Page 40 of Until You Break

Dominic sees the girl I tried to leave behind, the one who let herself come alive in that cell, the one who surrendered to him back then and can’t seem to stop now. He sees the girl who loves the pain and degradation. He sees the girl who loves gagging on his cock and begging him to go harder.

He sees his Little Sinner; the one who becomes a whore only for him.

I lay down, curling up, the sheets cold and empty around me. Every part of me aches for him, for the fire, the thrill, the darkness that only he brings. It’s like he’s carved himself into my skin, and no matter how much I try to scrape it away, it’s still there, branded and permanent.

I’m barely holding it together when I hear a knock at the door. It’s soft, gentle, nothing like the way Dominic would just barge in, take over the whole damn room with his presence.

I shake off the thought, taking a breath before opening the door to find Mason standing there with a warm smile and a takeout bag in hand.

“Hey, surprise,” he says, stepping in and pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. “I figured I’d bring dinner over. Thought you might be hungry after a long day.”

I force a smile, my mind racing to catch up, to feel something close to normal. “Hey, yeah, uh… thanks. This is… sweet.”

He doesn’t seem to notice the hesitation, just moves past me, setting the food on the kitchen counter and pulling out containers of pasta, garlic bread, and a couple of those little salads that we both end up picking at but never finishing.

“Thought we could use an Italian night,” he says, smiling at me as he arranges everything on the counter. “So, my mom’s excited to meet your mom next week. She’s already planning all these little welcome gifts and talking about the ‘family blending’ brunch she wants to throw. Guess I’ll just let her go crazy with it.”

He’s talking, voice soft and casual, exactly the kind of comforting presence he’s always been. But I’m not present. My mind keeps slipping, catching on Dominic’s taunt from earlier. His voice echoes through my head, even as Mason hands me a plate of pasta.

I shake myself, taking a deep breath and focusing on Mason’s face, his easy smile, the way he looks at me like I’m his whole world. I should be grateful. I should be falling into this life, embracing the safety, the calm, the love he offers.

But all I feel is guilt and the lingering shadow of Dominic’s words. Mason deserves better than this fucked up person I am.

“Are you alright?” he asks, his brow furrowing as he sets his fork down, watching me with that careful, concerned expression.

“Yeah,” I say quickly, forcing another smile, shoving down everything that’s screaming in the back of my mind. “I’m just… tired, I guess. Long day.”

He nods, and we fall into a quiet rhythm, eating side by side, his chatter about the wedding plans fading into the background as I drift in and out, barely registering the details.

My mind feels split in two, one part here with him, trying to hold onto the life I’ve built, and the other sinking into memories.

“So,” Mason says, his eyes bright, “I was thinking we could finally tell her about our wedding plans. Get her take on things.”

He’s smiling, going on about venues and dates, the excitement in his voice so sincere that it cuts through me, each word twisting the guilt tighter.

“Do you think we should stick with lilies for the wedding flowers?” Mason asks, his voice pulling me back to the present.

“Hmm?” I blink, looking at him, realizing I’ve barely been listening. “Lilies, yeah… sounds good.”

He gives me a small, almost hesitant smile, and I can see the worry there, the way he’s trying to piece together what’s wrong without pushing.

“It’s okay if you’re not feeling up to this, Aria. We can talk about it later if you’re tired.”

I shake my head, swallowing hard and forcing the words out. “No, it’s fine. I’m… I’m glad we’re talking about it.”

He nods, and when we finish, Mason helps me gather up the plates, his hand brushing mine as he stacks everything, washing the dishes while I dry, moving around the kitchen like it’s second nature.

And then he reaches for me, leaning in to kiss me goodbye, and everything freezes. Dominic’s taunt slams into me, his words filling my mind.

“Go kiss Mason with that mouth and let him taste your sin.”

The words feel like poison, twisting inside me, reminding me of what I’ve done. My heart hammers, and before I can think, I jerk back. Mason’s face falls, the surprise and hurt flickeringin his eyes for a split second before he masks it, forcing a small smile.

“Sorry,” he says quietly. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No, it’s… it’s fine,” I say quickly, my stomach twisting with guilt, with shame that feels like it’s eating me alive. “I just… I’m sorry. I’m not myself tonight.”

He watches me, his eyes searching, that quiet, patient expression that makes me want to cry. “It’s okay, Aria. I know you’ve been stressed lately. I’m here if you want to talk about it.”

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