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Before I could say another word or change my mind, Locke hung up.
I stared at my phone for a few seconds and then let out a deep sigh. I knew this breakfast was not going to be a casual affair. Locke never did anything without a reason. Something was definitely up.
I spent the next hour frantically running around my place, trying to get myself together. I wanted to look my best for Locke; I always did. I threw on a simple floral dress, a pair of brown boots, and let my hair do what it wanted unrestrained before grabbing my purse and heading out the door. Gale’s was only a few blocks away from my cottage, so it wouldn’t take me long to walk there.
When I arrived, Locke was already there, sitting at a table in the corner. He looked up as I approached, his expression inscrutable. I walked toward him, my heart beating a little faster than usual. He stood up as I reached the table and pulled out a chair for me. I sat down across from him, waiting for him to speak.
“Good morning,” I said, trying to break the tension.
Locke nodded. “Good morning.” I couldn’t detect any emotion in his voice, but his eyes were burning with intensity.
Oh, god… did he know? Did he know I participated in The Hunt last night, and he brought me here to scold me?
No…
If he knew, he wouldn’t be able to contain his rage right now. No way would he be able to.
The silence stretched between us as we both took sips of our coffee. Wondering what was going on, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.
We ordered our breakfast, and then Locke finally broke the silence. “I want to talk about the other night. When I spanked you for coming to my club.”
My face heated and I suddenly wished I could climb under the table and hide in embarrassment. Why for the love of god did he have to bring that up? I had hoped we would never discuss it again.
Locke leaned in closer to me, his eyes boring into mine. “I did that because I care about you, you know that.” His voice was low and husky, sending a shiver down my spine.
“I know,” I whispered, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks again.
“But I also did it because I wanted to make sure you never try to come back to The Vault. You’re better than that place. You’re not a heathen like the rest. You shouldn’t be part of everything… dark… that’s on the island.”
“You are,” I said, sipping my coffee. “Are you saying I’m better than you?”
“Yes. Most definitely.”
“You’ve always made The Vault sound so dark and depraved. It’s not. It’s just a club where people have sex. Sex isn’t bad, you know.”
He smirked. “No, far from bad. But still, I don’t want you part of that. I’ve always made a point to shield you from that part of my life. I’d like to keep it that way.”
“It’s part of you. A big part.”
“Yes,” he said with a nod.
“Well, the way I see it, anything that is that big a part of your life can’t be that bad.”
Locke grinned at me, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Is that so? You think that just because it’s a big part of my life, it can’t be bad?”
I shrugged. “It’s just an observation.”
Locke leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “Okay, let me ask you this. Would you ever go back to The Vault if I allowed it?”
I hesitated, unsure of how to answer. “I don’t know. I mean, I guess it would depend on if I’d have you and your partners watching my every move.” I gave him a smile. “My guess is you’d all attach a chastity belt on me the minute I walked through the door.” I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “I don’t know, Locke. I mean, it’s not like I’m dying to go back or anything, but… I don’t know. There’s something about it that’s… exciting. Maybe a little adventurous.”
Locke’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Adventurous? In what way?”
I shrugged again, feeling suddenly self-conscious. “I don’t know. It’s just… different, you know? Like, I feel like I’m exploring a part of myself that I never even knew existed. And that’s kind of scary, but also… kind of amazing. There’s something enticing about the shadows that lurk there.”
Locke was silent for a moment, studying me carefully. Finally, he spoke. “Is that why you participated in The Hunt last night?” His expression changed instantly, his eyes narrowing and his jaw clenching.
He knew.
