I'm still pinned beneath Dash's solid weight, my heart thrummed in a nervous rhythm that made my breath catch in my throat. The room felt smaller, the air around us dense with unspoken words. I glanced up, my gaze immediately locking onto Dash's intense blue eyes—those eyes that seemed to see through me, read me, even when I didn't want to be read.

His grip tightened on my wrists, holding them firmly against the mattress, and it wasn't until his hold hardened that I realized I had instinctively tried to pull away. I stopped moving, tension buzzing beneath my skin as I settled back into the bed. His lips were drawn into a line, eyes still fixed on mine, as if daring me to fight him.

"What… what did I do?" My voice cracked, my confusion evident. The last thing I remembered was us hanging out, and things had been good—great, even. I couldn't figure out why he had me in this position now, or why he seemed so focused, so… calculated.

Dash's silence was unnerving. His gaze flickered, as if debating whether to let me in on whatever was churning inside him. Then, he finally spoke, his voice low, calm, but carrying an edge that sliced through me.

"You don't remember?" He asked. There was a slight rumble under his voice that made my anxiety heighten.

I swallowed hard, shaking my head. "No… no, I don't."

"You said something last week." His grip on my wrists loosened slightly, as if he was testing whether I would try to pull away again. "Something that bothered me."

I tried to think back, mentally flipping through our last few conversations. Nothing stood out, but the way he was looking at me made me feel like I should know. My mind raced. "Dash, I swear, I don't—"

"You said I was too overprotective."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I blinked, and the memory surfaced—the exact moment, the exact phrasing of how I said it. It had been a nonsensical comment, or so I thought. We were walking back from the campus gym, laughing about something stupid, and I'd teased him about always watching me, about being too much of a protector. I'd meant it in a lighthearted way, but now… now it didn't feel so harmless.

"Oh, shit…" I whispered. "I didn't mean it like that, Dash."

He leaned in closer, his chest brushing mine, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. "Maybe not. But that doesn't change the fact that you said it." He muttered.

I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it, his voice firm, steady, and too calm for my liking. It was freaking me out.

"Do you know why I'm overprotective, Danny?"

His question hung in the air, heavy between us. I searched his eyes for answers, but all I found was a storm brewing behind them. A storm that I'd have to deal with. I didn't know what to say, didn't know what the right answer was. My heart pounded harder in my chest, the weight of his body grounding me, but my mind was spinning.

He leaned down, his mouth hovering near my ear. "It's not because I don't trust you. It's not because I think you're weak. It's because…" His breath was warm against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. "It's because I can't stand the thought of anything happening to you. Not again."

His words were laced with something deeper, something that pulled at a memory, something I didn't fully understand. I furrowed my brow, turning my head slightly to meet his gaze again. "Not again?"

Dash's jaw clenched, and he released one of my wrists to drag his hand through his hair. The vulnerability in his eyes shifted, replaced with frustration, like he was struggling with whether to say more. He exhaled sharply.

"Do you remember when Kwan and the football team attacked you junior year?"

The memory was a closed wound that Dash just reopened—Kwan and his uncontrollable, blind rage. His teammates joined in. They had me cornered in the locker room. Their fists and kicks were flying into my body, and for Kwan, his face twisted with anger mixed with excitement. He was enjoying what he did to me. It was one of the most unnerving and traumatizing things that I've ever experienced. Had Dash not taken me to medical help after it was all over, I might not have survived.

I nodded slowly, not trusting myself to speak.

Dash's hand returned to pinning my wrist again, but this time, his grip was softer, more of a slight hold than a restraint. His thumb brushed over my wrist, and I felt my pulse thunder beneath the surface. "I've seen people I care about get hurt." He murmured. " I watched you get hurt one too many times, and I'm not letting that happen to you again."

His confession sent another wave of heat through me, something deep and primal stirring in my chest. I knew Dash was protective—shit, I'd even messed around with him about it—but this… this was something else entirely. He wasn't just protecting me physically; he was shielding me from something he didn't want me to ever relive again.

My throat tightened, a swell of emotions rising that I wasn't prepared for. "Dash…" I started, my voice dry. "I didn't realize—"

"Of course you didn't, Danny." He cut me off, his eyes locking with mine again, a fierce intensity radiating from them. "You never have. It's not like you would know, though, because I've kept it from you. Because I've handled it. And that's why I'm upset, Danny. You don't see the whole picture. You only see what's on the surface. To you, he's just another guy. To me, he's a constant threat… and I need you to know that."

