Page 129 of Sunrise

Sophie won’t stay. She needs this place, and her position here. It’s part of who she is. And if she goes… I’ll eventually lose Alex too. She’s the link that ties us. She’s the missing piece to our very jagged love. The heart that keeps us alive.

“It’s okay,” she says quietly.

“No, it’s not. I have no right to—”

“Knox, you have every right to voice your feelings and desires.”

Just as she has every right to deny them. “I know you need this place, Soph.”

Her cheeks pale. She doesn’t argue because I’m fucking right.

“The thought of someone else having you, tasting you, pleasuring you… makes me want to burn the entire club to the goddamn ground.”

Vault hasn’t moved an inch. I’m not sure he’s even blinked. I feel his stare on me like laser beams, but I’m not looking at him yet. Once I do, it’s over.

“I can’t give up this lifestyle,” she says carefully.

My legs turn to rubber.

“But I can’t give you up either.” Sophie approaches slowly, like I might bite her. “Can we come to a compromise?”

My initial reaction is to say no. Good thing I’m so fucking terrified, I can’t speak for a solid ten seconds. “What kind of compromise?”

She looks over at Vault. “It’s something I wanted to discuss with both of you.”

Great. I can’t even begin to imagine what shehas in mind. All I know is, I’m desperate enough to agree to it without even hearing what it is if it means I get to keep them both. And I can’t be like that anymore.

“Last night...” She clasps her hands. “I was able to work the club as a Domme without working the bodies.”

I don’t have the mental capacity to understand what she means. “Explain.”

“I was able to encourage, indulge, and uplift our members without touching any of them.” She tips her head to Vault. “I had Alex in a collar and leash the whole night, keeping him tight at my side until closing time.”

The image is a pretty one, I’ll give her that.

“I need the Monarch. And I need the two of you.”

“Same,” Vault says, crushing my heart.

I’m not part of the club. I’m an outsider here. And I don’t think I can switch over. It’s not feasible. I have Midnight Run now.

“Then how do we get our cake and eat it too?” Because I can’t see a way for that to work. Someone has to give up something, and none of us are going to do it.

“Are you open to considering exhibitionism in the club, Knox?”

I stare at Sophie. “Exhibitionism? Like how much?”

“What would you be willing to do?” She steps closer to me. “It doesn’t have to be a large audience. I could use room twelve.”

That’s her favorite room, and it’s not very big.

“And what happens in there with us?”

“The door stays open.” She gets even closer. “And we play together.”

“No one else joins us in the scene,” Vault adds. “They can watch from a respectable distance.”

The idea makes my dick hard.

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