Liability (Suncoast Society #33)(88)

“Hey, look at it this way, you’ll be going up the food chain. Almost where I was when you left the first time.”

“I’m not going to complain. Thank you for this. Seriously.”

“Least I can do. Oh, and even better? No morality clause in your contract since you’re not management yet. Lucky you.” He smiled. “They don’t care about the trial or any of that. Especially since it all happened before your employment starts. You wouldn’t start with us for at least two weeks, after the holidays, so that’ll give you time to arrange transportation, if you need to. Or you can carpool with me for a while until you’re driving again. I told them that, honestly, you’re the only candidate I want to even consider for the job. Since you’re a previous employee with a spotless record, they’re fine with all of that.”

Kim’s expression darkened and Cole almost wished Tony hadn’t even mentioned the trial. “Hope that f*cker rots in jail.”

“How’s your job going?” Tony asked her.

“My boss has been really wonderful throughout everything,” she said. “He said that everyone has stuff in their closets, and that I’m a great employee, and he really didn’t care as long as while I was there I did my job well. I’m really lucky. Considering he had a crazy ex in his past, too, he kind of understands.”

“Oh,” Tony said. “That’s right. That’s the guy whose husband shot and killed the intruder over on Manasota Key a couple years back.”

“Yeah. At least there weren’t any kids involved in our situation,” she said.

Tony returned his focus to Mason. “So, can I tell them it’s a yes?”

“Yes.”

“Great. I’ll get with you to confirm your start date next week. Call Mandy first thing the day after Christmas. She’s got kids in school and took a long break at Thanksgiving. She’ll get you set up in the system and all of that.”

“He will,” Cole said.

Mason looked up at him. “When did you get Dommy?”

“I’m not. I’m husbandy.”

Tony grinned. “Sounded Dommy to me.”

Once Tony left, Kim went to get undressed. Cole turned to Mason and jabbed a finger at him. “You don’t get that call made, I will go Dommy on your ass.” He leaned in and kissed him. “Even if we have to figure out a ride share for a while, we’ll do what it takes to get you back to work.”

“I’ll do it. I promise.” They had a house full of people coming for dinner tomorrow night, including Cole’s parents, his parents—both sets—and Kim’s family.

Another secret Tilly-assisted mission last week that Mason had done and waited until it was over to tell Cole and Kim. He’d wanted her parents to know the full truth, and why Kim was scared to tell them.

Fortunately, despite being taken aback by the poly revelation, they revealed they’d been kind of scared to say too much to her for fear of driving her away again after what had happened with her marriage to Craige.

And that they really did want to reconnect with her. If it meant accepting her poly situation, they would, even though Mason understood they wouldn’t be mentioning that to everyone else. They’d still refer to Cole as her boyfriend, and introduce Mason as their good friend and roommate.

Rightfully, Cole and Kim had both been irritated at him that night when he’d told them what he’d done. He was also glad that after Kim called her parents and talked to them for the better part of an hour, she emerged from the bedroom and curled up on the couch with her head in Mason’s lap.

“Better, pet?”

“Yeah. You’re right. They’re…okay.”

And that was that.

Now they would be coming to dinner, her parents, her sisters, and their husbands.

There’d been one other Tilly-assisted secret mission he’d gone on outside their ken, fortunately three days ago, before his tumble in the shower.

He slipped the ring box from his pocket and when Kim emerged from the bedroom, wearing her leather collar and wrist and ankle cuffs, and nothing else, he called her and Cole over.

He kept the box hidden in his hand when he pointed at the floor in front of him. She knelt, and he opened the ring box, removing the diamond solitaire.

“Early Christmas gift, pet. Left hand.”

She held it up. Her eyes widened as he slipped her wedding band off, put the solitaire on, and then replaced the wedding band. He cupped his left hand under her chin. “Pet, will you do the honor of wearing my ring permanently, in place of a collar when you can’t actually wear a collar? Something you can wear all the time and proudly show people and not have to worry about explaining? Something you never have to take off, ever?”

She nodded, tears pooling in her eyes. Happy tears. “Yes, Master. Thank you.”

“I love you, pet. I think tonight we need to change our FetLife designations, right?”

She smiled. “Yes, Master.”

“You may take a picture of your rings on your hand and post them as your new profile pic.” She currently had a picture of her collar around her neck, no part of her face visible.

“Thank you, Master.”

He looked up at Cole. “Come here, you.”

Cole smirked. “I’m not kneeling.”