Velvet Chain

nica

, winding driveway like a

nails dug crescents into my palm, but I didn't care. The mansion ahead l

lik

en C

as

d his c

ature-and with it,

stop, and the driv

eppe

. The mansion's massive double doors stood open, spilling golde

I saw

to perfection. His tie was undone, shirt slightly open at the collar-as i

id no

n't ha

I tilted my chin up, channeling the artist in me-the girl who on

said, voice rich and sm

o

breath. He called

I asked, stepping forw

depends. Are you here

just enough to meet his gaze.

down my body and back up, slowly-too

ething

ira

stepping closer. "You signed that contract. And

, but fury. "I signed a contract," I re

h that I could feel the hea

he wh

d walked inside,

me, I f

-

en's

d fury and fear

a word, but every step she took was def

o

nother submissi

-raw, unpoli

t need to be tamed.

I sa

f the hall," I said as we

wooden doors on either side

of submission," she said. "Wh

top

rn

her

en us crackled lik

d slowly, deliberately, "it will not be because of a

t slightly-but

tiffened, j

art of herself. The one that want

ned awa

d g

ot fo

-

nica

as nothing li

rimson sheets. Soft lighting. Art on the w

I was an

ne his

st

ned against it, heart racing. Why d

because you beg

.

dn't

't sur

or an

the black camisole and shorts set laid out on the bed. Even the sleepwear was soft as

bed and stared

ldn't

im just do

of his voice still s

r... that I didn

-

en's

hrough the surv

t of c

f obs

into herself in bed like

s so s

ngth had

ned to pay

ice door pulled m

aff. "There's been a breach. Someone

cles t

ho

outside the estate," sh

a cold spike th

li

mer pa

rrent

. interes

od ab

ity. No one-no on

ted. "Even

led c

ciall

-

nica

dnight when I h

Deli

ze in

her

ly, heart thudding,

arefoot, his shirt wr

d almost

leep?" h

N

he way my body reacted. The way my

o the room wit

ld rest,"

watching me squirm is going

lower now. "I thin

pped c

breath

Your trust. Your surrender. I don't want

tretched

th

cr

ring somewhe

every muscle in his b

re," he

didn't

oll

-

Ending – D

aw it-broken glass from the study wi

had been

eyes scanni

lope sat o

mi

from

it up and

e, a

ays ago. On the

en in scrawled

t, Damien. Let's see how

r in my fist, ches

li

declarati

... was the

either of

n't

it come