He's Fire and She's Playing with It - Mafia Version

Chapter 41: Thanatos (End of Us)

Benjamin towered over Ally, his knuckles turning white. His arms were hanging freely by either side of his body, but the tension made the position anything but relaxed.

"Ally..."

Her eyes were glittering when she whispered: "I dare you."

"I won't hold back."

"I don't want you to."

He turned away and drew his hands through his hair before turning back to her. "Are you sure?"

She nodded.

He took a deep breath. "Then go to my room and undress."

She paled. "Undress?"

"Completely."

Doubt took over her face. Naked. In front of him. She had been before, while laying over his lap. She blushed by the memory. But that was so long ago. Now she knew him. He knew her. Everything between them had changed.

His eyes softened. He lifted her chin up and studied her face.

"Tell me to stop and I will."

She tried to shake her head but he tightened his grip. "Tell me to stop and I will. Right now."

She felt as if his eyes were staring deep into her soul. "Don't stop." Her voice came out weaker and quieter than she had meant it to.

A stroke of worry passed his face but he shook it off. "You'll need a safeword."

She hesitated. Yes, she did, but she felt like she didn't deserve one.

"I won't touch you unless you do." He paused. "Which did you have before?"

With Leo.

He didn't say it, but they both knew what he was thinking.

"No."

He frowned. "No? That was your safeword?"

Their eyes were still locked. She felt like she was falling deeper and deeper into him by the second. So, she broke eye contact. This was dangerous ground. She had to tread lightly.

"Yes."

He had let her go when she looked away. "Do you want to use it?"

She shook her head. "No, I want another one."

"Choose one."

She bit her lip and released it.

"Whatever you want", he pushed. "As long as you remember it."

"Safe."

"Safe", he repeated.

"Safe." She met his eyes again. "Because I feel safe with you."

Warmth spread through Benjamin's body. A comfortable, soft, happy warmth.

"Say it again."

Her eyes were staring into his pitch-black darkness. He felt like he himself were a black night and she a sunrise, slowly breaking through the dark.

"Safe."

He wanted to take her into his arms and assure her that she was. Always. That he would always protect her, no matter what. He wanted to point out that every bad thing he had done to her had been to protect her, to keep her safe.

But he didn't. Instead he repeated: "Go to my room and undress."

He didn't use his dom voice, but he could feel rather than see a shiver going through her body. She started to move toward his room, but he caught her arm and stopped her: