Livia nods again.
I’ll fucking kill him. Livia reacted with such violent dislike to this place and what we do here at first, and I think I’ve finally hit on the reason why. “Was he your dom? Did he make you call him sir or daddy?”
“Yeah,” she whispers. “He told me to call him sir. We were dating for about a year. It was an ordinary relationship for a few months. Then he started introducing ropes and things into the bedroom and telling me what to wear. When I wasn’t sure about any of it, he dismissed me as frigid and boring, so I went along with it. I was so stupid. Things kind of snowballed from there.”
I take a deep breath and try to rein in my temper, listening as she keeps talking.
“I thought I might like some of the things he was asking for and I was interested in trying them, but I never seemed to feel happy afterward. I don’t understand why I let him call me names and hurt me for so long. I must be so weak.”
“You got away from him, didn’t you?”
She nods.
“Then you’re strong.” I’ve heard subs talk about toxic relationships and it sounds a lot like what Livia is describing. Selfish so-called doms who are attracted to the idea of hurting and belittling someone and don’t understand that that isn’t the same as caring for a sub. A sub is a privilege.
Livia gazes up at me and her fingers tighten on my shirt. “I’m so confused. Are you my personal trainer or are we something more? I mean, you haven’t asked me out on a date so I don’t want to be presumptuous—”
I cover her mouth in a swift kiss. I can’t help myself. She moans softly in my arms, twining her arms around my neck and giving into the kiss.
I pull away and smooth her hair back from her face. “The only reason I haven’t asked you on a date is because I’m afraid you’ll say no and stop showing up here, and then I’ll never see you again.”
“And because of the rules here?”
“Those, too. Mostly I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell you that taking you out to dinner would be the highlight of my year.”
She smiles shyly up at me. “Really? I don’t think I’ve ever been the highlight of anyone’s year.”
That’s beyond my understanding because she’s lighting up my whole goddamn life. I kiss her again, my heart beating fast. I knew from the moment I set eyes on this girl that she was going to be special to me.
Livia strokes the letter T on my shirt. “What is it you want in terms of us? I think I need a straight answer.”
I’ll happily give her a straight answer. I’ve got nothing to hide. “I want to be your daddy.”
“What does that mean, though?”
“It means taking care of you and making you feel good. Correcting you when you go outside the lines that you draw for yourself. And most of all, making you feel happy.”
Livia gazes up at me, doubt still flickering in her eyes. She doesn’t quite believe that that’s what a daddy/little girl relationship is.
“Is that how it’s supposed to be?”
“That’s how I love to be a daddy.”
Her lips curve into a smile. “Then I want you to daddy me.”
I give a soft growl at the back of my throat and press my forehead against hers. Those words just sound so fucking sweet from her. “I’ve found my little bunny. I’ve waited for you so long, sweetheart.”
My lips touch hers, and the door flies open. Both of us look up and see Dom standing there. His expression transforms into one of fury as he sees me holding a client in my arms, one of my hands cupping her ass.
Slowly, I straighten up. I’m not going to shove Livia away just to assuage my boss. “You go finish your workout and head home, okay?” I tell her, putting my hand on her shoulder.
Livia gives me a scared look, and then squeezes past Dom and out the door. Dom glares at her as she goes.
“Hey. Don’t look at her like that.”
Dom turns to me. “I’ll look at her how I want. You two are breaking so many goddamn rules. I thought I could trust you, Trey.”
“I know the rules and I respect them. I met Livia before she became a client here.”
“You respect my rules? Don’t lie to my face. She’s a member of this gym and so you shouldn’t be touching her, let alone bringing her back here into a staff area.”
I feel my jaw tighten around the word hypocrite. Everyone knows that Amelia was a client here when things got heated between the two of them. “I kissed Livia before she ever stepped foot in here. She needs me. I need her.”