Page 38 of Bound By Her

“We will not tolerate the latter here, and therefore you will not remain in this house.”

She usually knew the outcome before starting, but now she wasn’t sure. Kaydon was Bryson’s Right Hand, so she understood his decision to stay. But what was Seth? Kaydon’s partner? A play thing?

Part of her hoped they would leave. She had allowed them time to heal. She would give them money and send them on their way. Less hassle, fewer complications. More time to focus on Bryson.

Seth stared at her. His boyish face was hard, and he gave nothing away.

She waited. They needed to make this decision on their own.

Seth stirred. His movement stiff, mechanical, but he stood.

“Undress.”

If they were going to stay, if they were even considering staying, they might as well understand what they were getting themselves into.

Again, Kaydon complied and Seth stalled. But Adria caught something. Her expert eyes zeroed in on a small pink coloring forming on the tips of Seth’s ears. Small as it was, it could have been easily missed or dismissed. But to Adria, this wasn’t something to be overlooked.

“Kaydon, go back to your room,” she commanded.

Already half undressed, Kaydon stopped, looking between her and Seth. He seemed torn.

“Are we back to the dead weight option?”

Adria watched as the muscles around Kaydon’s jaw flexed, and his body seemed to strain under the command, but he gathered his clothes and walked briskly to the exit. Adria caught little of his muttering, but did pick up the word,Bitch, in Romanian.

Her father insisted she learn all the family dialects. She resented it then, but now it was paying off.

After Adria reengaged the lock to Kaydon’s door, she circled to stand in front of the viper-eyed youngster. “You understand what I do here?”

He nodded.

If Eric’s research was correct, and Seth truly had a history of domestic violence, he was going to be a tough one to crack. In traditional BDSM relationships, trust was paramount, but that was something she could never hope to gain with these three. Instead, she was going to have to strive for coerced respect, if there was such a thing.

She adjusted her energy, shifting it like a current, filling the space with unshakable authority and confidence. Then she tried again.

“Tell me, in your own words, what it is I do.”

Seth’s nostrils flared and his entire body went still.

She didn’t push. She waited.

The energy was there—coiled, electric, waiting to snap. She just needed to see how he would respond to it.

“You train submissives,” he said, his voice measured, his gaze locked on the wall behind her.

The words landed like a stone in the space between them, freezing the air.

Adria could feel it—the simmering danger beneath his skin. His muscles flexed tight, his stillness a warning. Like a snake, poised, waiting to strike.

He was telling her to back off. Trying his absolute hardest to make her feel it.

She took a step.

“Close,” she murmured, her tone controlled, unwavering. “I train service submissives.”

Another step. Then another.

With each deliberate movement, she exuded dominance, let her presence expand to fill every inch of the room.

---