I opened my mouth to protest, to tell X that I was far from a good person, but then I realized if I said that, he'd want to know why. I could've made something up, but I had a feeling he’d know if I wasn't being honest. The last thing X needed was to know that I'd been lusting after him.
“It's good that you have him,” I said. “Everyone needs to have someone they can go to for advice.”
A strange expression crossed X's face and he leaned toward me. “Speaking of advice the good father imparted–”
Whatever he intended to say was cut off by the doorbell.
“Hold that thought.” I smiled at X and got up.
I was beyond relieved at how well things were going. If we were able to do this, we could be friends. Part of me protested that friends wasn't enough, but the rest of me was simply grateful that friendship would be an option. No matter how things played out with work, I wouldn't lose him completely.
I opened the door, my mind still distracted by the conversation I'd left. Because of that, it took me nearly half a minute to fully process the person standing in front of me.
Dark brown hair. Bright green eyes. Handsome.
“Tanner.” I stared at him.
He gave me that same charming smile that won me over years ago. “Hey. I hope I'm not interrupting anything.”
I heard footsteps behind me and knew that X was standing there now.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as I resisted the urge to look at X.
Tanner's smile softened, and he lowered his voice. “I came for you, Nori. I want you back.”
Continues In Dom X Vol. 4
Dom X - Volume Four
Dom X
Chapter One
Xavier
“I came for you, Nori. I want you back.”
The words still echoed in my head even though the asshole who'd said them wasn't at the door anymore. Tanner. The good-looking douchebag who'd been Nori's boyfriend for years before breaking up with her a couple of weeks ago.
The fact that he was also the guy who introduced her into the whole BDSM world, and had taught her how to be a Submissive, didn't make this any easier. Before Nori Prinz came into my life, I only had the vaguest idea of what any of that meant, but now that I knew, I couldn't help picturing how the conversation between the two of them was going right now.
I swore even more vilely than I normally did and ran my hand through my dark blond hair. During my near-decade in the army, I'd kept it cut short, but since I hadn't worried about regulations for more than three months, it was getting long. I really didn't like it, but it was better than the alternative. At least this way, some of the scars on my face were covered.
Not that I ever intended to go anywhere around people who might possibly see them. Hell, I was barely comfortable with the people I knew seeing them.
That was one of the reasons Nori suggested that she teach me how to be a Dom. She'd never come out and actually said it like that, of course, but when our first session had been all about me learning what I wanted, including where and how I wanted to be touched, I understood that she was doing more than simply offering me a way to regain control.
Then, like an idiot, I kissed her. I still thought about that kiss way more than I should have, especially since I wasn't supposed to be thinking about it at all. We'd agreed to pretend that it never happened after I lied my ass off about why I'd done it.
Things had been a little awkward at first, but I really thought we'd been getting back to a good place. We’d been having breakfast, talking about what Nori planned do when I no longer needed a nurse. She hadn't come out and said she wanted to stay in Philadelphia, but she hadn't specifically said she was going back to San Antonio either, which I'd taken as a positive sign. So positive, in fact, that I'd been about to do the stupidest thing I could've done.
I'd almost told Nori that I was falling for her.
Father O'Toole had told me to do it, but I hadn't really considered following his advice until just a few minutes ago. Talking to Nori this morning had made me realize with even more clarity than before that I didn't want to lose her. After having lost everything that had once made my life bearable, she was all I felt like I had to live for. Finding control again, being able to feel like a man, none of it mattered without her.
And all of that had been on the tip of my tongue – well, not all of it, but enough for her to get the general idea – but then that fucking doorbell had rung.
Now, Nori was down the hall with her ex who apparently didn't want to be her ex anymore.
Technically, this was my house, and if I wanted to be a complete asshole, I could've told Tanner he wasn't allowed inside, but even I wasn't that much of a bastard. Or, at least, I didn't want to be anymore. I'd spent the last three months being angry and depressed. Nori had woken me up again, and I wanted to do things right, if only for her sake.