Page 4 of Shrouded Desires
“Listen. Tell Lizzie I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He glanced at the pile up, as if the carnage would miraculously disappear in the few minutes he’d been on the phone.
“I’ll tell her, but don’t worry busting your tail to get here tonight. I’m taking her home in a few minutes. The staff has assured us that Master will be well taken care of and that us hanging out in the hall isn’t good for anyone.”
“You’re gonna leave her alone?” Unease rolled through his stomach – leaving a vulnerable, hurting submissive who had a history of self-harm wasn’t a good idea. “Are you sure that’s wise?”
“Relax, Dad.” Condemnation dripped from Raine’s words. “I’m planning on staying with her tonight. Master would have my ass if I left her alone. Besides that’s what best friends do, you know.”
“Dad?” He bristled. “Look, I don’t need to deal with a bratty sub right now...”
“And I don’t need to deal with a dickhead dominant either.” Raine retorted before hanging up.
He stared at his phone in its holster. Call ended flashed across the screen as the music resumed. “He fucking hung up on me.” The audacity of Max’s sub had him shaking his head. The boy didn’t know who the hell he was dealing with. “We’ll see about that.”
* * *
Setting his phone on the dresser in the guestroom, Raine sighed. His skin felt tight from his earlier flogging. A hot shower would come eventually. After he made sure that Lizzie was settled. He’d left her in the room she’d shared with Master. She was supposed to be getting ready for her own shower, while he ran down the hall and plugged his cell in. It also gave him time and privacy to make a quick call to the club. He needed to update Lucas, the dominant-in-charge, of Master Max’s status as he’d promised.
The idea of dealing with another dominant after his confrontation with Storm had his stomach rolling. He hated arguments, and all he really wanted at the moment was a little bit of solitude after the stress of dealing with the hospital staff. It reminded him why he’d taken refuge in Master Max’s protection. He needed the solitude of the club.But a promise is a promise,he reminded himself. So, he picked up the phone and dialed the club. It didn’t take long for Master Lucas to answer the phone. He briefly gave the man the same rundown as he’d given Storm. Of course, the man then had to express his worry about who would run the club. Raine had half expected it. Squeezing the bridge of his nose, he tried to gather his unraveling patience.
“Look, I’m sure everything will be alright, Master Lucas. We might have a few bumps in the road until Master Maxwell returns, but I’m sure he had a plan in place if something like this happened. I’ll ask him tomorrow when he’s more coherent.”
He listened for a moment, as Lucas continued to rant about all the dominants that would be pissed if the club was closed too long. He sighed in frustration. “I understand your concern – I really do. However, at the moment, there is nothing we can do. Just make sure to lock the club up tight when you leave. I have my keys.”
“Rainy?” Lizzy’s voice echoed down the hall.
“Look, I have to go, Master Lucas. I’m sure the club will only be closed for a few days while everything gets sorted out. Trust me. Master Maxwell would never allow the club to close for too long.”
The man on the other end seemed to finally accept his assurances. He hung up the phone, then Lizzy appeared in the doorway, an uncertain look on her face. Dressed in an old flannel robe with her hands tucked in the pockets and her dark hair waving softly around her face, she almost seemed childlike in her appearance.
“I was just getting ready to come find you.” He set the cell back down on the dresser. “You ready for your shower?”
She nodded. “It’s silly for you to sit on the toilet though, Rainy. I’m fine.”
He mentally rolled his eyes. It was more like she wanted privacy to relieve a bit of stress – with a razor. And he wasn’t about to let that happen. “So, you say.”
“I’ll be okay. Honest.” She fidgeted. “I just need to get clean, then crawl into bed.”
He walked over to her, then sighed and held his hand out. “Give it to me, Lizzie.”
She avoided his gaze and chewed on her lower lip. He saw her contemplate lying to him. Finally, a small sound escaped her, and she pulled the disposable razor from her pocket.
He took the bright pink razor from her trembling fingers, disappointment riding him hard. He’d hoped she would resist the urge but knew better. “You know Master’s rules about razors, Lizzie. You’re not allowed to have them because of your cutting tendencies.”
“I can explain.” Lizzie’s blue eyes welled up with tears as she glanced up at him. “I just needed to…”
He pressed his finger over her lips. “I get it, you need an outlet.” Then he steeled himself to deal with her blatant disobedience. “But that still doesn’t mean you get to break the rules Master put in place to keep you safe. You have alternatives.”
Her shoulders slumped. “But I can’t ask you to do that. Not after everything else.” She sighed. “I was really hoping that Master Storm would have made it. He knows what I need as well.”
Hurt hit him square in the chest, but he pushed it away. It was only natural that she would want a dominant to dole out the pain she needed. He was a poor substitute.But I’ll have to do in a pinch, because there is no way in hell, I’ll let her cut to avoid making me uncomfortable.“However, he didn’t. Which leaves me to give you what you need.”
A sob racked her slender frame. “But I hate it. You’re as submissive as me. You shouldn’t have to step into the dominant’s role because I’m not strong enough to deal with this shit.”
“Look at me.” Raine ordered.
She lifted her head.
“Did or did not Master train me how to deal with these episodes?”
