Chapter 20
Axel
The door clicks shut behind us, and my shoulders drop, the careful control I've kept locked down all night starting to unravel.
All my careful restraint, all the walls I've built to keep my darker impulses in check, begin to crumble. I've been so careful with Sadie, treating her like she might break, but the look in her eyes right now tells me she's stronger than I've been giving her credit for.
"You want all of me?" I ask, my voice barely recognizable to my own ears. Low. Rough. Hungry.
She nods, backing away slowly, deeper into the suite. But it's not retreat, it's invitation. Her eyes never leave mine as she moves toward the bedroom, her lips parted, chest rising and falling with quick breaths.
"Even the parts I've been hiding?" I follow her, stalking her steps, maintaining the distance between us. Building the tension. "The parts that want to possess you completely?"
She swallows, her throat working in a way that makes me want to put my mouth there. "Yes."
The single word hangs in the air between us. I stop, forcing her to stop too, making her wait.
"Take off your shoes," I say, testing this new dynamic. Testing her.
Her eyes widen slightly, but she doesn't hesitate. She slips off her heels, leaving them where they fall. The loss of height makes her smaller, more delicate. I remain fully dressed, fully in control.
"Good," I say, and I see the flush that creeps up her neck at the simple praise. Interesting. "Now come here."
She crosses to me, her bare feet silent on the plush carpet.
When she's close enough to touch, I reach out and trace one finger along her jawline, down the column of her throat.
My thumb presses gently into the hollow of her throat, right over her pulse.
I feel it race beneath my touch. Mine. The urge to mark her, to own this softness, presses hard against my control.
“Tell me exactly what you need from me, Sadie. I want to hear you say it. No hiding, no pretending. Use your words.”
She takes a shaky breath.
"I want you to take control." Her voice drops lower, almost a whisper. "I'm tired of being in charge. Of making every decision. Just for tonight, I want someone else to be responsible."
She’s fighting herself to give this to me.
I can see it in the tension in her jaw, the way she forces herself to meet my eyes.
This isn’t just sex for her. It’s surrender.
It’s trust. It’s a gift I don’t deserve, but I’ll take it all the same.
My dick aches with the need to claim her, to show her she’s safe letting go with me.
"Look at me," I command gently. When her eyes meet mine, I cup her face in my hands. "I'll take control. I'll make the decisions. But you have to promise me something."
"What?" she breathes.
"If anything, anything at all, feels wrong or uncomfortable, you tell me immediately. Say 'red' and everything stops. No questions asked."
She nods, and I can see relief in her eyes, relief that I understand the weight of what she's giving me, that I'm taking it seriously.
"Say it," I insist. "I need to hear you say it."
"Red if I want to stop," she repeats. "I promise."
"Good girl."
The words slip out without thought, but the effect is immediate. Her pupils dilate; her lips part on a soft exhale. Oh. That's how it is.
I smile, slow and deliberate. "You like that? Being my good girl?"
She bites her lip, nodding almost imperceptibly.
"Words, Sadie," I remind her, my thumb brushing her lower lip, tugging it free from her teeth. "When I ask you a question, I want to hear your answer."
"Yes," she whispers, the single syllable rough with need. "I like it."
"I thought you might." I let my hand slide down her neck, resting lightly at the base of her throat where I can feel the rapid flutter of her breathing.
Not squeezing, just letting her feel the weight, the potential.
"I've been watching you, you know. How hard you work. How much responsibility you carry. Always in control, always making the right choices."
My other hand finds her waist, drawing her closer until our bodies are nearly touching. "But that's exhausting, isn't it? Always being good. Always doing the right thing."
She nods, then catches herself. "Yes. It's exhausting."
"I'm going to take care of you tonight," I promise, my mouth close to her ear. "All you have to do is feel. Let go. Trust me."
I feel her shiver against me, her body softening, yielding.
"Turn around," I tell her, stepping back just enough to give her room.
She complies, presenting her back to me. I gather her hair, sweeping it over one shoulder to expose the nape of her neck. The zipper of her dress runs from neck to mid-back, a tempting line I trace with one finger before slowly, deliberately lowering it.
"You're beautiful," I murmur, pressing a kiss to the newly exposed skin at the top of her spine. "Every inch of you."
