She looked at Cam. “Okay, we’re leaving. If you or Cassie need anything I want to be your first call. Okay?”
Cam hugged her again, and was surprised when Ethan drew him into a hug as well, saying, “Take care of her, and make sure you call Sam if you need anything. We’re both here for you.”
Cam looked at Frisco as Sam and Ethan let themselves out the door.
Neither said anything, and a dozen heartbeats later Cam decided he wasn’t in the mood for a staring contest and turned to walk to the door and lock it.
He spun back to Frisco and kept his voice even as he said, “You aren’t my Master anymore, by your own choice.” He lifted his hands in question and let them drop. “You aren’t hers, either. Why the hell are you here? Cassie said she kept asking you to leave and you wouldn’t.”
“Can I hug you?”
Cam’s heart shattered in his chest. He’d tried so hard to be strong around Frisco, but he was dying inside and those words were just too much. He turned away to hide the tears fighting to form, but didn’t trust his voice so he only shook his head in answer.
No one said anything for a few minutes, and when Cam trusted his voice again he said, “I blame you. If you hadn’t turned her away, or had let her budding relationship with Isaac grow, she wouldn’t be hurt.”
“You’re right. I blame myself as well, but I didn’t tell Isaac to stay away. He made the choice despite my telling him he could continue with her.”
“Why did you leave me with Isaac when you went to Atlanta for Tom’s cage fights?” Cam had so many questions. He needed closure, and if this gave him the opportunity he’d take it.
“Because he’s my best friend, and the only Dom I trust to take care of those under my care.”
“Did you know he can’t sleep if there’s any light in the room?”
“I did, and we talked about it before I left you with him.”
“He slept in a blindfold so I could have light.”
“I know.”
“Have you talked to him since Cassie was hurt?”
Cam knew they’d talked, and knew what Isaac had told him, but wanted to know Frisco’s intentions.
“Yes.” Frisco sighed. “He basically told me to shit or get off the pot. Either I step up and take care of her, or he will, and he expects our friendship to stay the same if I choose to give up any future claim to her.”
“Is that why you’re here?”
“Please turn around and look at me, Cameron.”
“You aren’t my Master. You can’t give me orders. Why the fuck are you here?” Cam asked again, without turning around.
“Because I blame myself.”
Cam heard Frisco stepping towards him, so he walked towards Cassie’s door, his back still to his former Master as he said, “Cassie said you’re being a stubborn-assed jerk, and if you won’t leave to at least try to keep you out of the bedroom.”
He was mere steps from the door when Frisco said, “I’m sorry.”
Cam stopped, but still didn’t turn, and kept his focus on the doorknob in front of him.
“Why are you sorry?”
“For hurting you.”
Cam laughed, but it was a cold laugh that left a bitter taste in his mouth, and it just pissed him off even more. “No, you aren’t. You may be sorry I told you I fell in love with you and screwed up your perfect record of placing slaves with Masters after training them, but you aren’t sorry for hurting me or you wouldn’t have sent me away.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you, and I’m sorry I hurt Cassie.”
“Sorry enough to make it right? To do whatever it takes to get us back?”
When Frisco said nothing for a handful of Cam’s heartbeats, he made the remaining few steps to the bedroom without saying anything else, and managed to get in the door and close it without looking at Frisco.
Cam stripped to his boxers, crawled into bed, put his phone on vibrate, and texted Isaac.
She’s home and sleeping. Frisco is camped out on the sofa but only because of a guilty conscience and not because he wants her, me, or us back.
Isaac texted back moments later.
I’m both sorry and happy to hear it. I’ll plan to arrive in the morning. Text me when you awaken and I’ll bring breakfast. I know what all three of you like.
Cam was too tired to worry about what the morning would bring, and too heartsick to think of Frisco so close and yet so far. He cuddled into Cassie’s side opposite Jake, and the giant dog licked his hand, stood, and jumped from the bed to patrol the house. He knew his job.
