Page 18 of Releasing Reenie

“She was off last night, not just off from her duties, but completely free.” I twisted my lips, drumming my fingers on the desk as I recalled our conversation that night. “She actually requested that I leave it free, and not even put a study session in that time block. Seemed secretive about it, not that I pried.”

“Should I go to Master Derek? I’m concerned. Maybe she’s being taken advantage of?” He rubbed the back of his neck. Why was that, mixed with his concern, so sexy?

“Not here. Everyone is vetted so well. There’s no way.”

“She’s a smart girl. Really sharp in class. Asks intelligent questions, stays engaged in lectures,besides today. It would bea shame if she failed because she didn’t do the assignments.” He paused, letting out a slow breath. “Maureen, I want this girl to succeed.”

“I do, too.” I tried to think back to my last few classes. Had she been any different?

I sighed, cursing under my breath. I’d been too self-absorbed to notice.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just should have been paying better attention. I’ve been caught up.”

He reached out and took my hand. Instinct had me wanting to pull away, but when I looked up at Trent, I noticed I wasn’t the only one beating myself up.

“If I’m the reason you’ve been ‘caught up?—’”

I cut him off. “I’m a big girl, Trent. I can take responsibility for my own actions.”

Almost as if I’d walked into a trap, I stiffened, expecting him to say something Dom-ish, like “but you don’t have to take so much on” or “this isn’t your fault” or “I can help relieve some of that guilt” but he didn’t, he just nodded solemnly.

It was as if he respected my words. As if he knew I was an actual person with autonomy. As if he didn’t think I needed someone to make decisions for me, forgive me, or make things right. Huh.

“I didn’t mean to imply…” This time he let his words trail off.

“Leave this with me, Trent. I’ll connect with Mira and once I get more information, I’ll loop you in and we can move forward accordingly.”

Standing, he nodded. “Okay.”

I stood too, not wanting him to tower over me. “Okay?”

He cocked his head. “Were you expecting an argument?”

I gathered a strand of my hair and twirled it between my fingers. “Maybe.”

“I’m new here, Maureen, and deferring to you makes sense.”

His words landed unintentionally hard in realization. I’d been letting my baggage (thank you, Mother) distort my impartiality. I hadn’t been objective at all when it came to Trent. I’d been so worried a dominant man would chew me up and spit out a new version of me, one he’d created, that I’d lose the person I fought so hard to become, that I’d put Trent in a pre-drilled hole, one he didn’t actually fit into.

I hadn’t healed. I hadn’t cut the puppet strings my mother still held from the grave.

“I’m feeling edgy suddenly. Been cooped up in this office too long. Do you still run? We have some nice trails here.” Swallowing hard, I forced the words out, knowing it was time to let the past go and accept that Trent was here to stay. It was time for a truce.

CHAPTER 11

Trent

Run? No, she was the runner. The second part of her sentence hit me.Trails.Oh, that kind of running. I pushed my chair in and leaned on it.

A run with Maureen? Was this an olive branch? Had we finally found common ground?

“Yes, I still run. I’ve been using the treadmill, but running outdoors is what I prefer.”

“Would you like to join me then? I don’t like running alone since there’s always a possibility of a twisted ankle or a fall. And since it’s last minute and later than I normally go, my usual partner likely won’t be available.”

“A run sounds perfect.” She’d definitely made it sound as if I was a last resort, but I’d take it. I’d take anything.

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