Page 8 of Accepting Love

She is mine.

Chapter3

Hannah

I can’t think straight. I have no idea why I’ve admitted those things to Zane. Or I guess his real name is Kingston Slade. Zane is a club name. Just like Hannah.

I backpedal. “None of that matters, Zane.” I need to stop calling him Sir. “I’m a public figure. If anyone ever found out…”

“I already did, Little one,” he says gently.

The way he calls me Little one sends a shiver down my spine. He hasn’t Daddied me until now. I’m slipping. I feel like I’m on a long metal slide. So long I can’t see the bottom. It’s covered with oil. I can’t brace myself to keep from slowly sliding downward.

I take another step back. It’s not helping. I can’t get enough distance from him to clear my head. He’s filling the entire room. He’s got such a strong presence. There isn’t enough oxygen for both of us, and he’s hogging it all.

I need him to leave. If I remain in his presence… I shudder and meet his gaze again. I need to be brave. “I can’t be with you, Zane.”

His brows furrow slightly as if he’s trying not to react but can’t stop himself. “Okay. That’s a very broad statement, Hannah.”

Touché. I’ve called him Zane. He would naturally call me Hannah.

“Do you mean you’d like me to leave and come back later so you can have some time?” He takes a step closer to me and continues, “Because it sounds to me like you’re talking about something much larger than that. It sounds like you recognize there’s something between us, and you’re fighting it because you don’t know what to do with it.”

My inhalation is ragged. Why must he be so insightful? I take another step back, grateful that this room is large and there’s currently only one piece of furniture in it. The piano.

I look down again. I hate showing my weakness. I hate being vulnerable. I wish I was strong like Hannah. But I’m not Hannah. I’m Carolina. Right?

“I can’t be Carolina with you. I don’t know how. You’re pulling my Little to the forefront with your…dominance.”

“Is that so bad?” He reaches out and grabs a lock of my hair, fingering it as if he’s afraid to touch me directly. “You’ve known me for two years, Hannah. I’m a strong Daddy Dom. It’s not surprising you would feel Little around me. Why fight it? I’m here now. I’ve accidentally penetrated your world. Why not let me stay and see what happens?”

I flinch, my breath hitching again. “I’ll lose myself. People will find out. It could ruin my career.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“You can’t stop it. You can’t control my reactions. I can’t be in my adult headspace when you’re in the room,” I argue.

“Then don’t.” He drops my hair and sets his hand on my shoulder before sliding his palm down my arm until he’s holding my hand, intertwining our fingers together. He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles. “Don’t. Be yourself with me.”

“I don’t think I know who that is,” I admit out loud, realizing that for the first time. I’m not Hannah or Carolina right now. I’m somewhere in between. I don’t know this woman/Little.

“How about if you let me help you find her.” He sets his other hand on my shoulder and urges me closer. “Come here, Little one. You need a hug.”

I nearly fall into him, giving him all of my weight. I’m trembling with nerves.

A knock at the door makes me flinch, and I start to step out of Zane’s embrace, but he holds me tighter.

“Come in,” he calls out.

My cheek is against his chest. I squeeze my eyes closed. Why is he doing this?

Audrey clears her throat. “I uh… I just wanted to make sure everything is okay.”

“It will be,” Zane responds, “as soon as I talk this Little one into giving me a chance.”

Audrey gasps. I’m sure she’s shocked. After a few seconds, she speaks again. “I think that’s a marvelous idea.”

I jerk my head around to look at her. “Traitor.”

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