Page 19 of The Sniper

Instead of going up to the lounge to get a drink and ignore him, she turned toward the submissives’ lounge and made her way to her locker.

The warm, muted light of the submissives' lounge enveloped Reyna as she pushed through the door, the weight of the investigation pressing harder on her shoulders with each step. She snorted, tugging off her jacket and unbuttoning her jeans with quick, jerky movements. The room was quiet, a soft humof background music playing, but the peaceful atmosphere only made her more aware of the chaos spinning in her head.

“Reyna?” Hope Newcomb’s voice cut through the muted beat of the music. “You look like you’re about ready to explode.”

“I’m fine,” Reyna muttered, shedding her regular clothes and underthings and pulling out her favorite corset and thong set. If Daniels was going to use the wand, he’d want as much skin showing as possible. She knew he’d make her remove the corset, but he might let her keep the thong—but then again, he might not.

“You don’t look fine,” Hope replied with a knowing tilt of her head. She moved closer, taking the corset from Reyna as Reyna pulled on the thong. “But that’s why you’re here, isn’t it? It’s tough when you work in a male-dominated profession. Sometimes we need to let go a little, you know.”

“I don’t need a lecture,” Reyna said, her voice sharp. “I’m just here because… Never mind.”

Hope held open the corset, waiting for Reyna to step into it. “Because you’re smart enough and strong enough to know when you need some peace,” Hope said gently, pulling the corset around Reyna’s torso and beginning to lace it up the back. “And that’s okay. Everyone needs a release sometimes. It’s not a bad thing to let someone else help carry the load.”

Reyna didn’t respond immediately, biting her lip as the corset tightened around her ribs. The familiar pressure was comforting, but it did little to quell the storm in her chest. “I don’t have time for this.”

Hope tugged the laces one last time, securing them with a firm knot before placing a light hand on Reyna’s shoulder. “You’ve always been strong, Reyna. But strength doesn’t mean going it alone. It’s okay to let someone in, especially someone who’s already trying so hard to be there for you.”

Reyna turned her head sharply, her blue eyes narrowing. “If this is about Daniels...”

“It’s always about Daniels,” Hope said with a soft laugh, stepping back to admire her handiwork. “He cares about you, Reyna. More than you realize. Try being a little nicer to him. It wouldn’t kill you.”

Reyna’s lips pressed into a thin line, but there was no heat behind her glare. “He drives me crazy.”

“You have to admit, that isn’t a long road.”

Reyna couldn’t help but smile.

“Maybe that’s what you need,” Hope said, brushing a stray piece of blonde hair from Reyna’s face. “Someone to push you out of your own head. Now go. And try to let go of some of that stubbornness while you’re at it.”

Reyna gave a low laugh, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Not making any promises.”

Hope smiled and turned back toward her seat, her movements graceful and unhurried. “You don’t have to promise. Just try.”

She entered the dungeon and walked to where Daniels was patiently waiting. He stood in the center of one of the smaller scening stages. She approached him, her expression guarded despite the nervous energy crackling beneath her skin. The faint scent of leather and a hint of candle wax teased her senses. She hadn’t planned on doing this, especially with Daniels, but she knew he understood what they were up against, and that she would find it next to impossible to resist his quiet insistence.

Daniels stood a few feet away, calm and composed as always, holding the violet wand, its faint flicker casting a subtle glow across his strong, chiseled features. He held it with an easy confidence that only deepened the magnetic pull she always felt when he was close.

“Are you going to just stand there looking gorgeous all night, or will you let me help?” His voice was low, steady, with that thread of authority that always sent her libido into overdrive and her mind into neutral.

She raised an eyebrow, defiance tugging at her instincts even as her pulse quickened. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“You’re here,” he agreed, setting the wand down carefully on the table. “But that doesn’t mean you’re ready.”

Reyna wanted to argue, to throw his words back at him, but she couldn’t. Because he was right. She wasn’t ready—not for this, not for the way he seemed to see through every layer of armor she had so carefully built around herself. But if she was going to move forward, to prove to him—and to herself—that she wasn’t a liability, she had to let go. Even if only for tonight.

“I’m ready,” she said, the words coming out firmer than she expected. She uncrossed her arms and stepped closer.

Daniels studied her, his dark eyes searching. Then, without a word, he gestured toward the padded bench in the center of the room. “Turn around and let me get you out of that corset.”

Reyna hesitated for half a beat before stepping up next to him, her movements deliberate as she forced herself to maintain eye contact with him. If she was going to do this, she wasn’t going to show him how much her heart was racing.

She moved closer, turning her back to him and sucking in her breath as he began to loosen the corset. At least he wasn’t cutting the laces this time. Once he laid it aside, he hooked his fingers in her thong and helped her step out of it—so much for that thought. When she was completely naked, he smiled at her as he reached for her hand, guiding her onto the padded surface with a gentle firmness that made her pulse skip. As she lay down, he crouched next to her, his hands brushing lightly over her wrists.

“I need to know you’re with me, Reyna,” he said, his gaze locking onto hers. “This isn’t about control. This is about trust.”

Her throat tightened, but she nodded. “I’m with you.”

Daniels stood and reached for the violet wand, the soft hum of electricity and the smell of ozone filling the room as he turned it on. He held it up, the faint purple light flickering along the tip, and gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod.

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