Page 46 of This Reckless Home

I unwrap one of my arms, slowly reaching out and swipe away some of the tears that linger on his cheek. “No, love. It doesn’t bother me that you stopped a predator from being able to prey on others.” I give him a smile. “Though, I do think that as cathartic as telling me may have been, you may want to talk to James about it one day.”

He gives a rough laugh, a small grin tugging up his lips. “Maybe.” His face gets serious. “But, between us, when it comes to sex and things, I have… requirements.”

“Like?” I ask, my hand still stroking his hair which is unbelievably soft. It’s not in the cornrows he usually wears, and is a riot of curls around his face. It softens his harsh lines and angles, and I hope he wears it like this again so I can keep running my hands over it.

“I need complete control,” he answers straight away, and I grin at him.

“I gathered that. And I like it, when you take control, I mean,” I say, watching as his pupils blow wide. “I have to be so on all the time, you know? It’s a relief to give it up and know that I’m safe.”

“You’ll always be safe, Petal,” he tells me, one of his hands coming up to brush the side of my neck. I shiver. “I don’t like to be touched.”

My hand on his hair freezes. “I’m sorry⁠—”

“No, Petal. That’s fine. I mean sexually. Below the belt. Hands on my junk…” He shudders and an idea comes to me.

“Would it be easier if I was tied up?”

His head snaps up, his green gaze molten as he looks at me. “What?”

“Would it be easier if you tied me up? That way I couldn’t accidentally touch you, and you’d be in full control,” I say, and a small groan leaves his plush lips.

“Shit, Petal.” His hips move, and something hard pokes my thigh. “You just short circuited my brain.” He inhales, his nostrils flaring. “Would you like to be tied up?”

I lick my lower lip, his eyes tracking the movement like a predator would his prey. “I think so, if it was you doing it.” I pause. “And I don’t think I’d mind if the others were there, but maybe we try on our own first?” I take a deep breath. “There's something you should know too. About how my body works.” I watch his face carefully, see his attention is fully on me. “The condition I have that means I don’t have a uterus, my MRKH, it means that not only was I born without a uterus, but my… anatomy is a little different. I've done work to make intimacy possible but I need you to go slowly at first, let me adjust. Especially given—” I glance down meaningfully. “I can see you're not built small.”

“Thank you for telling me, Petal. I’ll be careful, we take it at your pace, but you must use your words to let me know if it’s too much or you want more. That’s non-negotiable. Understood?”

“Understood, Nox.” He smiles, his sepia lips pulling up in the most distracting way.

“Shall we try now?” It’s a breath, a plea and my heart thuds in my chest.

“Nox, you just shared something very traumatic,” I reply, watching his face. His thick brows dip.

“Please don’t treat me like a victim, Petal,” he pleads, and my breath catches. “I won’t let that cunt take anything else from me. Trust me to know my limits.”

I gaze into his jade green eyes, seeing his truth and knowing that I am unable to deny him. “Okay, Nox.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“BEG” BY GONEDARK

NOX

“Okay, Nox.” Two words that get me even harder than when she first suggested I could tie her up. A pretty flush colors her cheeks as she flutters those long eyelashes at me. “I have scarves,” she tells me coyly. “Silk ones. Would those work?”

Hunger and something like relief flashes through me, and I take a deep inhale through my nose. “Show me.”

Her skin shivers at the command, and I swallow hard when she gets up with no hesitation, going over to her dresser and pulling open a drawer. I can just about see inside, and it’s a rainbow of silk.

“Gifts from Tina, pretty things for church or formal events I rarely attend,” she says quietly, and I smirk. She catches my eye in the mirror, her own widening, then she sucks her lower lip in and I have to stop the growl from leaving my throat. I’ll teach her that only I get to abuse that lip. She selects three and holds them up. “These?”

“Bring them here,” I command, and again she responds beautifully, coming straight back and handing me the silk. I slide it through my fingers as I test them. “These are perfect, Petal. Soft. Safe.” My eyes meet hers and I see that my approval means something to her. Shit, that gives me all the warm and fuzzies. “We need a safe word. Something you'd never normally say.”

She blinks, forehead furrowing and it’s too adorable. “Um…”

“Something that would immediately pull us out of the moment. That tells me to stop everything,” I elaborate, watching as she really thinks about it, taking it seriously.

A small smile tugs the corners of her lips. “Plum tree.”