Release Me

Part 9

"Close the door," I said, turning my chair back toward my desk, as I glanced down at the pile of papers in front of me. There were three threats about not taking my assigned position seriously, a pile of bills and two notices of frozen accounts. My facade might look like perfection, but everything around me was a house of card waiting for the slightest breeze while I prayed for glue.

Behind me, the door clicked closed, but the lack of footsteps told me Kade remained standing, most likely in a parade rest. His military discipline and need for a hierarchy made him an amazing submissive. But it was his talent for protecting and reading people that often put us at odd. We structured our relationship in a way he wouldn't push me to disclose issues if I put a boundary on them, even if he knew something was off.

With each passing second, the tension increased. I picked up my pen and let the staccato rhythm soothe my nerves. Part of me wanted him to demand I talk, to give me a place to release my burdens and provide a path to absolution or discussion, but when you are the dominant partner that relief doesn't always exist. With Dominick, it was so easy. He understood my pain and how to transform it into physical challenges.

I let out a heavy sigh, and Kade's strong fingers gripped my shoulders.

"You don't have to bleed in silence because there's nothing we can't figure out how to fix, but only if you let me in to help."

"Thank you, Thomas." I held my breath at the realization of my mistake. His grip tensed and the rhythm of his breath changed at the use of his first name. It was like a safeword. When I used it, I was in trouble. He hated it, which made it a perfect signal, but it seemed even my subconscious was over being alone in my predicaments. "I'm sorry, Kade."

"Tell me." It wasn't a request. Every military instinct put him on high alert, and he spun my chair to face him. His expression was a mix of worry and irritation. I'd put it there, and now I was going to deal with it until he was satisfied.

"Ultimately it's nothing, and you're right, there's a solution in here somewhere. I'm just overwhelmed."

He lifted his hand and rubbed his thumb against my cheek, then tucked his finger under my chin to raise my gaze to his.

"Then tell the hardest one first, so we can tackle it and deal with the easier stuff."

"My accounts are frozen. All the money from my contracts is inaccessible."

"Then go talk to him. Explain why you left. Dominick is an asshole, but I've never known him to be an uncaring bastard."

I smirked, letting out a long breath.

"We will have to agree to disagree. At one point, I would have held the same view, but then I learned he cares only for power and will use every asset at his disposal to get what he wants. He's sadistically ruthless."

"Sadistic, yes, but you always wanted that part of him. Weren't you complaining about how he'd turned too soft? You can't tell him he's ruthless, and too soft at the same time. Those polar opposites don't mesh." Kade stepped back to give me space when I shifted in my chair. "So your accounts are frozen. Are you making enough money to pay the bills?"

I rose from my seat and paced across a small strip of floor. Kade took a seat in the chair across the room and watched without a word.

"Yes and no. The organization is releasing things my account would normally cover, but acting like my frozen account doesn't exist. Which means they know exactly where I am." I looked upward as I paused in my pacing, and mumbled, "so much for 'running away'."

"Problem for another day. How much are we talking?"

"More than half a million."

Kade let out a low whistle and shook his head. "Is this normal for a separation? I thought everyone had a choice."

"It's not like I gave notice of intentions, nor did I follow procedure or file the paperwork," I said, pausing and glancing over at him.

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain this odd full court press."

With a shrug, I returned to my chair and leaned back.

"It doesn't matter why it's happening." I pushed the images of Dominick's announcement from my mind and tried to mentally deny my part in this odd drama. "All that matters is I have no way out. I'm making enough off my 'day job' to survive, but there's no way, even with my clientele, that I can payback the incoming collection notices. Right when I think they've gone as far as they can take it, new ones seem to pop up."

"Do you want me to call Dominick? Act as an intermediary?"

"No!" Kade recoiled at the word, and I gave him an icy stare. "My relationship with Dr. Dawes ended, no matter what either of us wanted on a personal level. He chose a path, and I disagreed. When I left, I knew I was never going back. This situation is an attempt at coercion. My worst case is to move and continuously do so as necessary."

"Dramatic much?" He raised an eyebrow and shifted in his chair. "This isn't an action movie. We'll figure out a way to deal with the fiscal stuff. I'll see if anyone at work can help form a plan. Old man Breckenridge might have some ideas."

"Keep it hypothetical. I mean, I don't know what a private security company's going to know about coercion by debt, but I'm out of options."

He laughed and his relaxed manner gave me hope for the first time in weeks.

"I'm going to let you think on that one, Mistress. In the future, come to me when you think you're in trouble. It's no good having an asset you don't use."

"The dominant's job is to lift the world, not lay my troubles at my submissive's feet."

"Then perhaps we are are in the wrong kind of relationship? If my current position is to bring things to you to relieve my trouble, but you will not return the same, then this is a one-sided situation. Not because I can't or won't help, but because you lock me out. We've discussed this and you know my terms."

"Yes, Kade, I do, but this isn't a protective situation. It is financial. My well-being isn't in danger, there is no immediate threat, and thanks to you and Samantha, I won't be homeless."

"Coercion is a threat, ma'am."

"Noted, and one you were going to ask advice on. Now that we've got my overblown troubles out of the way, I've got a new client we need to discuss. His references aren't the greatest, but as we've noted, I need the money."

Kade furrowed his brow as I handed him a folder, and for the next half hour we discussed my first appointment with this new prospect until Samantha called us to dinner.