by Stone, Anna
It had been isolating for Yvonne, never having that part of herself acknowledged. If she hadn’t had Nita growing up, Yvonne would have been lost. Nita had been close to Yvonne’s mother, despite her status as ‘the help.’ On top of telling Yvonne stories of her mother, Nita had taught Yvonne to cook all her mother’s favorite Chinese dishes, and taught her to speak a little Mandarin. Nita had made sure Yvonne knew she had a place, both in the wider world and by her side.
Nita was her family.
Yvonne got up from the table. “Let me help you.”
Nita gave her a stern look. “You’re my guest. Sit back down.”
Yvonne sat. There was no point arguing with her.
Nita began chopping up the tomatoes into small wedges. “So, how’s your brother?”
“No idea,” Yvonne said. “It’s not like we have weekly phone calls.”
Nita shook her head. “You should make more of an effort. He’s family.”
Yvonne scoffed. “Nicholas certainly doesn’t consider me family.” Before Nita could argue, she changed the subject. “I have some news. Big news.”
Nita stopped chopping and looked at her. “What is it?”
Yvonne held up her left hand, brandishing her ring. “I got married. ”
Nita broke out into a smile. “Congratulations! That’s wonderful.”
“You’re not surprised?”
“I am, but I’m happy for you too. Who’s the lucky lady?”
“Her name is Ruby,” Yvonne said. “She’s… a waitress.”
“Do you love her?”
Once again, Yvonne found that she couldn’t lie. Not to Nita. “It’s more of an arrangement.”
“That sounds more like the Yvonne I know.”
Surprisingly, Nita didn’t question Yvonne about the details of the arrangement, probably because she was used to Yvonne’s idiosyncratic behavior. Yvonne wasn’t complaining. She didn’t want to have to explain that Nita herself was one of the reasons she’d gotten married in the first place.
Nita tossed the eggs into the wok. “Does she make you happy, at least?”
“The jury is still out on that one,” Yvonne replied.
“Xiăo táo.” Nita shook her head. “When are you going to start thinking about finding happiness for yourself?”
“I am happy.”
“That’s right. You have your fancy apartment, your high-powered job, and now a pretty wife you have an ‘arrangement’ with. Is that really all you want from life? We’re social creatures. We weren’t meant to be alone.”
“I’m not alone,” Yvonne said. “I have all the friends I need. And I have you.”
Nita murmured with disapproval. “That’s not the same thing.”
“That’s enough about me.” Yvonne got the same lecture every time she visited Nita. She’d heard it all before. “What’s been going on with you? How are the kids?”
“They’re great. Sara is applying for colleges. She has her sights set on some good schools. Her grades should be high enough that she can get some scholarships…” Nita’s gaze grew distant. “I don’t know what we’ll do if she doesn’t get them. I don’t have the heart to tell her we can’t afford to pay a single cent. She doesn’t know about everything that’s been going on. None of the kids do.”
Yvonne felt a sinking in her stomach. Nita’s family’s problems stemmed from her husband’s real estate business. He had invested heavily in the growing local market over the years. Then the market had crashed, and the business had gone into the red. In an attempt to dig it out, Mark had gotten desperate. He’d fallen for shady investment schemes. He’d taken out loan after loan, putting their house up as collateral. He’d stopped paying the taxes he owed. Then, when he’d exhausted conventional lines of credit, he’d turned to dodgy lenders with criminal connections. And now, they were coming to collect.
Nita hadn’t told Yvonne about the state of their finances until it was too late. By then, their debts were too large. They owed millions to their creditors, banks, and government agencies, not to mention the shady lenders to whom bankruptcy meant nothing. Nita’s family was poised to lose everything within a year.
But Yvonne was going to do something about it. It was why she wanted to get her hands on her inheritance in the first place.
“Nita,” Yvonne said. “I already told you, I’ll take care of it. ”
“No.” Nita noticed the wok had started to burn. She stirred it. “I couldn’t ask that of you. You’ve already helped us so much. We’ll figure this out ourselves.”
