“Can we request a copy?” she asked.
“You mean if something goes wrong?” Christoper asked.
“No, if we just want it like a souvenir.” She smiled shyly and tucked a loose hair behind her ears.
“All recordings are destroyed unless needed for evidence.” His tone was playful, but Christopher meant business. “Jacob.” He addressed a young man with his hand up.
“What about Dom limits?” Jacob asked. “Will we have access to them?” He wore a linen matching set and had the prettiest blue eyes.
“Only during negotiations,” Christoper answered. “You’re going to have to find out about a particular kink the old-fashioned way, you’re going to have to ask about it.”
We all laughed again.
“Again, if you have any questions, please come and find me or Carol.” Christopher pointed to a petite woman in the same type of black suit with a blunt-cut black bob and red lips. She had a nice smile. “We’ll show you all to your staterooms to get freshened up and then we will have a sail-away party in one hour.”
The attendants in white reappeared. The one who’d handed me the glass of champagne walked up to Shelly and me.
“If you’re ready, I’ll show you to your room.” We stood and followed through another door and down a hallway.
“Ms. Simmons.” She stopped at a door and opened it, then handed me a key card. “You are here.” She turned to Shelly before repeating the same process with the door directly across from mine. “Ms. Flanders, you are here.” She looked between us. “If either of you need anything, please let me know.”
We nodded and she continued down the hall, showing more guests to their rooms.
“Knock on my door before you head out to the sail-away.” Shelly touched my arm.
“I will.”
I nodded and she disappeared into her room.
I stepped into mine and gasped.
It was beautiful with a queen-size bed and a couch underneath a window with a view of the ocean. The bathroom was behind a small door with a shower stall and lighted mirror and lots of counter space.
“Wow.” The other door led to a small closet. To my surprise, my clothes already hung up. My underwear, t-shirts and bathing suits were nicely folded in drawers near the bottom. My shoes lined up neatly on the ground. My smaller carry-on remained unpacked, but open on a suitcase rack, and my makeup and toiletry bag sat on the counter in the bathroom.
I didn’t think I brought anything embarrassing, but if I had, it was too bad, because there were apparently no secrets in a place like this.
With no unpacking to do, I knelt on the bed and looked out at the still water. The surface looked like a piece of glass. The sun would be setting in an hour, in time for the sail-away. I couldn’t believe this was my life. How did I get here?
I had finished school and was set to start a new job with my father’s company in the fall. I had reluctantly taken the job, not wanting to go back to Dallas, but I had no other options at the moment, I might as well make some money while I could. I would miss the club back in Austin. I had stumbled upon it, obviously looking for something or someone. Giving my submission to a different Dom nightly became its own kind of drug, but harmless. It was an act, a performance and I was good at it. A popular submissive at the club only meant no one wanted to make me permanently theirs.
That was fine by me. They would only be a mediocre substitute for the only man I dreamed of submitting to. God, I hated thinking about him, especially when I was embarking on a new adventure, but sadly, even four years later, he was never far from my mind.
Like the night of my birthday, when I’d secretly wished he’d appear and make all my dreams come true. And, like all those other times, his absence took the shine off every milestone. Well, not anymore.
Not wanting to think about him for another second, I finished what little unpacking they’d left for me and got ready for the night.
I had a feeling it would be life changing.
Chapter Three
Zachariah
* * *
With Lucinda safe in her stateroom, I ventured out on deck. Several guests wandered around, getting to know their home for the next few days. Arranging for her and Marcus to arrive at the pier at the same time had been the first step in my plan. What I had planned for Lucinda would certainly push her permanently away. The situation hadn’t changed. She was still too young, to innocent and too devoted to her father to be a part of my life.
She deserved the dream. A devoted husband, children, a house in the suburbs. It wasn’t the type of life I wanted any longer. I enjoyed variety. Never married, no kids. Nothing holding me down. A new sub in my dungeon every night.
