Page 107 of High Reward

My brows draw together as I try to remember.

“I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”

“That’s OK. I told you that one day I would give you wings instead of just an outline.”

My eyes widen. “I remember. Is that what you have in mind tonight? A needle scene?”

He drops to one knee in front of me, taking both hands in his. “It is. I’d like to do it in the main dungeon. We’ll do purple and black feathers. It’ll be the featured scene for the night. Not a demo, so you can get lost in the sensation instead of hearing me lecture the crowd on safety. It will just be a scene people can watch.”

My throat tightens. I’m not scared of the pain. Victor makes it hot. It’s not the endurance of being still while he puts that many needles in my skin. It’s the entire concept of being made into something so vibrant in public while everyone watches. Being so seen. Why is that terrifying?

“This isn’t for the crowd,” he murmurs. “We can do it in one of the smaller dungeons if you would prefer.”

“Why now?” I ask.

He doesn’t hesitate. “You’re being hunted. Someone out there wants to make you small. Force you to hide. I want you to be seen. Doing this, especially as the featured scene will remind you and everyone else that you’re not prey. You’re not invisible. And you’ll never be invisible again as long as I’m your Dom.”

The response is brutally effective. My body courses with adrenaline as I imagine the scene playing out. I’m in awe of the way he’s put so much thought into this. It’s important that I show up for it the way he wants me to, but the nerves have me unsure of myself.

“I love this idea, Victor…” I trail off and look at my hands.

He tucks a finger under my chin and brings my eyes to his. “What’s the hesitation, butterfly?”

My hand squeezes his in my lap and I let myself feel the rough calluses on his palm. “Is now really the time to be getting into intricate kink scenes? I have a stalker, and you and the others have problems of your own. You have Liliana’s husband held captive in a warehouse somewhere. I still can’t believe we’re opening.”

“Business as usual, Grace. We would be discussing some kind of scene if all of this weren’t happening, so why not do it anyway? We’re here, we have the time, and if something more important comes up, we can handle that instead. But while we’re waiting for the next crisis, why not have some fun making art with me?”

And that’s exactly what we would be doing if I say yes. He’ll turn me into a piece of art to be admired. There’s a thrill that comes with that, but the negative voices in my head say it’s too much. Doing a demo where he’s teaching someone else how to do needles or some other kind of play? That’s useful. I’m being helpful. This feels indulgent.

“It would please me very much if you said yes, Grace. But I won’t pressure you. This is supposed to be for you too.”

“I’ll think about it.”

He nods and rises, kissing my forehead. “Take your time. We don’t open for a few more hours. In the meantime, I want you in charge of setup tonight.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Of your space?” That’s a task I’ve handled dozens of times.

He shakes his head. “No. The entire club. I want you to run the assignment meeting, and make sure everyone knows what to do.”

I’m shaking my head, but he fists a hand in my hair and gives me a look that both arouses and terrifies me. “In case it’s not clear, I wasn’t asking, Grace. This is an order. You’ve been here for years. You know all the protocols, and I’m going to be pulled in a lot of different directions between now and when we open.”

I nod, letting the commanding tone soothe me. He believes in me, and he’s my Dom, giving me an order. “Yes, Sir,” I say, trying to sound confident.

“Who is on the schedule tonight?”

“You know where to find that information. I’m giving you this task, Grace. Own it.”

I blow out a long breath and stand. Then I lean up on my tiptoes and press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Master.”

His lips pull up into a small smile as he reaches behind me and smacks my ass. “Good girl. Tell me before you start the staff meeting whether or not you want to play tonight.”

“I do. I’m just nervous.”

Victor tucks a curl behind my ear and winks. “And now you have a task to sink those nerves into.”

I can’t help laughing as I head for the door. “You know me too well.”

“Wrong, I know you exactly well enough. Send Lili in if you see her.”