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He gave me a sheepish glance as he put his own clothes
back in order. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to destroy it.”
“Don’t worry about it. I have plenty of ball gowns. I am a bit worried about how I’m going to get out of here in just a corset and stockings though.”
Smiling, he took my face in his hands and looked deep into my eyes. “Don’t you worry about that, Belle. I’ll take care of it. I do have to take care of something else first.”
I pulled away. “What do you mean? You’re not going to leave me here like this, are you?”
“I’m afraid I have to. I came here for business. You derailed that.” He grabbed my ass and pulled me close. “Not that I mind. But I do have to talk to someone. It shouldn’t take long.” He kissed the top of my head and lumbered out of the library.
The anxiety I thought was something only the old me had to deal with, something I thought I’d gotten under control, came crashing back as I watched him leave the room. What if he didn’t come back? What if he left me here in my underwear as some cruel prank? I didn’t even know his name! What if I had to leave the biggest social event of the year in my garter and corset?
No. I wouldn’t let myself go down that rabbit hole. I wouldn’t get worked up. That wasn’t who I wanted to be anymore. I shook my head, clearing away the unwanted thoughts and tried to reframe the situation.
“You trusted him enough to let him put his hand on your throat. You can trust him to come back. But if he doesn’t, worst case, you do have to walk out in your undies… then what?” I tried to envision the absolute worst scenario. “The whole of the Upper East Side sees my new line of kinky lingerie and jewelry. Hmm, that’s not a bad idea, actually. I could spin it as if I’d planned it… free marketing is always good.”
I kind of liked the idea. All publicity was good publicity and with my new line hitting the website in just under a month, I could use all the word of mouth I could get.
The line already had hundreds of pre-orders, mostly from my existing clients but getting a big jump in sales could put me well over my quarterly goal.
Pleased that I’d subverted my own anxiety, I picked up my gown again to try to fold it and as I did my flogger necklace fell to the floor. I must have dropped it when he’d pinned me to the wall. I smiled as I put it on—I’d been so caught up in the moment I hadn’t realized I’d dropped it.
That was exactly what I needed.
Chapter Eight
Aiden
“Get your head in the game, Aiden,” I said to myself as I left the library. I needed to focus but all I could think about was Belle. Seeing her again, touching her again, making her come again. That’s all my mind wanted, all I wanted.
But I couldn’t be distracted right now. I had to find Colin Cosworth and make him listen to me. I scanned the ballroom for the stout man and spotted him on the far side by the champagne bar. “Figures,” I grumbled and marched through the crowd of debutantes and escorts. There he stood double fisting champagne like a teenage girl. “Mr. Cosworth,” I said as he wiped his drooping mustache on his sleeve. “I’m glad I ran into you.”
The middle-aged man sighed. “Mr. Prince, how nice to see you,” he said, the lie clear in his tone.
I didn’t blame him. I’d been a pain in his ass for the past six months. I smiled, ignoring the tone. “I think I’ve found a way to give us both what we want.”
“Mr. Prince, as I’ve told you countless times, the property is not zoned for commercial use. You cannot open any type of business on the lot. You can, however, use the building as a living space.”
Fists balling at my sides and teeth grinding together, I held on to my temper with every bit of restraint I had. “It’s a warehouse for Christ’s sake. At one point it was zoned commercial. I don’t see why—”
“This really isn’t the time or place for such things, Mr. Prince. Furthermore, there’s nothing I can do about it.” The man downed his drink, coughed on the bubbles, and hurried away from me.
“Fuck,” I grumbled. The obnoxious man was my last hope. I was fed up with bureaucratic red-tape and I thought if I could reason with him in person…
“Hey, have you seen Belle?” A debutante in a garishly pink dress tugged at my sleeve.
“I have,” I said simply.
She folded her arms. “Well, do you know where I can find her?”
“No,” I lied and walked away, smiling as I heard her mumble “brute” under her breath. I headed for the bar, snagging some melons and grapes from the fruit table as I went. I got myself and Belle some bottled waters and headed back to the library.
“Everything all straightened out?” Belle asked when I sat down next to her among the stacks.
I handed her the fruit and water. “Not even close,” I said and took a long pull from my own bottle.
She popped a melon ball between her perfect lips. “Anything I can do to help?”
