Page 68 of Vengeance of Childhood Proportions

I didn’t understand that. “But I’m taking things away from you?”

“Says who? Who told you that there was one type of Dom, who did A, B, C, and D, and if you take C away from him, then he’s not a real Dom?”

I swallowed, because I didn’t have an answer for him.

“Look where we are, Little Owl. Look what room we’re in. Do you see chains or whips or torture devices of any kind in this room?”

I couldn’t help but look pointedly down at the beanbag chair below us.

Master Mal snorted. “Touché. Seriously, pet, there are so many facets of BDSM and it will never be a one-size-fits-all. That’s the point of the lifestyle. That’swhywe have safety talks, negotiations, and contracts. That’s why wereevaluate, because people change, desires change. Open communication.Honest,” he added with a slight glare, “communication.”

I nodded, understanding. “Sir—I mean, Mal, why do you dominate? What does being a Dom mean to you?”

He pinched my chin lightly. “Always ‘Mal’ when we talk like this, pet. Just you and me.” I nodded again but did not speak, waiting for his answer. “I like to be in control. I like knowingthat whatever happens between us is in my hands. Did you know that Doms have a form of subspace too?” My eyes widened. “It’s called ‘Domspace’ or ‘topspace’.” At my raised eyebrow, he snorted. “I know, not very original. But it’s just as much a high, a rush, and yet it’s nothing like subspace. It’s where I am so hyper focused on my partner, on being whatyouneed, that the world could literally burn around us and I probably wouldn’t even notice.”

“Wow…” I breathed out.

“Obviously, that’s a bit of an exaggeration because your safety is of the upmost importance to me, but my point is this: was I the one under the whip? Did I achieve such a state of mind through pain?”

I shook my head.

“There’s more than one way to fly, Little Owl. Not all Doms are the same, just as not all submissives are the same. I have never met a submissive like you before. You are completely unique, and that has nothing to do with your hard limit of having no bondage. I saw it the first night we met when you were dancing on stage and there were no impact devices in sight that night.”

No, just him and a whole lot of control.

“Sir—”Fuck. “I mean, Mal. Why did you approach me that night? What made you hop onto my stage like that?”

“A couple of things, but mostly it was how you moved with the music. You were lost in your own little world, so close to flying without wings, and I knew I had to have you.” He touched my bare cheek, making me realize I was unmasked in front of Valentino for the first time too. “You are so fucking beautiful when you dance, Little Owl. It’s my second favorite activity with you.”

I blushed. I didn’t ask what his first favorite activity was.

There was a knock on the door. We all looked up to see three club employees enter. Two were carrying a giant chair I recognized from Valentino’s office.

“Oh, thank God!” Valentino held his arms up in the air. “Someone help me up!”

The same two employees came over and got Valentino to his feet. The older man stretched his back, making an audiblecrack, and then he kicked the beanbag chair away from him like its presence had offended him.

It took some time for Valentino to get sorted. As he did, Master Mal brought my attention back to him. We laid in silence, just watching each other. He petted my face as I touched his toned abs, our eyes never moved from each other’s.

I noticed the employees leave, but I still didn’t look away. His eyes were mesmerizing. More than their coloring, it was how they looked at me. Like he was admiring a mountainous sunset or theMona Lisaor a rare gem.

I wondered what he saw in my eyes.

“You two will be just fine.” Turning at Valentino’s voice, I saw that he was now set up in his large high-back chair with a clipboard and a glass of wine. At my confused look, he explained, “Grape juice. I gave up alcohol many years ago.”

Ah, made more sense. I didn’t think this was the sort of talk where alcohol was allowed.

“There’s water bottles by you too,” Valentino said, pointing his pencil at the floor.

I looked, and then had to stretch myself over Master Mal’s chest to reach them. He wasn’t upset by this at all when I moved back and offered him a bottle.

“Now,” Valentino said, holding up his clipboard, “before we start to go through a contract, there is still something we?—”

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. “That’s a contract!” Holy fuck, it washuge. The spring on the clipboard looked like it was compressed as far down as it could go.

Valentino nodded, his expression unapologetic. “That’s why contracts are important, Dani. They go overeverything, or close to it. Goals, responsibilities, expectations, timelines… It’s going to take a while.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. It wasn’t like I had anywhere to be. Jason was disposing of Sam’s body tonight, and I’d offered him free rein of the bunker afterwards, hoping to distract him to give me more time to say goodbye to Master Mal.

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