“The one you FaceTime with?” I say, connecting the dots.
She nods. “And of course my agent and my security detail know.” She shrugs like that’s a no-brainer. An agent can’t work with someone without knowing what they’re marketing and why. And the security detail would need to know who they’re protecting. “Ollie and Michel have both protected me through most of this.”
Warmth pools in my chest knowing that Violet has people looking out for her.
“And Theo—”
“The fuck does he need to know for?” I growl. “That little—”
I stop, take a deep breath, and exhale slowly.
Violet just stands there and stares at me.
“I’m not going to ask. I don’t want to know. I’m sure you had a good reason.” Then, I take a few steps closer to her.
“I’m sorry,” she finally says. Then, her eyes narrow at me. “How did you know it was me?”
Closing the distance between us, I run my hand up her thigh. “Something private gave you away.” My finger presses into the bruise on her leg, and she hisses, before chuckling.
“You would notice that little bruise.”
My hand slides up the front of her, rubbing over her chest and pausing at her throat, where I tighten my grip over the collar.
“You know what else I noticed?”
Her eyes go wide, and she swallows like she knows what she’s done.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t. The costumes, the disguise… it would have shown—”
“I said…” I begin, my voice low as I dip my mouth closer to her ear. “I said it stays on unless you’re in the shower. Those were the terms. Myterms.”
I want to take this moment a little more seriously, but this woman has such a crazy effect on my inner domme, and I can’t keep it at bay once my skin touches hers.
“If you had come to me,” I continue, “if you had trusted me with the truth of what you were behind the mask, we could have negotiated. I would have made you something a bit more subtle. A small chain or a tattoo that only we could see. Something permanent and private.”
Her eyes dart to mine at the word permanent, as if she didn’t expect what we have to last outside this country’s border. As if I was only using her while she was here in Milan and then throwing her away as soon as my airline ticket back home was scanned.
“You broke the rules, baby girl.” I run my tongue along her ear, feeling her melt into me. “That is not something words alone can fix.”
Hours later, after leaving Violet tied to her bed, wet and on the edge of an orgasm, I make arrangements for her friend Cassie to get into Violet’s room without any problems.
Violet is not allowed to touch herself and finish the job or use any toys of any kind to reach climax. And I told her I’ll be unavailable until tomorrow.
Little did I know, the punishment I gave her is also a punishment for myself, because I want so badly to feel her lips on my pussy. She’s so good at eating me when I ride her pretty mouth, but I have to focus on what it's doing to her and ignore what it’s doing to me.
I thought about not punishing her at all. After what she told me, it almost felt cruel. But the fire in her eyes when I tugged at her collar after tying her up… a shiver runs through me at the memory, and I look around at my team to make sure nobody noticed.
The streets of Milan are buzzing with people in a hurry to get to wherever they’re going.
My teammates are a few steps ahead of me, loud and excited in a way that only people who are heading to a gold medal game could be. Rissa and Paige are arguing over gelato flavors. Riley is taking photos of literally every building, as if we hadn’t just passed twelve identical ones. And I walk behind them with my hands shoved in my pockets as I let the noise fill the space.
Celebrating had never really been my strong suit. Still, I have to admit this place is unreal. The narrow streets are glowing gold under streetlamps. Scooters are weaving through traffic like chaos is a sport. And the fashion storefronts are shining like they aren’t stores at all, but full-blown museums.
Riley turns around and yells, “Skye, get over here!” She waves to the rest of the team. “Group picture.”
I groan. “Absolutely not.”
“Too late.” Rissa is already holding up her phone.
