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As Makenzie stepped out of the office, her heart heavy, she cast one last glance at Irish. She felt conflicted, leaving while he was angry, but also wanting to honor his wishes.
CHAPTER 8
MAKENZIE
On the way to Day & Night, Makenzie sent a quick text to Kylie to see if she could join her. She needed a friend right now, and in the last week, she’d texted with Kylie daily, and seen her a few times. She was looking forward to meeting some of the other women soon. She pushed open the door to the cozy, bustling café, bookstore, and wine bar, then walked inside. The warm scent of ground coffee beans battled against the fluttering in her stomach, and the soft murmur of intimate conversations enveloped her like a comforting blanket. She inhaled deeply, trying to steady her nerves. She hated delivering such bad news to Irish.
As she walked through the room, her gaze searched for a familiar face among the strangers. “Makenzie! Hey! Over here!” Trinity called from a booth in the corner. She looked over to where Trinity, the honor of Day & Night, sat with her best friend Delilah. She’d met both women at The Watchmen’s clubhouse. Trinity, she knew, was Lucky’s girlfriend, and she was almost always with her best friend Delilah. While the women were almost old enough to be her mother, she’d thought their energy was much younger than their physical age. They sat close together, laughing with a warm contagiousness.
Delilah turned, her own grin infectious, and as Makenzie approached, the pair enveloped her in an embrace that managed to be both gentle and fiercely protective. It was the kind of hug that spoke of unconditional acceptance. Makenzie wasn’t used to being greeted with hugs, but she could use one today for sure.
Kylie arrived shortly after Makenzie settled into the booth, her warm smile a balm to Makenzie's frazzled nerves. As they exchanged greetings and settled into the cozy booth, Makenzie couldn't help but feel grateful for their friendship.
“Got your text, everything okay?” Kylie asked, concern etched on her features.
“No, not really. I’ve had a morning!” Makenzie said. “I’m pretty sure I hurt Irish.”
“You hurt Irish? I doubt that. Why don’t you tell us what happened,” Trinity said gently.
The women listened intently as Makenzie recounted the events of the morning, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke of the betrayal she had uncovered. She didn't divulge the specifics of what had transpired, not wanting to betray Irish's trust, but the weight of the situation hung heavy in the air, nonetheless.
“I just don't know what to do now,” Makenzie confessed, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. “I feel like I've let Irish down. He offered me this job, a chance to do something more with my talents and now, what if all he sees is the woman who discovered a dirty secret and won’t look at me the same way again? What if he doesn’t want me here anymore? It’s May, he hadn’t noticed since December, he might have never noticed. Would it have been better for him to just not know the truth? I brought him pain and anger. When I left, he was...” She trailed off, unsure of how to describe the mix of emotions that had swirled in Irish's eyes. Betrayal, hurt, anger, and the desire to be left alone.
Kylie’s arm slid around her shoulder, offering support. “You did the right thing. No matter how shitty it feels right now,” Kylie said gently. “He’ll understand, give him time to process everything.”
Trinity reached across the table, squeezing Makenzie's hand reassuringly. “I agree. You did the right thing by telling him, Makenzie. You couldn't have known what was happening, and you took the necessary steps to address it. That's all anyone can ask of you.”
Delilah nodded, her expression sympathetic. “While you’ve only been here for a week, we all know you're a good person, Makenzie. Irish has told us a lot about you and he’s a great judge of character. Truly, he’s lucky to have you looking out for him. You didn’t do a thing wrong. He probably needs a moment, so he doesn’t lash out at the wrong person and to figure out his next steps.”
It meant the world to Makenzie to have their support. “Thank you,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “I just hope Irish sees it that way too.”
“He will,” Kylie reassured her.
Their conversation shifted to lighter topics after that, the weight of the momentarily set aside in favor of laughter and camaraderie. They sipped their coffees and exchanged stories, Trinity occasionally excusing herself to help when the store got busy, and her workers needed backup. When her phone buzzed, Makenzie hoped it was Irish. Instead, an unknown number popped up on the screen.
Unknown Number: I know what you’ve done, bitch. You won’t get away with it.
Makenzie couldn't shake the nagging feeling of unease that lingered in the back of her mind as she read the text. She didn’t know whether to respond to it or delete it and block the number. Was it Darian? Wyatt? Could it be her former Daddy or Eugene? Surely, not Eugene…maybe Eugene’s sister? Unlike her brother, she was full of spice and life. Was it Jamie? She closed her eyes briefly and then hit delete. Whoever it was, wasn’t going to get a reaction from her. She was sure that’s what they wanted.
Eventually, the topic at the table turned to Makenzie's relationship with Irish, and she found herself opening up to her new friends. She spoke of his kindness, his generosity, and the undeniable chemistry that crackled between them whenever they were together.
“But,” she admitted, her voice dropping to a whisper, “he’s been pushing the Daddy Dom situation. He calls me good girl and baby girl. I’m just not sure…”
Kylie leaned in closer, her expression encouraging. “What is it, Makenzie? You can tell us.”
Makenzie took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. “I want to tell him about my desire to be in a Daddy Dom Little Girl relationship again. But I'm scared, Kylie. Scared of being rejected, of being hurt again. Scared of having my boundaries ignored. What if he violates my trust the way my first Daddy did? What if he doesn’t listen to my hard limits? And, if I date Irish and it doesn’t work out, I can’t just pretend he’s just another ex. He's my brother’s best friend, my mother and his mother are super close. There’s no spending the rest of my life without running into him. I will see him again.”
Trinity and Delilah exchanged knowing glances; their expressions filled with empathy. They understood all too well the vulnerability that came with sharing such intimate desires with a partner, since they were both in DDLG relationships themselves.
“You deserve to be with someone who accepts you for who you are, Makenzie,” Trinity said firmly. “Someone who cherishes you and respects your needs and desires. It is hard to maintain a healthy relationship with anyone if you can’t share your true self with that person.”
Delilah nodded in agreement. “The best piece of advice I can give you is to be open and honest with Irish. He’s a good man, and if he’s the right person for you, he'll understand. He'll listen and support you, just like we are.”
“I’ve known Irish for a decade now,” Kylie said. “He’s protective and caring. He might be strict, but he won’t ever cross a line he can’t come back from. You told me about the last relationship you were in, and I stick to my opinion, he wasn’t a Daddy at all. He was nothing but an imposter. Irish is his authentic self, always. You will never wonder what you have with him.”
Makenzie took comfort in her new friends' words, a sense of courage blossoming within her chest. Maybe, just maybe, it was time to take a leap of faith and allow Irish to lead her into a relationship he clearly wanted. Her phone buzzed again, and Makenzie hesitantly flipped it over.
Irish: Sorry for sending you away. Going to close the shop. Meet me at home?
