"I can't stand being apart—" Drake put his fist to his mouth, and I thought I saw tears in his eyes. But his cheeks remained dry.
"He's going to try to rent one of the beach houses in the cul-de-sac," Malcolm explained for him. "You'll stay here, for the time being. That way, you'll be close but can still have your separate spaces while you work things out."
"One thing we insist on is you both see someone to talk this out professionally," Becca said as she placed a hand on my forearm.
I gave her a weak smile. "I'm open to that."
"I highly recommend my psychiatrist. We're both going now that we've moved here permanently. It's reinforcing. Helps keep us in perspective."
"There are a lot of things that you need to discuss. Find agreement on," Malcolm said. The slight hitch in his breath made me turn my head to him. But he wasn't looking at me. He was staring at Drake. "Do not forget that while she may play the role of your slave or your submissive for however long and in whatever capacity you consensually decide on, above all, Daphne is your wife. Your life partner."
"I know," Drake said, nodding at our brother-in-law.
"Do you? Do you really? Your actions of late run contrary to your words now. We have a term in the lifestyle that you know all too well: ownership. It is not for everyone, and it should only be embraced after serious consideration. A Dominant's sub is not a trinket to put upon the shelf to admire until it no longer pleases him or falls off and breaks. He needs to understand that if he treats his sub like that, the damage may not always be visible. But it'll slowly work its way out. Trust me. I witnessed it on that landing four years ago. I'm seeing it happen all over again. And unlike that trinket, she can be dropped many times before she completely shatters. Once she does, though, no amount of time or apologies will be able fix her."
I shuddered, thinking back over the months. To just before our trip to Chicago when we thought Becca was on her death bed. I'd ceased seeing myself as Drake's spouse. I'd become that trinket. Since then, I'd become just as battered and bruised as I had been with Jimmy. But it was all on the inside now. And my cracks were finally coming to the surface.
"A sub chooses her position, to be under her Dominant's care. She expects him to have her best interests at heart." The corner of Malcolm's mouth lifted up as he glanced at Becca. Then the turned back to Drake. "Even if her desire is to be objectified—which I don't believe is in Daphne's repertoire of fetishes—she is still a human being. She has feelings. Her agreement to surrender control to you should be held in the highest regard. She has handed you the key to unlock her most inner desires and has put her complete trust in you. She should be treated with more care than the most priceless artifact. She's irreplaceable. I thought I had made that clear to you while I was training you."
Drake had been watching Malcolm throughout the lecture. He lowered his gaze to the table now where he'd cupped his hands. He opened his mouth but said nothing.
Malcolm sighed and rubbed at his temples with one hand. "Let me put it another way. I'm not making light of the issue when I say I consider you the Anakin to my Obi-wan. I had faith in you. I still do. Don't make me regret taking you under my wing. Or question my own abilities. Daphne is your Padme. Your heart. Don't destroy her while trying to fulfill your own selfish desires. Because that is the path you're heading down. I want to believe we removed Emperor Palpatine's influence before it was too late. But it's up to you whether or not you become Vader. Only you."
I crossed my arms, trying to quell the shudders that suddenly wracked my body. I'd not seen the Star Wars reference coming. And yet, it rang so true it was scary. Especially since I knew how that story had ended. We could change our fate, though. We had to at least try.
I studied Drake's face. How his chin trembled. He appeared to be fighting to keep his composure. As if showing his true emotions made him a lesser man. A bad Dominant. He'd been listening too long to Jimmy's lies. Been away from Malcolm's support that he so desperately needed. He had opened up to us a week ago. But just like I'd been accustomed to doing after stepping off the stage, he'd retreated into the shell he knew best.
Drake raised his eyes to meet mine. A tear escaped when he blinked. "Whatever we need to do."
I released the breath I'd been holding. And a true, honest to goodness smile graced my lips. The pain in my chest was no longer solely from desperation. Joy was leaking its way in as well.
"I have one further stipulation," Malcolm said. He waited until my husband turned to him before continuing. "As long as you are with Daphne, you will have absolutely no further contact with Jimmy Driscoll. It's not up for discussion. I don't know or care what he's told you about the incident at the club or his relationship with her, but he is not to be trusted. He can be someone else's best friend because he's nothing but bad news to this family."
"Already done. I blocked his number on the way back home." Drake scrubbed his hands over his face for a moment. "I'm sorry I've brought this on all of you. It's not who
