Page 10 of The Sinner's Sanctuary

“Men like him don’t deserve women like Avery. Nor do they deserve a say in Congress. I have nothing against living a double life, but don’t you agree the spousal contract requires complete openness?”

I do not. Not now that I know what all that entails—how much I know that I’d rather not know. Marianne hardly sees a husband when she looks at me. Not in the traditional sense of the word. She sees an ally. A partner in her forever vendetta—to put men in their place.

But what she has planned for the senator is next level. Blackmail. She wants to play with him. While I’m glad she feels she can confide in me, I don’t want to be involved in anything illegal that would threaten my business. Yet, I wouldn’t be who I am now without her.

I didn’t come from a rich family like hers. My parents ran a local restaurant that barely managed to break even most months. I grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania while Marianne was raised here, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan by a family steeped in generational politics. Currently, her younger sister is a city councilwoman, and her uncle serves in the White House. Her mother is a party committee chair here in New York.

Marianne is no activist. She doesn’t even vote, but a large portion of our money goes to campaigns and progressive causes of her choosing, which meansI’mpolitical since I’m the face of our partnership. Marriage. Whatever.

“Is she hiring an investigator?” I ask.

“I let her know we would take care of that if you agreed. Graham controls the finances.”

“Fine. Let me know if it turns up anything, but let’s not jump in until her suspicions are confirmed. Taking down a senator isn’t something I want to be involved with.”

“Then what good are you, darling?” she asks. Her tone is teasing, but the words cut.

I push my chair back from the table, pick up my coffee, and turn in the direction of my bedroom. I need to get out of here. I’ll check on Pet and then go into the office. I have arrangements to make if Christian is going to be with me in Italy. While I don’t mind working from home most days, and Marianne can be just as relentless via text as she is in person, I need to focus on something else. I barely slept last night after she brought up Avery’s issues and asked for my help.

“Gibson, stop being such a sensitive child,” she calls out as I walk away.

Right. BecauseI’mthe one acting out.

I dress in a suit and call for my driver. Before I leave the building, I stop by the club where Pet is curled in a ball on the bed in my private room. I tickle her outer thigh to wake her.

Her mouth curls into a grin, and she crawls to me. I unzip my pants and let her blow me—her reward for waiting around all night.

My head drops back, and I focus on the sensation of her tight mouth. Tantalizing suction draws through my limbs. When I come down her throat, she swallows dutifully, and I look into her big brown eyes. She sits back on her heels, squirming as she stares at my spent cock.

I tuck it in and zip back up. Unlocking the wrist restraint that keeps her on the bed, I stroke her hair and allow her to rest her cheek on my chest. “I’ll have breakfast sent in, and I expect you to eat it all. Understood?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“When I come back tonight, if you’re dripping for me, I’ll give you an orgasm.”

“I’m dripping now.”

“Then you should have shown better judgement with your dirty mouth,” I say.

“I’m sorry.”

“Mmm. I’m not angry, Pet. You did well.”

“Can I touch myself?”

“You may.”

She purrs, rubbing her face on my shirt, her hand already between her legs. I slide my thumb into her mouth, and she sucks it while she brings herself to a quick, messy climax.

“Better?” I ask.

“Yes. Thank you, daddy.”

“Eat the food. I’ll see you tonight.”

“I’ll be soaked for you,” she assures me, her voice soft and satisfied.

“Good girl.” I give her a quick peck on the crown of her head and leave the room, giving my instructions for her care to another club employee, Aiden.

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