Page 766 of End Game

I am increasingly convinced Griffin needs to be there anyway.

There was a time I might have interpreted that as interference. Now I understand it differently. Griffin anchors by instinct. It is how he loves people. He does it with Cami most obviously, but I've watched him do versions of it with the rest of us for years.

I want him to have that piece.

“Griffin.”

He looks at me.

“You can anchor her between her thighs. Keep her from rotating. Don't chase anything and try not to let her chase anything.”

His expression changes, but he nods.

We talked about this—all of this—long before we walked down those stairs.

I don’t usually worry about planning taking away from heat, but it may very well do that today. We’ve all decided that will be okay for this experience.

Griffin’s hand moves between her legs, creating a point of contact that is sexual enough to make Cami inhale sharply without giving her anything deliberate to pursue. More importantly, the pressure gives her another fixed reference point and will keep the lands of the flogger from turning her body.

Dex shifts in the chair but keeps his hands exactly where they belong.

I pick up the flogger.

The first contact is deliberately light, more sensation than impact. Cami's skin tightens in response.

I increase the weight gradually, watching her breathing more than the marks beginning to bloom across the areas we've chosen.

After several passes, Griffin asks, “You really like this?”

Cami answers without hesitation. “Yes.”

I continue.

Another impact draws a low sound from her.

“You'll tell us if you don't?” he asks.

Her head turns toward his voice. “I promise I'll safeword.”

Griffin studies her face for another second.

Then he accepts the answer.

No additional questions. No request that I change what I'm doing. He simply trusts the consent she gave him and keeps his hand where I told him to keep it.

That lands harder than I expect.

The first time Griffin saw marks I'd left on Cami, I understood why he needed to process them. He trusted her, but trusting her desire and trusting me with the consequences of that desire were not exactly the same thing.

Somewhere along the way, they became close enough that he no longer needs to supervise the difference.

I don't know exactly when that happened.

I am glad it did.

Once Cami's skin has warmed and her reactions tell me the impact is landing the way I want it to, I hold the flogger out to Micah.

He looks at it, then at me.