Page 34 of Absolution

Chapter 21

Leo

It had beenfive days since Gideon called, six since he’d shown up at Gina’s house. I knew he was trying to fuck with us, just biding his time. In the meantime, life had kept moving. I’d escorted Gina to and from work every day, and we’d started her training at Franklin’s.

It was clear that the more time went by without any word from Gideon, the more nervous Gina got. She woke every day with dark circles under her eyes, and she was losing noticeable weight. I needed to take better care of her.

Tonight, I cooked a simple meal. Before I was even half finished with my meal she pushed her plate away.

“I don’t think I can eat another bite. That was really good. Thank you for making it.”

I frowned when I saw how little she’d eaten. “You’re welcome, but you need to eat more than that.”

“No, really. I’ve eaten enough.”

Reaching out, I stabbed a piece of chicken with my fork and held it up to her lips.

“I need you to eat just a little more for me. Just a few more bites. You need to keep your strength up for our fighting lessons.”

Slowly, I was able to coax her to eat a few more bites.

“Good girl,” I praised her after each one.

Finally, she covered her mouth. “Please, no more.”

I was satisfied now, so I set my fork down. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Gina helped clean up the kitchen, and now we were sitting in the living room watching some show on the television. Well, I was watching. She was knitting a scarf for Bridget. I found her hobby oddly endearing. It also made me wonder about all the other things I didn’t know about her. About her life since she’d grown up.

“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”

Gina glanced up and set her knitting in her lap.

“I guess,” she replied hesitantly.

“How did you get into BDSM anyway?”

She blinked. She also hesitated a fraction before answering. “A friend introduced me to one of her friends, Timothy.”

“I’m assuming he was a Dom.”

“He was twenty years my senior, but he was so gentle and patient with me. He was the one who taught me what BDSM was truly about.”

I gestured to the picture across the room. “I assume that’s him, then?”

“Yes.”

“You said ‘was’. What happened to him?”

“He died.” He’d had been gone over a year now, and I missed him every day. Fucking cancer.

“I’m sorry.”

“So am I.”

“What about you and Bridget? I know you work for her. How’d that come about?”

---