“Let me get it.” Cole crossed the floor. “I’ll send whoever it is away, and then I’ll show myself out.”
He opened the door, prepared to tell whoever it was that no one was interested, but the words died on his tongue as two surprised green eyes looked up at him.
“Sasha?”
Did she come by to see him? No, not likely with her eyes as wide as saucers. Apparently she was just as shocked to see him.
“I . . . I came by to see Julie.”
Of course. If she’d been looking for him, she’d have gone to the guesthouse. He hardened his expression, not wanting her to see any emotion.
“Right.” He stepped aside to let her in. “She’s in the living room with Daniel. They just left the playroom.”
She paled, and sweat beaded on her forehead. “Oh. Then maybe . . . maybe I should come back later. I’ll just . . .” She turned back around and ran into his chest.
Instinctively, his hands shot out to steady her. Her arms shook and her lip trembled. He dropped his hands. “Sasha? Are you okay?”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered.
“Look at me.” He waited until she lifted her head. “What just happened?” When she hesitated, he added, “Sasha, I can help you, but you have to be honest with me. It was my nonnegotiable condition.”
“I’m sorry, Sir.” She swallowed in deep breaths. “I just need a minute. Can I sit down?”
“Come in here,” he said, leading her into the living room. He wasn’t sure what the hell happened in the foyer, but he would get to the bottom of it.
“Hey, Sasha.” Daniel looked up from where he was whispering to Julie. “Give me a bit longer, and she’s all yours.” He glanced over at Cole, then back to Sasha. “Assuming you did come by to see Julie?”
Sasha nodded and sank into the nearest chair.
“You look a bit pale. Are you okay?” Daniel asked. “Cole?”
“We haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet.” Cole didn’t want to discuss anything with Daniel without talking to Sasha first.
Julie studied Sasha with a weary expression on her face. “Sasha, did something happen?”
Her tone was polite and friendly, but Cole could read between the lines. She was asking if something had happened between him and Sasha. Her concern was lovely, the mark of true friendship, but he didn’t care for the insinuation he would harm Sasha.
“I’d planned to discuss this with you privately,” Cole said, addressing Sasha. “Unfortunately, by bringing you into the living room, I’ve managed to worry everyone. So we’ll have to do this now.”
Sasha seemed to curl into herself. He wondered if he should have had the discussion privately, after all. Maybe she didn’t feel more comfortable with her friends.
“You had what appeared to be a mild panic attack when I mentioned Daniel and Julie had been in the playroom. What happened?” Stay with me, little one, let me help.Her spine straightened in resolve, but he had a feeling it was all for show. “I’m sorry if I worried anyone. Sometimes I have these little episodes. I never know what’s going to bring one on.”
“I remember you mentioning them when we talked about you rejoining the group,” Daniel said.
Julie cocked her head. “But you said they were rare. I didn’t know you were still having them.”
“Probably due to lack of sleep and everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours,” Sasha said.
Silence filled the room. Cole Johnson, the stillness seemed to whisper. He’s what’s happened in the last twenty-four hours.
“Maybe you need more time,” Daniel said. “We may have jumped into the retraining too quickly.”
“It’s okay if you want to wait, right, Daniel? There’s no rush.” Julie looked expectantly at her Dom.
What the fuck was she doing asking Daniel?
Sasha seemed to sink further into the seat and in that moment, Cole knew he would have to change his approach. He cleared his throat.
“Excuse me, Master Covington,” he said. “But I believe everything pertaining to Sasha and her retraining was placed under my oversight.”
“Yes, but—” Daniel started.
Cole held up his hand. “You’ve known me long enough to know I don’t take kindly to anyone second-guessing me. Now, I’m very aware everyone is concerned with Sasha’s well-being, but the group has entrusted me with her care. As such, unless Sasha says differently, I will be the one to decide how and when she is retrained.”
“My apologies,” Daniel said. “You’re correct.”
“Sasha, do you still wish for me to dictate the terms of your retraining?” Cole asked.
Her reply was immediate. She looked . . . pleased with the way he stood up for what he wanted. “Yes, Sir.”
“I would like for everyone in this room to acknowledge the meaning of Sasha’s acquiescence. There will be no more discussion of this.” He met Daniel’s eyes first, then Julie’s. At their nods, he turned to Sasha. “There’s been a change to your schedule. I’ll be in the guesthouse sitting room in ten minutes. You’ll be waiting for me there, fully clothed, and on your knees.”
• • •
Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit.
The two words repeated themselves in Sasha’s head, drowning out all other thoughts. Realistically, she knew there was nothing to be worried about. Cole had asked her to fill out a new checklist, and she had fully intended to note the rare panic attacks she experienced. And though he had told her to kneel and wait for him, she knew they weren’t going to do a scene.
However, all that knowledge paled in comparison to Cole’s calmly spoken, but don’t-even-think-about-doing-differently command. Especially when it was delivered in that smooth-as-silk accent of his. She didn’t know if her body was closer to panic over kneeling for someone or melting into a puddle of goo over him issuing the command.
She let herself into the guesthouse. Since Daniel’s place was a popular location for both group meetings and play parties, she’d been in the house numerous times before. She didn’t bother to look around to see what changes, if any, Cole had made, but went straight to the sitting room and knelt on the rug.
She’d hoped that somehow her body would calm down once she made it to her knees. But it wasn’t to be. Her arms shook even after she placed her hands, palms facing up, on top of her knees. He had discussed positions earlier in the day at the coffee shop. She’d run through them in her head while driving with the hope that in doing so, she wouldn’t succumb to an episode.