Part 3: Karuna
(The desire to offer compassion and remove suffering)
Chapter 46 – Xavier
Three Weeks Later
I stood across the room, chatting to one of the guests, when my eyes drifted to Mikaela. From this angle, her concentration appeared unshakeable as she watched the ballerinas on stage. Breathing out a soft sigh, I allowed my gaze to scale the length of her body, once more admiring the sleek grace she’d finally accepted. A pale lemon dress clung to her curves while an elegant knee-length slit at the back revealed a hint of light brown calves and white heels that enhanced her height. Her penchant for going without underwear had me wondering if she’d forgone them this evening.
The abrupt urge to walk up to her, slip aside the silky material of her dress, and ease my fingers over her warm skin had me grasping a whiskey from a passing waiter. As if my heart called to her, her gaze shifted, easily finding me in a room filled with a hundred men. She waved and I returned the gesture with a smile. When her attention went back to the stage, I still couldn’t pull my gaze away, forgetting the drink in my hand.
Since that day, I fucked her in front of the mirror, a feat I never thought I’d accomplish, she’d grown comfortable with my lifestyle, and I’d taken her to other parties. Tonight was such an event. Hosted by a friend who specialized in role reversal and not something I specifically enjoyed. I was all for my sub exerting dominance but only at my command. Fortunately, no matter what Mikaela saw or enjoyed, she always preferred the role of my sub when we returned home.
My eyes on her, I saw red when one of the other guests, whom I knew by association, approached her and insisted on sliding his arm around her waist, which she kept pushing away. Jaw clenching, I slammed my whiskey glass down on the tall table, startling the man I was half listening to, and quickly crossed the room.
“Touch her again, and it would be the last time your fingers feel any sensation,” I growled, stepping up to him.
The man jerked back his arm, his dark eyes darting between me and her. “She’s yours?” His insinuation she could belong to someone else made my blood run riot in my veins.
Curving my arms around Mikaela’s body, I drew her back to my chest. She tilted her head to look up at me with a grateful smile. “She’s untouchable,” I hissed at him.
“Unaccompanied on the floor. I’d say that makes her fair game.” The bastard smirked.
I glared at him before my scowl morphed into a smile the men in my circle attributed to a ‘don’t test my patience’ warning.
He chose to linger on familiarity. “For Pete’s sake, Xavier, if you must argue without words, she’s not wearing a damn collar, so I’m pretty sure she doesn’t belong to you.”
