Cameron’s expression almost convinced Franklin to back down.Almost.Unable to turn his head, he looked back to Arslan from the corner of his eye.
Arslan nodded as he seemed to realise how important it was to him.“Very well.”
Leaving the other lions behind, Arslan strode across to the door, collecting Franklin from a quietly furious Cameron along the way.As he stepped into the hall, Franklin realised the other humans in the pride were all there waiting.There really was no privacy anywhere in the den, no secrets that could be kept from the rest of the pride.
Arslan left the door into the other room open slightly, just an inch of space between the mahogany and the frame, as if he wanted to be sure he’d hear any problems that arose in there while he was absent.“What is it you wish to say to me?”
Franklin swallowed as he looked past him to the heavy wooden door.“What’s going to happen to Cameron?”
He put as much strength and confidence as he could into the query, but Franklin still didn’t feel like a businessman in control the whole world.He felt like a submissive who’d screwed up, and, from that point of view, it was almost impossible for him to look up and hold anyone’s gaze.
“We’re going to remind him what it means to belong to a pride.”
Images flashed through Franklin’s mind, each one worse than the one before, until he couldn’t stand it any longer.“I don’t know what that means,” he finally blurted out.
Arslan pulled the door closed a fraction more before he spoke.“The way he’s treated you tonight is unacceptable—”
“No!”Franklin cut in, all his worse fears confirmed.“You don’t understand.”
Arslan glared down at him in silence, apparently waiting for an explanation that would allow him to understand to be offered.
“It was my fault—”
Arslan shook his head without even letting him finish the sentence.
“It was!”Franklin protested.
“There is never any excuse for a lion to—”
“Excuse?”Franklin demanded, as panic raced through him, faster and more furious by the moment.“Has it ever occurred to you that he doesn’t need anexcuse, that he might have a bloody goodreasonfor hating me?”
After the way the men at the club, men just like him, had treated Cameron, he had so many reasons.Franklin stared up at Arslan, damn near begging him to understand, almost ready to get down on his knees and beg for real if that was what it would take.
“So, you think it’s acceptable for him to take his anger and his frustrations out on his pet?”Arslan asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Yes.”That word at least, had some strength in it.
“Would you think it acceptable for me to lash out at Ryland, or for—?”
“I’m not them!I’m not some silly little boy who’s out of his depth,” Franklin spat out.“I know what I’m doing.And a few put downs won’t kill me.”
“So, when do you think his pride should step in?”Arslan asked, more serious than ever.“When it stops being just your feelings that are hurt?Do we step in when it’s a black eye, or a broken arm?Or maybe when it’s something far more grave?”
Franklin shook his head.Arslan just didn’t understand.
“Or would you think you’d deserve that, as well?”
“Yes!”The word was out before he could stop it.Franklin hadn’t realised how true it was until it hit the air.Yes, he deserved it.Not just for what he’d done to Cameron, but for everything.Suddenly, it was impossible for him to push aside thoughts of anyone and everyone each of his business decisions might have hurt.
Fresh guilt swirled inside Franklin, collecting up every scrap that he’d repressed ever since he’d first thrown himself into showing his father that being gay didn’t stop a son being just as big a bastard in the boardroom as his father had been.
Arslan’s annoyance seemed to drain out of him, a touch of sadness crept into his eyes in its place.“Then, it is a good thing he has a pride who disagrees with you.”He turned to re-enter the room, apparently finished with the conversation.
Franklin caught his arm and stopped him short.“Please?”
“He won’t be hurt,” Arslan promised.He looked past Franklin then and seemed to catch someone else’s eye.
When Arslan opened the door leading back into the den and stepped through it, Franklin immediately tried to follow him, but a hand came to rest on his shoulder and easily held him back.
