was the only room that had access to the verandah. The carpet was a soft dove gray with a bluish cast to it. The wall behind the bed was a dark gray painted with geometric designs in light blues and grays. Two lamps hung from the ceiling to either side of the bed, leaving the space open on the two small black end tables. He found the entire effect soothing.
He had guessed she hadn’t been, but she didn’t need to be. He already knew. “Let me tell you what I need, Scarlet. That way, if we’re not compatible, you don’t have to say anything more. If we are, you can tell me what you need.”
He gestured toward one of the two chairs in front of the fireplace. “Sit over there for a moment.” The master bathroom was just off the bedroom through one door, the enormous closets through another door.
Scarlet sat immediately, her long red hair falling around her face and down her back.
“What I didn’t make clear to you when I told you I was pretty fucked up is that when I was a child, I was taught to like certain things in the bedroom. Not just like them. I need them to get off. I need to tell my woman what to do and have her obey me. I have the ability to use my voice to make her do things, and I have done so in the past when I was forced to. I swore I wouldn’t again, and I never have.”
He stole a look at her to see how she was taking what he said. It was difficult to tell. Her fingers stroked her throat, but she didn’t so much as blink.
He forced himself to continue. “I find myself wanting to be able to use my ability with you, but I want your consent. I want you to know what I’m doing at all times and still consent to it. So, in other words, I want your full cooperation. I need you to want to do these things for me. Are you understanding what I’m saying to you? You would hear my commands and have no choice other than to obey them, but you would have consented ahead of time although you won’t know what I’m going to ask of you.”
Absinthe didn’t take his eyes from Scarlet. He could tell by her heightened breathing that she was sexually aroused just by the suggestion, but she was also very afraid. He couldn’t blame her. She was connected to him, but she didn’t really know him.
“What kinds of things?”
“Anything I ask of you.”
“Other men?”
“Absolutely not. I don’t share. You’re my woman. I’m not going to lie or mislead you in any way. We were brought up together in a situation where we relied on one another to watch each other’s backs. That means we breathe easier having sex when we’re around one another. When we party, we feel safer close together. Having said that, we don’t share our women. Blythe is Czar’s. Anya is Reaper’s. Breezy, Steel’s. Soleil belongs to Ice. If any man touched any of them or you, the club would kill them. You have not only my protection, but also the club’s. I give you my word of honor on that, Scarlet, but you have to decide whether you can trust me on it or not. That’s obviously a huge one because this is something I need.”
“We had sex and you enjoyed it.”
“You did everything I said.”
“You didn’t compel me.”
“No, but I find myself thinking about it all the time. Sooner or later it’s going to be an issue. I won’t be able to stop myself. I don’t want that to happen without your full consent.”
“If you betrayed me, Absinthe, I would kill you.”
“I would expect nothing less, Scarlet, because if you betrayed me or this club, I would do the same.”
“I don’t want to be humiliated. Ever.”
“That would never happen. I have nothing but respect for you. I will always give you the option to say no to me. Or if we agree ahead of time to make it better for me, then the option will be for you to shake your head and I’ll bring you out to talk it over. We can come up with something that will work for us both.”
“I can agree on that.”
“You say yes to me, Scarlet, you’re agreeing to staying with me. It’s a permanent yes. We don’t walk away. We agree to work things out. If