Owned by the Dom: Part Two

“You’re here,” he said. “I can see you.”

She licked her lips trying to find the courage to speak the truth to him once and for all. “No, I don’t mean now. Well … yes, I mean talk to you now, but, wow, this is so hard.”

He inhaled from the cigarette. “Look, if what you’ve got to say is going to tear out my heart then don’t bother.” Kevin threw the cigarette to the ground.

Rebecca watched as he died the flame out underneath his boot. She’d once been a flame like the lighted tip of a cigarette. She was full of life and couldn’t wait for the future. When Lloyd had come along she’d been in love or what she thought was love. Bit by bit, Lloyd had torn her down. He’d chipped away at her self-confidence until, like the cigarette, she’d died out with nothing there inside. Tears sprang to her eyes as the harsh reality of her life hit her full in the face like a slap.

“I’m so sorry. I never want to hurt you or give you cause to be upset,” she said, sobbing the words.

“Fuck, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” Kevin reached out, closing the distance between them. His arms wrapped around her in a tight cocoon of protection. “I hate to see you cry. You’ve cried too much in your life already.”

His words were true. She’d spent too much time crying and regretting her past.

Rebecca pulled away from him. All she wanted to do was go into his arms and be safe. She needed to be strong and pull away to tell him the truth.

“I wanted to come and see you. Lloyd knew about your feelings for me. I never wanted to be the cause of pain for anyone. I didn’t fall in love with you in the beginning. I loved Lloyd with all my heart. When he changed, I wanted to get away from him, but he threatened you. I considered you and Tate friends. I liked your company when it was allowed. He warned me that if I didn’t do as I was told then he would make sure you and Tate were killed or hurt in some way.” She stopped speaking to take a breather. “I couldn’t risk you or Tate getting hurt because of me. I didn’t want you two to get hurt for protecting me. He’s in jail, but I know he’s there watching and waiting for me to f**k up. Lloyd couldn’t use you because of how powerful you were. He knew you’d take him out and get James and Stephen to help. He was smart.”

She looked into his eyes and saw the shock on his face. “I grew to hate Lloyd, and what he made me do repulsed me. He broke a part of me, and I’m afraid he’ll hurt you even with him in jail. I’m not the woman you deserve. I’m broken inside. I stay away to protect you. Why don’t any of you see that?” she asked.

Her voice rose along with her desperation. Rebecca needed them to understand her plight.

****

Kevin had come to think of Rebecca as being a cruel woman. From the moment he first saw her, Kevin knew she was the right woman for him and Tate. When Tate saw her that had sealed their fate. When they discovered she was married to Lloyd Black, Kevin had never felt so much hatred for another man as in those minutes of watching the older man touch her.

All the times he’d met Lloyd, Kevin hated him. He was a nasty piece of work and one Kevin wouldn’t wish him on his worst enemy. Seeing the fear in Rebecca’s eyes from that one touch was all it had taken for Kevin to make himself a promise. Being a member of Possession you had to obey by the rules set by Stephen. They were not allowed to interfere with another man’s woman. Every man who was a member of the club was decent. They never hurt their women or abused them, but Lloyd was different. He abused the rules of the club like he abused his wife.

Kevin had vowed to protect her no matter what the cost. He made sure to keep a check on her. Reports on her whereabouts had confirmed to him she’d tried to leave Lloyd, but she’d always gone back. When she appeared at the club, Kevin made every effort to talk to her.

“You’re telling me Lloyd used Tate and me as blackmail?” he asked.

She nodded, which only incited his anger.

He wanted to break something or hurt someone. In that moment anything would do. “You protected us?”

“I did everything I could to keep you guys safe. In the beginning I liked you as friends, but now I feel something different for you. I know it’s unnatural to like two men, but I do.”

She said like, not love.

Kevin didn’t care. He cupped her shoulders staring into her eyes. “There is nothing Lloyd Black could have done to us, Rebecca. You should have come to us, and we’d have protected you.”

Rebecca shook her head. “He warned me, Kevin. I wasn’t going to risk you. I never wanted to hurt you, only protect you.”

Her arms went around him. Kevin held her close inhaling her lemon scent. She always smelt so good to him. Holding her in his arms felt like a dream.

“Please, let Tate and me take care of you. Give us a chance to show you how we feel.” He begged her. Kevin had promised Tate he’d take a step back. How could he take a step back when the woman he loved was right in front of him ready to be taken?

For too long he’d watched her from afar always wanting but never having.

“I don’t think I’m the woman you need,” she said, pulling away.

No, he wouldn’t let her go.

“You’re what I need. Nothing else matters.”

He looked up as Tate came running in their direction. “You’re needed in the house. Bring Rebecca,” Tate said.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Looking down at Rebecca, he cupped her cheek before following Tate into the house.

Sean, Lucas, Cadeon, Stephen, and Ursula stood in the room waiting. Tate cleared his throat and stared at each of them.

“What’s going on? The suspense is killing me,” Lucas said.

“I’ve just got off the phone from Josiah and Hubert. They want us all to be on alert.”

Rebecca’s hand gripped his tight. He stared down at where she held onto him. Punching the ceiling in happiness would be too childish.

“Why? What’s going on?” Kevin asked. They were still in talks with the two agents because of the help they’d given each other. The security that he and Tate provided helped the agents with some of their more high class cases. They were never going to tell the rest of their friends where they helped. Their business was exactly that, their business.

“Henry Warren has escaped from prison. They don’t know how he was able to plan the escape, but they’re putting a call through to James. I’m already setting up teams to keep a watch on our available clubs, but there is something else,” Tate said. He turned to look at Rebecca. Kevin’s blood ran cold.