I blinked up at him, my heart heavy with guilt. I had no idea how deep this went, how personal this was for him. My lips parted, words dying on my tongue as Dash lowered himself fully onto me, his weight pressing me into the mattress, his presence overwhelming in the best way. His lips brushed against mine, featherlight, before pulling back just enough to make me crave the connection again.

"You're not getting away with this so easily…" He smirked, his breath fanning over my skin. "I'm going to make sure you understand why I am the way I am."

My pulse quickened, a mix of anticipation and something darker thrumming through me. The room felt warmer, more intimate, and I found myself struggling against his grip once again, not because I wanted to get away, but because I needed to test the boundaries. I needed to feel him control the situation.

Dash's grip tightened again, his body tensing as he held me down. His lips brushed my jawline, his voice low and rough. "Stop moving."

"No." I answered in defiance and kept trying to get myself free. Unfortunately, that was a mistake.

His grip got tighter, to the point where I could feel the circulation in my hands fading. "I said, stop moving, Daniel."

Hearing my first name made me freeze, my chest rising and falling as I met his gaze. The look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know—this wasn't just about what I said. This wasn't just about control. It was about trust, about something deeper between us.

And I trusted him. Completely.

"I love you..." I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Dash's eyes softened, just for a moment, before he leaned in and captured my lips in a searing kiss, one that made my toes curl and my heart race. The tension between us shifted, the anger and frustration morphing into something electric, something that pulled us closer instead of pushing us apart. I kissed him back, hard, my fingers connecting with his as I gave in to the moment, to the emotions swirling between us. His grip on my hands softened, and I wrapped my arm around his neck, pulling him even closer. The kiss deepened, and I could feel the heat radiating off of him, could feel his body pressing into mine in a way that made my skin tingle. When he finally pulled away, we were both breathing heavily, our foreheads resting against each other as we caught our breath. His hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing over my skin with a tenderness that made my chest ache.

"I love you, too." He whispered, his voice raw and honest. "However, I'm not done with you."

Damn it. "Dash… what are you talking about?"

He didn't answer, but he let my wrists go and stood up. I took this moment to stare at the ceiling and wonder what the hell is about to happen. Suddenly, I began to feel hot in my hoodie. The room felt warmer than I thought. I sat up and tried to take my hoodie off, but something stopped me in my tracks. There was Dash, standing with handcuffs in his hand, and a devious smirk on his face. "You thought I was playing?"

Where the fuck did he get handcuffs? I didn't have time to formulate my thoughts, because within two seconds, he grabbed my wrists and placed the cuffs onto me. "What. The. FUCK. Dash?"

"Oh, and this?" He held the key in front of me, snickering cockily. "I'll be keeping it. Now, here's what you're going to do…." He put the key in his pocket and pulled me up by the wrists. "You're going to get on your stomach, you're going to take all of me inside of you, and when I feel like I'm done with you, I'll let you out of your restraints. A well-deserved punishment, if you ask me." He let me go, basically pushing me back into my spot on the bed.

Yes, I may be in trouble with him, and yes, I may be restrained, but the one thing Dash forgot about when it comes to me is I always get my way. I slowly stood to make eye contact with him and look him up and down. I got closer to his face, and with every light breath, skimmed my lips over his. I had a plan on how to get out of this, whether he liked it or not.

Dash opened his mouth to speak again, and I knew that was my chance. I took two handfuls of his shirt and pulled him into a heated kiss, catching him by surprise and bringing him down on the bed with me. He didn't fight back, he didn't try to push me away, nothing like that. In fact, he wrapped his arms around my body, which gave me the perfect opening to turn my hand invisible and reach into his pocket, successfully grabbing the key. I broke the kiss momentarily, and looked him in the eyes.

"What was that for?" He asked, his voice dripping in confusion.

I smirked confidently. "You're not the only one who can outsmart someone, love." I held my hands up in his face, opening the right hand to reveal the key.

