Page 36 of Body and Soul

Eli's eyes widened, a blush staining his pale cheeks. “Oh. Sorry, I assumed...”

As he shifted in his seat, I caught a glimpse of deep purple bruises marring his throat—hickeys, livid against his skin.

Irritation welled up, mixed with jealousy. I wanted to be the only one who marked his skin like that. I met Eli's eyes in the rearview mirror, his nervousness radiating off him as he attempted to cover the bruises.

“It's all right,” I said, injecting warmth into my tone. “You haven't done anything wrong. I know this situation is complicated, but you're safe here. With me.”

Eli swallowed hard. “You’re not mad?”

I exhaled slowly. “Not at you. More frustrated with the situation…with myself, I suppose.”

Confusion crossed Eli's face. “With yourself? But you didn't do anything wrong either.”

I waved a hand dismissively. “We’ll discuss my psyche later. I want to focus on you, Eli. Gavin mentioned you’ve been a tremendous help around the house, and that’s important. But it’s crucial we establish some boundaries too.”

Gavin pulled into the apartment parking lot, turning to face me. “You have two appointments tomorrow morning at ten and eleven. If you can’t make them, have Eli text me. I trust you two will be alright until tomorrow night?”

I nodded, understanding the unspoken question. He was giving me the chance to begin Eli's training, to establish the dynamic we needed.

“We'll be fine,” I assured him, glancing at Eli. “Is that all right with you, Eli?”

Eli’s gaze darted between us, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. He nodded, a jerky motion. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

Gavin seemed satisfied. “I’ll leave you to it. Call if you need anything.”

With that, he shut off the car and handed me the keys before exiting. I watched him stride to his car nearby.

Eli followed me to the apartment, his movements tentative as we approached the building. The setting sun painted the sky in streaks of orange and pink.

Inside, the air was cool against my skin until we made it to the elevator, where it was stuffier. We rode up to my floor in charged silence.

I unlocked the door to my apartment, gesturing for Eli to enter. He hesitated, then stepped over the threshold, grocery bags in hand.

The living room was as I had left it—spartan and tidy. Eli toed off his shoes, lining them up against the wall, then began unloading the groceries with careful efficiency.

Watching him work was soothing. The anxiety from earlier faded as he focused on his task, reminding me how important it was to set boundaries and expectations.

“Eli, come sit with me.” I gestured to the couch.

He hesitated, then perched on the edge, clearly uncertain.

I took a slow breath. “I want to talk about how you’re settling in and what you might need from me going forward.”

Eli's brow furrowed. “Did I do something wrong? If it’s about the hickeys, I’m sorry—”

“No, not at all. You’ve done nothing wrong. I wanted to talk about how much happier you seem when you have a task to focus on. It’s like you come alive in those moments.”

Eli ducked his head, a faint blush staining his cheeks. “I like feeling useful.”

“But it’s more than that, isn’t it?” I urged. Leaning forward, I regarded Eli intently. “It's the structure, isn’t it? The clear expectations and guidance settle something in you, giving you purpose and belonging. You probably felt it even before the cult.It’s likely what drove you to it in the first place—a need to serve someone more dominant.”

Eli bit his bottom lip, avoiding my gaze. But he nodded, a jerky motion. “I... yeah. Ever since I was a teenager.”

I hummed, choosing my words carefully. “Have you heard of a service submissive, Eli?”

His brow furrowed, and he shook his head, platinum hair falling into his eyes.

“It’s a type of power exchange dynamic,” I explained, my voice softening. “In this dynamic, the submissive finds fulfillment in serving their dominant through assigned tasks. Those can be anything from household chores to personal care.”

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