He also knew how to open the doors with levers instead of knobs, but he was smart enough to only open the bedroom door enough to go through, and not all the way.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Frisco awoke early the next morning, sat up on the sofa, and looked around. Jake was on the floor, situated so he could see the front door, the hallway to the back door, and into Cassie’s bedroom.
The large dog glared at Frisco, who solemnly told him, “You’re a good dog.”
He received a low growl for his effort, and heard Cam chuckle from the bedroom.
Reflexes had Frisco opening his mouth to say, “Watch it, boy,” but he closed it before he said anything.
Cam wasn’t his boy anymore and it was his own damned fault.
He thought he could just send them away, forget them, and get on with his life. But his big house was so fucking empty without them. He’d fucked up and didn’t know how to make it right, and now Cassie was hurt, and if he hadn’t pushed her away she’d have been with him and not off investigating BDSM clubs in other cities.
He needed to keep busy or he’d go crazy, so he made his way to the kitchen. He opened the cabinet with Jake’s food, took the carabiner off the container, and put a scoop of food in the dog bowl on the floor. Jake watched as Frisco put the metal clasp back on, and Frisco stayed squatting so he was eye level with Jake as he laughed and said, “I know, if you had thumbs you could open it.”
Jake glared a few seconds before turning around to leave the kitchen, and Frisco looked up to see Cam.
“Breakfast is on the way so don’t start cooking.”
Frisco stood slowly, feeling cheated he wouldn’t be able to cook. He enjoyed feeding everyone. “Isaac is bringing it?”
Cam nodded and turned to leave the kitchen.
“Please don’t walk away.”
“I don’t have to do as you say anymore.”
“Dammit! I know you don’t and I said please!”
“If you’re going to cause strife then I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I haven’t insisted because I don’t want Cassie to have to put up with bickering, but if she’ll have to hear it no matter what, we may as well talk about why you should go.”
Frisco was simultaneously proud of Cam for standing strong and sticking up for Cassie, and heartsick that he felt Cassie needed to be protected from Frisco. He closed his eyes a brief moment, opened them, and said, “I was wrong to send you away.”
* * * *
Cam’s heart stopped beating and the room spun.
He used his dance training to focus on a spot on the wall until the room stabilized, and he sucked air into his lungs as inconspicuously as possible.
“Explain what you mean, and please don’t fuck with me.”
“Can I hug you?”
“No.”
Jake walked into the room and sat with his back to Cam, looking at Frisco. He wasn’t visibly aggressive, but he was clear that Frisco should keep his distance.
Frisco froze, and then slowly walked around the dog and man to sit in the living room.
Pissed, Cam followed. “That’s it? A teaser of how you were wrong to send me away, and then you just walk away from me?”
“I asked nicely for a hug.”
“You don’t get to touch me. You lost that privilege.”
Cassie stepped out of the bedroom in her robe and said, “Enough.” She looked at Cam and said, “You need to
get in the shower so you can make it to class on time.”
“I’m not leaving you alone today.”
She shook her head. “I won’t be alone. Isaac offered to stay all day, and it appears Frisco intends to make himself a permanent fixture.”
Cam heard Isaac’s car in the driveway and stepped to Cassie to kiss her forehead. “I’ll let him in. You need to have a seat and not wear yourself out. And don’t let the asshole bait you. Okay?”
She nodded and he stepped out the door.
Cam helped Isaac bring the coffee and food inside, and they piled it on the coffee table. Isaac handed everyone their food and no one talked for several minutes as they ate and drank.
Cassie spoke first, “Thanks Isaac, this hits the spot.”
“You’re welcome, Sweet Thing. We’ll let Cam help you get ready for the day when we finish eating, and then he’ll need to get ready for class. I can help, too, but I won’t unless you ask me because I don’t want to push myself on you.”
“What the hell?” Frisco asked, clearly pissed. “Why are you calling her Sweet Thing?”