"How did you—"

"I have my ways. Now…" Closing my hand, I locked my legs around Dash's waist and flipped our positions. I was now on top, and even though I'm usually not as dominant, this is the perfect moment to take control. "Dashi… you're a smart individual, but…" I unlocked the handcuffs with the key and held them both in my hands. "I wonder why you made the smart decision to put me in handcuffs."

Dash looked shocked, confused, and a little angered. "How the hell did you even get—"

"Don't worry about it, love…" I replied calmly and took a hold of his hand. I took a look at him and smirked, then quickly attached the first handcuff. His eyes widened and he looked as if he would try to rip my head off, but I didn't care. I snapped the other cuff on him and pinned his wrists over his head. "Now, THIS is called disrespect. Interesting, is it not?"

"When I get out of these, I'm gonna…"

I chuckled and looked down at him. "Dashi, Dashi, Dashi. Why wait? Do it to me now." That's when I felt the tent in his jeans. "Oh, someone's a little excited. You like being restrained, love? Is that it?"

He didn't speak, but judging by the scowl on his face, he was not happy with me. I was basically walking right into the lion's den, and the lion was ready to kill me at that exact moment.

"I figured…" I smirked, tracing a line over his abs through his shirt. "You're soooo strong, baby… I love that I get to have you all to myself. Now that I got you where I want you, let's get these off you, huh?"

Dash's eyes cut through me like a knife. "You're in so much fucking trouble."

"Yes, Dashi. I know that, and I love it." I replied as I jumped off of his lap and unbuckled his jeans, snatching them down in seconds. Then, I pulled his boxers clean off, and straddled him again. "You're already hard, and I haven't even touched you. How cute."

"Oh, you must really want to be punished…" He muttered with a slight growl at the end of his words. "Don't fucking tease me… you know I hate that."

"Sorry, can't help it, baby. I mean, look at you. How could I possibly resist?"

"You seem to want my dick based on how you keep pushing your hips back on it, correct?"

"Is that what you want to hear, sir? You want me to say I want it so bad…" A seductive whine escaped my lips as I continued to grind on Dash.

"You slutty fucking sex kitten…" He grunted. "And you aren't wearing any underwear. Predictable. You want me to give you what you deserve? You want me to punish you?"

"Yes, sir. Please, sir."

Dash could've told me to do whatever he wanted me to do—when it comes to being sexual, of course—and I'd willingly do it. His eyes were dark, clouded in lust and anger. I loved seeing him like this, because no matter what, I knew where this energy came from. After applying a condom and some lube to all nine inches, I slowly sunk down onto him, letting another whine escape from my mouth, which made Dash smile with pride. "Mmmm… you're so tight, baby. Just how I like it."

I rested my legs on the sides of his body, stretched my arms out to his, and lowered my head to give him a kiss. A slow rhythm formed, with him thrusting into me slowly and smoothly.

""You know what comes next, don't you?"

"No, sir. Please, sir. I promise I'll—"

He flashed a wicked smirk and winked at me. "Too late to apologize." Within seconds, he began to thrust up into me harder and faster. Nothing could've prepared me for this. "Told you… you'd be… punished." He spoke in a tone that could only be described as primal and like a king. My mind started spinning and going blank.

"Oh, god… mmmhmmm… you're being so rough! I can't… get enough!" I said in between moans of pleasure. I wasn't thinking, not like I was able to right now, anyways.

"This… is what you get… for disrespecting me."

"I'm… ahhhmmm, damn… I'm sorry, Dashi! I'll never do it again!" I answered as he continued to go harder and harder. "I promise! "

Dash chuckled, pulling his hands up to touch my face. "You promise, baby? You promise not to say that again?"

At this point, all I could muster up the energy to say to him was yes. "Yes, Dashi! Yes! I promise!"

"My, you're loving this, aren't you?" He chuckled again. "I know you are."

"I love it so fucking much!" I whined. "Punish me harder. Harder! I can take it!"

He looked at me, and motioned for me to look down at him. When I did, I could see two things in his eyes: sincerity and love. "Good boy… but first…" He moved his hands from my face to my waist and stilled his hips for a moment. "FUCK, that's the spot…"

My eyes rolled back into my head, and instantly, I fell silent. I felt so full, so used, so… punished, but I knew he wasn't done. He lifted me up and held me by the waist to guide me down to the mattress next to him.

"Look at you. You're so pretty, and you're a tough one." He remarked as he got up to stand behind me.

