Protege(64)

“It’s over now. All’s forgiven, sweetheart. Shh.” He brushed a soft hand over the side of her face as she curled into his bare chest. “It’s over. You did wonderful. You understand why this happened, and now it’s done. I’m proud of you, Collette. Good girl.”

Her breath continued to shudder in and out of her in sharp, tripping gasps much like when a small child cried. His lips pressed into her brow as he slowly rocked her. Her bottom throbbed as though fingernails were scraping over the tender flesh, yet being held in his arms was the most comforting place she’d been all day. The burn on her behind could almost be forgotten so long as he continued to hold her like that.

Slowly, her tears dried and she stared with unfocused eyes as she breathed in his scent. The room cooled and her ears relished the silence. Everything became peaceful and safe, her soul resting someplace undisturbed and guarded by the strongest force she knew. Jude.

Swallowed by the unexpected sense of relief, her thoughts were unburdened. She stopped thinking about the spanking or the burn left in its wake. She only thought about his care, his deep need to teach and protect her, his demand that she rise up and be the best submissive she could be. For him, she greatly wanted to be such a woman.

Her nose nestled into his chest as his fingers delicately tugged at her hair, brushing through the curls. She could sit there forever, in his arms, but the one thing she was absolutely certain of, the reason she was presently sitting on his lap with the sorest ass she’d ever had, was that she would be sleeping alone in her own bed tonight.

What she didn’t expect was for him to join her. He carried her to her bed sometime after she’d already caught herself drifting in his arms. Once he tucked her in, he slid behind her and continued to hold her.

His soft whispers filled her with warmth as his body spooned hers. “Rest now, my beautiful peach. I’ll hold you and stay with you for a bit. I’m here.”

She blinked through bleary eyes at the opened door. What did this mean? As her mind fought to make sense of this unexpected development, she burned the last of her mental strength and finally glided into a deep sleep.

She woke twice in the middle of the night, each time reaching for Jude and finding him at her side. “Go back to sleep, Collette,” he gently whispered, and kissed her shoulder. But when she woke just before dawn, he was gone.

It was slight, but meaningful progress, she believed.





Chapter Nine


Many believe dominance liberates the submissive. But submitting to a dominant figure provides the Dom with such fulfillment they are also freed. Such intrinsic dependency cannot exist apart. One solely depends on the other—yin and yang. When achieved correctly, it becomes impossible to define which counterpart is more emotionally bound, for they are tied together, and therefore, both set free.

Jude stared out the window as he sat behind his desk, contemplating this very thought over and over again, yet reaching no decision. It had been four days since spanking Collette and they had yet to sleep together. Partially, this was due to her cycle, an interference he didn’t usually bow to, but in this situation it was the perfect excuse. He needed to come to terms with his shit.

She’d been upset with the sleeping arrangements, but that was only part of the issue. It was altogether a need for closeness he couldn’t provide, though he’d made more concessions than he’d intended already.

How was he supposed to mimic such intimacy for her if he wasn’t invested to that degree? Could his personal reluctance to get emotionally involved be translating to punishment in her eyes? He wasn’t sure, but the possibility was of great concern.

Over the last few days, he’d been reviewing Collette’s paperwork and compiling notes. In his eyes, she was the ideal submissive, with a deeply rooted desire to serve and needing very little direction. She only required a strong man to enable her service with ample opportunity and appreciation. She would be matched quickly, despite the influx of submissives waiting to be matched in the system.

They didn’t pair off couples unless they scored above ninety percent in their compatibility grid. It was a complex equation that had taken years to finalize, but he put his faith into the system they’d created. The remaining ten percent was based on personal response. No matter how perfect a couple might seem on paper, sometimes they just didn’t click. But it was the ninety percent that allowed them to test their personal theories face to face.

Collette was such a natural, despite being a novice. She covered various areas of the grid, making her accessible to various partners. Kink factors would come into play, but in reality, such things didn’t hold much weight.

Time was running out and Jude was procrastinating for reasons unclear to him. This momentary hiatus provided him the time to regroup. It also allowed her the chance to heal her pride and sore rear end.

A soft knock came from the door, and his body immediately pulled to attention. She wore soft gray yoga pants and an off-the-shoulder navy sweater. Her hair was up in a bun, long springs sneaking down her neck and trailing behind her ears.

“Sir?”

“Yes, Collette.”

Her expression was blank, but her eyes told him she wanted something. “I was wondering if . . .” He waited for her to finish her thought. “Can I . . .” She swallowed, her hands fidgeting where they hung at her waist. “Do you need anything?”