CHAPTER 21
EDGE
Since Friday night, the only thing anyone could talk about was the fact that Zeke Lautner had collared two submissives.
News had traveled fast, and there was no sign it was going to slow anytime soon.
Even the training class had chatted about it last night.
Admittedly, it had been quite the sight.
I was honored to have been there to witness it.
And now, as I sat in my office at the club, the entire place empty, I leaned back in my chair and considered it all.
I’d been working here since Trent Ramsey opened the doors, enjoyed damn near every minute of it.
It had been a no-brainer when he’d approached me with the opportunity, and I didn’t regret taking the job or spending so much time here.
Or I hadn’t, up until recently.
It wasn’t about the work. That didn’t bother me. Two jobs had kept me busy enough not to notice that my entire life had pretty much passed me by. Which I figured had been my issue all along. I had purposely drowned myself in work in an effort to avoid my own needs.
Then everything had changed.
Four weeks ago, I’d found myself giving a tour of the club to a woman I knew I had to keep at arm’s length, a woman whose brother was a man I highly respected. That very same night, I encountered an inner conflict I’d never expected. It had all spiraled out of control since then.
Three weeks ago, I was taking that off-limits woman on a date and considering adding her to my training roster. To make it more interesting, my life took another change when I kissed a man I considered my best friend, the same man I’d known for half my life.
Two weeks ago, I was introducing Jamie Lautner to submissive training class, venturing down a path I knew there was no coming back from.
To top it off, I ended up buried balls deep inside Cav, experiencing things I’d never expected with a man who’d taken me completely by surprise.
Consequently, I’d found myself battling the feelings I hadn’t even realized I had for him.
A week ago, fully believing I had things on the right track, I fucked up royally, came damn close to imploding my life because of my stupidity.
By some fucking miracle, Jamie and Cav had forgiven me for my idiocy.
The next night, I observed Jamie right here in this very club, watching as she got a firsthand account of two very different D/s scenarios.
It wasn’t until that night, until that moment, that everything seemed to click for me.
This lifestyle, while it intrigued me in many ways, was not my ultimate end goal. I didn’t need it to be content.
I couldn’t say I was disappointed in the direction Jamie’d taken regarding her preferences.
Ian and Isaac Stokes were hardcore Doms looking for a rigid structure that fit for them.
Timothy Triton and Kason Nash had provided a glimpse of the opposite side of that coin.
I wouldn’t say that I was middle-of-the-road compared to those, but I’d always hoped to be when it came to the lifestyle.
Jamie and Cav helped me to see that I’d been wrong.
Perhaps because I spent so much time here, I had lost sight of what I wanted outside these walls.
Managing the club came with a lot of responsibility, the majority of it having to do with the members, with the training classes coming in a close second.
Until Jamie and Cav came into the picture, I hadn’t even noticed how much I’d neglected myself in the time I’d been here.
The phone on my desk rang and I sat up, took a deep breath.
“Edge,” I greeted, expecting the call.
“Hey, man, what’s up? You said you wanted to talk?” Trent Ramsey asked.
“I did. Think maybe we can grab lunch one day this week? If you’re in town.”
“Yeah, I’m here now. I’m heading out tomorrow, though. Won’t be back till Thursday. You free today?”
I hadn’t considered today, although there was no reason I couldn’t talk to him now. “Today works.”
“Good. I’m actually stopping by the club to grab some paperwork. You gonna be there for a bit?”
“Yep. Just mapping out the week.”
“Perfect. See you in ten.”
True to his word, Trent arrived at the club a short time later. He was rolling solo today, which was a surprise. Considering his personal assistant was one of his submissives, I was used to seeing them together.
When my phone chimed, signaling the front door opening, I made my way down to the main floor to meet him.
“You look … different,” Trent said with a smirk, offering a handshake before walking around behind the bar, retrieving two glasses and a bottle of scotch he’d evidently hidden back there.
“I feel different,” I admitted, watching him closely.
Trent grinned, pouring the liquor then passing one over to me.
“Are we celebrating something?” I asked, hoping to hell we weren’t, because that was going to mean I had shitty timing.
“I don’t know,” he said with a grin. “You tell me. What’s on your mind, Edge?”
I sat on one of the barstools and stared into my glass. With a resigned sigh, I met his gaze. “I think it’s time for me to retire as manager of your club.”
To my shock, Trent grinned widely.
“What?” I asked. “Are you happy about that?”
