“Right,” I whispered and Knight held me as I took in a couple of shaky breaths and pulled it together. As if he sensed it, once my concentration returned and I had my legs firm under me, he kissed my neck and let me go.

He moved to the coffee. I lifted the griddle from the burner and moved to the plates set on placemats that I’d already put out.

I scooped out pancakes as Knight asked, “You got coffee?”

“Yeah, honey.”

“Need it warmed?”

I looked at him and grinned. “I’m good. Breakfast is ready.”

His face got soft and he took his mug to the bar. I put the griddle on the burner, made sure everything was off and joined him there.

Buttering and syruping commenced.

It wasn’t until I was swallowing my third bite that I got the courage to go for it.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” he muttered through pancakes and I looked at him.

I was on the stool next to him, my legs crossed. His legs were splayed wide and he didn’t have to tell me he liked my World Famous Toasted Almond Pancakes because the bites he was taking were huge.

“You like the pancakes?” I asked and his eyes slid to me.

“Uh… yeah.” Then he forked more into his mouth.

I giggled.

He chewed, swallowed and his brows went up. “That’s what you wanted to ask?”

I shook my head.

Then I blurted, “You have a cane?”

His head tipped slightly to the side and he asked, “What?”

“You, um… the other night, you said I needed a, uh… strap or cane. So, um… do you have one? Of, uh… either of those.”

He studied me and then a slow, lazy, wicked smile spread across his face.

My toes curled.

“Doin’ your homework?” he asked quietly.

“Just curious,” I somewhat lied.

He kept smiling his wicked smile as he answered, “Both, baby. No whips, no paddles, no crops. You want me to branch out, we’ll go shopping.”

I blinked.

“Shopping?”

“Shopping.”

Oh my.

Knight kept explaining. “Strap, the edges are smooth. You’ll feel the sting, Anya, but no marks. And just to ease that curiosity, you f**k up a little, you get my hand. More, you get the strap. Huge, you get the cane.”

I tried not to squirm on my stool and failed but congratulated myself anyway because it was just a little squirm.

Knight, however, didn’t miss it and I knew this when his arm came out, his hand hooked around the back of my neck and he pulled me to him twisting me and leaning in until our faces were close.

“You know, but I’ll tell you anyway, I’m f**kin’ thrilled you liked takin’ that so much, babe. But that shit doesn’t happen unless you earn it. You wanna experiment, after pancakes, I’ll get inspired. But I tan your ass when you jack up and only then. You like it, you earn it. And I’ll tell you this too even though I already told you, you want that game, I’ll be f**kin’ thrilled to play it with you. But that’s how it is. We got our safe word, we’re good to play the game whenever you want. And if you don’t get this, I’m controlling, that’s what this is about. But baby, you enter that game, that’s your way to control me. You with me?”

Controlling Knight.

I liked that.

I nodded.

“Don’t be nervous or shy about this shit, Anya. I’ll take you as far as you wanna go as long as I’m comfortable with it. You do not sit on anything you’re uncomfortable with either. I go too far, you say the safe word. You do not hesitate and I’ll stand down immediately. No repercussions, baby, and I won’t be disappointed. I promise. We have only what we got right now, I’m way good. And it goes the other way, you like something and want more, you also tell me. And I’ll give it to you. Yeah?”

I nodded.

His eyes held mine.

Then he asked gently, “Now, while I’m eatin’ pancakes, am I looking for inspiration?”

I nodded again.

He grinned again, slow, lazy and wicked.

My legs started trembling.

“Eat,” he whispered then he let me go.

I pulled in a steadying breath and turned my attention to my pancakes.

I got two bites in before my purse sitting close to Knight’s place setting rang. He reached out, dragged it across the countertop to him, dug in and pulled out the phone.

He looked at the display, looked at me and offered it to me, muttering, “Sandrine.”

I took it from him, swallowed, took the call and put the phone to my ear.

“Hey, honey.”

“Anya?”

At her trembling, terrified voice, my back shot straight before I froze.

“Sandrine, where are you? What’s the matter?” I asked and I felt Knight come alert beside me.

“Oh God… Anya,” she whispered, the words broken then she burst into tears.

My eyes shot to Knight who was studying me, face blank, eyes watchful and working but I spoke into the phone.

“Sandrine, honey, talk to me. What’s going on? Where –?”

Then my phone wasn’t at my ear. It was in Knight’s hand at his.

“Sandrine. This is Knight. Pull it together. Two minutes. Are you in trouble?” Pause while I stared at him, eyes glued to his impassive face. “Right. You know where you are?” Another pause while I started shivering. Knight looked to me, lifted his other hand, snapped his fingers once then pointed to his phone. “He still there?” Knight asked as I jumped off the stool and rushed toward his phone.

Oh God.

Oh God.

“This needs to be straight, Sandrine, so give it to me straight. He force you to do it or did you just do it?”

Oh God!

Oh God!

I grabbed Knight’s phone and raced back to him.

“Good, Sandrine. Straight is good. Hang tight. You remember the guy who gave you the ride last weekend?” I held his phone out to him, he took it and I stood close, listening hard. “Good. Either him or me will be there soon. We’re both coming. We’ll deal with the guy and we’ll get you out of there. Hang tight. Don’t do anything stupid. Avoid this guy while you’re waiting if you can. Are you with me?” Another pause then, “Good. You gonna hang tight?” He waited. I waited. Then, “Good, Sandrine. Someone’s coming. I’m letting you go now. Okay?” Pause then, “Be there soon.”