Chapter 5

Nyla

I awoke to Sullivan's arms wrapped around my waist and it felt heavy. It felt, forced. The realization of everything I was doing hit me hard and the ache in my chest overwhelmed me. Tears spilled as I tried to remove his arm from around my waist, but he gripped tighter. Holding me like he would not let me go.

I felt Sullivan shift in the bed behind me with his morning erection pressing into my ass and I felt sick to my stomach.

"We need to talk."

"I forgive you."

"Sullivan, I can't be here with you."

"Yes, you can. I made a mistake by not realizing what I had. I will never take you for granted again and I know we can work it out."

I removed myself from the bed and stood with my hands wrapped around my waist. He sat up in bed with his head on the headboard, staring straight. Neither of us wanted to look at the other.

"I don't love you the way I should and the fact that you're willing to accept it is not ok. You deserve someone to love you the way you love them and it's not me anymore. I'm not the Nyla you used to know and I think somewhere deep inside, you know that."

"I knew things were different because you left and we needed to get back in sync, but I thought we would get back there."

"We can't get back to a place that neither of us wanted. It hurt when I found out everything, but now I'm glad it happened."

"You don't mean that."

"Sullivan, I do. I really do. We had fallen out of love years ago, but we held on for comfort, not because we ached to be with each other."

"It's Heinrich, isn't it?"

Sullivan said his name as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth and it pained him to say it. His eyes met mine and he was staring at me with hurt. I know what hurt and pain looks like because I feel it every second I'm apart from him.

"You call his name in your sleep every night and you've cried his name for weeks. I know his name very well."

I stood in shock as he spoke and I felt like a fool for even coming back here with him in the first place.

"I didn't know."

"I know you didn't, but I get it. I mean, I guess I have no choice but to get it. I do want to be with you and I do want to marry you, but I can't be with someone who calls another mans name in her sleep and while I fuck her."

I was now uncomfortable, to say the least, because everything he was saying was right. It was just uncomfortable to hear the truth from him especially, but I needed the truth and so did he.

"I'm leaving and I don't want you to come after me."

"The condo in Chicago is mine," He spewed the words out of his mouth and I damn near punched him.

"That condo was bought for me while I visited my father and my name is on that lease."

"Not anymore it's not. If you think I'm going to pay for the home where you will fuck some piece of shit of man, then you're mistaken."

"Might as well, you've been paying for me to stay here with you." I folded my arms across my chest as he glared at me with fire in his eyes.

"You need to go."

"Gladly," I said as I pulled his ring off of my finger and put it on the nightstand.

After I removed the ring, I felt lighter. Thank god I hadn't fully moved in, otherwise, this would be hard. Sullivan stayed seated on the bed as I located my Louis Vuitton suitcase.

I  brushed my teeth and quickly washed my face before packing. I wasn't sure how long he'd sit there and I wasn't sure if he wasn't angry enough to put his hands on me. He's never done it, but in situations like this, you never know.

If looks could kill, I died fifteen minutes ago. I texted the group chat to tell them I needed someone to pick me up and I would explain when they got here.

I went to the pillow where the key Heinrich had given me laid. I stuck my hand under the pillow and turned up nothing. I began moving the sheet and checking under the bed. My breathing increased as I searched and then he spoke.

"Don't bother looking, it's not there." He said, as my eyes found his and the key Heinrich had given me.

"Give me that key."

"You think he wants you? You're used goods now. He won't want you. You're pathetic running after a man who only fucked you because he wanted to own you like a slave."

"Sullivan, give me my key."

"You've had a key to his home, all while you laid here in my bed? Woman, are you crazy?"

"Give me the key so that I can leave. I will have all of my things out of the condo in less than a week, just give me the key."

"Is it to his house? Are you leaving here to go and move in with a man and be his sex slave?"

"Excuse me?"

"I know what kind of kink you two are into and you should really change the code on your phone to something other than your father's birthday."

"You went through my phone?"

"Is this, like, to a room where he bounds and gags you and whips you like a slave?" he said as he examined the key.

I was furious and at this point, he could have all of this shit. All I wanted was the key. Fuck the clothes, shoes, and makeup, but he was angry and this was not going to end well.

"Did you come the night I fucked you or do you need shit like this to get you off?"

I almost dropped to my knees when Sullivan pulled out a flogger. Oh hell no. This is not happening.

"You want to be whipped and fucked like some backyard whore! I will do it now and I bet that will make you stay."

I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared of what was about to happen. I saw the look in his eyes and fear took over me. I grabbed my phone with shaky hands and texted the one person I knew would save me, Heinrich.

"Sullivan, please don't do this." I stretched my hands out to keep the distance between us.

"I always knew you were a slut, but this!"

