Luscious (Topped #1)(58)

Laurel reorganized the changing station. “It’s not that I don’t like them. I’m just pretty sure I won’t have them and I’m trying to get to the point that I’m okay with it.”

“You can’t have kids? You could always adopt.” She knew the power of having a loving but non-biological family. Alex and Eve McKay adored their son though he didn’t share DNA with either of them.

Laurel sighed. “I’m in love with a man who doesn’t want them. Of course he also doesn’t want me, so it might be a moot point.” Her lips tugged up. “But I’m hopeful. About the wanting me part. He’s too stupid to know he wants me yet. I don’t think he’s going to move on the whole kids thing though. He had a rough childhood and he’s the tiniest bit damaged.”

God, she knew all about damaged men. “Do you think you can fix him?”

Laurel frowned thoughtfully. “I like him the way he is. That’s the crazy part. He’s gruff and a control freak and I’m still attracted to him. So I don’t necessarily want to fix him. I want him to open up a little so I can see his softer side.”

“And if there is no softer side?” Or if his softer side had been locked away forever?

Now Laurel looked sure. “There’s always a softer side. Always. My guy’s is buried super deep though. But I love him so it’s going to be all right, right?”

She wasn’t so sure about that. She was proof positive that sometimes love wasn’t enough.

Was she really going through with this?

“I heard Master Ian is going to let you work with a Dom tomorrow night,” Laurel said as she sat down on the floor. She picked up some blocks and started stacking them, letting the toddlers help her. Sure enough, Tristan was all over Carys and Aidan looked like he wasn’t too happy about it. “Are you nervous? I heard it’s the new guy. I’ve worked with some of the married Doms. They rotate in and out until they decide we’re ready to mix with the singles. At least that’s what they tell me. I suspect someone is pulling the strings and keeping me away from the single guys. I think it’s either my brother or my boss.”

She found the other sub trainee’s lives endlessly entertaining. “Your brother and your boss are both Sanctum members?”

“Yeah,” Laurel admitted. “It can get weird at times. My sister-in-law is cool, but Will claims Lisa and I are going to make him go blind.”

“And your boss? Is it weird to see him here?”

Laurel kind of sighed. “I haven’t actually seen him here. I’m not entirely sure he even knows I joined. I’m afraid to bring up the subject. I train on Thursdays. He never comes in on Thursdays. I really want to see him in his leathers.”

“Oh, so he’s the one who doesn’t want kids.”

A faint tinge of red flushed her cheeks. “Mitch has a very skewed view of the world. He’s been married a couple of times, and to say they didn’t go well would be like saying Pompeii was a just a little explosion. So I think he likes me, but he’s leery of getting involved with anyone. From what I can tell, all his very short-term relationships happen here at Sanctum.”

And now Laurel was here at Sanctum, prepared to force her man to make the choice to watch her go to another Dom or take her for himself. “Wow. Even I know that’s topping from the bottom.”

Laurel smiled. “I know. Smart, right?”

Wasn’t that what she was doing? Ally told herself this was all about finding herself and she meant it. Besides, Macon had asked her to leave. She’d packed her crappy belongings and was staying on Deena’s couch until she could find a place of her own. But she wasn’t going to let him shove her out of Top or Sanctum. The question was would she want to be here without him?

Ally wasn’t so sure. She also wasn’t so sure about the man Master Ian called Ten. She’d met him earlier and while the man was past gorgeous, he’d also seemed cold. Even when he’d smiled and called her “darlin’” in a slow Southern accent, she’d felt a chill from him.

But she was going to trust Master Ian. Macon had shown her this world and she liked it. Just because he no longer wanted her didn’t mean someone out there wouldn’t. And if he came back, she would know more than she’d known before. She’d looked over the training contract and there was a strict no-sex policy until Master Ian and Master Kai were sure she was here for the right reasons.

That clause in her contract had given her security. She could breathe easy. She had her safe word. She had her contract. She had mentor Doms and subs who would look out for her.

She simply didn’t have her Master anymore.

The door came open and Lisa poked her head in. “Ally, tap out and get into the kitchen. Serious drama going on. Master Macon showed up with Master Sean and he’s yelling at everyone. I mean everyone. He’s especially pissy with Master No. I mean Master T. Don’t tell anyone I called him that. We all get spanked when we call him that and not the fun kind of spanking.”

Macon was here and he was going after her training Dom? Ally raced down the hall, secure that Lisa and Laurel could handle the kiddos. What was Macon thinking? Fighting another Dom could get him kicked out. And why would he care? He’d made himself plain earlier in the day.

She passed through the back of the house, managing to avoid the larger areas where the scenes would play out. Even from the hall she could hear Macon.