Page 9 of Dark Promises

With Sam in my life, I had no life with the exception of him.

“Ryan, you and Jay need you to take Sam home with you after you close up. I’m going home to get some rest.”

I saw the disappointment cross their faces, and they glanced at each other. When I left them standing in my office holding on to Sam and Jay holding the leash, and Sam growling, I headed for the door, when Ryan said, “I forgot, the bartender said that a guy left a note for you in a sealed envelope.

Taking the envelope, I thought nothing of it, caught a taxi and arrived home. It was the next day when I opened the letter and read it.

Hello, Sexy.

I had my eyes on you from the moment I strolled into the bar. The bartender said that you were the owner. I didn’t know whether you would talk to me, so the easiest thing to do was to leave this note.

I’m new in town, and I checked and heard around that you enjoyed BDSM, and that you were interested in playing games. Since I’m interested also, I thought I’d invite you over for some fun and games. Bring your leather and crop, and a mask. I’m not a man who is interested in playing with a number of partners, but with one man of my liking, and I liked you right off.

I have no interest in having a long-term relationship unless it involves bondage. I hope we can make a go of it, because I’m seriously into you.

Yours,

Dark Promises

Chapter 6

Cole

“Iknow you’ve beenasking for this for a long time, and now we’re transferring you to New York... Well... what do you think?” I sat in Max’s office shocked, staring past Max, thinking about what it meant if he’d said that earlier. But it didn’t happen and now that it had, what could I say? Thank you? I didn’t expect this and now you were ruining my life a second time.

In the first place, I hadn’t expected to be transferred to California when I’d signed on to Max’s law firm, but it happened overnight, and all my dreams of a life with Daniel had faded in that second I’d been told about the transfer two years ago.

I’d just graduated from law school specializing in entertainment law, and I’d been offered a contract. The day I signed it and agreed to work at this prestigious law firm in New York, I thought all my dreams had been answered, along with meeting and falling in love with Daniel. All my dreams for the future had become a reality, I thought. To be in New York where everything in entertainment started had been my dream come true, and soon turned into my nightmare.

I didn’t want to see Daniel’s face when I told him, therefore, I just left and flew to California, and I didn’t blame him if he never saw me again. I hadn’t seen him in two years or talked to him. Two long fucking years, and my puppy must be grown by now. I’d changed a lot since then, maybe more mature than I was at the time. A new haircut, new clothes and occasional superficial boyfriends, some actors, some producers all wanting a pretty young face to hang on to, or if they needed professional advice I was the go-to man. In California, I wasn’t a person, but a commodity. A necessary service and anyone who needed me pretended that they wanted me for more than good advice, but to have as a life partner. That didn’t happen. The only thing that happened was Covid.

When I met a man and he’d express he needed a life partner, that was as superficial and phony as the lies they told about themselves when we’d finally hooked up over Tinder and an occasional virtual face to face.

When I first met Daniel, I was right out of law school, had no sex life, but he’d introduced me to his life not long afterwards, and I loved it. When he said he wanted me, I believed him. Just as I believed that my transfer to California would be temporary. I’d go there for a short period, meet the partners, and head back home to Manhattan and to Daniel before he had time to miss me.

I worshipped and adored him, but when I understood that California would become my permanent home, I thought it best to let him go.

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