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I bite my lip because I don’t want to cry out I don’t knohy he needs this, but I know that he does

Before he was gentle Even his spanks were inflicted only for the purpose of pleasingDaive ives ible to hold on to And I can take Da

I think I understand what Damien needs Not the pain, but the control He needs to claihosts froht now, I am his to touch and possess His to claim and use

His Simply Damien’s

His release coht around his neck until the last shudder rips through him He softens and slips out of er I ease off hie of the pool and breathing hard

After a moment, he opens his eyes and looks at me One moment passes, then another And then I see the stor "Goddammit," he says "Nikki I--"

"No" I stroke his cheek "No," I repeat "Don’t you get it? I want to be there for you All of you Whatever you need"

For a moment, he is silent "Did I hurt you?" he finally asks, his voice flat

"No" It’s only a little lie Already the sharp pain has passed I’ A reminder of Damien "No," I repeat "You felt wonderful"

I don’t think he believes me, but he leads me to the steps and out of the pool We towel off in silence When I’ and carries ently onto our bed on the third floor then gets in beside me

He doesn’t speak, and neither do I Instead, I ainst him I know that he is still disturbed, as much because he thinks he hurt me as because he lost control I, however, feel the opposite He’s lost control with ht h deeply Sore, yes, but sweetly content

I’ asleep when his soft words wash over o to the dedication"

"Oh," I say It’s all that I can h I am fully awake now, and I rise up onto my elbow to face him

"I won’t be there Richter was a balls-out bastard, and I won’t support the decision to honor hio"

"I’lad you have the balls to stand up to your father I don’t think I could ignore an edict froer than you think"

I don’t answer Instead, I search his face "And the tennis center thing is all that’s been bugging you? Truly?"

"Yes," he says