“You’ve broken one of the club’s rules, Olivia.” A club known as Ravage was the one he talked about.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.
“Going to a Master’s home without their permission is against the rules. You’ll find the punishment more suited to your situation.”
“You can’t do anything, Cadeon. You’re not a recognised Dom. You haven’t taken your woman with you or been present inside the club in months.” He heard the panic in her voice but refused to cut her any slack. She’d purposefully gone out of her way to make his life hard.
“You shouldn’t have f**ked with me, Olivia. If there are any damages between Violet and me, I’ll hold you personally responsible,” he said.
“She’s not good for you, Cadeon. How can you be open with her the way you are with me? I can take everything you dish out and more. Please, think about this,” she said. He heard the begging tone to her voice. Closing his eyes he thought about Violet. Her sweetness, the need he felt to mark her skin and to show her his dominance. The edge he was standing on was becoming harder to sustain.
“This is the last time I’ll speak to you on this matter. You’ll leave Violet alone, or I’ll be forced to take matters further. Do you understand me?”
“I love you, Cadeon. I could be the right woman for you.”
“Do you understand?”
“Please,” she said.
“Olivia!”
“Yes, I understand.” She hung up seconds before he ended the call, closing his eyes as he knew the damage she would have caused.
Pulling up outside his house, he stared at the old building. In the sunlight the house that had been in his family for generations looked gorgeous. A place to call home. When the darkness of a thunderstorm loomed, like now, it looked like a house from a horror movie. Buttoning his jacket he walked inside. Anne stood near the door. He saw the concern.
“I had no idea Olivia would defy you. I should have been the one to answer the door,” Anne said.
“Where is she?” he asked. The house was deathly silent.
“She’s upstairs, in your room,” she said with emphasis on the last part.
Cadeon knew where she was.
“Take the rest of the afternoon off,” he said.
“Please, tread carefully with her.”
“I love her, Anne. I would never hurt her. I’d hoped to spare her this for some time.” He saw Anne out before looking up the stairs.
The beat of his heart pounded in his chest as he moved up the flight of stairs and down the corridor to the one room he kept for his play time. The door was open slightly, and he could hear her heavy breathing. In the last few weeks he hadn’t bothered to venture into the main room. He’d been afraid of what would happen if he let this side of him loose. The window was covered, the only light coming from the single bulb. This room he’d had converted when he’d first moved in. He loved to play at Ravage. He’d made a name for himself as a hard but trustworthy Dom.
He never wore leather or any of the get-up some of the people associated with Dominants. He loved wearing his suit and being every bit the dominating boss. The persona he gave was the person he was. Nothing about him faked. Everything came from him naturally.
“I heard you had a visitor today,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. She tensed and turned to face him, her face pale.
“You could say that. The woman practically handing off your body the other day.”
His body froze at the sound of her voice. He heard the challenge within her tone, and the man he’d tried to keep at bay rose to the surface.
“Be careful how you speak to me,” he said. The bench in the centre of the room was at the ideal height to bend her over and spank her ass. He owned a paddle that would be the right size for her full ass.
“That’s what Olivia warned me about. You hadn’t shown me your true self.”
“Olivia is wrong.”
“Is she? Do you need this stuff? I thought the possessive thing was the worst, but you like to hit your woman?”
Tears were shining in her eyes. The panic and lack of understanding were winning her over.
“This isn’t what it looks like.”
“No? Then explain it to me because all I see is a wealthy man who has a special room to beat a woman up.”
“This isn’t like that. I would never hurt you, Violet.” He moved closer into the room and ground his teeth as she took a step back. “Don’t pull away from me. I’m your Master.”
“What is this room, Cadeon?” she asked.
He remained silent, staring straight at her. This is what he was afraid off. Unleashing too much of himself and watching her withdraw from him. He saw it in her eyes. The fear rising inside her. This room wasn’t what she imagined. This room had the potential to make their relationship so much more. The trust required was something she couldn’t comprehend. Olivia had done a number on her. When he introduced her to this part of his lifestyle, he’d hoped to have experienced some of the lighter stuff.
Closing his eyes, he counted to ten as she repeated the question. He’d have to risk everything and hope she trusted him.
Chapter Nineteen
“What is this room?” she asked again. The walls were painted black, and the furniture blended in with the walls. The only colour in the room was the red silk sheet on the bed. The light came from a single bulb above them. The room had no personality and was an oddity she couldn’t understand. After what Olivia had told her, her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She’d sought out the room and been scared by what she’d found.
“I think you know.”
Violet didn’t know. She didn’t understand why this room existed. With the way he was about his possession of her, why did he need a room like this? Going to the centre of the room, she ran a hand over the bench. It looked similar to a work-out bench but sturdier. Putting her back to him made her heart pound. She knew in her heart that he was the same old Cadeon, the man she’d come to love, but looking at him, he seemed different to her. A little bit scarier. His arms had been folded as he stood in the doorway. She took a breath and then turned back to him.
“I don’t understand what’s going on. What are you? What is this?”
“I think you know,” he said.
“If I knew I wouldn’t be asking you. I don’t understand this.” She stared along the walls and at the bench, the bed. The room looked out of place, and it scared the shit out of her. Cadeon had left her for the day, and Olivia, an ex-girlfriend, had visited and now this. She hadn’t expected to find this room, believing the other woman had lied about the room. Turning back to face him, Violet felt the pulse of her blood beating in her veins. Biting her lip she tried to think about all the revelations of the past few hours. Cadeon was a possessive man, not some kind of Master. Then she recalled the time in his office when he’d told her to call him Master.