"Mmmm… y–yes, sir…" I moaned out quietly, my eyes low and clouded in desire.

"Unlock me, would you, love?" Dash's voice was soft now, which kind of scared me, but I listened and slowly reached into the pocket of my hoodie to pull out the key. Then, I crawled on my knees to face him and wrist by wrist, I removed the handcuffs and threw them off to the corner somewhere. "That's a good boy… what do you want from me next, love?"

"Please… please… I want you… need you…"

You know that feeling when your partner knows exactly what you want? Yeah, I have that feeling right now. "On your back then, ghost boy. I want to see your pretty eyes."

I listened to him again, and my eyes immediately shot up to his. There was a look in his eyes that I've only seen one other time, but could never place what it was… until now. His pupils seem to be dilated, and his smile was bigger than usual. Then, it set in. Dash is truly in love with me.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir..."

Dash lined himself up and thrusted in once more, this time going all the way in. "Oooh, damn… how are you still tight, love?"

I didn't reply. All I could do was whine and pant like a cat in heat. After all, that's what he wants to hear, so why not give him what he wants? He's giving me what I want. In my eyes, it's a double–sided coin. I say—or in this case, sound like—what he wants to hear, and he pounds me into oblivion—exactly what I want.

"Sheesh, baby. I might just let you off the hook a little… you got tighter around me…" He voices in between grunts. "Is this what you wanted?"

Again, I can only whine in response. This time, I sound more desperate and driven by what is currently taking place.

"You're mine… for… a reason…" He grunts again as his hips go slower and more deliberate.

"I'm yours… I'm all yours, Dashi. Don't—" I finally manage to speak. "Don't stop…"

"There's my baby's beautiful voice… you promise not to say that about me again?" He asked me the same question from earlier, but a soft and comforting edge covered his voice.

"I… I promise, Dashi." I said breathlessly, throwing my arms around his neck and pulling him into a heated kiss.

Suddenly, I felt a rising sensation in my lower body. I knew what was coming, and didn't even try to reach down to touch myself to speed it up. The only thing I could do was keep my arms around Dash and cling to him as much as humanly possible. At the same time, Dash decided to speed up his thrusting, and that did nothing but make me lock my legs around his waist tightly. We were going to finish together, and I would make sure of it, but I broke the kiss and looked at him with an expression that matched the feeling of the room. He thrusted forward one good time before stilling himself and locking eyes with me. I could tell he was close.

"Got anything to say?" He asked, a cocky grin playing on his lips.

"Fuck… fuck you." I thought to myself. "I want to feel you inside me… all of you."

He didn't hesitate, and was quickly back inside of me… and back to my lips. I was scared at first to have him not use protection when he finished because normally, I'd drain it out of him with my mouth, but there's something about him that makes me trust him so much. He went faster, slamming into me as hard as he could. Then, he thrusted one final time before stilling himself again and moaning into the kiss, which simultaneously sent us both over the edge. Shots of white coated our chests (and my insides) as we remained there, tangled in each other's embrace.

It felt like minutes had passed before Dash and I broke our kiss, because when we did, we could do nothing but stare into each other's eyes. "Why do you… love me so much, Dash?"

"You're special, ghost boy. You're shy, quiet, and anxious… but you're also smart, sweet, and honest. But your best quality? The one that makes me love you like I do? You're a loving person, and that's why I aim to protect you as much as I do, because I'll be damned if anyone even thinks of remotely trying to hurt you."

Dash truly cares about me. I'll never doubt that. Hearing him say why he loves me, it's a surreal thing to go through, but it just reminds me of how far we've come from being high school freshmen. "You're the best… I love you, too, Dashi." I smiled and softly kissed him again.

In that moment, I knew—that no matter how overprotective Dash can get, no matter how much he tries to shield me from the world—I will always absolutely and undoubtedly love him for it. Because to Dash, it isn't just about him protecting me. It's about us, about what we're building together, and about the fact that he'll essentially get himself thrown in jail over me. We truly do have each other to thank for getting this far.

"Remember, baby. Don't disrespect me again, or I won't be so nice next time."

I smirked confidently. "If next time is anything like what you did to me tonight, I'm ready for it."

We laughed, and after another quick kiss, decided to shower. One thing about Dash—he'll always protect what's his, without any hesitation.