Page 37 of Pet Project

“One of your only friends, you mean. You’ve been punishing yourself for almost six years now, Don. You didn’t fail him. You were almost killed trying to stop them.”

“Yeah well maybe they should have just finished me off that night,” I spit at him before my brain registers that the backdoor is open and the guys from Kink Manor are filing out, including Toby and Shiloh.

Fuck.

44

SHILOH

Waking up on the couch in the changing room was a bit disorienting, but the worst part has to be the looks of fear and pity on the faces of all of my friends and family who are crowded into this tiny ass room. Fucking brilliant.

“You alright, Kitty Cat?”

Eric’s voice pulls my attention away from the sniffly pup still petting the top of my head. The drag queen looks like he’s been put through the ringer tonight which for him can be a very good thing. He and Matt have branched out into some heavier impact play and bondage scenes as their relationship progresses.

I envy them.

“Shy-Shy?”

Lucky pokes his head around the side of his Daddy and I notice he’s been crying as well.

“I’m okay, Lucky. Just some bad thoughts got too loud.”

Sniffling, the little nods at me and reaches up for his Daddy to pick him up. Spencer is fortunate that his boy is honestly the size of most twelve year old boys because I couldn’t imagine anyone ever denying someone as adorable as Lucky when he wants to be carried. Daddy Spence holds him like he is the greatest treasure in the world, which to be honest, he kind of is.

I envy them, too.

“Please don’t let go, Shy,” Toby whispers from beside me. “I want you to have him and be happy, but please don’t leave me behind. Don’t push me out just because we don’t fit anymore. I’ll change. I’ll be whatever you want me to be.”

Throwing off the blanket that someone draped over me, I forcefully grab Toby and pull him up on the couch with me.

“Don’t youdaresay that!,” I sneer at the thought of Toby,my Toby, being someone other than the magnificent man that he is. “Whether we are together or on the other side of the world from each other, you need to promise me you won’t change. I love you just how you are, my crazy pup. I couldn’t live with myself if you changed for me.”

Eric meets my eyes as I notice him ushering everyone else out of the room. He mouths the words ‘back door’ so that I know where to meet them once I have our excitable pup calmed down again.

“But you don’t need me now that you have hot coffee shop guy. He can protect you so much better than I can. He can provide for you and keep you safe anddoesn’t fly off the handle because of his mommy issues.”

I push Toby off of me so that I can sit up. I’m blinking rapidly trying to get my brain to make sense of the jumble of words that just came out of his mouth. Toby opens his mouth to continue his rambling, but I hold up my hand to stop him.

One thing at a time. That’s the only way to tackle this.

“Hot coffee shop guy? Do you mean Donnie?”

Toby nods his head enthusiastically and sighs, “I know I was introduced ages ago, but his name kept slipping out of my head. He’s perfect for you, Shy. And I know you love him, too. You wore the plug tonight.”

Oh, sweet naïve silly Toby…

“I wore the plug tonight because I accidentally smacked him in the face with it when I was pulling out stuff to pack my bag for tonight. I’ve had it for months now, waiting for the opportunity to askyouto help me with it. Donnie only helped me tonight because he didn’t know I had another tail and only packed the plug.

“You know I can’t go full kitty without a tail to run my paws over.”

Toby giggles and falls off the couch trying to hold back a full blown belly laugh.

“He got hit in the face with a butt plug?”

Aaaand there he goes.

I smile as my best friend seems to have forgotten his own insecurities for the moment. I just hope they stay buried at least until I can get him to our apartment andcan show him that he’s wrong about me an Donnie, even though I desperately wish it could be true.

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