Chapter 39
Nikolai
Expectations Broken Down
Her fingers curled instinctively around mine as I laced them together and guided her down the hall. The creak of the floorboards grew quieter with each step, the hush between us lingering. I guided her to the bathroom and gave her a gentle shove to use the toilet.
With a heavy heart, I turned the faucet on and adjusted the water temperature. As it filled, I disrobed. When her face appeared again, it was still racked with grief. This wouldn’t do.
“In you go,” I stated.
She stepped in first, easing into the warmth, and I followed, lowering myself into the water. The heat wrapped around us both, and for a moment, all I could do was breathe her in.
“I plan to email you my list of rules and expectations tomorrow, but we can go over some of them tonight, if you wish.”
“I’d love that, actually. I don’t want to disappoint you in any way.”
“Just so you know, none of the rules any of us give you are meant to control or restrict you, but only to guide and enrich the relationships. I hope you trust us enough to know that we only want what’s best for you. I’ve broken mine down into categories so they’re easier for you to digest.”
She had straightened up and hung on to every word I said. Her face grew serious, and I knew she wasn’t just hearing but absorbing my words. “Sounds fair. What are the categories?”
“Health, safety, obedience, social, and emotional. We can always renegotiate as you are ready or feel it’s necessary. Within reason, of course.”
Thoughtfully, she said, “I see, the nonnegotiables, I’m guessing, are what you were referring to when you said within reason. Maybe I should hear those first.”
“We’ll start with your physical health. These won’t surprise you, and we unanimously agreed on them.
” I waited for her to nod before I continued.
“We expect you to eat healthy meals to include protein, fruits, and vegetables at least three times a day. You’ll drink your water so you stay hydrated.
No drugs or smoking. You may drink alcohol, but only in moderation.
Eight hours or more of sleep each night. ”
“Eight full hours? With the appetites of three Kings? We may need to negotiate that one.” She shimmied her shoulders in glee.
I grinned, acknowledging she had a point.
“The social ones will most assuredly change over time.” Sadness tugged at her lips and dimmed the color of her eyes at my words, but I ignored it.
In her mind, we only had two and a half weeks, but in mine and my brothers’, we had forever.
“No talking to strangers, be polite, no cursing. If someone outside me or my brothers flirts with you, you are to immediately tell me.”
“Does that include Sebastian, Daddy?” she teased.
“No, because he wouldn’t dream of crossing that line with you. I don’t doubt he will flirt every chance he gets, but unless it makes you uncomfortable, we trust him and you.”
“He doesn’t make me uncomfortable, and I like it. Especially because he can’t have me.”
“You’re so bad.” I leaned over and kissed her lips.
“Now, where was I? Clothing, hair, and nails, we’ve already worked out.
In regard to some of the emotional expectations, our biggest is your use of your safeword.
It’s imperative that you use it anytime you need to. It’s our way of keeping you safe.”
“I know.”
“The other big one we need to address is negative self-talk. Now, Marcel explained it’s unrealistic that your views on yourself can change overnight, so we’ve agreed to allow you some leeway.
He’s asked us to redirect, talk it through, soothe those feelings, and help you find a more positive way to see things.
Is that something you think you could do? ”
“I’ll try, for sure. I love having him as a therapist. He’s amazing.” A beaming smile stole over her face, radiating her happiness.
“He is pretty awesome, isn’t he? Now, on to obedience.”
She shifted slightly, eyes searching mine, and I held out my hands in quiet invitation.
Her skin was slick with heat as she rose onto her knees and moved toward me.
The warmth of her body met mine as she settled onto my lap, her legs curling around my waist, water dripping in soft rivulets down her chest and onto mine.
I exhaled slowly, letting my hands steady her hips, the heat between us growing heavier than the bath itself.
Cupping her face, I spoke once more. “You will always obey me and my orders without hesitation. You can tell me anything. All I ask is that you’re respectful. And when I ask you something or correct you, I want to hear yes, Daddy. No, Daddy. Or sorry, Daddy.”
“Yes, Daddy.” She kissed me as she looped her hands behind my neck.
“When I say no, I mean it. No whining. If you do something bad, you need to tell me. No lying. You will let me touch you anytime, anywhere.”