“Nita, you know this problem is too big for you to solve on your own. I’m not going to sit by and watch you go bankrupt. I’m going to help you.”
Nita tried to protest, but Yvonne cut her off. “I’ve come up with a plan for how to solve your problems once and for all. I’m coming into some money soon. I’ll have more than enough money to make this all go away. I’m going to pay off Mark’s business debts. I’m going to buy you this house, and I’m going to set up trusts for the kids with money to go toward their education, their futures. Mark won’t be able to touch them.” Nita’s husband had proved he couldn’t manage money, so that was for the best. “The money needs to go toward your debt and your family futures, not more investments and schemes.”
Nita shook her head. “That’s too much. You’ve already given me, given us, so much. I couldn’t possibly ask for more.”
“Nita, you’ve done so much for me. You were there for me when no one else was. After my mother passed, you were the only person who kept her memory alive for me. And you were family when my real family wasn’t there. After everything you’ve done for me, I owe you.”
Nita turned off the stove and set the wok aside. “You don’t owe me anything. Everything I did for you was because I cared about you. Love, relationships, they’re not transactions.”
“Even so, I’m going to help you. ”
“That’s kind of you, but I can’t accept what you’re offering.”
“I’m not giving you a choice.” Yvonne crossed her arms. “If it makes things easier, you can look at it this way. It’s not for you, it’s for the kids. You want them to have a good future, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Then accept my help. You know it’s the right thing to do.”
Nita hesitated. “Can I think about it?”
“Take all the time you want. I need some time to get the money together anyway.” Yvonne made a mental note to call the executor of her father’s estate. She wanted to get on top of everything so she could claim half of the money as soon as the three-month mark hit.
“Thank you.” Nita gave her a small smile. “You’re so much like your mother. She was a kind and generous soul.”
Yvonne suppressed a scoff. ‘Kind’ was the last word anyone would use to describe her.
Nita finished cooking and dished out the meal, the familiar aroma of the stir-fry filling the air. It tasted even better than it smelled.
Yvonne and Nita spent the next couple of hours catching up. Before they knew it, it was late afternoon.
“I should get started on dinner,” Nita said. “Are you staying? Mark and the kids will be back soon, I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you.”
Yvonne shook her head. “As delicious as your cooking is, I need to get home.”
“I wouldn’t want to keep you from your new wife. Tell her I said hello. You’ll have to bring her over so I can meet her.”
“I will.” Yvonne had no intention of doing so. Keeping up appearances was one thing. Having Nita tell Ruby Yvonne’s embarrassing childhood stories was another.
“Before I go.” Yvonne dug into her purse and pulled out the check she’d written. “The money I gave you would have run out by now. This should tide you over for a while. If you need more to keep the debt collectors at bay, let me know.”
Nita held her hands up in front of her defensively. “I can’t possibly-”
“Just take it. For the kids.”
&n
bsp; Nita sighed. “All right.” She took the check and folded it up, slipping it into her pocket. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
They said their goodbyes, and Yvonne left the house. As she walked to the car, she pulled out her phone. She needed to call the executor of her father’s estate to let him know she’d be claiming her inheritance soon.
She unlocked her phone. There was a message from Ruby.
I’m ready to sign the contract.
Finally. The timing couldn’t have been better. Ruby didn’t know it yet, but she and Yvonne had plans for the night, plans which required Ruby to have signed the contract. But first, Yvonne had to make that phone call.
She sat in her car and dialed the number of Bill Marsden, the executor of her father’s estate. Bill was a lawyer and an old family friend. He’d known Yvonne’s parents before she was even born. He seemed to like Yvonne, but they weren’t particularly close.
When he picked up the phone, Yvonne cut to the chase. “ Bill, it’s Yvonne. Yvonne Maxwell. I need to talk to you about my inheritance.”
