His chin trembled as tears flooded his eyes. “She would? Like really would?”
My heart shattered for him, that he had been expecting to be shunned, that he didn’t feel himself lovable by his own family. “Yes. She was devastated at the time lost, at what happened to you and your mother. I’m quite sure she would have jumped on a plane today if I would have allowed it.”
“She wants to know me?” he said again, as if he still couldn’t believe it.
“She’s the lucky one, my little warrior. Tell me you know that.”
“She’s the lucky one—oh, Aidan. I have an aunt? And nieces? Twins? Oh…I didn’t think. I’m sorry.”
“Stop.” I pressed a hand to his mouth. “Don’t apologize. Not for that.”
“Thank you!” His hold on me tightened. “I wouldn’t have this without you. I want to call her right now! Can I call her now?”
“If that’s what you want, yes. The number is in my office. I called her from the landline, so it’s not in my cell.”
“Will you stay with me while I do?”
“I’ll do whatever you need. Always.”
“I can’t believe I have family.” He stood. “I’m kind of scared. Like I don’t know if I believe this is true. Like I’m going to wake up and find out it was all a dream. Do you promise this is real?”
I chuckled. “Yes, it’s real. Now come on so you can do this.”
We went to my office, and I grabbed the number from my desk. Finley was pacing the room, and I could see his nerves getting the better of him.
“Hey. Stop.” He did so immediately. “You’re okay. I’m here, and no matter what happens, I’ll always be here. You can do this.”
He wrapped his arms around me, his face in my chest. “Because of you.”
“You give me too much credit. Now sit down, please.”
“Yes, Sir.” He went to the couch, and I sat beside him. Using my cell phone, I called the number and handed it to him. “Is this Jennifer?” he asked a moment later. “This is Finley…your, um…nephew?”
They spoke for hours, and I didn’t leave his side. There were tears and laughs and getting-to-know-yous. When he was finished, he hung up, climbed into my lap, and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m so happy. I can’t wait to get to know her more, but I realized something. I said I had family when you told me, but even before Jennifer, I had family. I have you. No matter what, you’re my family, Aidan.”
I kissed the top of his head, felt myself getting choked up. “I’ll always give you what you need.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Finley
I spoke to my aunt every day for the next couple of weeks. Sometimes it was just texting, other times it was chatting. She was able to share so much about my mom with me, all these funny stories I’d never heard. She emailed me photos, and we talked about her girls and things we had in common, and it was…incredible.
It was perfect—my life was beyond perfect, really. It was summertime, so classes were out, but I was excited to go back in the fall. I got to serve Aidan every day, take care of his home, cook his meals, and follow his schedules. I still didn’t love the workouts every morning, but I did it because he said I should, and I wanted to do what Aidan said.
And every night I slept in his bed. He fucked me and hurt me and bound me, and it was… Jesus, it was as close to complete as I’d ever felt. Like I was where I belonged and fulfilled in the very best of ways. There was nothing like giving myself to him. There was such power in that, in the giving of power to him. It made me strong and settled in my skin and as if there was nothing I couldn’t do.
When I cried for him, I was free.
When he pushed his cock down my throat until I couldn’t breathe, I felt possessed.
When he punished me, well, it hurt like hell, but I needed it and wanted it, and there was so much love in that, in Aidan giving me what I needed. He’d told me once that it was his job as my Dominant to help me become the best version of myself in every way, to help me reach my fullest potential. He did that every day, every second, with his rules, schedules, touches, kisses, spankings, and in the way he fucked me.
Feeling owned by him made me feel loved by him. Being used by him made me feel important, and there was nothing like serving Aidan. My Sir.
We had plans to see my aunt the following week. I couldn’t believe it—I would see her, my mother’s sister. My thoughts were racing, but like always, Aidan saw. Aidan knew and made it better.
When we woke this morning, Aidan fucked me, then plugged me, then let me hold his cock while he pissed. I served him breakfast, and we worked out together, and there was a chance, maybe, that I was beginning to enjoy this kind of physical activity more.
We spent the day together, just being, watching shows I knew he had no interest in, and swimming together, and talking.
It was early evening when Aidan instructed me to go to our room, strip, and kneel for him.
“Yes, Sir.” The familiar zip of excitement and hunger shot through me.
A couple of minutes later he came into the room, carrying a small box, and sat on the edge of the bed. “Come,” he said, and I crawled to him, curious and confused but eager for whatever he would give me. Aidan opened the box. “Do you know what this is?”
My chest got tight, and I began to shake. “A collar.” Oh God. Aidan was collaring me? Please let him be collaring me.
It was soft leather, obviously very expensive. There was a dainty gold lock on it, the key sitting beside it. Engrained into the leather was the word Aidan’s, and on the inside it said Precious Boy. “Can I wear it? Please put it on me. I’ll never take it off.”
It was silly, maybe. I already felt completely owned by Aidan, but this, this made me feel even more possessed by him. I would wear it proudly so everyone knew I was his.
“We’ll have to see about the never-taking-it-off part. If you take it, there may be times when it’s not appropriate, which we’ll discuss together. But I would very much like to give this to you. I would like you to wear it tonight so everyone knows you’re mine.”
I didn’t care about appropriate. I wanted everyone to know I was his, all the time. Still, I asked, “Tonight?”
“It’s the party. Would you still like to go?”
My stomach swooped slightly, but my skin buzzed in the best way. My answer came easily, and truthfully. “I’m nervous, but I want it…so much. You won’t let anyone touch me?”
“No. They can look. They’ll be envious, but they’ll all know you belong to me.”
I trembled, my body flushed with heat. I felt a bit slutty, but God, did I want that. I wanted to be flaunted and desired but completely under Aidan’s command. “When can we go? I want to go now.”
Aidan chuckled. “Such an eager little slut, aren’t you? Lean in. I’d like to see this on that pretty neck of yours.”
He plucked the collar from the box and set the packaging aside. I held my breath as he wrapped it around my neck, fastening the lock with a click.
“Beautiful,” he said, running his fingers along it.