The Shepherd (The Game 6)

“It’s quite possible I’ll be awake,” he mumbled in between kisses. “One of my favorite characters dies in the next episode, and you have ice cream and tissues.”

I rumbled a laugh and gave him a last kiss. Too fucking cute. “I can picture it. I’ll come home to find you bawlin’ your eyes out to a show you’ve seen a million times.”

“It’s that good. I do hope I can corrupt you one day.”

He didn’t need to twist my arm. As the weather got colder, I wouldn’t mind finding a new TV show to kill time with. “Corrupt me all you want.”

Triumph lit his eyes, and he picked up Kyla. “I’ll make sure to keep the tea to myself.”

He knew me already.

A thought struck me as I slid off the stool. “You don’t still have the tea infusers you won—or paid a shitload for—at the carnival?”

He grinned and all but puffed out his chest. “I have two of them, actually. I’ve used them a lot.”

That was funny.

I started toward the hallway, and he followed, admitting he had the stuffed animal I’d won him too. The little tiger that read “Think of me, little one.”

I didn’t know what to say in response—because it was overwhelming at times to think about how much he’d strived for this. I’d been on his mind as an end goal for months. I’d told him about my home, about how I lived, all those years ago, and he’d changed his whole world around. He’d realized, because of me, what he wanted most of all. And he’d never looked back, despite the abrupt and angry finale of our single day together.

I could only admire him.

Well…I reckoned there was one thing I could tell him. Sticking my feet into a less muddy pair of shoes, I nodded toward the bedroom down the hall and said, “Look in my nightstand drawer later. It’s taken me five years to figure out why I needed to keep a memento from that night.” I’d just never been able to throw that little ice cream pin away. I grabbed a jacket next and pressed a kiss to Archie’s forehead. “I’ll see you in a couple hours.”

“I’ll be here.” He flashed me a curious smile and held the door open as I walked out. “By the way, Master? I liked it when you called me baby.”

I threw a little grin over my shoulder, and I couldn’t fucking believe my luck with this man. “Me too, baby.”

Good Christ, a party was in full swing when I arrived back at the house in Mclean. Music was pounding—although not as loudly as last Friday—and the downstairs club area served as a dungeon with several kinky stations. I estimated about thirty or forty members were here, among them Lucas and Kit.

As far as Kit knew, his other Daddy, Colt, was still running a training project at Langley Air Force Base, but those of us in charge of the event tomorrow knew better.

I came to a stop next to Lucas, spotting the DM patch on his chest, and I handed him the keys to the rental van. Seeing as they were here so late, they’d undoubtedly spend the night.

Lucas smiled politely and inclined his head, but his gaze was stuck elsewhere. I followed it to a whipping post some twenty feet away where Marcus—wait, Marcus…? Marcus grew uncomfortable at the mere mention of sadomasochism, yet here he was, flogging a young man who wasn’t Corey. Because Corey was kneeling next to them.

No wonder Lucas looked focused; I’d told him about our potential problem regarding Corey and Marcus. I’d been on the phone with Reese and Lucian too, and we’d agreed to observe for a little while and decide something as soon as River and Reese were done “helping a friend with work out of state.”

It was why I hadn’t pushed the matter after Corey had failed to show up on Monday. I was waiting for him and keeping an eye out in the meantime.

“Hi, Master Greer!” Kit hollered over the music.

I sent him a quick smile and a wink, hoping it made up for my attention immediately returning to Corey. Each station had a set of spotlights that lit up the various contraptions, which placed all the nonparticipating partygoers in the shadows, so I couldn’t get a good read on Corey’s expression. He had his shoulders slumped and his stare downcast, though. He wasn’t exactly the picture of a happy Little.

I leaned in and spoke for only Lucas to hear. “I want this shit resolved right after the weekend. Something ain’t right.”

He nodded grimly. “Agreed. I don’t believe we should wait for River and Reese.”

Exactly. Well, we’d get a quick shot with them tomorrow. They’d be in town for the event before they were off again. We could talk to them then and let them know we had to handle things faster.