Chapter 23 #2
“Like one of those fundraiser auctions?” Wren asked.
“My cousin in Seattle did one of those. She won a rescue puppy and a firefighter. The puppy worked out. The firefighter? Not so much. Worst date of her life. Her friend Aria ended up married to her firefighter, though, so now the event is nearly impossible to get tickets for.”
“Uh, no. This is more of, um, an adult auction.”
“Oh. Ohhhh.”
‘Their kink comes from the fact that she belongs to him.’
Tripp’s words from my first night at Gilded floated through my head and suddenly made a lot more sense.
She belonged to him.
Bought and paid for.
The server finally picked a good time to approach since we were stunned silent.
Once we ordered, and he walked away, Maddie launched back in. “Anyway, I can’t really go into detail about that, but we started out with the fake dating. Then I was his sugar baby. And now I am just… you know… his.”
I’d seen them at Gilded with Maddie on the pretty cushion. Hell, I’d watched Easton literally spit expensive champagne into her mouth. But I was still a little surprised to hear how things had progressed for them.
I must’ve been the only one—or maybe Wren was still in shock—because she just gave a little nod. “Okay, cool.”
Maddie must’ve read her blasé reaction as a misinterpretation because she spelled it out. “His, in a relationshipy way but also in a power-dynamicy way.”
“I got it.”
“Meaning I’m—”
“A submissive. I get it.”
“You do get it.” Maddie looked almost dejected at the immediate acceptance. “I’ve been stressing for days about telling you. I thought you’d be more shocked.”
“Oh, sorry.” Wren gave a little wiggle in her seat to prepare before making an overexaggerated surprised face.
She added a hand wave to it as she fanned herself like she had a case of the vapors and needed a fainting couch.
Despite all that, her sweet voice was deadpan to the point of robotic as she said, “Oh. Wow. I never expected this. I am scandalized. My ears. My virgin ears.” She dropped the act.
“It’s no big deal. You’re not the only one. ”
How did she know?
“I wouldn’t say I’m submissive,” I said without pausing to think.
“I mean, I like bondage more than I thought I would, but that’s about…
” I trailed off as two sets of wide eyes snapped to me, and there was nothing forced or exaggerated about the shock in them.
I didn’t hold the contact long before squeezing mine shut.
“You were talking about you, weren’t you? ”
“I was,” Wren said, “but this is way better. Bondage?”
I waved off her question and sat back as my face burned so hot, I could’ve cooked our French toast on my cheeks.
“Don’t worry.” Maddie gave me a sympathetic smile and a reassuring hand squeeze. At least, that’s what I thought it was until she continued. “I’ve seen you with Tripp. You’re very much a submissive.”
“I…” But I didn’t really have an argument, so the one word hung in the air when I snapped my big mouth shut.
She took pity on me. Or maybe it was her guilt at kicking me. Or, most likely, I was old news and this Wren bombshell was more interesting.
Whatever the case, she turned her investigative focus on our friend. “You’re a submissive?”
“Yup.”
“For how long?”
“Since I was old enough to know what that was.”
“Have you had a lot of these relationships?” I asked. Wren had dated more than Maddie, but not much long-term. And nothing serious that I knew about. The idea that she was hiding a big part of herself and her love life for fear she wouldn’t be accepted made guilt eat at me.
But she quickly squashed my inner turmoil with a humorless scoff and a sneer of disgust. “Uh, no. And not for lack of trying. Guys our age think that they’re dominant alphas, but all they want is a mother to take care of them. Oedipus is far from a high-value male.”
I shared her grossed out shudder.
“Anyway, Chris is the first guy who knows what he’s doing and doesn’t make me feel like a freak. He’s protective and sweet, but he also gives a hell of a spanking.” She raised her brows at Maddie. “And that’s why I winced when I sat. He’s a good Dom.”
Something poked at the back of my head at that last part, bristling at the way her voice was a little too firm and a little too edged. I could imagine it was as overwhelming for her to share that as it’d been for Maddie.
And, fine, also me—even if my input had been unintentional.
“I’m really glad you got hot for teacher then,” I said, offering her a smile that I hoped was as reassuring as I intended it to be.
“Are you full-time like me and Easton?” Maddie asked before aiming her blue eyes my way to include me in the question.
Gloom clouded Wren’s happiness, and her lips curved into a frown as she softly said, “No. We’re still taking it slow.”
“And Tripp and I aren’t anything like that. FWB, remember?”
“You sure?” Maddie shot me a skeptical look. “You sure about that?”
I was. I mean, Tripp did tell me what to do a lot, but he was also my boss. It felt natural to sink into a subservient role—personally and professionally.
Since there was no way I was explaining all that, I ignored her. A task that became easier once our food was set in front of us.
As we ate, conversation moved to the end of the semester hoopla—something that didn’t fill me with as much existential dread. There was a weight that seemed absent from our trifecta. It was replaced by a warmth that came from the ability to be unabashedly open and truly ourselves.
Our friendship may have been arranged by the OGs and the gods of sisterhood, but treasuring what we have is probably the smartest thing I’ve ever done.
Ketchup blood pact and all.
“So tell us more about the bondage thing,” Wren said without warning.
Just as two guys who lived down the hall from me sat at the table next to us.
Or maybe not.