Page 15 of Left of the Slash
I shake my head, not even wanting to admit it. “No.”
“Right. Is he showing green flags with how supportive he is of you? How patient he is? How he’s willing to defend you from other men, even if it means risking his safety and his job? How he is both intimidating and kind at the same time? How he dresses well and takes care of himself? You've always said that a man who can't take care of himself clearly can't take care of a submissive. So, are the green flags still green to you?”
I sigh loud and hard. “Yes, they're still green.”
“Good. Then, case closed,” Eden says before proudly bringing her lips to her straw again and taking a big sip.
She smiles at me and I let out a giggle. “It’s not case closed, Eden. Obsidian is bleeding. Clients are fighting to get out of their contracts, and I'm watching as everything my father built gets flushed down the toilet. I have a bird’s eye view of it all, and I know the world is going to blame me if it happens. I have toomuch to worry about to add Quinn and another relationship to my plate. Plus, there's just something about him that worries me. It’s like he's always on edge and ready to hurt someone.”
“Sure, I've noticed that, too. But I thought you liked being hurt,” she says with a mischievous smile.
“Ugh. You know that’s not what I mean.”
“Look, are you stressed out?”
I roll my eyes because she just won't stop. “Yes. Always.”
“Do you need some stress relief?”
“Dammit, Eden.”
“You do, and you know that the best stress relief in the world for you is submitting to a dominant man who knows how to treat you. Everything about Quinn tells me that he would knowexactlyhow to treat you.”
“Just because he has certain personality traits doesn't mean that he's an actual Dom. He might not know anything about BDSM.”
“But you do. So show him. Show him how he embodies all of the traits of a Dom, then mold him into the perfect Dominant for you. Oh my god, that sounds so perfect, doesn't it? You’d get to create the perfect Dom for yourself.” When I don't respond, Eden adds, “It’s okay to be ambitious, and to live out your father's dream. But it’s also okay to do a little something for yourself.”
“And what if it doesn't work out between us, Eden? Now I have an ex walking around the office all day, one who has already threatened his coworkers. That shit is messy.”
“First of all, he did that for you. Secondly, you can't think like that,” she replies. “If you thought that way before starting every relationship, you'd always be alone.”
I let out another sigh before finishing off my drink, taking it all like a shot. I hate that Eden is right, and Ireallyhate that she knows me so well. She recognized my attraction to Quinnright away, and she even saw the positive Dom traits I've been telling her about since we became friends years ago. All things considered, I know she's right, but I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger.
“Listen,” she begins again, denying me even a moment’s peace. “I know how you feel about Obsidian, and clearly I'm right there with you. I'm so glad you're the CEO and so proud to support a woman at the top of a company. You have to keep your eyes on the prize … but just consider it. I mean, how often does a man like Quinn walk into a room giving nothing but aura and the traits you're attracted to? And you didn't even have to go to a BDSM club to meet him. He just walked right into the office like it was meant to be.”
“God, you're so dramatic,” I say with a laugh.
“My ex husband said the same thing, so maybe it’s true,” Eden replies. “But I’m also right.”
I take a moment, shaking my head at the audacity of my best friend wanting what’s best for me. Then I nod. “Yeah, you're also right. How about we just let it all play out and see what happens?”
Eden nods her head with a satisfied smirk. “So you're open to it?”
“I guess we’ll see.” I reply with a smirk of my own. Then I raise my finger to get the attention of the waiter, and order another drink.
PROTECTIVE
ELEVEN - Quinn
“Bro, what the hell has gotten into you?”
Rob comes around the corner with serious concern on his face, his brows scrunched together as he steps into my office and sits down on the other side of my desk. He wasn't there when everything went down between me and the three morons, but I'm sure word traveled fast. His red button-up and black tie are still wrinkle-free even though we’re now sitting in my office after hours and the building has cleared out. I had to call him to get him to come back to Obsidian, and after a few complaints he agreed.
I lean back in my chair behind my desk and drop the stack of papers I was reviewing before he came in. They land with a smack and spread out in front of me. “I don't know. It’s either nothing or everything.”
He scoffs. “Feels like everything. You've been working in the fancy wing for like, five minutes, and you're already wound up. The whole building was buzzing about you threatening Jon, Nick, and Stephen. Everybody was laughing because we all hate those assholes, but you risked it all over them disrespecting Miss Lucero. Are the two of you hooking up or something? If not, then you have to explain to me what the hell is going on, man. You usually try so hard to not act out like that.”
I twist my lips together and shrug, because I have no idea how to answer. He's right. I've always tried to keep my emotions in check, even when they want to spiral out of control. But something was different today. I can't explain it. Seeing Jon and his crew treat Olivia that way with no one there to support her just set me off. As much as I try not to be like Dad, his words about how to treat women still resonate with me, so as far as I'm concerned, I was justified, and I still am.
