Soft limitsmay be explored, but only with your consent in the moment.
If something changes, you will tell me. Honesty is not a request—it is required.
Questions-You may ask questions ahead of time, but during our sessions you will speak only when permitted.
Relationships-While you and I are engaged in extracurricular activities, you will abstain from any and all other intimate relationships. This is for your safety as well as mine. For the duration of this arrangement, you will be mine.
Feelings-This arrangement is reciprocal and transactional: we both get something from it. I will teach you how submission can set you free, but this is not a romantic relationship. If you develop romantic feelings for me, you must inform me immediately. Rules say we will end the arrangement and go our separate ways.
If you cannot agree to all of these, we will not proceed.
You asked what the rules would be. These are mine.
If you’re still considering, respond with your safe word of choice and the finished questionnaire.
-Sir
Chapter 6
Sebastian
“I’m not sure I like this side of you.” Ethan handed me a bourbon as I stepped out of the pool. I grabbed the towel off my chair, glancing out over Lake Washington, the Seattle skyline glittering across the water.
I ran the towel over my hair and chest, then tossed it over the backrest. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“He means you’ve been a complete ass all week,” Victor said as he strolled out through the French doors.
I dropped into my chair, bourbon in hand. “You two come all the way here just to insult me? In my own house? Christ, I need better friends.”
Victor sank into the seat beside me, unbuttoning his jacket like he owned the place. “We didn’t come here to insult you. That part’s just a bonus.”
Ethan smirked. “Where were you last night?”
“Working.” I swirled the amber liquid in my glass.
“Bullshit.” Ethan snorted. “You left before I did.”
Yes, I had—because if I’d stayed, I would’ve bent Mira over my desk and fucked her. Keeping her close was supposed to give me distance, help me find a flaw I could use to shut this shit down. To get her out of my system before we even started.
But it hadn’t worked. She’d absorbed everything I’d thrown at her. And the only flaw I’d found so far was her coffee, and eventhatshe was trying to improve.
“You coming out tonight? Think you need to partake. I’m all for voyeurism, but dude, what has it been? Three months?”
“You’re tracking my sex life now?” I wasn’t going to correct him, but it had been closer to six, and for me, that was unheard of but I couldn’t get Ms. Rhodes out of my mind.
Ethan raised his brows, smug. “I’m just saying, if you’re holding out for sainthood, that ship has sailed.”
I scoffed. “Don’t confuse restraint with sainthood.”
Victor finally chimed in. “It’s not restraint. It’s distraction. You’ve been off your game for weeks, and we all see it. Whatever’s in your head—it’s bleeding into everything else. And that’s dangerous. You’re letting what happened with that contract get in your head.”