I felt the wall hit my back and he stood only a few inches from me. I didn't like what I saw in his eyes and I feared that he was going to hurt me.

"Take your fucking clothes off."

"Sullivan, no. I don't want this."

"Did you tell him no? I bet you just took everything he gave you, like the dirty slut you are."

"It's not like that, please, Sullivan. You're not this type of man."

Before I could try to calm him and talk some sense into him, his hand was wrapped firmly around my throat.

"Take your fucking clothes off!" He said as he took the flogger and brushed it across my ass with his free hand.

I unbuttoned my jeans with shaky hands and breath. When they fell to the floor, I heard my phone hit the floor and I immediately felt my body tense up. I no longer had my phone and my fucking friends were somewhere probably drunk and hungover.

Heinrich is hours away from me and I'm here about to get flogged by Sullivan.

"Your panties and shirt, too."

I did as I was instructed, as the tears fell and I had to think of something to buy me time.

"He kissed me before he flogged me," I said quickly.

"I'm not him, but if you're a good girl, I will kiss you after."

Shit. I thought that would work on him. I guess he's smarter than I thought. Sullivan stepped aside and pointed to the bed. I walked to the bed with shaky legs and the fear that fell over me as I analyzed this situation.

"Put your arms behind your back and lean over the bed with your legs spread."

I did as I was instructed and I was on my tippy toes as I held my balance. I was shocked when I heard a clank and cold steel hit my wrist; handcuffs.

"You had been planning this for some time?"

"I have and I knew this is what it would come down to. You brought this on yourself, Nyla. I was trying to be the good man you always wanted. And what did that get me?"

Thwack! The first hit landed to my ass and I whimpered.

"I don't want this Sullivan. This isn't what submission is about. You don't take my will to choose, there are safe words and equal power exchange. This is not how it's done," I pleaded with him but to no avail.

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack!

"Did I tell you to speak?"

Thwack!

I stared at the headboard as the tears fell and I cried as he continued to thrash me. I lost count on how many times and the sound faded until there was nothing. I heard nothing and felt nothing. Until I heard him ask me a question.

"Who do you belong to, Nyla?"

I had a choice to make and right now wouldn't be the best time to admit who I really belonged to, but maybe if I said him, this would end.

"You!" I said as I cried out.

"Liar!"

Thwack!

With the last hit, there was a knock at the door and I felt relief wash over me. I screamed as loud as I could before he flipped me over and placed a hand to my mouth. I bit down on his hand and I quickly felt a sting to my face. Sullivan had slapped me.

I heard mumbling at the door and then I heard the crack of wood and what I assumed to be bolts hitting the floor. I watched as fear took over Sullivan.

Someone must have called the police, I thought and I was damn glad for the neighborhood watch.

"In here!" I screamed as loud as I could.

"What the fuck?" Sullivan said before he was on the floor from the dark figure that practically flew passed me.

I laid there as I heard the tussling on the floor and I felt the familiar feeling of safety wash over me, along with a familiar scent.

"Heinrich?"

I heard a thud and then I watched as the dark-suited man came into my vision and my breath hitched.

"I'm going to kill him." He said as he lifted me and uncuffed my wrists. "Did he-"

"N-no, he just flogged me. How did you get here so fast?" I said as he lifted me into his arms.

"I got here last night."

We locked eyes and my heart stopped beating and my breathing slowed. Heinrich looked down at me with that look in his eyes and I sighed into his chest as he took my wrist to his mouth. Heinrich kissed my wrist so tenderly and so unlike him.

"I was coming back to you," I said breathlessly.

"I couldn't wait, but I need to get you out of here while I deal with this."

"No!"

It came out louder than it was meant to, but I really didn't want to be away from him. It was the first time I felt whole and Sullivan wasn't going to stop me from reveling at this moment.

"He's out cold for now, but he's going to wake up. And when he does, I want him to see my face. I want him to see that it was me who stopped him from taking what is mine."

If there ever was a time the word mine meant so much, it was in this moment. It was strange, how warm I felt as the word touched every inch of my skin, heating me to my core. I stared at his beautiful face and immediately thought about how I must look to him.

"I should get dressed." 

"Grab something quick, I have a driver downstairs waiting for you. Do not come back in here. I will come down to you. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head in understanding as he carried me to the bathroom and sat me down like I was fragile. With everything going on, I forgot the pain in my ass, until I was standing on the cool tiled floor. I winced in pain.

"What's wrong?" He asked, as he caressed my cheek and I rubbed my cheek into him wanting more. "Get dressed, Nyla and get downstairs, please."

Heinrich left out of the bathroom and I quickly washed my face for the second time. I left out of the bathroom and Sullivan was seated in a chair, bound. Heinrich blocked my view as I reached down to get my pants and phone. We stared at each other and I didn't stay a second longer than what his eyes were allowing me.