Apt [Running to Love 6] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Allyson Young Page A

terrified and aroused at the thought of being disciplined in front of several of the club members tonight, although she understood why her punishment had been ramped up. Her parents had called earlier in the week, back from their cherished trip to Scotland. She’d been thrilled to hear from them, having had nothing more than a few postcards and the occasional phone call all this time. It seemed they’d had the absolute best experience of their lives, connecting with various relatives and finding several family members they had no idea about. Some of those relatives were planning to visit them in the States in the near future, and Fiona celebrated right along with her parents.
    She told them all about her new job and how she liked her colleagues, but avoided sharing her evening and weekend activities. Her parents would accept her and love her for who she was, but Fiona didn’t think they were ready to hear about her interest in BDSM. At least not until they did some reading on the subject. She thought she would introduce the idea the next time she went to visit and go from there. She did tell them about Master Andrew, his wonderful pregnant wife and their four children and how much she enjoyed spending time with them. It was like having a replacement family. She assured her mom and dad that she was fine financially and would come to visit in the near future. Then her mom diffidently shared some information, alert as always to her daughter’s tender heart.
    Her mom told her that Dave must have been down to visit because he’d left a note for her. Fiona’s first impulse was to ask her mom to open it and read it, but then had second thoughts. What if it mentioned her going to his club uninvited? What if it mentioned his new profession? More likely, he would have come to put her gently into her place as he probably would have done if she hadn’t been so forward by tracking him down and confronting him. Yes, that was probably it, come to let her down gently and say that damn personal, formal good-bye because he was ready. In denial to the bitter end.
    Fiona had learned a great deal from Master Andrew, and one of the most important pieces was the issue of knowing one’s place and trusting one’s Dom. Except Dave hadn’t been her Dom, never would be her Dom, and Fiona had suddenly become enraged and nearly unable to hide it from her mom. She was tired of cutting Dave slack, tired of making excuses for him. He had acted like an ass, and Master Andrew was both right and wrong. She should have been able to trust Dave, Dom or no, and she had been forward, but he hadn’t handled it. He hadn’t given her what she needed and what was right. He did so love her. He was just being dense and continuing with his stupidity. So shame on him. Although it took one to know one, because she still loved him regardless of the hopelessness of it all. Stupid .
    She told her mom she would read the note when she was next home and managed to restrain her curiosity. She even refused the offer to have it forwarded to her. Her unsettled feelings intruded on a training session that night, and Fiona knew she’d pushed Master Andrew. She had acted like a brat, alternately sullen, noncommunicative, and challenging. When he had demanded an explanation, Fiona had quipped that her stupidity had bitten her on the ass again but refused to share further. It was her burden, and he wasn’t really her Dom. The look that came over his face made her tremble in her shoes, had she been wearing any, but he’d instantly composed himself and told her that she would be corrected in one of the viewing rooms Friday night.
    “I’m sorry, Sir,” she stammered. “I just…”
    “Not interested, Fiona. I won’t tolerate that from you. Be here for ten this Friday night, or use your safe word.”
    She had managed not to cry until he stalked out of the room, and then wept a veritable storm of tears. She had done it this time. He was her friend, her training Sir and like