Competing for the Dominant

Twelve

Quinn

I was in a familiar room. Tied to a chair with a gag over my mouth. The door opened and I strained against the rope, trying to find some way out. The person at the door chuckled and my eyes shot open. No. That voice didn't belong to the normal man. That voice belonged to someone who had recently become a pain in my side.

Charlie grinned, "What's the matter, Quinn. Thought you liked being tied up? Or is it only when you want Danny doing it to you?" His tone was nasty and I struggled to get away as he stepped closer.

"Come on, Quinn. Why so afraid? It's only me. Tiny, defenseless, Charlie. Isn't that right, Quinn?"

I sat up in my bed, feeling the cold sweat keep my hair clinging to my back.

"Quinn!" I took a few deep breaths, changed into a shirt, and went to open the door. I pulled my hair into a bun as I did to cool off a little.

Zade was standing at the door with Annie and Ryan and none of them looked happy, "Where the hell have you been and oh, my, God. Why do you reek? No, no, and no. Quinn, you go get your ass in the shower and then we'll talk,"

Zade pushed me towards my bathroom and I held up my hands in surrender, closing the door behind me. I sighed, trying not to think about the nightmare or the fact that for the first time in eight years, my father was no longer the center of it.

I turned on the shower to lukewarm and allowed the nightmare to sink down the drain. I grabbed the liquid peach soap rather than the usual bar of unscented soap. I needed a rejuvenated cleansing and the peach soap was my go-to.

When I finally got out and changed, Annie snorted when she saw my hair in a towel, "I did not see that coming," she cackled and both Zade and Ryan joined it.

"You three have short hair. I don't want to hear it. It helps dry it out a little. Plus it keeps the detangler from dripping out. Now, what do you guys want? Other than to interrogate me," I bent over and unraveled the towel, squeezing it slightly before standing up straight, letting the water from my hair fling towards my friends.

Zade made a face and said, "Quinn, you've been gone for two weeks. We've all been worried about you. Ryan said that Ken said that Master Knight didn't fire you, so why have you been gone for so long?"

I sat down and sighed, "I don't know. I needed a breather away from it. From Charlie and the stress he was putting me under. I didn't like that feeling, so—"

"So you ran," Zade said softly and by the look he was giving me, I knew what he was insinuating. I ran like I always do.

Ryan stood up and sat next to me, "Look, I know that Charlie has done some petty shit, but if he was putting you under stress, then it's only because you wouldn't tell Master Knight. We've heard Master, oh to hell with it, he ain't gonna hear us. Daniel has told Ken a couple times that he wished he hadn't let Charlie back into his life.

Ever since that night, Charlie and Daniel have been fighting. I heard them in the office once. Charlie basically told Daniel that he had a choice and whatever Daniel said, Charlie did not like the answer. We have a staff meeting tomorrow with the bartenders and the V.I.P. Doms and subs and you will be there. You are going to stand up to Charlie and tell Daniel everything. If you don't, we will,"

"Ryan's right, Quinn. When you started working at the club, Daniel was always making sure you were okay and that you didn't need anything. Owen and I both witnessed it numerous times. Even when Charlie was around too," Annie said matter-of-factly.

I frowned, realizing Owen wasn't here, "Where is Owen? I figured he would've been the first one to bust down the door,"

"Owen was going to come, but Cale called and he had to go meet with him about something. I don't remember, but don't change the subject. You are coming to this meeting, right?"