Page 59 of Cook

“Fine,” I ground out. “Are you going to teach me or just fuck around with me?”

He smirked. “This is one tell that you’re not a submissive. Submissives like to be played around with. They get off on the structure and the game and for some, the pain.”

“I’m not going to hurt Maddie,” I said with certainty.

She’d already experienced too much pain in her life.

Mercer swirled the amber liquid. “You need to grow more comfortable with the power.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, staring up at the ceiling and refusing to take the bait again. I wouldn’t be his bitch.

Sloan lifted the lowball glass to his lips and then sighed. “This will be a journey for you as much as it will be for her. You’ll need to learn how to be direct and succinct with what you want her to do. Then you’ll need to reward her when she meets expectations.”

I gulped. I had already tried to give her orders, but I didn’t want to be like Signora’s clients.

“If she doesn’t meet expectations, then you punish her,” continued Sloan.

I rolled my head over to glare at him. “I refuse to hurt her.”

“Even if it helps her?”

“You’re sick if you think it’ll help her.”

“Even if she begs for it?” he pressed.

“Why the fuck would she beg for me to hurt her?”

Mercer shrugged. “While you’re correct that I may be sick, that has nothing to do with what you’re asking from me.” He took another sip from the glass, then continued, “Punishment is often part of the Dom-sub agreement. You’ll find some very naughty subs out there, and they’re usually seeking punishment or correction.”

My brain went back to earlier this evening.You can punish me if you want. I didn’t mean to upset you.

“But it’s not only a submissive’s need,” he added. “When you punish your sub, it gives you knowledge. You’ll learn how hard you can push her and how to care for her afterward.”

“What?” The man spoke in riddles. Maybe hard-core Doms like the Warden would understand his bullshit, but I needed examples.

“You said she’s been hurt, yes?” asked Sloan. “Perhaps she’s been raped?”

“Yeah, and I’m not going to be like those sons-of-bitches!”

Mercer pursed his lips, seemingly considering my words, but something else played through his mind. I didn’t ask.

“Some people will need that level of dominance.”

I opened my mouth, but he held up a hand.

“Let me explain. It may be unnatural for her to want that again, but with the control of knowing who rapes—”

“I’m not going to fucking rape Maddie. Or anyone,” I snapped.

“She decides when you can stop. She decides how far you take it. She decides how much she can take,” listed Sloan. “You play the game for her, releasing her from her human worries and allowing her to work out the pain. You are releasing her from her mind, taking away her pain by giving her a safe place to explore that.”

I blinked at him, speechless.

“Her body has healed, I assume?”

Except for the skinniness and scars, I thought so and answered, “Yeah, pretty sure.”

“The mind is a wicked thing,” he said. “All of our terrible, sad human minds are what cause us pain. She’s giving you the control and power to free her from those mental bonds.”

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