Cassie looked at Frisco and sounded just as pissed. “Because it’s what he calls me, and it’s none of your damned business.”
“You told him I called you Sweetness?”
Cam wanted to intercede but could only watch the train wreck happen.
Cassie looked at Isaac almost in apology, and Isaac looked to Frisco to say, “She told me nothing, but is it any great surprise we chose a similar nickname for her?”
Frisco seemed to deflate, and Cam suddenly had the impression these two had a history he needed to know about.
“Alright,” Cam said, “I don’t care who talks but one of you needs to spill.”
Isaac looked to Frisco and back to Cam. “We’ve been friends a very long time and have more history than can be told in an afternoon.” Isaac turned to Cassie. “There are good reasons I backed off, but it’s been months, and I’ve let Frisco know if he insists on pretending he doesn’t care then I intend to try to woo you back to me, if you’ll have me.”
No one said anything, and Isaac added, “No pressure right now. I’m here as a friend until you heal and then we’ll talk.” He motioned towards the bedroom and said, “I bought the stuff Cam texted me, it’s in the bag by your bedroom door. Let him help you get into the shower and then into some clothes. It’s still early, he should have time to help you without being late to class.”
Cam looked from Isaac to Cassie, avoiding Frisco’s side of the room. Isaac chuckled and said, “Go on. Frisco and I’ll be fine without a referee.”
* * * *
Frisco looked as if he wanted to run and hide but Isaac wasn’t going to let him.
He waited until the shower started and looked at his friend. “Tell me your intentions.”
Frisco sighed and shrugged. “I tried to talk to Cam but he wouldn’t let me touch him. Cassie is in no shape for me to do anything. She’s fragile.”
“She is, but not too delicate for conversation.” Because Frisco would put it off as long as he could and he’d had long enough. If he couldn’t admit his feelings now, he’d never find a way.
“I’m not comfortable pushing myself on her right now,” Frisco said, “either emotionally or physically.”
Isaac raised his eyebrows. “And yet here you are, camped out in her living room refusing to leave.”
“Do you love her?”
“I do.” Isaac nodded and kept his voice level and friendly. “But I think you do, too, whether you’ll admit it or not.”
Frisco looked at the floor several long minutes, fighting with himself before finally saying, “I love them both, dammit. I don’t want to, but...shit. I’ve made a fucking mess of things.”
“You god-damned mother-fucking asshole!” Cam screamed in fury as he stepped from around the bedroom’s doorframe.
Jake stood between everyone, alarmed by Cam’s anger and obviously prepared to defend him if the need arose.
“You wouldn’t give her what she needed,” Cam said to Frisco, his voice no longer a scream but still obviously pissed, “and then dumped her like a two-bit whore when she went looking elsewhere for it, and then kept Isaac away from her, and now you claim to fucking love her? And me! After the way you kicked me out when I got down on my god damned fucking knees and told you I loved you and wanted to serve you and belong to you?”
Isaac couldn’t believe his ears when Frisco stood and used his Dom voice to say, “You will not use the phrase GD around me.”
Cam spread his arms and said, “You aren’t my god-damned Master, so I’ll say any god-damned thing I want around you.”
Frisco took a breath and calmly said, “You’re right, and I apologize for making demands. I will now nicely ask you not to say the only phrase you know will piss me off. Not as a submissive or slave to a Master, but as one civilized human being to another.”
Cam rolled his eyes and smiled, but he didn’t look friendly. “Oh, I have plenty more things I can say to piss you off. I can point out you’re a coward who’ll die old and alone because you’ll never have the balls to return anyone’s love.”
Frisco looked stricken and Isaac decided it was time for him to intercede.
“Boy,” he said to Cam. “Come here.”
Cam looked at him, deciding how to respond, so Isaac said, “I fully understand you and Cassie are a set, and if I’m going to ask her to step back into my life I’ll get you, too. I have no idea how we’ll make it work, but I’ve Topped you before and you know my expectations. We don’t have a formal agreement but I’m asking for a little leeway, and for you to trust me to get us through the next hour or so until you leave for class.”