I continue drawing the zipper down, following its path with my lips, tasting the salt of her skin, feeling the small tremors that run through her body. When I reach the end of the zipper, I push the dress off her shoulders, letting it fall to her waist.
She's wearing a black lace bra, simple but elegant against her pale skin. I run my hands down her bare arms, feeling goosebumps rise in my wake.
"Cold?" I ask, my voice low in her ear.
"No," she breathes. "Not cold."
I smile against her skin, pleased with her honesty. "Good."
I turn her to face me, my hands on her shoulders. Her eyes are dark, lips parted, cheeks flushed. I've never seen anything more beautiful than Sadie Calloway surrendering control.
My hands slide down to her waist, where her dress clings to her hips. I tug gently, letting it fall in a whisper of fabric to pool around her ankles. She stands before me in just her black lace bra and matching panties, vulnerable yet somehow powerful in her surrender.
"Step out of the dress," I instruct, watching as she obeys without hesitation.
I remain fully clothed while she's nearly naked, the imbalance deliberate, heightening her vulnerability and my control. Her chest rises and falls with quick breaths, her eyes locked on mine as she waits for my next command.
She steps into my space, defiance flickering in her eyes, hands sliding up my chest to my shoulders. Her fingers fumble with my shirt buttons, her touch burning through the fabric.
“I want to see you,” she murmurs, voice husky.
I let her. Let her undress me, let her explore.
Her hands skim my chest, lingering, greedy.
My cock is already hard, straining for her, the urge to reclaim control clawing up my spine.
She drops to her knees, looking up at me with nothing but hunger and trust. It nearly unmans me, the power she’s giving me, the power I’m about to take.
The sight of her kneeling before me, looking up with those dark, determined eyes, nearly undoes me. Her hands move to my belt, working it open with surprising dexterity.
"Sadie," I breathe, my voice strained. "You don't have to—"
"I want to," she interrupts, tugging my pants down my hips. "I've been thinking about this since that night on my couch. About tasting you."
My control wavers as she frees me from my boxers, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of me hard and ready for her. She wraps her hand around my length, her touch tentative at first, then more confident as she gauges my reaction.
"Is this what you want?" I ask, needing to be certain. "Or do you still want me in control?"
She looks up, her eyes meeting mine with perfect clarity. "Both. I want this first, to taste you, to make you feel good. Then I want you to take over."
"Fuck," I groan, tangling my fingers in her hair. "Yes. Show me what you want, Sadie."
Her smile is almost shy as she leans forward, her breath warm against my skin.
The first touch of her tongue is tentative, a gentle exploration that has me gripping her hair tighter than intended.
She grows bolder with each lick, each gentle suck, learning what makes my breath catch, what draws a groan from deep in my chest.
When she takes me fully into her mouth, I nearly lose myself right then. The wet heat, the sight of her lips stretched around me, the soft humming sounds she makes, it's almost too much.
"So good," I praise, my voice rough. "You're doing so well, sweetheart."
She moans around me, the vibration making me groan low in my throat.
Her hands grip my thighs for balance as she takes me deeper, finding a rhythm that has me fighting for control.
"Enough," I finally gasp, gently pulling her away. "I want to last for you."
Her lips are swollen, her eyes glazed with desire as she looks up at me. I help her to her feet, then claim her mouth in a fierce kiss, tasting myself on her tongue. When I pull back, we're both breathing hard.
"Still want me to take control?" I ask, giving her one last chance to set the terms.
"Yes," she breathes, no hesitation. "Please."
That's all I need to hear. I scoop her up in one fluid motion, carrying her to the bed and laying her down with more care than the hunger in my veins wants to allow. I stand at the edge of the bed, looking down at her, hair splayed across the pillows, skin flushed, eyes dark with want.
"Take off your bra," I tell her, my voice low but firm. "Slowly."
She complies, reaching behind to unhook the clasp. The lace falls away, revealing her breasts, perfect, pale, nipples hardened to tight peaks. I don't touch her yet, just look, letting her feel the weight of my gaze.
"Now the panties," I continue. "Lift your hips."
She arches up, sliding the lace down her legs with deliberate slowness. When she's fully naked, she starts to close her legs, an instinctive modesty.
"No," I say softly. "Keep them open for me. Let me see all of you."
A blush spreads across her cheeks and down her neck, but she obeys, letting her knees fall apart. I take a few seconds to appreciate her pussy, already glistening with her desire.