Page 91 of Moonlit Thorns

“I bought you something. I was going to give it to you tomorrow night before the ball, but I want you to have time to think about it. It needs to be your decision.”

My forehead wrinkles. “I don’t understand.”

He takes the lid off the box and inside, nestled in black velvet, is a thick diamond choker necklace. My hand flies up to my mouth.

“You remember the collar you wore in the sex club?”

I nod, my gaze flicking from him to the necklace.

“This is a day collar. Something you can wear in front of others, outside of the club. It’s a symbol of our connection and of our Dom/Sub relationship. Think of it as a promise or a contract between us, that there will be no other, that we are committed.”

My heart swells in my chest, and I can’t help smiling. “I don’t have to think about it, Asher. I accept.”

The twinkle in his eyes when he smiles at me is more beautiful than the necklace. I can’t imagine how much this exquisite piece of jewelry must have cost him.

“Thank you.” He kisses me. When he pulls away, he takes the collar from the box and sets it aside. He nods toward my neck. “May I?”

I turn and hold my hair up so that he can fasten the collar. Once he does, I let my hair fall down and turn back to him. “I want to see what it looks like.”

His deep blue eyes shine like the sun glinting off the ocean. “It looks perfect.”

I leap off the bed and rush over to the standing full-length mirror, gasping when I see the collar on me. I’m still naked and somehow that suits it. My hand trails up to my neck. The collar is thick enough that it covers almost the entirety of my neck, and the diamonds glisten in the dim light of his room. “It’s beautiful.”

Asher comes up behind me in the mirror and sets his hands on my shoulders. “I realize you won’t wear this for everyday life. I’ll get you another single strand of diamonds for that. But I thought this would be perfect for tomorrow night, and other nights like it in the future.”

The mention of a future makes my stomach feel as if it’s full of champagne bubbles.

“I love it. Thank you.” I turn and wrap my arms around his neck, drawing him down for a kiss.

It doesn’t take long for the press of our naked bodies to register and for things to become heated. Unlike our first joining tonight, Asher reminds me who’s in charge when he draws two more orgasms out of me.

Chapter

Thirty-Eight

ASHER

Iwave off the driver and help Anabelle from the back of the limo myself when we arrive at the venue the night of the masquerade ball. It’s overcast and drizzling this evening, but thankfully, the drop-off space is under a large portico to keep us dry.

Anabelle looks unbelievable in her yellow gown. It’s off-the-shoulder with large puffy sleeves that start halfway down her upper arm. The front dips just enough to hint at her cleavage, and the bottom half of the dress is form-fitting with a large slit up the front, but she still looks classy and refined. And the best part is the diamond collar around her neck. The one she accepted from me.

You’d have thought it was an engagement ring for how nervous I was before I asked her to wear it. When she accepted, I felt lighter somehow, as though everything was falling into place. Places in my soul I didn’t even know were empty gaping wounds, she’s filled up and healed.

“You ready to do this?” I ask her.

She looks up at me through the gold mask I had made for her. It doesn’t go as low on her face as mine does, but the outer edge is surrounded in diamonds, and the mask itself has swirls and filigree on it. I’m wearing my golden mask that resembles a bear. Maybe slightly too ferocious for an event such as this one, but it’s what I’m most comfortable in.

“Still nervous. But ready.”

I trace the bottom edge of her mask with my forefinger. “You’ll be fine. Just stick with me.”

She nods, and I hold my elbow out for her so she can loop her arm through. When we enter the building, there’s a red carpet with a backdrop for the charity. There’s no press here. Only our own photographers so that we can control which pictures are released.

“Let’s get our picture taken.” I lead her over, and we pose for the photographer.

Once we’re done there, I lead us into the ballroom.

“Oh wow,” Anabelle says with wonder in her voice.

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