Page 95 of Crave Me

“I agreed to train you for one month.” And what a naive idiot I’d been. I should have known letting her go would be impossible. “Tonight, our month is up.”

“Yes, sir.” Her voice wobbled as she answered.

“I also agreed to help find you a Dom I trusted who could take over if it was something you agreed to.” I waved my hand toward Bennett. He hadn’t yet moved except to set down his own drink and sling both of his arms along the back of the couch. I rolled my eyes at his asinine stunt. He sat on my furniture looking like a king of a castle. Beneath his stern expression, amusement danced in his eyes.

“Hello, sub,” he said.

She dipped her chin. I understood. Bennett wasn’t only a Dom, he was the best man I’d ever met. He yielded his power like a second skin. I’d seen more than one sub physically affected by his mere presence.

“Sir.”

“How are you feeling, Chloe?” I asked, when her breath hitched and her hands curled into fists.

“Nervous, sir.” Her voice was a mere whisper, laced with pain and fear. She was more than nervous.

“Chloe.” I called her name softly, gently and waited until she lifted her head so I could see her eyes. “We’ve had a rough week, haven’t we?”

“You could say that, sir.”

“Tell me about Thanksgiving dinner.”

She startled for a moment before tilting her head. “Sir?”

“Thanksgiving dinner. Your father told me it was a shit storm. I want to hear what happened.”

“What? You...my dad?” Her adorable eyes widened until they reached the point of popping out of her head.

I’d tell her about meeting with her dad later. “Chloe, please, we can get to the rest later, but I’d like to know.”

“Um, well.” She glanced at Bennett before bringing her gaze back to mine. “Bad. Horrible, really.” She pushed back her sleeves and showed me fading bruises on her wrist. She still bore my marks from almost a week ago.

It shouldn’t have turned me on. My dick didn’t get the message and hardened and pressed against my zipper.

“Cassie saw these at dinner, but she said someone told her I went to your game Tuesday. The short version is that my relationship with her is most likely permanently ruined and my parents have never been more disappointed in me.”

The urge to hold her was overwhelming but I forced my ass to stay in my chair. “Is that why you look like you’re going to cry?”

“No, sir.”

Hope expanded in my chest like a bright shining light. “Tonight, Chloe, I’m giving you a choice.”

“What?”

“Tonight. You have a choice. Technically, our agreed upon time is up, our contract is up. You’ve become an incredible sub and I don’t believe for one moment I’ve done much for your training. You’re a natural, and from here on out, you should only blossom further in submission.” I let that settle over her, my praise washing over her like a warm cloth and relaxing her further. Her response was as visible as the blush on her cheeks.

“Thank you, sir.”

“My pleasure.” Always. Her pleasure would always be mine. I grinned as our eyes met.

She held my gaze. Tears still swam, but she blinked them black.

“So, tonight, I have two options for you. You can end our contract, and if you’re interested, Sir Bennett is willing to see if you two might be a good fit.”

She watched him.

He hadn’t moved from his perch on my couch and he didn’t take his eyes off her.

When she faced me again, I said, “Or you can choose me.”

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