My mother insisted I look “bridal” for the party this evening, so I scrambled to find a gown in white for the event. On such short notice, my options were limited, and I was forced to settle for a one-shoulder, floor-length gown with a silver trimmed band across the waist. It wasn’t what I would have designed for myself, and I would have loved to alter it by adding some personal touches, but there simply wasn’t time.
No matter my own feelings on what I was wearing, the look on Preston’s face made me feel like a million bucks. I was remindedof my personal mission when creating gowns—and lingerie—for others. The clothing didn’t make the woman; the woman made the clothing. I’d never experienced it myself until this moment.
Preston offered me his arm, and I took it, offering him a small smile. My palm tingled, even though several layers of clothing separated us. We would need to lean on each other tonight, and then it was time for me to take the necessary steps to commit to him fully.
It seemed only fitting to go into the new year with a clean slate.
I stayed at the party long enough to watch the fireworks from the balcony, celebrating the start of a new year, before I claimed to be tired and retreated to the apartment.
Preston was a perfect gentleman all evening, barely leaving my side as we accepted the well-wishes of what felt like the entire population of Belleston. He offered to escort me to our rooms, but I declined, imploring him to stay and socialize. There was a moment’s hesitation, where he looked like he would force the issue, but eventually, he let me go.
Thank goodness, because I needed to sneak out before he retired for the night.
Tonight, I was ending things with Tony and planned on canceling my membership at Desire before I left. It was time to close that chapter of my life as I embarked on a new one.
I dressed slightly more conservatively than I normally would when headed to the club, opting for a long-sleeved black dress that hit mid-thigh, but I couldn’t bring myself to don underwear, even though I had no plans to engage in any kind of sexualactivity. Maybe after I made a clean break, it would release this hold he had on me even when he wasn’t around.
Pulling every pin from my elaborate updo, I let the remaining curls cascade down my back. Grabbing a faux fur shawl, I wrapped it around my upper body to ward off the winter chill I would encounter in the tunnels, before slipping on a pair of black flats.
Carefully, I opened my bedroom door just a crack, straining my ears for any sounds that might signal Preston’s return to the suite while my eyes scanned the area. The coast appeared to be clear, but there was still a chance I could run into him at any point in my journey to the tunnel entrance. He would demand an explanation I was unable to give.
Crossing my fingers, I ventured forth. Clearing the apartment, I hurried down the hallway, further into the residence wing, stopping at the tapestry hung on the wall concealing one of the many entrances to the tunnels. Looking left and right to ensure there weren’t any witnesses to my escape, I slid behind the tapestry and unlatched the door.
The further I traveled toward the city, the colder the air in the tunnels became. Winter in the Alps was no joke, and halfway to my destination, the temperature became so frigid that the exposed skin of my calves stung before they descended into numbness.
Great, I was so focused on the task at hand that I was risking frostbite. I could read the headlines now:Princess Lucy Loses her Legs Sneaking Out in the Middle of the Night Headed to Unknown Destination.
Doubling my pace to reach the exit faster, I was still mindful of where I placed my feet on the worn stone steps. A broken leg would be even worse than potential frostbite. Cell service this far below ground was non-existent, and no one would think to look for me in the tunnels when they discovered I was missing.Losing the ability to walk and being unable to call for help was a veritable death sentence.
Was this chance at closure worth it? I wasn’t so sure anymore.
I heaved a sigh of relief when I finally reached the exit into that familiar alleyway in Remhorn, taking a moment to slip on my mask before venturing through the door. Stomping my feet, trying to bring some feeling back into my legs, I hustled to the bolted door of Desire, the password rushing desperately past my lips, just so that I could feel warm again.
Handing over my cell phone at the hostess stand, I elected to keep my shawl when they offered to check it for me. I fully intended to wrap it around my bare legs once I reached Room 203. Thankfully, there was a pins-and-needles feeling to them now as they came back to life, but I didn’t relish the thought of my return trip through the tunnels.
Since I wasn’t the member paying for the private room we used, a club employee escorted me, punching in the code and granting me entry. I was silently grateful when I found it empty; I needed a moment to gather my thoughts. This wasn’t the first time I ended a relationship with a Dom, and it was always amicable, but something about this time felt different. Tony felt different.
Taking a seat on the plush bench situated at the foot of the bed, I covered my legs, rubbing over the faux fur to bring circulation back to my weather-abused extremities.
I can do this.
My plan was to be honest, telling him about my change in circumstances. I knew communication and trust were the cornerstones of this world, and he would accept that we couldn’t see each other anymore.
Maybe I was being presumptuous in thinking that he even wanted to continue what we had. Hadn’t he questioned the last time I asked for a meeting? It was entirely possible I was blowingthis way out of proportion, but I couldn’t deny how I felt when we were together. Didn’t he feel that too?
Finally, regaining full feeling back in my legs, I removed my shawl, placing it carefully on the bed behind me, just as I heard the digital unlocking of the door before me. Taking a deep breath, I steeled my nerves watching the door open, revealing the man whose mere presence had tingles running across my skin with the memory of how well he commanded my body.
There was no hiding the surprise in his eyes when he found me seated. I couldn't blame him after how he’d found me the last time. He was expecting the submissive he knew as Ari, ready and willing. My heart broke knowing that girl would be packed up and shoved into a box in the back of my mind, never to see the light of day—or night—again.
“Ari?” Tony asked, uncertain.
I patted the quilted fabric of the bench beside me and gave him a small smile. “We need to talk.”
Nodding, he strode to where I sat, dropping onto the bench beside me. There wasn’t much room, and I couldn’t prevent our thighs from touching. The brush of his suit pants against my bare thigh muddied my thoughts momentarily, but I regained my composure, determined to follow through with my plan.
Tony’s clasped hands rested in his lap as he waited for me to open the conversation.
Taking a deep breath, I began, “I’m getting married.”
