Page 3 of Need

“Also, I was curious as to which name you prefer?”

“You know my name,” I whispered.

He nodded. “This is true.” He paused as if thinking through something. Then, seeming to finish his thought, he began talking again as if he hadn’t stopped. “When I purchased you from Ian, he told me your name was Brianna Reeves. He called you Brianna, and you’ve never said any different or given me any reason to think you preferred to be addressed in any other way.”

Now I was more confused. If he knew my name was Brianna, what was he getting at?

I didn’t have to wait long. “I had a meeting with Brad this past week to see how things were going with your workout routine. He called you Anna,” he said, searching my face for a reaction. He got one. I sucked in a breath at hearing the name my family and friends had called me before this nightmare began.

Brad did call me that, but for some reason it was different. Hearing him... Stephan... say my name again brought back the memory of the phone call with my father that Saturday afternoon when he told me that a car would be picking me up. I felt my heart rate pick up along with my breathing, but I was okay. I was okay.

“I was called Anna. Before,” I whispered, knowing he’d hear me.

He waited until I looked at him again before asking in that calming voice of his, “Do you wish to be called Anna?”

I didn’t know how to answer him because I truly didn’t know. I wasn’t sure I was that girl anymore, or if I ever could be again. “I don’t... know?” Again, it came out sounding like a question.

He nodded again. “All right. We’ll stick to Brianna for now.”

Without another word, he slid from his seat and went to the sink with his plate. After rinsing it off and putting it in the dishwasher, he turned back to me. “You should finish your breakfast. I need to get some work done, but I’d like to talk again in a few hours.”

“Okay,” I answered without emotion.

His face dropped a little, but he quickly recovered. “I’m going to get my laptop from your room, and then I’ll be upstairs in the library if you need me.”

He paused to watch me for a minute and then walked out of the room, leaving me to finish my omelet.

Stephan

At least she was still talking. That was good.

After her restless night, I’d been concerned that she’d completely retreat into her shell. Although she hadn’t woken up screaming as she had those first few nights, she’d rarely stopped moving. Her arms, legs, and head had thrashed about causing the sheets and blankets to bunch and tangle in her limbs. Moans, both loud and soft, were constant visitors until the sun had started to rise in the sky.

I retrieved my laptop from the chair in her room and headed upstairs. She was still in the kitchen when I passed by, eating—or rather picking at—what was left of her food. The urge to go to her was strong, but I knew that I couldn’t. I wanted her to have time to gather her thoughts before we talked later, and that was something she needed to do without me hovering.

It was hard to concentrate on work, but somehow, I managed to get through the e-mails that needed my attention. The clock read three thirty by the time I was finished, and Brianna had yet to come upstairs. I’d heard her moving around downstairs, but not enough for me to decipher what she could be doing.

Figuring I needed a little moral support, I called Logan’s number. Thankfully, he picked up on the third ring. After the pleasantries were out of the way, he got down to business and asked me how the talk with Brianna went.

“She’s got more strength than she gives herself credit for,” he said once I’d brought him up to date on both our conversations last night and the one this morning.

“Yes, she does. I wish she would trust me more. There are still so many things that she keeps to herself.”

“Have you told her that?”

“What? Well, of course...” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that although I had told Brianna she could talk to me, told her that she could trust me, I had always tried to keep my feelings and wants under control. Maybe Logan was right and I needed to tell her specifically what I wanted from her. She hadn’t reacted badly when I’d told her I wanted her to stay last night. It might not be so bad.

“Thank you, Logan.”

“What are friends for?” he said, and I could hear his amusement through the phone.

“There is one more thing. If Brianna decides to consider becoming my submissive—”

“She should talk to Lily,” he said, before I could finish my sentence.

“Yes. I can answer her questions, but I think it would help having another submissive to talk with.” I paused, and then added, “I don’t know if I could handle it if she agreed, and then rejected me.”

“You need to be prepared, Stephan. She may not want what you want, or like what you do.”

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