His face sobered. “No. Of course not.” His smile returned. “But seriously, Edge. You’ve been at this a long time. This place is a lot of responsibility.”
That it was.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what prompted it?”
I shrugged, tossed back the liquid, put the glass down. I was trying not to fidget. “It’s time.”
“For?”
“To live my life. To stop making excuses. To finally be who I wanted to be a long damn time ago.”
His crystal-blue eyes scanned my face. “You found a submissive, huh?”
I laughed because it was just like Trent to go that route. “I wouldn’t necessarily say that. But I…” Unable to look at him, I stared at the glass. “I did fall in love.”
He propped himself on his elbow. “Do tell.”
I explained the situation I found myself in with Jamie and Cav.
“That’s an interesting twist,” he said, still smirking. “How’s that work, anyway? Two Doms?”
Another laugh escaped. “That’s the interesting twist.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not a Dom when I’m with him. Or with her.”
As though it all made sense, Trent took a sip of his drink, set it down. “That is an interesting twist.” He stood tall, added two fingers to both glasses. “And you’re happy, but you’re not quite sure why that is.”
“Bingo.” I turned the glass in my hand. “I only hope it’s the right thing for everyone involved.”
“Fuck hope,” he said seriously. “You want Jamie and Cav, you’ll make it work. You’ll figure it out, and let me tell you, I know all about the difficulties that come along with a change of that nature. Your world erupts in chaos.”
“You’re telling me.”
“But the good news is, it’ll settle. You’ll fall into it when you admit what you want. It might take some time, but it’s damn worth it.”
“I’ve already accepted it,” I admitted. “I want them. Period. As long as I have them, the rest is easy.”
He smiled again. “Then it sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.” Trent took a drink, set his glass down. “Does that mean you’ve made a decision on Chatter?”
His question caught me by surprise, but then again, Trent Ramsey was a partner in Chatter PR, so it only made sense that the company was a priority for him. He was establishing a talent division, which I’d heard had launched into hyperspace right out of the gate.
“Yeah,” I admitted. “I think I have.”
“And?”
“And I’m going to accept. I can’t see a reason to do otherwise.”
“Justin’ll be pleased.”
“Yep. Until he comes up with another scheme to uproot my world and turn it upside down.”
Trent laughed. “I think he might be off your back for a bit.”
“Right.” I lifted my glass to his. “They’re getting married.”
He clicked his against mine. “That they are. It’s only uphill from here.”
“You have those same plans?” I grinned. “Somewhere down the line?”
Trent leaned an elbow on the bar. “It’s possible.
We’re still tryin’ to smooth the rough spots.
Once we get it evened out, I’m sure it’ll be on the agenda.
” His expression went somber. “But seriously, Edge. I hate to see you step out of the role. You’ve made my life a hell of a lot easier being here, but like I said, I didn’t expect you to last this long.
Not because you couldn’t do it. I just thought you’d get burned out. ”
“Not burned out. Not quite. But getting close.”
“Any recommendations for someone to fill your shoes?”
I sat up straight. “Actually, yes.”
His eyebrows lifted in curiosity.
“Triton.”
Trent grinned again. “Master Chaos, huh? Who gave him that name, anyway?”
“You don’t know?”
He shook his head. “Never bothered to ask.”
“Let’s just say, before he met Missy, got married, he was a handful.” I thought back to when Triton’s wife had died. “I think the club would be good for him. He tends to hold back, and I can’t say I blame him. He lost the love of his life.”
Trent nodded. “I’ll talk to him if you think he’d be a good fit.”
“I do.” I pushed the glass away. “Oh, and if you want to do it right, you’ll pull Cambria in. Get her on the payroll. Chaos could use an assistant, and he couldn’t find a better one than her.”
“Interesting idea.” He nodded. “I like it. I’ll talk to him, then her.” He motioned toward the room. “How much notice are you giving me?”
“As long as you need. I’m in no hurry,” I admitted. “But I needed to make the decision so I can move forward.”
“It’s safe to assume you won’t handle the training classes going forward?”
“No.”
“Any suggestions on your replacement?”
“Ximena,” I answered instantly, making Trent laugh again.
“Mistress X running the class. I like it.”
“She’ll do a great job.”
“She’s young,” he noted.
“Yeah, but she’s got more experience than most.”
He nodded. “Like I said, I hate to have you step down. But I expect to see your ass in here.”
It was my turn to grin. “I’ll stop by from time to time,” I told him. “Wouldn’t want to give it up completely.”