Page 72 of Axe Marks the Spot

“I know, Sir.”

He cocks his head to the side. “You know what?”

I wet my lips. “You said you think. I’m clarifying that I know I want to explore it.” The words that come out of my mouth shock me because where did this Lindsey come from?

Dane laughs, and I wonder if he’s thinking the same thing. I could say it comes from the fact that I’ve been horny this whole time, that I’ve been attracted to him and been thinking of doing sexual things with him since I watched his videos. But he’s influenced me so much already, even in the short time we’ve been working together.

I discovered tonight after we got home from dinner that I feel more like the old version of myself than I have in a long time, the one before Jeremy beat me down. And now, I see it even more. Because while it may be a small thing to say I know what I want, it’s big for me.

“You’re a fast learner,” Dane says. “I like that about you, Lindsey. But we have to work on that smart mouth of yours.” His tone is different than it’s been before, darker and more sensual. It’s the way he sounded in that video I commented on, a video that almost felt like he was talking directly to me. “Would you like to work on that, baby?”

Blood pounds in my ears as I nod. “Yes, Sir. I want to be good for you.”

“Hmm, I think you do.”

“Sir?” I ask.

“Yes?”

“Do you think or do you know?”

He laughs again, the sound making goose bumps fan over my skin. “In this case, I’ll let that smart mouth slide because I should have been clearer with my words.” He gets a bit closer to the camera so I can see his lips clearly as he says, “I know, Lindsey.”

His words settle in my bones, and I want to ask him what about me made him want to do this with me. Maybe it’s because he’s drawn to me like I’m drawn to him, or because I’m here and it’s easy. I wonder if he’s done this with other people before?

I almost open my mouth to ask him but decide against it. That’s his business, and it’s not like we’re going to date. We’re just going to have a different D/s dynamic like he said, a more intimate one. No dating here. I almost laugh because that sounds like a romance novel, Dating My Dom.

“Everything okay?” Dane asks.

I nod, deciding I can and will do this. I want to do this. “Yes, Sir. Everything’s fine.”

He studies me for a moment before nodding. “The same safe words are intact as we explore this new side of our dynamic together. Because you answered both sections of the questionnaire I sent, I understand your limits and boundaries when it comes to sexual exploration, and you’ve seen mine. However, we’ll discuss them again when we write up our new agreement. For tonight, I want to reiterate that I’m here to take care of you. If something feels bad, if you don’t like something I say or ask you to do, now more than ever, it’s important that you communicate with me. If you say your safe word, we stop, do you understand?”

Excited nerves well in my stomach, but I like the feeling. I like that I’m on the precipice of something big and new and completely unknown. I didn’t know that by being bold and commenting on his video tonight, this is where it would lead. But I’m glad it did.

“I understand, Sir.”

“Good girl.” He sits taller in his chair. “I would like to confirm: Do I have your consent to take control tonight and lead you through a scene?”

“Yes, Sir. You have my consent. Do I have yours?”

He pauses, and his smile is warmer somehow. “Yes, baby. You do.”

I smile back at him, watching as he transforms before my eyes. His eyes darken, and his shoulders square. “Now, ask your earlier question again. Refresh my memory.”

There’s a hard edge to his tone, one I don’t think I’ve heard before. A shiver works up my spine, and I shift on the couch. I’m more aroused now. Painfully so.

I wish he was sitting next to me so he could touch me, but this is good for now, safer, easier. The screen is a barrier that allows me to feel more open and honest, which was why it was easy to agree to our arrangement in the first place.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “In your video on Loopr, you pretended you came home to find your submissive starting without you. You said you were going to punish them.”

He hums, almost a low rumbling purr. “I did, didn’t I?”

I swallow, feeling my panties grow wet. Holy crap, this is actually happening right now. We’re really crossing into new territory, and surprisingly, I’m not afraid to cross into it. “Yes, Sir.”

Dane’s hazel eyes burn into mine through the screen, the fire still flicking in their reflection. “And what was the question you asked me?”

I swallow again, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. “If that were me, Sir, how would you punish me?”