I was right about.”

“Yeah, well, I’d like to know your professional opinion about a young girl being forced to stay at a house where three bachelors live. They track said young girl, force her to return with them, only to take turns spanking her, bare-ass naked.”

“Ms. Taylor—”

“I’m not finished. Then the next day, she’s informed she’s not trustworthy enough to sleep alone, so now she’ll be passed around like a common whore. Is the plan to chip, collar, and kennel me?”

“That’s enough,” I warned.

She flat-out knew the consequences and conveniently left that out. It wasn’t like she wasn’t offered a safeword and asked repeatedly if she wanted to use it. Not to mention she absolutely consented and was turned on by it.

“May I speak now, Ms. Taylor?” Marcel asked.

“By all means.”

“Number one, I’d love to discuss with you in-depth about the spanking last night. We can do that privately or in a group as we are now. As far as your suggestion of chipping, collaring, and kenneling, I’d never make a suggestion like that, especially given the gift you received,” Marcel offered.

“I don’t know, Marcel, if you met her, encountered her sassy-ass attitude, you might. Don’t get me started on her stubbornness,” Alek teased.

She rolled her eyes.

“Alek, I swear,” Marcel said.

“Calm yourself. I’ve never chipped a woman, and I’ve always gotten consent for the others, and you fucking know it.”

“You’re all in need of professional help. Every last one of you,” Kinsley said under her breath. “You’ve actually collared and kenneled a woman? Alisha?”

Kinsley turned her eyes to Alek. They blazed with something akin to jealousy, and I wanted to laugh at the look but refrained, especially when Alek was noticing the same thing.

“Once, years back. I was a baby Dom. It didn’t work out for us,” Alek offered casually.

“I wonder why,” she remarked dryly. “Did you make her drink out of a dog dish?”

Alek tilted his head to the side in acknowledgment. Her eyes flared.

“Let’s discuss the spanking last night, shall we?” Marcel boomed, trying to get control of the conversation once more.

“I’d rather not,” she breathed.

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