Page 48 of The Ownership Clause

“That didn’t answer my question.” Neil gripped the screen door’s handle and swung it open, and I hopped out of the way to avoid it. He glared harder, stepping down to the stoop. “Who the fuck are ya, and what do ya want with my brother?”

“Neil?” Wade’s concerned voice filled the inside of the house. “Is there someone at the door?” He appeared behind Neil and froze when his gaze landed on me. “Sir?”

“Sir?” Neil frowned at him. “Ya know this guy?”

“He’s my supervisor.” Wade pushed Neil’s shoulder, shoving him out of the way.

I didn’t miss the way Wade rubbed his chest with his other hand, grimacing, and worry prickled at me. I clenched my jaw. “Why are you here?”

“I should be asking you that,” Wade said, fire in his tone. His eyebrows furrowed and he glanced around. “How did you know where to find me? You don’t know Neil’s address.”

I pursed my mouth in irritation but decided to ignore the question. “You’re supposed to be at work. I gave you strict instructions to help Christie.”

Neil snorted and leaned back against the wall near the door. He crossed his arms and rested the heel of one foot against the wall. “Fucking bosses, man. They’re all deadbeats.”

Wade shot him a glare. “Neil, please. I don’t need you to get involved. Go inside.”

“Fuck off. I’m not letting this—” He paused to give me a once-over. “—suit-wearing motherfucker talk to you like this.”

I smirked. “How very original of you. Gold star for the insult from the guy who looks and smells like he lives in a trash can.”

Wade’s eyes widened and he spun in time for Neil to try and launch himself at me. He grabbed Neil around the torso and shoved him back against the wall, and Neil grunted, but so did Wade.

“Stop, Neil. Fuck, just stop.” They panted as they struggled. I’d had enough, especially when Wade cried out and grabbed his chest.

“For fuck’s sake, grow up,” I snapped at Neil, using my Dom voice, the same one that got bratty boys to do what I wanted.

They both froze, and Neil’s blue eyes went wide.

“I want to talk to Wade, so youneedto give us privacy.” I grabbed the screen door and yanked it open. “Get inside.”

Wade’s spine stiffened and he swallowed visibly, as though he wasn’t quite sure if I was ordering him or Neil, but I smirked when Neil shuffled his way through the door and up into the house, and I shut the screen door firmly behind him. When I was sure Neil was gone, I spun toward Wade.

“Care to explainwhyyou left when I gave you an order?”

He let out a shaky breath, his entire body shuddering with the force. His hand stayed on his chest, massaging, and I couldn’t help but narrow my gaze on it. “I tried to fix the problem at the office, but I couldn’t. I don’t want you to get fired. I couldn’t.... I thought I was doing a good thing.”

I leaned back against one of the posts on the stoop, not caring that the layer of dirt on it would probably get on my suit. “You should’ve listened to me.”

Wade pressed his mouth together tightly until his lips turned white. After far too long, he exhaled shakily. “I’m sorry, Sir.” He stared straight into my eyes. “How did you find me? You never knew where my brother lived.”

I shrugged. “That doesn’t matter?—”

“It does, though.” He crossed his arms. His cheeks blazed red as he straightened and squared his shoulders. “Albion, how did you find my brother’s address?”

Wade wasn’t stupid—I’d known that when I’d gotten involved with him. I knew that even before we’d started having sex. Wick never hired people without a brain, so I wasn’t surprised when Wade didn’t let the topic go.

The next step was up to me. Change the subject, which I knew wouldn’t work, or admit the truth. “I got some information on you.”

His entire body tensed and hurt flashed in his eyes. “What?”

I kept my muscles as relaxed as possible, even though everything in me wanted to stiffen. In any other circumstance, I would order him to forget this line of questioning, but this wasn’t playtime. This was real. This was something happening between us that needed air. Fuck, I wasn’t good at this stuff.

“I needed to know things about your life so I could take care of you.”

A sob-like sound escaped his lips and he dug at the center of his chest with the heel of his hand.

“Wade... do you feel okay?”

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