“Danton?” He looked surprised. “The guy who died of a brain tumor?”
He knew Danton as an old lover of Scarlet Winters, Chrysalis’s senior dominatrix back on the West Coast, but that was all. In fact, this was a private matter only Scarlet and Richard knew about.
“You were together?” he asked.
“He was the best…a Dom who had the talent for keeping his subs on the edge for hours. Sometimes days.”
“You were a sub?”
“Not strictly, more of an equal that savored the play. I refused to surrender. He refused to relent. I was never going to kneel.”
Shay looked stunned.
“Danton taught me all I knew. He was a few years older and his skills were inspiring. He liked getting inside my head and messing with it. I fell hard.”
“That’s kind of…romantic.”
“I named Chrysalis after him. He had a thing for butterflies.”
“Scarlet?” He looked surprised. “She didn’t know?”
“She did. When I learned he was dying and he planned to just be alone in his old family chateau, I sent Scarlet to be with him.”
That was me stretching the truth, considering I’d tricked her into thinking she’d made the decision herself to fly off to France to join the House of Hillenbrand, though when she discovered their mainstay was gangbangs, she was more than happy to be rescued by her new Dom Danton.
“You knew he was dying?” Shay’s tone was respectful.
“Later, yes. We’d parted ways by that point. He didn’t want anyone else to know. Told me to keep it a secret. He needed someone like Scarlet. She was vulnerable and that meant he wouldn’t send her away. I knew him well enough. Danton was the ultimate hero. He did exactly as I predicted and swept her out of Hillenbrand, and took her to the coast to his very private chateau. I knew they’d help each other.”
Danton had saved Scarlet’s life after she’d been close to seeing her death wish come true, but Shay didn’t need to know about that very private aspect of her past. Danton had turned Scarlet around and given her a reason to live.
“You were with him when he died?”
I nodded, and those feelings of grief swept over me again…even now. Being with Danton when he’d died was the hardest thing I’d ever done. The words “why him” had haunted me day and night for years.
Scarlet and I had formed a bond so strong it had become unbreakable. Our love for Danton, and our loyalty to him, had stretched on after his passing, and that had meant she and I could never have been lovers. She’d always belong to him. That was until Ethan Neilson had graced the scene and swept her off her feet. We’d both sensed it had been with Danton’s blessing.
“Back at Enthrall, no one knew about you and Danton?” he asked.
“Richard knew.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s my memory to cherish.”
“How long were you lovers with Danton?”
“I’m telling you this so you can enjoy your time with your Dom.”
“Have you never thought of me like that?” He seemed to hold his breath waiting for my answer.
“I’m with Mia, Shay. You know how much I value loyalty.”
“Which was why this morning surprised me. You had me attach that contraption to her pussy?”
“She begged to enter the playground.”
He tilted his head. “Please tell me she’s not still wearing it?”
She wasn’t, but he didn’t need to know that. “I’m a spectrum of dangerous you don’t want to know.”
“You’re not heartless.”
“I know your weak spot and I’m currently manipulating it.”
“So transparent.” He looked amused. “And yet you’re one of the good guys.”
“I’m taking advantage. You would do anything for me.”
“There is that.” He reached down to adjust himself. “Great, I’ll walk in there with a boner.”
“I’d be flattered if I was your Dom.”
His stare lingered on mine. “Cam…”
“I can’t, Shay.”
He rested his head back. “You owe me.”
“For what?”
“Hunting me down today.”
I smirked. “Are you blackmailing me so I’ll join your session?”
“It’s my first time.”
“I’m not meant to be here.”
“What if I like it?” He let out a shaky breath. “What if I become addicted to this?”
“This?”
“After what you did to me this morning? Made me play with Mia and then fucked me in your office with the tone of your voice.” He shook his head. “You’re acting out.”
“Excuse me?”
He turned his head to look at me. “I know you want to be part of this place as much as me.”
Five months. Five days. Seven hours. That had been the last time I’d stepped over the threshold of a dungeon as a dominant. Though no way was this happening. I was going to climb out, get dressed, and return to my life of restraint.
Except Shay had a persuasive argument… He’d curled his palm around my cock and was currently stroking my erection.
He raised his eyebrows. “You feel amazing.”
“Though I applaud your bravery, Shay,” I said sternly, “Let go of my dick.”
His hand slipped off and he grinned with mischief in his eyes. “Yeah, that’s my revenge for you cock-teasing me this morning.”
“Notice I didn’t punch you in the face?”
“Cole, I need you there.”
My jaw tightened. “You’d be begging me to take it down a level.”
His gaze broke from mine and his frown deepened. He looked across the spa as if mesmerized.
Following his gaze, I drew in a wary breath at the sight of the stunning—and very young—woman wading toward us in the pool. If I had to take a wild guess from her bone structure, her illuminant dark skin and striking brown eyes, I’d say she hailed from Somaliland. She was bewitching in her nakedness, moving like a mystical water-nymph, with her hair falling down her body and curling over her pert breasts. She was a walking masterpiece. I was certain that if she ever became interested in modeling, Vanity Fair would snap her up and put her on the front cover where she deserved to reign.
