“Have I done something wrong?” My heart hammered. “Are you mad at me?”
Please don’t let him be mad at me.
“We need to talk.” Kip pointed to the couch. “Have a seat.”
“Don’t you want dinner first?”
“No, I want you to do what I asked you to.” His eyes met mine. “Sit down, Mason.”
It should have annoyed me, but his words seemed to reach into my brain and flick a switch, flooding my head with dopamine. It felt as though I was high on his words. I moved quickly to the sofa and sat down, looking up at him as he stripped off his jacket and hung it on the hook. Then he came to where I was sitting and took the spot beside me.
“Kip? Are you okay?” My voice shook.
“I… don’t know.”
“Have I displeased you?”
For a split second his eyes widened, but then they returned to normal. “No. I mean, not really.” He huffed out a breath. “Look, I’m not going to beat about the bush with this. You deserve better. I talked with John today, and he told me I’m not being the Dominant I need to be.”
Anger coursed through me. “Fuck him!” I snapped. “He has no say in?—”
“Stop, Mason.”
And there went that switch again.
I did as he ordered. “I’m sorry.”
“He told me what an Omega was. What you needed. I… never thought about it in those terms. I figured my way was the right way, but I never once thought aboutyourreality.”
My heart quaked.
“I don’t understand,” I croaked. “Are you trying to tell me this isn’t working out?”
Fuck, please don’t say that.
This time his eyes did widen. “Oh.No, baby, that’s not what I’m saying at all. John says you need a firm hand, that you live to serve, and that I’m doing you a disservice by not allowing you to do that.”
I let his words filter through my head for a bit, then admitted something to him. “I don’t like it when you help me with the dishes.”
“What?” He frowned. “That was random.”
“I want to take care of you. Of our house. I understand your parents split the housework, and that works for them. In our place, though, I’m not your mother. I have a purpose, and it’s being in your service in all things. I want to cook for you. Clean for you. Blow you when you walk in the door.”
He smirked. “I kinda like that idea.”
“I’m serious,” I protested. “What gives me joy? Servicing you. Fuck, I don’t even care if I don’t get off—seeingyouget there is everything. I want to take care of you so you don’t have to worry about anything.”
“But that wasn’t how I was raised,” he admitted. “And I get that, but it’s howIwas raised. I love you. I love my life. I’m not saying I want us in a polycule, because I don’t. I absolutely hate the idea of sharing you with anyone. But, if that’s what you want, I’ll adjust. It might take some time, so I’d need you to be patient with me, but I’d do it.”
He pulled me into a hug. “No, that is most definitelynotwhat I want, and it never will be. You’re more than enough for me.” He stilled. “So you’re saying youwantme to be stricter?”
“Want? No. Need? Yeah. My mind aches for you to give me an order, because it tells me you love me.”
“And you’re sure this is what you want?” He seemed hesitant. “I mean, you won’t be hurt?”
“I think I’m more hurt by not being who I should be.”
“All right, we’ll give it a try, but I need you to promise me something. If we do it and you don’t like it, you’ll tell me and we’ll stop.”
