Page 17 of A Dove To Break (The Dove Institute Collection #1)

Alania

Yesterday, I spent the day in the room watching movies. It was honestly refreshing to be able to just relax and reset. When Adrian got there, he had me get dressed before taking me out and putting me in his car. I was on cloud nine for the entire drive to his house.

Adrian lives outside the city in a three-story house.

It is surrounded by hundreds of acres of dense forest, but has a decent-sized front and back yard.

The back has a large patio, outdoor kitchen, and a moderately sized swimming pool.

The front is a large plot of grass with neatly trimmed hedges and bushes lining the front.

Beautiful flowers were blooming on the bushes, so when you're sitting on the front porch swing, it smells heavenly. The entire house has a cozy feel to it that I’ve never experienced before.

The first level is the foyer, living room, kitchen, dining room, and Adrian’s home office.

The second level has guest rooms, and the third is the master suite with a balcony overlooking the backyard.

In it is a hot tub as well. There is a large bay window on either side of the door leading to the balcony to bring in an immense amount of natural sunlight.

In the basement is a fully functional BDSM dungeon, furnished with every piece of furniture, toy, and tool you can think of, but there is a separate room down there that acts as a home gym.

When we got there, I expected him to fuck me.

That is what our relationship is based on, right?

Wrong. He took me up to the master bedroom and already had his housekeeper, Marisol, draw a bath.

He washed my body without even hinting at anything sexual.

He just took care of me and we talked. After, he dried me off and put me in his shirt so he could take me down to the kitchen.

I sat at the island and watched as he cooked us an amazing dinner.

I learned that he listens and absorbs everything I say, so he knew exactly how I wanted my steak cooked.

We ate, talked, laughed, and bonded. We eventually moved to the living room where we curled up and watched a movie together.

Eventually, we had to go back. It was nearly two in the morning before we were crawling into bed back at the school. He held me while I cried because I wanted to be anywhere but in this goddamn school.

When I woke up this morning, I was sad, but only for a second. Today is visiting day, and Brent is coming to see me! Adrian told me he saw him on the list, so I’ve been excited, waiting for him to show up.

“Alania,” the headmaster grunts as he walks into the common area. I jump up, and when I turn, I see Brent standing with the headmaster.

I expected myself to squeal and run to him, but no.

That’s not what I do. I burst into tears and suddenly feel like a little girl again.

He is the only one who ever showed me compassion.

I told myself for years that I didn’t care about him, because what if he betrayed me?

What if secretly he was as bad as Dad? What if…

I lost him? Not caring means I can’t get hurt.

Right?

Then why the fuck does this hurt to see him smile at me? Why does it feel like the rug has been ripped out from under me? Brent hugs me so tightly that I can hardly breathe.

“Shhh, Nia. I’ve got you,” Brent says softly, rubbing my back. “Come sit with me.”

“I’m sorry,” I sniffle.

“Don’t apologize, Alania,” Brent tells me. “How are you?”

“Uhm. Okay,” I say as Adrian sits next to me. I lean into him, and he wraps his arm around my waist to settle his hand on my thigh as I relax back against him. Brent smiles at this, and that is the best feeling ever, for him to accept us.

“I heard someone hurt you?”

“Oh. Yeah. Phillip,” I say. “I hurt his pride, so he butt fucked me.”

“Jesus, Nia,” Brent laughs. “Are you okay now?”

“I’m healed. I bled… a lot. I had some tearing, apparently, but I feel like it never happened,” I say.

“Well, still be careful,” he says. “So, Charles let me know that the graduation was moved up…”

“What?” I ask, sitting up to look at Adrian.

“I convinced Charles to speed things up. You will have a test every Friday, and end in six weeks with the Hunt. Graduation will be the next morning… and then you get to come home.”

“Oh my God!” I say happily, throwing my arms around his neck. He chuckles and kisses my head before hugging me.

“Not too much longer, Little Dove, and you will be free,” he whispers to me.

“I love you,” I pull back and say. “I said I didn’t know before. I do now. I do love you. I can’t wait to go home.”