Page 11 of His Dark Cravings

It's like I'm holding my breath.

Lunch is a sandwich at my desk, the usual leftovers from last night’s charity event. I scroll through emails, but my mind drifts. Nothing has been asked of me, not since I was asked to move in. I've just been left on my own, except for dinners together with Xavier, Winter, Lila, and Sable. But that will change.

What will tonight bring? Xavier said something about a session after dinner, his tone smooth but with an undercurrent I can't ignore.

What the heck is a session?

Evening eventually falls, and I'm back at Xavier's. Dinner is formal, with Winter, Sable, Lila, and Xavier around the polished table. Conversation is polite but strained.

"Looks like the new girl is already the favorite," Sable mutters, her tone sharp with bitterness. She spears a piece of asparagus, shoving it into her mouth with an exaggerated slowness that makes me uneasy.

Winter's head snaps toward her, cold eyes narrowing like a blade. "Say it again," she warns, her voice low and hard. The room tightens, the weight of unspoken tension pressing down on us.

Sable just grins, her lips twisting in a way that's more challenge than smile. "Oh, calm down. Just pointing out the obvious." She glances at me, her eyes sharp. "New faces always get treated like glass."

Xavier doesn't react, or maybe he's choosing not to. He continues eating, his eyes fixed on something across the table. I, however, feel every word hit me like a slap, my cheeks heating up.

I sit there, my hands clutched tightly in my lap, trying to make sense of Sable's words. Why would she say that? From what I've seen, I'm just another face in this house. No special treatment here. I glance at Lila, expecting some reaction, but she just smirks, her green eyes glinting with amusement. Winter, though, is another story. Her ice-blue gaze could freeze blood, and Sable’s comment has clearly lit a fire under her. But Xavier remains calm, almost detached, as if none of this really matters to him.

My mind races, trying to recall if there’s been something, anything, that could make Sable believe I’m getting special treatment. The way Xavier looks at me sometimes? Or maybe it's just the way he's been... observant. But I've been so careful, so compliant.

I risk a quick glance at Xavier, but his expression gives nothing away. Lila catches my eye, her smirk widening, and I look away, my heart pounding. Why is Sable lashing out like this? Is it jealousy, or is there something more? And why does Lila seem to enjoy it so much? I try to focus on my plate, pushing the food around with my fork, but my appetite is gone. The room feels like it's filling with more accusations to be raised against me.

Eventually, plates are cleared, and Xavier pushes his chair back, standing.

"Everly, we'll start your training tonight. The dungeon, 9 p.m."

I nod, trying not to show the tremble in my hands. The others exchange glances, but no one speaks. Sable rolls her eyes, too quick for Xavier to catch. I feel a flush rise to my cheeks, but I duck my head down.

I don't know what the other girls do after dinner, but I head straight to my room and watch the clock tick. My anxiety won't allow me to do anything else but agonize about what "submission" really looks like.

Eight. Nine.

I pass the time like a cornered animal. Then, when it's time, I take a deep breath and head down the hall from my room to the dungeon. When I get there, it's dimly lit, shadows pooling on the walls. Xavier is waiting in the center of the room. As soon as I settle before him, clasping my hands nervously in front of me, he starts to speak.

"First rule," he says. "You'll address me as 'Sir' at all times when we're in this room. Is that clear?"

I nod, his gaze steady on me. My mouth feels dry, but I manage a whispered, "Yes, Sir."

"Second." His word breaks through the noise in my head. "Your safe words are 'red' and 'yellow.' 'Red' means stop immediately. 'Yellow' means we need to pause and check in. Understand?"

I nod again, swallowing hard. The words sound foreign in my mind, like they belong to someone else. But I repeat them, memorizing, trying to grasp the weight of what they mean. What would we need to check in for?

"Third." He gestures to a rack of tools on the wall, leather and metal gleaming faintly in the lit room. "You'll maintain the position I set until instructed otherwise. No movement, no speaking unless spoken to."

My eyes widen as I take in the devices, the weird whip things hanging neatly. I feel a surge of panic but push it down, trying to stay present. I ask myself why is this happening now, why ever, but silence is safer. Xavier expects obedience, and questioning is a luxury I can’t afford.

"Fourth," he continues, stepping closer, his presence overwhelming in the confined space. "Respect is paramount. Disrespect will be met with consequences. Do I make myself clear?"

I nod as his eyes search for any sign of hesitation. My thoughts are a storm—unclear and chaotic. I know I agreed to do this to save Talon, but the reality is harsher than I envisioned.

"Fifth rule." Xavier's voice cuts through my daydreaming. "You'll trust me to take care of you. I will set boundaries for your pleasure and pain." He pauses, studying me closely. "Do you trust me, Everly?"

I force a nod, the lie burning through me. Of course I don't trust him to take care of me. A lump forms in my throat as his words sink in. I'm walking a tight line, where trust and fear intertwine. The room seems to close in around me, the shadows pressing tighter. Xavier’s eyes hold mine, searching for any flicker of doubt, but I’ve locked it down, hidden behind a mask of compliance.

But somehow, I know he doesn't believe me.

I want to ask about the tools, what they mean, the safe words, the positions. Every rule offers questions but no answers. I keep my head down, silence the only sanctuary. Submission is the price, the cost I’m paying for my brother’s salvation.

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