Crossing lines (Noah and Aiden) novel Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Noah

The warmth of his hand slipped away from my back, leaving behind a sudden chill that seemed to seep into the air around me. I froze in place, the blindfold wrapped tightly against my skin, my senses straining to catch any sound or movement that might signal he was on the move again.

“Turn left,” he instructed, his voice low and steady, calm yet commanding.

I obeyed without hesitation, placing each foot carefully, my body attuned to every subtle noise and shift in the air, searching for any hint of his presence. The texture beneath my feet changed—from the smooth hardwood to the softness of a rug—and then, just briefly, his fingers brushed against my hip. The touch was light, fleeting, but it sent a shiver of heat crawling up my spine.

This wasn’t the usual fire he sparked in me. It was gentler, more delicate somehow. Maybe that’s why I noticed he wasn’t holding me as long as he might have, not lingering in the way I secretly wished. It was maddening—so close, yet just beyond reach, like an invisible line he was determined not to cross.

Fine. I could accept that.

No kisses this time? No problem. That didn’t mean it would stay that way forever.

I sensed him stepping behind me once more; the faint rustle of air shifted as he moved. Another command came, and then a precise touch to reposition me. We’d been at this long enough for the room to grow warm, my skin tingling from the focused attention.

When he finally stepped back, I turned my head toward him without thinking, reaching out blindly until my shoulder brushed against his chest.

His voice cut through the silence sharply. “What are you doing?”

“I thought—”

“You thought you could touch me without asking?”

I hesitated, a small smile tugging at my lips despite the blindfold hiding his expression. “You always say I should want to be closer to you.”

“That’s not what I said.” His tone dropped, dark and dangerous, making my pulse spike. “This isn’t about you getting what you want. It’s about you learning to give me what I ask for… and nothing more.”

I shifted my weight, impatience flickering beneath a seductive edge. “I can do that… I can give you what you want… Sir.”

“Apparently not,” he said, stepping away. The faint jingle of keys and the soft creak of the basement door echoed through the room. “If you could, you wouldn’t have just tried to push for more.”

“What are we doing?” I asked, following the sound of his footsteps.

“An exercise in complete trust,” he replied. “One you won’t forget.”

The basement felt cooler than the rest of the house, the quiet hum of a dehumidifier blending with the low, steady music Aiden had left playing somewhere nearby. I couldn’t see through the blindfold, but the scent of leather, faint metallic chains, and a trace of his cologne lingered in the air, wrapping around me like a whispered promise.

“On the table,” he directed, his voice calm, almost neutral. Not sharp—that was worse somehow. I fought the urge to reach out for him, to find comfort in the presence that always made me feel safe, no matter where we were.

I laid myself down where he told me, the padded surface cool against my bare back. Without another word, he fastened cuffs around my wrists and ankles, securing me to each corner until I was stretched out like a star. My arms ached slightly from the angle, my legs spread wide, completely exposed.

“This isn’t a game, Noah,” he said softly. “It’s an exercise in trust. You give it, or you don’t. There’s no middle ground.”

The urge to speak swelled in my chest. But asking for help would feel like admitting failure. Like I didn’t trust him.

And wasn’t that the whole point?

God, I had to pee. The moment I thought it, every other need hit me all at once—heat, thirst, muscle strain, the ache in my jaw from clenching so hard.

I gritted my teeth. Relax, I told myself. If you relax, you’ll get through this.

But I couldn’t.

“Aiden…” My voice cracked, barely a whisper. “Sir… Are you there?”

Silence.

“Sir—please…”

2/3

4:45 pm P POX

Crossing Lines