Page 28 of Need

“Let... let... I couldn’t...”

At that moment, my legs decided to work. I threw the covers from my body and ran for the door.

I only made it as far as the living room before his arms came around my waist, halting my progress. What had been a surge of energy only a moment ago died in my limbs, and the tears once again began to flow as I went limp.

Stephan bent down, scooping me up into his arms. He carried me over to the couch but kept me on his lap, all the while, whispering calming words in my ear.

Eventually, the tears ebbed and I stiffened. “Please,” I begged.

He rubbed the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs and held them there. He looked into my eyes with so much emotion that I could not doubt his next words. “Brianna, I’ve told you repeatedly that I will not hurt you. I would never do anything to you that you told me you were not okay with. You were in a situation where things were done to you against your will, without you having a say one way or the other. That would not happen with us.

Communication is so important. I need to know what you feel, how you feel, and why. You will have fears,” he said. “Especially given your past. But we can work through them.” He brushed my hair back behind my ear and stopped talking as he let everything sink in.

I wanted to believe him. Oh, how I wanted to believe him. The tears returned.

“Shh,” he whispered as he kissed the tears away this time. “Shh, love. I need you to trust me. Trust me enough to know that I will respect your limits.” He pulled back enough to look into my eyes. “I told you I would push you, and I will. But, Brianna, I never want you to fear me or what I do to you.”

I could tell he meant what he said, but I still felt afraid. “I don’t... want to be afraid.”

He smiled. “You have a lot to learn. Some things may be scary, but that will be because you do not understand them. What I want from you... to become my submissive... it’s a learning process. For both of us.”

I thought about what he had said. Ian had never talked to me as Stephan had. He’d never explained anything to me other than that I was now his, and that he could do whatever he pleased to me.

So many feelings were warring inside me. I still didn’t want to leave. No matter how scared I was, that hadn’t changed.

I looked up at him, searching. Could I trust this man? Should I?

There were things about him I didn’t understand. Ian liked to hurt me. Loved it, even. Stephan seemed so different and yet he seemed to want to do some, if not all, of the same things.

No matter the logic of it, I knew what my answer would be. “I trust you.”

He leaned in so that his lips hovered above mine. “That, my dear Brianna, is all I ask.”

Chapter Seven

Brianna

Stephan pulled me back into his arms and held me for the longest time. I didn’t understand why I felt so safe with him, but I did.

Slowly, my emotions settled down and I was able to remember all the things I’d said and done. I felt terrible. This man had done so much for me. He’d helped me through countless times when I’d panicked. He didn’t deserve this from me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered into his neck.

“Brianna, you have nothing to be sorry for.” I started to protest, but he stopped me. “No. You will not apologize for getting upset over something you clearly don’t understand.”

“But...”

The look on his face made the words die in my throat. He wasn’t going to accept any type of ‘sorry’ no matter how I worded it.

We sat and watched each other for a few minutes. I kept trying to see some sign in his face as to what he was thinking, but I still had no idea when he moved me off his lap to sit beside him.

He turned to me. “Will you wait here? I have something I want to show you.”

I nodded.

He stood, and walked into his bedroom.

While he was gone, I kept wondering what he could possibly have to show me. My question was answered the moment he stepped back in the room. In his right hand, he held a long stick. A cane.

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