Knox POV
Her fingers brush the side of the glass without picking it up.
“I know it’s a lot,” I say softly. “And it’s alright if you don’t understand it yet.”
She just nods again, not trusting her voice, but I see it in her eyes.
She’s thinking about everything she felt upstairs, and she’s not ready to say it yet.
I lean back in my chair, giving her the time she clearly needs, but I don’t let the silence stretch too long. She’s thinking too much already, and if I leave her to it, she’ll get tangled in her own doubts.
“The thing you need to understand first,” I say quietly, “is that it’s not about pain, not really. It’s about control. It’s about trust. For some people, pain is part of that trust. For others, it’s about obedience. Some crave surrender. Some need discipline. And some jus
