Page 69 of Bear’s House

"Happy Halloween, everyone," she said, her voice carrying easily through the room. A few people nearby cheered. Max went red. Bella laughed. "Don't worry, sweetheart. They're looking because you're pretty."

That got another little cheer, and Max ducked his head. I saw JJ almost explode with happiness. He looked like his entire stupid plan was coming together exactly the way he'd dreamed it would.

Bella set the microphone aside. She picked up the flogger Max had handled before and moved behind him. The first few strikes were barely anything. Light. Across his thighs, then higher.

She checked in. "Color?"

"Green," Max answered.

I heard him even from where I stood. My shoulders loosened slightly. Fine. He was nervous. That didn't mean he wasn't enjoying himself. Bella continued, still light. Max's breathing changed. He started smiling again, then laughing when she dragged the soft ends of the flogger across his stomach instead of striking him.

JJ caught my eye from across the room and gave me the most obnoxious see? expression I'd ever witnessed in my life. I rolled my eyes at him. Maybe he'd been right.

For about thirty seconds.

Then Bella put the flogger down and walked around the chair. She crouched in front of Max again. I saw her ask something. Max nodded. She reached into the little case beside the chair and took out a black blindfold.

My stomach tightened again. She showed it to him first. Max looked at it for a long second. Then at the crowd. Then at JJ. JJ nodded at him before he seemed to catch himself. It was tiny. Probably unconscious. Just one eager little nod. You can do it. Max looked back at Bella. Then nodded too. Bella tied the blindfold over his eyes.

And everything changed. Not dramatically. If he'd started screaming, everyone would have noticed. Instead, Max simply went still. Bella touched his shoulder. He flinched. She said something to him, too low for me to hear. His mouth moved. I couldn't tell what he answered. Bella waited. Then touched him again, this time running her fingers gently down his arm. Max's shoulders climbed toward his ears.

I straightened. Beside me, Daddy did too. Bella must have noticed something, because she stopped.

She crouched in front of him again.

"Max?" I could hear his name this time. His chest was moving too quickly. Bella touched his knee. "Color for me."

Nothing. My stomach dropped. She didn't touch him again. "Max, sweetheart. I need a color." He swallowed. His mouth opened. Nothing came out. Bella reached up immediately and pulled the blindfold off.

The orange light hit his face. His eyes were huge. Too wide. There were already tears gathering along the bottom of them, and he looked around the room like he didn't understand how he'd gotten there.

Bella went completely still. "Scene's over," she said. Not loud.

And that was the second I was already moving.

"Daddy."

He was moving too. So was Dominic. I'd known Gustav had spoken to Dominic earlier. I didn't know what they'd agreed to, only that Dominic had apparently been willing to be the surprise second Dom if Max still wanted him when the time came. That didn't matter anymore. The scene was over. Dominic reached the stage half a step before Daddy did. Bella was already loosening the rope around one of Max's wrists.

"Max," Dominic said. Max's eyes found him. And something in his face broke. Relief. Dominic stopped immediately instead of coming any closer.

"It's me," he said. "Can I come up there?"

Max nodded. Dominic stepped onto the stage. Bella got the second wrist free.

"I'm sorry," Max whispered, his voice cracking. Bella's head snapped up.

"No. Absolutely not."

Max started crying. Real crying. His shoulders shook once, then again, and he pressed both newly freed hands over his face.

"I thought I could do it."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Bella said.

Dominic crouched in front of him, leaving space between them. "Can I touch you?"

Max lowered his hands. Then nodded. Dominic put one hand against his knee. That was it. Max immediately grabbed his wrist with both hands.