Page 33 of Still His

“She knows I watched and who I was. I was a private client of hers.” He narrows his eyes at me, and I hold up my hand to keep him quiet. “It’s not the most sane thing in the world, but there are things about Cat and I you don’t know. Things I used to be ashamed of, fearful of.” I sit back down in my chair before continuing. “She’s had a crush on me for years. She started getting inappropriate when she was sixteen, so I put some distance between us.”

He looks confused. “Is that why you started going out more?”

I nod. “Part of it. The other part was that I was attracted to her. I fucking hated myself for the way I felt. I thought we would be okay because there was distance. That eventually she would find someone she actually wanted, someone she could be out in the open with.” My voice is thick with emotion as I think about her being with someone else.

Fuck, it feels like a piece of my heart is being ripped out of my chest just thinking about it.

No.

She was always meant to be mine.

“And then she ran.” His voice is soft as he puts the pieces of the puzzle together. He’s a big part of my life, enough that he would have noticed a difference between us back then, but it was never enough for someone to suspect this.

“Yeah. Then she ran.” I swallow down the panic that arises in me at being away from her right now.

We’ve been in our own bubble for a week as I worked from home putting this sale together with a good friend of mine who has shown interest in buying the business in the past. It’s not a surprise he jumped on it, and we were able to get the ball moving fast to make it happen.

Part of me is worried she will run again because she thinks it’s best for me to not be with me, but she couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“And she’s back now.” He takes a calming breath. “I assume you’ve had her watched over for the last three years so you know everything about her life?”

I nod again. I won’t be sorry for having someone guarding my daughter at all times, keeping her safe.

“Of course. I’d never leave her unprotected.”

“Good. Okay, what else is there that you need to tell me? Because I feel like I’m still missing a shit ton of information to connect that with why you sold your business.”

“Smart man.” I smirk at him before straightening in the chair, ready for him to lose it again and start shouting at me. “Cat and I are officially together.”

“Together.” I nod. “You and Cat are…dating?”

I scoff. “Not even close to the right word for what we are, but I guess, technically it’s correct.”

“You love her.”

“I’ve always loved her.”

He nods. “Yeah, I know. But this time, you’re in love with her.”

“More than anything in the world.”

He looks contemplative for a second. “And she wants everything you need?”

This is one of the things I knew he would ask. As my best friend, him and I share a lot of the same interests. BDSM and dominance is only one of them.

“She was fucking made for me,” I sigh and he shakes his head with a smile.

“I’ve never seen you like this,” he comments and I shrug. There’s not much to say. I’ve never been in love before. “I like it.”

“I’m glad?” I really don’t know how to respond to that, and he laughs.

“So, what is your grand plan then? Her life is in Edmonton, right?”

“Yes, it is. I know she would move back for me if I asked her to, or if I just straight up refused to leave, but she’s worried here.” His face softens as he thinks about her, and I growl at him. “For the record, you are not to watch her anymore.” I point at him, and he holds up his hands in surrender.

“Agreed. But is she going to give up being a cam girl? She seems to really enjoy it.”

I take a deep breath, trying to stop myself from punching him. I fucking know she enjoys it. I watched her more than anyone.

It’s going to take some time and brain bleach before I am okay with knowing he’s been watching my girl as well. I don’t buy that ‘a few times’ bullshit. Not with how uncomfortable he was when I called him out on it.

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose before launching into my plans for our future. It doesn’t take him long to join me as a business partner and we spend the rest of the afternoon coming up with plans that I can take home to share with my kitten.

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