Page 49 of Merciless Daddy

“Yelena.”

The way I said her name stopped the game.

Not entirely. Nothing stopped her entirely. But she straightened, watching me.

“There will be no more kissing,” I said. “No sexual touching. Not while Kiryl remains in your father’s house and you depend on us for shelter and protection. Not while I am in a position of power over you. You are vulnerable.”

Silence settled between us.

Her expression went glacial. “But I’m the one who kissed you.”

“I remember.”

“I initiated it.”

“As I say, I remember.”

“I wanted you to kiss me back. I begged you to.”

“Yes.”

“And now you’ve decided I’m not allowed to choose what I want?”

“No.”

“That sounds remarkably like what you decided.”

I walked around the island and stopped with it between us. Necessary architecture.

“You are competent,” I said. “You can choose. You can also change your mind. A free choice has to be safe to withdraw.”

“It was safe.”

“You froze when my hand went under your jumper.”

“I pulled away. I didn’t freeze.”

“Even worse. So I let go.”

“Believe me, I know.”

“Because that is the bare minimum. I need enthusiastic consent, not pulling away.”

Her jaw tightened. “You make desire sound like a compliance audit.”

“With you, at present, it needs one.”

“How romantic.”

“I am not trying to be romantic.”

“That much is clear.”

She pushed off the counter and walked toward me.

One step.

Then another.