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"Why did you cry, baby?"

Just thinking back on all he’d said ain At his look of alarm, she realized she had teared up

"Oh, Jace," she whispered "You can’t i to change who you are, what makes you who you are, because you think it’s what I want And that you showed me the heart of you But you have to understand, I want you All of you I don’t want a watered-down version of Jace I want you Controlling, do, protective" She trailed off, her voice husky with emotion and clouded with tears "Do you understand?" she whispered

He crushed her to him, still firmly embedded in her body She could feel every heartbeat He treled in her hair Then he pulled away just enough to lean his forehead into hers, their azes hooded, connected

"Don’t knohat I’d do if I hadn’t found you," he said in a stark voice "Kills me to even think about it Don’t knohat I’d do without you That et it, Jace? Really get it? I want you I want your dominance I need it"

He stroked his hand down her hair, s

"You got me, baby All ofit All of "

"What?" she whispered

He kissed her first, a light s, warm and breathless When he pulled his head back, his eyes were alight with satisfaction and contentment

"Promise me that if it’s ever too much, if you’re ever overwhelmed, if I ever push too hard or too fast, that you’ll tell me You have to tellwas scaring you or, God, hurting you I never want to make you feel bad about e do"

She kissed hi in his arms This was real He was real She was shaken to her very core by thehere He wanted her Her

"I proainst his lips

Chapter twenty-three

Bethany waited, breathless with anticipation Nervousness Her stomach was full of butterflies Jace would be ho the office Nothing else No instructions Nothing about their plans for the evening And in light of their heart-to-heart discussion the night before, she had a very good idea of how she wanted to be waiting for hinal of her acceptance Her obedience Her willingness and desire to sube ahead in the kind of relationship they both wanted Not just what Jace wanted Itto suppress his oants and needs if she displayed any hesitation over the parameters of the relationship he’d outlined

Andto accept without reservations the things he asked of her Because he hadn’t deiven her an ultis but just as quickly let her know that if she wasn’t able or willing to commit to that lifestyle that he’d be the one to compro

Everything She would give hi She wanted to make him happy because it’s ouldand arranged it in a neat pile in one of the drawers he’d allocated for her use He’dfurniture for her that would be solely hers But for now, using his space was fine They still h s had crept into his apartment

She checked the ti up the elevator even now She quickened her pace to the living room and carefully knelt on the plush carpet in a position that afforded her a view of the elevator doors She’d see him as soon as he stepped out, buthe’d see when he entered the apart him what he most wanted fro slowness Quiet descended in the apart could be heard And then the sound of the elevator arriving Her pulse quickened as the doors slid open and she stared ahead, eager to see his face, his reaction when he saw her

He stepped inside, briefcase in hand He locked on to her i the floor with a soft thump

"Baby," he whispered

Just one word but it conveyed a wealth ofSurprise Joy Relief Warmth flooded his eyes and they immediately went dark with desire His entire face softened when before there’d been lines etched on his forehead and his jaw had been tense He’d seeh he’d had a hectic day at work

All of that melted away as he strode toward her, his focus solely on her, his gaze never once leaving her

He stopped just in front of her, his hand delving into her hair, stroking through the strands before cupping her cheek and caressing the line of her jaw