Page 23 of Unzoned

"I think he said everything he wanted to say in the text. Why two?"

"Two?" Carissa rolled her eyes. "After everything you've seen, read, and have done with him you have to ask?" She picked pointed to Jade's wrists. "Two bracelets, two wrists, two cuffs."

"Cuffs?" Jade's shoulders sagged a bit. "Not a collar, but cuffs?"

Carissa gave her a gentle shove. "You think after what's happened the past two days, he's giving you a collar like this? No. He's telling you to put these on and go to him. He's telling you to mark yourself as his and go meet him. Besides, if you want a collar, you have a little more work to do."

Jade looked at the bracelets, really looked at them, imagining what they would feel like on her wrists. Would the symbolism make them heavier or lighter? Did she even deserve them after what she'd done?

"You asked me what you should do. You should put them on, get in that dress, and get to that party."

"We haven't even had sex yet." Jade blurted out.

Carissa scoffed. "You've done plenty else, from what you told me. Sex isn't everything. But I doubt you'll be able to say that after tonight. Now go."

Jade sucked in her breath. She knew what she wanted but she still wasn’t sure she had the strength to get it.

Chapter 14

Music played in the ballroom while Garrick paced the kitchens. He'd thrown the party every New Year’s since he and Jamison started their company. They only had a handful of employees, but they still managed to fill the house with guests. Between bankers, brokers, and all of their staff the party never failed to be a success. The only stipulation being no business was to be discussed. The evening was for social purposes only. He doubted they all stuck to the rule, but at least they managed to do so while when in his earshot.

Jade had been to the party before. The few times she'd shown up she had brought a date. His soul had been twisted into knots those years. Still, nothing compared to the anguish of doubt he battled while dodging the servers in the kitchen.

"Man, she'll be here. Calm down." Jamison entered through the back door, having successfully avoided the crowd of party goers. "And when she gets here, what are you going to do?" He plucked a stuffed mushroom off of a passing tray and leaned against the stainless-steel counter.

"I'm torn. I want to punish her but at the same time, I want to hold her." He raked his hand through his hair, sure it probably stood on end from doing exactly that dozens of times already since getting dressed.

"So." Jamison shrugged and popped the mushroom in his mouth. "Do both. She deserves it, and she knows it."

"What if she doesn't come."

"She’ll show, whether or not she comes is entirely up to you." Jamison laughed and looked at his watch. The playful grin slipped. "I have to go."

"You're ditching your own party for another?"

"Depends. I might be back, I might not." Jamison wouldn't give any more information than that, but Garrick knew better than to push. "The party runs itself; I've made the rounds. No one will miss me, or you if things go right."

"Just go." Garrick waved him off. Jamison was right, the party was in full swing and their presence was no longer required.

"Sir." Julia, the party planner they hired to put the event together every year interrupted them. "The front desk has said your guest has arrived. She's been brought up the room as you instructed." She gave her usual plastic smile and waited for his nod before she headed back out to the party. "Jamison, I see you sneaking out that door." She called to him without even turning around. "Happy New Year." She called and walked through the swinging doors.

"She's still pissed at you." Garrick laughed and straightened his tux. Jamison didn't bother responding. The door shutting behind him, his only answer.

She was there.

Garrick took the back stairs leading to the servant quarters of the old mansion. She’d been brought to a room on the third floor, all the way in the back of the house. An audience, he did not want.

As he walked up to the closed door, he paused with his hand on the doorknob. What if she'd only come to tell him to fuck off? He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply and reminding himself it was Jade. Out of all the women he ever remotely found attractive, she was the one he compared them all to. She was the model of perfection, and every dent and every wound made her more impeccable.

He shoved the door open, sure he'd find her wandering the room looking out the windows at her surroundings. His heart screeched to a halt at the vision she presented.

On her knees, she faced the door, her hands resting on her thighs, her head bowed, and her knees spread. She wore a silver gown, one he'd seen before, but the hem was pulled up to her waist, giving him a full view of her legs. Her short pixie hair was pulled back from her face with a glittery headband matching the tennis bracelets around each wrist.

She'd worn them.

She was kneeling and waiting for him.

He closed the door, locking it before facing her. "I'm going to give you the floor first." He announced and leaned back against the door. Touching her wouldn't get them far, he needed the space to keep himself from pulling up her gown and taking her right there on the floor.

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