Chapter One
Violet
“Will you marry me, Mistress?”
Halfway to her toy closet, Violet paused and closed her eyes. A sorrowful breath escaped her on a sigh as she turned to see her client for the afternoon down on one knee, a square black box open on his palm, his apparent love for her as exposed and vulnerable as his naked ass.
When she’d told him to strip a minute ago, she hadn’t meant down to the soul.
Adopting a sympathetic expression, she lifted her chin toward the pile of clothing beside him. “Get dressed, Adrian.”
“But, Mistress, we haven’t even started—”
Violet added an edge to her voice. “And we are not going to, Adrian. Please, get dressed. I’m not discussing this with you until you have your clothes on. Is that clear?”
Looking like a kicked puppy, her client nodded miserably. “Yes, Mistress.”
Giving him a moment to follow her directive, she sighed again and mentally wiped her schedule for the afternoon. It wasn’t against club rules for a Master or Mistress to engage in a sexual or romantic relationship with guests—hell, if it was, more than one of her friends would be tragically single or unemployed—but it did go against her personal code.
Adrian wasn’t a bad man, not in the slightest. He was physically appealing, in excellent condition for his age—at fifty-three, he was almost two decades older than her, which wasn’t a factor in her decision; age was a number, that was all—and he had a beautiful soul behind sweet, honey-brown eyes.
There were threads of silver snaking through his mahogany hair, a few lines around his eyes and mouth that spoke of a life well-lived, and those eyes were capable of switching from hardcore millionaire to loyal, devoted puppy with one word from her.
For the past three months, he’d visited Club Serenity every weekend religiously, requesting her company whenever her schedule allowed, being the perfect submissive at every opportunity.
When the hell had he taken the leap from seeing her as a professional to something more personal?
More to the point, why the hell hadn’t she seen it?
“Mistress?”
Inhaling slowly, deeply, she faced him, pleased to see he was fully dressed. His expression, however, tightened her throat. “Take a seat, Adrian.”
“Mistress, it was an oversight. We can just forget—”
This was where she needed to be careful, on several levels. She had no desire to hurt him. There was no reason to, after all. But she knew how volatile even the most docile submissive could become when the illusion of a dynamic shattered.
In Adrian’s mind, she was his Mistress. If he thought about the other subs in her life, if he was aware that her time was spent with others when he wasn’t with her, he never commented on it when he was with her—she’d have cut him off then and there.
At least they were in a private room today, Violet thought. Bad for her safety if things went south, but on a positive note, his humiliation would be kept between them, and only them.
She waited until he sat on the edge of the chaise lounge taking up almost the full length of the shortest wall in the room. Legs spread, fingers linked together, hands dangling between his thighs. Head bowed, she noted, keeping his submission front and center.
“This arrangement is at an end, Adrian,” Violet said quietly, tactically staying out of his reach. “You are a wonderful submissive, and I’m honored to have been your Domme for the last few months. However, we seem to be at the point where I no longer fulfil your needs.”
“I love you, Violet.”
“I won’t argue that. It’s not my place to dictate your emotions, or to deny what you feel is real. We’re both adults here; you’re certainly old enough to understand your own heart and mind, just as I do.” The sensitive side of her wanted to reach out and stroke away the despair on his face; the practical part knew it would be an incredibly huge mistake to forge any kind ofphysical connection with him now. “The issue is, I don’t love you, Adrian. I don’t say that to be cruel, it’s just fact. Another fact is, you deserve to be loved.”
Adrian’s jaw was clenched tight. “I don’t.”
Self-pity was not her style, and she disliked it in her submissives. Sharpening her tone, Violet snapped, “Do not argue with me. I’ve gotten to know you, Adrian, and the man you are in the boardroom, the man you are here, are both deserving of a future with a woman who adores every part of you. Being submissive does not make you less; it just means you have so much more to give.”
Mournful brown eyes lifted to meet hers. “I can give you the world.”
“What you’ve already given me is enough, Adrian. Save the rest of it for the Domme who loves you.” She gentled her voice when his eyes glinted—not with violence, but something far sadder. “You are welcome at Serenity. Always. But from here on out, my services will no longer be available to you.”
“But I… I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t see you, Mistress. You make everything right when it all goes wrong. When I have a bad week at work, the thought of being with you is the only thing that makes things bright again.” Adrian’s exhale was shuddery and heavy with grief. “The sound of your voice, that beautiful Louisiana melody, soothes all the ugly edges inside me.”
