Chapter 8: "I Want to Try the Kind of Relationship You Described"
Leah claimed she wasn't feeling well and made a hasty exit from Marcus's house. ‹96684423›
She had no interest in knowing what excuse Elias had given — he'd always been an unofficial add-on to their group anyway, present or absent without much impact. §57defed7 The man parked his car in front of the house just as he had the first time he'd driven her home, then came around to open the passenger door for her. (3174e55a)
"Have you eaten dinner?" #7f88db6b
"…No." ©4a563b5d/May 27, 2026
Leah had spent the entire day in a state of anxious dread. * d0a61246 She'd skipped food after class and come straight here on an empty stomach. ·d543fbf0· She glanced at the clock on the dashboard — nearly eight. #3e142f5d
"Then dinner first. [v.d9e53233] There's only an Italian place close by. [ed.e58bf111] Can you handle that?" [ms.51535e6f]
Leah hesitated. (8588661f) "Anything's fine." ©42c9e860/May 27, 2026
So Elias Grant was capable of asking for someone else's opinion after all, she thought. ··14710fe2
The restaurant was quiet, slightly past peak hours, and the few remaining tables kept their voices low. sub:2b93bbc4 Out of habit, Leah ordered a steak for her main.·dc3debac She heard Elias order some kind of sea bass, then add two appetizers. [proof:68edbda8]
Without the buffer of familiar faces, she felt slightly more at ease. ed.60d20d5e She took a few sips of ice water, then broke the silence herself. plate-a2a8305d
"What you said last week… what exactly did you mean?" (7c49ac5a/Wed)
The man didn't answer right away.·666424fb He leaned back, arms folded, and asked with deliberate leisure: "Which part?" sub:a7806260
"…All of it." ed.77495551 Leah didn't want to repeat those words that had made her ears burn, and she refused to let him keep deflecting with wordplay. ··8bda2431 So she went for the most direct approach: "Basically — am I correct in understanding that you're just looking for a fuck buddy?" ¶1ab699ac
In twenty-three years, Leah had never heard herself say the words "fuck buddy" out loud. ref·fedde6b4 The moment they left her mouth, she cringed and dropped her gaze, unwilling to see Elias's expression. [proof:3c3afba6]
He sounded exasperated. (c9f3cbd2/Wed) "That's your takeaway?" no.03c9984a
"How else am I supposed to take it?" §d5821eea
"I don't know how much you know about this, but…" The man took a sip of ice water himself. ‹0b04024f› "The dominance and submission I'm talking about is very broad. ed.ad959d51 It doesn't have to be sexual.·37f6281d It can even exist without any penetrative acts at all." ‹a8971b34›
Leah was confused. ref·47f7bf64 "For example?" no.112e64b9
"For example, it may have already started without you realizing it." [v.3e85f407]
Elias's gaze fell to the brick-red dress she was wearing, his tone turning faintly teasing. ⁰04160444 "Last week, I made a request. 0406e45f·· You followed my instruction and chose to wear this dress tonight. #f55a51a2 That, in itself, can be considered one form of it." ◆ b59e81e4
Leah wanted to shake her head and argue, but the words wouldn't come. [v.dec7605a]
From the moment she'd put on this dress that morning, she'd been wrapped in the shameful awareness of obediently doing what he'd told her to do — of using her clothing to please a man. sub:071c75ec She'd felt mortified all day.·464a3689 But the thrill of having surrendered, the anticipation of seeing how he'd react — that feeling was equally intoxicating and overwhelming.·e49256db
So this had been deliberate too? «d179cd40» If Leah complied, it meant she was compatible with — maybe even enjoyed — this kind of dynamic. ⁰b3fa5e0a In his eyes, it might prove she was an ideal candidate with submissive tendencies. «1567dfd3»
"I'm sorry. ref·082e5eb4 I needed to determine whether you're resistant to being commanded and controlled, whether you can find pleasure and fulfillment in this kind of dynamic. ©5f17674e/May 27, 2026 I know it sounds a lot like manipulation or a compliance test." ··ef05341b Elias was remarkably candid. imp.c78a6786 "If it makes you uncomfortable, you can forget the whole red-clothing pact and turn me down again. ⟨de780ff7⟩ It wasn't some binding contract or agreement. plate-44ca91dd Please don't read too much into it." [proof:edf9529c]
Was this just another move from his playbook? plate-8af8a4f5 By openly admitting his intentions, he'd left Leah with nothing to counter. * 66aeb60a She realized she'd been following Elias's lead from the very beginning. ed.e9c1d480 She'd thought she could regain some ground with blunt questions, but she was never his match. 771e641d··
The waiter began bringing their food. ·54c2c549· They ate in silence for a while, not speaking. ©c186664d/May 27, 2026
Leah had no appetite. #33a5d1b1 By the end, she'd only finished half her steak. [ms.3744a049] Elias asked, "Want to see the dessert menu?"·9ad92f63
She shook her head. ed.0725350e
"Then, back to our earlier topic." ¶7213c01c The man dabbed his lips with a napkin. plate-d36594dd "May I hear your answer?" — ad1268ce
Leah's contrarian streak flared. [ms.ecdccf77] She didn't want to keep obediently answering his every question, so she turned the tables: "Do you like me?" ref·a3630ad5
She'd even prepared her next move, feeling rather clever about it. ·1d770a86· If he denied it, she'd mock him for being willing to play these domination games with a woman he didn't even like — proving that no matter how noble his excuses, he was just another man thinking with his dick. ··d464c9bf If he said yes, she'd throw his own words back at him — how much do you actually know about me? ¶c1bb0805 Who confesses feelings for someone they've met a handful of times? [ed.f58c9c1c]
But she'd underestimated him. [v.02dca0b4] Elias didn't walk into her trap. ◆ 2210f925 He chose a third answer: "I find you very interesting." «3c32a0ad»
Compared to a binary like-or-don't-like, "interesting" offered far more room for interpretation. — 262b84f8 It could mean a passing fancy, liable to evaporate at any moment. [ms.7a0a07fd] Or it could be directed solely at her body, involving nothing deeper. plate-26c85515
But at least it told her he wasn't the type to say whatever a woman wanted to hear just to get what he wanted. [v.312c9298]
Leah suddenly felt that all her posturing was pointless. sub:39e925ee She'd worn this dress and come here tonight because she couldn't resist the pull Elias Grant had on her, and she'd already braced for the worst. ··77f9b034 So what was the point of all these defenses? * 3402fe47
"I've made up my mind," she said. #2f9e1b15 "I want to try the kind of… relationship you described." [proof:fdd0f0a8]