Page 53 of The Stallion
That was until I felt a light, calming breeze rush past me from behind.
And I knew—just from that feeling alone—that Dallas was standing only a few short feet away, a magnet pulling me toward him—undeniable, and agonizing as fuck to resist.
“What happens if I say no? If I refuse to take this test? What—What happens when I fail?…”
Did I really want the answers to those questions? Could I even handle them at this point…
“You won’t…”
I slowly turned to face him, my breathing and heartbeat returning to a normal rate as his soft eyes connected with mine, and I felt as if a weighted blanket had been draped around my body, grounding me in its gentle embrace.
“You’re so confident in yourself,” I uttered without thinking, my words having a mind of their own as I continued struggling to process everything that had been laid out before me.
“Inyou, sweet girl. I wouldn’t have chosen you if I didn’t believe that you could handle this—handle everything the MUR entailed.” Dallas took a step toward me, and I don’t know why, but I let him. I allowed him to move close enough that he could pull me in, wrapping his strong arms around my shoulders and waist—as he always did. “As I said last night, I feel the pull—the unmistakable bond building between us—and I refuse to let it go.”
With my cheek now pressed up against his firm chest, his soothing scent enveloping me, I could hear his heart beating rapidly—feeling his terror from the outside.
A brief moment of silence fell between us as Dallas held me tightly, and I curled my hand around the last string of sanity I felt I had left, begging for it not to snap entirely.
“I have to practice with my team in Phoenix… They need me for Regionals, and I need time to think—away from you.” I felt numb, or was I just confused?—fuck, I didn’t even know what kind of emotional pit I had fallen into all over again.
Space was all I could think about—time to process what had been said and what was now expected of me before I could come to any conclusion or final decision.
Because while I didn’t love Dallas, at least not yet, there was undoubtedly a connection, and I couldn’t ignore it—no matter how hard I tried. Not when it was something that I had never even had the chance to feel with Connor, not even once, and I wanted it more than anything.
Dallas was a high, unlike any other—the rush was even more intense than the hardest of cheer stunts. I didn’t want to give up this second chance—not unless I had absolutely no other choice but to.
“Okay… take all the time you need…” Dallas sighed, his lips pressing firmly into my scalp.
I could hear the reluctance in his tone—feel his refusal to let me go as his arms flexed and muscles tensed aroundmy body.
I wasn’t saying no, but I also wasn’t in a rational state of mind to say yes—to agree to everything he was offering me.
A secret society—the Men Under Revue.
It explained a lot—the house, his car, the apparent fact that there was no fucking way a male revue dancer could earn enough to sustain everything he currently had.
Was this what I wanted for my life?
Could I grow to accept this new lifestyle?
Dallasleftmealonewhile I packed my suitcase for the weekend and left.
He didn’t try to stop me, but I could feel his overly attentive eyes as he watched me from the far side of the kitchen—keeping his distance, and his word, that I could come and go as I pleased.
That I wasn’t his prisoner.
I was his wife.
As I started my Jeep and backed out of the driveway—the start of my long drive back to Phoenix—a tiny shred of my heart was sad to leave.
I felt as if I was already leaving a piece of myself behind—with him.
The quiet drive was spent mulling over all the information Dallas had shared with me that morning. Everything from who he was and what he did to the MUR and what was required of me now that I was legally his wife.
Three weeks… less than that now, I suppose…
What have I gotten myself into? And why, deep down, was I so willing to accept it?
