Page 37 of Point of Contention

Until recently, the arrangement had been suitable for us both.

“She’s a lucky girl.” Veronica stepped up to my stair and placed a kiss on my cheek. “Take care of yourself, Cabot.”

“Veronica, I’m—”

“Shh,” she called over her shoulder, laughing as she reached the base of the stairs. She looked back up at me and winked. “It’s been fun. Don’t make it weird.” Then she disappeared back into the speakeasy.

Turning away from the stairs, I slipped out into the busy restaurant and made my way to the curb.

I sent a text to call the car service, then my phone vibrated in my hand as I went to return it to my breast pocket. Glancing at the screen, I frowned.

Gage Magnusson.

I hit the green button and answered the call. “Reed.”

“It’s Gage.”

“So I see.” I rolled my eyes. “Is there a problem at the club?” As Gage was the next in command, he’d been overseeing club business at the Rabbit Hole while Mina and I traveled.

“No problem. Just a courtesy call.”

I nodded, stepping to the curb as the town car pulled up, growing impatient when Gage didn’t get to the point.

“Your slave is back.”

His choice of words tensed my jaw, but focusing on the wayslavemade my skin crawl wasn’t worth my attention in light of his declaration. “In the club?”

“Not yet. She’s back at the register upstairs.”

Rylan was back at White Rabbit.

I settled into the back seat of the car and tried to ignore the way this news floored me. If she was back at the lingerie store, was she interested in returning to the lifestyle as well? I licked my lips as my heart beat rapidly with hope.

“She’s in need of a new master,” Gage said, the smile evident in his tone.

My free hand curled into a fist on my thigh. “She told you that?” My words were clipped, forced through clenched teeth.

“Yes.”

Fuck.

That horrid ache bloomed in my chest, rearing back to life with its ugliness and pain, reminding me that I’d fallen in love with a woman who had not reciprocated my feelings.

I cursed under my breath.

“Obviously,” Gage went on, “I don’t have to ask your permission, but because we are old friends…”

I closed my eyes and ran my hand over my face.I’ll fucking kill him.

“Do I have your blessing?”

Absolutely not.“Don’t you already have a submissive?” Two, at least, that I knew of. Not even counting the woman I’d just spent a week training.

I couldn’t call it anything else buttraining, as I’d felt nothing for the woman and found no joy in the time we’d spent together.

“I have many pets, Cabot—”

“Master Creed,” I practically growled.