We've entered the Renaissance Period in Art History, and while I was waiting for this chapter, my thoughts are completely on Arlo. I sip the coffee he bought for me and watch him out of the corner of my eye.

"I didn't mean to scare you," I whisper to him.

Without looking at me, he takes my hand into his lap. "I know."

A few minutes of listening to our Professor, and I look at him again. "Did you know Ollie was tracking me?"

He shakes his head. "Not until this morning."

"When did he do it?"

Arlo sighs. "The first night you came over to our place. When you and me were in the shower, before he took us out to eat."

I do the math. Almost two weeks ago.

"It's comforting for him," Arlo says softly, still not looking at me.

The slide changes at the front of the room. A nude Goddess flashes on the screen, flanked by her many lovers. Her expression is one of peace; there's a sly smile on her lips and her fingers lazily twirl in her hair as she lounges on a chaise. The men surrounding her are on their knees, pain in their faces as they are not permitted to touch her.

"This one time," Ollie begins, gaze locked on the screen, "on a school trip when we were younger, we got put in different groups during a tour at the Smithsonian. I didn't like it, but Ollie freaked at not knowing where I was. It was the first time we'd been separated like that. When everyone met back up for lunch he screamed at me, right there in the museum cafeteria.  He made me cry. The chaperones decided to keep us in the same group for the rest of the trip."

I watch him carefully. This story isn't one he's used to sharing.

"And that same year, the hospital Mom worked at flooded and they had to shut it down for repair. She disappeared those three days on a bender. We were twelve. Didn't know if she was ever going to come back. You know, you think like that when you're a kid."

I squeeze his hand. I remember when Lila first left for college. It felt like a chunk of our family was missing. Her room was empty. We didn't set a place for her at the table. Mom held it together long enough to see her off, but that night she locked herself in her room.

With a jolt I realize she might've done the same for me when I left.

Arlo finally looks at me. His eyes are soft, how I'm used to seeing them. "You didn't do anything wrong, Wren. I was just worried. And Ollie too, in his own sick way."

"Is that why he's going to..." I can't bring myself to say it.

Arlo bites his lip, keeping back a smile. "Yeah."

"It's not funny."

He winks.

After school, I go straight home. I want to be there when Lila gets home, because I know she will only be madder if I'm not. Ollie doesn't seem to understand that my obligation to my sister is greater than my obligation to him, but I don't care. If he's going to punish me for accepting a ride from a guy then I can make him wait to do it for a day or two.

As expected, Lila lets me have it for staying out all night, but she doesn't ground me. I guess she was impressed that the apartment was clean when she got home. Roark told her I did it. I decided not to stir the pot by asking her about this Brian guy, and the night ended in pizza and watching the Titanic, to which we both cried at the end.

Friday night, and I ask her if I can hang out with some friends.

"Would this be a boyfriend?" she asks in a low tone.

"Not exactly," I say, avoiding her gaze. She's sprawled out on the couch in sweats and her hair in a bun. I, on the other hand, have a matching lace lingerie set under my clothes.

"But there is a boy?"

I meet her eyes slowly. "Yeah."

She squeals. "I have to meet him!"

I throw up my hands. "Don't start, please. We're not there, yet."

She sticks out her bottom lip. "Don't I have to approve?"

"Why?"

"Because I am your acting guardian while you're in college."

"You definitely just made that up."

She rolls her eyes. "Just keep me updated tonight, okay? Let me know if you decide to go out and do something dangerous."

I nod. "I promise."

Arlo's waiting for me when I leave the apartment building, car running. "Ready?" he grins when I slide in next to him.

I try to hide the thrill that runs up my spine. "What should I expect?"

He pulls away from the sidewalk, resting a hand on my thigh. "He wasn't joking about going easy on you last time."

I shiver. Arlo's hand tightens. "Same rules apply, though. You want to stop, you can. Punishment or not."

"But it's not a real punishment, right? Not really?"

The side of Arlo's mouth lifts. "No, little Wren. I think he just wants to remind you who you're dealing with."

I nod. "I've never...had rough sex before."

Arlo glances at me. "It's not for everyone, Wren. Like sex itself, there's a range. Different kinks, different roles. You'll get a taste of that tonight."

I stare out of the window. There's ice on the sidewalks of the city and even though the streetlamps have a soft glow, the chill still creeps in all around us. What if I don't enjoy it? Whatever Ollie plans to do to me? What if I think I'm going to, but it ends up scaring me? What happens to us then? Will Ollie not see the point in our relationship and stop Arlo from being with me?

"Hey," Arlo says, giving my leg a little tug. "Where are you?"

I blink. My fingertips are numb. "I'm here."

"Are you nervous?"

I want to be honest. They told me to never lie to spare their feelings. My breath is shaky. "What if I can't do it?"

Arlo pulls into a restaurant parking lot and jerks the car into park. He unbuckles his seatbelt and turns to he can face me more fully. The neon sign of the bar glows red against his face.

"Then you can't do it, Wren. Don't you dare endure it for our sake. I couldn't forgive myself if I made you feel like you had to do something you didn't want to, especially when it comes to this. It's important that you're all in, and if you're not, if there's even a percent of you that is uncomfortable, then you can't. Full stop."

I take a deep breath, tears brimming my eyes. I don't want to cry. "But it's what you like. I want you to be happy. To like having sex with me."

He laughs. It's so unexpected that I jump. But Arlo reaches out to take my face with both hands. "Wren, I love having sex with you. Any kind of sex. I love just being around you. Fuck, I'd be celibate if you wanted me to. Not being with you is what would make me unhappy, you get that?"

I bite my lip. A tear escapes and he rubs it away with his thumb. I lean forward, into his touch. "I get it."

He smiles, and I take the back of his neck with my hand and pull him so our lips meet.

His lips are soft at first, tender. Slowly, his mouth opens for me and our tongues meet. He's sweet in my mouth and my fingers tangle in his hair. I pull him deeper into me and his grip on my face tightens. One hand moves down to engulf my throat and he squeezes.

Even though my neck is still a little tender from the collar, a heat shoots right down to my core and I moan into his mouth.

He retaliates by biting my bottom lip and squeezing harder.

The pressure on my windpipe is foreign, and I know if it were anyone else I'd be terrified to have my air flow controlled, but I know Arlo wouldn't hurt me. I know he'd make sure I was always safe.

My hands find his chest and I lightly dig my nails into him.

He's panting as he pulls away, releasing his hold on me. "Fuck, little Wren," he says, voice hoarse. "Let's get you back to my place."