by Sienna Snow
I really hoped I wasn’t being paranoid, but with the threats I’d rather have been cautious than risk anything happening.
“Don’t leave me hanging. Tell me what he said.”
“He mentioned how he doesn’t understand how people like working for me when I keep all my software locked up like I am developing something for the government.”
“No way. Are you sure you heard him correctly?”
I frowned at her, “I know what I heard. He made it sound like a joke, but I got the drift.”
“I still think he is clueless when it comes to tech stuff. I give you that it is weird that he keeps hanging around our development team, but he doesn’t have a clue what they are talking about half of the time.” Milla shifted on the sofa to get more comfortable. “Go ahead, if it makes you feel better, have him investigated.”
“Like I need your permission,” I grumbled and sipped my wine.
“Whatever. Now tell me what Walter did to piss you off.”
“You know his typical tirade: I have a legacy to uphold despite my tainted genes, et cetera, et cetera.”
“How I wished you’d decked him.”
“That’s all we need. I can see the headline now: ARMIL CEO PUNCHES EIGHTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD GRANDFATHER. Do you think the investors would approve?” I raised my wine and drank deep.
“What did Max do?”
“Well, Max revealed that I’m the owner of RPI.”
“What? That’s so awesome.” Milla jumped up and down on the couch. “I bet Walter nearly had a heart attack.”
I smiled. “That was definitely one of the more interesting parts of the evening, except telling Walter wasn’t as much fun as I thought it’d be.”
“Admit it. You’re a softy.”
“Whatever,” I grumbled.
“Anything else happen?”
“Walter said I could never do better than someone like Max, therefore I’d better not screw it up. Then Max made it sound like we were courting and he was trying to convince me he was worthy of my love.”
“Arya. That’s exactly what he’s doing. You need to talk to him about the past.”
“I know, Mil. Let it go. It’s not my fault he left Miami before I could tell him.”
“Fine.” She took another sip of wine. “What else happened? I know you’re leaving something out.”
The girl knew me well. “After my lovely encounter with Walter, I met Senator Carson. Apparently he and Walter go way back, and not for the better. He was a genuinely nice guy.”
“Wait, isn’t Senator Carson the man who likes no one? He has a reputation for insulting anyone he thinks is an idiot, whether they deserve it or not.”
I laughed. “For some reason, he loves me. He has a lot of pull with the Washington Technology Committee, which is researching intellectual property protection. With him on our side, it’ll not only make getting our budgets approved easier, but our lives as well.”
Milla jumped on me and squeezed me tight. “Not your life, mine. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, now get off me. Enough business talk—I want this girls’ weekend to begin. From this point on, no more conversations about work or men.”
“Deal. Now where’s the controller?”
I pulled it out from underneath the pillows on the couch and dangled it in front of her. Milla yanked the remote from my hands. “Let’s watch a little entertainment news before the movie, shall we.”
“Sure. You know how much I love watching other celebrities’ lives.”
“That’s as long as you aren’t part of them,” Milla responded.
“Shut up and start the show. Besides, I’m not a real celebrity. No one cares about my personal life. I’m just a nerd who made a big sale.”
“Maybe if you keep telling yourself that, you’ll start believing it’s the truth.”
I threw a handful of popcorn at Milla’s head.
“Hey.” She dodged. “Here we go.”
Now to breaking news. Look what the ultraprivate do in their down time. Kinky. Kinky.
“Oh fuck!” Milla exclaimed.
“Oh, double fuck!”
A video of me on the balcony of the Mandarin Oriental Miami was on the screen. My hands were tied with black silk and around Max’s neck; his dragon tattoo was completely visible on his naked back. We kissed as I wrapped my legs around his waist and he carried me inside our room.
“Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is our beloved billionaire Arya Rey and her rumored mystery man. You remember that picture from months back? The one from the club?”
The commentator spoke to his cohost, who shook his hand as if something burned him.
“That was hot, but this picture is sizzling. Well, the rumors appear to be true. One way to tame the ice queen is to tie her up. And from the looks of it, she loves it.”
“Shut it off. I don’t want to see anymore.” I buried my head under the pillows on the sofa.
Milla happily clapped her hands. “This is awesome. I can’t wait to tell Lex. That’s what you get for all the time you laughed at my expense.”
I poked my head out from behind the pillow. “You think this is funny? You wait. It will be you again, soon enough.”
“At least now you don’t have to pretend Lex is your plus one. No one would mistake our blond boy for your dark-haired mystery lover.” Milla lifted the pillow from over me. “You know you’d be laughing if it were me.”
“You suck, but you’re right.” Sitting up, I groaned, “Great, now everyone will invade my private life even more. Shit, Max is going to find out and I wanted to talk to him before the public learned about our relationship.”
“At least he’s in Japan or China or someplace in Asia and won’t hear about it until later.” Milla said, in her it’s not a big deal voice.
That was such a lie. Max stayed connected to anything and everything. If there were rumors, he knew about them before the rest of the world found out.
