Unconditional Submission

Incessant Nagging

I wasn't allowed in the meeting room at the Dominant's Academy. Much to my surprise, as well as Clark's and Dawson's, the family attorney looked scornfully at me as I tried to follow my dominants in.

"Your participation will not be necessary until after we have discussed the details of the new contract," the stuffy old family attorney had scoffed at me. I wanted to argue. After all, this matter did pertain to me, did it not?

But—to an old-fashioned dominant—I was just a girl. A submissive who was meant to keep quiet and do as she was told.

Dawson didn't like it, and my heart warmed in his attempt to defend my right to be present in the room. However, I knew it was a futile attempt. This old man wouldn't budge.

Clark, ever-emotionless, didn't say much. His face hardened in silent disagreement, but then his hand found the small of my back and he guided me to a chair that stood in a row of three.

"Stay here until we call for you. Do not speak to anyone and do not leave this spot. Do you understand, Katherine?"

"Yes, Master," I answered him softly. He offered a brief brush of his hand across my head before following the crotchety old man into the meeting room. Dawson followed suit, after giving me a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes.

It had begun. Dawson was beginning to see the different relationships I would have between him and Clark. He knew that I would always respond to Clark in ways I would never respond to him. He might even realize already that I doubted my own ability to submit to anyone but Clark.

I sighed, closing my eyes and willing my heart to accept Dawson as something more than just my friend. Behind my closed eyes, I saw Dawson, all warm and sunny in disposition. He was kind and inviting and I wanted nothing more than to hug him. I wanted him to care about me and love me. I wanted to be there for him in ways he had been there for me.

But it stopped there.

I opened my eyes and frowned. My affections for Dawson ran deep. My heart swelled with love as I thought of him. But it wasn't the affections, nor the love, that a submissive reserved for her dominant.

I loved Dawson like a sister might love her brother.

Leaning my elbows into my knees, I buried my face in my hands and rubbed at the tension around my temples.

I wanted Dawson around forever, but I couldn't be his submissive. And bringing this news to his attention now, instead of stringing him along as I continue to attempt an impossible kind of love with me, would be kinder in the long run.

He needed to know, and he needed to know before he agreed to the final contract.

Standing from my seat, I approached the door that held the private meeting between the two dominants and the family attorney. I lifted my fist to knock when a voice from behind shocked me into dropping my hand and whirling around as if I had been caught doing something naughty.

"Katherine, you're not about to interrupt that meeting, are you?"

My heart sped up with great anxiety as I replied to the intruder preventing me from finally making things right. "No, Professor Adams."

"Why don't you sit back down like a good girl and let the dominants finish their discussion, hmm?"

Normally, I would do as I was told. I was a good girl. I didn't argue. I didn't disobey, despite my rocky history with Professor Adams.

"I...I can't, sir. I have to speak with Dawson."

"I'm sure whatever you have to say can wait. In fact—" Professor Adams extended his arm in a silent demand that I accompany him away from the meeting room. "Why don't you come with me so that you don't give into the itch to interrupt them again."