“And why is that?”
“Because I’m the sub.” His voice still held doubt.
Vincent straightened and pulled his hands out from under Jasper’s shirt to rest them on his hips instead. “Put your hands above your head.” When Jasper obeyed without question, he left him like that a moment before asking, “Why did you do that?”
“Because you told me to,” Jasper said, a frown settling between his eyebrows.
“And if Amber or Keith told you to do that? Would you obey them?”
The frown deepened as Jasper stared at Vincent’s chest. “No.”
Vincent hummed and found the warm skin above Jasper’s jeans with his thumbs, rubbing small circles into it. “Strip naked, go outside, and run around the house.”
Jasper scowled. “No way.”
“Why not?” he asked, more amused than annoyed that Jasper needed such extreme examples to draw the line without hesitation.
“Because I don’t want to.”
“Okay. Why not?” Vincent waited as Jasper shifted against the fridge, dropping his arms as he clearly grew more frustrated.
“You can’t make me,” Jasper finally mumbled.
Vincent raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t a reason, but he was surprised Jasper didn’t seem to realize that was exactly the point. “You’re right. I can’t make you do anything.”
Jasper stared at Vincent’s chest, practically vibrating with tension, but he didn’t try to pull away. “I know you said you wouldn’t get mad,” he said quietly. “But you could still take it out on me later. Punish me for not doing what you wanted. Make me think twice about refusing again.”
Vincent almost flinched, gritting his teeth against the flood of memories of Adam doing exactly that. He’d lived that nightmare for years. He’d never inflict it on someone else. “I could,” he said, letting out a slow breath. “And there are some Doms who do, and some subs who enjoy that kind of play. That’s not something I’m interested in.”
Jasper nodded faintly and glanced up, still obviously uncertain.
Vincent slid his palm up Jasper’s chest, grasped his chin, and tipped his head back. “What if I told you to strip and lie on the table so I could tie you down?”
Jasper’s eyes darted to the table, then focused on Vincent again. His tongue flicked out, wetting his lips as he nodded.
“Even without knowing what I want to do to you?”
Jasper frowned again, but he didn’t hesitate. “Yes, Sir. I trust you.”
“Trust me to do what, pet?”
“To not do anything I….” Jasper slumped against the fridge with a dumbfounded expression. “Oh.”
“Oh,” Vincent agreed.
Jasper fell silent and let out a few long shuddering breaths before speaking again. “I trust you to follow my limits. I… I’m giving you the power to use me how you want because I can trust you not to hurt me. Because you know where I draw the line. Even if that line isn’t permanent.”
Finallythey were getting somewhere.
“Good boy.” Jasper’s hesitant smile was more than worth the frustration of the past few hours. He slid his fingers into Jasper’s hair and curled them into a loose fist. “Once you’re restrained, you’re completely helpless. I could gag you and do whatever I wanted to you, regardless of your limits. But that’s not the point, is it?”
“No, Sir,” Jasper whispered.
“Do you understand why I need to be able to trust you to know your limits, then? To be able to safeword without worrying about being punished for it?”
Jasper’s eyes widened, and he made a soft, desperate sound at the back of his throat. “Yes, Sir. I’m sorry I didn’t—I thought I was supposed to let you take what you wanted and… hope you knew when it was too much.”
Vincent pulled Jasper close, running fingers through his hair. “And now? You understand why the sub has the power?”
