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Chapter 1
Kaylee stood frozen in the hallway, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a bag of takeout Chinese in the other. She’d come home early with plans to surprise her boyfriend and Dom, Chad. It was their two-year anniversary.
But the sounds coming from the bedroom filled her with dread and made her feel like the biggest fool on the planet. There was no mistaking what was happening on the other side of the door. Gasps and amorous moans accompanied the familiar creak of the bed frame.
Happy anniversary to her.
She swallowed hard and turned, intending to leave the apartment. She would come back tomorrow while Chad was at work and collect her belongings. Her cousin, Amy, lived nearby, and Kaylee supposed she could crash on her couch until she found a new apartment.
For a moment, she entertained the idea of forgiveness and second chances. If he apologized and meant it and swore to never stray again… but no. No, she couldn’t do that. Growing up, she’d watched her mother forgive her father for similar behavior too many times to count, and their marriage hadn’t been a happy one. She’d always promised herself she would never put up with a cheater.
The gasps and moans became louder, and the headboard thumped harder against the wall. Tears burned in Kaylee’s eyes, and she found herself turning back to the bedroom door, curiosity getting the best of her.
She knew she should stop. She should turn and flee the apartment. But she had to see for herself.
She reached for the doorknob and braced herself for the scene of betrayal. But it was so much worse than she’d imagined. She nudged the door open wider and stared aghast as Amy—yes, her cousin and best friend—rode Chad on the bed.
The duplicitous lovers continued going at it, oblivious to Kaylee’s presence. She lifted the bag of Chinese, intending to hurl it at them, only to lower her arm. No sense wasting good food. Especially when egg rolls were involved. So, she threw the flowers instead, and dark satisfaction rushed through her when she hit Chad right in his stupid face.
Screams echoed in the room. Chad and Amy scrambled under the covers as they looked in Kaylee’s direction. She was proud of herself for holding back tears, and she managed to give them her best glare. The lovers sputtered and exchanged a horrified glance.
“Kaylee!” Amy had the decency to appear regretful.
“What’s up, cuz?” Kaylee forced a smile. “So nice to see you and Chad getting along so well.”
Chad plucked a flower petal from his face. “You’re home early, Kaylee.” His tone was cold and accusatory. “I wasn’t expecting you for at least two hours. Why didn’t you call?”
“Why didn’t I call? I catch you boinking my cousin on our two-year anniversary, and that’s all you have to say to me?” She clenched her jaw as she desperately tried to hold back tears. “How long has this been going on?”
“I’m so sorry,” Amy blurted. “Please don’t hate us. We didn’t mean for this to happen, and we tried to stay away from one another, but, well, we’re deeply in love. We were planning to tell you soon.” Her confession was a knife to Kaylee’s heart.
“How. Long.”
Chad sighed and brushed another flower petal from his face. He didn’t appear even slightly remorseful, only annoyed that he’d been caught in the act. “About three months.”
“Well, in that case,” Kaylee said in a bitter tone, “let me be the first to congratulate you both. Have a nice life.” She turned and fled the apartment, ignoring Amy’s calls for her to stay so they could sit down and talk about it like mature adults. Fuck that.
Kaylee called a taxi to take her to the nicest hotel in town, and once she was settled in her suite on the top floor, she opened the bag of food and shoved an entire egg roll in her mouth. She sat in a chair near the window and gazed at the bustling Richmond cityscape, her thoughts in turmoil, her heart utterly shattered.
She’d been so in love with Chad and so certain he would propose soon. She’d believed he was her perfect match in every way. Having met at a local BDSM club, they’d fallen hard and fast for one another. Or so she’d thought. Perhaps it had only been one sided all along, with her being the more invested party.
She touched the daytime collar she wore and gave it a firm tug. Thankfully, she was able to rip the chain, even though the clasp required a key to unlock it. She clutched the remnants of the collar as she recalled the moment Chad had given it to her. Tears streamed down her face, and she tossed the broken collar into a dark corner across the room.
Never again, she resolved.
Never again would she allow her heart to be broken. Never again would she be made into a fool.
Her best friend and her Dom.
How could such a worst-case scenario happen behind her back?
Three fucking months.
How could the two people she’d trusted most in the world betray her in such a horrendous fashion?
She sniffled and retrieved some chopsticks from the bag, then tucked into the General Tso’s chicken.
As the sky darkened and the city lit up, she kept touching her bare neck, feeling the absence of her real collar—the heavier one she wore in the evenings and weekends while at home. She supposed that one was still resting in the bedside table drawer. After she got home each night, she would kneel in the bedroom while Chad removed the daytime collar and secured the nighttime one around her neck. The absence of that comforting ritual was a punch to the gut, and she blinked rapidly as more tears rolled down her face.
