Page 148 of For the Sub

It shouldn’t.

She was a professional submissive, but that didn’t have any effect on the fierce jealousy that clobbered him once more.

“Brandy’s a valued employee,” Damien said, reaching for his glass again. “She has a right to do what she sees fit.”

Damn straight, she does.

Now if he could make himself believe his own bullshit.

“Until you move on from the past, you can never have a future,” Damien observed.

“What the hell are you? A psychologist suddenly?”

“Look…”

They’d been friends for too long for him to expect Damien not to say what was on his mind.

“You look like shit.”

Gregorio nodded helpfully.

“So whatever happened between the two of you was significant enough to screw you both up.”

Fuck.

He plowed his hand into his hair.

The knowledge that Brandy was as affected as him made his own ache significantly worse.

“You deserve happiness.”

At this point, Damien’s comment surprised him.

“But Brandy doesn’t deserve to be hurt any further by what Eleanor did to you,” Gregorio added coldly, protectively.

No one knew that better than him.

Would he ever forget the pain in her eyes after their final, aching kiss goodbye?

Pain that he’d caused.

Quietly, but with steel force, Damien added, “She’s not a thing like her.”

Intellectually, he recognized that.

Then again, he’d thought he’d known his wife.

“If you cause more damage, I’ll crack your fucking head.” Gregorio hadn’t raised his voice, and his words were flat, as much a threat as a promise.

No doubt the dangerous former operative could do exactly that, in a dozen, creative ways.

All without breaking a sweat.

“I’d sooner hurt myself than her,” he reassured them.

“We’d rather that, as well.”

Damien’s agreement gave him no comfort.

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