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“Hey.” He pushed his thumb beneath my chin and tilted my head back. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I was about to join you when I heard you whimpering. I assumed you were having a nightmare and was trying to gently wake you up. That’s my fault. I should have turned on the light or spoken to you. I’m sorry I didn’t.”

“Don’t be sorry. I guess my mind still isn’t used to having someone in bed with me.”

“We probably should have eased you into this.” Cyrus ran both hands through my hair, pulling my head back gently. “I love you, pet, but if you need me to sleep on the couch, I will.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I’ve felt out of sorts since earlier this afternoon when Jaron and Piper dropped me off.”

“What do you mean?”

“I felt like someone was watching me and then when they left, someone knocked on my door but when I looked through the peephole, there was no one on the other side of it,” I explained. “It creeped me out and I think my mind was just playing tricks on me.”

“Have you noticed anything else off? I mean, since that man followed you to the deli. I know you said when I asked you last time, that everything was fine but...” Cyrus’s grip on my head tightened. “I don’t like this fear rolling off of you.”

I swallowed hard. “I know. I don’t like it either. But no, nothing else has happened. Not since today or...” I glanced at the clock on the microwave, seeing that it was now into the morning. “Yesterday, I should say.”

Cyrus released me and began pacing. “I know you gave me a key to your place but if you need out of here, we can rent a hotel or go to the clubhouse. It’s safe there. Greyson is constantly updating the security. Did you want to go there?”

I thought a moment. “Are you really moving out of your apartment with your brother?”

Cyrus stopped pacing. “Yeah.”

“Where are you going to move to?” I asked softly.

He smirked. “Anywhere with you hopefully.”

My heart jumped. “Your brother is okay with this?”

“Sammy and I talked and then we went to The Ring, and he fought off some frustration.”

“But you didn’t?” I asked, noticing that he didn’t have any new bruises or cuts.

“Nope. I’m not frustrated anymore. Now that Sammy and I talked, and I have you, I’m good.” He came back toward me, pushing his way between my knees.

A sigh left me, that submissive part of me liking how he touched me and took care of me before I could even register that I needed it.

“Tell me what you want, pet. You want me to take you out of here, I will.” He kissed my cheek. “You want to stay, we can do that too. You want to travel the damn world, I’ll make it happen.”

A breathless laugh left me. “I think...” I looked up at him. How could I tell him that I wanted him to make love to me? To make both of us drown out the world and the noise in our heads and just be as one. “I want...”

“What, baby?” His mouth brushed along the shell of my ear. “Tell me.”

But I didn’t know how. I wasn’t overly vocal when it came to sex and what I liked and disliked. Instead of saying what I was thinking, I pushed Cyrus back and jumped off the counter. Grabbing his hand, I led him to my bedroom, hoping he would get the hint.

As soon as we stepped into the room, I pulled away from him, turned around, and lowered to my knees.

Cyrus closed the distance between us, cupping my face. “We don’t have to do any of that tonight.”

“I know,” I whispered. “I just need something to take me out of my head.” I placed my hands on my thighs, palms up.

His eyes followed the movement, his nostrils flaring and his eyes darkening.

“I want you to help me see that submission isn’t a bad thing. That if done right and with a person you trust and love, it can be beautiful.” I turned my head and kissed his palm. “You’ve been nothing but patient with me, but I know there’s a deeper, darker side of you that wants to come out and play. It wants to control me. It wants to bruise my knees and leave marks on my ass. I know because I can feel it. I can sense him, Cyrus. Let him out.”

A low growl left him. “I can’t.”

“You can and then I’ll pack a bag and we can leave. I just need this first. Please.” I licked my lips. “Sir.”

Cyrus