“In the formal sense, no.”I maintained eye contact.
Zeke didn’t speak.
“But only because we’re not headed that direction.”
Still nothing.
“The three of us,” I explained.“It’s not what we want to pursue.”
Zeke’s eyes narrowed.
I sighed, thrust my hand through my hair, and shot to my feet.I began pacing his office, grateful there was plenty of space to do so.
“Zeke, I don’t think this is for me anymore.I don’t want to be her Dominant.Not full-time, anyway.”
His gaze followed me as I moved, so I stopped, stared at him.
“I don’t want to dominate her.I want to love her, cherish her.Hell, I want to marry her, have babies.”
“So, what?You’re leaving the lifestyle?”
I nodded.“I think I am, yeah.”
Zeke’s beefy arms crossed over his chest.“Why?”
“Because it doesn’t feel right anymore.It hasn’t for a long time.I spend every waking minute directing submissives to do this or that and … I’m tired, Zeke.I just want to settle down, focus on work, enjoy time with Cav and Jamie.”I put my hands on the back of the chair, leaned.“Doesn’t mean I won’t keep my membership at the club.I want to stop by, check in with everyone.”I couldn’t stop the smile.“And yeah, perhaps play from time to time.”
He glared, a look hot enough to incinerate stone.
“With Jamie and Cav,” I clarified.“Jesus, Zeke.”
He laughed.“I knew that.Just checking.”His face sobered.“What about her school?”
“We’ll support her all the way through.Trust me on that.I want her to follow her dreams.”I moved around the chair, lowered myself into it.“Zeke, they’re the most important things in my world.I’ve never had a love of my own, and now I do.”
“What does Gretchen think?”he asked.
“I’m having dinner with her and the family on Sunday.Taking Cav and Jamie to meet them.”
“She’s gonna love my sister,” Zeke noted.
“Everyone is,” I agreed.
He studied me for a moment.“I always suspected there was something between you and Cav.”
“There wasn’t.Not until recently.”
“Not physically,” he said.“Something else.”
Yeah.I’d known it, too, but it had taken far too long for me to accept it.
Realizing this conversation had gone deeper than I’d expected, I pushed to my feet.“I better get out of your hair.”I couldn’t help it, I laughed, touched my head.“You know, if you had any.”
“Fuck you, Edge.”He stood, walked around the desk, held out his hand.
Wondering if he was going to break all my fingers, I reluctantly offered mine.
“Be good to her,” Zeke said, his tone softer than I’d ever heard it.“She’s precious and deserves all the love you and Cav possess.”
