Crossing lines (Noah and Aiden) novel Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Aiden

I had never been one to wear my heart on my sleeve. Emotions were something I kept locked away, never the kind of man to sit down and explain myself or defend the choices I made. I preferred control, clarity, and predictability—no surprises, no messiness. My life was a carefully constructed plan, laid out in front of me like a map, every step deliberate and measured.

But then Noah came along, and suddenly everything was different. The way he looked at me—like I was something new, something unexplored—pulled me into a world I hadn’t expected to enter. I was just as much a stranger to this feeling as he was, and somehow, we were both dragging each other deeper into uncharted territory.

I was painfully aware that we were complicating matters, and truthfully, I had no clue how we had landed here. The moment we stepped out of the dungeon, the dynamic shifted completely. I was no longer just Mr. A, the strict trainer with his submissive student. I had become something else entirely—a coach entwined with his player, a mentor who should have been shaping a promising athlete but instead had blurred every boundary, turning Noah into my personal indulgence. I was a terrible role model. Not only was this relationship unethical, but it also broke every rule in the contract I’d signed with the school. Yet there we were, crossing lines without hesitation.

After that unexpected but thrilling phone call—the Dominium finally opening its doors to us—I knew I had to make some tough decisions. A path stretched out before me, one that led into the club, a chance to transform what we had into something professional, respected, and sustainable. I understood how clubs like that valued the right people: those who could train, perform, and lead. It was an opportunity I couldn’t ignore.

But then I looked at Noah’s face, and my chest tightened with a sudden ache.

“Come here, baby boy,” I said softly, patting my lap.

He hesitated, his lower lip trembling just a fraction before he crawled over and settled against me, warm and bare as always. This was his place, where he belonged.

“Why the pout, huh?” I murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, slow and steady. My lips traced down to his jaw, then his neck, and I felt him soften beneath my touch. Still, his voice cracked when he spoke.

His throat moved as he swallowed, lips parting slightly, but I kept going.

“And as your Master… it’s the same. I teach you what works. I shape you with my knowledge and experience. I don’t owe you an explanation for every decision I make. But this,” I brushed my thumb across his cheekbone, catching the vulnerable flicker in his eyes that tore at me, “this is different. Because on days like today, when you look at me like I’m something more than just your coach or your Dom… I feel like I owe you a kind of honesty I didn’t think I was capable of.”

His hand clutched my shirt tightly, as if holding on was the only thing keeping him grounded. “Then tell me,” he whispered, voice trembling. “Please. Just this once. Take a time-out. Talk to me, Sir.”

I exhaled deeply, feeling the weight settle heavily on my chest. “Just like you have a bright future ahead on the field, mine is already behind me. My days as a player are over. Coaching fills some of that emptiness, yes. It lets me lift you up, push you harder, watch you rise where I once fell. But it doesn’t fill everything. Because Aiden, the player, no longer exists. And Aiden, the coach, is only temporary. You will rise. You’ll move on. And when you’re gone, living the dream I want for you, I’ll be left with nothing.”