"How are you feeling?" I ask as we ride the elevator up to our floor.
"Like my old life is completely gone," she says. "Like I'm someone entirely different than I was two weeks ago."
"Is that a good thing?"
She considers this as I unlock our door. "Yes. The woman I was before would never have had the courage to tell Victorio the truth, or accept what you did to Derek, or wear your collar with pride. She would have been too scared, too worried about what other people thought."
I pull her into my arms once we're inside. "And now?"
"Now I know who I am. I'm your woman, your submissive. I'm Victorio's daughter. I'm part of the Dungeon MC family. And, I'm someone who doesn't accept less than she deserves."
"Happy birthday, baby," I murmur against her lips.
"It's been perfect. But I think it could end even better."
I don't need her to spell it out. I can see the desire in her eyes, the way she's already reaching for the zipper of her dress.
"Bedroom," I command. "Strip. Wait for me."
She hurries to comply while I take a moment to pour myself a whiskey. The day has been a lot—Viper's confrontation, the news about Derek's body, Violet learning the truth about what I did. But seeing her accept it all, seeing her embrace this life completely, fills me with so much pride.
When I enter the bedroom, she's kneeling beside the bed, naked except for her collar and the club necklace. The sight of her like this—marked as mine in every way that matters—makes my cock hard instantly.
"Perfect," I say, beginning to undress. "Today you officially became mine in front of everyone who matters. Tonight, I'm going to show you exactly what that means."
I retrieve the items I'll need from our toy drawer—rope, a new vibrator I bought for her birthday, and something she hasn't seen yet. A leather leash that matches her collar.
Her eyes widen when she sees the leash. "Santiago..."
"Stand up."
She rises gracefully, and I clip the leash to the ring on her collar. The symbolism isn't lost on either of us—she belongs to me completely.
"On the bed. On your back."
She complies, and I begin restraining her spread-eagle style, each limb bound to a corner of the bed. When she's completely helpless, I step back to admire my work.
"Beautiful. My perfect submissive."
I spend the next hour worshipping her body, using every technique I know to drive her wild with pleasure. The new vibrator makes her scream when I use it on her clit, and by the time I finally sink into her, she's already come three times.
"Who do you belong to?" I ask as I move inside her.
"You," she gasps.
"Who protects you?"
"You do."
"Who loves you more than anything in this world?"
"You," she cries as she comes again, her body clenching around me.
I follow her over the edge, spilling myself deep inside her as I whisper her name like a prayer.
Afterward, I untie her carefully, massaging feeling back into her limbs. She curls against me, sated and sleepy.
"I love you," she murmurs against my chest.
