“I will be, I swear. I’m good at taking orders. I started framing when I was eighteen. There isn’t anything on a job site I’m not familiar with.”
“Sure. You used to do houses, right? Can you do drywall, crown moldings, and baseboards?”
“Absolutely. I’ll review everything and make sure I have the right equipment.” Just about everything had been repossessed except my personal tools and my pickup truck. Thank GodI hadn’t taken Stephen’s advice and bought a new one on financing—that would’ve been repossessed as well. Mine was old, but she was a workhorse.
“If you need anything, I’m certain Riley will provide it. You’re okay for a couple of weeks until you get your first paycheck?”
Even if I weren’t, I would’ve said I was. “Yeah, I’m okay. Truly, thank you. Thank Foster for me as well. Not just for the job, but for taking care of those beautiful children while you worked so hard.”
Arnav ran his hand through his shiny black hair. “He got bottle duty. We’re hoping Joshua will start sleeping through the night soon. He’s just seven months old, so we’re still feeling our way around this. Malika’s elementary age—she’s seven—but she still has nightmares. The social worker warned us it could be months before the kids start to feel safe.”
I didn’t ask whether they’d be around that long. Arnav had said something about this being a temporary placement—and that social services was hoping to return the kids to their mother.
Thank God that Stephen and I never had kids. What an unmitigated disaster that would’ve been.
Didn’t stop the pang of longing—but it eased the panic in my gut. “I’ll let you go.”
“Call Riley.”
I yanked my phone out of my jacket pocket. Another thing that had been old, paid off, and that the authorities had been willing to let me keep. I still needed to get my ankle bracelet removed, and I assumed they’d return my expired passport.
“And you’ve got food?” Arnav grabbed his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulders.
“Yeah, I’m good.” Would be eating ramen and Kraft Dinner for the foreseeable future, but I’d survive. When I scraped together enough money, McDonald’s had a cheap meal I’d grab. “Don’t worry about me, okay?”
He smiled ruefully. “I might have a reputation as a shark, but I’m actually just a big teddy bear.” He clapped me on the biceps. “Take care. Please keep in touch.”
“I will.”
The bailiff cleared her throat.
Arnav waved at her in acknowledgement and gestured toward the door. He met my gaze. “Your new future awaits.”
I’d never been so fucking scared.
Chapter Two
Cody
“Ilove pup night.” I sipped my tonic water with lime and saluted Master Dante.
The manager of Club Kink saluted me back. “I have to say, it’s one of our more popular nights. When Evan and I first got together, he was strictly a vanilla bottom. Now he’s really come to love puppy play. Quite a surprise to both Kate and me.”
Mistress Kate and Master Dante’s triad relationship with the bratty Evan stimulated plenty of speculation. The two Dominants had some kind of arrangement and, as far as I understood, the three were very happy together.
At the moment, Evan was in a massive puppy pile with about eight other pups—of all genders—and they were tussling and cuddling.
“I think this is delightful.” Demetrius grinned. His pup—and husband—Jai, was in the pile as well.
Which might’ve made things a little awkward for me. During summer camp season, Jai was my boss.
Someone could’ve knocked me over with a feather the first time I’d walked into pup night and seen Jai, and his friend Foster, kneeling at their Daddies’ feet. Foster and Arnav presented as quite a unique pair as well.
“Delightful is the right word.” I offered Demetrius a smile. “You think we’ll see Foster and Arnav back at pup nights any time soon? They used to be regulars, but it seems like they’d been AWOL since they started foster parenting. I guess their kids are younger than your two, though.”
I wished everyone well.
And contemplated my own singlehood status.
