Page 306 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection
“No, I?—”
What do I say? It’s okay? It’s not. It’s totally not. Even with the gentleness of his smile and the warmth of his kiss, I want to punch him in the throat and grab my collar back.
“I know,” he says, running a soft hand over my still-damp hair. “It’s a nasty shock and I am sorry. If it makes you feel any better, your reaction makes me even happier I fought to keep you in the club. I wish all of our house submissives were as attached to their collar and what it means as you are.”
He fought for me? With who? Probably the rest of the management committee that runs Blunts. Logan’s on the committee, but I doubt he likes me enough to break whatever rules of secrecy they have to warn me this was coming. Ten’s on the committee, too, and I can’t see him fighting for me, or giving me a head’s up.
“Thank you for that, sir. For everything. I really am grateful. I just—” I glance at my collar and choke up again.
Chess pushes my collar into his pants pocket, out of sight, and gives me another kiss on the forehead before he rises.
“We’re the ones who should be grateful for everything you’ve given us, Bren. Mac doesn’t look like a man who takes his good fortune for granted, but if he does, you send him to me. I’ll straighten him out.”
That pulls a weak laugh out of me. “Thank you, sir.”
“Have him text me with any questions. If he gives you permission, just a yes would be nice so I have a record of hisconsent. Then I’ll let Tee know to put you back on the schedule for next week.”
“I’ll tell him. Thank you so much, sir.”
Chess gives me a warm hug goodbye and walks me out to the elevators. I wipe at my cheeks with the back of my hand as I follow him. No one needs to know that I’m affected by either the nice things Chess has said and done for me, or by the loss of my collar, until I get to Mac. Then I plan to have a long fucking cry.
Of course, Ten is waiting for me at the elevators, his arms crossed over his chest, his heavy boot propped up against the wall behind him, probably leaving a mark on the cream wallpaper.
Chess stops a few feet away, turns to me, and pats me on the shoulder. “I’ll leave you here.” He apologizes with his eyes for letting Ten ambush me and kisses my forehead. “Talk soon.”
“Yes, sir.” I can’t really be angry with him, since he did suggest I speak to Ten and it was my decision not to.
Ten waits until Chess has walked back into his office before he growls, “You went through with it, then.”
I touch my bare throat before I can stop myself. “I’ve resigned, yeah.”
“Without one fucking word to me.”
“What did you want me to say?”
“How about, I’m thinking of quitting, sir? I’m thinking about walking away from the thing we’ve had for five years and giving you the bird on the way out the door?”
“Whatthing, sir? I’m your slut for a scene, nothing more. You’ve told me so a hundred times. You’ve never offered me your collar or even any commitment.”
“Because neither of us is built for monogamy.”
I lift a shoulder. “That may have been true once, sir, but it’s what I want now.”
“With who?” Ten grinds out, like he’s chewing rocks. “That friend of Logan’s? That old man? You don’t need one Master and you sure as fuck don’t need a daddy. You’ve been spending too much fucking time with Logan and his damn little if you think so.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from bristling at his insult of my Sir and tamp down my rising temper. Blowing my lid at Ten never gets me anywhere except riding a wooden horse for an hour.
“Age is just a number,” I say through my teeth.
“And Viagra is just a vitamin. Hope he has a refillable prescription.”
That’s it. “You are such an asshole sometimes, sir. This is not about Mac. I’m not happy here. I haven’t been for a while. You’ve known it and you didn’t do anything about it because you don’t give a fuck about how I feel, and you never have.”
He pushes off the wall and gets up in my face. Glowering down at me. My instinct is to submit, to cower. Instead, I harden my spine and glare back at him.
“You want me to chase you, is that it?”
“No, sir. I’m not Briar and I don’t play those kinds of games.”
