Page 244 of Masters of Control

He needed to stop panicking.

I need fucking therapy.

Mistress Julie.

He hadn’t gone with Morgan yet, but she’d told him about Mistress Julie’s offer. Grabbing his phone, he quickly found the Domme’s number and crossed his fingers she’d be able to pick up. The phone rang once. Twice.

“Hello?”

His voice caught in his throat. He couldn’t respond. He felt like he was choking.

“Hello? Asad?”

“Morgan’s sick.” That’s what he meant to say, but it came out more like a croak.

“What?”

Somehow, he managed to get a hold of himself and actually form the words in a voice that was understandable.

“Morgan’s sick. Brian just texted me that Morgan’s sick, and I’m… fuck, I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Okay, hold on, I’m going to switch you to video chat. I’m out at lunch with Olivia and Camille. Is it okay if they can hear you? Or I can walk outside.”

“It’s fine if they hear.” He didn’t really care. Maybe they would have some advice. He needed to get to Morgan, but he couldn’t fucking think, much less move. He was sitting in his car, and he hadn’t even started it. He was frozen. He needed someone to smack him into movement.

If one Dominatrix couldn’t do it, maybe three would.

The phone beeped at him to accept the switch to video call, and he made his muscles move, holding the phone away from him as he switched over. Which was the first time he’d gotten to see his face. He looked ashy under his normally tanned skin, his eyes wide and blank, and sweat beaded his forehead.

Oh. It was hot in the car.

Fuck, he really should start the car. He turned the key in the ignition. Starting it didn’t mean driving it. He needed to drive to get to Morgan, but he just couldn’t make himself move.

Julie appeared on screen, and her eyes widened as she got a good look at him before a neutral expression swept over her face, wiping it all away.

“Hi, Asad, so Morgan’s sick? Do you know with what?”

“No. Brian texted me. He said she has a fever, and Mitch is on his way to see her. But Brian’s leaving for a trip, and I… I need to go over there. I need to take care of her.” He practically choked on the words, his emotions rising again, so intertwined that he wasn’t sure what he was feeling, only that he was feeling too much. Far too much. It felt as if he was going to explode at any moment. He wanted to scream, but his throat was clogged.

“Asad. Look at me. Focus on me. Focus on my voice. Okay, good. Now, take a deep breath in. Hold it. Deep breath out.” Julie smiled at him as his breath came out in a whoosh. He felt his shoulders relax. “Now another one… deep breath in, deep breath out. Good. Now, Morgan told me a little about your brother and your family; she said you gave her permission to. I want you to say out loud… Morgan doesn’t have cancer.”

Dumb. That was his first thought. It was dumb because he knew Morgan didn’t have cancer.

If it’s so dumb, why don’t you just do it? His brain prodded him.

“Morgan—” His throat choked him off again. Dammit. It was a simple sentence. It was true. Brian hadn’t texted him because Morgan had gotten some kind of dire diagnosis. He’d texted him because she wasn’t feeling well. She had a fever. Brian had Mitch coming to check on her. If he was really worried about something, if it was serious, he’d be taking her to the doctor or the hospital.

“Morgan doesn’t have cancer.”

The tight squeeze on his chest suddenly released, and he slumped in his seat.

“Aw, sweetie,” Camille was peering over Julie’s shoulder. “Do you want me to send Freddy over to check on her?”

“No. No.” He shook his head. “I’m going to go check on her. I just… I think I panicked.”

“I think you did, too.” Julie smiled at him. “I’m glad you’re going to check on her. I should warn you, I think you’re going to have a bit of a fight on your hands to take care of her.”

“What?” Asad stared blankly at the three women looking back at him.