Page 70 of Black Velvet

I pause, biting my lower lip as I ponder my next words.

"It's just...," I utter. "The past few days have been horrible, excruciating. And to know that I wouldn't have had to go through that if I'd just…."

He reaches out to me, taking my hand in his.

"You and me both," he says. "I interpreted your silence the same way you took mine."

Our eyes meet, holding each other in a tense and silent stare for several moments, before I ask my question.

"So, this isn't over?"

He shakes his head. "If you're asking me, it's only just beginning."

The weight that's falling away from me in that moment nearly causes me to burst into tears from the sheer overpowering relief that comes with it.

I'm trembling, and my vision blurs as our appetizers are brought to the table. I fear speaking because I know I can't stop myself from crying if I do.

But why should I? He wouldn't want me to hide this from him.

So I don't. I don't care that tears are running down my face when I respond, "I'm... we are... yes."

My voice breaks after that pointless stutter, but he understands. He squeezes my hand across the table, the smile on his face widening.

"Shit, you're pretty when you cry."

He winks at me, lifting the tension with his remark and the gesture. I laugh, hurrying to wipe away the tears on my cheeks, tears that weren't caused by sorrow or loss, but from overwhelming joy.

"I stopped working," I tell him, because I don't know what else to say. And because I think it will make him happy to hear. "I'm not working at The Velvet Rooms anymore."

He nods. "I know, your friend told me."

Of course. Sandi. When she came over to my place for brunch today, I was still the sad little mess that thought I'd lost him forever. How could I have known that she came with a message fromhim, with a card that had his name and number on it, delivering the news that he wanted to see me tonight.

"I don’t think he's done with you," she said, sharing a cautious smile with me. She knew how unraveled I was.

All day long, I stared at this card, wondering whether I should let him know that I'd been thinking about him nonstop, that I missed him, and that I couldn't wait to see him.

But I was too scared. I was scared that I misunderstood his intentions, that this was not what he wanted to see me for. I was scared he'd just wanted to set up a new contract, to buy me in a way my former clients did, when I was still working at Violent Delights.

"I probably don't have to tell you how happy that makes me," he adds. "You know how much I hate sharing."

I shrug. "You know I wanted to quit a long time ago. I knew I was done with this line of work."

The way he lowers his eyes at me makes me think that my words are making him uncomfortable. After all, hewasa paying customer, just like any other man in that club, and he had been a client at Violent Delights before that. He has a tainted background, just like I do.

"You're... I mean, you don't plan on going back either, right?" I ask, stammering. "Even if you were allowed to."

He lets out a single laugh, shaking his head at the idea.

"I only went to The Velvet Rooms for you, Elene," he says. "If you're not there, I have no reason to return."

He pauses, fixating on me with a mischievous smile on his face.

"We'll have to find a new place for ourselves," he adds.

I smirk at him. "Got something in mind?"

He nods. "Yes, but we'll eat first."

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