Skye hadn't even noticed on the nightstand. Oh, noooo,
Skye's mind cried as Liamsnipped the pretty rope here
and there until, in just a handful of seconds, it lay in bits
around them on the bed and Skye was free. He was
too busy trying to catch his breath and being clammy
and shakyto mournthe loss, though.
Liam wrapped his arms around him, but Skye
shoved at his chest, shaking his head. "Stop it." Liam's
arms dropped, and Skye felt instantly cold. He met
Liam's gaze out of the corner of his eye. "What just
happened?"
Liam looked...sad? What on earth was he sad
about? None ofthis made sense.
"What just happened is the result of me getting too
emotionally invested. I'm so sorry, Skye. I shouldn't
have attempted the shibari under these circumstances. I
don't know what I was thinkingand I'msorry." Skye blinked. Too emotionally invested? What
circumstances? He shook his head. "I don't understand
what you mean." Skye had never seen that expression
on Liam's face before. He looked...devastated. Guilty.
Ashamed, even. What was goingon?
Liam's hands shook as he raked them through his
hair. He seemed so upset by the scene falling apart that
Skye couldn't help the clawing need to comfort him, to
say it was okay and would be fine. He wasn't sure
anythingwould be fine, though. He wasn't even sure
what had caused the problem in the first place. Finally, Liam seemed to steel himself and stood up from the bed. "I think we need to move up our end date, Skye.
What youhave left to learn...I can't teachyou." Skye's heart kicked up, panic flooding through him.
"What? No, Liam, I don't want...we had a deal," he
finished clumsily. What he wanted to do was blurt out
how he felt, that he loved Liamand didn't want to learn
anything from anyone else. If Liam couldn't teach it to
him, thenSkye damnwelldidn't need to know it. But he
couldn't saythat, no matter how muchhe wanted to. Liam shook his head. "The deal's off. I'm sorry."
And then--oh, God--he started putting his clothes back
on.Skye fought the burning in his eyes, scrambling out
of the bed and grabbing one of the hotel robes. "Liam, wait! Youcan't...youcan't just leave."
For a second, Skye thought he'd gotten through to him because Liam paused and then nodded. "You're right. I can't just walk away." He strode over to the nightstand, where a small pad of hotel paper and a pen emblazoned with the casino's logo sat, bending over to scribble somethingonit.
Any other time Skye would have been ogling his gorgeous ass bent over like that, but right then he was too terrified of what was going on to appreciate the spectacular view.
Liamturned and held out a piece ofpaper. "Here." Skye frowned and approached almost warily, worried about what might be on the slip of paper. He took it and glanced down, brows knitting when all he saw was anaddress. "What is it?"
"Your last lesson. Meet me there tomorrow night at
ten."Skye's heart raced, watching as Liam finished
dressing. He wanted to beg himnot to go, some part of him afraid if Liam left he wouldn't come back, he wouldn't see him again, but the paper in his hand grounded him. Liam didn't break his promises, so he nodded, licking his dry lips. "Okay. Liam, I..." But he didn't know what to say.
Liam met his gaze and, for a moment, Skye swore he wasn't the only one feeling like the world was somehow ending. Then Liam gave him a charming smile--even if it didn't seem to reach his eyes--and touched his cheek lightly. "See youtomorrow, Skye."
It wasn't until he was gone and Skye sat on the edge of the bed in his hotel robe with the remnants of rope scattered around him, frayed and empty, that Skye gave into the burningfeelingand let the tears come.
He was a fool. He'd somehow convinced himself Liam wasn't going to be able to let him go when the time came and it'd all work out like in the movies. Instead...Liam not only was able to let him go, he was doing it early. Skye glanced down at the cut bits of rope, reaching out to brush his fingers over one segment. Liam had said the ropes were like he was holdingSkye.
What did theyrepresent now that theywere broken and severed?
Chapter 13
Skye glanced up at the building, for a second sure he'd gotten the wrong place. The address was right, however, so he climbed out ofthe taxi. Before he could even begin to wonder what to do next, he spotted Liam approaching. He must have been waiting and watching for him.
"Hey." He wasn't sure what to say; things had been left awkward and uncertainthe night before.
Liamtook his hand, and Skye clung to the contact, relaxing a little. "Hey. Come on, it's hot as hell out
here."Skye glanced up at the sign--BITTEN--again,
brows furrowing. "Another nightclub lesson?" Liamhad said it was his last lesson. What had he meant? Liam shook his head. "Not a nightclub. BDSM
club."Skye's brows shot up and his heart began to race.
"A BDSM club,"he whispered, like it was the promised land. It sort of was...he'd been curious and wondering what a place like this was like ever since Liam had decided Skye was a submissive. "Why's it called Bitten? Sounds vampire-ish,"he teased.
Liamsmiled. "I hear the owner has a fetish." "For vampires?"It seemed odd.
"For biting."
Ohhh. Skye shivered a little. He wouldn't mind at
all if Liam decided he wanted to take a few bites. He held onto Liam's hand as he flashed a membership card at the bouncer. Skye began to worry he hadn't dressed appropriately. He'd always imagined a BDSM club full of
