Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

Maureen

I chose his place, because I thought being in unfamiliar surroundings would make it easier for me to give up control, but it was also because I didn't want to admit I had exactly zero implements in my apartment aside from random pervertibles. I didn't play outside of the Dungeon, and when I played there, I used their implements.

I allowed him to tug me along, still unsure how I'd gotten here, still so mad at myself for not paying close enough attention, for not hearing Mira when there was a problem. I'd told everyone that it was because the details of her therapy session hit a little too close to home and that was mostly true, but it wasn't the only reason. The truth was, in that exact moment, my mind had been on Trent.

Watching him scene with the young visitor had only added fuel to my earlier fantasies. I'd gotten to know him as a person, but now I was getting to see him as a Dominant in action. And he was just as caring and reasonable as the man I'd gotten to know. His submissive may have been a stranger, but he'd treated her like she was someone he'd known for years. Firm, but gentle. Caring, but strong. And oh so sexy. The problem was I already knew what it was like to have his fingers in my hair, his lips locked on mine. I already knew the feeling of his muscles rippling as our bodies pressed up together.

But I couldn't be thinking about that right now. This wasn't about Trent. This was about my mistake. About my comeuppance. About redemption.

Trent let us into his apartment, and though I'd been there before, I stopped short.

I walked in the door and kind of just… faltered. I didn't know where to go, or what to do with myself. I felt as if a light breeze could knock me over and I knew emotional exhaustion was setting in, but I didn't dare let on to Trent. I couldn't wait. I needed to deal with this tonight.

"Come on." He led me to a small two-top table in a kitchen nook and watched as I sank into the chair he pulled out for me. "I'm going to call in our food order. What are you in the mood for? I'm thinking high-iron like steak or burgers. Red meat. Something that will fortify us."

I groaned, holding my stomach. "Ugh. Trent. No. I can't even think about food right now. I know I need to eat, but something light, please."

He frowned. "You'll need food later. Real food. Something with sustenance. No foo-foo bunny-type shit." He pulled his phone from his pocket and gave me a long once-over. "Fine. How about a bowl of soup and a salad for right now, and a burger for later?"

"Change the burger to some of Chef's mac and cheese and you've got yourself a deal."

"All right," he conceded with a grin, turning away to speak into his phone as he called in the order.

When that was done, there was nothing to do but wait. And negotiate.

I didn't want to do either.

"We need to discuss your limits."

I listed off the same ones I'd given to Master Derek earlier. My limits with Trent weren't actually the same as they'd be with anyone else, but for the sake of this punishment, they needed to be. Did I want to finish up with Trent's thick cock inside my pussy? Hell yes, I did, but this was supposed to be a punishment, and I didn't deserve anything that would lessen the impact.

"Anything else I should know?" Trent asked. "Any stipulations you want to make?"

"No." I shook my head adamantly. "No, Trent, I trust you. And as hard as it is for me to admit this, to even think about it, I need to give up the control. I need to have zero control. Because if you give me any, I might just take all of it."

Trent chuckled. "Asking for your limits isn't quite the same as giving you control, but I hear you. I get it. And," he continued, "can I just say how proud I am of you? How brave I think you are?"

"Stop." I responded to his praise with a roll of my eyes.

He reached across the table and grabbed my hand. "No, Maureen. I won't stop. I'm serious. You're a Dominant. To humble yourself into the position of submissive even for a night, takes serious balls. Strength of character and all that. I've admired you for years, but my respect for you tripled tonight."

His praise turned my stomach. Even if there was a small part of me that knew he was right, I wasn't ready to hear it.

Thankfully, before I could argue, which would have probably upset him and just dragged things out, our food arrived. I sat there while Trent dished it up. Chicken noodle soup, thick crusty bread and a fresh side salad had my stomach growling.

I ate far faster and with much more gusto than I would have thought possible and was soon just waiting for Trent to finish his own, much larger dinner.

But I wasn't in a hurry any longer. Reality was setting in. Talking about giving up control was one thing, actually doing it, for me, was quite another.

Trent's mood seemed to have shifted also, his countenance more serious, his mood more somber. Finally, he finished eating, wiped his mouth, and stood, clearing our dishes.

I swallowed the lump that had taken up residence in my throat, knowing what was coming. Knowing it was time. Knowing that despite believing it was the right thing, and Trent was the right person, submitting to him was about to change everything. Forever.