Page 42 of Ivory's Ruin Romance

He painted on the first stroke of deep purple and explained. “It’s still true that I don’t do relationships, but I don’t do spontaneous one-night stands, either. Instead, I set up arrangements where everyone involved can have an open discussion before anything happens. That way, we both know what to expect. I won’t lead someone on when I’m not putting in the right kind of effort or try to force something I’m not willing to give. So, I can guarantee no one is out there buying me a Valentine’s gift or planning a romantic date.”

She hummed, thinking over his words. “You avoid emotional attachment.”

“Close, but not quite,” he replied, not at all offended by her conclusion. “I care about my partner, even if it’s in a predefined capacity. I need them to know they can trust me and vice-versa. You’d be surprised what emotions come up in intense play.”

Content that the current section of hair had sufficient dye, he clipped it to the side and moved on to the next before continuing. “In fact, I don’t think I could enjoy sex without any form of attachment, but plenty of people have told me they prefer this type of arrangement to being kept in the dark or feeling like it’s difficult to communicate. This allows them to ask for what they want. Anything they want.”

“Makes sense,” she said, then added after a pause, “What kind of things do people ask for? If you can share.”

He glanced over to see her nibbling on her lip again. With his hands occupied with the dye, he could do nothing about it except try not to get too turned on.

However, she didn’t look shocked by the topic, her eyes turning bright and inquisitive. Another good sign, although it was one he anticipated.

“Sometimes they have specific requests, sometimes they don’t,” he answered. “Most of the time, it’s spanking or bondage, maybe a role play or new toys. Once I know what they’re comfortable with, I suggest other things.”

“And what about you?” she asked, crossing one leg over the other. “What things do you ask for?” Her voice came out soft but firm, the hesitation slowly giving way to genuine curiosity, and he happily answered.

“Besides a willing submissive, I enjoy most types of play. I’m not a sadist who enjoys inflicting pain for pain’s sake. There has to be a purpose to the suffering. A reward for each sacrifice.” He didn’t need to inflict pain or humiliation to get off, but nothing compared to a woman on her knees, handing him the power to control her mind as well as her body. Nothing could replace the rush and rhythm of peering into a person’s soul, of peeling it apart layer by layer.

Except, as he explained all this to Ivory, it felt as if she were the one peering into his soul. It always had. The grace and eagerness with which she responded to him was like a secret trigger, a switch programmed into his psyche he didn’t even know he had. If he ever got lucky enough to do a scene with her, he knew it would far surpass the sinful images conjured by his imagination.

“That’s why having rules is crucial,” he continued. “One oversight can cause serious harm or break my partner’s trust.” Coating the brush with more dye, he repeated the same words he’d told everyone else. “I have three rules, but more might be added based on the scenario.”

“One, neither of us shows up at the other’s residence without an invitation. So you won’t have to worry about any awkward encounters. And although this isn’t technically a rule, I also don’t take girls into my bedroom. It’s too informal.”

“Two, if they don’t wish to be exclusive, I need to know what else they’re involved in. Complete transparency. That one is mostly for safety, and I use protection regardless.”

“Three, once we end the arrangement, for whatever reason, it’s over. No second chances, especially if any rules were broken.”

She nodded and uncrossed her legs. “Then do you…” Her voice faltered, betraying a hint of concern. “Can I ask how many arrangements you have right now?”

“None,” he answered, more than pleased as her shoulders dropped when she released a breath. Investigating the Dragons had taken up too much of his time and energy to do anything on the side.

Of course, it was also because of her.

It didn’t matter how many girls had been in his living room before. All he could see was her. All he wanted was her.

TWENTY

She knew coming to his apartment would lead to something unexpected, but she hadn’t planned on a full discourse detailing how perfect he was.

Every word that came out of his mouth made this whole situation more unbearable, and not in a bad way. In a way that would have her crawling at his feet if he asked. A willing submissive—she certainly met his requirements.

And since he worked out of her line of sight, it forced her to rely on every other sense to feel him. The heat from his hands contrasted with the cool touch of the hair dye, the smooth baritone of his voice combined with the gentle boldness of his words, and the rich, spicy scent of his cologne. All of it brought to life fantasies she couldn’t keep locked away, no matter how hard she tried.

“But I haven’t done anything in a while,” he continued explaining, then cut off with a sigh. “Haven’t been in the right mindset.”

There it was. The reason she hadn’t accepted his offer that first night. The reason she never even got to find out that he had arrangements and rules from the beginning. The reason she couldn't let herself be just a stranger or an arrangement—even if as only a friend, she wanted to help chase away whatever darkness haunted him.

“How are things going with that?” she asked, biting down the rest of her questions about his sex life. “Is your mindset getting better or worse?”

“Depends on how you look at it,” he replied, working through her hair methodically. “Better, for the most part.” He paused, then asked, “What about you? Has Jace bothered you anymore? I haven’t heard any gossip about you cussing him out.”

That was because she’d made a point to avoid him, and finally, he’d left her alone. Which meant their one night together could remain buried in the dark—exactly where it belonged. Along with the part of her that had secretly hoped to find something in that darkness.

She thought back to her awkward “fuck me” moment at Nia and Caspian’s party and felt her spirit lift. From the sound of it, Adrian wasn’t unfamiliar with blatant requests. Maybe things would have been different if Jace had set up rules. Or maybe it wasn’t the rules but the person making them.

“I’ve been hiding in the dorms, so Jace can’t find me,” she replied, unable to see his frown but knowing it’d be there. “I’m kidding.”

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