Page 56 of Axe Marks the Spot

“Your desire to submit is clear.” He inhales. “It was brave of you to share, and your honesty pleases me.”

“I want to please you, Dane.” The words feel as if they’ve come from an entirely different part of me, yet they feel right. I rub my thighs together, and there’s no missing the way Dane’s masculine jaw ticks before he nods.

“You should get some rest.”

His command brings me back to my body, and I blink several times as his words settle in me. He’s ending the conversation, which is probably a good thing considering all that’s going through my mind now.

I nod in understanding. “Okay.”

“Take the night to recover from all the work you’ve been doing. Drink water only, and send me your check-in for the evening once you’ve completed your routine.”

“Yes, Dane.”

“I know you have tomorrow off. If I give you an assignment, will you have time to complete it?”

“Like a test?”

His shoulders ease, and a warm, soft laugh drifts through the phone. The sound of it eases me, too. “Not a test. I’d like to focus on rebuilding trust between us. I will send you questions to reflect and journal on that pertain to this conversation, and from there, we’ll figure out a proper punishment for your avoidance. If you have ideas, you’ll write them down for me to review. How does that sound?”

“I can handle that.”

Dane nods and leans forward in his chair so his face is closer and I can see his eyes clearly. “I’m glad we spoke.”

“Me, too, Dane.”

Our gaze remains locked until he finally breaks it. “Be good for me and hang up now. I’ll look for your check-in.”

I smile softly and dip my chin. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

I do as he says and hang up, dropping my phone beside me and leaning back against the pillows. I expect my mind to race, to analyze every second of our conversation, but instead, I feel content, the urge to do my check-in and receive his praise present in my mind.

I climb out of bed and pick up my wine glass, heading to the bathroom. I shut my eyes for a moment and check in with myself. Where before I felt unsure and afraid, now I feel hopeful.

Dane’s smile and hazel irises swim behind my eyelids, and I grin to myself. It surprises me, but I’m excited for the future, a feeling I don’t think I’ve felt in a long time. I pick up my wine, the urge to drink it gone now. I dump it down the drain and snap a picture to send to Sir. His answer comes through right away, and my heart flutters.

Sir

Good girl, now go do what I asked.

I respond without hesitation.

Me

Yes, Sir.

19

Dane

I STARE OUT THE window of my office, the mid-morning sun streaming through the glass panes. The sunny day doesn’t match my thoughts because I’m unsure of myself and brooding like a grumpy asshole.

Fuck, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way, since I’ve felt like I’ve failed a submissive the way I failed Lindsey. I let my attraction to her cloud my judgment, and I’ve slipped up, not only in not giving her clear instructions and boundaries but also in our interactions. I should never have asked her to tell me what she imagined. I should have done what I always do on the occasion a submissive has a sexual desire or fantasy and gently diverted away from it. Instead, I had her lean into it.

Her response eased my disappointment alright, but it also made me feel like a horny shithead, like I was a captive to my baser instincts and couldn’t fucking control myself around her. It’s not a feeling I like, and it never has been. Feeling out of control reminds me of how I felt as a child, and it upsets me.

I also called her baby, a nickname I reserve for my online persona to call the internet at large, never a submissive I’m working with. The moment I said it, it felt right, and it’s why I didn’t react in the moment. It should have been my hint to stop the conversation, but I didn’t.