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“It is. Quite a good one. I’ve been a member for years.”
“Oh.” God. “I’m sorry if this is too personal. Or private. And I won’t tell Mom about any of this conversation, I swear.”
“I don’t mind you asking, Jolie. You’re right, you’re an adult. I’ll be open with you about anything I can. Margot doesn’t get a say in that anymore. But I am curious. Why are you asking about this out of the blue?”
I took another sip of wine. Did I really want to go there?
“I met a man who says he’s a Dom.”
Yup. I went there.
“I see.”
“Will you promise not to freak out and judge me if I tell you who it is?”
What are you doing?
“Jolie,” she said mildly, “have you ever known me to freak out? Or judge?”
No. I had not.
Even all the time she was my boss and I’d seen her in high pressure situations, dealing with difficult, demanding clients, she’d never been one to freak out. Madeleine was always calm and collected, always in control of any situation. As much as I’d floundered in my job as a receptionist here, and it really wasn’t the right job for me, I’d always found comfort in her company. She’d always made me feel safe. Protected.
She was the reason I decided to study interior design in school in the first place. Because I looked up to her. Honestly, my relationship with her was one of the hardest things to leave behind when I moved away.
Maybe I just didn’t want her to be disappointed in me or something? To disapprove.
“I know you won’t freak out. Which I guess is why I want to tell you.” I took a breath and just said it. “It’s Shane.” I gazed at her, waiting for her reaction.
“And?” Madeleine regarded me calmly and sipped her wine. “I’m sorry, was that it? I thought there was going to be more.”
“Shane,” I stressed. “Shane Madrigal. Son of Jacob Ellis, who is marrying my mother, your sister. That Shane.”
“Yes. I understand.”
“But…”
“If you think I’m going to sit in judgement of what two consenting adults do in private, Jolie, you’re dead wrong.”
I released a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. “Okay. Maybe this goes without saying… but please, do not say a thing about this to anyone.”
“Of course I won’t. Whatever relationship you have with Shane, or any other man, is no one’s business but yours.”
“Really? Even with the wedding…?”
“You’re both adults, Jolie. Your relationship with Shane is not up to Margot or Jacob. And the Dominant thing… If I can offer a safe place for you to talk about it, as a Domme myself, that’s one of the best things I can do.”
“But… the last time I talked to you about him I called him an asshole. I told you I hated him. You’re not shocked?”
“Darling. I don’t really need an explanation of how ‘hate’ turned to desire. He’s very attractive. I get it. Let’s move along.”
“Oh. Right. Um… so, apparently he’s not only a Dom. Apparently he has a membership at Bliss, too. I kind of, uh, followed him there, actually.”
At this, Madeleine actually laughed a little, surprised. “Followed him?”
I sighed heavily. “I climbed the fence, got caught by security and escorted off the property. Side note, that place hashotsecurity.”
“Oh, my.” She seemed amused, at least. “And this was your idea of a good time?”
