Page 98 of Burden of Proof

“He wouldn’t leave me alone for months. I finally gave in and went out with him. Mostly to put him out of his misery.”

“I’m sure that was it,” Keith drawled, swirling ice around his cup and rolling his eyes. He obviously more than knew Verity and Aaron’s history. I imagined he’d been there for it.

“I was very certain when I met Aaron that I was a switch. He was not, and I truly didn’t see how we could be compatible there…all things considered.”

If my ears perked up, I hoped neither of them noticed, but I imagined they both did.

“When all ended up said and done between us, I think I still am. At least in the heart of me, but I also think it feels very good to submit whenever it suits me…which is more often than not.”

I licked my lips, pretending I didn’t see them staring at me.

“I get that,” Keith said, going on like I wasn’t there. “When Justin and Micah brought me into their relationship, I wasn’t sure how it was going to work. They were already very established in their roles, and Justin is…he’s an amazing Dom.”

“He is,” Verity agreed. “Comes by it very naturally.”

I thought about Hunter, and how easy it was for him to command me, even from his knees. And then I thought about myself and how it was so often a struggle to maintain my own handle on that control.

“I thought I was submissive, and I am, but it made sense for me to switch between the two of them,” Keith said, even though I had the suspicion Verity was intimately aware of how things were between Keith, Justin, and Micah. “I’m dominant to Micah because that’s what he needs. It’s what he brings out in me. And I’m submissive to Justin because that part of me is safe to breathe when he’s around.”

Verity hummed their approval.

“Justin gives me a safe space to be both at the same time,” he said, and I scratched absently at the back of my neck. “It’s a real special bond.”

After that, neither of them said anything, but both of them watched me quietly, waiting.

“I, uhm…” Fuck, this was difficult. “I’m a Dom.”

Neither of them laughed, and I didn’t realize how much I needed that recognition.

“Or I thought I was. I…recently, maybe. I’ve been…things with my boyfriend…”

Verity took pity on me, reaching across the table and patting my forearm until I looked at them. Their expression was soft and earnest, finely arched brows raised over the kindest eyes.

“Aaron brings out parts of me I didn’t know before I met him,” they explained. “Is that what it’s like for you?”

“Yes, no. Kind of. I suspected before Hunter that I might enjoy it.”

Verity nodded, giving my arm a squeeze before settling back into their seat. They wore a silk shirt with cranes on it, the flowing fabric never looking still, even when they were. It was…hard to look at them being so stoic when my brain felt like it was actively trying to claw itself out of my skull.

“It doesn’t need to be a serious thing,” Keith said, and we both looked at him next. “I mean, it’s obviouslyserious, but it’s supposed to also be fun. You’re supposed to enjoy it, right? It’s meant to be a benefit not a burden.”

“If it was a burden to serve Aaron, I would never.” Verity laughed and chased the sound down with some of their coffee. “And he’d be happy with that, I think.”

“Things with Justin and Micah would be different if I wasn’t a switch,” Keith agreed. “But I’m certain we’d still love each other. And things between us have changed so much since we first got together.”

“Five years now?” Verity asked.

“Six, I think.” Keith shrugged and smiled. “I’m honestly very bad at keeping track, but Micah could probably tell you down to the hour.”

“He’s a bleeding heart.”

“Hopeless romantic,” Keith agreed, nodding. “The moral of the story is, there’s always room for growth and understanding in these kinds of relationships. Maybe more than in relationships that don’t play with power exchange. It’s…it’s meant to be fluid and evolving.”

“Like you wouldn’t have the same limits your whole life, would you?” Verity asked, tapping my arm with one of their slender and manicured fingers. “Even as a dominant?”

“No,” I rasped. “They’d change.”

“So why is it okay for your limits to change, but not your likes?” They chuckled. “And isn’t that kind of the same thing.”