Vulnerable [Suncoast Society] (Suncoast Society #29)(72)

To the best of his knowledge, she’d stuck to that promise to him.

Which was why he suspected she’d agreed to Ed’s plan, too scared or unable to stand up against her father herself, and afraid if Leo died that she might not want to live.

And that Laurel would end up with them.

If Jesse was Laurel’s legal guardian, and the house was safe, then Laurel was safe, no matter what happened, from Eva’s father. Legal protection Eva didn’t have to justify to her father. She didn’t have to stand up for herself against the f*cking monster.

Another reason Leo had tried to take this whole divorce slow from the start and had tried to keep their marriage alive for so damn long. No, he wasn’t responsible for Eva’s actions, or her past, but had she killed herself because he up and left her, he didn’t want to have to live with that, or spend his life apologizing to his daughter for it.

“Answer me, Eva. Is that why you were going to drop the challenges?”

“Yeah.”

“Tell me about Monday. In the bathroom.”

She looked away again and didn’t answer.

“Eva.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks. “She was safe, Leo. I knew Jesse had all your friends to help him keep her safe. They all would.”

“Did you stop to think what would have happened had your parents challenged it if you died? And you know they would have. Huh?”

She didn’t answer.

“Eva.”

“No.”

“So you didn’t break the glass on accident, did you?”

“No. I broke it on purpose. Then I fell over when I went to pick up a piece and stepped on some glass. Then I vomited when I saw the blood and before I could do anything else, I passed out.”

“And Jesse found you.”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?” Now that he understood what she needed, he would give her what little bit he could.

She finally glanced up at him. “Yes, Sir.”

He reached out for her hand. She put her hand in his and he stroked his fingers over her knuckles. “They have this thing in BDSM. It’s called being under someone’s protection. From this point on, until I say otherwise, you’re under my and Jesse’s protection. Understand?”

She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“I’m not your Dominant. I can’t be, and I think you know that. But Jesse and I will stand by your side and help you through this. Hopefully, one day, we’ll be able to find you someone we can sign off on.”

She nodded, still crying. “Thank you, Sir.”

He gently tugged on her hand and realized she wasn’t wearing her wedding rings any longer. “Come here, sweetheart.”

She leaned in closer.

“We have a daughter who needs us. You are not allowed to try that again. Understand? No matter what happens, no matter how bad it gets, you cannot.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Do you have to work tonight?”

“No, Sir.”

“When you guys get home tonight and get Little Miss Nosey Pants put to bed, you need to sit Jesse down and tell him everything. Everything. I’m going to tell him about you being under our protection. But if you want to stay under our protection, you have to tell him everything. Understand?”

She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“Look at me.” He waited until her gaze fully focused on him. “He cannot hurt you anymore. And we will not let him hurt Laurel. But Jesse has to know everything so he understands why, and you have to be the one to tell him. Everything. Understand?”

She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“Good girl.” He heard Jesse and June and Laurel talking in the hallway. “Give me a kiss and go wash your face before Laurel sees you’ve been crying.”

She leaned in, kissed his forehead, and disappeared into the bathroom, the door swinging shut just as the three of them rounded the corner and entered the room.

He forced a smile. “Sorry about that. Thank you, June, Jesse.”

“What about me?” Laurel huffed.

“And you, too, sweetheart.”

“Where’s Mommy?”

“She’s in the bathroom.”

Laurel crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “See? I told you we could use your bathroom!”





Jesse noticed a subtle change in Eva. He wasn’t sure what, but suspected it had to do with whatever Leo had talked about with her. When it was time to leave, Leo called Jesse back.

“He’ll meet you at the hospital entrance,” he told Eva and Laurel. “I need to talk to him about work real fast.”

He waited until they were out of earshot. “Bullshit,” Jesse whispered. “What is it?”

Jesse felt impaled by his lover’s blue eyes. “Tonight, Eva needs to talk to you. I told her to do it. I also told her she is officially considered under our protection.”

“What?”

“Exactly what I just said and meant. She knows we can’t be her Dominants, but we will be the ones to sign off on anyone in the future.”

“I know we were sort of joking about that, but…really?”

“Let her talk to you tonight.”

“You can’t tell me?”