Tender Mercies - By Kitty Thomas Page 0,6

was considered a relatively safe place to play and meet up with potential dominants.

She couldn’t bring herself to go back to the club because she was afraid she might run into Eric, probably with whoever he’d chosen to be the illustrious submissive of Mr. Investment Banker, a slap in the face she could do without. If she went back, it would be obvious she was on the prowl for a dominant, and he was off the table now––especially after that little scene the night she’d met him.

She wasn’t sure what the plan was now, but her dreams of the island had grown murky and disjointed. Where once they’d been vivid and so real she could swear she was awake, now they were a passing shadow that blurred around the edges, then puffed out of existence altogether.

While she was contemplating her lack of options for a kinky future, the phrase, Stoneman has logged in, flashed across the bottom of her screen. For a moment she didn’t breathe. He’d obviously been avoiding her, and if logged in, he’d been logging in invisibly. Or from a different account. Would he message her? Should she message him first?

The lit-up smiley face beside his name shone happily back at her while her stomach twisted in knots trying to figure out how not to fuck this up. Or even if there was a this to fuck up. Maybe he was just checking something on the account and then he’d be gone again, forever. Five minutes passed in limbo. Right as she was about to type something lame like hey, his words popped up on the screen.

Stoneman: I’ll ask again. Are you getting on that plane, Grace?

She sucked in a breath and stared at the screen. He couldn’t start with the easy questions.

Gracie343: I thought you were done with me. I haven’t had time to think about it.

Stoneman: I call bullshit. I doubt you’ve thought much of anything else.

Gracie343: I didn’t know it was still a decision for me to make. I haven’t had the opportunity to think about it like I would have if I hadn’t thought you’d abandoned me.

Stoneman: You didn’t like me pressuring you. Now you don’t like me leaving you in peace and not pressuring you. Time’s up. Are you coming or not?

Gracie343: When?

Stoneman: I’ll buy you a ticket for tomorrow. Planes don’t land directly on Eleu, so you’ll have to take a short boat trip.

Gracie343: How can I trust you when you’ve acted like this? You expect me to put my life in your hands now?

Stoneman: We’ve talked for over a year. We’ve sent pictures. We’ve been on webcam. You’ve been given enough information about me to verify and confirm and check for a criminal record. I’ve given you the tools to do that. I’m no more dangerous than any other man you could meet in a bar.

Gracie343: Except for the fact that you’d own me, and I wouldn’t have any legal rights.

Stoneman: Which you’ve told me repeatedly that you want. Time to put your money where your mouth is. Would it be easier if you saw my face again? Do you want to talk on webcam?

Gracie343: Okay.

A few moments later she pressed Accept on the video call.

“Hey.” His intense brown eyes drank her in. “You’re dressed.” He sounded disappointed.

“So are you.”

He shrugged.

Though they’d played on webcam, he hadn’t allowed her to use titles. No Master or Sir. Because he said it wasn’t real. He only wanted a title from her if she came to the island. It had been a hard thing to get used to, and if she went to him, the complete shift in their dynamic and where the power rested would be even harder to get used to.

“I won’t be an easy master,” he said.

“I know.”

“Do you?”

She sighed. “Are you trying to scare me off?”

“No, I just want you to know what you’re getting into and come to me of your own free will. So should I buy you a plane ticket?”

“Can’t I have more time? I didn’t know I’d ever hear from you again.”

He shook his head, his face growing stern. “Absolutely not. You’ve had a year. You’re either in or you’re out. Take the risk or stay where you are. Make a choice now, Grace.”

She took a deep breath and looked around her apartment and thought of what very little she had to leave behind. Would she regret it if she said no and never spoke to him again? Or if she said yes and things