Not many would understand how cherished I felt at that moment when he commanded my eyes and brushed his fingers through my curls.

“I was hoping you’d tell me on your own, but you’ve been silently stewing for days. Enough is enough. What’s bothering you?”

I opened my mouth, but words failed me. How could I tell him about the dreams without sounding like a total whore?

“I’ve been having nightmares.”

“Okay,” he said with patience, trailing his fingers through my hair still, nearly hypnotizing me with his touch. “Unload them on me.”

I dropped my gaze to his feet. “I don’t…I can’t remember details.”

“You’re lying to me.” His fingers curled at my scalp and pulled in warning. “You know how that will end.”

I wanted to deny it, but I couldn’t bring myself to perpetuate the lie. “Don’t make me tell you this.” I swallowed past the lump of shame clogging my throat. “I’m naked, on my knees, willing to do anything. What more do you want from me?”

“The truth. Isn’t that how this works? You’re not weaseling your way out of this one. If you need the bite of pain, I’ll give it to you. But I want to know why first. You’re not punishing yourself anymore. That’s my burden now.”

“I’m not punishing my—”

“Do I need to make your ass burn for lying?”

“No,” I said quickly, cringing at the thought of my bottom flaming from ginger. That was probably the one thing I despised most. The pain of his belt or hand gave me the sting I craved…needed, but the intensity of that evil stuff was beyond my limits.

“Then start talking. This is the third night you’ve had a nightmare. What’s haunting you?”

I hadn’t realized he’d known. And here I thought I’d been clever by keeping the dreams to myself. I shifted, gritting my teeth against the floor under my knees. “Can I get up first?”

He pulled the waistband of his pajama pants below his hard-on. “Give me your mouth, and I’ll think about it.” He yanked on my curls and drew me closer to his straining shaft. “When you’re ready to confess what’s really bothering you, I’ll let you get up. Until then, I’m gonna make you choke on my cock. I’ve got a lot of stamina built up, so you might be down there for a while.”

I peeked at his imposing form. God, he was beautiful. That expanse of muscle and the sexy lines of ink that was as much a part of him as his domineering nature.

“Open your mouth,” he said, his voice raspy, breathless. Caging me between his body and the wall, he shot a palm out and propped himself up as he nudged my lips with his erection.