Page 43 of The Fixer

Lyndsey glanced at him, her brow furrowed. “How does tying someone up give them balance?”

Jake’s lips curved slightly, his gaze returning to the scene below. “It’s not the ropes themselves—it’s the act of surrendering to them. For Reyna, it’s a way to let go ofeverything she carries. To focus entirely on the moment, on the trust between her and the Dom.”

The Dom moved behind Reyna, his hands deft as he wove the ropes over her shoulders and across her chest. The design took shape slowly, highlighting Reyna’s strength while softening her posture. Jake noted the way her breathing slowed, her body relaxing as she yielded to the Dom’s touch.

Lyndsey shifted in her seat, her fingers twitching against the fabric of her pants. “She looks... peaceful.”

“She is,” Jake said, his voice quieter now. “Reyna’s life is chaos—fights, danger, always looking over her shoulder. This gives her a break from all of that. A chance to trust someone else to take control, even for a little while.”

Lyndsey’s eyes lingered on the ropes, the gentle way they framed Reyna’s body. “It seems... intimate.”

“It is,” Jake agreed. “It’s a partnership. Reyna trusts him to guide her, and he respects her boundaries. That trust—that connection—it’s what makes this work.”

The Dom squatted, threading the rope around Reyna’s thighs and securing it with a firm knot. Reyna shifted slightly, testing the bindings, and the Dom murmured something too quiet to hear. She nodded, a small smile playing at her lips, and Jake could see the stiffness in her shoulders melt away.

Lyndsey’s breath hitched softly beside him. Jake turned his head, watching as her chest rose and fell in slow, deliberate breaths. Her lips were parted slightly, her eyes wide with something that went beyond curiosity. It was the way she leaned forward, as if drawn in by the energy of the scene, that told him everything he needed to know.

“You’re starting to understand,” Jake murmured, his voice low and steady.

Lyndsey’s gaze snapped to him, her cheeks flushing. “I’m just... curious.”

Jake’s lips twitched. “Curious is good.”

She looked away, her focus returning to the scene below. The Dom was now tying off the final knot, the ropes forming a stunning harness that crisscrossed Reyna’s torso and legs. He stepped back, letting her take a moment to feel the bindings, to adjust to the sensation. Jake could see the subtle shift in Reyna’s body language—a calm that radiated from her, grounding her.

“Why does this work for her?” Lyndsey asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Because it forces her to be present,” Jake said. “The ropes in the way they move with her—it keeps her in the moment. She doesn’t have to think about what’s next, about what went wrong or what might go wrong. It’s just her and the Dom, right here, right now.”

Lyndsey nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. “I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s... beautiful.”

Jake’s chest tightened at her words. She was seeing it—not just the ropes or the mechanics of the scene, but the connection, the trust. He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “That’s what this is about. Not just the act, but the connection between two people.”

Lyndsey turned to him, her eyes searching his. “And you? Do you...?”

“I’m a Dom,” Jake said simply. “It’s different for me. My role is to guide, to create a space where someone else feels safe enough to let go. It’s about trust, Lyndsey. On both sides.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she looked away, her breathing unsteady. Jake caught the way her fingers tightened briefly on her lap, the way her lips parted slightly before she pressed them together. The room was warm, but he knew her reaction wasn’t about the temperature.

“You’re feeling it,” he said softly, leaning closer. “It’s okay.”

She stiffened slightly, her gaze snapping back to his. “Feeling what?”

Jake’s lips curved into a faint smile. “The pull. The connection. It’s not something you think about—it’s something you feel.”

Lyndsey opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out. Instead, her eyes flicked back to the scene below, where the Dom was gently helping Reyna to sit, her posture relaxed and her smile serene. The scene was complete, the energy in the room shifting to one of quiet satisfaction.

Jake’s voice was soft but firm. “It’s not about understanding it all at once. It’s about letting yourself feel. About trust. She’s stronger than almost anyone I know,” he said quietly. “Takes guts for someone like that to trust.”

Lyndsey nodded, her eyes still on Reyna. “I think I’m starting to understand.”

Lyndsey met his gaze again, and for a moment, the noise of the world faded away. Jake didn’t know where this would lead, but the spark in her eyes told him she was beginning to see something she hadn’t before—something that might change everything.

He led her away from the viewing area and back up to the safe room. He was only marginally surprised when he heard her removing her clothes and climbing up onto the bed as he locked the door and armed the alarms. When he turned to look at her, she was a vision of temptation.

“Are there cameras or other people watching our every move?” she asked.

“No. I didn’t take you for an exhibitionist, but I’m sure I can arrange that for you if you like.”

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