She’d been acting differently ever since she’d started dating that new guy. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something had changed her. At first, I thought it was because she was in love. The first few months after she started seeing the guy she was practically dancing into the office every morning. Her eyes shone brightly and she was even more beautiful than ever.

Then something changed. Sadness had begun to shadow her face. Her eyes were dull and unseeing. Something was terribly wrong, but I didn’t know what.

This morning she came in twenty minutes late which was so unlike Amber. Usually, I could wind a clock by her, so I knew something was amiss.

“Amber, could I have a word with you?” I straightened my tie as she slowly walked into my office. She moved so strangely as if it pained her to walk.

“Yes, Ash?” she asked, her voice shaky.

“What’s going on? You were late this morning. You’re never late.” I gestured for her to sit down.

She waved my offer. She stood standing stiffly. Her hair usually so bouncy and shiny hung lankly around her shoulders. Her blouse was heavily wrinkled. Her makeup appeared plastered on her face. The skin around her mouth cracked as she spoke.

“I’m sorry, Ash. It won’t happen again.” She nodded and walked towards the door.

I jumped up and stood in front of her.

“What’s wrong, Amber?”

Her blue eyes flared at me.

“I’ve worked for you for nearly three years now, Ash. I’ve never been late once. So this morning I overslept. If you want to fire me for it, then go ahead!” She tried to push past me.

“Hey, hey, settle down now, Amber. This isn’t about you being late. I could care less if you’re late sometimes. But this isn’t you. Something’s wrong and I want to know what it is.” I reached out to take her arm.

She winced in pain pulling away. Tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes.

Something was VERY wrong…

“Amber, are you okay? Please come over here. Let’s sit on the sofa.” I pulled the blinds closed to my office. I gently walked her over to the sitting area. I poured her a glass of water and handed it to her.

“Now, tell me what’s wrong.” I leaned forward as she sipped her water waiting for her reply.

She swallowed the water quickly and placed the glass on the table. She sighed leaning back.

“Ash, it’s very personal. I thought we agreed we wouldn’t do personal.” She clasped her hands together in her lap.

“Amber, I know what we agreed, but something is very off about you. I’m coming to you as your friend not your boss. Whatever you tell me right now is off the record.” I brushed her hand gently.

She shook her head tears welling up in her eyes. She blinked several times causing her eyeliner to run. I handed her a box of tissues.

Blotting her eyes with the tissue, she wadded it up in her hands twisting it nervously.

“It’s about that guy you’re seeing, isn’t it? Amber, please tell me what’s wrong. Did you two break up?”

She waved her hand.

“No, not at all. It’s just…he likes to play games with me,” she said in a low whisper. Her cheeks flooded red with embarrassment.

“What kind of games?”

“He’s a…dominant. He likes to play rough, do you get what I’m saying?”

I leaned back nodding.

“Of course, Amber. I like to play, too. But it’s consensual, right?”

She nodded vigorously.

“Definitely. It’s just—“

“---just what? Amber, I’m a big boy. I’ve been around a long time and seen a lot of things. There’s nothing you could say that would shock me.”

She nodded.

“I know, it’s just I can’t talk about this with you, Ash. You’re my boss.”

I clutched her hands within mine.

“I know, Amber. But right now I’m your friend first. If this guy is doing something out of line, I want to know about it.”

“Oh, it’s just that…he’s sometimes too rough. I know I’m blowing it out of proportion. He had a rough childhood. His mom just died of an overdose. She put him through hell, Ash--”

“What’s that got to do with anything, Amber? You know my mom left me when I was young. I don’t go around hurting women because of it!” My voice rose unintentionally. That was such bullshit.

“I know that, Ash. It’s just sometimes he--”

“—he what?”

“Doesn’t stop when I use my safe word is all.”

I became alarmed. What kind of self-respecting dom would ignore a safe word? That’s exactly what it was for-to protect the submissive from being harmed.

“What does he do?”

“Oh, he does stop eventually. He just--pushes my limits.”

“What exactly does that mean, Amber?”

She stood up to leave.

“Nothing, Ash. It’s fine. I’m just overreacting as usual. I need to get back to work. You need those Anderson files by this afternoon.”

I grabbed her wrist.

“Sit down, Amber. I need to know if this guy has crossed the line with you.”

She jerked her hand away from me.

“Look, Ash, it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’m just going through some female problems if you know what I mean. I’ll be here on time tomorrow, I promise.”

“Amber, please, you can trust me.”

She waved her hand at me.

“I don’t want to talk about this with you anymore, Ash.” With that, she left my office.

I sat staring after her. A strong sense of danger swept over me. There was something very wrong with Amber and that guy.

But since she wouldn’t tell me I didn’t know what to do. I stood up and went back to my desk. I watched her working through my open door. Her eyes were so sad. I just wished she’d tell me why.