“Yvonne,” Bill said. “I haven’t heard from you in a long time. How are you?”
“I’m fine.” Yvonne skipped the pleasantries. “I got married recently. I want to claim the funds my father left me.”
“You’re married? Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” It was a good sign that Bill hadn’t already heard about Yvonne’s marriage through the grapevine. That meant Yvonne’s stepmother and brother likely hadn’t heard about it either. She wasn’t looking forward to dealing with the fallout of when they inevitably found out. “So, about the inheritance.”
“Yes.” Bill paused. “It’s been a while since I’ve looked at the terms, but if I remember correctly, you need to be married for some time before you can access the funds.”
“That’s correct. I can access half the funds at three months, and the other half after a year. I’ve only been married for a few weeks, but I want to get the ball rolling.”
“I’ll have to look it up, but I’m sure you’re right. I’ll need some time to get everything in order. On your end, I’ll need you to provide proof that you’ve met the conditions your father set. You’ll need a reliable witness that can attest that your marriage is genuine.”
“Yes, I know. That’s fine.” It was going to be tricky finding a witness, but Yvonne would manage.
“Then I’ll set an appointment for ten weeks’ time. You’ll need to come along with your husband and your witness.”
“Wife,” Yvonne said.
“Pardon? ”
“My wife, not my husband.”
“Oh. Yes, your wife.” He cleared his throat. “Shall I go ahead and set the appointment?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Before Bill could ask too many questions, Yvonne said a polite goodbye and hung up. She started her car. She needed to get home to Ruby so she could prepare for the night ahead.
Chapter 11
R uby waited for Yvonne to return home, the contract on the table before her, butterflies filling her stomach.
She was ready for this. She’d spent the entire week poring over the contract, thinking hard about her limits and what she wanted. It had been a long, painful week at that. The entire time, Yvonne had continued to hold Ruby at her usual distance. However, once or twice, Ruby had caught Yvonne looking at her in a way that suggested she’d like nothing more than a repeat of that night in Ruby’s bedroom.
But it hadn’t happened. Instead, Ruby had spent every night replaying in her mind the moment Yvonne came to her door. Ruby had lain awake, fantasizing about all the things Yvonne could do with her, imagining Yvonne ordering her into that bedroom next to hers and using all those toys on her…
Ruby heard the front door open. She snapped out of her daydream and sat upright. Moments later, Yvonne strode into the room.
“Good evening, Ruby,” she said. “You’ve looked over the contract?”
Ruby nodded. “I’ve added in my limits and a safeword. There’s nothing else I want to discuss.” The contract was thorough, covering every detail of their arrangement. Nothing was left unclear.
“Good.” Yvonne sat next to Ruby and held out her hand. “Show me.”
Ruby handed Yvonne the contract. Yvonne flipped through it, silently examining the sections where Ruby had written things in.
Finally, Yvonne reached the bottom of the final page. She placed the contract on the coffee table. “That all seems to be in order. Do you have any questions or concerns?”
Ruby hesitated. She had zero reservations about what she was agreeing to. However, there was something niggling in the back of her mind. Something she hadn’t told Yvonne about.
“Ruby, if there’s anything you want to say, now is the time to bring it up,” Yvonne said.
Ruby thought for a moment. It wasn’t that she’d lied, not really. She’d simply let Yvonne believe something that wasn’t quite true about her. And she hadn’t told Yvonne about him . Ruby knew she should speak up, but she didn’t want it to risk their arrangement.
Ruby shook her head. “No. There’s nothing I want to say.”
Yvonne studied Ruby, her lips pursed. Ruby’s heart thudded against her chest. Could Yvonne see through her lie?
“All right,” Yvonne finally said. “I’ll type up the amendments and print copies for us both. We can sign them after dinner.”
Ruby nodded, relief washing over her. It was like their other contract all over again. Yvonne certainly took everything seriously, and this was no exception.
“Once we’ve taken care of the contract, there’s somewhere I want to take you. Are you free tonight?”
