Page 62 of Sunrise

Maybe he’s in a bad way and needs me to comfort him but is afraid to say so. I don’t think I have the mental bandwidth to help him tonight. I’m truly exhausted and everything feels wrong and upside down. For no good goddamn reason, tears prick my eyes, making them burn more.

“Yes.”

“I’m on my way.” He hangs up.

Oh my god, what am I doing? First, I bombard Knox at his club tonight, and nowthis? I better get my shit together. Vault coming to my house is a bad idea. I should call him back and say never mind.

But I don’t.

Just knowing he’s on his way calms my nervous system. Lying in bed, I listen and wait for him to show up. It takes precisely twenty-seven minutes. His bike hums down my street and purrs as he pulls into the driveway.

Blowing out a relieved breath, I unlock the front door and let him in before he knocks.

“Hey,” he says in the quietest voice ever.

“Hi.”

I shut the door and lock all three bolts again.

He looks around, and I don’t explain my three locks. Or the alarm system. Or why all my curtains are drawn and blinds are closed.

He doesn’t ask.

“Come on.” Vault grabs my hand. “Show me your room.”

I hope he doesn’t think we’re fucking. I’ll just lie there like a doll if we do, and he won’t want that. He doesn’t deal well with lifelessness and disengagement.

Leading the way, I take him upstairs.

“Get in bed,” he orders softly. He starts unbuckling his belt. When I don’t do as he commands, he raises a brow. “I’m not here to fuck you. I just can’t sleep with this thing on. Get in bed, Sophie.”

Not Mistress.Sophie.

Guilt gut punches me when he says my name, in my house, in my bedroom. Swallowing my secrets, I crawl under the covers and don’t face him. I’m scared he’ll see that something’s very wrong with me. He must have sensed it if he came here and there’s no way I’m willing to open up about it.

The mattress dips when he sits. I hear him take off his boots.

Sighing heavily, he lays in bed with me, over the covers.

My heart’s pounding.

At the club, I’m Mistress. You don’t step out of line or there are consequences. But in my house… I’m not a strong woman. I’m a hiding mouse.

God, I thought I was better than this. Iwasbetter than this. Why have I regressed?

A tear slips and I quickly dab it with the edge of my blanket.

“Do you want me to hold you?”

“Yes,” I whisper.

Vault spoons me and my body relaxes once it’s caged by him. My ears ring from the silence screaming between us.

“Sleep, baby.” He kisses my temple and holds me tighter. “I got you.”

Exhaling, I shut my eyes and finally drift off.

When I wake up, he’s making subtle noises in my kitchen.

---