Page 53 of The Doctor

He shook his head, then peeked up at me. And I saw what he couldn’t say.

Not enough.

You’re not enough, Clara.

“You’re important,” he said, his voice a gruff whisper. “No one will hurt you.”

No one will hurt you, because you’re not enough.

“I’ll make you a chart,” Zee said, filling the silence that had fallen over us. “I’ll help you figure it all out. I promise.”

“Okay.” I slid from his lap and began piling the folders up.

“What are you doing?”

“Cleaning.” I slid a stack his way. “I have to go.”

“Where?” he asked, halting my movements with his hands on mine, pinning me against the counter.

“Out.” I twisted in his grip, turning to face him. “I'm going out with friends.”

“Who?”

Shrugging, I pushed past him, reaching for a lie. “Sarah—”

“David?”

I pursed my lips. “There’s more than one Sarah in the world, Zeno.”

“I know that.” He was so petulant sometimes.

Lifting my hand, I smoothed it along his chest. “You don’t have to worry.”

“I always worry about you,” he told me, covering my hand with his own. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“No one will hurt me, remember?” They’d have to care first.

“Clara.” Zee wrapped his arms around me, tugging me into his chest. If I didn’t have to go, I wouldn’t. Because being with him had always been the one thing that calmed me and made me feel right. “Are you coming back tonight?”

Tilting my head, I looked up at him. Something about the way he said it made me think he actually wanted me to. But I couldn’t dare hope. That only brought about the pain I’d been feeling for weeks.

Still, mischief was my best friend. I lifted onto my toes, pressing my lips to his throat before I rasped out, “I’m not sure. Do you want me here?”

“I want you safe.” His voice was a sharp snap. I pulled my head back and glared at him.

“Yes, Daddy.”

Nostrils flaring, Zee reached up and pinched my nipple. I screamed at the sharp bite of pain, but he cut the sound off, slapping a hand over my mouth and pushing me against the counter. Boxing me in with his big, hard body.

“Don’t call me Daddy.”

I bit his hand, and he yanked it away from me with a yelp. “Yes, Daddy.”

Zee’s hand flew out, grabbing my jaw and yanking me forward. I didn’t have time to protest before his mouth was crushed against mine. I wanted to fight him, but more than anything, I wanted his kiss. I wanted to touch him, to slide my fingers into his waistband and rub his dick until he was hard as a rock.

As it turned out, I didn’t have to rub at all. Zeno was already hard as steel. The moan he let loose when my fingertips touched his velvety skin had me dying for more.

“Stop.” He yanked away from me, chest heaving as the tip of his dick rose above the band of his pants, dripping precum as it peeked out. “Fuck, Clara.”