Bunny and the Beast(Divine Creek Ranch 22)(33)

“Who, Jade? It’s obvious she thinks Joseph is her property.”

“Actually, it’s the reverse. She thinks she is his property, or wants to be, and you’ve unsettled her plans. But I think Master Blake may have thrown her for a loop. I wouldn’t worry about her.”

“I made things worse by hurting her feelings.”

Mona shook her head. “She’d deny that. Yes, I think it’s true she’d like to be Joseph’s, but not in the way you and I think about it. Having gotten to know her, I think she’s more offended on Joseph’s behalf because he’s a well-reputed Dominant than she is actually jealous, in the sense you and I understand.”

“Huh?”

“Have you done any research about BDSM?”

“A little.”

“Good. Then hopefully you know not all submissives and Dominants were created equal. In Jade’s worldview, Joseph deserves the complete obedience, eager service, and kneeling respect and adoration of a well-behaved sub. She’s outraged that you back-talk him and challenge him as you do, and in her mind, that means you’re not serious about submission. Jade is having a hard time grieving the loss of the Dominant who introduced her to this lifestyle and, consequently, having a hard time replacing him, something she really wants.”

“She lives here, though?”

“Temporarily,” Mona replied with a nod. “I probably shouldn’t say more since it’s an invasion of her privacy. Just…try to ignore her comments.”

Bunny shrugged and smiled. “I’ve had worse directed at me.”

Mona grinned as she glanced at Bunny’s hair. “You are quite a surprise to Joseph’s friends.” She leaned close and added, “Don’t tell Joseph I said this, but I love watching him have his world shaken up.”

Bunny scoffed. “My butt’s not enjoying it all that much.”

Mona burst into laughter. “Yeah, you don’t have much of a sense of ass-preservation, do you? I haven’t seen Joseph smile and laugh as much as he has tonight. If you ever need any help or have questions, don’t hesitate to call on me, okay?”

“Thanks,” Bunny said, smiling up at the tall blonde. “It’s nice knowing I have a friend here.”

“You have more allies than you realize. And don’t worry about Jade. Think of it this way, she wants only the best for Joseph, regardless of who it is. It’s just that her opinion on what’s best for him is on the extreme end of the spectrum. Hey, you okay?”

Bunny grabbed a tissue and blotted a tear off of her rapidly warming cheek. “Thank you.”

Mona flapped her hands and looked on in sympathy. “Don’t cry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Bunny sniffled and snorted, and they both giggled as Mona hugged her and made sympathetic sounds, and Bunny finally said, “When I first met you, I thought you were a snotty bitch but—”

Mona’s eyes goggled, and she snorted with laughter. “What?”

“You’re all glamorous, and tall, and thin, and you can actually walk in your high heels! And here I am, like some garden gnome with a bad attitude.”

Mona wheezed a little and then clamped her legs together. “Stop! I’m gonna pee!”

“You’re probably exactly what Jade thinks Joseph should have in a submissive, and I’m barely able to wrap my mind around what a submissive is, much less give him anything even close to submission.” She sniffled and became a little more serious. “Maybe Jade is right. I don’t fit his perfect sub mold, do I?”

Mona’s cheeks glowed as she patted her own tears from her laughter and smiled at Bunny. “On the surface, no. You don’t. But I don’t judge based on what others in the club think. I’m judging based on what I see in Joseph’s eyes every time he looks at you. Having a challenging submissive seems to be doing him a world of good.”

“But that’s just it. I’m not submissive.”

Mona looked as if she was swallowing laughter. “If you say so. Well, let’s get you back out there. Randall said I get to hang out with you for the rest of the evening.”

“But I thought you were here to play…er…you know?”

“We did earlier. Randall and I also come here to relax among friends. So let’s go get you acquainted. You won’t meet as many people hiding here in the bathroom.”

“I’m not hiding!”

“Whatever, subbie. Lemme tell you about the time I busted my ass in my high heels, right in front of Joseph and Randall,” she said as she tugged Bunny out of the restroom.