Bared (Club Sin 2)

Two seconds later another message chimed on Cora’s phone. He looked so pissed after you left. I stayed far away from him. Actually, everyone did.

Probably a good move, Cora wrote.

You okay, though?

Cora smiled. Kenzie was a pain in the ass to Club Sin Masters with her bratty behavior, but to Cora she was a good friend. While Cora was always tempted to analyze the hell out of Kenzie, knowing there was something deeply troubled inside her that made her act the way she did, Cora fought hard not to analyze her friends.

Don’t bring work home!

From what Aidan had told her, Kenzie came to Club Sin with the Masters from their old club, Chains, because Dmitri worried over Kenzie’s safety. She liked to poke at Doms. Poke the wrong Dom and that spelled trouble.

Cora and Kenzie didn’t have the close relationship that she had with Presley, but Club Sin submissives stuck together. Presley felt more like a sister. Kenzie was a loyal friend and a great support to Cora.

She liked Kenzie, brat and all.

I’m all good. Aidan came over today, Cora texted.

To your house?

Cora laughed, crossing her legs. Yup.

Wow. That’s kind of a big deal.

Was it?

Or was Aidan simply concerned about the submissive he trained? Was he more interested in finding out the answer because he knew she hid something from him? It did sound entirely personal that he came to her house, but Cora believed with total certainty that Aidan acted only as a Dom, not as a man who wanted more from her.

Sad, she thought, but true.

He wasn’t ready.

Cora texted, He’s just worried, which is ridiculous. I am fine.

Doms being Doms. They are such nosy buggers. I’m glad you’re feeling okay. So I’ll see you at the club soon?

Meet ya there!

Cora stood from the toilet and turned off the curling iron. She gave herself one final look in the mirror. While she thought she looked nice, her blouse and jeans fitting her well, the darkness in her gaze stared back at her.

Those shadows weren’t from her troubles with Aidan. It was from her portrayal that it had been an issue with her ex-boyfriend, Porter. Guilt ripped through her, and she couldn’t stand it.

She shouldn’t have used him as her scapegoat.

Leaving the bathroom, she flicked the light off and entered her living room. She plopped down on the couch and she scrolled through her contacts on her phone until she reached Porter’s name. Then she hit the call button.

Two rings sounded in her ear before Porter’s low voice hummed through the line: “This is a nice surprise.”

“Hi.” An easiness filled her chest. Porter was her secure place, a friend who always made her feel better. A man who knew her inside and out and who she wholeheartedly trusted. “How are you?”

“Good, as always.”

Porter lived life with his glass half full. Cora had always loved that about him. He was a positive person, and anyone around him seemed to feel that happiness flowing out of him. Heck, it was why she had fallen for him in the first place.

He made her feel good.

“Are you going to Chains tonight?” she asked.

“On my way there soon.”