Page 37 of At Her Will

Rev moved behind the chair his aunt had been using, his eyes on it. That cap was still going in circles. “We’ll be nearby if you need us,” Skye signed to Vera.

Vera nodded. She gestured to Cyn to close the door.

Silence reigned in her office for ten seconds. Then he lifted his head and met her eyes. “Erase it,” he said.

Her HR and legal background told her it was the last thing she should do, to protect his interests. She could fight with him about it, or respect his wishes.

But he’d just chastised them for treating him like a child. She erased the file and closed down the app.

“I’m sorry, Rev. If I’d known why they were here, I never would have let them come up at all. You can stay with me for a few days, if you want.”

"I have my own place,” he snapped. Rev sighed, and tapped the hat on the top of the chair. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”

“I get it. I wasn’t trying to imply you don’t take care of yourself. I just know how deeply a family can hurt you.”

His harsh chuckle made her throat ache. “Your family treat you like an idiot who don’t have the sense to know what’s good for you?”

“I chose a faith and a path they disagreed with. Strongly enough they told me to get out and not come back. I could afford a hotel, but at the time I remember wishing I had a friend to stay with who understood.”

His eyes narrowed, his mouth tightening. The man could look intriguingly dangerous when he chose to do so, but she held up a hand. “I didn’t say that to turn the subject to me. I just wanted to explain that I’m speaking from a place of understanding."

Rev ran his hand over his face. “I appreciate that, Veracity, but I need to go think this through."

It hurt, but the reaction was attached to her own need to make sure that his aunt and cousin’s actions, or anything Vera had done, hadn’t alienated him. She had to let that go and focus on the most important thing—if he was okay.

“All right. Reach out if you need anything, Rev. I mean it.”

He’d turned toward the door, but he startled her with an about face and purposeful stride that brought him around the desk. He dropped to a knee and kissed her hand, holding his cheek to it. “Your family shouldn’t have done that to you,” he said gruffly.

And yours shouldn’t have done what they just did.

She’d wanted to comfort him, and he’d managed to comfort her. She gripped his shoulder, trying to convey everything she wanted to do to make this better.

Nobody could fuck you up like family.

“When I was little, if I was unhappy about something, I’d sit under Teena Joy’s desk while she was writing sermons. I’d sing to her. Take a nap. Listen to her think aloud. It brought mepeace.” Rev looked under Vera’s desk. “Think I’m too big for that now.”

“I wouldn’t mind having you under my desk all day.” She knew some stimulating toys, restraints and positions that would make the Mistress in her pleased to have him there.

Not the time to share that thought, but something in her voice must have conveyed it, because the gaze he flicked up to her showed intrigued heat. Erotic humor slid away, though, as he rose, drawing her up with him. He brushed his knuckles over her cheek.

“You made a good impression on Cyn and Skye just now,” she noted.

“I’d prefer them to get that through how I treat you, not how I set my family straight.”

“They took it as one and the same.”

His lips thinned. “Witford…he having some problems in his relationship with God, but I didn’t think it was bad as all that. And Tisha, she get too carried away with things that don’t matter.”

“It’s okay. I’m just worried about you.”

“I all right.” He put his forehead to hers, his hands on either side of her face, then stepped back abruptly. “I’ll come find you, when my head in the right place.”

He didn’t tell her what he’d told Witford, not to come looking for him until he was ready. She could decide it was implied, or do what the Mistress in her told her to do.

She’d give him a little time. Then she’d find him.

CHAPTER SEVEN

---