Page 49 of A Gold Medal in Love

The raw emotion wraps around me. I simply can’t handle this. What’s their move here? To tell me they love me to manipulate me into treatment? No. I won’t go along with that. I won’t throw my career away just because a lover got in too deep with me. That’s not my fucking fault.

“I never asked for that,” I bite out, taking out my anger on them.

Blake chuckles and kisses my cheek again, lingering for a beat. “No, you didn’t. But we’re both the kind of people that do what we want, aren’t we?” Their lips brush against my skin as they speak, making the words more intimate.

“I never asked to be seen,” I try to utter harshly, but my words come out broken. I can’t handle this.

“You know, I clock what you’re doing. It’s cute that you’re trying to be as mean to me as possible, just to avoid being vulnerable. But, Cupcake, I’m an experienced brat tamer. I see through the cheap veneer for what it really is. I’m going to meet every harsh word with laughter and smiles until you’re worn the fuck down. And then we’re going to have this goddamn conversation.”

I have severely fucked up. I thought I was getting into something sexy by becoming Blake’s submissive. But Imisunderstood what this was, even though they tried to warn me. The truth is, Ididask to be seen; I get that now.

“Please let me go,” I whisper, tears beginning to slip down my cheeks.

“Only if you agree not to run,” Blake gently warns, loosening their tight hold on me. “Iwillfucking come after you. There is nowhere you can go that I will not follow. You will be safe, healthy, and loved if I have anything to do with it.”

“I promise, Sir. Please,” I beg, fully crying now, my defenses so weak and fragile.

Blake turns me around and looks directly at me, searching my soul with those beautiful light blue eyes. I must look pathetic, because they immediately take hold of me again. This time, their arms are gentle as they pull me into a swaddling hug.

I whimper loudly as I soak their dress shirt in tears and mascara. “I don’t—I can’t?—”

“Shh, Cupcake. Just take a second. I’m staying right here,” Blake soothes, running their hands over my body in soft patterns that calm my nerves.

I don’t know how much time passes as I cry, but Blake holds me throughout it, humming a song and running those big hands over my body. Finally, I push them away by their shoulders, and look up at them, sure I’m a certified mess.

Blake brings their hands up to my cheeks and cups them as their thumbs rub the disastrous black streaks off my face. “You know, this is not the way I like to see you cry.”

“What? You’re not going to lick the tears off my face this time?” I tease back, finding some strength in this interplay.

Blake’s lips jerk into an amused smile before they straighten it out. “Not this time, no. Happy tears only. I’m not a douchebag.” I begin to smile before they continue. “But you’ll probably think I’m one by the time we finish the talk we need to have.”

The anger swiftly rears up in me, but I resist the urge to smack their hands off my face, instead allowing us both to bask in the comfort. “I have a request.”

Blake stares a hole in me. “That depends,” they say sternly.

“Can we have the conversation at the end of the week?” I ask, putting so much hope in the words, some fall off the sentence and onto the cobblestones we’re standing on.

Blake drops their hands from my face and stuffs them in their pants pockets. “I don’t know if I can do that, Imani. I think you need to hear the things I have to say right now.”

“Please, Sir,” I beg, making my eyes wide and open, letting them see all the baggage I’m carrying. I’m scared, but at the nucleus of all my cells, I know I can trust them with everything.

“I don’t know if that’s the responsible thing to do. As your Dominant, as your lover, fuck, as your friend,” Blake hedges.

“I need to win, and then we can… talk,” I negotiate, slipping my hands into their pockets to intertwine our fingers.

“I heard you in the bathroom,” Blake begins.

I remove my hands. “Stop,” I say severely.

“You can’t keep punishing yourself,” Blake continues anyway, with more heat.

I step away. “Stop,” I say more harshly.

“You have to eat in order to win the fucking gold!” Blake rushes out.

I screw up my face. “R–”

“If you safe out right now, that’s it. We’re going back to the room, I’m giving you a kiss, and I’m tucking you into bed. Your safeword is not to be used to get what you want, Imani,” Blake threatens darkly.