Page 55 of Knox's Boy

"The power dynamic is so skewed. He has all the power, financial, experiential, everything. What happens if you disagree with him? What happens if you want to leave? Where will you even go?"

“I'll figure it out,” I said, shivering a little.

My phone vibrated against the table, the screen illuminating with a text. Daddy with two red hearts. My heart lurched as I read the message.

Where are you? You know the rules about curfew. This is unacceptable, Florian.

Something must have shown on my face because Luna reached across the table and grabbed my phone before I could stop her.

"'This is unacceptable, Florian'?" she read aloud, her eyebrows shooting up. "Is he your boyfriend or your boss? Jesus."

"Luna, give it back," I hissed, snatching the phone from her hand. My fingers hovered over the keyboard. What could I say? I'd already texted him hours ago that I was meeting Luna for a quick dinner, knowing full well I planned to stay out longer. It was a half-truth at best, a deliberate test of boundaries at worst.

"See, this is exactly what I'm talking about," Luna said, gesturing at my obvious distress. "Look at you. You're terrified because you're having a drink with a friend. That's not normal, Flo."

"I'm not terrified," I lied, typing out a quick reply.

Sorry, lost track of time. Heading back soon.

Knox's response was immediate and tense:

We'll discuss this when you get home.

Five simple words that sent a shiver down my spine, equal parts dread and, embarrassingly, anticipation. I knew what ‘discuss’ meant in Knox's vocabulary. I knew what happened to boys who broke curfew. The thought made my face flush and my stomach tighten with a complicated knot of emotions.

"Why did you even come out tonight if you're this stressed about it?" Luna asked, her tone softening as she noticed my discomfort.

I looked up at her, at the genuine concern in her dark eyes. "Because I missed you," I admitted. "We don't work together anymore, and you know... I don't have many friends." There was another reason too, one I couldn't articulate even to myself: sometimes I needed to push against the boundaries, to make sure they would hold.

"I miss you too," Luna said, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. "But I don't want to get you in trouble with Daddy."

"It's not..." I started, then sighed. "Look, the rules, the structure, it's consensual, okay? It's what I want too." I lowered my voice. “It’s a dynamic. We discussed all of this. I can stop, renegotiate.”

Luna studied me, skepticism etched in the furrow of her brow. "If you say so. But consent gets muddy when one person holds all the cards."

I stood up, pulling on my jacket. "He doesn't hold all the cards. I could leave anytime I want." Even as I said it, the thought of walking away from Knox's house, from his steady presence, from the safety he'd built around me, made my chest tight with panic.

"Could you, though?" Luna asked quietly.

The question hung between us, unanswered because we both knew the truth. I had nowhere else to go.

"I've gotta go," I said, dropping some cash on the table, from Knox's allowance, of course, which didn't escape Luna's notice. "His driver's waiting."

"Of course he is," Luna muttered, but she stood up and gave me a tight hug. "Just... be careful, okay? And remember you always have a couch at my place if you need it. You aren’t going back to that shelter. I’ll make sure of that."

I nodded, grateful for the offer even though I knew I wouldn't take it.

As I walked out of the pub into the cool night air, I spotted the sleek black car waiting at the curb. My heart raced as I slid into the back seat, the leather cool against my palms.

"Home, please," I told Allan.

As the car pulled away from the curb, I leaned my head against the window and watched the campus lights recede. I was heading toward consequences, toward the discipline I'd deliberately invited by staying out late. And despite Luna's concerns, despite my own jumbled feelings, I wanted exactly that.

We got there. Allan opened my door without a word, and I stepped out, my legs unsteady with dread and anticipation. I knew Knox would be waiting. I knew he'd be angry, or worse, disappointed. The walk to the front door felt longer than usual, each step carrying me closer to consequences I'd deliberately chosen. I felt sick. And hard, at the same time. When I pressed my palm against the biometric lock and heard the soft click, I drew in a deep breath.

Knox was waiting, just as I'd expected. He stood at the base of the grand staircase, still. His posture was military, straight, sleeves rolled up. So. Fucking. Hot. He wore no tie, no jacket, just slacks and a crisp white button-down that made his grayish hair and defined features look even more striking. His face was impassive, but his dark eyes made my skin prickle.

"You're late," he stated, his voice calm. He checked his expensive watch with deliberate slowness. "Two hours and twenty-one minutes late, to be precise."