I stare at Zoey as my mind starts whirring at lightning speed.
I totally should. We need to tell my father. And if Denver’s not going to initiate it, then I will. Okay, so my father and Sullivan might take a while to get used to the idea. And if they try and take it out on Denver, then I’ll claim it was me who started it. I mean, it was technically. I’m the one who coerced him into training me the way he did. I’m the one who didn’t use my safe word.
I’m the one who asked him to fuck me on that gym mat.
And I’m the one who has been getting drunk on every look, touch, and kiss he’s given me since.
This is on me. And it’s on me to make us come clean.
I grab my phone and dial him as Zoey looks at me encouragingly.
I frown, staring at the screen as it’s diverted to voicemail. “No way! He screened me.”
“He’s probably in the middle of something important, or driving,” Zoey suggests.
I chew on my lower lip, a flare of indignation sparking in my gut. He’s never not answered my calls straight away. My phone chimes with an incoming message before I have a chance to overthink it any further.
Denver: Sorry, Princess. Something’s come up I need to deal with. I’ll call you as soon as I can.
“See?” Zoey says, reading the message. “He’s working, that’s all.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I agree, rolling my eyes at myself for almost getting pissed over nothing.
“He’ll probably call you before you even finish unpacking, I bet,” Zoey says.
“Yeah, you’re right.” I jump back to my feet and resume emptying my suitcase. I want to have it done by the time he calls.Then we can go and see my father the way we should have done already.
Together.
36
SINCLAIR
Monty’s tailis wagging as we stand outside Denver’s front door. I take a deep breath, trying to push down the annoyance that’s fizzing inside my stomach like a shaken bottle of soda.
I’m overreacting. Acting spoiled.
So he didn’t call me back last night? So what?
But then I think about the way I called Sullivan after not hearing back from Denver, and he informed me Denver had left work hours before.
I’m pissed. And… worried. But mostly pissed.
I huff in frustration. His text couldn’t have been vaguer. That’s why I’m standing here at seven a.m. after barely any sleep because I was thinking about him all night.
I’ve brought our two travel mugs, his filled with vanilla coffee, exactly the way he likes it. Maybe something’s wrong and he’ll be grateful for it as he lets me inside and I can help him with whatever it is he has going on.
“You ready to bust some balls, Baby?” I ask Monty.
He looks up at me.
“Yeah, some sidekick you are. You’re going to lick Denver all over the minute you see him, aren’t you?”
His tail wags faster the second he hears Denver’s name.
I smile at him and bang on the door.
Nothing happens for ages.
