Bared (Club Sin 2)

As a Dom, he wanted to stake his claim on her. As a man, he needed to think before he acted. He couldn’t make any more mistakes. Questions needed to be an answered.

Was he good for Cora?

Could he give her all of himself?

Was he able to face love and not fear it could be taken away?

Could he be that vulnerable again?

After a long moment of silence, Kyler asked, “What are you going to do?”

Aidan rubbed his temple. Of all the thoughts racing in his mind, only one stood out as most important. “I have to stop hurting, Cora.” He glanced to Kyler, who nodded in understanding, and Aidan added, “And I need to forgive myself.”

Chapter Twenty-five

Wake up. Work. Go to sleep. And repeat.

Cora rolled her eyes at the sad attempt to get over Aidan. She had loved him for two years. That couldn’t be undone in the two weeks since she’d last seen him, no matter how hard she tried.

She hadn’t asked anyone about Aidan, and no one had offered up any news. As much as Cora wanted to know if Aidan was still going the dungeon, she thought it best she stayed far away from that conversation. Hearing that he played with other submissives would likely make her vomit. And she was doing her best to look at the bright side in her current hell.

One promise she had made to herself was if Aidan’s pain ever affected her in ways she couldn’t handle, she’d walk away. While she intended to keep that promise to herself, knowing it was for the best, she couldn’t have anticipated how hard that would be.

Her heart bled that Aidan couldn’t see past his pain. That he couldn’t get over the hurt in his life to be happy with her. But she wouldn’t bare his pain at her expense any longer, no matter how much it hurt to walk away from him.

Cora was bound to face a shitty time after a long history of great ones.

She’d given herself one week to engage in self-pity. Then she’d picked herself up and gone to the spa. A new flirty haircut with long layers, manicure, pedicure, and skin treatments had made her feel, almost, new again.

At her front door and looking into the mirror on the wall, she applied her cherry-red lipstick. She gazed over her black blouse that allowed a good amount of cleavage in contrast to her skinny jeans. For a night on the town the look worked, especially considering Porter and Kyler had given her only an hour to get ready.

Cora hadn’t been the only one missing action at Club Sin. Both Kyler and Porter had spent every night with her on the weekend. Sometimes having a BBQ and beers, or staying at home to watch a movie or going out to the cinemas. Presley and Kenzie had filled her weeknights with shopping trips and girls’ nights.

She appreciated her friends more than ever.

When her doorbell rang, Cora tucked her lipstick into her purse. She gave herself another quick look-over. Pleased by her appearance, she turned to the door and opened it. Kyler and Porter smiled at her.

“Hi, boys,” she said.

Porter, looking a bit badass in his dark jeans and button-down plaid shirt that showed off a glimpse of his bare chest, kissed her cheek. “You’re looking happy.”

“And hot as hell,” Kyler added.

Kyler wore his typical faded jeans and his navy blue T-shirt stretched over hard muscles. “Thanks.” Hell, she deserved to feel sexy, didn’t she? For too long now she’d felt unwanted, and she’d simply had enough of that shit.

Pity parties got old real fast.

She shut the door behind her. “Where are we off to?” Porter had called earlier and told her only that they were heading out and that she was to join them.

Kyler’s gaze twinkled, the side of his mouth arching. “It’s a secret.”

“Secrets!” Cora exclaimed, bouncing on the high heels of her boots. “You boys know me so well.” They made these past weekends bearable, and she loved surprises. “What are we waiting for? I’m ready to make Sin City my bitch.”

Laughing, they followed her as she marched down the driveway.

At Kyler’s black Dodge Ram, Cora opened the door and jumped into the backseat. Porter offered her the front seat on every outing, but he had longer legs. The backseat in the truck wasn’t uncomfortable for someone her size, but he’d have been chewing his knees.

The passenger door opened, and Porter’s laugh filled the truck. “In a hurry, huh?”