“Is this your doing?” Shay gave me a “let’s tag-team her” smile.
My stare snapped back to her and when I saw the swirl of an “H” tattooed on her left wrist a chill ran up my spine.
“I’m your present,” she said, her words echoing around us.
They’d given us their finest submissive and that meant they probably knew who we were. My racing thoughts ran through every scenario and none of them were good.
Shay was going to hate me, but even so, I still said it. “We have to leave.”
He shot me a surprised look, and then his gaze fell back on the beauty standing a few feet away. She was waiting for one of us to make a move.
“How old are you?” I had to ask.
“How old do you want me to be?” She bit her lip.
“Will you excuse us, please?” I turned around and hoisted myself out of the pool. “Shay,” I snapped, breaking him out of his trance.
From his look of defeat I could tell he’d realized his appointment wasn’t going to happen. I glared at him, hoping he would catch on that we needed to hurry. I grabbed a towel and threw another his way.
He waded out and followed me into the men’s locker room. “Is my membership threatened?”
“That’s the least of our problems.”
“I need to take a shower.”
“Please skip it.”
“But I’ll smell of chlorine.”
I pulled on my pants and gave him a forced smile. “Tell me you never utilized any of their other services?”
“This isn’t happening.”
I lowered my voice. “This is how you’ll make it up to me. You’ll find out that girl’s name and you’ll get her the f
uck out of here.”
“She looked eighteen.”
“Let’s review this through a lens of honesty.”
He rubbed his brow as though the obvious answer had to be somewhere in his brain.
I mouthed, “Not here.”
Despite being damp, he pulled on his shirt in a hurry. “So…I fucked up?”
I grabbed his silk tie and helped him weave it neatly around his neck. “I know of someone who’d be a good fit for you. He’ll kick you into submission. Curb that craving.”
Shay reached into his locker and grabbed his pinstriped jacket. “I’ll make it up to you.”
I tapped his arm. “Dinner’s on you.”
We ambled along the hallway and I threw a tentative glance toward the reception desk where another young woman was stationed. At least this one looked a little older.
When the elevator doors opened we strolled in casually.
I punched the button. “Until now you’ve thought with your very impressionable brain.” Leaning against the elevator wall, I smirked. “Once we get your penchant satisfied you’ll no longer be thinking with your balls.”
“And you?” He folded his arms across his chest.
“Me?”
“When are you going to return to what you do best? What you need?”
Again, I punched the button. He was right, of course. I needed my exhibition fix where no one knew me and I could slip away unseen.
Before I imploded.
I buried that sentiment. “Shay, find out who that girl is and get her out.”
He was texting. “On it.”
The elevator jolted to a stop before we hit the ground floor, and then began ascending once more.
Shay’s gaze rose from his phone to meet mine. He moved quickly toward the door to guard me with his body from whatever came next. Instinctively, I grabbed the back of his jacket, just as protective.
When the doors opened again it was to the sight of a stunning woman with a black bob and chiseled cheekbones, dressed in a short skirt and bustier.
“Gentlemen, I am so happy I caught you.” Her accent was Russian. “This way, please.”
TUCKED AWAY IN MY CUBICLE, I tried to get on with my day, or at least look like I was by checking and sending emails, and answering the phone when Dana’s executive assistant’s line was busy. I’d made an art out of looking busy when my day lulled.
Stealing a few personal seconds for myself, I called Cameron’s office.
“He’s unavailable,” came Sue’s terse reply.
“May I leave a message?”
“He’s out for the rest of the day.”
I wanted to ask where he’d gone but we were on an even playing ground as far as Sue was concerned with her VIP status as the CEO’s assistant. There was one way to get her to treat me nicer and I wasn’t ready for that yet.
Other than the fact that Cameron burned me up inside like a fireball ready to disintegrate, I had no complaints. Despite all that had happened to me in the past…my dad leaving us back in our hometown of Charlotte when my mom’s drug habit became too much, my mom dying of an overdose on our living room floor, or even those early days in L.A. when I’d worked two jobs just to afford my studio apartment.
I had since won life’s lottery. I was engaged to one of the most remarkable men I’d ever met and he loved me just as fiercely. I was privileged beyond belief to live in a multimillion dollar penthouse with the best views of New York City, and I had access to the kind of funds that could buy anything one’s heart desired.
Yet all I desired was him.
My secret fiancé, who had swapped out ruling one of the world’s most distinguished clubs to commanding the boardroom. His new position had bought many changes to both of us, including him swapping out dominating me for the kind of sex that verged on vanilla.
Today had been his return to the way he’d once mastered me back when I was a newbie submissive. Distracted by these thoughts, I continued to feign being an asset to the workforce.
By 4:30, I’d snuck back off to the restroom and reattached the diamond chains to my sex—and this time they were easier to clip. I made sure they were a little looser this time around. They felt incredible and I had to focus on pulling my skirt down and not stealing a few minutes to pleasure myself.
With my head held high, I walked back to my cubicle, behaving as though having the CEO own my pussy wasn’t setting my nerves alight.
