Page 35 of Dominate

He quickly looks down, obviously struggling with his next words. When he looks back up, I’m shocked at the tears in his eyes.

“You’ve changed me in so many ways. I’ve struggled, for years, to understand why I survived the day of that attack. I wanted a reason as to why my best friend had to die and I got to live. It took me a while to see it, but I finally know that reason. It’s you. You make me want to be a better person. You make me forget every miserable thing that’s ever happened to me. I can’t explain to you how deeply I care about you and Kason. Even if it’s too late for us… Even if I can’t have you, I need you, to please, forgive me.” The agony in his pleading is breaking my heart.

What do I do? Can I really, honestly forgive him?

I feel like I’m being smothered, bombarded with emotions and confessions from every corner. I’m not heartless. He’s practically just handed me the bleeding heart straight out of his chest. Deep down, I want to run into his arms, but I can’t allow myself to get too caught up in the rawness of his feelings. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes, and try to be as rational as possible about all of this.

“It isn’t that simple, Payne, and you know it.”

Step by step, he approaches me, guarded and cautious, as if he’s trying to read the way my body involuntarily reacts to his proximity. As he stands beneath the florescent light, my eyes catch the glistening sweat forming on his muscular chest. Unable to stop myself, I continue admiring him, dragging my eyes down to the peak of the perfect v-shape, just above his belt buckle. My core clenches as lust consumes the very last of my willpower.

Keep your head straight. This isn’t about sex.

Payne’s so close now that I can feel the heat radiating from his body. Even though I didn’t fully answer him, his dark eyes look so lost and sad…defeated. Reaching out, he brushes my hair away, gently caressing the fading bruise still on my face. Guilt and anger seem to wash over him.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t get to you sooner. I’ll never be able to forgive myself for this.”

“You don’t seem to forgive yourself for a lot of things.”

“Like you said, it isn’t that simple.” He cups my face for a moment longer, before placing a tender kiss on my forehead.

“I would’ve rather died, than for them to have hurt you like this.”

“I wouldn't.” It’s the truth. Even though I don’t know where things stand between us, I could never survive his death.

Payne takes a deep breath and then locks his gaze to mine. “I want to make this right between us. But, in order to do that, I need you to do something for me. Please.”

Confused by his request, I tilt my head and watch him walk over toward the wall behind him. Lifting an old leather strap off a metal hook, he turns and walks back to where I am. With trembling hands, he extends it out for me to take. The feel of the leather against my skin mesmerizes me, yielding me under its spell. Just as I blink out of my daze, I see him dropping to his knees in front of me.

“What are you doing?” I gasp in shock.

“I need you to do this. I can’t bear the pain inside any longer.” He lifts his head and looks at me. This strong, dominating, Alpha man now bows in front of me, begging for the one thing I don’t know if I can do. I don’t want to be that person any more.

“Do it. I deserve it.”

“No, Payne, I-,” He cuts me off before I can argue his request.

“I want you to do this. I need you to do this. It’s the only way.” I shake my head, but he grabs my hands and shakes me. “Remember all of the times that sick bastard put his hands on you? Think of all the lies I made you believe. I broke your trust. Feel all that anger coursing in your veins? I want you to take every ounce of it out on me. Make me pay for it. I beg you, Mistress. Punish me.”

Mistress. Punish me.

Why? Why did he have to bring this out in me? Those words ignite something I cannot control. Turning every emotion off, I allow myself to channel the rage that I’d buried deep within. At that moment, everything churns inside of me, like a perfect, disastrous storm. I can’t stop it. Oh God, there’s no way I can stop it.

I hate him.

The first blow of the belt lands across the skin of his back before I can even blink. The second and third strike, come even easier. By the fourth, I don’t recognize who I am anymore. Over and over, I keep hitting him until I feel something inside of me break, taking the very last of my breath along with it. Gasping for air, I snap back to reality, horrified by the sight of the bright red welts on his back. No! As my shaking hand drops the strap to the ground, I fall to my knees along with it, landing right in front of his feet.

I love him.

Amazingly, he doesn’t seem to be in pain but I’m overwhelmed with an intense need to touch him. “Oh, God, Payne. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

Before I can even take my next breath, his mouth is on mine, swallowing my sorrow with each swipe of our tongues. Like desperate lovers, our hands hungrily roam over each other. As he lays me back onto the smooth, dirt floor, I feel the intense energy radiating from his body. There’s no sweet and slow in our intentions and I love it.

