“Perfectly safe.”
Dmitri had known he’d been her safety net; it was scary for a submissive to enter such ownership, in which she’d lose her voice and choices. Katherine had never refused his visits, and she’d depended on him to help if she needed a way out. Now Dmitri ended that last strand of dependence. Presley deserved all of Dmitri’s attention, and he’d give her nothing less. “Is Martin treating you fairly?”
She smiled softly. “Of course, Dmitri.”
He paused, regarded her, and asked one final question. “Are you getting what you need from him?”
Tears filled her eyes. “He gives me more.”
Dmitri understood her show of emotion. While they hadn’t been lovers in years, the bond between a Dom and a former sub remained special even if broken, and this was goodbye. “Be well, Katherine.”
* * *
Each second seemed like a minute long. Presley watched Steven finally lean away from her and start to close the truck’s door. The world around her had slowed. Yet her thoughts raced. Thoughts of her family finding out about her BDSM lifestyle held heavy on her mind.
The old Presley would’ve had her seat belt on and listened to him in a second flat. She would’ve not only feared his threat but also been so ashamed at the thought of her parents finding out about her kinky sex that she would’ve overlooked what she wanted.
She wasn’t that woman anymore. The type of woman who said nothing and did nothing, or the woman who allowed a man to make her believe she was somehow in the wrong. Her new lifestyle wasn’t wrong, as he suggested. It was right, because it was what she needed.
Why was she allowing Steven to threaten her? Why did she care if they fought at her office? Hadn’t she already decided to find a new job? Besides, he was the asshole in this equation. Her boss and fellow employees would have her back.
More so, why did she think her parents would believe him? First, they knew Steven had cheated on her. Second, since she’d always been a good girl, her parents would never believe such a tale of a dark and sensual lifestyle.
Now a slow but delicious strength slid through her veins, and just as Steven was about to close her door, she grabbed the handle and stopped him. “You’re wrong. Everything you said, you’re wrong, Steven.” She attempted to exit the truck, but Steven grabbed her shoulder and pinned her to the seat. Ripping herself away from his hold, she returned the glare that she hoped portrayed all of her hatred for him. “You have no right to tell me anything. You didn’t give a shit about me when you thought with your cock and fucked another woman.”
Steven’s eyes widened, and his face went beet red. “You say cock? Is that a word a lady uses? See, look what this has done to you. You’ve been corrupted. No wonder you wouldn’t call me back; you’re seriously mentally sick. Do you not see the person you’ve become?”
Perhaps the conversation was long overdue. Steven had crossed a bad line. Leaning forward, she got up in his face and poured all of her hatred for him, for what he’d done to her, for the pain he’d caused. “You never saw me for the person I was. That fault belongs to you. You were lucky to have me. I picked up my life and moved here to be with you, for you, and I gave you eight years of my life.”
His lips parted, and the vein on his head enlarged, but she wasn’t nearly done. “You’re a sad, pathetic excuse for a man, do you know that? Your affair wasn’t about your need for more, or whatever stupid reason you told me, it’s because you have an empty, dark soul, and that has nothing to do with me.”
Steven seethed with rage as he said through clenched teeth, “Regardless of that nonsense you just spat out, you’re going home. Enough is fucking enough. I’m done talking about this.” He flicked the child lock on the door and tried to close it on her.
Presley pushed out with her other hand against his chest, trying to get him away from the door, but her struggles were useless. His physical strength overpowered her small frame. “Let me out!”
“No.” Gripping both of her arms, he used his size and muscles against her, shoving her into the seat. “I’m taking you home so you can return to your parents and be a normal person again—a normal person who doesn’t go to fucking sex clubs!”
“No, I don’t want this. I don’t want to go home!” She raised her legs, kicked out, and connected with his knees. Oh, God, they weren’t in private, someone had to hear her screaming at him. Why was no one coming to help?
Steven grunted from her hard hit. “That’s it, Presley.” He reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone. “I’m calling your—”
Then Steven wasn’t blocking her way anymore.
Presley gasped, jumped out of the truck, and discovered that Dmitri had Steven pinned up against the truck by his throat. The blue tinge of Steven’s face looked good on him, but she shook her head to refocus and said in a strong voice, “Dmitri, put him down.”
“No,” he growled. Dmitri had always been so calm, even when he’d punched Steven, and he’d always been in control. Now he wasn’t.
Closing the distance between them, she placed her hand on his arm and felt hard tremors rocking him. “Let Steven go,” she said softly.
Dmitri never looked at her; in fact, he tightened his fingers around Steven’s throat, deepening the blue in his face. “Dmitri,” she snapped. “Let go!”
Not a second later, he released a coughing Steven, then he turned to her with eyes blazing. “Remove him from my sight. I suggest you do it now.”
Presley reached for Dmitri’s hand and tugged, forcing him to take a couple of steps back to put distance between them and Steven. Then she turned to her ex-boyfriend. “Go home, Steven.”
“You’re fucking stupid, Presley, to stay with him,” Steven wheezed.
Dmitri growled something fierce and took a step forward, but Presley pulled him back and gripped his hand with both of hers. “That’s enough, for Christ’s sake!” She huffed a frustrated breath, and to Steven, she said, “If you come near me again or contact my parents, I’ll have you arrested.” She paused, considering his offenses. “I’ll get a restraining order against you because you’re harassing me. Do you want a criminal record?”