Page 23 of Mastered By Love

I can’t be mad at her for using her phone—whatever she found, it messed her up.“Did she say more shit about you?”

“Nothing new.I…fuck, Dmitri, I fucked up.”

I tug her closer, hold her as tight as I can while she’s sitting on the barstool.What has her messed up like this?She shivers against me.“Baby, tell me.”

“I clicked a link about Gage, and…” She purses her lips together.

If she can’t say it, I know what she found.“You saw the tape.”

“I read about it, saw a couple of pictures.”

“You know it happened a long time ago.”I do some math.“Fifteen years.”

“Yeah.I know.But some of them?Those details?They’re the same, Dmitri.The things he did, they were—fuck.”She scrubs her fists over her eyes.“It’s so fucked up.”

“Did he ever hurt you?”I tilt her face so she has to look at me.In the dark kitchen, her blue eyes look black.“Did he not get your consent?Did he ignore your safe words?”

“No, none of that.I’m talking about before, with her.”

“Leah.”I wish the lights were on so I could see her face better.“We should be talking aboutnow, notthen.”

“I know.Just, the scenes, they’re so similar.And I saw a picture, and he looks somean.”She sucks in a breath, sobs again.“Like torturing Nicola made himhappy.”

I continue rubbing her arms, her back.Soothing movements that are probably doing as much to reassure me as her.

Eventually, her breathing evens out.She snuggles against my chest.

“Are you falling asleep?”I whisper.

“No, just thinking.I have never, ever felt unsafe with Gage.”

I nod and make anmmmsound.This is the point I was trying to get across.

“He can be manipulative.”She nods, like she’s figuring it all out as she talks.“He’s definitely sadistic in some ways.”

I make another sound of agreement.

“You knew about the rumors, right?The old scandal?”

“Yeah.”I’m not proud of it, but I looked him up when I learned he was part owner of Low Vice.“He has a reputation.It made me distrustful at first, but he’s stricter about the rules than Margot.And I’ve never seen him hurt anyone, or heard of it happening at the club.”

She tilts her head back to look at my face.“You would’ve dragged me away from him if you thought he would hurt me.”

“Fuck yeah I would have.”

“I thought so.”She yawns.

“Tired?”

“Yeah.”

I heft her up into my arms.“Let’s get you back to bed, little girl.”

“I can walk, Dmitri.”She pouts.

I gaze down at her sleepy face, fondness washing through me.“But wouldn’t you rather be carried?”

“Mmm, yeah.Maybe.”