I don’t know her true loyalties. Not really.
Owen, however…
He’s different. It’s easier for me to map his heart and soul because in many ways, I know what he’s feeling.
Except I know he’s feeling it mostly for Susa.
I close my eyes and deeply inhale his scent as I slowly swirl my tongue around the head of his soft cock. Then I force myself to sit up and carefully tug the waistband of his boxers back into place.
I settle in bed next to him and pretend we just made love. I nuzzle my face in his hair and deeply inhale. Knowing I’m torturing myself, I grab my phone and tuck my head next to Owen’s and snap a selfie of the two of us together.
The next day, I order the ring anyway. I don’t care it’s not a sure thing—I have hope.
For the first time in a long fucking time, I have genuine, deep hope.
Fuck me, I’m so screwed.
* * * *
At least the night brings a breakthrough. From the next day on, I’m able to officially start training Owen as my willing submissive. Now it’s only a matter of time before he’s in my bed all the time, and in all ways. With Susa’s help, Owen is quickly craving more, thriving on our attention and domination.
Until Susa accidentally triggersme.
It’s less than a week after the new world order starts, on Friday night, and we’re at Susa’s.
She didn’t mean to do it, I know she didn’t. But ifIcan trigger that hard, god only knows how hard Owen could have triggered about that, or about something else we haven’t even stumbled across yet.
We’re sitting on the couch and Owen’s standing in front of us. I’m paying attention to how Susa’s working with him, and I’m carefully watching Owen for any sign he’s about to freak out, so I can step in, if necessary. She orders him to finish stripping and he’s nervous, I can see it.
“How do you feel right now, boy?” she asks.
“Nervous, Ma’am.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to disappoint you, or Sir.”
I hear Susa’s sigh, likely part gentle exasperation, and part sadness that she’s as gutted as I am about the emotional depths Owen’s mother dragged him to. “Don’t be stupid,” she says, “you could never—”
“Devotion, boy.Now.” I’m already standing and heading for the hallway, not even looking back once I see that Owen’s dropped into the position. “Susa, a word.Now.”
I don’t wait. I hear her scrambling to follow me and once she’s in her bedroom with me, I close the door and wheel on her. I struggle to keep my voice down.
“Don’t youeveruse that word with Owen in that way again.Ever. Do I make myself clear?”
I harden my heart against her wide-eyed shock. “What? What’d I say?”
“You called himstupid.” No, not directly, but I have no clue what triggers Owen might have. The last thing I need is Susa uttering one careless fucking word and sending Owen fearfully skittering away from us.
If it triggeredmeand it’s been several goddamned years, I can only imagine what Owen’s triggers might be.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t even think—”
“That’s right.” I jab a finger at her as I let Sergeant Wilson take over. “You didnotthink. You have nofuckingclue what a careless word might do to him. You promised to put Owen first, and that wasnotputting him first,girl. So let me make myself perfectly fucking clear—if Ieverhear you say something like that to him,everagain, I will immediately take Owen and walk, and we’redone.Period. No more play, no more sex, no morefriendship. There arenosecond chances for this—this is youronlywarning. Do I make myselfperfectlyclear?”
Her eyes widen—in a different kind of fear, this time. I harden my heart even more when, for the first time, I see tears in Susa’s eyes that I didn’t put there from pain or play.
“I’m sorry, Sir.”
