She stared at him, stunned by the quiet truth of it.
“Alec’s a good dom, and a better man. You can trust him here.” He tapped her temple. “And here.” He did the same to her chest.
Ding.
“Time’s up.” He bent to kiss her—soft, brief, on the cheek. No dominance. No heat. Just care.
He helped her sit up, picking her up and setting her on the ground when she yelped at the plug and buzzing vibe.
“You’ve only got a short way to go. You did well, Em,” he said. “If you choose me, I’ll show you what the wand can really do.”
“I think you know who I’ll choose. Thank you, Leland.”
“Uh-uh. Remember your manners. Friend or not, I’m still a dom.”
“Sorry, sir.”
He gave her a final swat—gentle, almost symbolic—and propelled her toward the exit.
Emily walked away, mind clear, heart full, both overpowering her overstimulated body. She’d been kissed, touched, filled, spanked, and electrified. But none of it had reached her the way Alec did.
That was the difference.
He was the answer.
Chapter 27
Emily cleared the final arch and emerged into the torchlit yard. She’d made it through without a single penalty and, miracle of miracles, without face-planting and eating dirt. Honestly, she deserved a medal for that alone.
She angled her face to the sky, letting the open air cool her overheated skin. It did nothing for the sharp ache in her clamped nipples and the plug making its presence known with each step. The vibe had shut off, thankfully, but the echo of it pulsed between her thighs, impossible to ignore.
A crowd had gathered near the finish line. A sub volunteer released her cuffs and offered her a bottle of water and a blanket. Her skin was too sensitive for anything more than the breeze, but she wrapped up and found a spot among the submissives who’d finished ahead of her.
She wanted to remove everything, but the others hadn’t yet. So she drank her water, tried not to think about it, and waited.
The crowd buzzed with impatience as the remaining contestants slowly exited the maze. Emily pulled the blanket tighter around her, careful of the clamps which really needed to come off soon.
She felt eyes on her. Dozens of them. Maybe more.
She glanced around, searching for Alec, hoping for the anchor of his presence. But her eyes landed instead on Julia among the crowd of onlookers.
Emily hadn’t seen her in weeks—not since the case exploded and she’d been staying with Alec. Her friend stood near the back, radiant in a sapphire corset, her hair swept up, her expression warm. When she caught Emily’s eye, she offered a thumbs-up and an encouraging smile.
She’d sent her a text message, so she wouldn’t worry. Just that something had come up and she’d be out of touch for a while. Now, she wanted to reconnect with her friend. To ask how things were going with Regina in the aftermath. To say thank you.
“The scores are in,” Devil announced from the edge of the patio. He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t have to; his authoritative tone quickly silenced the crowd. “We’ll start with the bottom three. Lyla, Piper, and Deanna—you climaxed at nearly every station and finished with negative numbers. I shouldmake you run the maze again. Instead, Master Mateo will take charge of the loser’s bracket and deliver a just punishment.”
Piper groaned but fell in line as Mateo led the three of them away.
Devil’s gaze swept the crowd. “Now for our winners. In first place, who clearly isn’t as directionally challenged as she claims, is Sophia.”
Cheers erupted, especially from Sophia who squealed and ran forward. “I choose Master Leland—and his amazing violet wand,” she said, flushed and glowing.
The crowd erupted in laughter and applause as her chosen dom, looking eager for an encore, strode forward and led her into the maze where he was already set up.
Emily’s gaze shifted instinctively to Julia.
Her smile had vanished. Her mask had slipped. In its place: vulnerability, jealousy, and longing. She turned sharply, vanishing into the crowd before Emily could move.
