Page 109 of Role Play
Richard snorted, shaking his head. “Do you, really? Answer me one thing,” Uncle Rich said. “Has he been training you? Are you his new submissive?” Though his voice wasn’t emotive, his face was tight andwithdrawn.
My gaze darted to Uncle Richard’s and my jaw slacked open for the briefest moment before I snapped itshut.
“Come on, Lucy. You’re anadultnow. Adults talk aboutsex.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “Not with their bosses,” I whispered, narrowing my eyes at him. “And not with their uncles. So on both accounts, you’re out of line. And out of everyone in my life, I thoughtyouof all people would want me to find someone who cared for me. Someone who made me feel safe and protected. I thought you of all people would want me to be happy and find the kind of love my mom neverhad.”
For the first time since I’d told him about Ash, Uncle Rich’s face softened. “Ash is not your father,” he said quietly. “He’s not a bad man. Ash is myfriend. But I’ve known him longer than you have. I don’t believe for a second he could be abusive like your old man… but it doesn’t also mean he can’t hurt you in other ways.” He swallowed and I could see the pain behind his eyes. I could feel that pain in my bones. I know how hard it must have been for him to witness his sister’s abuse over and over, feeling helpless. I knew how hard it was because I’d gone through the samething.
Tears welled in my eyes. “No,” I said, but this time, I didn’t feel quite so sure of my answer. “Ash has never done anything that I haven’t consentedto.”
Uncle Rich nodded and stepped closer to me. “Did he tell you that he’s never trained a new submissivebefore?”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever wonderwhyhe decided to find and train a new submissive? Why now? Why after all these years?” I tried to swallow down the grapefruit sized lump in my throat. But Uncle Rich didn’t wait for me to respond. “Because Itoldhim to. I pushed him to try something new; train a new submissive because the movie wasn’t coming together well.” Uncle Rich spun away from me, running his fingers through his salt and pepper hair. “You’ve heard of method acting?” he asked, then looked over his shoulder at me when I nodded. “Well, his direction was lacking. His understanding of Leo’s character sucked. So he embarked on a little methoddirecting.”
His words speared my heart.I was an assignment?What the hell did that even mean? Was I some sort of fucked upMy Fair Ladybet?
“It’s just my fucking luck he chose my only niece as his submissive.” The word ‘submissive’ cracked at the back of Uncle Rich’s throat, and for a moment, I thought he was crying. “I never wanted this lifestyle for you.” He sighed, his back still to me, contract clutched in one hand and the other balled into a fist at his side. “But you’re right. You’re an adult. Your love life is none of mybusiness.”
He stalked over to his desk, snatching a pen off of his desk and signed his name at the bottom of the crumpled contract. He stomped back over to me and held out the contract with an outstretched hand. It felt like a trick. Like taking it was somehow proving to him how stupid I was being. “Go on. Bring it toHR.”
When I didn’t take it, he sighed, lowering it back to his side. “I want you to be happy, Lucy,” he said quietly. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. Happy. Safe.” The paper made a crinkle sound as he waved it out to me once more. “If you feel both—if you think he’s your great love, then I’m not going to stand in your way. I won’t even sayI told you soif it goeswrong.”
This was a lot to process. Just because Ash started what we had because I was an assignment didn’t mean that’s what I still was. And if I was going to be in a relationship with an adult… I had to act like an adult. And that meant having a conversation—an intense, honest conversation with Ash. I carefully took the contract from Uncle Rich, smoothing it out in mypalms.
His mouth pulled into a sorry excuse for a smile, but I had to hand it to him—he was trying. “Thank you,” I saidquietly.
“Love you, kiddo,” he said. I didn’t care that we were at work. I hugged him hard, throwing my arms around his neck. He held me there for a long time. Emotion seized my throat. Being hugged by Uncle Rich felt like home. Sighing, he looked at me, searching my eyes. “Guess I just have to admit you’re not my baby bearanymore.”
My insides softened, and there was a long pause as I smiled up at him. “I’ll always be your baby bear.” Then pushing onto my toes, I whispered in his ear. “But maybe just not here at work.” Smiling, I kissed Uncle Rich’s cheek, and he cupped my jaw, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead. Uncle Rich looked over my shoulder, his gazehardening.
Peeking over my shoulder, I spotted Ash. His muscular frame nearly took up the entire space of the doorway, each shoulder brushing against the molding. “Sorry,” Ash said, his voice low and cold as his eyes traveled from me slowly to Rich standing behind me. “I didn’t realize I’d be interruptinganything.”
“The hell you didn’t,” Uncle Rich growled. I snapped my head back to Uncle Rich and held up my finger to hisface.
“Don’t you dare,” I hissed. “Let me handlethis.”
Ash snorted. “Our meeting has started without you. And considering it wasyouridea to interview Andrea, I figured you should bethere.”
He didn’t give me a chance to answer before turning and stalking out of Uncle Richard’soffice.
