He hadn’t brought her back just to pity her. That was clear the moment they stepped out of the car and into the quiet hallway of his apartment. Dominic’s hand stayed at the small of her back—not possessive, never demanding—but steady, guiding, the way a Dom leads a sub who is learning what safety feels like. She was his sub now. Officially. The contract was signed, the blindfold had been torn off, and the tears had finally come. He had a responsibility to take care of her—body, mind, spirit—but that responsibility had limits, and she needed to understand them.
He stopped outside the guest room, turning to face her. His voice was calm, low, the same tone he used when he was about to hand her the keys to something real. “Are you ready to truly enter my world, Aria?”
Her eyes widened, big a
