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He needed to do this. He needed to fix this.
But Griffin was fucking rattled, too, so he appreciated the help because he’d needed it. They both had.
When they got into the lounge, Griffin sat and opened his arms.
“What the hell happened, man?” Quinton whispered as he lowered a still-crying Kenna to his lap.
Griffin just shook his head. He didn’t have time for that now. Only for this: “Thanks, Quinton.”
He didn’t need to say more. Quinton nodded and left.
After several long heart-breaking minutes, Kenna started coming around. Trying to take deeper breaths. Trying to stem the flow. Trying to rein herself in.
She attempted to talk to him, but her words were halting and broken.
“Take your time, baby. I’m in no rush,” he managed.
“I’m...I’m...sorry. I’m...s-so sorry,” she finally said.
He shook his head, her apology like a knife to his gut. His punishment had pushed her too far. “No, Kenna. You’re fine, sweetheart. You were so perfect. Just relax. I’ve got you.”
“Griff-Griff-in,” she gasped around shuddering breaths. “My fault. Was all...my fault.”
Hell, no, it wasn’t. None of the things she felt guilty about were. And as for the scene, it was the Dom’s responsibility to observe and assess, and clearly he’d failed at that. In fucking spades. “Baby, you did nothing wrong.”
They were both hot with sweat and tears, but finally, she peered up at him, her eyes focused and more alert. “I...I ruined everything.”
He embraced her tighter. “Never. You could never ruin anything, Kenna.” He looked at her red, puffy, beautiful face, and he felt so many things demanding to be said. Given how upset he was with himself, he couldn’t hold them in for another second. “Don’t you know, Kenna? Don’t you know how much I love you? That I would do anything for you? That you have become my whole reason for being these past weeks? That you walking back into my life was the best thing to ever happen to me? I’m so in love with you that I can barely breathe right now for the fear that I’ve hurt you.”
“Not you. Wasn’t...you,” she said. “And, oh God, Griffin, I love you, too.”
“Oh, fuck,” he said in what was nearly a moan. “You do?”
A quick nod as she wiped at her face. “I realized that I never stopped. I’ve been in love with you for so long that I don’t know how not to love you.”
“Baby. Oh, baby. I’m sorry,” he rasped, his heart soaring even as it hurt so damn bad.
Kenna tapped at her chest. “It’s the guilt, Griffin. The guilt. Not you. It just...hit me. Like something inside me broke open that had been shut tight.” She blew out a long breath as shudders wracked through her.
I need to feel good again.
That’s when Griffin realized that this was going to be a process, but that he was only too happy to walk beside her as she went through it. It would be a privilege. “Kenna, baby, have you ever thought of talking to someone?”
Her muscles went limp, as if she’d cried every solid part of herself away. “I haven’t been in a while. But clearly, I need to go again.”
Her willingness eased some of the pain squeezing his chest. “Will you, baby? Because I will help you however I can. Always. But I want to make sure you’re getting all the care you need.”
“I will,” she said. “I promise.”
He stroked the hair back off of her face. “God, I love you. I was so scared.”
“I’m so drained right now, Griffin. Like, I almost feel empty inside. But...” She peered up at him, her gray eyes really and truly clear. “But I feel like I needed this. Like it had to happen. I don’t know if it could’ve happened without you. So thank you for loving me, because I feel like you also saved me.”
Her words were like a balm, easing and comforting him even as he tried to give that right back. They held each other for a long time, and it felt like something new grew between them as they did. Something stronger. Something unbreakable. Forever more.
And Griffin would do whatever he had to make sure that was true—and to make her his once and for all.
