“There’s no one I’d call, Dare. I won’t put you at risk. I promise.”
“Okay.” He stared at me for a beat and then sipped his coffee, “I’ll see you tonight. Make sure you eat, alright? Sorry for leaving you without access to your clothes this morning.” He motioned to me, clearly talking about the pjs.
“I like them.” I shrugged apologetically.
His forehead crinkled and his mouth almost spread into a smile but it looked like he halted it, “You need anything, call me.”
“I will. Have a good day.”
He took another sip of the coffee, poured the remaining contents of the mug into the sink, said, “Good coffee, by the way,” and then went to the door, grabbed his keys, and hit a bunch of buttons on the alarm panel. Then he left.
I sank onto the sofa and wrapped the blanket that he’d covered me with the other night around myself.
Dare
I’d put codes on my home phone making it password protected to dial out to anywhere but me or Nino. I’d forwarded all but my and Nino’s numbers direct to voicemail. I didn’t wanna mistrust but with what was at stake and what with not knowing where her head was at I needed to be careful. I considered leaving a guard with her but had a feeling it would be okay, that she’d obey.
It was a busy day but work stress was the kind of stress I could easily deal with. I welcomed it. And having workable problems that I could actually solve put me in a better mood.
I called my place at lunchtime and she answered hesitantly. I asked if she was alright and she said she was. It was awkward.
“You alright?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“You make breakfast or lunch?”
“I, um, ate the rest of the pizza for breakfast.”
I laughed, “Breakfast of champions.”
She let out a small laugh.
“I’ll be there around 7:00 tonight. You need me to bring anything?”
She was quiet.
“You there, Angel?” I asked gently. She had asked me not to call her Felicia anymore but she begged me not to make her tell me her real name.
“I’m here,” she whispered.
“Why’re you whispering?” I whispered back.
She cleared her throat and her voice got louder, “Sorry. I’m here.”
“What do you need that you don’t have? Maybe tomorrow as it’s Saturday I’ll take you shopping and let you loose with my credit card. Get you some more flannel pjs, girlie shit or whatever, too?” I laughed. “But what about tonight? Anything you need that you don’t have?”
“I have everything I need, Master,” she said softly and fuck, it just about did me in the way she said that.
“Not your Master,” I replied.
She was quiet.
“What do you wanna eat tonight?” I pushed the emotions she was stirring in me away.
“Whatever you want,” she answered.
“There has to be more than pasta you’ve craved and haven’t had in two years.”