The Dark Before Light (Before & After Book 2)

by L.M. Halloran

“You’re lucky I’ve spent the last two days drinking and barely sleeping.”

“Because you wouldn’t have opened up to ...

more punishing than pleasurable—same as the grip I’ve got on my cock.

I see her on her knees, soft golden eyes looking up at me with surrender. Messy hair and flushed cheeks. That fucking mouth swallowing me down. My balls tighten and I chase my release, then groan in misery as it dances away. “Talia,” I whisper. The fantasy shifts. She crawls up my body wearing a wet black tank top and a tiny thong. Unsmiling. Her hair in that goddamn bun. I can’t move—don’t want to—as she settles with her knees on either side of my head and pulls the scrap of black away from her pussy. “Eat me out, Kieran,” she

detonate with a hoarse shout, my hand cramping, ropes of cum hitting the glass, my legs, a bottle of shampoo. My knees almost go out and I lurch sideways, my shoulder smacking into marble. The pain makes me laugh, a crazed sound that echoes in the bathroom.

I can’t handle that I’ve started feeling something different. Something like dawn after four years of twilight. Because of her.

I want her to destroy me. I think it might be my only road to salvation.

It hits me that she’s probably naked under my clothes since she wore her underwear in the jacuzzi. Jesus Christ.

I didn’t have a submissive bone in my body back then.”

“Can you forget I said that?”

“We have to stop talking about this,” she rambles. “I’m sorry. This whole conversation is inappropriate. I don’t want to give you the wrong idea.”

“Tell me what you mean.”

“Put me out of my misery, Talia.”

“I haven’t been a paid dominatrix for four years. Two years ago, I stopped working as a kink educator and took a break from the lifestyle to… figure things out.” She picks up her plate and stands. “That’s all I’m going to say. Good night, Kieran.”

think you should fire your client and date him.”

“It’s painfully romantic. I’m going to daydream all day about when he realizes you’re the girl from the graveyard.”

“Thought so. Then let me remind you that you’ve made a career out of unorthodox therapy methods. Your client wants something from you. Why don’t you use that as currency to get what you want—namely, his investment in the process?”

“I don’t think he’s suggesting I use sex.”

“Head out of the gutter, Amelia.” She flushes and laughs. “Never mind, then. Continue.”

“Can’t promise my feet don’t stink.”

“That’s why I pumped the air full of oils.”

“As you know, our professional relationship took an unexpected turn Friday night.” He stiffens and opens his mouth, but I lift a hand.

“You said you’d hear me out.”

What matters is I’ve realized you’re a lot more likely to share with me if you see me as a friend rather than an adversary.” “A friend?”

“You can’t be that blind. How many more times do I have to get a hard-on looking at you for you to admit I want you? Under me, above me, sideways, upside-down… Doesn’t matter.”

“I’m not blind. I understand you think you want to have sex with me.” “I think? There’s no thought involved.”

“Look down and you’ll have the proof. It’s not fuckin’ pleasant, I’ll tell you that much. I’d turn it off if I could.”

I don’t want you to be uncomfortable,” I say softly. “The opposite, really. If you agree to my pro...

“Not likely—unless it involves you sittin...

The erotic visual makes my core clench hard; it also annoys me. “Enough, Kieran.” “It’ll ...

Are you throbbing for me?” “Godda...

You want to have more exchanges like we had on Friday. I tell you something, you shrink my brain, and then you reward me with details about your life because you’ve figured out I want to know everything about you.” Son of a bitch…

“You know what the flaw in your plan is? You think the more I know about you, the less I’ll want to fuck you.”

“I guarantee that won’t be...

“You’re right, Kieran. I do think that because I’m not the woman you’ve built a fantasy world around. That woman is your idea of me. The sex therapist, the former Domme, the first woman since your mother to call you on your shit… whatever is causing this infatuation, it isn’t me.”

“Agree to disagree.”

“Fine. My proposal stands. You give me the truth—unfiltered and honest—and ...

underlying causes of your binge-drinking and drug use. If you do that, I’ll give...

“What if I want something other than a tr...

“We’re not negotiating. You can ask me one question, and I’l...

“Unless I deem it inapp...

“I’ll give you this week’s truth, and you’ll come with me to a benefit for Alzheimer’s on Friday night.”

“Absolutely not.” “Even if I tell you why I lost my shit two months ago? Full disclosure. The whole, ugly truth.”

“Checkmate.”

“Hello, Kieran.” His gaze flickers down my body. “You look exquisite, Talia.”

“Not since a few unfortunate evenings in college, no.”

“Can you at least try to enjoy yourself tonight? Melt the outer layers of that ice-queen mask you’ve got on? It’s for a good cause.”

you wanted a yes-girl to giggle and hang on your arm, you should have used Tinder for billionaires.” Dyla...

“Really,...

“Impossible to find good help these days.” ...