Page 33 of We Own Each Other

Approaching the pair, I held out my hand, hoping one of them would take it and welcome me in. Thankfully, Noah reached out in return. He took my hand and gave it a squeeze. Though his smile was perfectly polite, I could feel there was an uncomfortable distance between us.

“I’m sorry. I don’t remember your name, doctor…”

His voice trailed off, and I immediately picked up where he left off.

“Dr. Attwater. But you can call me Corin. Unfortunately—” No, there was nothing unfortunate about what I was about to say next. Not for him, anyway. “Well, no. Fortunately, you were released before we could really become doctor and patient. So, Corin is just fine.”

Noah nodded along, but I could feel that distance growing. He pulled his hand out of my grip and was beginning to turn away. His arm, whether out of a reflexive defense or something else, found its place around Anthony’s waist, and he gently guided him so Anthony was further away and hidden by his body, if only partially.

Sure, I wasn’t a full Dom, but I had no doubt that he could still sense that I was capable of controlling his Sub — if they weren’t a fated pair, that is.

There was a painful twinge in my heart.

Doms and Subs were lucky. Even though it was rare to find your fated partner among all of the Doms and Subs of the world, there was always a chance. Such a thing wasn’t a possibility for Switches like me.

But then Luke’s face manifested in my mind’s eye, and that ache was swiftly washed away.

Smiling, I carried right along with my initial plan.

“But even though our time was so short, I felt like there was a chance I could’ve really helped out. You two have a very unique relationship, both with your families, and I’m sure much more.” Noah wasn’t paying me much mind, but Anthony was peering my way, his face softening as his gaze drifted back and forth between Noah and me. “I’m glad to see you were able to find your Sub and protect him yourself, but I’m sure there is a lot still on your mind, and yours, Anthony. I would be happy to be there for you, too.”

As soon as I directed my words to Anthony, Noah’s head whipped over to face me. His eyes were narrow and glaring, and that grip he had on Anthony’s waist tightened, making their hips bump together uncomfortably.

Noah’s words slipped out in almost a hiss:

“Look, I appreciate you listening to me before, but we’re ready to just—”

“Noah.”

Immediately, the cotton candy Dom’s gaze softened as it was redirected to the Sub clinging to his arm.

Admittedly, of the two of them, Noah was much more eye-catching, but when you really looked, Anthony was an absolute beauty. The alabaster skin of his face and pitch-black hair made for perfect canvases. His facial features were symmetrical in an ethereal way, and it was all punctuated by a pair of striking violet-colored eyes.

He could just as easily play a devil as he could an angel, and either way, he just made you want to destroy him. It was clear why Noah was so protective of him. It was also clear why there had been so much talk about him being used as a bargaining chip between the Abbotts and Griffs. He was a stunning Sub and the perfect asset to be traded between Dom families.

As his gaze met mine, I could see a flurry of feelings pass over his face: fear, anguish, rage, and even something I might describe as relief or hope. Just as Doms could sense other Doms, Subs often felt safe among other Subs. I hoped that would work in my favor since I was both, and I was relieved that it seemed to be the case.

“Dr. Attwater, right?” I nodded, and then he continued. “Dr. Attwater. I appreciate you looking out for Noah— at least, as much as you could have while he was in there. Do you have a card or something? I’m not sure if we’re ready to talk about everything yet, but…” His gaze shifted to meet Noah’s, who was staring at him, cold but resolute. “… it can’t hurt to talk to someone someday, right?”

Noah didn’t respond out loud, but gave a curt nod. That was enough to spark a bright and beautiful smile across Anthony’s face. All the while, I stood there watching.

I could feel it. There was a connection between the three of us, too. It wasn’t like what I had experienced with Luke, but there was something familiar about it. I just couldn’t figure out what it was.

But I wanted to.

I yanked out my wallet and dug into it to find one of my business cards. I shoved it into Noah’s hands, though I met each of their gazes and practically begged:

“Please, give me a call. About anything.”

Noah reluctantly took it and shoved it into his pocket. Meanwhile, Anthony was practically glowing at his side. Not wanting to push my luck, I gave a brief goodbye, wished them well, and finally scurried off into the store to do the shopping I had initially intended.

They would call.

I had no doubt about it.

And I couldn’t wait.

CHAPTER TEN