She’d accused him, denied him, and he didn’t hesitate to be there when she needed him.
“I’m taking her downstairs, but she’ll be back for the beginning of the class. He better not be here, Lea.” Hutch started for the stairs.
“The class begins now,” Lea called out.
“No, it doesn’t. It begins when she’s in her seat and you’ve taken out the trash,” Hutch replied without looking back.
But Noelle could see the whole group over his shoulder. She saw the way Mistress Lea smiled as though she utterly approved of the way things had gone.
“Have her back in twenty minutes, Hutch,” Lea ordered.
She wouldn’t go back. She watched as Laurel walked in, picking up Noelle’s crutches and talking to Erin. She would get the whole sad story and then her stepmom would call and tell her all sorts of inspirational bullshit. All of the trainees would be talking about her, feeling sorry for her. Or maybe some would agree with Jeff. Maybe some would see her as holding the class back.
Hutch strode down the stairs, taking her away from that horrible scene.
She wasn’t going to cry. Not the way she wanted to. She was going to suck it up and get through the next few moments, and then she would ask him to take her home and she would never try this again. Never.
Hutch now knew exactly how humiliating her life could be. There was always a Jeff out there, waiting to take her down a notch for inconveniencing him.
He kicked the door to the women’s locker room open. “Anyone here? I need the room.”
No one replied. The room was completely silent. He moved into what Laurel had described as the salon portion of the locker room. It was a big, lovely living area where the women of Sanctum relaxed before and after their playtimes.
She wouldn’t enjoy this space. She wouldn’t sit in here making herself pretty for her Dom and talking to her friends.
“You can set me down.” She’d been impulsive. She’d been weak. She should have left on her own two feet.
“I can’t. I can’t because I’m afraid if I do, I’m going to lose you.” He sank down on the sofa, his arms tightening around her. “Please forgive me, Noelle.”
Forgive him? “There’s nothing to forgive. I’m sorry it happened, but I can’t be mad at you for defending me. Though it’s not…”
His head shook and his jaw went mulishly stubborn. “Don’t you even finish that sentence. I’m on edge and I didn’t get to do what I wanted to, so please don’t push me by telling me you don’t need me.”
Emotion swamped her, and she wasn’t even sure which one was hitting her the hardest. Humiliation, pain, self-pity was in there. But so was gratitude, and now empathy because he looked lost. “Don’t need you?”
“I know you don’t feel the same about me, but I can’t stand by and let someone treat you like that. I can walk away when I know you’re safe, but don’t make me walk away knowing you didn’t need me. Even for a little while.” He dropped his forehead against hers. “Don’t let this hold you back, baby. You belong here. He doesn’t. Every single person in the club will support you, and if they don’t, they won’t be a member of this club for long. Big Tag owes me and I’ll call in all the favors to make sure you have a good training experience. I’ll find you the best newbie Dom I can, and I’m going to kick Kai’s ass for letting anyone else do his work. I promise. I’ll ask Kyle about his brother. David’s a nice guy, and he’s been thinking about taking the class. I’ll make this work for you.”
The indignity Jeff had heaped on her melted away in the face of Hutch’s caring. She’d given him every indication that she didn’t care about him in a boyfriend way, but damn he was acting like the most caring boyfriend ever. He was giving her everything she wanted merely because she wanted it.
She cupped his cheeks and threw away the humiliation and self-pity because there wasn’t a place for either when she was with him. He could chase both defeating emotions away with a mere smile, and she was done denying him.
She didn’t need the perfect training experience. She needed to experience it with him.
“Hutch, will you teach me?”
He went still. “Baby, you don’t have to do this. I’ll get you what you want.”
He didn’t understand. Her reluctance had done a number on him, but it stopped now. “I only want you.”
He started to argue but she stopped him with a kiss.
“Don’t,” she ordered. “Don’t waste more time. I know what I want and I want to be with you more than I want this class. I was afraid if I didn’t take it, I would always be Hutch’s girl and not just Noelle. But I can make my own friends here. I can do it without the class, and honestly, being your girl is not such a bad gig. Don’t fight me on this. I’m not walking away because of that giant ass. I needed a moment to process, but I’m okay. He’s not the first guy to insult the hell out of me and he won’t be the last. Unless the word gets out about how good you are in a fight. He’s bigger than you, babe, but you were well on the way to taking him apart.”