Cam took a breath and walked to him, and Isaac pulled the smaller man into an embrace.
“Thank you,” Isaac told him as he kissed the top of his blond head. Cam felt good in his arms, but Isaac was prepared to let go if the boy pulled away. “You honor me with your submission. Now, can I get you to go check on Cassie? I’m assuming she asked to shower alone, but she’s tired and weak, and probably ready to get out by now.”
Frisco sat heavily on the couch as he watched with grief in his eyes.
“Yes, Sir,” Cam said. “Of course. Thank you for reminding me.”
“Not a problem. She doesn’t need to know about any of this yet. Frisco will behave, and we’ll keep the bickering away from her until we figure it out, okay?”
Cam nodded against Isaac’s chest, and Isaac released the young man from his embrace and nudged him towards the bedroom.
When Cameron was gone, Isaac looked down at Frisco a few minutes before taking the recliner once more so they were on the same level. “You have your work cut out for you to win him back.”
“He went right to you.”
“He isn’t pissed at me. He likes and respects me, but he loves you.”
* * * *
Cassie could tell Cam was upset but she didn’t have the energy to deal with any drama. The shower had tired her worse than she’d anticipated, and she had to let Cam help her dress more than she’d expected. Luckily, they were comfortable around each other nude, and regularly dressed and undressed in the other’s presence.
Without asking what she wanted to wear, he brought her most comfortable sweatpants and a loose tee, and helped her into them.
“Do you know if Isaac brought his gun?” she asked as helped her into the shirt.
“Are you worried about Clemente?”
She shrugged and winced, and he helped her with the sling. Her shoulder might be back in the socket, but it still hurt like a bitch.
“If he drove twelve hours a day he could be here in two and a half days,” she said. “I don’t know where he’s headed, but he hasn’t gone home.” And she worried he was coming to finish her off.
“Sam offered to bring someone from Drake in, if you’re worried.”
Cassie shook her head. “No, I don’t want a stranger here. I just want to make sure
Isaac has his gun.”
“You did a decent job handling mine at the range. If it’ll make you feel better I can leave it here, so you’ll have it.”
She considered it a few seconds, but shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, but if Isaac has his I don’t want to have to deal with the responsibility.” Plus, she didn’t know if she could handle it with her shoulder hurting.
“Fair enough.” He kissed her forehead. “I talked to Isaac about bringing it, but we’ll double-check before I leave.”
She and Cam walked out of the bedroom holding hands, and Frisco stood and moved to a chair when he saw them, saying, “Take the sofa Cassie, so you can lay down if need to.”
She felt best on her left side, as there was no pressure on the stiches in her bottom and it didn’t mess with her hurt shoulder. Not the best for her ribs, but sometimes life sucks.
She soon discovered the back of the sofa nicely supported her shoulder and ribs, and she sighed in contentment as she found a comfortable position.
“Isaac,” Cam said above her. “Cass wants to be sure you have your weapon?”
“I do.”
Frisco made another disapproving noise and Isaac said, “None of that from you. Cam and I will both be responsible, and our being armed means she doesn’t have to deal with a stranger in the house guarding her.”
“Did someone feed Jake?” Cassie asked, obviously wanting to change the conversation.
“Yeah, I did this morning but he’s still ticked at me,” Frisco said.
“Thanks.” She looked to Cam. “Can you make sure he has water before you go, please? If it runs low he’ll drink from the toilet, and he licks my face with that tongue.”
Everyone in the room laughed, and Cassie looked to Frisco. “If you’re going to insist on staying, I’m going to boss you around. Get something to write with so I can give you my grocery list, and I’ll give you money to go to the store. While you’re there you can pick up whatever fixings you need to cook a huge dinner for all four of us this evening.” She hesitated and added, “Maybe lunch for the three of us, too.”
Safeword: Arabesque (Safewords Book 9) Page 19
