Page 62 of Axe Marks the Spot

I’ve also never wanted to be just a man who gets off on power and control like my father was. What I do has always been about a mutually beneficial relationship, exploring kink in a safe container.

Fox’s hand squeezes my shoulder, and our eyes meet again. “You alright?”

I nod. “You’re bringing up good points. It’s making me think.”

“Don’t hurt yourself.”

My chest shakes with laughter, and Fox drops his hand.

“You can be funny sometimes, Malone,” I say, intentionally using his last name.

“Don’t get used to it.”

I look at the “World’s Biggest Grump” mug sitting next to me. “Gotta keep up the persona.”

His lip twitches. “Not a persona.”

I smirk, knowing that Fox is a big softie on the inside. He may come off as a grump and be ex–Special Forces, but if you get the privilege of knowing the true him, you know he’s one of the best men around. Which is why I take his advice to heart when he gives it.

We stare out at the woods for another few minutes, my brain processing everything he’s said. When I hear the sound of tires on dirt and gravel, I stand, knowing Morgan and Nathan are on their way up the drive.

“I’m going to head out. Thanks for the chat.”

Fox stands and claps me on the back in a brief hug. “Hope it helped.”

I nod and start to walk away.

“Dane?” Fox calls.

I stop and turn. Fox is still standing at the bottom of the steps with his hands in his jean pockets, tattooed arms bulging under his T-shirt. “I don’t know much about your past, but whatever is blocking you from being happy, kick it in the fucking ass. Don’t let it control you.”

My pulse quickens as I stare at my friend. There are many things Fox could say, but that was more than insightful.

“You a life coach now?”

He chuckles. “Thinking about being an online Pro Dom, actually.”

“I know someone who could help you with that.”

Fox flips me off as his truck comes up the drive. I flip him off right back and leave before his partners can see me, taking off into the woods at a jog.

21

Lindsey

THAT’S MY GOOD GIRL.

I can’t stop replaying Dane’s message to me last week. Nor can I stop imagining him saying it to me in his deep and rumbling voice. It’s all I’ve been able to think about every time I send him my check-ins and every time he praises me for following through.

Sometimes—okay, a lot of times—I go back and read the message to make sure I didn’t read the wording wrong, but I hadn’t. Then I sent him back a blushing emoji. I regretted it as soon as I did, but he started it, right? Or is that something else he says to his other submissives?

The thought makes me a bit jealous, even if it’s irrational. I knew what I was getting into when I started working with him. This is his job, which means I’m a job. Maybe flirting is part of it? It’s not like that counts as sex. If anything, what I said I’d do to ease his disappointment was crossing a line, but he wanted to know what I thought, and I was being honest. I haven’t made a comment like that since then, and I wasn’t able to drop off or pick up Kas at the obstacle course this past Friday due to work, so I haven’t seen him in person, but our messages have been flirtier than they were.

Unless I’m imagining it?

“Mom?”

My gaze moves from my chicken Caesar salad to Kas, who’s sitting across from me in the booth. I had a day off today, so she asked if we could come to the diner for dinner. It was an easy yes, and prior to this, we spent our time watching a movie. Eventually, she asked to play her game. I said she could but only if she taught me how to play. I thought she’d say no, but we ended up playing a bit of Critter Cove together before coming here. It’s been a nice day, a day I wish we could do more often.