Page 30 of Axe Marks the Spot

“That pleases me just fine.”

Warmth stirs in my belly, and my head dips naturally, my gaze falling to the keyboard. I really need to get a grasp on my bodily reactions, or I’ll fall in love with him regardless of what he calls me.

“Do you have your email open, Lindsey?”

I look back up at the screen. His arms are now folded in front of him. I click over to my email and reply, “Yes, Sir.”

“Good. Open the agreement attached, and we’ll go through it section by section. Let me know if you need any further explanation or if you don’t like something. We’ll discuss it and edit it together. Does that sound good?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Tell me when you’re ready, and I’ll begin.”

I click open the attachment, and everything becomes more real when I see the letterhead.

DOMINTHEWOODS, INC.

Professional Dominance and Submission Agreement

This agreement is entered into on Wednesday, July 19th between:

Dominant (hereafter referred to as “Dom”): D. Woods

Submissive (hereafter referred to as “Sub”): Lindsey C.

Purpose: This agreement establishes a structured and consensual dynamic between Dom and Sub ensuring that all interactions remain consensual, professional, and nonsexual while encouraging discipline, accountability, and self-improvement.

There’s a part of my brain that says Are you really doing this? But a larger part is screaming You’re really doing this, yay!

I smile softly and I fill my lungs with air quietly. I focus my gaze back on the screen where the agreement stares at me. D. Woods. Is his last name really Woods? What if his first name is really Dom? Dom Woods. I almost snort. That can’t be it.

“Lindsey?”

“Sorry.”

“Do you want to continue?”

“Yes, Sir,” I say without hesitation.

“Then let’s begin.”

13

Dane

LINDSEY’S “YES, SIR” ECHOES through my speakers, and the hair on my arms rises. A small part of me wondered if, when this got real, she’d bolt. If she’d discover she wasn’t ready for this level of commitment. But she’s proving to me that was a silly thought.

Lindsey’s already shown she’s eager. And I bet that if I could see her, I’d see that willingness in her eyes. Even if I believe I’m right and she has bratty tendencies that I look forward to uncovering and reforming.

“I’d like to preface that while this is an agreement, it would not hold up in a court of law,” I say. “This is a personal agreement between us, and legal systems do not recognize power exchange agreements as legally binding. I invite you to see this as a consent document. It’s fluid, and if at any time you’d like to change something or revoke that consent, it will end. Same goes for me. I can end our arrangement at any time if I see fit. Any questions about that?”

“No, Sir. I understand.”

“I’d like to add that we both hold power in this relationship, and it’s important we understand that everything we do is with mutual agreement. Consent is not one-sided.”

“That makes sense. I wouldn’t want to do anything that upsets you or makes you uncomfortable.”

My chest rumbles in appreciation. If I could see her, I imagine her head would be tilted down in gentle submission. I bet she’s smiling, too.