Laken waited until he’d gone before slumping against the counter in relief.
Damn, she was in trouble.
***
What was going on with her? Surely, this couldn’t all be due to him missing a dinner three years ago. He knew he had made mistakes. He had been selfish. But he’d been trying to build a life for them. He’d thought money could buy him happiness. He had been poor as a kid, watched his father drink his life away; so he wanted to create something for his future, to ensure that his wife and kids never went without.
Of course, he’d been so blind in his ambition that he’d failed to realize he was neglecting the one person in his life who had meant more to him than anyone else. The person he was trying to build this life for.
He’d never forgiven himself for letting her go. For not chasing after her and insisting that she listen to him, that she give him another chance. He didn’t intend to make that mistake again.
Laken could push him away all she liked, but he wasn’t going anywhere. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to do this half ass. Her remark about him giving up BDSM for her puzzled him. Laken had loved being his submissive in the bedroom and he adored taking care of her. Maybe that was what she was afraid of, giving herself over to him, trusting him only to be let down again.
Well, that would never happen again. He was in this forever.
It was time to take control.
He wondered how often she had skipped meals and sleep. Yeah, he needed to keep a closer eye on her. Being his meant surrendering to his care. And she would, she just didn’t realize it yet.
“Now that look screams ‘woman problems,’” a low voice commented as Duncan walked down the pavement towards his truck.
He stopped and turned with a sigh to find Colin Richards grinning at him. Duncan rolled his eyes as his friend opened the passenger side of his truck and helped his tiny fiancé down. Duncan forced himself to smile at Lila, pushing away his worry and simmering his temper.
“Hi Duncan, have you just been in to see Laken?” Lila asked with worry in her voice. He had the urge to soothe her. Colin drew her close, squeezing her. She rested her head on his chest, leaning on him. This was what Duncan wanted, this closeness, to be able to look after his partner, to lean on her when he needed to, but mostly to be there when she needed him.
Colin snorted. “Course he has. Look at him. He looks like he doesn’t know whether to hit someone or cry.”
Both Lila and Colin grinned as Duncan raised his middle finger in Colin’s direction. Lila’s grin quickly faded, though.
“Is she okay? I haven’t heard from her lately. Every time I ask her to do something with me she says she’s too busy with the store.”
Duncan wanted to lie to her. Lila had been through enough lately, with the death of Clay and that nasty business with Sara, but she would soon find out for herself how badly Laken was doing.
“She’s exhausted,” Duncan told her. “I’m not sure how she’s still standing to be honest.”
Both Colin and Lila frowned.
“I’ve tried to get her to talk to me, but she won’t. You know how stubborn she is.” Lila bit her bottom lip. “I know she feels guilty about Sara but I wish she would forgive herself. She didn’t mean to leave the door open and Sara would have found some other way to get to me. I feel so awful that Laken’s blaming herself.”
Colin kissed the top of her head as he rubbed his hand up and down her arm soothingly.
“This isn’t your fault, Lila,” Duncan told her, injecting a bit of Dom into his voice.
Colin sighed as he glanced into Lila’s pale, worried face.
“Lila, look at me,” Duncan ordered her firmly. “Everything will be all right. I’m watching out for Laken.”
Lila gave him a doubtful look. “No offense, Duncan, but you’re not exactly her favorite person right now.”
“I know. But I’m going to convince her otherwise.”
Colin’s smile was back. “Good luck with that. I think Laken could out-stubborn Gavin.”
Lila smiled at the mention of her other fiancé. Damn, Gavin, Colin and Trace were three lucky men. They had the woman of their dreams.
Now, Duncan just had to convince his woman to give him another chance and he knew she was going to make him work for it.
Ah well, nothing worth having ever came easy.