What Happens in the Dark

Chapter Thirty-One

The next morning when I opened my eyes, I was immediately flooded with soreness. I'd barely shifted my body, and every slight pull had my muscles aching and pussy protesting. It was a delicious soreness that I welcomed heartily with a contented sigh.

The heavy body at my side must have sensed that I was awake, because his hand reached over me and rubbed soothing lines down my spine. I shivered, gasping at the tenderness of my flesh. Nonetheless, I perked for that limited contact, lifting myself into his palm.

"Morning, baby. I'm glad you're awake. I have to go to work in a bit." His deep voice said, which roused me out of my sleepy state immediately.

I was on my stomach, and at that I propped myself up on my elbows and turned to look at him, ignoring yet enjoying the protest from my overused body. "Do you think that's wise?" I asked him, my voice scratchy and rough, no doubt in part because of all the screaming I did the previous night.

Draven shrugged. "I'm on the payroll. Gerrard helped me get the job, but he isn't the one that hired me. Technically speaking, he can't fire me."

"But he's working on becoming head of the profit marketing division. Doesn't that give him some authority?"

"It does, but not for the department that I work for, yet. Sure, we cross figure on projects, but he's on the profit team whereas I'm with the sales team. Different avenue, different level of authority."

I didn't entirely understand what he was saying, but I got the gist of it. Gerrard wasn't his boss, ergo Gerrard couldn't fire him. Still..."Do you think he'll try to sway your boss?"

"Not necessarily. You know Gerrard, Darling. He will keep whatever's going on between us separate from our job. He's professional like that. We don't see each other most of the day, so it won't be like we're constantly in each other's company to where he'll be uncomfortable."

"What do you think your relationship will be like with him now? Aren't you upset about it?"

"I am bummed that things will be different between us now, but I think that Gerrard will try to understand our side of it. He and I will have a conversation today, most likely, and hopefully gain some common ground."

"And you sure it will go that smoothly?"

"I am. If I'm being honest, I doubt that he is as upset about this as your mother is."

"Why?"

"Gerrard and I were never terribly close, Darling. You forget that he's over ten years older than me. I was still a kid when he left home."

"Your betrayal won't hold as much weight." I felt a clench in my chest at the memory of yesterday and the devastation on my mother's face. I definitely hurt her deeply.

"It won't," Draven agreed. "Don't get me wrong, though, I know he's feeling hurt over it. Betrayal is betrayal, no matter how you look at it."

"God I hope they don't get a divorce over this."

"It's out of our hands now, Darling. What happens in their relationship is up to them; it's only up to us to try and mend our fences the best we can."

Looking for a way to change the subject, I asked, "How long until you have to leave?"

He let me change the subject, with a knowing look my way, and turned his head on its axis and grabbed his phone from the nightstand. He switched the screen on briefly for the time then shut it off again. "Very soon. Come, let's get a shower before I go."

"Are you going to tend to my wounds?" I asked him cheekily.

"More like caressing the tender spots with my worshipful hands."

He carried me into the bathroom. He was true to his word and worshipped me with those caressing hands of his. It was a quick shower, but no less arousing. I found that even his gentle side could make me pant with want, though it was a slower burn than when he was rough and fierce with me.

Since we were leisure in the bed before the shower and he slept in more than he needed to, Draven was heading for the door as soon as he was dressed. I would have made him breakfast, but he was already in such a rush that I couldn't risk him being late.

I told him that he could take my car with him since we left his at my mother's. Not smart in hindsight, but there was little that could be done now.

"Thank you, Darling." He kissed me goodbye and was out the door before I could relax my lips from their pucker.

With not much more to do, considering Genevieve was still in bed and I had a towel still wrapped around my body, I went back into the room, into the bathroom. I dropped the towel and turned my back to the mirror.

The skin from the tops of my shoulders to below the line of the mirror had broken capillaries and scattered bruises that took the shape of the end of the riding crop. It seemed as if I had a series of little dots on my skin that looked like mini pimples. I didn't mind the aesthetic, in fact, I reveled the proof of our night on my skin. My scalp was sore, my throat burned with every swallow, and my neck had fingerprints on the sides from where he had gripped it tightly.

I pressed my hands on the bruises, eyes closing at the sensory memory.

It was perfect; I wouldn't change a single thing.

I'm sure people would think this lifestyle is unhealthy, to be a fiend for these proclivities of ours. But I didn't care about that. We were us, and I loved us. I was prepared for the judgments that would surely swing our way once people noticed the marks on me, and the dynamic of our relationship.

Not everyone is comfortable with their proclivities behind closed doors on stark display for anyone to view and interpret from it what they will, but there will always be people like that. I suppose working myself up about it won't do me much good in the long run, so I decided then and there to remain level headed and not let my rationality get in the way like it had before.

I had faith in us. We were going to work through this.

I repeated that to myself silently as I watched myself in the mirror. Is this what I have to look forward to for the foreseeable future? I asked myself as I scrutinized the body reflecting back at me. If I did, which I was certain of at this point, then I would be just fine.