Her message causes me to smile, a mix of anticipation and satisfaction bubbling up inside me. Raven chuckles beside me, clearly sharing my excitement. “Eager, huh? This is going to be fun. I assume you have a plan?”
“I do,” I confirm, glancing up at him with a smile. “What do you think about a Halloween party? Masks mandatory.”
His brows raise, excitement evident as his smile widens. “Perfect.”
I turn back to my computer, my fingers clicking along the keys with practiced ease.
Please don’t feel silly. Now nervous… I would think there was something wrong with you if you weren’t at least a little nervous.
Your safe word is Mercy. I’ll be in touch soon.
I hit send and lean back in my chair, the wheels already turning in my mind. The Halloween party idea is perfect—masks, mystery, and the thrill of the unknown. It’s everything Red is craving, wrapped up in a single night.
“This gives us a few weeks to plan,” I say, turning to Raven as he takes a seat once more. “You need to get the keys to your parent’s cabin for us to use. Halloween is on a Friday, so we’ll need the cabin all weekend. And we’ll need a few days before that to make sure it’s set up.”
“Done,” Raven responds, already pulling out his phone. His efficiency is one of the reasons I trust him with this. “I’ll have the keys by tomorrow.”
I nod, satisfied. The plan is coming together nicely. The cabin is remote, isolated—a perfect setting for what we have in mind. No interruptions, no prying eyes. Just us and Red, with nothing but the night and our desires to guide us.
“Let’s make sure everything is perfect,” I add, my mind already running through the logistics. “We want this to be something she never forgets.”
Raven grins, the same excitement I feel reflected in his eyes. “Oh, it will be. We’ll make sure of that.”
As he leaves the room to start making arrangements, I lean back in my chair, the anticipation building. This is what I’ve been waiting for—someone who’s ready to push boundaries, to explore the edges of desire. And with Halloween just around the corner, the timing couldn’t bebetter.
15
There’s been radio silence from Blade for two weeks. Each day that passes without a word from him feels like an eternity, the anticipation that once thrilled me now gnawing at my nerves. I can’t help but wonder if I said something wrong or if he’s changed his mind entirely. The uncertainty is eating away at me, making it hard to focus on anything else.
Adding to the stress is the impending merger at the office. The tension here is at an all-time high, the usual hum of productivity replaced by hushed conversations and worried glances. Everyone is on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The news that we’re being bought out by The Hawthorne Group has only fueled the anxiety. Damien Hawthorne is a name that carries weight in this city—a force to be reckoned with. His firm is the largest and most successful marketing agency around, his services highly sought after by some of the biggest names in the industry. There’s no denying that he’s built an empire, and now, it seems, we’re about to become part of it.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about the changes that are coming. Everything will be different—new management, new expectations, and the ever-present fear of layoffs. But deep down, I can’t help but think the merger might be a good thing. For those of us who remain employed, anyway.
Still, the uncertainty is exhausting. Every meeting feels like it could be the one where we finally hear who’s staying and who’s going. I’m doing my best to stay optimistic, but it’s hard when everything feels so up in the air.
Between Blade’s silence and the looming merger, I’m not sure how much more tension I can take. The waiting is the worst part—waiting for the unknown, for the next email, for the next piece of news that could turn everything upside down.
I pour two glasses of wine and hand one to Lena as I take a seat beside her on my couch. “He hasn’t sent me anything since the last email.”
“And what did the last email say?” Lena asks, her excitement almost mirroring mine. But there’s no way she can be as anxious as I am right now.
“The last message I received from him included a safe word: Mercy. And that’s it.” I hand over my phone reluctantly, letting her scroll through our messages.
“A safe word?” Lena begins, her eyebrows raising in intrigue. “That is super?—”
“Terrifying?” I interject, the word slipping out before I can stop it. But Lena just laughs, shaking her head.
“Hot, actually.” She turns her attention back to my phone, her eyes scanning the screen as I chuckle nervously and takea sip of my wine, trying to steady the butterflies in my stomach.
Just then, my phone chimes while she’s holding it, and Lena leans forward on the couch, her eyes widening. “Wait…”
I snatch the phone from her, setting my wine glass on the coffee table as I do. “What is it?” My heart races as I glance at the screen, finding an invitation to a Halloween party from Blade, complete with a message attached.
Don’t forget your safe word. Give the woman at the door the name ‘Red,’ and she’ll give you a silver mask I’ve purchased for you so I’ll know who you are. But you won’t know who we are.
See you soon…
