I couldn’t tell which.
My pulse had been a wreck all afternoon, a steady, nervous flutter that hadn’t eased since I read Sir’s message. I didn’t know how many times I’d re-read it.
Complete control.
Trust.
God, even thinking the words made my stomach twist. But it kept my mind off the dinner the other night with my boss. The one I’d gone home and dreamed about. I was going straight to hell.
I scanned my ID at the discreet black keypad beside the door. The lock clicked, and I stepped inside, the warm amber light greeting me like a friend. The familiar mix of incense and polished wood that once intimidated me, offered the promise of surrender.
Tonight felt different.
I wasn’t just nervous. It was more than just anticipation.
It waspressureand I wasn’t sure I wasn’t going to be able to un-knot my stomach.
Milly stood waiting for me at the reception bar, her hands clasped behind her back, her spine straight. The same pose all the submissives used when instructed to wait.
“We’ve been expecting you,” she said softly.
Of course they were. Sir never left anything to chance. He always took care of every little detail, down to the lingerie I wore and if I was in stockings, heels, or barefoot.
I wet my lips. “Is Mistress Vivienne here?”
“She’s preparing the room.” Milly’s gaze flicked to my fingers that fidgeted with my sweater. “Follow me, please.”
I nodded and forced my legs to move. Each step echoed louder than it should have, like Sanctum itself was listening.
I’d never passed another soul during prep before, not beyond Mistress Vivienne and her girls. It always struck me how seamless everything ran here, how perfectly the schedules must align behind the scenes. No awkward run-ins. No lingering stares. No risks.
Anonymity wasn’t just a rule here.
It was an art form.
And tonight, I felt every ounce of the weight that came with it.
There was something different tonight as I stood outside the roomMasterhad chosen for today. Milly left me there, barefoot,grasping a soft fluffy robe they let me wear, knowing I’d have to drop it as soon as I stepped across the threshold.
The words in the message echoed in my head.
Control.
Trust.
Could I do this? What exactly was this?
The door opened unexpectedly in front of me. My pulse raced, my feet stayed planted.
Warm light spilled into the hall. He was in there, waiting for me.
As much as I didn’t know what waited on the other side of that threshold, I knew one thing for certain—hesitating wouldn’t help me. And it definitely wouldn’t improve my chances of being able to sit comfortably over the next couple of days.
So I drew a breath, loosened my grip on the robe, and stepped inside.
The door closed behind me, his presence filling the room, but I kept my eyes forward and dropped the robe as I’d been instructed.
As much as I wanted to turn to him, I knew it wasn’t allowed. Instead, I squared my shoulders and dropped my hands to my sides.
