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Saying his name…her initiation into submission.
Two things change a person—love and grief. Domestic violence councilor, Claire Orion shares both with her best friend Gavin. He’s seen her at her darkest moments, held her through the storms of her life. She wants more, but he’s kept a secret from her. In his world, he’s called Ronan. He wants to hurt her, to chase the pain with pleasure.
High Protocol Manager, Gavin Sears has always loved sweet and innocent Claire. She is his island, a special place untouched by the BDSM world he lives in. He wants one touch, one taste, one time. But once will never be enough. When he gives in to forbidden desires, will she see her submission as beautiful…or abusive?
Two things change a person—love and grief. Domestic violence councilor, Claire Orion shares both with her best friend Gavin. He’s seen her at her darkest moments, held her through the storms of her life. She wants more, but he’s kept a secret from her. In his world, he’s called Ronan. He wants to hurt her, to chase the pain with pleasure.
High Protocol Manager, Gavin Sears has always loved sweet and innocent Claire. She is his island, a special place untouched by the BDSM world he lives in. He wants one touch, one taste, one time. But once will never be enough. When he gives in to forbidden desires, will she see her submission as beautiful…or abusive?
- GenresBDSM
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2022
42 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 26, 2026
4 stars
KyAnn Waters leans into a far more emotionally charged dynamic in Initiation Into Submission: High Protocol #3 – Forbidden, and the story feels heavier, more intimate, because of it. Claire and Gavin aren’t strangers pulled together by chemistry—they’re two people with a long, complicated history, bound by grief, loyalty, and a kind of quiet love that’s been simmering for years. That foundation makes their shift into a BDSM‑infused relationship feel risky in a way that goes beyond the physical.
Claire’s background as a domestic‑violence counselor adds a layer of vulnerability that shapes the entire narrative. She’s someone who has spent her life helping others reclaim their power, yet she’s still carrying her own wounds. Gavin has been her anchor through all of it, the one person who has seen her break and never turned away. That closeness makes her desire for him feel deeply personal—almost inevitable—but it also raises the stakes. She isn’t just falling for a man; she’s stepping toward someone who knows her shadows.
Gavin’s internal conflict is the heart of the book. As Ronan, he’s a man who understands pain, control, and the structured world of High Protocol. As Gavin, he’s terrified of tainting the one person he considers pure. That tension—wanting her, fearing he’ll hurt her, needing her to understand the difference between consensual power exchange and real harm—gives the story its emotional weight. His love for Claire isn’t gentle; it’s protective, conflicted, and edged with longing he’s tried to bury for years.
What makes the book compelling is how Waters handles the question at its core: can someone with Claire’s history embrace submission without feeling like she’s betraying herself? And can Gavin trust that the part of him he hides—the part that thrives on intensity—won’t destroy the most important relationship in his life?
The romance becomes less about erotic tension and more about emotional truth. It’s a story about two people who have already survived the worst life can throw at them, trying to figure out whether they can survive each other.
KyAnn Waters leans into a far more emotionally charged dynamic in Initiation Into Submission: High Protocol #3 – Forbidden, and the story feels heavier, more intimate, because of it. Claire and Gavin aren’t strangers pulled together by chemistry—they’re two people with a long, complicated history, bound by grief, loyalty, and a kind of quiet love that’s been simmering for years. That foundation makes their shift into a BDSM‑infused relationship feel risky in a way that goes beyond the physical.
Claire’s background as a domestic‑violence counselor adds a layer of vulnerability that shapes the entire narrative. She’s someone who has spent her life helping others reclaim their power, yet she’s still carrying her own wounds. Gavin has been her anchor through all of it, the one person who has seen her break and never turned away. That closeness makes her desire for him feel deeply personal—almost inevitable—but it also raises the stakes. She isn’t just falling for a man; she’s stepping toward someone who knows her shadows.
Gavin’s internal conflict is the heart of the book. As Ronan, he’s a man who understands pain, control, and the structured world of High Protocol. As Gavin, he’s terrified of tainting the one person he considers pure. That tension—wanting her, fearing he’ll hurt her, needing her to understand the difference between consensual power exchange and real harm—gives the story its emotional weight. His love for Claire isn’t gentle; it’s protective, conflicted, and edged with longing he’s tried to bury for years.
What makes the book compelling is how Waters handles the question at its core: can someone with Claire’s history embrace submission without feeling like she’s betraying herself? And can Gavin trust that the part of him he hides—the part that thrives on intensity—won’t destroy the most important relationship in his life?
The romance becomes less about erotic tension and more about emotional truth. It’s a story about two people who have already survived the worst life can throw at them, trying to figure out whether they can survive each other.
November 2, 2022
Ronan is the manager of the High Protocol club. As Gavin (his birth name) he has a deep friend in Claire, who, when he was growing up, was the kid sister of his best friend. The untimely death of his friend brought Claire and him closer together, but he never told her of his growing sexual desire for her or his dark Dom desires and needs.
Claire is now all grown up and writing her thesis on abused women and abusive men. She also has found that she wants *more* with male partners than vanilla sex and she has expressed her desire for Gavin (which he has refused to respond to, because Claire is "pure").
The plot arc goes off from there. Predictable? Yeah. But that is OK. The characters are very well written. The sex and the D/s is HOT. As with many such books, there is a fair amount of money bouncing around (private seccond-floor well-equipped dungeon in the hous?) that is not really expected. But that is somewhat a quibble. For what it is, this is an excellent novel.
Claire is now all grown up and writing her thesis on abused women and abusive men. She also has found that she wants *more* with male partners than vanilla sex and she has expressed her desire for Gavin (which he has refused to respond to, because Claire is "pure").
