That made him pause. “Of me?”
“No,” she softly admitted.
Another pause. “Tell me.”
“Can we please do this in person? It’d be a lot easier on me.”
The pause was deafening and felt like forever. “Do you think you can still trust me?”
“Yes. This wasn’t about you, it was about me. And you were right. I think there’s stuff I need help dealing with.”
“Seven o’clock tomorrow evening. Meet me at The Pig and Pint on Ringling. You know where it is?”
She could almost see the pub from her cubicle window at work. “Yeah, pretty sure I do.”
“What was that?”
She closed her eyes. “Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir.”
“Good girl. I’ll see you tomorrow evening, pet. Have a good night, pet.”
“Good night, Sir.”
She closed her eyes, trembling at the echoes of his voice in her head. His tone had changed, back to smiling and warm.
Good girl.
Pet.
Part of her hated what those words, and the way he said them, did to her insides.
And the rest of her loved it.
Craved it.
Needed it.
Dammit.
Tony hung up with her and let out a long, relieved breath.
Thank god she broke down first. If he hadn’t heard from her by Sunday, he’d planned on calling her and asking for a sit-down. And at that point he was going to take the chance and admit his feelings for her. Either get things out in the open, or get the finale over and done with.
Either way, it would be a resolution.
Now, at least, they could step back into their dynamic and let it continue. After their time was up, if they made it that long, he would confess to her how he felt and let things shake out however they would.
He’d hated fighting with her, but he’d recognized the sharp, shrill edge of panic in her voice when things blew up last night and knew anything else he said then would only make things worse.
The landmine he’d stepped on had blown up in a huge way. Yes, she had major triggers regarding her ex and what he did to her. He just hadn’t realized how big they were.
Or how she obviously hadn’t faced her grief over the issue.
She needed an out. She needed permission to face her demons, grieve, and move on.
She needed a safety valve.
He’d seen it before and suspected with events so fresh and raw in her mind, combined with the sudden move and now all of this, that it had festered to a point she didn’t want to process it.
He was pleasantly surprised when he received a text from her just a few minutes later.
Good night, Sir.
He smiled as he read it before he replied, Good night, pet. Sweet dreams.
Seconds later, her reply.
Thank You, Sir.
He didn’t miss that she capitalized the Y.
He arrived at the pub early only because he’d managed to catch every light green from Bradenton. She walked in a couple of minutes after he got there, and still twelve minutes before their agreed-upon time.
I wonder if I point at the floor if she’d kneel? If she’d give me our greeting here in front of all these people?
From the desperate look on her face he suspected she would. Which was all the more reason he remained seated and kept his fingers laced together on the table in front of him.
She sat across from him. He patted his hands on the table. When she held out her hands, he laced his fingers through hers and looked into her eyes.
“I’m very sorry, pet. I’m sorry I violated your privacy, and I’m sorry I questioned your motives. There will be times I screw up. And I screwed up.”
Her lower lip trembled and a tear spilled from her left eye. “I’m sorry I blew up, Sir,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I called you names. I’m sorry, I…” Her head dropped and her eyes closed as she softly cried.
He quickly switched seats and tucked her against his chest, his arm around her shoulders as she cried. She took off her glasses and laid them on the table after he pressed a napkin into her hand.
“Shh, it’s all right, pet. We’ll get through it together.”
“I trusted him,” she whispered, her pained voice ripping at his heart. “I believed him. Why would he do that to me? I gave him a second chance and it’s like he didn’t care.”
“I don’t know, pet. Some men are just assholes.” At least she snorted a little laughter through her tears.
She finally looked up at him. “How do I get over this? How do I know I won’t screw up somewhere down the line and misjudge someone again like that?”
He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I don’t have an answer for you there, pet. Sometimes, people suck. Fortunately, not everyone is like your ex.”
“But what if they are?”
“I’m not.” He made her look at him. “I feel horrible about the other night. I feel rotten that I made you feel bad. And I hate that we fought.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“But.”
She wore an expression of anticipation.
“You were disrespectful. I think punishment is in order, don’t you?”
She nodded.
“We can move on from this point, but there will be punishment. Tomorrow, not tonight because you’re too upset, before we go to dinner and the club. You have to understand that I don’t mind disagreements or anger or any of that, as long as it’s handled in a respectful, drama-free manner. You need a reminder of that. Deal?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Good girl.”
They talked for over an hour before they ate. She managed to pull herself together, but he still sat on the same side as the booth with her, allowing her to sit cuddled against him, his arm around her.
After dinner, he followed her back to her apartment where she quickly stripped and put her collar back on before giving him their greeting.
And she received a spanking over his lap on the couch.
Followed by three orgasms.
And another round of tears he held her through.
Before he left, he gave her instructions for the next day. “I want you to wear your hair in a ponytail tomorrow. Be at my house promptly at two, understand?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Sundress, no panties. Sandals. Punishment will happen first and then we’ll move on and put this behind us. I also promise I will not violate your privacy again. But you have to promise to talk to me and not blow up. Code and talk. Okay?”
“Yes, Sir.”
When she finally crawled into bed Friday night, emotionally drained but happy, she was almost asleep before she remembered she hadn’t checked her mailbox since Wednesday.
Dammit. Add that to the list of things to do tomorrow.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Shayla was so eager to get to Tony’s on Saturday that she rushed out before remembering to check her mail again. He’d told her to meet him at his house at two and not to be late, and that was what she’d do.
She suspected the punishment he had in store for her was something he didn’t want to deliver at the club in front of others.
She didn’t care. She’d take it.
As her mind wandered, she realized no matter what the punishment, she’d be glad to have a chance to make amends. She hadn’t irretrievably fucked up their quirky little whatever it was they had, and that was all that mattered to her.
She pulled into his driveway at five minutes ’til two and felt relief wash over her that he wore a smile when he opened the door for her.