Page 20 of The Breaking Point

I couldn’t help but watch Grace, who was with what looked like a small camera crew, as she pointed and gave directions. I thought she was supposed to be in some dim office, posting on Twitter or some shit?

“Dude, get into position,” Mac said in a low voice.

It took every bit of strength to pay attention to practice instead of to Grace. It didn’t help that whatever she was doingseemed to take fucking forever. She was still filming and talking to her group when we’d finished practice.

“You doing okay?” Mac asked me after we’d showered and changed. He sat on the bench across from me with a strange expression.

“Yeah. Why?” I made a point to stare at my feet.

“You were totally off your game today. Is there something going on between you and Grace?”

I whipped my head up, looking around. “Don’t be so fucking loud,” I hissed. “What if Coach heard you?”

Mac leaned back, crossing his arms. “What if he did? Is there something going on?”

I groaned. I did not need Mac to grill me, but I also knew that being cagey would only make things worse.

“Nothing is going on,” I said. “I’m just messed up after I went to Coach’s house for dinner. Grace brought her boyfriend.”

“Ah.”

That single syllable made me want to growl. “Ah? That’s all you have to say?”

“Sounds like you’re jealous.”

I groaned. “It’s so fucking stupid. The guy was a total wet blanket. The boyfriend, I mean. But I can’t stop thinking about her. And him. What the fuck is wrong with me?”

“I still don’t get why you can’t just ask her out.”

I snorted. “She has a boyfriend.”

“Since when has that ever stopped you?”

He was right. If I wanted a woman, I never failed to get her. I’d pissed off plenty of dudes, but I’d never regretted it either. Besides, I’d only ever pursued women who obviously wanted me to pursue them. It was on them if they had shitty boyfriends.

“Nothing can happen between me and Grace,” I said. When Mac looked like he wanted to ask why, I cut in. “I can’t tell you why. It is what it is.”

Mac frowned. “Well, if that’s the case, you should get your mind off her. The invite to the Scarlet Rope is still open, you know.”

I’d forgotten about Mac’s invitation. I hadn’t been all that interested, but now it sounded like a great idea. Anything to take my mind off Grace and her dull-ass boyfriend.

“Since Elodie and I got together, we haven’t been going as much,” Mac was saying. “It’s kind of a waste not to have anyone use our membership. I know BDSM isn’t your thing, but there are lots of other kinks to explore there.”

Since Mac had “come out” as a Dom, he’d been more open to talking about his once-secret life. It’d caught me off guard the first time. Now it was like he was telling me about a new restaurant in town.

“And I met Elodie there,” said Mac. “You might meet somebody even better than Grace.”

I doubted it, but I wasn’t going to admit that out loud. “I guess it can’t hurt to try it once.” I grinned. “Fuck it. Give me the deets.”

Mac slapped me on the shoulder as we left the locker room. “I’ll email over everything you need to know. You’ll also need to sign some paperwork when you get there.”

“Seriously?”

“The club doesn’t fuck around. It also won’t hesitate to kick your ass out if you break the rules. Remember that.”

I held up my hands. “I do so solemnly swear I’ll keep my whips and chains to myself.”

“Probably a good idea until you get a lay of the land,” Mac replied wryly.

---