He received a response within an hour.
Denied.
Fucker.
Chapter Fifteen
Finley
Over the next week, Finley couldn’t stop thinking about his night with Kage and what had happened. Kage had never been cruel, not to him nor anyone else but the things he’d said that night had been meant to kick Finley in the gut. There had to be a reason for Kage’s reaction. Blaming himself, Finley had dived into research as to what he’d done wrong when it came to the rules of the BDSM world. His biggest mistake had been pushing Kage for more than a D/S relationship. He’d read how some people prefer to keep their kink life and personal life separate, which was a boundary Finley hadn’t respected when approaching his sex with Kage as if it was a path to a relationship. Clearly, he’d been sorely mistaken. But that was not his only fuckup.
His heart sank when he ventured into the Dom-centred articles on Kage’s website and read about a Dom-drop. His reluctance to fuck Finley, the change of the mood, and Kage’s reaction after, led to one conclusion. Despite the fantastic sex, Finley had expressed his disappointment, then lashed out, fueling Kage’s spiral into a drop. That had to be it.
Finley should have noticed the issue, stayed calm, and offered comfort in any form Kage would accept. Cuddles, tea, or talking. Anything to get him out of a negative frame of mind.
Instead, Finley had lashed out. A selfish and stupid bastard. Kage had gone home alone that night without the aftercare he’d clearly needed. And all that after he’d made sure Finley received proper care after every scene they’d done.
Fuck.
They communicated when it came to their hard and soft limits, but Finley had no idea if there was any deeper reasoning behind Kage’s reaction. Frankly, he knew very little about Kage’s life story, and that should tell him that Kage had been keeping him at an arm’s length when it came to his emotional wellbeing.
Now, Finley had to apologise and try to patch things up with Kage. After years of keeping to himself, Finley had found an incredible friend who’d thrust colour into the darkness of his life. And he had to fuck it up by asking for more than Kage wanted to give.
During the week since that evening, Finley noticed he always seemed to be working different shifts than Kage. It was happening way too often to be a coincidence. Finley bristled as his suspicions grew, but he was not going to give in and text him. He was determined to tackle it in person, but Kage was being slippery as hell. Did he really think he could avoid him forever?
The only information he’d received had been through the club’s app informing him that Kage wouldn’t need his assistance tonight.
Finley often arrived for his shift early to either help prepare the bar, or the set-up for scenes. But today, he was like a stray seed of barley on the distillery floor, sort of belonging but not really there and not knowing what was awaiting him. He couldn’t stand still, so he double-checked the security points in the club, then settled on a stool.
He startled when a hand touched his shoulder.
“Finley? You okay?” Lucy asked, her tone worried. “I’ve been trying to get your attention. We can go outside and get some air if you’d like. Bobby is managing the bar today and I’m on my break.” She tossed her black hair over her shoulder and sat next to him. Her knee-length neon pink dress hugged her figure and matched her sky-high heels. Finley had stopped wondering a long time ago how she walked in all that gear so flawlessly. Must be drag queen magic.
“No, I’m fine. I just—” Finley turned towards the excited murmurs of the patrons. Kage was here.
“What’s with you and him?” Lucy wiggled a silver-tipped finger.
Finley lifted his shoulders and let them fall in a resigned shrug. “I think I fucked up.”
Lucy gave him a narrowed-eyed look and shook her head. “ I doubt that. We all adore him, I get it. And I’ve seen the way you two giggle and talk like you’ve known each other forever when you set up the stage. But Finley,” Lucy squeezed his forearm. “Don’t get too hung up on him. It’s not like he was your first time.”
Finley busied himself with twisting the purple bracelet adorning his wrist.
“Finley? You’ve had sex with a guy before, right?” Lucy lifted a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him.
Finley fidgeted, feeling like a child admitting to breaking a vase. “A blowjob in a bathroom stall at a club doesn’t count, does it?”
Lucy smacked her lips. “Fucking hell, mate.” She shook her head, whistling low. “Well, actually, you couldn’t have chosen a better lover to prove to yourself that you liked cock.” She patted Finley on the shoulder as if he’d done a good job.
“Right?” Finley’s chuckle was forced. And the crease of Lucy’s brow suggested she knew Finley had bitten off more than he could chew. He wasn’t ready to give up on Kage, though. No one’s mere presence had ever had that intense an effect on him. Like he wanted to wake up next to him, do random everyday shit, curl up together and talk about everything and nothing.
“I told you not to fall in love.” Lucy shook her head. “But it’s too late now, isn’t it?”
“I’m not sure. But we argued, and now I don’t know what to do. I want to scream and at the same time I want to fix what’s between us.” He released a dry chuckle. “Is this a midlife crisis?”
“Nah. It’s life.” She nodded to a group of patrons passing them.
“Listen.” She waved a manicured hand at him. “You two are my friends, so you better get your collective shit together. What the fuck happened?”
