“I’m sorry, Katia. It wasn’t true.”
“I know it wasn’t true. But you will never lie to me again,” she says as she brushes the tears angrily away from her face.
“Never,” I say just above a murmur, moving forward to take her in my arms, but she takes a step back.
“You need to tell me,” she says softly. Her defenses are crumbling around her. My breath is stolen from my lungs at the raw vulnerability on her face.
Tell her what? Whatever she needs to hear, I’ll tell her. Anything, just to get that hurt look off her face. I need her happiness back. “I’ll tell you anything.”
“Then tell me!” she yells at me, and I’m at a loss for words. I take a step toward her again, so close to touching her, but she steps back, moving from my reach. I drop to my knees in front of her. Desperate for her to stop moving away from me, to stop denying me.
“I’m sorry! I’m so fucking sorry! I’m broken. I’m hurt. I need you in my life. I need to lean on you and learn to put faith and trust in you like you do me!” I reach out for her, gripping onto her thighs and pulling her closer to me. “Is that what you want?”
Her shoulders rock forward with a sob as she shakes her head no. My heart shatters into a million shards.
“Just tell me what you want to hear!” I’ll tell her whatever she needs to hear. Whatever it is, I need her. I have to have her back.
“I told you I loved you!” she yells at me before covering her mouth and breathing in deep.
That’s what she wants?
“Of course I love you!”
She falls to the ground, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and finally letting me hold her again.
“I’ve loved you since I first laid eyes on you,” I whisper in her ear, kissing her shoulder, her cheek. Finally, her lips. She kisses me with the same intensity I feel. She's equal to me in every way.
“You deserve better than me. More than what I can give you. But if you want me, I won’t deny you.” I give her a soft chaste kiss, pressing my lips to hers and feeling closer to her than I’ve ever been to anyone. “I fucking love you, Katia.”
“I love you, Isaac.” Her voice is soft and gentle. “My Master,” she says in a whisper. “I love you.”
“I love you, kitten.”
Epilogue
“I’m gonna bring you home to daddy,” I coo, rubbing Toby’s belly, the Golden Retriever I’ve fallen in love with, even if he is a stubborn dog sometimes. Toby grins at me, his mouth open, his teeth exposed as he paws playfully at my hands. “Yes I am, boo boo.”
Looking at him makes me think of Roxy, but today I’m not filled with sadness when the image of her pops up in my mind. Roxy would be ecstatic for me right now. I’ve finally found someone who I can spend the rest of my life with. I only wish Roxy was here to spend it with us.
“But you’re going to fix that, aren’t you, Toby?” I ask, tickling his belly, eliciting a cute whine from his canine lips. Toby will never take Roxy’s place in my heart, but I think he’ll be a good substitute. I just know that Isaac is going to love him. He told me he’s ambivalent with dogs, but I’m positive that Toby will win him over. He can win anyone over. His adorableness is infectious. “Aren’t you, boo boo?” Toby continues to grin at me, pawing at me and my eyes fill with tears of happiness. God, I’m so happy. I can’t remember ever feeling this complete. Things are going far better than I expected.
It’s been two months since I moved in with Isaac, and everything is perfect. Not just between us, but everything. Absolutely everything.
I know it’s early to say that I want to spend the rest of my life with Isaac, but what we have is stronger than anything I could ever imagine having with someone else. I can’t even imagine being with anyone else. Isaac is my heart and soul. My Master. But he’s so much more than even that. One day, hopefully soon, he’ll know how much meaning he’s brought to my life, how much I appreciate him for saving me.
I feel normal now. Which is a weird thing to say, since I’m anything but. But I’m making friends and feeling at ease. I feel whole.
I’ve even made a friend at the club named Dahlia. Isaac’s been taking me to the club more and more. I love it there. Not only because of the allure, but for the company. Like Dahlia. Her Dom and Isaac are close. I don’t know what all they’ve been through, but I know he helped heal Dahlia. They’re going to therapy together, which is new for them. Lucian said they should go together. She’s proud of it. She’s proud of him. But she still hasn’t told me why. I understand not wanting to open up to me just yet, but she tells Lucian everything. And it shows when they’re together.
“So is this the one?” asks that deep familiar voice.
Speak of the devil.
I suck in a breath as I take in Isaac standing in the doorway, his hands casually stuffed inside his pant pockets. He’s a fucking vision today, wearing a breezy dress shirt that’s unbuttoned at the chest, showing the beautiful tanned skin beneath. I almost feel guilty at the sinful thoughts that run through my mind as I pet Toby, ashamed that I’m aroused in my place of work. But I can’t help myself. Isaac always does this to me. I could be in the same room with the pope, and one look from Isaac would have me blushing violently.
“Why yes he is, Master,” I answer playfully. I’m not supposed to call him Master in public. Only at home or at Club X. But fuck it, I can’t help it. He shouldn’t be so fucking hot, and then there’d be no issue.
Isaac smirks at me, looking to his left and to his right, wary of any employees as the dogs bark in the background. He needn’t worry. They’re all in the back. “Are you looking to be punished, kitten?” he says threateningly under his breath.
I return his smirk as I say, “Maybe I am.”
Isaac
“Please, Master,” Katia begs me from the bed as I walk to the dresser.
She’s heaving for air and her fingers are digging into her thighs to keep herself from taking over.
She wants more. She always wants more. I’m going to have to take a fucking Viagra just to keep up with her.
Fuck, she feels so good. I’ll never get enough of her. I could fuck her all day and still not be sated. All I want to do is give her unmatched pleasure.
Not today though. We’re helping her cousin move into Katia’s old apartment. Lyssa's excited to be moving to the big city, and Katia’s happy to have her close.
In fact, she’s been wanting to see her family more and more. Especially her mother. It’s about time she opened up to her. She doesn’t talk about the depraved aspects of our relationship. But she tells her mother everything else. She’s honest and open. She’s raw and vulnerable. She’s not afraid to share her pain, because she knows with that there’s healing. For all of them. Katia and her family.
She’s finally accepted that.
I’ve never seen her happier and more confident. She’s a beautiful woman, inside and out.
How I got suckered into helping her cousin move, I have no idea. Well, the movers I hired will be doing most of the work, but still.