Page 7 of A Dove To Break (The Dove Institute Collection #1)

Adrian

When I am positive that Alania is asleep, I slip out of the room and lock it so no one can disturb her. I spot Raul sitting in a large armchair with Fiona curled up in his lap, asleep.

“Hey,” he says when I approach. “Where is she?”

“Asleep. I need you to back me up with something.”

“Done. What is it?” he asks.

“I want to call for the submissives to stay in the room with their Masters. If they are to learn from us, they should be with us at all times,” I say.

“And?” Raul says with a smirk.

“It’s that or I am going to break her out of this place and disappear,” I say. “I don’t feel comfortable with her being out here where anyone can get to her. Fredrico is going to target her.”

“Let me go lay her in her bed, and I’ll come with you,” he says. “Quietly go talk with the others. They look up to you.”

I nod and turn to John first. When I approach, he can sense I am going to ask him something. “What is it, Adrian?” he asks with a chuckle.

“I want to advocate for the girls to stay in the room with us at night. I don’t feel comfortable knowing Fredrico is going to target Alania.”

“She was disrespectful,” he says. “But… Fredrico deserved it. I’m in.”

“Thanks, man. Wanna help recruit?” I ask.

“Let’s do it, but only because it was hilarious seeing her knock him down a peg,” he says.

We start going from person to person, gathering support from everyone in silence. By the time we have everyone but Fredrico on board, Charles is walking into the common area. “Oh God. What are you all up to?” he asks with a sigh.

“I think the girls should be in our rooms,” I say. “We all agree that if they are to learn the dynamics properly, it should be just as it would outside of here. We can create routines with them, teach them more about the dynamic casually, and…”

“Where is Fredrico?” Charles asks.

“Like I give a fuck,” I say bluntly. “Look. I won’t lie, this is also motivated by him. Alania has already been attacked once. She is afraid of him, and she shouldn't have to be. He will attack her, and if she survives, it will be a miracle. I give poor Gemma a week max before he injures her.”

“And you all agree?” Charles asks the others.

“Yes,” Raul says.

“I agree,” Eli says.

“So, save Alania at the cost of Gemma?”

“You did that,” I say. “You gave her a death sentence the moment you let him come back here. He has no business being here because it’s not conducive to their training.”

“Fine, but I will not change that all of you must have at least one lesson with each of the other girls,” Charles says. “I will monitor him and remove him if he becomes any more problematic.”

When Charles leaves, everyone goes and grabs their girls, but I go to Alania’s room to gather her belongings.

Fredrico is sitting on one of the couches, glaring at me as I walk across the common area to my room.

When I get to my room, I glance into Gemma’s and see that she is asleep in her bed.

At least he is leaving her alone for now.