Page 10 of Broken & Bound

The way her body practically sighed when she trusted me to take the lead. The way she gravitated toward me. Her submission wasn’t loud like Kinsley’s, but it was just as instinctive. And I knew enough by now to know it was fragile because of where she’d come from. From what she had experienced.

The absolute last thing I would ever do was force her to bend to my will. That wasn’t the way a responsible Dom reacted, anyway. Trust was something that had to be earned. And she’d learned to trust me long before we became intimate.

“This is me acknowledging that you are right in every way. I also know that intimacy is important—to both of us. I may need some time,” she breathed.

“Princess, I’ll give you all the time in the world. You mean that much to me,” I said, bringing my focus back to her. “We do this at your pace. Not mine.”

She tilted her head, watching me. I could see the words forming.

“And just so we are clear, I don’t need you to be anything you’re not,” I continued.

Her shoulders tensed as she cleared her throat. “How do you… Would you be open to counseling with Marcel? I know it didn’t work for you and Hannah?”

My heart soared, and I tempered my response. “I have zero hesitation on that front. Count my ass in.”

Her breath hitched, her expression shifting. “Really? And what if I can’t be submissive in the way you need?” she asked.

“Come here, please.”

Immediately and without hesitation, she rose and walked over. I drew her into my lap, settling her there like it was the most natural place for her to be. My mouth curved as her body softened, a quiet shudder running through her before she exhaled against me. The tension slipped away in pieces.

“Just now, you responded to me. It was instinctual. You didn’t second guess it.” My hand moved slowly along her back. “You already trust me with your emotional wellbeing and everything else will fall into place as it should. You honored me with number three on your list—”

“You mean, I forced you.”

“Mmm, if you say so. You could force me again, and again, and again though and I’d never get tired of it. You are perfect, Isabella. Just the way you are.”

A quiet huff of laughter left her, the sound soft and sweet. It was also lighter. Everything shifted, and that peace that I had felt with her the night before returned. She shifted in my lap, nestling in further. Her head rested against my shoulder as the silence between us stretched.

“You hungry?” I asked after several minutes went by.

She didn’t lift her head, just nodded against me. “But not enough to go downstairs.”

“Good,” I murmured. “Because I have no intention of sharing you with a dining room full of strangers tonight.”

That earned me another small breath of amusement. I reached for my phone and pulled up Uber Eats.

“Chinese or Mexican?”

“Chinese,” she hummed.

I placed an order without moving her from where she’d settled. Once that was done, I wrapped my arms around her, fingers tracing absent patterns. By the time the food arrived, she’d dozed off.

We ate slowly, taking turns feeding one another. The conversation was comfortable in a way that didn’t demand anything more from her than she had left to give. When she finally put her fork down, the exhaustion had taken root.

I stood, offering her my hand. “Come on. Let’s get you changed, teeth brushed, and in bed.”

She took it without hesitation and with no argument. I loved that she let me take care of her. I pulled the covers back and helped her in, waiting until she was settled before drawing the covers up.

She curled onto her side, watching me like she wanted to say something but couldn’t quite find the words.

“You did enough talking for one day.” I told her, putting my finger to her lips. “I’m going to go down to the bar and let Marcel know you’re doing good, okay?”

Her hand reached for mine, holding it against her cheek. “Are you going to tell him about us?”

“Only if I have your permission.”

“Okay, but only him for now.”