68. Chapter 66
Emery
I do care. Fuck. I really do care.
I didn’t think I would. But with every hour I let slip by, my anxiety has continued to grow.
At first in had just been a general sense of unease, like a mildly upset stomach, but that quickly developed into spiraling thoughts and doom pacing the dorm.
I tried to distract myself with an everything shower, studying, and even a marathon of reality shows, but it didn’t work.
Now I’m smooth everywhere, I removed a layer of skin, my hair is shining, and I’m twitching like a crack addict desperate for their next fix.
Oakley came stumbling out of her room at some point, looking worse than I had when I’d woken up this morning. She came and gave me a hug on the couch, then made herself a coffee and disappeared back into her room.
At least she only took one mug in there. I’m not sure I could face Vinnie after abandoning his friend last night.
But now it’s almost four, and I feel like I could throw up. Just hurl my lunch and stress snacks all over the back seat of the Uber. Why the fuck didn’t I just go home, clean myself up, eat something, then go straight to the club? Why did I leave it to the last goddamn minute?
I know why, because I thought I was stronger than this. I thought I could handle being ordered to do something, then ignore it. But nope. Apparently not.
The car starts to slow down, and oh shit, that’s the building. I glance at the time on my phone. Four thirty-five.
There is a very real possibility that I’m going to pass out.
The driver pulls to a stop, and he turns to give me a nodded thank you. I quickly confirm payment and add a tip, then exit the vehicle to stare up at the huge concrete-and-glass building.
From the outside, it looks like a normal building, with offices on the first few levels and residential apartments above that, I’m assuming because of all the balconies.
The trick was to go to the very last elevator and request to go down a level.
According to the instructions I’d received for my first time at Obsession, it was the only elevator that would take me to that level.
I adjust the strap of my handbag on my shoulder and force my feet to move, even though my stomach is squirming like I ate some questionable street food. The building is basically empty, since it’s Sunday, and when I hit the button for the elevator, it opens immediately.
Which is good. If I had to stand here waiting for even a few seconds, there is every chance I would have turned around and left. The ride down is quick and quiet, except for the way my pulse is thundering in my ears.
With a ding and a whoosh, the doors open, and I step out into the black-and-white foyer with its walls of mirrors. I can see the top of a blonde head behind the computers at the front desk and make my way over.
My sneakers make a scuffing noise as I come to a stop and clear my throat, but whoever is sitting back there is very involved in whatever they are doing and doesn’t notice me. I raise up on tiptoes and wave my hand, moving it slowly into their field of view.
A pair of green eyes stare back at me.
Familiar green eyes.
My gaze darts to the blonde hair, out in gentle waves around her shoulders, not in the super high ponytail I’m used to seeing it in.
Dylan’s eyes widen when she sees me, and she immediately reaches up to pull earbuds out of her ears, then shoots to standing, all while stuttering to get her words out. “Oh, ah, hi! Sorry, I was just moderating the forums. E-emery, right?”
Her smile trembles on her lips, like she isn’t sure if she should commit to it.
I stare back at her, not sure if I do actually want to commit to a conversation with her.
What exactly is the etiquette here? How does one greet an ex-submissive of your dom, who is actively trying to get him back?
This is so fucking awkward.
“You know my name?”
With all the thoughts and questions I have, that’s the first thing that comes out of my mouth? Kill me now.
Dylan tries to keep the smile going. “Ah, yeah. Derek told me.”
I stare at her. Derek told her about me? Why? When? Was it that night? While she was kneeling for him? Oh my god, are they her things in the apartment?
Her cheeks start to go pink, then she takes a deep breath before coming around to my side of the desk.
She’s dressed in comfortable clothing—jeans and a loose tee, sneakers.
Actually, our outfits are pretty similar.
And now that I’m looking at her a little more closely, she looks to be a few years older than me. Derek certainly has a type.
My insides are clenched at her close proximity.
Before I can ask, she starts what sounds like a rehearsed speech while making super intense eye contact.
“Emery, I would like to apologize to you for my behavior at Lizzottes. Things with Derek and I were over for months, and I shouldn’t have tried to approach him the way I did, especially when he was there with you.
I’m sorry. Please accept my apology and know that if there is ever a time I can make it up to you, I will be more than willing. ”
Dylan’s eyes drop away from mine, and she hangs her head.
I…what?
I study the woman in front of me, emotions flooding my already stressed-out system, and try to stay calm, but a question is literally burning the back of my throat. “Only for Lizzottes?”
Dylan’s head pops up and her brows crease with confusion. “Well, yes. I was chasing Derek to try and get him back before that, but I thought that was your first weekend together? I didn’t even know you were together until…well, until that day.”
Now it’s my turn to stare at her in confusion. “What about when you were kneeling at his feet, here, in the club, a few Fridays ago?”
Even I can hear the waspish tinge to my words, but I don’t care.
Her frown returns, then her mouth makes an O.
She takes a step closer to me and holds her hands up between us.
“No, oh, no. That was…that wasn’t me kneeling for Derek.
Well, I guess it was, and it definitely may have looked like that, but no.
” Dylan shakes her head, eyes wide. “That was me apologizing to him for my behavior.”
I stare at her skeptically as I cross my arms over my chest.
Dylan sighs and looks down at the ground, hands falling down to grasp each other. “I had no idea that you saw that, but I promise, I completely and totally understand that Derek and I are over.”
“Dylan—” I try to start, but then her head pops up, and there is a smile on her face.
“Oh, I can prove it! Look.” She ducks back behind the desk and grabs her phone, taps a few times, then offers it to me. “This is Caleb and Logan. They are my Masters.”
Slowly, I take the phone from her and look at the picture. Dylan is standing between two men, both of whom are dressed for a night at Obsession. Dylan, on the other hand, is in a plain white cotton shift dress and barefoot, hair brushed out smooth around her, with cuffs around her wrists.
“It’s from that night,” she murmurs as she swipes on her phone to show me another picture of her kneeling between the two men as they sit at barstools by the bar. “We’ve been together for a few weeks.”
And then another of her, chained to a cross by her wrists, one of the men seconds away from ripping her shift down the middle.
She takes the phone back after that one.
There is a fluttering in my chest that makes me feel lightheaded. I hadn’t realized that I’d needed to hear this. That I’d needed the context that surrounded Derek and his kneeling ex.
“Thank you.” I manage to choke out the words, throat thick and heavy.
Dylan offers me a tiny smile. “So, yeah. I’m sorry for everything. For my behavior and any confusion I may have caused. And I’m serious about making it up to you. If you need help with something, anything, I’m your girl.”
I try to get a smile on my face, but it wobbles as badly as her first one. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”
We both stand there staring at each other until it starts to feel awkward.
Then Dylan jolts in place and her eyes go wide. “Oh crap, you need to go in, now. You’re almost out of time!”
She grabs me by the shoulders and steers me toward the door. I don’t even get a second to prepare myself before she opens it and gives me a little push through.
The echoing quiet of the foyer is replaced with the muted quiet of the very soundproof club space. No music. No people. No flashing or soft lighting.
Just me and Madam Devangeline.