Page 55 of Trussed In Hope
And I meant it. Every single word. Every single heartbeat.
Her body felt like it weighed nothing when I detached her restraints and scooped her into my arms. She was boneless, head resting against my chest, eyes glazed in that sweet, hazy way that told me she was still floating. Subspace had her good and deep, and I couldn’t stop the swell of pride in my chest knowing I’d been the one to guide her there—and the one who’d catch her on the way back down.
I laid her gently on the padded table in the private room, kneeling beside her so I could stay close. My hands were steady as I pulled a soft blanket from my bag, wrapping it snugly around her trembling frame. She whimpered, and I smoothed a hand over her hair, my thumb tracing the damp strands away from her face.
“Easy, Queen. I’ve got you,” I murmured, keeping my voice low and steady, a tether she could cling to.
Her lips parted, breath shallow, but no words came. That was fine. She didn’t need to speak. I caressed her cheek, grounding her with every touch. Each small noise she made went straight through me, a reminder of how much she’d trusted me with her body, her mind, her heart.
I pulled a bottle of water from the bag and pressed it to her lips. “Sip for me.”
She obeyed without hesitation, eyes closed, and I felt that vulnerability wash over me again—how easily she surrendered to my care. When she swallowed, I whispered my praise into the space between us.
“Good girl. Perfect.”
For a moment, I just sat there, holding her hand in both of mine, pressing my lips against her knuckles. My chest ached ina way that wasn’t painful but damn sure wasn’t easy either. She didn't know what it did to me to see her like this—soft, safe, trusting me to carry her when she couldn’t stand on her own.
I rested my forehead against hers, closing my eyes. “You’re everything to me, Emberlynn. Do you know that?”
Her lashes fluttered, a faint smile tugging at her mouth even though she still looked half-gone. “Mhm…”
That tiny sound nearly broke me open.
I shifted onto the bench beside her, pulling her against my chest, wrapping us both in the blanket until we were cocooned together. I let her hear my heartbeat, steady and strong, anchoring her back to reality. My hands moved in slow circles on her back, my lips brushing her temple every few breaths.
Minutes passed, maybe longer, until her breathing evened out. And in that quiet, with the world reduced to nothing but her warmth against me, I realized something–I’d never felt so fucking alive.
By the time her eyes were clear and her words no longer slurred, I knew she was ready. I bundled her into her coat, carried the duffel in one hand, and walked her out to my SUV. She leaned against me the whole way, pliant but steady now, that soft smile still playing at her lips.
Back at her apartment, I settled her onto the couch and made her a plate of food—simple, nothing fancy. She ate slowly, letting me feed her half the bites when she got too lost staring at me. Every time she looked up, her gaze lingered, heavy and raw.
“How do you feel?” I asked, my voice quiet but edged with the need to know.
“Safe,” she whispered. Then, after a beat, her cheeks flushed pink. “Loved. Like… like you saw every part of me tonight, and I didn’t have to hide any of it.”
My chest tightened. I cupped her jaw, tipping her chin until our eyes met. “I did see you. All of you. And I’ll never let you forget what you gave me tonight.”
Her lips trembled, and then she set her plate aside and climbed into my lap, straddling me, blanket slipping off her shoulders. Her hands curled into my shirt. “I need more, Hardison. I need to feel you inside me. I don’t just want the scene—I want you.”
The words hit me low, sparking something primal. I didn’t make her ask twice.
That night, we didn’t just have sex—we made love. Slow at first, like I was relearning every inch of her body, then harder when the need bled over, both of us chasing something we’d never be able to name but always recognize. I lost myself in her, in the way she gasped my name, in the way her nails dug into my skin like she couldn’t stand the thought of letting me go.
We didn’t stop. Every time we fell apart, we found our way back, tangled in sheets and whispered promises. By the time exhaustion claimed us, the sky was already lightening outside the blinds.
The pounding at the door came too soon. Movers.
“Shit,” I muttered, rolling out of bed. Emberlynn squeaked, yanking the sheet over her head as I tossed her clothes onto the mattress. We scrambled, half-dressed and laughing, pulling ourselves together just in time to let the guys in.
Thankfully, I’d already dragged everything into the front room yesterday. It didn’t take long—boxes loaded, furniture wrapped, the whole place emptied piece by piece. Emberlynn trailed behind us, arms folded, watching her life get carried out the door.
When the last box was gone, she stood in the middle of the bare apartment, eyes glistening. She turned in a slow circle,taking it all in, then exhaled hard. “Goodbye,” she whispered. “It’s time for my next chapter.”
I slid my arm around her waist, pulling her into me. “Not just your chapter,” I corrected softly, kissing her temple. “Ours.”
We left shortly after, arriving at the airport in record time. Surprisingly, everything went smoothly. We arrived on time in the city, and retrieved my SUV from the parking lot.
“Can we make a stop?” Emberlynn asked as she tapped a bunch of stuff on her phone screen.
