heart that hoped for something better, maybe even to be rescued by the very man who punished me, but it left.
And I realized he didn’t have to beat me into submission. No, he would lead me there with his own hands.
Donovan
I lived for her jealousy, for the way she stared at Elaina like she was going to murder her for gaining my approval.
It meant one thing.
She. Was. Ready.
The limo ride was painfully tense as Juliet gently touched the collar on her neck. I wondered if she was horrified or excited? Which would she be, and while I wanted to ask her, I already assumed the answer.
She was, of course, both.
Which made her even angrier.
Juliet liked this role of submissiveness, exactly how I liked the control, the ownership of something so precious, so beautiful, like a rare gem that nobody ever truly deserved but everyone would kill to acquire.
The limo arrived just on time, and I handed her the mask that would match her dress, the one I’d already picked out, and gently attached it to her face. It covered most of it, except her mouth and obviously her eyes, showing every man in attendance that only I could look upon her, however, driving them fucking crazy that they’d never get to see all of her.
Now she was owned.
By me.
A shudder ran through her as the door opened. I was introducing her to the Kingdom I owned, the one I operated, carefully calculated, and inherited from my father. I was showing her behind the curtain, and once she saw it all…
There would truly never be any going back, and I wondered if she knew that, walking into the large ballroom at the estate I’d purchased only for these events. I wondered if she shook with lust, fear, or all of the above. And I hoped, I perversely hoped it was both.
Music swirled around the ballroom, masters danced with their wives while their pets watched and vice versa. The ones being punished were put in a corner. The pets were forced to watch their masters enjoy an evening with their wives, and it killed them to see a smile on their owners’ faces while the wives gave them pleasure only the pets could truly give.
There were politicians.
Actors.
Musicians.
There were people of influence and power who no longer knew or understood their own need for dominance until my company offered it to them—for a price.
If I was going to hell, I might as well get rich on my way there.
I gave them life.
And I was in control of it all.
Me and Troy.
Though Troy was starting to worry me, the way he looked at me, the way he saw through even what I refused to understand or process. He’d always been a shrewd businessman, but now he was something else entirely.
Troy was jealous.
And jealousy was a game we never truly played with one another until now.
I watched his face contort into something sinister while I led my pet, her chain wrapped around my wrist as we went to our table, with our expensive wine, our steak, our company for the evening.
“New one.” A man whose name I couldn’t remember nor would I, added, “She’s pretty.”
“She is,” I agreed. Wrapping the gold chain harder around my fist, I jerked her closer to me and jutted my chin toward the ground by my feet.
She didn’t have to be told. Instantly she sat on the floor and bowed her head, waiting for my next command.
I beamed, leaning down toward her ear. “You’re such a good girl,” I whispered, making her hide back a smile.
“Pity,” Troy stated with his pet at his feet. “That you took her before any one of us could even offer.”
Pity my ass.
“Yes,” I agreed again. “Isn’t it, though?”
“Where’d you find her again?” Troy baited me, but I was too smart for him. He was just like my father, always trying to stay one step ahead, and now I knew better.
I would always force him to be one step behind me.
He knew who she was, and pretending he didn’t only pissed me off.
“Does it matter?” I shrugged.
Troy laughed, taking a sip of his whiskey. “How about a test, then?”
I wanted to hurt him.
Hard.
Slow.
“You and your tests and theories. What do you need proven? She’s mine. I own her, and I can do whatever I want with her.”
“Let me borrow her then.”
I grit my teeth, and his blue eyes seemed to darken, looking around at the powerful people sitting next to us. Investors, people who could