My phone rang and I snapped up the receiver. “Hello?”
Please, be you.
“Ms. Lauren?” It was a woman’s voice and she purred my name in a strong foreign accent.
“Yes?”
“Mia Lauren?” she added.
The fine hairs prickled on my nape. “How can I help you?”
“We have a special delivery to your home. We just need an address.”
“Delivery?”
“Wedding cake sample.”
I caressed my brow. “Chantelle is coordinating.”
Our charismatic wedding planner, with her constant high caffeine levels, had promised to see to all the nerve-wracking details that arranging an extravagant society wedding could possibly entail.
“Chantelle?”
“From Platinum Events.”
Kelly Granger, my coworker with the cute blue bob who was stationed in the cubicle across from mine, had buried her face in her hands, looking distraught. We’d clicked immediately on my first day and it had been reassuring to be liked for me and not my connection to the higher-ups.
I dragged my gaze away from Kelly. “Can you go through Platinum Events, please?” I asked the caller. “She’s the contact.”
“Very good,” she rasped. “We’ll get your address from Chantelle.”
“Sorry, didn’t catch your name?”
She’d hung up.
I slid my finger across to my contacts and stared at Shay’s number, musing how stupid I was about to sound. Still, Shay had insisted that anyone’s interest in us had to be brought to his attention.
I tapped Shay’s number and then pressed the phone to my ear. “Hey, it’s me. There’s going to be a cake sample delivered to the penthouse.” I was embarrassed to bother him. Though after this morning’s wrangling of those diamond chains we’d bonded a little more. “She sounded Russian, I think. Can you ask Cameron to call me?”
If Cameron was going to be calling off our wedding, now would be a good time before he overspent—and tore me apart in the process. Our break-up would ruin me for the rest of my life. I couldn’t bear to think of it.
I was going to have to focus on work to keep me sane until I could challenge him on the conversation I’d overheard this morning.
I got out of my chair and approached Kelly’s cubicle. “Hey, are you okay?”
She looked up at me with big, soulful eyes. “I lost a file.”
My gaze wandered over to her screen.”Which one?”
“Design Studio.” I could hear the fear in her voice. “I’ve tried everything. Searched everywhere. Two days of work…gone.”
“What about the recycle bin or deleted files?”
“It’s not there.” She glanced nervously toward Dana’s office.
I gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll call IT.”
“If you put a ticket in, Dana will see it.”
“She won’t. We’ll have IT find it remotely.”
“You’re sure?” She swallowed hard.
“Yes. What’s the file called?”
“Cole Brand Final.”
I stared at her. “You’re entering?”
“Yeah, I have this great design that’s going to knock out the competition. I need that bonus real bad. My rent’s a month overdue.”
My shoulders slumped at the thought of submitting mine now, even if it had given me a creative high.
She read my expression. “You’re entering?”
“I was considering it, yes.”
She flashed a worried look at her computer.
/> I offered her a look of sympathy. “We’ll find your design. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks. I used Photoshop to make it three-dimensional.”
I resisted closing my eyes in defeat.
“You were in early?” She swiveled in her chair to face me.
“Had some stuff to catch up on.”
“I drank too much last night. Remind me not to accept the drinks ‘cause they’re free.”
“Did you have fun?”
“Got to dance with Mr. Cole, so yes.” She widened her jaw in playful shock. “You too, huh?”
“Yes.” I turned away. “Well, I best get back.”
I returned to my desk and called the guys in IT. They’d already rigged my computer to ensure any communication between me and Cameron would disappear into the ether. Those personal emails Cole sent couldn’t be saved in the name of sentimentality. I tipped back in my chair and gave a thumbs-up to Kelly to let her know IT was on it.
The chain tugged my sex and I regretted leaning back. A harsh reminder of the way my day had gone.
My phone rang and I snapped it up.
“Mia,” Dana’s tone carried a condemning edge. “My office, please.”
A wave of doubt caused butterflies to invade my stomach. Had she somehow discovered my private request to IT after I’d specially asked for discretion? I carried my notepad with me toward her corner space, running through all the ways I could defend Kelly and take the blame.
“Hi, Dana,” I said brightly.
She rose. “So we have an interesting update.”
“Oh?”
“Don’t sit.” She cut off my attempt to get comfortable. “Apparently you’re leaving us?”
“Perhaps you have me confused with someone else?”
Dana glanced down at a memo. “It says here that you’re moving to the executive level… immediately?”
“There was some talk of this, yes.” Though two weeks had been our agreement.
“Mia, what happened when you went upstairs?” She lowered her gaze. “Were you offered a promotion?”
My face blushed at the thought of her reaction if I announced the details of my erotic pussy play.
“Did you accept the offer?” she added.
I backed toward the door. “I need to look into it.”
I felt her glare on me as I hurried away.
Cameron owned me and this was his way of proving it—and every tug of these chains served as a reminder. My brain told me this was wrong in so many ways, but my body rebelled against this assault to my feminist side, raging against the men in my life who loved to dominate their woman without compromise.
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