Page 20 of Pet Project

I nod and sniffle, rubbing my nose with the back of my hand, wanting desperately to drop into kitten space. But I have to stay human. I have to explain… especially if I’m going to enlist his help to get out of here before everyone is back.

“I’m moving out of the house — away from ManorDrive,” I tell him and flinch at the pain I see on his face before he puts up a mask of professionalism. I forgot…

“I’m not leaving you guys!” I rush to tell him. “I just found somewhere I can be better protected until the whole Michael thing is taken care of in a more permanent way. I’m doing it to keep everyone safe.”

Scott just nods woodenly and turns toward my pile of boxes. Grabbing a few in a stack, he heads out the door and turns toward the stairs.

“I’ll drive you,” he says before stepping away with my things and I hear the rhythmic thump of his heavy steps going down to the first floor. Scott never thumps…

“Scottie says you need help getting stuff to his car?” Jace asks as he peeks his head around the doorway. “Donating stuff?”

“Something like that,” I mumble as I watch the big teddy bear gather up the rest of the boxes in one go and head for the stairs.

Pulling my collar down from its hook in our closet, I sniff and swipe at my eyes one last time. I’m doing this for Toby. He’ll understand in the long run.

26

TOBY

PanPuppy:

I don’t need a ride today. Got called into work.

I throw the message into the Kink Manor group chat and hope no one questions it. As a condition of my not getting expelled for violence last month, I have to start meeting with a counselor for anger management. I told everyone in the house that I got off with a warning. I mean, I did mostly. Counseling isn’t exactly a punishment.

Going to one on one counseling is definitely cutting into my discretionary funds, but it’s the safer alternative. I could technically attend group meetings for free at the community center, but there’s a good chance that meetings are a condition of Michael’s parole. At least, that’s the case in all of the television shows.

“Tobias Walker?”

I jump up from my seat in the hole in the claustrophobic waiting area and head for the disembodied voice coming from the now open door.

“Is the room out there so tiny to keep you in business?” I ask no one in particular as I glance at the childish artwork on the walls in the short hallway. I didn’t bother to make note of what all counselling this Doctor Monroe did. They were just the cheapest option that covered anger management and was also covered by my insurance.

The woman’s laughter from the room to my right pulls my attention away from the unique drawing of what looks like a dog eating a person with another person on their back.

Stupid ADHD…

The lady finishes rounding her desk and takes a seat before motioning me to sit across from her. “You’re not the first to think it, but you are the first to outright ask at the first session.”

“You’re Doctor Monroe?” I squeak and sit like I was dropped from a plane to land in the rather uncomfortable pleather monstrosity one might call a chair. The woman in front of me looks to be barely twenty and gorgeous to boot. My inner puppy is panting at how hot she is.

Down, Boy!

She chuckles as she opens a folder and picks up her pen.

“Thank you for the compliment, Tobias,” she says and I wince to realize that my inside thoughts did notstay inside my head. “But I am a very happily married woman and before you ask, I am certain my wife is not the sharing sort.”

I gulp and start shaking my head maniacally. “I didn’t… I wasn’t… I mean… You’re… and I’m… and Shy…”

Shiloh…

I grab the armrests of the chair and take a deep breath before starting again.

“You are drop dead gorgeous and I will never deny that, but there’s already someone in my heart that means more to me than anything else in the world and until I get him settled with someone who deserves him, I won’t ever look for myself.”

Doctor Monroe looks up at me with an eyebrow raised.

“Why don’t you think you deserve him?”

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