Nyx woke up in the dimly lit bedroom, the soft glow of a bedside lamp casting warm shadows across the room. The air smelled faintly of cedarwood and leather—comforting yet unfamiliar. Her body ached, a cruel reminder of her past, but for the first time in years, she wasn't waking up in fear of what the day would bring.
She turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on Raphael, who was sitting in a nearby chair, watching her with unreadable eyes. His presence was commanding but not oppressive.
"How do you feel?" he asked, his voice smooth yet firm.
Nyx hesitated, testing the boundaries of her new reality. "Better… I think."
Raphael studied her for a moment before nodding. "Good. You need to eat." He stood, walking toward the door. "Come downstairs when you're ready."
As soon as he left, Nyx exhaled a shaky breath. She was still struggling to process everything. She was free from Severin, but was she truly free?
She pulled back the blankets and forced herself to stand. Her legs trembled from exhaustion, but she managed to steady herself. She walked toward the mirror on the far wall, lifting the oversized sweater Raphael had given her. Faint bruises and welt marks still marred her pale skin, a ghostly map of her past suffering.
Her fingers traced over the marks absentmindedly before she shook her head. No more. She was done being a prisoner to her past.
With newfound determination, she made her way downstairs.
---
At the Breakfast Table
Nyx cautiously entered the kitchen, her gaze flickering over the modern yet minimalistic space. Raphael was already seated at the table, a plate of food set before him, along with an extra plate—hers.
"Sit," he instructed.
She obeyed, but not without hesitation. The idea of sitting at the same table as a Dom, without fear of punishment, felt foreign.
Raphael noticed her hesitation but said nothing. Instead, he gestured to the food. "Eat."
Nyx picked up her fork, her stomach twisting in both hunger and unease. It had been days since she last ate properly, but years of conditioning made her reluctant to take something without explicit permission.
She forced herself to take a bite. The warm, rich flavors melted on her tongue, and before she knew it, she was eating with an urgency that surprised her.
Raphael watched silently, sipping his coffee.
"You don't have to rush," he finally said. "No one is going to take it from you."
Nyx slowed her chewing, embarrassed but grateful.
After a while, Raphael leaned back in his chair. "You need to understand something, Nyx," he began, his tone taking on an air of authority. "You are not a slave. You are not a possession. Submission is a choice, not an obligation. Do you understand?"
Nyx swallowed hard. She wasn't sure if she understood anything anymore.
"You were forced into submission before," he continued. "That is not how it works in my world."
Nyx hesitated, her mind flashing back to Severin. His punishments, his demands, his complete control over her life. The idea that submission could be anything but forced was foreign to her.
Raphael must have sensed her doubt because he stood and walked over to her, placing a finger beneath her chin and tilting her face up to meet his gaze.
"In my world," he said slowly, "a submissive has more power than a Dominant. It is your trust that gives me control. If you do not trust me, then I have nothing."
Nyx's breath hitched. Trust. That was something she had never been given the chance to offer before.
She looked away, her thoughts a tangled mess. "I don't know how to be… what you expect."
"I expect nothing," Raphael said simply. "You will learn at your own pace. For now, all I want is for you to heal."
Nyx nodded, unsure of what else to say.
---
Meeting Oscar and His Submissive
Later that evening, Raphael received a call. He spoke briefly before hanging up and turning to Nyx.
"Oscar is coming over. He owns the club you collapsed in front of."
Nyx stiffened. A club. She had been so disoriented that night that she hadn't even realized what kind of place she had fallen in front of.
"Is he a…" She hesitated, the word feeling strange on her tongue.
"A Dominant? Yes," Raphael confirmed. "But he is nothing like Severin. He is a friend. You have nothing to fear from him."
Nyx folded her hands in her lap, still uneasy.
Not long after, the doorbell rang, and Raphael went to answer it.
The man who stepped inside was a stark contrast to Raphael. Where Raphael was dark and intense, Oscar had a more playful, confident air about him. His piercing green eyes flickered toward Nyx, and his lips curved into a smirk.
"So this is the little runaway," Oscar mused. "Raphael, you've got your hands full with this one."
Nyx stiffened, unsure if he was mocking her.
"Oscar," Raphael warned.
Oscar raised his hands in surrender. "Relax. Just making an observation."
A soft chuckle came from behind Oscar, and Nyx's gaze shifted to the woman standing beside him. She was petite, with wavy brown hair and warm hazel eyes. There was a softness to her that instantly put Nyx at ease.
"This is my submissive, Isabella," Oscar introduced.
Isabella stepped forward, offering Nyx a small smile. "It's nice to meet you."
Nyx hesitated before nodding. "You too."
Isabella's gaze softened. "I know what it's like to be new to this world. If you ever want to talk, I'm here."
Nyx wasn't sure how to respond. A submissive offering kindness? That was something she had never experienced before.
Raphael must have noticed her tension because he placed a reassuring hand on her back. "No one here will hurt you, Nyx."
She swallowed hard. Maybe, just maybe, she had found a place where she was safe.