Page 83 of Stand Your Ground

She swallowed, her voice quiet when she tried to lie again. “Nothing.”

I flattened my lips, and that earned me a frustrated sigh.

“I’m fine,” she reiterated with a huff. “Really. Just… some stupid family shit I’d rather not talk about.”

“Your sister’s wedding?”

She nodded, her lips tight.

The ache that hit me was sharp and immediate, like her admission had stepped on an already cracked rib. I wanted to close the distance, to take whatever was twisting her up and carry it myself.

But I knew even before I tried that she wouldn’t let me.

“It’s not a big deal,” she tried, but the lie was thinly veiled. “And if you really want to do something for me… I need a distraction tonight.” She pinned me with her gaze. “I need control.”

The word sparked against my nerves, lighting me up like I hadn’t just played three grueling periods.

“Can you give that to me?”

Her voice was just a whisper now, and the way she was staring up at me through her lashes, the way she was fidgeting, her fingers wrapping around each other… it was the most vulnerable I’d ever seen her.

“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” I leaned in, my voice low and steady. “I’ll give you anything you ask for.”

Her brows inched together, nostrils flaring a bit before she attempted a smile. “Meet me at mine in thirty.”

And then she was walking away, heels clicking back toward Maven and Chloe, leaving me in the middle of the room with the weight of her request lodged deep in my chest.

If this was all I could give her, I’d give it willingly.

If this was all she’d let me have, I’d take it like a greedy thief.

Whatever lesson she wanted to teach me, I was ready to learn.

And if all she needed was to use me tonight, I’d crawl to her, heart bound, begging for the privilege.

Drop the Armor

Livia

All was right in the world again when Carter was in my condo, naked and on his knees.

Power coursed through me as I circled him, wearing my favorite emerald green garter set, the decadent lace of the bodice combining with the high arch of my heels to make me feel invincible.

Some people needed to talk when they were feeling rundown by life. Some people needed to go for a run or take a long hot bath.

Thiswas what I needed.

Control. Certainty. Release.

“Have you been using the plugs I gave you when you’ve played with yourself this week?” I asked, dragging one fingertip down the slope of his shoulder before continuing my slow orbit around him.

His eyes flicked up, a faint flush climbing his neck as he hit me with a smirk. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.” My heels clicked softly on the hardwood when I stopped in front of him. “Because tonight, I’m going to take you somewhere you can’t get on your own.”

His breath hitched, but he held my gaze. Brave boy.

“You’ve spent our lessons so far learning how to take control,” I said, tracing his jaw with my knuckles. “How to reada woman’s body. How to make her feel safe enough to relax and give herself over to you.” My nails grazed lightly along his skin. “But there’s another side to that coin. If you want to guide someone that way, you have to know what it feels like to be guided yourself.”