Page 37 of Bound By Mistake
Finally, Erik leans forward, his deep voice breaking the awkward silence. "What Gray is trying to say is that we made a terrible mistake."
Cain nods, his piercing gaze meeting mine. "We thought you were... someone else. Someone we had... arranged to meet."
I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. I don’t know why, but it feels like they just shot an arrow into my chest, even though I know I was never supposed to be there, and I feel a mix of emotions wash over me.
Because, what we’d shared, however unexpected and illicit, had been explosive. It had left its mark on me, more than simply physically. To hear it called a mistake somehow hurts my heart more than anything they did to me.
Gray runs a hand through his hair, looking pained. "And we cannot apologize enough for what happened. It was completely unacceptable."
Cain reaches forward and takes my shaking hand. "We're so sorry, Sierra. We fucked up really bad and we know it. What we did to you was assault, plain and simple. We came here to apologize and to make things right, whatever that means to you."
I clear my throat, still unable to look any of them in the eye. “I… understood what had happened. What you believed and how the scenario was set up in a way that didn’t allow me to explain myself. I couldn’t stop things because I didn’t know the safe words, and it became clear whatever framework the person you were supposed to meet devised, my objections simply seemed like part of the expected narrative.”
I sucked in a breath. “That wasn’t your fault.”
Erik leans forward, his eyes intense. "It wasn’t deliberate, no. But we should have verified your identity, gotten explicit consent. We were reckless and careless with your safety and wellbeing."
I nod slowly, processing their words. Part of me wants to absolve them, to brush it off as a misunderstanding since they were just following the brief given by the company they paid. But another part recognizes the gravity of what occurred. Except, this really wasn’ttheirfault. The business analyst in me knows this is an oversight on the part of Primal Fantasies.
“And how would you have done that?” I ask. “You mentioned the name of the site, so I looked them up when I got home. Their privacy policies mean you had no personal information about who you were meeting, and the same for the woman you were actually supposed to meet. I’m… aware someone else may have had severe issues with what happened. Fortunately for all of us, I’m not that person.”
There’s a marked lightening of the atmosphere, like the room itself has breathed a sigh of relief.
"But I do appreciate your apology," I say carefully. "And also, your honesty in coming here. I... I've struggled to make sense of everything that happened."
Gray's jaw clenches. "We want to make this right, Sierra. Whatever you need - therapy, compensation, legal action against us. Name it and it's yours."
I bite my lip, considering. "I don't want to press charges, certainly not against the three of you. Not even against Primal Fantasies, because I honestly don’t want that kind of stress in my life, although I do feel they need to be aware of how badly this could have gone wrong. Had it been someone else, someone who hadn’t been able to accept and assimilate what happened, it would have been catastrophic to everyone involved. And that could have ruined a lot of people.”
“Ain’t that the truth!” Erik mutters, rubbing hands over his face, and I can see the stress this has already caused the three of them.
Chapter
Twenty-Four
ERIK
Ican’t believe how understanding Sierra is being about all of this. Of all the scenarios running through my head since we found out the dreadful truth, this isn’t anywhere close to being one of them.
My admiration for the woman increases exponentially, and that’s saying something considering I was already pretty smitten after the weekend we spent together. It has me hoping for things I really have no right to hope for… which is probably what prompts my next question. “Sierra, I know we’re doing this all backwards, but would you allow us to take you out to dinner, please?”
Cain and Gray both spear me with a look, but neither of them object. Not that I ever seriously thought they would. The two of them are just as taken with Sierra as I am. We always wanted to see if there was something more to pursue, it was only finding out she wasn’t the woman we were supposed to hook up with, which threw us all into a tailspin.
Sierra gives me an adorably shy smile, and ducks her head, glancing between us from beneath her long lashes. “Actually,I would very much like that,” she says with a cock-hardening touch of breathlessness. “Umm… when were you thinking?”
I look at the others, for confirmation. “How about right now?” Okay, so maybe I’m being hasty, but there’s no time like the present, after all. And I don’t want her to change her mind.
“I’ll call La Boucherie and get a table,” Gray chips in, finding his phone and scrolling for a number.
Sierra looks down at her comfy leggings and slouchy sweater, then back at us, still dressed in our customary suits since we came straight from the office. “Ah, do I have time to change, at least?”
“Of course, sweetheart. Go dress up and take as long as you need.”
I don’t care how long it takes her to get ready. The wait will be worth it. And if we’re really lucky, this evening will culminate with the opportunity for us to take this promising relationship in a new direction.
I’m sure as hell going to do my darndest to make that happen, anyway.
Chapter
