31. Benjamin #2
“Don’t apologize. You explained it well, I just wasn’t ready to hear it. I am now.” I soak up his touch, letting it ground me. “I want to tell my family about you. I…still need to break the news that Ignacio and I broke up, but I want them to meet the amazing man who owns my soul.”
“I’ve never done a ‘meet-the-parents’ before,” he replies. “Well, unless you count Roman’s grandmother, who mostly did a lot of gushing about how her grandson got his man-scoring abilities from her. Or Jude’s parents, who we tortured and killed together because they forgot their place.”
I laugh a little. “My parents will learn to love you. Eventually. Once they get over the fact that things between Ignacio and me are finished. They’re kinda smitten with him.”
Tennant sighs, but it’s more exasperated than anything. “The guy does have that effect on people, doesn’t he?”
“Something you need to tell me about Ignacio?”
Ten rolls his eyes. “Nothing, except he seems to think we’re friends. I protest and fantasize about finishing the job Cris started.”
I snort. That sounds about right. Some dark kernel of jealousy swirls in my gut, knowing Ignacio and Tennant seem to be moving forward after everything that happened between the three of us, but…
I also know how much losing Cristian hurt Tennant.
He’d deny it, of course, but he was the first person to ever accept my love as he is, so I’m sure there are some… complicated feelings there.
I have my own issues with Ignacio that I need to figure out. Eventually. If he’ll ever speak to me again. But I can’t begrudge Tennant’s friendship with him, even if it cuts deep.
“There’s one more thing Allesandro and I spoke about, and it relates to what I was saying about finding pieces of myself that aren’t just our relationship.”
He raises a brow, and I take a moment to gather my courage, knowing this is where it could all come crashing down around us.
“I…need to talk to Ian. What you and Anderson said about me…possibly being a Middle, I want to explore it. After, well…fuck. After hearing you’ve gone all Daddy on Allesandro and are helping him discover if he has Boy tendencies or not, I need to do the same.
Will…will you help me? Go see Ian with me?
I…don’t know if I’m ready to face it alone. ”
“Of course. Whatever you need, Topolino. I’m there for you. I promised you I would be.” He pauses for a beat before saying, “So, Sandro told you about us, hmm?”
I nod. “I’ll admit, I’m jealous, and scared of what that means for the time we get to have together, but I want him to be happy too.
Us two, we’re the outcasts—well, and Cristian, but I’d rather stab him again than be his friend.
” Tennant snorts. “If you can help the former mighty Il Padrone find where he belongs…then I know you can do it for me too. Right, Daddy?”
I blink at him, wondering if my expression is as open and vulnerable as I feel inside.
Tennant’s eyes darken, and a sound that can only be described as a growl escapes his throat as he moves his hand from my face to my hair, gripping firmly. “Yes, Caro Mio. Daddy will help you. Me and Ian, we have you.”
I smile; it’s wobbly as I try not to cry, but it’s real.
“Thank you.” I take a deep breath and ask, “Will…will you see Reid with me, too? I…I want you, Tennant. As my forever, my partner, maybe even my Daddy. But I think we need help to bridge the hurt between us. It’s not a mark against you, or me, but I want you to own me, and know the promises we make today are for always. ”
Tennant sighs, and his expression hardens a little, but just as my heart drops, he tightens his grip in my hair and drags me the small distance between us so he can gather me into his lap.
I gasp at the pain, pleasure running through me as he manhandles me so expertly.
“Therapy and I are…well acquainted,” he says.
“I would personally rather burn myself alive than go through that again, but…for some reason, I trust Javi. And I don’t ever want you to doubt me again.
I let you down, Benjamin, and I will spend the rest of our lives fixing that mistake.
So…if that’s what you need…well, I can’t promise to ever be happy about it, but I’ll go to stupid counseling with you.
” He narrows his eyes at me. “That was Sandro’s suggestion, wasn’t it? ”
I hesitantly nod.
He sighs. “Of course. He’s been seeing Ian, and it’s helping him come to terms with not only being Emilio’s Master but also my good Boy. I know he is slated to meet with Brannigan as well for individual therapy. So, it figures he would suggest therapy for us.”
“He was just trying to help.”
Tennant shakes his head and mutters, “I should spank him for being so helpful.”
I laugh. “You can’t abuse your Daddy powers like that.”
He raises a brow. “You want to test that theory out?”
I squirm a little on his lap. “Uhh, no. No, thank you. So…therapy with Reid?”
Tennant shudders a little, but nods. “Whatever you want, Topolino. You and me? We’re going to be together for a very, very long time—or at least until Hol kills one of us—so yeah, we should figure out how to be together.”
I throw my arms around his neck and hang on tight.
Tennant hugs me back, and I relax into his embrace, feeling safe, wanted…
and loved in a way I never have before. And I know only he will ever be able to give me this.
So, I’ll fight. For him, for myself, for us.
And I trust him to do the same, because that’s who Tennant is. Fuck, I’m so fucking lucky he’s mine.