“This is going to be hard, rough, and fast.” He warns. Just the thought of him taking me rough makes me wet.

Desperation fills me. I want him inside of me, now! In one forceful yank, he pushes his jeans past his ass. He hisses as I stroke his long cock with my hand. As the skirt of my yellow sundress is lifted, I feel his strong hands slide down my hip, to that perfect sweet spot that is already drenched in my arousal. Moving my dampened panties to the side, I spread my legs wider, begging for entry. With a gruff move forward, he impales himself inside of me, deliciously filling and stretching me with his thick girth. A loud, deep groan erupts from the depths of his chest, driving me insane with need and desire.

“Fuck!” he roars, appreciative of the way my body quickly conforms to welcome him. Gripping my waist, he quickens his pace, pumping his cock in and out of me in powerful thrusts. The gratifying pleasure grows with each movement inside of me, building until I think I’m going to black out. I arch my back against the cool ground and lift my ass. In a wild feral cry, I scream out in pleasure, coating his shaft in my thick, creamy release. His fingers dig deeper into the crevice of my pelvis as he pulls out and disappears between my thighs.

Back and forth, I twist and writhe in his hold, rocking my hips in perfect rhythm to his hot searing tongue. Desperate to come again, my hands find his hair, urging him to suck harder on my folds. Without warning, the climax hits me hard and fast. “Oh. My. God! Payne!” Leaning back, I pull hard on his hair as the violent orgasm rips through my body. Like a starved beast, he sucks down my pleasure, growling at his prize with colossal satisfaction.

Payne licks his glistening lips and smiles as he pulls me toward him. His hands pull at the top of my short sundress, wildly engulfing my exposed breast into his hot mouth. He rakes his teeth against my erect nipple, knowing how it drives me wild. I close my eyes and revel in the pleasure he brings me. I slide my sex against his shaft, begging for entry. With my throbbing clit aching with need, I can’t hold off any longer. I need to feel him inside me again. Raising myself up, I grab the base of his manhood and align it perfectly with my opening.

Our mouths widely gape open, mirroring each other, as we watch inch, by glorious inch, of his long, thick cock disappear in between my slick folds. He sits up and shifts my ass on top of him. Sweet sweat drips down our skin, pooling at the point where our bodies beautifully connect. With an overwhelming urgency, we wrap our arms around each other, desperately clinging on for dear life.

He gently takes my face into his hands, making me look him directly in the eyes as he slowly slides his delicious length into me. “You will never know how much I love you.”

His heart-stopping confession pours over me like the sweetest of warm rain. I’ve never felt anything more powerful than this moment. It’s as if he’s not only speaking to me, but to my heart

, as well. I can’t deny this. I won’t. I can’t live without him. This wild crazy love story is complete madness, but it’s ours. Payne James owns me in every way. I’m done fighting this love battle. I’m finally ready to place my terrified heart in his hands. It’s time to trust. It’s time I submit, fully.

I lay my hands on his, locking his gaze and confess what I’ve fought so hard to deny. “I love you, too.”

I’m lost in him, so beautifully lost. In a frenzy of powerful, synced thrusts, I stare into his eyes as we climax together. I smile as the hot spurts of his semen deliciously fill my core. He easing me back against the cool dirt, tenderly placing kisses on my face as he pulls me closer to him.

We lie together on the ground, holding each other, scared of letting the other one go. I lightly trace the dragon tattoo on his chest with my fingertip, waiting for my mind to catch up with my heart. I’ve spent so much time believing I would never find someone to love. I never dreamed someone could love me, knowing the things I’ve been through. I raise my head from his strong chest and roll to my side, leaning down to his face.

“Stay.” I whisper against his lips.

“What?” He says, looking at me with surprise.

“I want you to stay in Savannah with me and Kason. We need you. Please, don’t leave us.”

Payne pulls me tightly against him.

“There’s no way in hell I’m ever leaving you. You’ve possessed my soul, baby. You’re mine.”

“Yours.” I smile against his chest as I rest my hand on his heart.

All yours.

Always.

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