Crap, why did he have to do this at her office? Part of her wanted to scream and yell at him because he had no right to say any of it. The other part realized the type of conversation they were having in front of the dental office. Glancing out to the road, she noticed a man on the street had stopped and was looking at them, indicating that they were making a scene. Over his shoulder, she noticed Steven’s red Chevy truck. “We can’t talk about this right here. This is my work, Steven.”
She headed for his truck. At the passenger door, she opened it and dropped down into the seat. They could discuss this in private, not right in front of her damn employer.
To her disappointment, Steven didn’t go to the driver’s-side door but came to stand on her side and held the door open, the nasty, fierce look still on his face. “What would your mother think if she knew what you were doing? Have you not thought about her? About how much this would horrify her?”
Presley had thought of that; thought of it until it made her so guilty, she couldn’t breathe. Her mother would be appalled if she knew her daughter enjoyed being manhandled and loved the kiss of a whip. But it was none of anyone’s business what she did with her sex life, not her mother’s, or her father’s, and definitely not Steven’s.
Her lips thinned. “Steven.”
“I’ve made a decision,” he stated. “This is how it will go: Your time here in Vegas has officially ended. I won’t let you destroy yourself. You’re a nice girl, always have been, and I’m sorry that because I cheated, you have no self-esteem and now think so little of yourself that it pushed you into this lifestyle.”
“That’s not—”
He raised his hand. “I’m making up for what I did. Trust me, you’re angry now, but soon you’ll come to realize you’ve lost your fucking mind. If your parents knew what you were doing, fuck, Presley, they’d be more than disgusted.”
No, this didn’t make any sense. What in the hell was he doing? Was it because he felt guilty for cheating and thought he was doing her a favor? Well, that she could change. “Steven, you’re wrong. I’m happy, totally fine.”
He pointed at her face and gave her the ugliest, scariest glare she’d ever seen. “See, that statement makes me realize how far you’re gone. Do you not remember who you used to be? Presley, you joined a sex club! You the innocent, never-do-wrong, sweet Presley. Think about this! Fuck, it’s like a damn cult, they’ve brainwashed you.”
Well, yes, she had been innocent and sweet when she had first met Dmitri. Heck, she still thought of herself that way, maybe just a little kinkier now. “No—”
“Here’s what’s going to happen.” Steven’s eyes narrowed, cutting off her further protests. “If you go quietly and return home, I won’t tell your parents what you?
??ve been doing. If you fight me, I’ll tell them every damn detail about the type of place you belong to and what they do there.”
Her heart thudded, a cold sweat covered her skin, and the threat stole the air from her lungs. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Steven leaned in, nose-to-nose. “Wanna bet?”
* * *
Dmitri had worked at home in the morning, spent a couple of hours in the gym, and showered before he left his house at three o’clock in the afternoon for an appointment. Tonight would be a big night for both him and Presley, and preparations had to be in order before he opened the dungeon doors at seven o’clock.
His afternoon appointment was quick and painless, and now he was on his way to his dinner date. Due to heavy Vegas traffic, he had arrived at the five-star restaurant Stoneblock ten minutes late. He strode forward through the restaurant and smiled when he spotted a familiar face. He’d asked Presley last night—even if she didn’t know it—not to bring her past into her present, and he owed her the same.
While the night with Steven had angered him, a few good things had come out of the night, including Presley calling at least one person an asshole. He hoped she saw that being so nice to Steven had weakened her. Besides, Dmitri needed to trust she could and would stand up for herself, or he’d be stressed whenever she was without him, which wasn’t the life he wanted.
Trust, love, and respect—he’d admired that type of relationship between Charles and Mary, and yes, that’s what he craved.
During Presley’s scene with Kyler, Dmitri had nearly bolted off the stool when Kyler put his hands on her, though Dmitri had asked him to. But the part from the scene that had pleased him was the revulsion in her eyes at Kyler’s touch. That had allowed him to stay in his seat. He loved that Presley heated only under his touch.
The other realization was entirely about him. His little submissive had gotten to him last night. Her words to him at dinner had affected him right down to his bones, and he’d been up all night thinking over what she had said to him: “When does someone get to take care of you, Dmitri?”
He’d realized early into this morning that she had called him out in the same way he had done to her. He wasn’t thinking enough of himself. Perhaps he’d lost too much in his life in a short time and had become unable to depend on others. He wanted to change that.
Dmitri didn’t want to be the reasonable Dom acting out of duty; he wanted to claim his submissive. He wanted Presley under his mastery. He wanted to think only of her, always of her. He wanted to be cared for by her, because she, with that sweet soul, knew how to love him.
Without realizing it, she knew exactly what he needed, as she bluntly had told him last night. He didn’t want to train any other submissives or worry over anyone else. He wanted to mold one submissive, and he wanted only one woman kneeling at his feet and understanding his desires.
Presley had it completely right; he was tired of being lonely and always doing the right thing. Perhaps with all the death that had surrounded his life, he’d overcontrolled things. He couldn’t handle more change, so he’d altered the world around him, keeping everything the same and safe, but then a little sweet submissive had come and muddled it all up.
He liked it muddled.
Leaving his thoughts behind, he stepped farther into the edgy restaurant with the modern design. Amusement slid through him at the memory of when he’d brought Kyler to this restaurant and had to listen to his friend’s snide remarks about how the portion sizes looked small enough for a five-year-old. That had been the last time he’d attended a fancy restaurant on a personal level. Now he came to these establishments only for business, but maybe he’d bring Presley, too. He could see how this place would impress her. The thought of knowing he would spend his days surprising her and even spoiling her made him smile.
As he reached the table, his smiled extended to the woman with the piercing blue eyes. Katherine had been a beautiful woman when she was in her twenties. Now in her early thirties, she looked even lovelier. Her brown hair flowed down the sides of her neck, her cheeks were rosy from her blush, and her nose was slender, as was the rest of her. She’d had an elegant air even in her younger years, and that hadn’t changed. Her skin had remained that enchanting fair color, and Dmitri remembered how stunning she looked in black lingerie.
Her eyes twinkled, and her bright red lips curved. “Hi.”