“Yes.” It wasn’t like Ruby ever had plans. She was still no closer to figuring out what to do with herself and her time.
“Good. We’re going out.”
Ruby frowned. “Where to?”
“I’m taking you to a private club. It’s a place where people go to live out their darkest desires.”
What did that mean? Ruby had been to private clubs plenty of times before, but something told her this club wasn’t the kind of place where people simply sat around drinking expensive champagne.
“My friends will be there, so we’ll get to kill two birds with one stone,” Yvonne said. “I get to introduce my new ‘wife’ to those closest to me, and you’ll get a taste of what you so desperately desire.”
Ruby nodded. “Okay.”
“Wonderful.” Yvonne’s eyes slid down Ruby’s body. “I took the liberty of finding you something to wear. Something appropriate for the venue.”
Ruby’s skin grew hot. There was that look again, the look that suggested Yvonne was peeling off Ruby’s clothes with her eyes .
But as usual, Yvonne didn’t act upon her obvious desire. “I’ll give it to you once we’ve signed the contract. We’ll head out afterward.” Yvonne picked up the contract and rose from the couch. “Until then, I’ll be in my study if you need me.”
Yvonne left the room. Ruby sighed. Once again, Yvonne had left her hanging.
At least this time, she didn’t have to wait much longer.
Ruby and Yvonne pulled up in front of the club. The contract was signed. Ruby was officially Yvonne’s submissive.
As her first act as Ruby’s Dominant, Yvonne had adorned Ruby in an outfit of her choosing, a dark blue lacy dress that wouldn’t have looked out of place at a cocktail party. However, the dress’s details hinted at something far more risqué. It was cut low in the front, with straps that crossed over the tops of Ruby’s breasts and looped around her neck in a look that was reminiscent of a collar.
Yvonne turned to her. “Ready to go in?”
“Sure,” Ruby replied.
They got out of the car. Yvonne straightened out her dress. It was simple compared to Ruby’s, black and knee length with three-quarter sleeves, but it fit Yvonne like it had been sewn onto her body.
How did Yvonne manage to make something so plain look so enticing?
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As they started down the sidewalk, Yvonne spoke to Ruby. “My friends and I come here quite often. This is the perfect way to introduce them to you.”
“So that’s why you brought me here?” Ruby teased. “Not so you can show off your new toy?” Being arm candy for her rich clients was basically half her job.
“I’m not the type who feels the need to show off. Besides.” She ran her eyes down Ruby’s body. “I prefer to play with my toys in private.”
Heat lapped at Ruby’s cheeks. Was Yvonne planning to do just that, tonight?
Yvonne reverted to her restrained self. “This is all for the sake of the inheritance. For me to claim the money, we’re going to need a witness to the fact that our marriage is real. The more we’re seen together, the more convincing this charade is, and the easier that will be. Fooling my friends will be a challenge, but I’m sure you can do it. Just relax and be yourself.”
“I’ve played girlfriend for clients before,” Ruby said. “I once went to a party with a woman who wanted to get back at her ex-husband because he cheated on her with a younger woman. Now that was a fun night.” Why was Ruby babbling all of a sudden? Was she actually nervous? “Playing wife won’t be too different.”
Yvonne stopped walking. “Ruby, I don’t want you to play anything. I don’t want you to try to be who you think I want you to be. I want the real you.”
Ruby nodded. “I can do that.”
“Good. We’re here.”
Ruby looked toward the nondescript black door beside them. Above it was a sign with the words Lilith’s Den written on it in red flowing script .
Ruby followed Yvonne into a small foyer where Ruby was given several documents to sign. Yvonne explained that the club was highly exclusive, and all members and their guests were vetted and had to sign non-disclosure agreements and waivers. As Ruby skimmed the pages, she resisted the urge to make a joke about how many contracts Yvonne had had her sign over the past few weeks. She had to get her nerves under control.