The plot arc goes off from there. Predictable? Yeah. But that is OK. The characters are very well written. The sex and the D/s is HOT. As with many such books, there is a fair amount of money bouncing around (private seccond-floor well-equipped dungeon in the hous?) that is not really expected. But that is somewhat a quibble. For what it is, this is an excellent novel.
April 27, 2023
Making my way through this series and I’m loving how we are getting to see characters stories from previous books!
This book follows Ronan who meet in the last two previous books, I was really exited to see more of him once I realised this was his book. This friends to lovers romance was as spicy as all the other books, this is a medium burn and we get to feel all the tension as it builds between the two MCs. The plot in this one really had me locked in, these two were mutually pining for each other from the beginning and I didn’t see the plot twist that led to the 3rd act break up coming!
I really enjoyed the fmc in this book, like the previous this fmc wasn’t an already trained submissive and actually didn’t know much about the life style. Watching her learn and a become aware of what her best friend kept locked up was so fun to read.
I’m already diving into the next book in this series!
This book follows Ronan who meet in the last two previous books, I was really exited to see more of him once I realised this was his book. This friends to lovers romance was as spicy as all the other books, this is a medium burn and we get to feel all the tension as it builds between the two MCs. The plot in this one really had me locked in, these two were mutually pining for each other from the beginning and I didn’t see the plot twist that led to the 3rd act break up coming!
I really enjoyed the fmc in this book, like the previous this fmc wasn’t an already trained submissive and actually didn’t know much about the life style. Watching her learn and a become aware of what her best friend kept locked up was so fun to read.
I’m already diving into the next book in this series!
September 2, 2024
Another banger ✨
5✨
My favourite in the series so far.
I've read the first 3 within 2 days and just loving them.
Gavin (Ronan) and Claire have my heart.
They know each other for a long time and became closer after her brother (his best friends) death.
But He kept Ronan hidden from her and believes he isn't right for her.
Like the 2 previous books, usually the FMC has little to no introduction to the Bdsm scene, I enjoy that they all have a different back story.
We get to see our previous couples too and it's becoming more interconnected which I love.
These are storter books, easy to read and perfect if you want something light, I love fantasy, romance and dark romance but sometimes this is exactly what I need. Perfect palette cleaners.
5✨
My favourite in the series so far.
I've read the first 3 within 2 days and just loving them.
Gavin (Ronan) and Claire have my heart.
They know each other for a long time and became closer after her brother (his best friends) death.
But He kept Ronan hidden from her and believes he isn't right for her.
Like the 2 previous books, usually the FMC has little to no introduction to the Bdsm scene, I enjoy that they all have a different back story.
We get to see our previous couples too and it's becoming more interconnected which I love.
These are storter books, easy to read and perfect if you want something light, I love fantasy, romance and dark romance but sometimes this is exactly what I need. Perfect palette cleaners.
November 2, 2025
you don’t know what you want until you do
Love can turn to lust, and lust can turn to love. Can a dominant give up his desires for the woman he loves? Does she even want him to? Can a lifelong friendship turn into more or is it just too complicated? Those questions linger as the story unfolds.
Well written, and a very good read. I recommend reading book one and two previous to this one to better understand the characters involved.
Love can turn to lust, and lust can turn to love. Can a dominant give up his desires for the woman he loves? Does she even want him to? Can a lifelong friendship turn into more or is it just too complicated? Those questions linger as the story unfolds.
Well written, and a very good read. I recommend reading book one and two previous to this one to better understand the characters involved.
June 26, 2023
Good read.. Good story line 🤓
It’s hard writing reviews practically one after another.. this series is GOOD! I loved Ronan and Clair’s story. His darkness to her light, where shades of gray intertwine. And without a doubt their chemistry is on fire. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
It’s hard writing reviews practically one after another.. this series is GOOD! I loved Ronan and Clair’s story. His darkness to her light, where shades of gray intertwine. And without a doubt their chemistry is on fire. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
July 22, 2024
Weak conflict
This is the third book in the series and I finally figured out what was not sitting with me. Poor characterization and weak conflicts that are easily resolved. This will be the last I read in the series.
This is the third book in the series and I finally figured out what was not sitting with me. Poor characterization and weak conflicts that are easily resolved. This will be the last I read in the series.
November 23, 2024
Short 2 hr book. Claire and Gavin (dead brothers best friend) he’s into bdsm, and runs a club, she’s an abuse counsellor, he is her best friend and rock and helped her through her brothers death. She’s always loved him but he’s scared to hurt and lose her.
September 9, 2024
Touching romance between two delightful characters. The BDSM experience is there but it doesn't overload the story.
November 21, 2024
Steamy and Intense!
Forbidden is book 3 in the Initiation into Submission: High Protocol series. Although this can be read as a standalone book I highly recommend starting from the beginning and reading in order. Many of the characters from the previous books make an appearance here and their stories are too good to miss!
Forbidden is a best friends to lovers genre. The hero and heroine are polar opposites and although there is a hot and heavy unspoken attraction between the two, crossing the line could completely destroy a cherished and long time friendship. Her introduction into submission is fraught with turmoil and indecision and his dominance could destroy her.
There is a lot of angst, friends, formed family and plenty of spice. I am immediately reading the next book in the series, Beautiful Liar!
Forbidden is book 3 in the Initiation into Submission: High Protocol series. Although this can be read as a standalone book I highly recommend starting from the beginning and reading in order. Many of the characters from the previous books make an appearance here and their stories are too good to miss!
Forbidden is a best friends to lovers genre. The hero and heroine are polar opposites and although there is a hot and heavy unspoken attraction between the two, crossing the line could completely destroy a cherished and long time friendship. Her introduction into submission is fraught with turmoil and indecision and his dominance could destroy her.
There is a lot of angst, friends, formed family and plenty of spice. I am immediately reading the next book in the series, Beautiful Liar!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews