23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

-Jared-

My time with Alison forged a multitude of connections between us, but as our shared pain deepened, I found myself becoming even more intertwined with her. Some nights, she sought me out for comfort and solace from her anguish, while other nights, it was I who sought refuge in her embrace.

During the day, I still had to navigate working with Astrid, our focus shifting toward devising a strategic plan to confront her father without resorting to violence. Despite Astrid's attempts to provoke me, even daring to suggest we repeat the night we shared, I steadfastly refused each time she brought it up. She tried to find excuses to touch me, but I deflected her advances.

Yet, whenever I had the chance to be with Alison, I eagerly sought her out. She welcomed me with open arms, and I would readily sink into her embrace, finding solace in her sweet touch that seemed to alleviate all the pain.

It was peculiar to discover this comfort, considering the history of agony it once brought me. However, upon reflection, I realized that I had always found some degree of solace in her presence. Despite the pain, her touch provided a familiarity and stability that I craved. And with each moment together, that craving only intensified.

It was heartening to witness Alison's growing strength as she regained independence, even being able to manage trips to the bathroom without assistance. However, as we approached the end of her second week of recovery, a peculiar sense of irritation began to gnaw at me whenever I saw her getting out of bed unaided.

A part of me wanted her to rely solely on me, to depend on my support for everything. Yet, deep down, I understood the significance of her reclaiming her power. It signaled the beginning of her recovery and the opportunity for me to start preparing her for what lay ahead. I couldn't afford to leave Alison vulnerable again, and it was crucial to acquaint her further with my world.

However, as I watched her stride away, clad in my t-shirt, I couldn't suppress the frustration bubbling within me. Without a second thought, I threw off the covers and hurried after her. Just as she reached the bathroom, I scooped her up in my arms.

"Wait! Ah! Jared!" she exclaimed, clearly caught off guard by my sudden approach. "What are you doing?" she asked, her confusion evident as I carried her into the bathroom.

"Helping you," I replied firmly.

She chuckled, amused by my unexpected gesture. "I don't really need help. Besides, I need to pee, so I'd rather not have an audience," she joked.

"I'll just keep my back turned, as always," I insisted.

"No, I'd prefer my usual privacy," she teased. "It'll be nice not having someone hovering over me every time I need to use the bathroom."

Despite her jesting, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Setting her down beside the toilet, I remained rooted to the spot.

"Jared, leave!" she laughed, gesturing toward the door.

"Perhaps you could use a bit more assistance," I suggested, unable to let go of my protective instincts.

"No, I don't need help. I only have one more week of rest, and then I should be almost fully recovered," Alison reassured me.

Her words didn't quite calm me, though they should have. Regaining her strength meant many positive things, yet a sour feeling persisted in my heart, and I found myself reluctant to leave.

"Jared, please get out," she said with a joyous smile, gently pressing her hands against my arm in an attempt to turn me.

I groaned, not wanting to leave, and Alison chuckled. "If you leave now, we can shower together afterward."

That was a deal I could accept. I began walking away, giving her privacy in the bathroom, yet eagerly awaiting her call for me to return. When she did, I almost jumped into the room, finding her already beneath the warm rays of water.

"You feel strong enough to stand?" I questioned, hoping she might still need support, as it would indicate she was not fully healed.

"Yes. Are you joining me?" she inquired, her tone carrying a flirty note.

Her playful tone helped ease my irritation as I removed my sleeping pants before joining her under the warm water. She turned as I approached, and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her soft body close to mine. Her skin now carried only faint yellow bruises, a sign of her true recovery.

As she ran her wet hands through my hair, massaging my scalp, I couldn't help but notice the strength returning to her body. A dark voice in my mind suggested she might be ready for other things, but I quickly pushed aside the thought. It had taken me years to even consider seeking out willing intimacy, and while Alison had recovered physically, the mental aspect remained uncertain.

Despite my efforts to control myself, I found it challenging as her fingers danced tantalizingly over my skin, down my neck, shoulders, and chest. Her teasing smile only fueled my arousal, and I struggled to hold back.

As Alison reached for the shampoo, her lifted arm drew my focus to her breast. I attempted to keep myself in check, but her newfound strength and the way she seemed to call to me made it difficult to resist. I reached up, touching the soft flesh and running my thumb over the hard tip. Alison gasped, dropping the shampoo and turning to me, seemingly shocked by the intimate touch. Yet her body remained inviting, as if it were made for me.

However, as she appeared to ponder the sensation, I hesitated, letting my hand fall, uncertain if she desired it. Unexpectedly, she commanded, "Do that again."

I stared at her in shock, but she grasped my hand, placing it back where it was before, encouraging me to tease her skin once more. Alison seemed almost surprised, as if she had expected a different response.

"What?" I inquired, intrigued by her unexpected request.

Alison's smile widened as she pulled me closer, her lips meeting mine in a passionate kiss. It struck me how bold she had become, my once obedient slave now brimming with confidence. It amused me to no end. Yet despite the shifts in our dynamic, I still held sway between us, taking control of the kiss and delving my tongue into her mouth, savoring her familiar taste that banished all unpleasant sensations from my mind.

"Use your mouth next," she demanded, her tone filled with desire.

"I don't hear a please," I teased, enjoying her eagerness.

"Please, use your mouth next… Master ," she breathed, using my title to tease me further. The sound of it sent a shiver of pleasure down my spine, and I eagerly complied, lowering my lips to wrap around her hardened nipple, sucking with fervor, almost punishingly for the delightful feeling of her breasts begging for my touch.

"Oh, yes," she gasped, her hands tangling in my hair, urging me closer. It felt invigorating to reconnect with her in this way, to assert dominance over her pleasure after feeling so defeated by her absence.

Alison fully surrendered to me, no longer resisting the control I held over her. She even cried out for it, igniting a primal desire within me, my arousal evident in the stirring of my cock. However, while touching her like this was gratifying, demanding reciprocity was another matter entirely. With a kiss pressed to her lips, I ordered her to retrieve the dropped shampoo, reminding myself that she still had a week of recovery ahead.

"Go on," I urged when she blinked in confusion.

"Is this a ploy to get me to bend over?" she teased, eliciting a smile from me.

"No," I replied firmly.

Disappointed, she seized my hands and placed them on her ass, but her attempts to sway me were in vain. Instead, I spun her around, resting my touch on her hips and instructing her to pick up the shampoo. While her eagerness for something more intimate was promising, I hesitated to push her boundaries too far. Until I was certain that I wouldn't irreparably harm her, I refrained from indulging in my desires.

However, as she leaned over to retrieve the bottle, I must admit I hadn't anticipated the sudden urge to leave a red mark on her skin, feeling my cock grow harder. This unexpected sensation felt dangerous, the realization of her recovery playing tricks on my mind. I was relieved when she stood up again, allowing me to shift my focus elsewhere.

As she turned to rinse my hair before tending to her own, I moved up behind her, trailing kisses along her neck. She tilted her head to the side, allowing the warm water to cascade over us as we reveled in the sweetness of the moment.

"Touch me again," she breathed, but I refrained from anything intimate, opting for safer zones. "Jared!"

"Not my title," I taunted, relishing her chuckle.

"All right, please touch me again, Master. I enjoyed it," she purred.

"Really?" I teased.

"Yes, I did. It surprised me. So do it again," she urged.

I shook my head against her, maintaining my restraint, which only seemed to frustrate Alison. However, I realized there was another way to assert my dominance and remind her of her place. She was becoming increasingly needy for my affection, craving more than simple caresses.

"Please!" she tried again.

"No."

"But why not?"

"Because you're still recovering," I reminded her.

She groaned, pressing back against me, using her body to tease me. I held her firmly, warning her not to test her luck.

"Just touch me," she implored, breathless with desire.

"No."

"God!" she groaned in frustration at my refusal to fulfill her desires. But this was a means to reaffirm our old roles, albeit with slight modifications.

"Then why did you touch me before?" she questioned.

"Because you were practically begging me to," I murmured.

"I am begging you now," she countered.

"I meant your body."

"My body is begging," she retorted playfully, prompting me to nip at her neck, eliciting a hiss of pleasure from her.

"Not yet," I whispered into her ear.

"Because I might break?" she asked, turning to look over her shoulder.

"Aren't you still having nightmares?" I countered.

"Aren't you? Yet you had over 10 other partners," she reminded me, referencing our previous discussions about our past experiences.

"Some were due to missions."

"Missions?" she inquired.

"A means to get closer to someone."

"What?" she inquired, her voice barely above a whisper, as she realized I had employed different tactics to gain the information I needed. However, it wasn't anger that reflected in her eyes, but concern, and she turned to me, placing her hands on my neck. "Have you ever truly enjoyed sex?"

That was a difficult question to answer, given the subjective nature of enjoyment. I hesitated, causing Alison to start withdrawing, but I pulled her back to me.

"Yes," I replied.

"You hesitated," she noted.

"Because our definitions of enjoyment might not align," I explained.

"How could they not align?" she questioned.

"Because some might define enjoyment solely by reaching completion, but we both know that can be achieved through mere stimulation without true desire being involved," I elaborated.

"Has it been that way for you? Even with me?" she asked.

I pondered her question, never having been forced to confront it so directly before. Alison's expression grew more worried as she awaited my response, her eyes seeking the ground.

"We both know why I sought you out. It had nothing to do with genuine pleasure," I reminded her gently. She nodded in acknowledgment, though her smile did not return.

"But that doesn't mean I didn't feel it, or that I didn't come to enjoy it more than I should have," I continued.

She turned her gaze back to me, curiosity now replacing disappointment. "What do you mean by ‘enjoy it more than you should'?" she inquired.

"I wasn't supposed to derive pleasure from you, but rather from the control I had over you. However, that changed quite quickly," I confessed.

"Really?" she whispered, her hope evident in her voice.

"Yes, and that realization was almost more frightening," I admitted.

"More frightening?"

"We're still enemies," I stated firmly, prompting a slight smile to grace her lips.

"Enemies who hate each other, yet can't seem to get enough of each other," she mused aloud.

"Yes," I confirmed.

"Do we ever end up on the same team?" she pondered.

"Enemies can team up," I teased.

"I see. So, are we there now? On the same team?" she asked, sliding her arms around my neck.

"Well, do you wish to get rid of me?"

"No," she replied.

"Are you planning my demise?" I inquired.

"No, are you planning mine?" she jested.

"I never planned for your death," I assured her.

"Merely my destruction and ruin," she added with a hint of playfulness.

"I succeeded," I declared before sliding my hands to her backside and gently squeezing. "You're completely transformed."

"Without a doubt," she agreed.

"Now I get to revel in my creation," I murmured, bringing my lips to hers and lightly brushing them against hers, tantalizing but withholding what she desired, before instructing her to continue the cleaning process, just so I could enjoy her touch once more.