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Below the text in the e-mail was a picture of him and his girlfriend smiling from ear to ear with the Egyptian pyramids in the background. Warmth filled her chest as she stared at her Christian. He had Charles’s eyes, a perfect light shade of brown.
Yet her throat tightened all the same; she missed her children, and Charles, too.
Alone. She was most definitely that.
Even now she began to realize how much she enjoyed going to the theater, but she hadn’t gone in years because she wanted to see a show; she went only for Cassie. After she sent off a reply to the e-mail, she noticed the date on the top of her phone. Hardness formed in her stomach, and she knew her week to contact Elliott was up. She’d given up the chance to start a D/s relationship. One she knew would give her all that she’d been missing in her life,
but Elliott made her feel things she didn’t want to.
He hadn’t been wrong—she recognized there was a fierce connection between them. Her body had been buzzing ever since being with him. He’d all but left his touch imprinted on her. But her heart kept screaming Charles at her.
With Elliott it wasn’t only casual play; it could lead to more. She might have long ago taken off her wedding ring, but the diamond necklace around her neck was a constant reminder of her vow to Charles.
Her collar.
Her promise.
Tucking her phone back into the clutch on her lap, she wondered about having Dmitri search out another group in Vegas who played. Maybe she could find a Dom that she wasn’t as attracted to. A man who didn’t make her feel as though she were on rocky emotional ground. A Dom who couldn’t break the barriers to her heart.
That butterfly feeling she’d experienced with Elliott she had felt with Charles when they had first met. That was dangerous, not because Elliott was a man, but because he was a Dom.
Her love wouldn’t be enough. Just dating him wouldn’t be enough.
He’d want her submission.
Elliott would demand her heart.
The lights dimmed and Mary glanced to the stage, pushing all thoughts of Elliott from her mind. As the gold curtain opened, Mary’s daughter’s angelic voice rang out in a beautiful rhythm. All her troubles vanished as her sole focus became her daughter singing and dancing on the stage.
One intermission later and by the time the curtain closed, Mary jumped to her feet, clapping wildly, tears filling her eyes. The main lights in the theater flickered back on and she wiped the makeup from her eyes. She reached for the backstage pass from her clutch and rushed through the crowd out of the auditorium as fast as possible.
Once she’d passed the security guard, she hurried into the industrial area behind the stage. She spotted the crew, who were celebrating the finale of the current show with champagne glasses in hand. Then she noticed the soft, dark head of hair and smiled. “Cassie,” she called.
Her daughter turned, waving her forward, and as Mary drew closer, she caught sight of the man Cassie was chatting with. Her heart skipped a beat as she took in the tall, gorgeous man in the pinstripe tailored suit.
Dark eyebrows rose in surprise.
Mary blinked, focusing away from the shock of seeing Elliott standing there and looking at her daughter. Cassie’s brown eyes, surrounded by thick makeup, twinkled and her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. Ignoring the unease creeping through her veins, Mary wrapped Cassie in her arms. “You were amazing tonight, sweetie.”
Cassie squeezed Mary tightly, and when she leaned away, her eyes narrowed. “You’ve been crying, haven’t you?”
“Of course, I have,” Mary replied with a dismissive wave, though now she was more focused on Elliott standing there in stunned silence. Suspicion raced through her, leading her thoughts into a hundred possibilities. She didn’t know whether to be outright furious or if she should call the police. “Do you come to the theater often?” she asked him, controlling the tension in her voice.
Cassie’s eyes widened as she looked from Elliott to Mary. “I didn’t know you were friends with Mr. Foster, Mom.”
Elliott clearly forced a smile. “Yes, we’ve met before. Are you two related?”
“Cassie is my daughter,” Mary retorted.
“Really? I hadn’t known.” He looked from Mary to Cassie and then his smile seemed a little more honest. “Ah, but I do see the resemblance in the eyes.” His gaze swept to Mary and a sizzle formed within their depths. “Beautiful eyes, in fact.”
Mary folded her arms, not giving in to compliments. His appearance at the theater, on the night of her deadline, raised all her alarms. “You didn’t know Cassie was my daughter?”
His mouth twitched. “Believe me, I’m somewhat dumbfounded that the young lady I’ve gotten to know is your child.”
Mary wondered if she should believe him. It seemed like a pretty big coincidence, but she also recalled Elliott telling her he had plans to travel at the end of their deadline. All the same, she couldn’t believe that fate had led them here tonight. The chances seemed impossible. She shook her head, clearing it and shedding the fear that Elliott was a psychopath.
Strange coincidences happened all the time. Perhaps this was simply one of them.
