Page 88 of Bound By Her

But things were far from fine.

CHAPTER 22

NORTH CAROLINA

Adria sat at the head of the table, watching.

Bryson had taken the far end.

Alone.

Just like her.

Kaydon sat a few chairs down, with Seth across from him. The two of them, at least, still had each other.

Adria tapped a single nail against the wood, drawing their attention.

“New rule,” she announced. “Everyone sits on my side of the table.”

She had never needed a rule like this before. Normally, her submissives wanted to sit close to her. Mealtime had always been something to enjoy.

Now, it was thick with tension.

And it wasn’t hard to pinpoint where that tension was coming from.

It didn’t hurt her feelings. Unlike Bryson, she had no illusions about what this was.

But time was ticking.

And she needed to step up her game.

Seth moved first, sliding into the chair to her right.Kaydon followed, graceful as ever, taking the seat next to him.

Bryson hesitated.

Then, with visible reluctance, Bryson moved to her side of the table—sitting so close to the edge that he nearly spilled onto the forbidden side.

Seth and Kaydon exchanged a knowing glance.

Bryson, meanwhile, kept his gaze fixed anywhere but on them.

Adria turned her focus to Kaydon.

“How was working with Eric today?” she asked, deliberately ignoring Bryson.

A grin broke across Kaydon’s face, and it made something in her chest ache.

Kaydon didn’t know that working with Eric was part of phase three.

He was just eager to learn.

Normally, she would have relished that. Would have been excited to see a submissive thriving.

But this wasn’t about training.

This was about eroding their bond.

Piece by piece.

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