“I never knew Max had such a hot body under that suit. Damn girl. Damn. With a build like that, I bet his package is top-notch.”
I glared at Milla. “Stop thinking about my man’s goods. You have your own monster-cock Dom to deal with.”
“Drink your wine and let’s watch a movie. We can’t do anything about the paparazzi, so why bother?”
“Ugh.”
Three weeks of intense training had taken their toll. I sat behind my desk and rested my forehead on my arms. My head pounded from the late nights, but the new team members were amazing. They worked hard to get up to speed and never complained, even Max. Each one had other responsibilities, but they proved they were on board with all the effort needed to work on Arcane.
My conscience nudged me for the way I’d treated Max today. He’d wanted to learn every nuance of the system, so I’d given him a crash course, with module after module of training and then a few hours of programing. Now guilt filled me. I shouldn’t have been so hard on him, especially with him having a job outside of this project and being out of the country for the majority of the month.
If I was honest with myself, I went after him because he’d made me miss him. Not one call while he was away or even a message. I sighed. I knew I deserved it. I shouldn’t have let him leave the way he did. I’d hoped for at least some reaction to the articles about us in the gossip magazines, but I got nothing.
“Arya, you were a bit rough on Max today. Don’t you think you should go easier on him?” Lex asked as he entered my office and sat in the chair across from my desk.
I lifted my head and frowned. Trust Lex to champion for someone he felt was wronged. “No, I don’t. It’s time he learned that he can’t always be in charge. If he wants to be part of the development process, he has to become comfortable with every stage of implementation.”
“But you made him study and write code for hours today. He even canceled other meetings to make sure he understood everything you were teaching. He’s been away for three weeks.”
My shoulders slumped and I rubbed my temples. “I know. I shouldn’t have been bitchy. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Maybe I’m going through withdrawal.”
“Oh God, don’t talk to me about that. You have Milla for those kinds of conversations.”
“Well, it’s not as much fun when the discussions are one-sided. I think she’s tired of talking about her problems. When she does talk, she rarely gives many details about her sex life.”
“I’m glad she has some discretion, even with you.”
“Why would you care? Never mind, I don’t want to know. Answer me one question. How do you keep your sex life separate from work? How do you keep emotions out of it?”
“Who says my emotions aren’t involved? Just because I keep it quiet doesn’t mean she isn’t important to me. She’s the one who wants to keep it a secret.” Lex ran his hand through his hair and then pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why are we discussing me? Didn’t I tell you that you wouldn’t be able to keep your emotions out of your relationship with him? Milla told me about the conversation you had after the conference. At least you finally admitted you’re still in love with him.”
“Yes, yes, you’re so smart. Shut up.” I hid my head in my arms again. “Why are you and Milla discussing things we’ve talked about?”
“We may fight all the time, but she is the person, besides you, I’m closest to. We do talk on occasion.”
“Sorry, I’m exhausted and feeling guilty for how I’ve hustled Max into learning everything about the system.”
“Don’t get mad at me when I tell you this.”
Uh-oh.
“If you were my sub and you tried topping me in public, I’d find a way to punish you in private.”
“Good thing I’m not your sub,” I retorted.
“Arya?” Kerry’s voice called over the intercom. “There’s a delivery via special courier for you. Should I bring it in?”
“Sure, come in. Lex is keeping me company.”
Kerry walked into the office and handed me a box with an envelope attached. I set it on the table, lifted the lid, and peeked inside.
Quickly, I shut the box and peered at both Kerry and Lex, who waited for me to tell them what was inside.
“Well?”
“Well what? It’s something for me. Don’t you two have better things to do than sit here being nosy?”
“Kerry, I believe we aren’t wanted. Let’s go and let Grumpy work,” Lex said. He led Kerry out of my office, shutting the door.
Once I securely closed the door, I lifted the lid again. Inside sat a bamboo paddle with a leather-covered handle. Butterflies jumped inside my stomach, and Lex’s words echoed in my head.
I knew without a doubt that Max sent the package. Was he telling me I should expect a punishment for pushing him in the lab? Of course he was. The thought of him using the paddle on me sent a rush of excitement to my core.
Closing the lid, I pulled the envelope off the box and read the card.
Since you like to play games, we’re going to push your limits. You will have your first club experience tonight. Your outfit will be waiting in our playroom. Go straight there after work. I will meet you there.
M.
P.S.
Bring the paddle.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
At nine that night, I finished dressing in Max’s playroom. I tilted my head and surveyed myself in the mirror. A disconcerting combination of fear and excitement coursed through me. I’d never worn anything so revealing in public.
The black, lace-up leather corset barely covered my chest or my ass. A satin garter was connected to the corset and attached to black stockings that emphasized my legs. The only thing preventing a complete view of my goods was a barely-there G-string.
“You’re breathtaking.”
I caught Max’s gaze as he walked into the dressing area of the playroom. He stopped behind me and then lifted a diamond necklace.
My breath hitched, and his eyes stayed on mine.
