“Which is why I texted you all. Besides, if I didn’t let them in they were talking of heading to Dirty Delights, I thought it was better they stay here where they were under my protection. So you see, you owe me.”
“You’re playing with us,” Jake snarled. “This is just a joke for you.”
Saxon straightened, his eyes narrowing. “I can assure you that seeing a sub in need is not a joke for me.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“It’s obvious Molly isn’t getting what she requires from you.”
“Jake, remember you’re the sheriff,” Duncan warned.
Right now, he didn’t give a flying fuck. He completely understood why Logan dreamed of wrapping his hands around Saxon’s neck.
“Think about why she’s here, Jake. Why would she come here?” Saxon asked him.
“She followed the others here.”
“No, I think it’s more like they came to support her,” Saxon told him.
“Are you saying she came here looking for a Dom?” She has a fucking Dom.
“I’m saying she came here because she doesn’t know how to ask you for what she needs. So she’s trying to show you. I’ll admit I don’t hold with manipulative behavior—”
They all gave him looks of disbelief.
“But she explained that she’s tried to ask, and you’ve ignored her.”
Saxon’s voice had grown colder. Was he right? Had she asked and he’d ignored her? He remembered her mentioning playing a few times and he’d . . . he’d dismissed her because he’d thought she wasn’t ready. Wasn’t strong enough.
“Sometimes when I look at her I just see everything I could lose, and I want to wrap her up tightly and keep her safe.”
“We all feel that way, man,” Logan told him. He’d stopped fighting Duncan, who was looking relieved. “Especially when something bad has happened to your woman. You want to hold them close and protect them from everything. And you do that. But you also gotta learn how to do that without smothering them.”
Jake was vaguely aware they’d gathered a bit of an audience, but h
e didn’t much care.
“I’ve been treating her like she’s still ill.” Because he wanted to shield her from everything. But what was the point in fighting to live if you weren’t allowed to do anything? “Well, shit.”
“And he gets it,” Saxon drawled.
Jake pointed at him. “I’m still not fucking happy with you.”
Saxon shrugged. “I consider it my civic duty to help you all figure out the women in your lives.”
“Can’t wait until you find the one,” Logan snarled at him. “When she brings you to your knees, I’m gonna sell tickets.”
Saxon’s face closed off. “Never going to happen.”
Jake headed towards the main dungeon doors.
“They’re not in there,” Saxon told him.
Jake turned with a frown. “Then where are they?”
Saxon smiled. “I put them in the gray room. You didn’t really think I’d let them out into the main dungeon after last time, did you?”
She was locked in a medieval-looking torture room.