Page 42 of Point of Contention

“I have permission to claim you,fitta.”

My breath caught. Permission? From whom? Mina?

“Your master is done with you.” He disappeared down into the stairwell of the Rabbit Hole and in his wake, all the oxygen left the room.

Cabot approved of this? Hewantedme to go with Master Gage? I’d told him we couldn’t see each other anymore but this was next level.

I bit down on the inside of my cheek and focused on the pain as tears threatened to fall.

I wouldnotcry.

If I started now, I might never stop.

Chapter Fourteen

Cabot

By the end of the day, I’d convinced myself that rushing back to New York to rescue Rylan was a foolish mistake. More than half a dozen times, I’d talked myself out of calling her. If she wanted to experience life in the underground with another Dom, who was I to stand in her way? I’d spent five entire days with another submissive, so inserting myself into Rylan’s life or pretending I had any say in how she spent her free-time made me a hypocrite.

But that didn’t stop me from wanting to protect her.

So I decided that if I could not intervene, I’d at least keep an eye on her.

This was a valiant act, I told myself as I sat deep in the underground behind Mina’s desk and brought her computer to life, calling up the security feeds for the Rabbit Hole and White Rabbit above. Shame itched at the edges of my consciousness, but I ignored it. There was nothing wrong with checking the safety and security of both the patrons of the club and store, as well as the employees.

In fact, as Ombudsman, it was part of my job.

In Mina’s absence, even more so.

But my reasons for doing so now were anything but worthy.

I needed to see her.

The knowledge that Rylan was back at White Rabbit, sitting behind the cash register just a floor above me, was a constant nagging. All I had to do was walk up there and say hello.

But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Because she didn’t want to talk to me, that much was obvious.

She’dended things withme. Not the other way around.

And, since then, she’d sought out another Dom.

The message couldn’t be clearer, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept.

I should be happy that she wanted to return to the Rabbit Hole, thrilled that the media nightmare we’d experienced hadn’t scared her away indefinitely.

But happiness wasn’t even remotely present.

I didn’t think I’d be able to stomach seeing her with another man.

Which is why pulling up the security feeds was a stupid, masochistic thing to do. But I couldn’t stop myself. The security feed filled the screen and I clicked on the square in the upper right corner, filling the monitor with the camera feed in the back of the store. Rylan sat at the cash register as I’d expected. I clicked the arrows pointing to the left and rewound the feed, going rigid as I watched Gage appear in the video and walk backwards from the hidden door to the cash register.

I rewound a little further, then pressedplay.

Gage entered the store and walked straight to Rylan.

Words were exchanged, then she sat back, crossing her arms. Her chin lifted slightly and I found myself smiling, even as a spark of jealousy flared in my chest; I missed when that sass was directed at me.

Then Rylan extended her hand to him and I leaned forward.