Page 120 of To Catch a Sub

She briefly met his gaze, but had to look away.

Damien had said other things too. He’d told her he liked the shape of her breasts and ankles. Said her lips would look good around his cock.

“I was professional and calm, but that just made him laugh. He fastened the pearl and emerald piece around my waist. I let him do it, hoping he’d go away. And he did.

“I assumed he was one of the broker’s employees—there were lots of people at the estate most of the time, though I still don’t know if they all lived there. I assumed he was being an asshole to me because I was an outsider. Because he could.”

What came next was intimate and humiliating. Though she knew, she knew, none of it was her fault, she was ashamed.

She hesitated too long, the prolonged silence making it worse.

“If you would rather just speak with Landon…” Rolf hesitated. “Or Andrei?”

“When the fuck did you two get so chummy?” Landon snarled at Andrei, his voice low enough she thought he hadn’t intended her to hear.

Andrei didn’t lower his voice. “When I took care of her last night after you didn’t.”

Landon’s eyes widened, his cheeks flushing with anger. Rolf lunged out of his chair, grabbing Landon’s shoulders, though Landon hadn’t moved. Andrei laughed, leaning back and crossing his legs.

“You’re an asshole,” Colette told him.

Andrei languidly turned to look at her. “True, but I’m an asshole who will cuddle subs after their Dom fucks up and abandons them.”

Landon snarled wordlessly, then shook off Rolf’s hold as he shoved to his feet, rolling his shoulders before focusing on her.

“I’m sorry.” Landon was speaking too her, but wasn’t actually looking at her, his gaze fixed on the air above her left shoulder. “If you’re more comfortable speaking with Andrei, I’ll leave and?—”

He was going to leave. Colette swallowed hard.

Andrei smirked, shaking his head slightly as he said something in a language she didn’t speak. His tone made it clear like he’d just insulted Landon.

“Sit down, Malik,” Rolf said. “I understand you and Colette had a fight, which explains your failure to perform aftercare. I did some aftercare for her, too. It’s why we were in the supply room earlier.”

Finally, Landon looked at her. Really looked. She wondered if he was angry that she’d gone to other Doms. She had every right to let whomever she wanted touch her, and yet… Yet she felt the need to assure him that only his touch mattered. That she was starting to think of Andrei, and to a lesser extent Rolf, as Dom friends. Nothing more.

“Please stay,” she whispered.

The tension eased from his shoulders, and now there was no anger in his gaze, only a question.

Are you sure? Are you okay?

Colette nodded, and Landon slowly resumed his seat.

Rolf too sat, turning to Colette. “Tell us what happened next.”

TWENTY-SIX

Landon shoved his hand through his hair, briefly gripping it and tugging, just to get a little jolt of pain. That centered him enough that he could push aside his jealousy over the revelation that Rolf and Andrei had performed aftercare for Colette.

She wasn’t his anymore. Not that she ever really had been.

He’d fucked up, and she’d, rightfully, put a boundary in place.

“What happened after Damien confronted you?” Rolf asked, a slight rephrasing of his inquiry from a moment ago when Colette didn’t answer.

Landon was glad Rolf was here, calmly—if relentlessly—asking logical questions, because Landon was rapidly losing the ability to be calm and rational.

Dread ate at Landon. He was desperate to protect her, comfort her. Colette was composed, flashing an occasional smile, and their quick barbs and teasing felt normal…but he knew her. Knew by the way she occasionally looked down, or dropped her voice to a whisper, that darker emotions were rolling through her.