Page 12 of Danger and Dominance
The evening was winding down, and David was finding himself reluctant to actually leave, even though he had an early morning tomorrow.Once the dishes were done, everyone ended up in the living room, taking turns talking to Cassidy and getting to know her a little better.At one point, Mick stepped outside and came back in, smelling vaguely of pot.
David shot Jensen a glance.Grimacing, Jensen reassured him that the only reason Mick was indulging in his vape was because there were so many of them there.Mick had some social anxiety about large groups and tended to keep pot around, but he didn’t smoke it all the time, and he definitely never would if it was just him and Jensen in the house with Cassidy.He understood the stakes.
Only slightly reassured, David knew he’d be keeping an eye on that situation, though he had no reason not to just accept Jensen’s assessment.And Mick wasn’t supposed to be a line of defense, not really, just an extra set of eyes.This first night, his eyes were not something they needed.
Even if her ex had been watching her, David felt sure hehadn’tfollowed her.With all the precautions they’d taken, as far as her ex knew, she had just disappeared.She’d even left her phone behind and had a new burner phone, which only Kincaid and a couple people at Stronghold had the number for.
It sucked to cut her off from her friends there, but hopefully, it wouldn’t be forever.If the incidents down in D.C.against the club members stopped, they’d be able to reassess the situation.He did hope that her disappearance from the area would mean that her ex lost interest, but considering the man had waited a whole freaking year already, he didn’t have high hopes.
Obsession and that kind of patience was never a good sign.
But it was always possible.And he couldn’t worry too much about the Stronghold and Marquis clubs and their members and possible escalation down there once Cassidy’s ex realized she was gone.They weren’t his responsibility.It always felt wrong to compartmentalize like that, but he’d found during his time in the military that it was necessary.They would have to take care of themselves.He and his team would focus on Cassidy, even though she was now out of the danger zone.
His phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket, checking the caller ID, then grinned widely, his heart jumping up a bit in his chest.Turning away from everyone, he headed to the kitchen to get away from the general noise as he answered.
“Hello.”
“Hey, big brother, how are you?”Audrey’s warm voice filled his ear, an extra bounce in her tone which he was happy to hear.She’d been out of sorts the last few times they’d talked.
“I’m good, how are you?”
“I’mfantastic.”
“That’s really good to hear.Any particular reason why?”
“I’m moving to Pittsburgh!”She sounded oddly triumphant.
“What?”He leaned against the counter in the kitchen, blinking in surprise.Of all the things he’d expected her to say, that had to be toward the bottom of the list.“Why?I mean, not that I’m not happy to hear it, but I thought you were solidly set on staying in Philly.”With their parents.That was the part he left unsaid.He and Audrey had an unspoken agreement about not talking about their parents.
“I was.”Now, there was a slight hint of hesitation in her voice, which meant that, yes, this decision did have something to do with getting away from their parents.Something she’d been loathe to do after David had cut contact with them and “ruined” all their dreams, according to them.“But I decided it was time.And I bought a bakery.I found one for sale in Pittsburgh, and I bought it.”
“Congratulations!”David hesitated because he knew that was what Audrey had always wanted to do.He wondered how their parents had reacted, but he didn’t want to ask.
“It’s actually on the same street as your office.”
Immediately, David’s brain flashed through the street.There was only one empty storefront, formerly a café.They’d occasionally gotten lunches there, but the food had gone downhill after the owner retired and new management took over, and it had ended up closing.
“Where Joe’s Café used to be?”
“That’s the spot!”
“That’s a great spot.”
“Right?I’m not moving quite yet.I need to find a place to live, and there’s some work that needs to be done to turn the café into a bakery, but I have the lease, and I’ve started figuring out what I want to renovate and everything.”She sounded so gleefully happy, David hated to put a damper on her mood, but he couldn’t help but ask.
“So… do Mom and Dad know?”Silence.Crap.He felt like a jerk.“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s fine.I mean… you know.They’re not thrilled.I’m pretty sure they think I’m gonna fail and come crawling back to them.”The cheerfulness in her voice was more forced now.“They didn’t try to forbid me or anything, though.”
“I guess they learned their lesson with me,” David said with a dark chuckle; being cut off from his family hadn’t really been funny at all.
“I think they might be coming around with that, too,” she said.“They weren’t at all upset that I was moving to Pittsburgh.They even said they might come visit for the holidays once I’m settled.I think they’re hoping to see you.”
“So, they’ve stopped thinking I’m an abusive, perverted horror because I’m kinky?”he asked dryly.
“Well… Mom’s been reading some books…”
Yikes.Okay, he did not want to know more about that.Though if it helped his parents better understand the lifestyle, he was all for it.He just didn’t want to hear about it.
