Chapter Three
Eloise
“I’m sorry you had to stop what you were doing to take me to Elliot’s,” I said, feeling really guilty. She was probably missing hours at Daddies Ink. I wondered if she did tattoos there. That would be so cool. I’d always wanted a tattoo, but one time when I mentioned it to Billy… it hadn’t gone well. I shivered with the memory of his harsh punishment.
“Are you still cold?” Rogue asked, reached over and turned my seat warmer on. “Let me know if it needs to be turned up more. This car is new and I’m still getting used to all the buttons.”
“It’s really nice.”
“Thank you. I rode a pretty bicycle to work before I moved in with Leland. Now it’s too far, so he bought me a car. It’s kinda big, but he said it’s super safe.”
“Thank you for taking me. I’m really sorry for messing up your day,” I apologized again.
Rogue waved me off with her hand. “I wanted to take you. Sometimes the men aren’t so great with communication. Elliot’s family dynamic is a bit different than most.”
I nodded, waiting for her to continue.
“You asked if Leland was my Daddy Dom and you found out he is. Well, most of the men you’ll meet are Daddies too. Elliot has a Little girl, Tinsley, he shares with their partner, Tyler. Tyler is also a Daddy Dom. They’re very open with their relationship, but they will make sure you’re okay with it first. If you aren’t, you can one hundred percent say so and they will understand.”
“Oh, anyone is welcome to be whoever… whatever they need to be. I would never want anyone to try and keep the way they live secret around me. That’s so sad. Everyone deserves to be loved however they need to be loved. Elliot, Tyler, and Tinsely have my full consent to be open around me. And anyone else does too. You and Leland and any other kinky friends you may have.”
Rogue tipped her head back and laughed. “There’s so many of them.”
“Really?” I laughed too.
“Yes, Blade, Bash, Smoke, Kay, Paisley, and so many others. You haven’t met Smoke or Paisley yet, but I’m sure you will soon. They will come by and visit.”
“That’s really nice,” I said, lacking much to add. They didn’t know me. Why would they come by and visit?
“I’m sorry I never talked to you when I saw you around town. I wish I had helped you sooner.”
“That’s okay. You were nice to me when you did see me,” I said with a shrug.
“I know, but I remember what it was like living on the street and I wish I had done more. It’s just so hard because…”
“You see people abuse the system a lot and it’s hard to know who actually needs help,” I filled in.
“Yeah. And I never really met any other good people when we were... uh... homeless. I only saw people who were dishonest and scammed people to get their money. I think I accidentally formed a bias in my head and I didn’t realize it until now.”
“You were homeless too?” I didn’t know anything about her other than what Blade had told me.
“Yeah. My sister and I were raised in a cult. I still struggle to talk about it, but I was a child bride and my sister was arranged to be one as well. We ran away before they could force her into marriage. I’d tried to escape before, but they found me and... Anyway, once we escaped we were homeless for a while. It was really hard,” she explained.
“I was raised religious too. It was really terrible, but not as bad as what you’ve been through.”
“My parents created the cult, and then abandoned my sister and me there with the horrible people they’d recruited,” Rogue explained.
“I’m really sorry. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been.”
“Yeah.”
“You made me feel human. You smiled at me, made eye contact. One time you held the door open for me at the donut place downtown,” I said trying to distract her from the heavy memories filling her mind.
“I did?”
I laughed. “You did. Treating me like a person meant a lot to me.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, so many people just… glare, like they really think the worst about me. Or like if I walk by their car in a parking lot, they lock their doors. It just makes me feel like I’m nothing. It’s hard.”
“I’m really sorry. That’s awful.”
“It’s okay. It won’t always be this way.”
“We, my sister and I, we had to keep our heads down so I don’t remember how people looked at us, but I do know that we made it and you will too.”
“You’re really strong to have made it through all of that,” I defected. I didn’t know if I was going to make it. Every fucking day was hard.
“I struggled for a very long time, even after we were out of danger. I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my friends.”
I nodded, but pain bit at my heart. I hadn’t had friends for a long time and often the loneliness was heavy.
“Now you have friends who support you and you’re going to get away from him too.”
That was a nice thought, but these people didn’t know me. Soon enough, I’d be back on my own.
***
We pulled into the driveway of one of the biggest houses I’d ever seen. It was massive and had a wrap-around porch. I studied the rocking chairs enviously, and swore that one day I’d have a porch with a rocking chair too.
Rogue put the car in park and shut it off before turning to look at me.
“How did you know what a Daddy Dom was?”
I hesitated.
“You don’t have to answer me if you don’t want to. I won’t be upset. I just…”
“You just what?”
“I hate to see someone scared to be what they need to be. I spent a large part of my adult years trying to pretend I wasn’t a Little and I was miserable. I don’t want you to be miserable either.”
That was a really super brave thing for her to tell me. I could be brave too.
“I have never been in a dynamic, but yes. I i-identify as a Little.”
“Thank you for sharing that with me. I won’t tell anyone, but I hope you will. We’re all friends now and you can share anything with us.”
I smiled. “Thank you. I’m not ready to have it made public yet.. .”
Well made public again, I corrected myself in my head. When Billy found out about my desire to be a Little, he berated me in front of the entire church and then beat me while they watched. He felt like my desire in BDSM must have been sent from a demon. I was so fucking stupid because I’d believed him and tried to snuff out my Little.
“That’s okay, you take all the time you need. Just don’t feel like you have to keep it a secret, okay? We will accept you no matter what.”
“Ya’ll don't even know me. I could be a serial killer or something.”