“I had this designed for you. You will wear it tonight and from now on. No one outside of our lifestyle will know what it means.”
I stared at the necklace and a tremor went down my spine. The platinum-and-diamond chain looked like something any other woman would wear. But the triskele at the fastener revealed its true meaning.
“Tonight, anyone who sees you will know you’re taken and unavailable. Do you understand? Do you accept the collar?”
I bit my lip, nodded, and then whispered, “Yes.”
Tears clouded my eyes, but I held them back. I knew what it meant. By taking this, there was no more hiding what we were to each other.
Lifting my hair, Max clasped the necklace around my neck. After he’d finished, his hands lingered and traced down my back.
“Are you nervous?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“There’s nothing to worry about. I want you to experience something you’ve never opened yourself up to before. I know how private you are. You’ll wear this.” He lifted a black mask with two cat’s-eye holes. “Everyone will know who I am, since I’m one of the owners of the club, but unless you want them to, no one will recognize anything about you except that you belong to me.”
“Okay.”
“One more thing. Where’s the paddle?”
I glanced over to the bench where I’d set the box. “Are you going to punish me now or later?”
Max grasped my hair and his lips grazed my neck. “It will have to wait for later. Much later, after we’ve had a discussion about how you tried to top me in retaliation for something I didn’t know I did.”
“Max, I’m sorry.”
His hand moved over my throat, cupping my jaw. “I know you, Arya. You probably didn’t even realize how you were behaving. If you needed me, why not tell me instead of trying to get a reaction out of me?”
You left before I could tell you.
Max’s grip tightened slightly as he answered my unasked question. “I felt your hunger the minute I entered the lab. Because I made sure I followed your exact rules for keeping our personal and professional lives separate. You broke your own guidelines when you brought your frustrations into the public forum.”
I placed my hand over his. “Max—”
“Address me as Sir,” he interrupted.
“Sir, I’m sorry.”
Max abruptly released me and went toward the changing area. “Finish dressing. We’ll leave in ten.”
I remained standing in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. I traced the platinum chain against my collarbone. My hand shook as my fingers grazed the three diamonds in the center of the necklace. I couldn’t believe I’d given myself to him without any fight, negotiation, or anything. We were no longer just Dominant and submissive in private.
“Stop thinking. We have a long night ahead of us,” Max said as he reentered the dressing room.
He walked up behind me and slid his hands around my waist. He’d changed into leather pants and wore no shirt. His heavily muscled shoulders shifted as he opened a coat for me to put on.
I licked my lips and my gaze met his. His intense green eyes were focused completely on me.
I officially belonged to him.
He buttoned my coat and collected his own. “Let’s go. When we get to the club, keep your eyes on me. That is, unless I tell you to watch a scene. You may or may not recognize some of the members, but outside of the venue, we don’t discuss or acknowledge anything we witness.”
I nodded but remained quiet.
“I didn’t hear you.”
I looked up. “Yes, Sir.”
Max smiled and took my hand. “From this point on, you will call me Sir, not Max. I am your master and you will do as I command. Agreed?”
I blew out an unsteady breath. “Agreed.”
Max led me through the house and to the waiting car. For the most part, we drove in silence. Nervous energy had me fidgeting, unable to sit still. I took deep bre
aths to keep Max from detecting on my anxiety, but of course, he noticed. He’d occasionally place his hand over my thigh and squeeze, but he never spoke a word to me. Forty minutes later, we arrived at a group of gated warehouses in Boston’s South End.
A security guard approached our car and verified our credentials before allowing us through the gate. The car stopped in front of a nondescript metal door, and two attendants rushed out with umbrellas.
“Wow, do they do that for everyone?” I asked Max, trying to break the silence.
“Yes” was all he said.
Great. Thanks for the small talk.
Max’s driver, Aaron, opened the door, and my anxiety skyrocketed. My stomach churned, and I prayed I wouldn’t throw up.
We stepped out into the rain and Max guided me forward.
Stopping abruptly, he turned to face me. “Arya, breathe. Everything we do will be kept private.” He traced a finger down my cheek. “You’re mine to take care of, and I’d never force you to do anything that would make you unhappy.”
He draped his arm around me as we entered what I could only describe as a jazz club lounge. The decor was lush and intimate. Deep hues of green and blue with a hint of gold draped the walls. Rich mahogany woodwork lined the corners and ceiling. Two sets of stairs stood on either side of an opulent bar that carried every top-shelf liquor imaginable. Strategically positioned sofas, armchairs, and tables created individual seating areas.
Where were the playrooms?
An attendant approached us and took our coats while another handed us each a glass of wine. I drank mine in a few gulps, not tasting any of the expensive liquid, and placed my glass on a nearby table.
“This isn’t what I expected.”
“We’re in the social area of the club. Here, everything’s very civilized. It’s more like a community gathering area for dinner, conversation, and relaxation. The play areas are upstairs. We permit alcohol in this space only and no more than one glass. Scenes are conducted with clear minds.” Max finished his drink and set it on a nearby tray. “Shall we?”
