TWENTY-THREE #2
“He was being mean to me just now,” I mumbled to Chase, feeling a little pout coming on and he grinned.
“Come here,” he extended his hand toward me and I gladly walked over. He pulled me onto his lap, wrapping an arm around my waist.
“What did you do?”
“I gave him an ultimatum,” I truthfully answered, looking down at my hands in my lap.
There was momentary silence as I averted Chase’s eyes, finding the most entertainment by looking at my fingers
“Did you do it on purpose?” he asked and my head snapped up. I looked at him in disbelief. “Don’t give me that look,” he lifted his hand to my chin. “Answer my question. Did you upset Kaden to get punished?” he asked and in my peripheral vision I noticed Kaden looking in our direction.
Nervously, I clutched my hands in my lap, shifting my eyes to Kaden. I nodded, seeing his eyes darken before I looked back at Chase.
“Masochism,” I muttered. “It was a maybe,” I defended myself and Kaden got up from his seat. He left the room—looking more pissed than ever—and Chase sighed.
“Listen, Dakota, you can’t do that.”
“Why not? You said we could try out the ‘maybe’s’ on the list.”
“I know,” he nodded, tucking my hair behind my ear. “But we need to be aware of it as well.” Oh man… I messed up again.
“Let me explain something to you. There’s a difference between us punishing you for pleasure, and us punishing you in a disciplinary way.”
“There is?” I thought aloud.
“Yes. Kaden punished you because you disobeyed him. Not because he wanted to pleasure you. And knowing he didn’t get his point across is what upsets him.”
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
“You shouldn’t apologize to me,” he shook his head and I looked in the direction Kaden disappeared in.
“I can’t go see him now. I’m too afraid,” I whispered to Chase, shifting closer to him as I grabbed the hem of his shirt. “What if he punishes me again?” Panic rose inside of me.
“If you’re afraid of us, we’re doing something wrong. Fear should never be an aspect in our relationship. Whether it’s inside or outside the bedroom.”
“But he’s scary.”
“I’ve known him for years, so it’s quite difficult to agree with you, but trust me. He’s not going to hurt you.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek with a fleeting pulse. He gently took my jaw in his hand, placing a kiss to my forehead. “Go.”
“Can you come with me?” I asked, clutching his shirt and a small grin tugged at his lips. “Please, Chase.”
“No. Now go,” he nodded towards the door.
With a deep breath in I got off his lap, heading in Kaden’s direction.
I found him on the front porch with a cigarette between his lips. The thunder boomed and I jolted back before putting on a brave face.
He took a pull from it, before blowing out the smoke and I swallowed hard.
I didn’t know what was going through his head and I was afraid to find out. Until Chase’s words resonated with me. ‘Trust me. He’s not going to hurt you.’
I approached him, hugging myself, but he didn’t acknowledge my presence.
“So…” I trailed off, rocking on my heels with my hands in front of me. “I did a thing.” I looked over at him for a second before clearing my throat. “A bad thing,” I clarified before casually looking ahead just like him.
He stayed silent and continued smoking without any reaction whatsoever.
“And I was wrong for doing the thing that I did. So, I’d like to apologize,” I said, turning my body to look at him completely.
“I didn’t understand the importance and seriousness of the situation and I know now that it was wrong but I just—I don’t think—I find it difficult to speak to you about these things because you’re so scary,” I admitted.
“Chase said that I shouldn’t be afraid of either of you but I just…
” I trailed off in uncertainty, looking down at the floor.
“Go inside, Dakota. It’s cold out here.”
My head snapped up. He dug in his pocket for his car keys, and stepped forward but I grabbed his arm to stop him.
“I’m trying to apologize—”
“I know,” he flatly said, and my heart rate picked up. Why is he being so calm? I slowly loosened my grip on his arm, slightly confused at his reaction. “Now, go inside.”
I slightly scoffed, rubbing my tongue on the inside of my cheek.
“Fine. Don’t accept my apology,” I shrugged as I turned on my heels, heading inside.
I slammed the door behind myself, heading straight for the living room. Chase and Logan both occupied the couches, speaking amongst themselves.
“He didn’t even care,” I threw my hands in the air, standing in the doorway.
“I muster up all this courage to apologize and he tells me, ‘Uh. Go inside, Dakota. It’s cold out here’,” I mimicked his voice, hearing Logan chuckle.
“What?” I breathlessly said in disbelief and confusion. “Is he on some new relaxation drugs?”
“What’s going on?” Logan asked, leaning back against the couch, arms crossed over his chest in amusement.
“She had Kaden punish her to see whether or not masochism would be a yes or no,” Chase said to Logan and suddenly he wasn’t laughing anymore.
“Did he hurt you?” Logan sat up and I nodded then shook my head.
“I mean yeah, of course it hurt but I didn’t say my safe word—” I cut myself off in confusion. Of course a punishment hurts, why would he ask that?
“Did he leave?” Chase asked me and I nodded.
“Shit,” Logan murmured, getting up from his seat before passing me. What’s going on?