Edge of Surrender

Chapter 13

Mason Graves

I poured her a glass of water, watching as she hesitantly took a sip. Her hands trembled slightly, and I could tell she was still processing everything. The tension in the air was thick, though the storm between us had settled—at least for now.

She set the glass down and exhaled shakily. I wasn’t done yet.

“Sere, when you sent that text, I ended my trip early to see you. You had blocked my number, and I was worried like hell.” I paused, gauging her reaction. “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

Her gaze flickered away. I reached for her hand, gently enclosing it within mine, urging her to be honest.

“I was at first,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “But then… her words were like arrows, giving pain to my heart. The way she humiliated me, I didn’t like it.” She swallowed hard, blinking rapidly. “I thought everything she was saying was true, and I didn’t want to face you. She said that if I came to you to answer all this, both yours and her life would be affected, which I didn’t want.”

I hated seeing her like this. Vulnerable. Doubting herself.

The frustration in me simmered, not at her, but at the situation, at how easily someone else’s words had torn through her trust in me. But I didn’t want to push her deeper into her emotions, so I decided to redirect the conversation to the real reason she was here tonight.

“Fine, let bygones be bygones. Forget all that. Let’s talk about that night.”

She hesitated for a moment but nodded, signaling her readiness. I could see the apprehension in her eyes. She wanted the truth. Needed it. And I owed her that.

I leaned back, rubbing my fingers against my temple as I recalled the events.

“The thing was, I was working on a project and trying to secure a deal from another company. I put in endless effort for this project, and when I was so close to sealing the deal—” I paused, letting out a slow breath, “I received information that a guy from my company was stealing confidential details of the project and selling them to another company.”

She tensed slightly but remained silent, listening.

“I asked Alex to find out about it, and in a few hours, that man was in front of me.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I tried to ask him about the one who told him, but he didn’t utter a word. I tried to control my anger, but all in vain. He didn’t open his mouth even once. I lost my temper, and I shot him.”

Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t flinch.

“Why did he do that?” she finally asked.

“For the sake of money. Money can make a person do anything,” I answered honestly.

“Cops didn’t find out about that?” she questioned, tilting her head slightly.

“No. I know how to handle it.” I smirked slightly. “If money can make you steal from your own company, then money can also keep your mouth shut.”

She shook her head slightly. “So, you killed him because you lost your temper. Isn’t that too much?”

“Temper is not the reason he was killed,” I corrected her. “He was a traitor, trying to sell the company’s efforts, and that’s more than enough reason to eliminate him.”

She leaned back, crossing her arms. “What about his family? You all kill anyone without thinking about their family.”

I exhaled. “We’ll take care of his family. He was the traitor, not his family.”

“At least someone is there who does all this. Few don’t care about them,” she remarked casually.

That’s when I noticed something—she wasn’t afraid. There was no look of horror on her face, no trembling, no gasping in disbelief.

“You’re not scared after listening to this?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

She shook her head.

“So, you’re fine after hearing this? It didn’t shock you?”

Another shake of her head.

For a moment, I just stared at her. How had she changed so much? The girl who once flinched at the idea of control, who trembled under my touch yet yearned for it, now sat before me, completely unfazed by the reality of my world.

“So, all things are clear now, right?” she asked, standing up as if she was ready to leave.

No. This wasn’t over.

“For you, maybe,” I said, standing up as well. “But for me, there’s still something left to address.”

She sighed, crossing her arms. “And what is that?”

I took a step closer, looking into her eyes. “Firstly, my dad knows that you witnessed that incident. I don’t want you to get into any trouble; I want to protect you, anyhow.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And how are you going to do that?”

That’s where I hesitated. I hadn’t planned that far ahead, and she could see it.

“Are you planning for me to leave here until this matter is solved?” she asked.

I clenched my jaw. “I didn’t mean that, Sere. You don’t need to worry about it. I just want you not to share anything about it with anyone.”

She rolled her eyes slightly and smiled. “Anyways, this is not the kind of thing I can share with anyone, Mason. And who knows, if you can handle that guy, you can handle anyone, maybe even me.”

I narrowed my eyes at her playfulness. “No way, Sere. I would never do that. I love you. I’m talking about your protection here, and you are joking right now.”

Her expression softened.

She stopped laughing. “I won’t tell anyone, and you don’t need to worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

I sighed. “Fine. Now, the second thing.”

She studied me, waiting.

I took a deep breath. “Tell me, would you—” I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. “Would you like to continue the journey of submission and dominance again? The life we had once, to restart again?”

I watched her closely. No immediate reaction. No sharp intake of breath, no flinch. Just silence.

“Sere, I waited for you all this time. I never found any other submissive since then.” I clenched my fists. “I really want this to happen. See, I told you I wouldn’t do anything without your consent, and so I am asking you for permission.”

She exhaled slowly. “Mason, I need time to process everything. I know what happened in the past was really fulfilling and beautiful, but now… things are not the same as they appear.”

“What has changed?” My voice was calm, but I needed to know.

She glanced away. “It’s like when we separated, I distanced myself from b**m. I distanced myself from all the fetishes I liked. I stopped my desires. Besides, to distract myself and forget you, I went into a relationship with Austin.”

My jaw clenched.

“I know that,” I said, voice tight. “And I’m not saying to leave him. Take the time you need to process everything. He’s your childhood friend, and he had a crush on you; I know that. Leaving him will break his heart. I’m not forcing you, but I’m just saying you need to think about it properly.”

She looked at me, her gaze unreadable.

“I understand you completely,” I continued. “I am just asking for the chance if you want. If you want to reject, it’s up to you. I won’t bother you ever again. But don’t answer now; think properly before you act.”

Serena remained quiet, her gaze fixed on the floor, lost in thought. The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken emotions. I wanted to push, to demand an answer, but I knew better. This was something she had to decide on her own.

She exhaled, finally lifting her eyes to meet mine. “I don’t know, Mason.” Her voice was soft, conflicted. “Everything feels… overwhelming.”

I took a step closer, resisting the urge to touch her. “Then take your time, Sere. But don’t push it away just because you’re scared.”

She bit her lip, hesitating. “It’s not about fear. It’s about who I’ve become since we parted ways. I forced myself to forget that part of me. I convinced myself that what we had was something I didn’t need anymore.”

“And do you still believe that?” I asked, tilting my head slightly.

She let out a dry laugh. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Listen, I don’t want you to say yes just to please me. But don’t say no because of guilt or uncertainty. You were mine once, and you loved it. I just want you to be honest with yourself.”

She looked away, chewing on her bottom lip. I could see her mind racing, processing every word I’d said. I decided to give her space.

“Think about it,” I said, stepping back. “I won’t bring it up again unless you do.”

She nodded slowly, but the tension in her shoulders remained.