– Pres

tasted like

d justify. The city lights flickered behind her, but this part of town was forgotten by progress. Quiet.

ouldn'

ine prickled. A whisper of foo

tu

the shadows. Her body reacted before her mind could catch up-t

. Breath hot ag

rd sends hi

he va

fe. Just a name.

broken bellows. Her knees hit the ground. Her mind screamed no over and over,

en W

ard that name

aking fingers as she unlocked the door to her apartm

on her welcome mat like a

velvet e

address.

ut her body moved anyway. She

ne card.

TU

k – Four

en, she was on her knees-n

In The Velvet Room, she had been his prized submissive, train

pain was a gift. That

ght she foun

, but she had a key. A single page with names, dates, c

rs was

lle. Acquired

s: Co

ldn't b

belief. She hurled her collar at hi

yours! You said

hadn't

"But I can't dismantle the Order from

u sol

otecte

ction had com

. She ran until she vanished-no trace, no trail. She built a lif

e'd found

es

partment, the envelope still in h

f she didn't lo

erself she

e shaking, beneath the f

had been wait

– Pre

ore her hai

hing else-her name, her voice, her city. She'd buried the submissive

e saw

ways se

across his face. The recording looped silently-a grainy black-and-white clip

Still fire wra

r shadowed figure like she could feel the

ispered to himself. "

he smile she wore when she taught children art w

was

as unacc

her. Just to shake the dust fro

ard sends

Effectiv

s. For four years, he let her run.

r had notice

hey wanted h

If he didn't pull her back into his protecti

stayed close t

the drawer

and-pressed paper. Wax seal carved

ard inside. One

et

a

a th

rom