Page 2 of Wrangled

I arched my eyebrows. “Which one? I do have a few.”

Another swallow. “Your number one rule.”

Oh God.

Every sub who I’d ever played with, or signed a contract with, was told the same thing.This is just BDSM and sex. We play. We have fun. And if it gets to be more than that…

Apparently, it was more than that, and I hadn’t seen it coming. Tyler was a level-headed, no-nonsense kinda kid.

Not level-headed enough, it seemed. I knew what he was telling me, I just didn’t want to believe it.

“I can’t give you what you’re looking for,” I told him in a low voice. “I don’tdolove. I’m not built for it.”

His beseeching gaze made my heart ache. “Haven’t you ever lovedanyone?”

“Nope.”

“Then how do you know you’re not built for it? How can you know unless you take a step out of your comfort zone and let yourself feel—”

“I’m not gonna do that. And do you want to know why? Because you wouldn’t want me to.”

“Can’t you let me be the judge of—”

“Tyler.” He froze, and I squeezed his shoulder once more. “I wouldn’t be good for you.” I lifted his chin with my fingers and stared into glistening blue eyes.

That hurt more than I’d anticipated, and I forced myself to not let his tears get to me.

“Tyler, you’re better off without me. If you’re looking for love, look elsewhere.”

“But Sir…” God, the pain in his eyes. “I… I love you,” he croaked.

“No, you don’t,” I said in a firm voice. “You have this romantic idea of falling in love with your Dom. And don’t deny it. I see the shit you read. All those BDSM romances? I don’tdoromance, all right? You knew that coming in. But hey, if that’s what you’re looking for, maybe one day it could happen.” I looked him in the eye. “But not with me.”

He said nothing for a minute, and then he stood. “Then I guess we’re done.” He sighed. “It was good while it lasted.”

It had been better than that. He’d been so responsive, so willing to push his boundaries.

“Have there been others before me?”

I frowned. “Other subs?”

He wiped his eyes. “You know what I’m asking.”

“Why do you think I have that rule?” Been there, done that, broken a few hearts…

“I see. Then I guess I’ll take my stuff and go.” It sounded as if the words strangled him.

I gestured to the cabinet I’d allocated him. “It’s all in there.” I waited as he opened it and removed his toys, his ball gag, the leather cuffs I’d given him when we first began doing scenes together…

So many memories. Good memories.

Except there was now a sour taste in my mouth.

He shoved them into the backpack he’d brought, then straightened. “Will I… Will I see you at the club?”

“I think that’s likely, don’t you?” I softened my voice. “I hope this isn’t going to be awkward, okay? I’d really like an amicable split.”

Hell,Ihadn’t done anything wrong, had I?Hewas the one who’d brought us to an abrupt, unsatisfying end.

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