Page 13 of Set In Stone

“My night terrors?” Alexander questioned mockingly, as if the term was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. “Is that what we’re calling themnow?”

“Yes. What we haven’t discussed is the content of them. The content, as well as Krystina’s theory about why they might be occurring, holds merit and is worth exploring. She mentioned that you used to attend a BDSMclub.”

Alexander’s eyes flashed angrily in my direction. I winced and looked away. I knew I was going to be in major trouble for divulging that little snippet ofinformation.

“Your point?” Alexander snappedtestily.

This isn’t going well atall.

I huffed out a breath from frustration. This convoluted idea of therapy was proving to be a failure, as almost all subjects were off limits. Alexander held too many secrets, making any sort progress nearimpossible.

“BDSM was a big part of your life. You have used it as an outlet,” Dr. Tumblin calmly pointed out before turning to me. “Krystina, let’s talk about your concerns a little more in depth. Shallwe?”

“Well, it wasn’t a huge concern. I only brought it up because I thought there might be a connection. I don’t know,” I said with ashrug.

I’m not the doctor. How the hell should Iknow?

“Why do you feel like there is a connection?” heprobed.

“Because Alex’s nightmares have been coming more and more frequently. Nearly every night,” I added, glancing nervously in Alexander’s direction. His nightmares were the touchiest subject of them all and I had to proceed with caution. “I only wondered if the frequency has anything to do with his decision to step back from the more extreme BDSM lifestyle that he was used to. I worry that, without the outlet he had for so many years, his demons are possibly manifesting in otherways.”

I shrugged and looked down at my hands. Despite my efforts, they were fidgeting in my lap. I clamped my palms together to still them and focused my attention on the subtle circular patterns in the office carpet. I knew I shouldn’t have been nervous about the conversation taking place. After all, this was one of the reasons we werehere.

“Alexander, what are your feelings about that?” Dr. Tumblinasked.

“Ifeellike I’ve already explained my position on this over a hundred times. But, since we are being so open all of a sudden, I will tell you what I told her. Yes, I turned to BDSM at a young age. It was an outlet for a time. I’ve done things, a lot of things, that many would call freakish. Hell, I was a member of a sex club for Christ’s sake! Fucked up, right, Doc? But it doesn’t define who I am. I’ve told Krystina this before. I haven’t…we haven’t,” Alexander corrected, motioning his hand back and forth between us. “We haven’t given up BDSM. We are anything but vanilla, not that what I do with my fiancée is any of your business. I just dropped the club scene. It’s not an outlet for me anymore because I don’t need it to be, and it certainly isn’t the sort of place I want Krystina to goto.”

“But Alex, if it’s something you need –” I stopped when he sworeagain.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Krystina! Is this really about what I need? Or you? The problem is, you have no goddamn clue about that world. What you saw at the club doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what really goes on. Do you want to be a collared Submissive? Caged? Do you want to be dragged around in black leather with the other Submissives, on your knees and sucking off your Master? Bowing to his every whim, even if that includes sharing you with another man or woman?” He paused and narrowed his gaze on me. His sapphire eyes burned dark, almost navy in color. “Yeah, that’s right. If I wanted to, I could share you and you wouldn’t be allowed to question it. I’d own you. So tell me. Do you want me to break you, Krystina? Is that what youwant?”

He spat out the harsh questions like he was demanding my answers, although he already knew what I would say. I winced from his words and my cheeks flushed pink. He was speaking as if Dr. Tumblin wasn’t even in the room. A shiver ran down my spine, and I shook myhead.

“No,” I told him quietly. “I don’t want that. I didn’t think you did either. You told me that you weren’t anextremist.”

“And I’m not. That’s why I was able to adjust to being with you so easily. I chose you. I knew I didn’t want another random whore who spreads her legs for any man willing to dominateher.”

My stomach rolled from the thought of him being with someone else. And not just a random whore, but any woman atall.

“Alex…” I trailed off, unable to find the words I needed to explain myrationale.

“Listen to me, Krystina. I was done with that life the moment I met you. Bringing you to that club, even if it was only once, was a mistake. I only want what you can give me. Nothing more. I no longer need that life to be an outlet for me. And, quite frankly, I’m not seeing how any of this connects to mynightmares.”

“I’m not saying that it is connected,” I interjected. “It really was just a passing thought last week. I probably shouldn’t have saidanything.”

“You’re right. You shouldn’t have!” Alexandersnapped.

“Please, Alex. Calm down. Lashing out at Krystina isn’t the answer,” Dr. Tumblin placated. “Perhaps we are discussing the wrong thing here. Tell me, why BDSM? What was it an outletfor?”

“Why don’t you ask Krystina? Apparently, she’s been a wealth of information lately,” Alexander spit out. His fury caused me to blanchagain.

“Look, I’m sorry for divulging your damn secrets, okay? I just can’t figure you out lately,” I said, and my voice cracked. I could feel the sting of tears from frustration in the backs of my eyes, but I refused to let them shed. “It’s not only your dreams. It’s everything – from the wedding, to the house, and even my wardrobe! It’s like your need for control has intensified, and it feels like I’m navigating a minefield half the time. Maybe I’m way off the mark, but I’m just trying to make sense of it all. That’s how I came up with the theory about you and the change in your BDSMlifestyle.”

“The mind works in mysterious ways, Alex. You know this,” Dr. Tumblin saidsoftly.

Alexander abruptly stopped his rapid pacing and whipped his head around to stare at Dr. Tumblin. I stilled when I saw the set in his jaw. The temperature in the room dropped dramatically. Ice was near forming. By comparison to how heated he appeared just a moment before, Alexander suddenly looked arctic. When he finally spoke, his voice was eerilycalm.

“Yes, it does. And right now, my mind is telling me that our time here isup.”

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