“You’d be a really bad one. We’ve been in my car for half an hour already and you haven’t even stabbed me yet,” Rogue teased, sticking her tongue out.
***
Blade
“Why are they just sitting in the car?” I asked, peeking out the window.
“Why are you watching them like a loon?” Tyler laughed, lifting his and Elliot’s Little girl out of the highchair and setting her on her feet.
“Like a loon!” she parroted.
“Tinsley, shouldn’t you be taking a nap?” I teased.
“No!” she yelled, shaking her head. Her curls bounced around with her rapid motions.
“I think maybe you should take a nap. You look sleepy,” I teased again.
“No!” she yelled again before running to her playroom.
Tyler and I laughed at her little waddle.
“She’s too damn cute,” I said, chuckling as she slammed her playroom door.
“Yes she is. I heard Eloise was cute too.”
“Who said that? When?” I grilled him.
He snorted and tossed one of Tinsely’s leftover animal crackers at me.
“I’m teasing you. I’d heard you were a bit possessive over her. I guess that’s true.”
“Fuck you,” I grumbled, flipping him off and turning to peek back out the window.
“Here they come,” I said, jogging to the front door and snatching it open, making both girls jump.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you two were here,” I lied, feeling bad I’d startled them.
“Why are you here?” Rogue asked.
I stepped back and let them through the front door. “I needed to talk to Elliot about something but he’s not here yet.”
“Hi, I’m Tyler,” Tyler said, sticking his hand out toward Eloise.
“Hi. I’m Eloise. Thank you for letting me stay here until I’m better.”
Tyler touched his hand over his heart, something he did when he was touched. “Well, you just have the sweetest manners, don’t you? You’re so welcome. Thank you for trusting Elliot as your doctor. Can I give you a hug, sweet girl?”
Eloise nodded and Tyler hugged her.
I tried to cover the deep, possessive growl that ripped from my chest with a cough, but wasn’t successful. At all.
Thankfully Tinsley was the perfect distraction.
“Mr. Blade! My Daddy said I didn’t not has to take a nap!” she yelled, running down the hall with her phone in her hand.
She saw Eloise too late and tried to slide to a stop, but her socks didn’t get the memo so she went sliding across the floor, landed on her bottom, and came to a stop at Rogue’s feet.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Tinsley said, immediately slipping out of her Little head space. “I didn’t know you were here in the house yet.”
“Babygirl, are you alright?” Tyler questioned, closing the distance between them.
“Are you okay? That looks like it was really ouchie,” Eloise said, bending to help her up.
“I’m fine. I’m really sorry,” Tinsely said.
“Tinsley, it’s okay. She knows about Littles and doesn’t mind you being yourself, okay?” Rogue said, grabbing her shoulders once she was upright.
“Oh,” Tinsley said, looking at Eloise.
“I promise,” Eloise agreed. “You are free to be yourself around me.”
“Okay,” Tinsley said, clearly still a bit shaken up.
“I’m Eloise.”
“Nice to meet you, I’m Tinsley.”
“I like your tutu.”
Tinsley looked down, flushing adorably. “Thank you. Do you wanna see my playroom until my Daddy gets here?”
“Oh. Yes, please. That sounds so fun.”
Well, three Little amigos were so sweet it made my teeth hurt. I watched as they all rushed off to the playroom, Eloise’s limp making me frown. I wondered how much pain she was truly in.
“Well, that was fucking adorable,” Tyler said.
I nodded in agreement.
“You know if the three of them team up, we’ll never be able to resist the cuteness.”
I nodded again. “That’s a scary thought.”
“Do you want a beer while we wait?”
“Yeah. Sounds good.”
“What do you want for dinner?” Tyler asked.
“Huh?”
“I’m assuming you’re going to be staying with us as well?”
“Uh, oh. I hadn’t really...” I trailed off.
“You hadn’t asked, but you had planned on it, right?”
“Yes,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck.
“Yeah, so I just saved us all some time. Now, I was planning on steak and potatoes with grilled asparagus. Does that work for you or should I plan something else?”
Laughing, I shook my head. “That’s fine, and thank you.”
“Sorry, I was gone so long, the lab took forever getting me the results of Eloise’s lab work back,” Elliot said, entering the kitchen and setting his bag down.
“Hey, baby,” he greeted Tyler, leaning in for a quick kiss.
“Hey, I didn’t even hear you come in,” Tyler said, turning and handing me a longneck bottle from the fridge.
“I came in from the basement. I wanted to make sure everything was good to go for our new patient.”
“I heard you were antagonizing my Little one,” Elliot said, turning to me.
“I was. Don’t I get a kiss too?” I asked, placing my hands behind my back and puckering my lips.
“I knew you were the troublemaker. I’ve always suspected you,” he teased, wagging his finger at me.
“Tinsley, Daddy’s home!” he yelled.
“Daddy!” Little girl shrieks came from the playroom before bare feet slapped on the hardwood floor as she ran to him. He lifted her and pressed a few kisses to her face. “Missed you!”
“I missed you too, Little one.”
He set her back on her feet and frowned. “Where are your socks, Little girl? It’s too chilly in the house for you to have them off.”
“Mr. Blade taked them,” she lied.
“I did not!” I said, pretending to be shocked. I really wanted to laugh at the cute little shit.
“He did. I saw him. Took them right off her feet,” Rogue agreed. Eloise and Rogue had followed Tinsley from the playroom.
“Is that right?” Elliot asked, looking at the trio.
“He took me from a parking lot today. I think he’s kinda kleptomaniac. Women, socks, what’s next? Your good silverware, probably,” Eloise added.
At that moment I decided all three of them were all little shits. Adorable little shits, but little shits nonetheless.