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I glanced around us to ensure no one was nearby. I’d take him in the back to have this discussion, but the bartender scheduled to close wasn’t here yet, and we couldn’t leave the bar unattended. “Actually, you know the guy we had to throw out on Kink Night back in October? The one who was drunk and harassed Sam?” Ben knew the Daddies and Subs Club members just as well as almost all the Mix It Up staff did, and he’d heard this story, so he nodded. “I happened to run into him last week at a restaurant, and he made another vague threat similar to the one he made that night. If it was him, guess we’re on his shit list until he decides to move on.”

“Asshole.”

I chuckled. “Yup. Anyway, I’m gonna head out. You sure you’re good?”

He nodded, smiling as he clapped my back. The guy was a few inches shorter than me, but he was built like a brick wall. His smack almost hurt. “Go on. Try to reclaim your night. Enjoy the time off for a change.”

That’s the plan.

His eyes sparkled in his mirth, and I grinned despite my sour mood. “Thanks, man.” I clasped his hand in mine and pulled him in for a bro-hug, our usual goodbye. “I owe you.”

He waved me off as he headed back to his place behind the bar. “You owe me nothing. Have a good night.”

I was smiling as I gathered my leather jacket, keys, and backpack from the office and headed out the back door. As soon as I was outside in the fresh evening air—though the sun was hours from setting—I pulled out my phone and called my boyfriend.

“Hey, baby. Wanna come over early? Like now?”

“On my way, Daddy.”

Chapter thirty-eight

Tristan

True to his word, Henry had told Carter months ago that he wouldn’t participate in any demonstrations with him anymore, at least not ones with a pain element. From what I could tell—I’d only heard Henry’s side of the conversation and gotten his debrief afterward—Carter completely understood, and I hoped the boy found a Dom or Daddy to give him the pain his submissive nature and masochistic side craved soon.

I’d talked with Carter a few times on Kink Nights when he showed up just to watch and had gotten to know him a little better. He really was the sweetheart Henry knew him to be. Ethan even invited him to our Daddies and Subs Club, and he’d come to last week’s meeting. He was a great addition to our group.

But I suspected Henry kind of missed doing demonstrations. Admittedly, he was fucking hot playing the Dom, though I knew his true nature was much more complex and interesting. I adored that about him.

Henry’s and my sex life was varied and kinky and ridiculously hot—I had absolutely no complaints—and it only seemed to keep getting better. But the time we spent together outside the bedroom, like the day hike at Rainier we’d enjoyed yesterday, might have been my favorite part of our relationship.

That didn’t scare me like it used to. Instead, I found myself excited for the future, one in which I hoped he’d play a key role.

I wasn’t ready to marry the man—yet—but I loved him with everything I had. I wanted to tell him, had gotten close a few times, but he’d been especially stressed over the past few weeks, since we’d run into Jason last week and then that awful health inspector who had shown up at the bar two days ago. I didn’t want to distract Henry when he was still waiting to hear if that mousy speck of a man was going to shut him down for no reason.

I rolled on my side in bed, taking in the sight of my sweet Daddy still sleeping by the light of the early morning sun. The day had barely begun, but the minute I’d awakened, my brain had started spinning, wondering about the future.

I didn’t know where my life with Henry would take me, but I was in it with him now. No turning back. I wanted him to be my Daddy forever.

But every time I was out with my friends, either at Mix It Up or just meeting up with Sam and Cameron, I felt a pang of angst over not telling them about our relationship. True to our commitment to each other, we’d both been going to therapy and making great progress in our healing journeys. But after months of keeping our relationship a secret, I couldn’t seem to take the step to move past the status quo. Somewhere deep inside of me, I wanted to tell our friends, but something was holding me back. I couldn’t figure out what, and I doubted Henry would keep being patient with me.

Okay, he absolutely would—and without even batting an eye—but he didn’t deserve to be forced into the closet, so to speak.

Maybe Henry was ready to tell them; I wasn’t sure. But we’d tell them when we were both ready . . . when all this stress died down, maybe.

I just had to figure out what the fuck my problem was first. Ugh.

Henry blinked awake, possibly feeling my gaze on him. Once his eyes focused, he turned his head to look at me, smiling widely. “Morning, my sweet boy.”

“Morning, Daddy.” I leaned in to kiss his closed lips. Morning breath was gross. “Sorry it’s so early. I couldn’t go back to sleep.”

He murmured luxuriously, the sound shooting straight to my balls, and pushed up on an elbow so he could reach out and tuck an errant curl behind my ear as he liked to do. The love that emanated from his eyes nearly took my breath away. “Everything okay?”

I nodded, turning to kiss his palm. “Yes. I . . .”

His brow furrowed. “What is it, Angel Baby?”

It was odd to just blurt out that I loved him, right?