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She came to me all on her own.

Then, she stepped back and removed her sweater, letting it drop to the floor. Her bare skin glowed in the firelight, soft and warm. She held my gaze while she unfastened her bra and let it fall to the ground too. Then she kicked off her shoes and lowered her leggings and underwear together, leaving herself naked before me except for the collar.

I removed my coat and hung it over the chair. My shoes followed. I folded my shirt, my vest, my holster, then set my gun inside the desk drawer. When I turned back, Alessia had knelt on the floor in front of the fireplace, her knees parted slightly, her back straight, her hands resting on her thighs.

Beautiful didn’t even begin to describe her.

The sight of her offering herself so completely was almost painful in its perfection. I crossed the distance between us and stood over her, letting my eyes move over the collar, her bare shoulders, the soft curve of her breasts, and the small smattering of dark curls between her legs.

“I missed you,” I said.

Her smile was soft. “I was here the entire time.”

“Not like this.”

She nodded once, acknowledging that her submission was hers to give and hers to take back. I reached down and caressed her cheek. She leaned into my touch, a sigh escaping her lips.

“I missed you too, my Daddy,” she whispered.

The words filled a part of my soul I hadn’t realized was empty.

I sat on the sofa and used the leash to guide her closer, gently. She came willingly, her knees parting to straddle my waist as she climbed into my lap, her hands finding my chest for balance. I held her gaze as I leaned forward and kissed her again, pouring everything I couldn’t say into the press of my lips against hers.

She tasted like forgiveness and felt like coming home.

My hands roamed her body, relearning every curve, every dip and hollow. Her skin was soft and warm beneath my fingers, her breath catching when I cupped her breasts and teased her nipples into hard peaks.

I broke the kiss to trail my lips down her neck, nipping gently at the sensitive skin beneath her ear. She gasped, her fingers tightening on my shoulders.

I wanted her here, now, with the evidence of my mistake still on the table and the taste of my apology in her mouth. I wanted to make love to my wife with the leash in my hand and the collar around her throat, reclaiming every promise I had broken. I wanted her to know that the trust she had given back to me was the most precious thing I would ever possess in my life.

I reached between us, my fingers finding her slick and ready for me. She moaned, her hips rocking against my hand, seeking more friction. I obliged, circling her clit with firm, steady pressure, watching her face as pleasure began to overtake the lingering sadness in her eyes.

“Daddy,” she breathed, my name a prayer on her lips.

I slipped two fingers inside her, curling them and making her tremble. Her head fell back, exposing the elegant line of her throat and the black leather that circled it. She was breathtaking, a masterpiece of strength and vulnerability, and she was mine.

“I need you,” she whispered, her hands moving to the waistband of my pants. “Inside me.”

I withdrew my fingers, bringing them to my lips and tasting her essence, my eyes never leaving hers. She shuddered at the sight, her hands working quickly to free me from my trousers.

I stood briefly to remove the last of my clothing, then sat back down, pulling her into my lap. The head of my cock nudged at her entrance, and we both stilled for a moment, savoring the anticipation.

Then, slowly, I lowered her onto me. We groaned in unison as I filled her, the feeling of her surrounding me almost enough to undo me right then and there. Her inner muscles clenched around me, pulling me deeper.

I wrapped the leash around my hand once, not to control her, but to feel the connection between us, to have that tangible proof that she was here with me of her own free will.

“Move for me, little pet,” I murmured, my hands settling on her hips.

She began to rise and fall on my shaft, setting a languid pace. Her breasts bounced with each movement, her head thrown back in ecstasy. I watched, mesmerized, as she took her pleasure from me, her body undulating in a dance as old as time.

I leaned forward, capturing one taut nipple in my mouth and sucking gently. She cried out, her movements becoming more erratic. My hands settled on her hips, guiding her and helping her maintain a rhythm that built the tension between us, coil by delicious coil.

“Look at me,” I commanded softly.

Her eyes fluttered open, locking with mine. The intensity of her gaze, the love and hope shining there, was almost my undoing. I could see the forgiveness she had given me, the choice she was making in this moment to trust me again.

I slid one hand between us, my thumb finding her clit and pressing down firmly. “Come for me, my sweet pet. Let me feel you.”