Page 52 of The Game

“Because I think it would be good for you. You need an outlet for what Daniel does to you, you need an outlet for your guilt, your shame, your fear. And I…I trust you implicitly. I know that seems backwards, but it takes a lot of trust both ways.”

Fiddling with the hem of his shirt, I nod in understanding.

“I trust you more than you know, I think,” I whisper, for admitting it feels a small betrayal to my twins as well. But Teddy and I are in this together, stuck in a cyclone of blackmail and threats. He hums in the back of his throat and squeezes me, leaning over to rest his chin on my head. My eyes slip closed in peace, the thud of his heart becoming stronger.

“I want to do that. Total power exchange,” I say, emboldening my voice. He stiffens beneath me but pulls me away again, searching my eyes as I do his. When his brows begin to drop low over them, I know he sees I am serious as can be, my heart thumping like a metronome against my ribs.

“No safe word? You can have one if you want…” he says, giving me an out. And though a small part of me wants it, the other part of me wants this to rewrite the new bad in my life, and I need something as intense as it comes. So I shake my head.

“I don’t want one. I trust you.”

Lips flatlined, he nods solemnly.

“There would be pain…”

Snorting softly, I drop my eyes to his chest, biting my lip as I formulate the right words.

“I…I’ve been through a lot, Teddy. I was never even able to tell Jameson or Tristan. They just got my files from my social worker because I couldn’t talk about it. And my feelings for them were written in a diary that they found. I’ve never been able to express myself…until they gave me a way to. A path to an entirely new version of myself, and it was like seeing color for the first time. I’m a hell of a lot bolder now, much more who I am meant to be, in my mind…”

He’s smiling softly before he reaches up to brush some hair from my forehead.

“Do you want me to tell you when, and how I want to do it?”

Gnawing my lip again, I consider this.

“As opposed to?”

“It would be more realistic…more spur of the moment, when you least expect it.”

“And…it would be tonight?”

He shrugs, coy smirk slithering onto his face.

“Depends on how much you want me to divulge, but I think we both know what way you’re leaning.”

A sly grin creeps onto my face.

“Like I said before, do your worst.”

His eyes immediately darken, and the angles of his face are thrown into deep contrast as the sun dips behind the buildings, casting us in the first touch of an ancient night. My heart stutters, my thighs clench, and then his gravelly voice speaks.

“Oh, baby. You’ll wish you never said that.”

CHAPTER 26

Alice

“So…how many times did you act those kinds of scenes out?” I say, trying my damnedest not to move my face as Teddy attacks me with a million makeup brushes. His eyes are concentrated near my mouth, his dark brows scrunched together in deep concentration. The entire time I watch him move, shifting subtly to and fro, I see it now; his power. It is so prominent, but he hides it in plain sight. It reminds me of a snake, something slithering and cunning but also capable of great destruction.

It makes me excited, because I know whatever he’s planning will happen tonight—he wouldn’t have brought it up otherwise. He still won’t tell me where we’re going, what he’s dressing me up as, or what else we’re doing, but I’m just excited to go.

“In the two years we were together, three I think.”

“Hmm,” I say, not nodding my head. He chuckles, knowing I am seeking more details.

“Like I said, first time was rocky, but after she kind of came out of that headspace, it was…amazing. Things were heavenly and peaceful for a while. She got a new job and things at the circus became worse, and we could feel that tension building, and we decided to do it again. That time was smoother, but not as intense, so we decided on a third time early and she gave me months to plan it. That one was the best, I think.”

My hands tremble in excitement, and though the guilt is eating at my stomach, I do my best to bat it away.

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