“You know it’s really freaky going to visit your girlfriend’s man,” Ella said, opening the door a little more.
“I felt we got off on the wrong foot earlier today, and I wanted to make it right.”
“Where’s Avery?” Ella asked.
“I dropped her off to pick up some more clothes. I wanted to take her out to a restaurant, only she hadn’t packed anything, and she didn’t like the thought of me paying for dinner and a new dress.”
“She told me you were wealthy, like scarily wealthy.”
“I have a huge bank balance. It has never been a cause for concern before.” Avery had already told him that she’d let Ella know the truth. “My wealth is one of the reasons I want to keep her for myself.”
“Keep her? She’s not an item you can just put on some shelf.”
He stared at Ella. The anger was coming off her in waves. “You really don’t like me.”
“What I don’t like is the effect you have on Avery, or what you do to her. You didn’t see how besotted she is with you. I don’t like it.”
“I’m not going to hurt her.”
“You’re a rich playboy. You may not intentionally hurt her, but you’re going to hurt her.”
“I came here to tell you that I love her.” There! He’d finally said the words aloud, and he meant them.
Ella stared at him. “You love her?”
“Yes.”
“Have you told her?”
“Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“And you wonder why you can’t find a Dom? Have you ever thought of trying to be a Domme?”
“This is my friend. I brought her to Darkest Dreams. I’m responsible for her. I don’t want to see her get hurt. I only wanted to help her, and yet, I’m worried that I’ve led her to you. You’ve got an exceptional reputation for being a good Dom, Dominic. I don’t deny that. What you don’t have a good reputation on is being the guy that a woman needs. Avery, she’s a good girl through and through. Darkest Dreams, opened her up, and now she’s in a relationship with you. One of the most qualified Doms I know. I have a right to be worried. I could take this to the club for them to see if you abused your power.”
“I didn’t abuse anything. If you’re such a good friend, then you would see that I’m actually granting Avery the love and respect she deserves. She doesn’t want to be watched by everyone at the club as if she was just some specimen, and that’s what I bring when I’m at the club. I’m there as a Dom. I’m needed, and because of that, any relationship I have would be under scrutiny. I don’t want that for Avery.”
“What do you want?”
“I want this relationship to last.”
“It has only been a week.”
“And yet actions within a twenty-four-hour time period can change the way the world thinks. Time doesn’t mean anything, not really. We have precious little of it, and I’m not going to waste the time I have, wondering if my feelings are real. I know what I feel, I know my own mind. I didn’t come here to argue with you, or to justify myself to you.”
“Then why did you come here?”
“For Avery. She values your friendship, and the last thing I want to do is make her chose between us. I’m not going to do it, are you?”
Silence fell between them, and Ella broke eye contact first. “No.”
“Good. You don’t like me, and that is fine.”
“I don’t dislike you. I just worry about Avery. She’s new to all of this.”
“I’m going to guide her. I’m not going to hurt her, or abuse the power that she has given me. That’s not the way that I work.”