She leaned her head back, and I kissed her neck before continuing. “I want a good morning and goodnight kiss, no matter whose day it is. Even if you’re angry with me. You will kiss me.”
“Like this?” Her lips met mine, and I sighed, drowning in her.
I pulled back. “On my nights, your orgasms are mine and mine alone. You aren’t in control of them. I am. You will not pleasure yourself without my permission. You can always ask me, though, and I’ll be honest with you, as long as you let me watch or hear, I’ll say yes.”
She shivered in my lap. “If you break the rules, there will be punishments.”
“Punishments?” She froze.
“For some infractions, I’ll give you a warning. I may take your phone or laptop away for a short period of time. For more serious infractions, I’ll resort to corrective measures.”
“Like a spanking?” She moved closer and rubbed her swollen pussy against my cock, making me groan. “What about rewards? You haven’t mentioned anything about those. What do I get if I’m a good girl?”
“Well, here is where you have some homework to do. See, I know you like this.” I pushed my cock up, and the tip slipped inside her, sending the breath flying from her lungs.
Immediately, she moaned and tried to sink further down, but I gripped her hips, only allowing a small part of me inside.
The frustrated sound that slipped from her wasn’t loud.
It was soft and breathy. The damn thing hit harder than a scream.
Something loosened deep in my chest, something I didn’t realize I’d been holding tight.
I stared at her, stunned, because how was this my life? How was she mine?
For a second, all I could do was watch her like a man who’d just found religion. I lowered her head to my chest.
“Besides my cock, I’d love to know what Daddy can do or give you that will put a smile on your face.”
“Umm, extra attention is nice. Maybe watch a movie with me? Oh! A massage would be heavenly. I miss my bears. And I love cuddles and jelly beans.”
A hearty laugh rumbled through my chest while I rubbed her back. She sank a bit farther onto my cock but didn’t move any. The water shifted around us in quiet, soft laps against porcelain, a hush that made the moment feel even more intimate.
“At the end of the day, communication is key, malyshka. Understand?”
“Yes, Daddy. Do you think you could ask Alek to do the same? Break it down into categories. I like the way you did that. It makes me so relieved to know your expectations.”
Her cunt did a series of squeezes of my cock as Alek’s name left her lips. Dirty girl, clenching me while thinking of him. “I can do that. Now one more thing before I ask my last question.” I trailed my hands up her back and pushed her body upright so I could see her face.
“Okay, what is it?”
Her breath caught, and then her teeth appeared, worrying her bottom lip.
Nervous energy coursed through me, matching her beat by beat.
It was important that I get this right. With her, every negotiation was sacred, and if my previous use of those words caused her anguish in any way, I’d rather know now so I could make amends.
“It’s about one of the hard limits on your list. You mentioned no degradation.”
Her eyes held mine, wary but steady. Lifting my hand, I brushed my knuckles along her jaw, grounding her with touch. “I need to ask you to clarify because we’ve dabbled in it already. You’ve let me call you my dirty girl. Slut.” My voice dropped. “Even my dirty little whore.”
“No!” she exclaimed, stroking my cock with small movements of her body. “That’s why I tried to clarify it with the word intense. With you…it doesn’t feel like an insult or that you are cutting me down. It doesn’t feel like a weapon.”
Relief threaded through me, enough to unwind the knots in my chest. “So you are okay with me—”
“Absolutely. I love being your dirty little whore,” she whispered, her mouth curved into the faintest smile.
I tipped my forehead to hers, letting the steam and closeness wrap around us.
“Thank you, that was beautifully done. Now it’s your turn. I want to know something you expect from me aside from monogamy, which, so you know, I’ve never been before.”
“Really? Like, ever?” she asked, pulling back to look me in the eye.
“Quite serious. I’ve always been the playboy—me and Sebastian both. It’s a running competition, you know. Or it was. I took two girls to the school formal and fucked a third before we even left. But shh, don’t tell my mother.”
She giggled. “I want to see pictures.”
Her mentioning monogamy caused a stark realization to hit me square in the chest. I hadn’t even entertained the idea of being with anyone else. Not since her. She lifted her hand, fingertips trailing through the steam between us.
A single drop of water clung to the edge of her perfectly manicured nail before slipping free, skimming down to land on my cheek. Her touch followed, gentle against my jaw, as if she needed to memorize the shape of me all over again.