There was little choice but to sit up along with the tug and the command. He swallowed, trying to hold back the fresh trembling of his shoulders all the way down his spine. Keeping them squared after that wasn't going to happen, but his fists would still clench in rebellion and he kept his head down and away from the crowd while the rest of him was exposed. Unexpectedly, the mention of his Dom made his head tilt ever so slightly in Eli's direction, his presence like a beacon in opposition to the mass of strangers the other way around. He didn't approve? Of course he didn't. How could he approve of his sub being scared of him? He loved his Dom, so much, but what kind of sub was he if he couldn't even give himself to his Dom however he wanted?

Those tears were still coming and he closed his eyes to try and stem them. He was aching, humiliated, guilty and full of shame for his own reactions. There was a gross ball of unease roiling around in his gut with the flare of passion that had traitorously stuck around and it was going to make him sick. Even through all of this, he wanted her, the one he couldn't even trust with his discomforts, and somehow she hadn't given up on him yet when she wasn't even his Dom. He was getting all twisted around and nothing really made sense anymore, but he knew he was ashamed and knew something was absolutely wrong here. Was it him?