Page 18 of Her Secret Santa

And that’s exactly what I do.

Chapter Eight

ZADE

Arlo downs his second shot before getting up to ditch me less than half an hour after we got here.

“Good luck, sourpuss,” he says, grinning wide.

I raise a bored middle finger in his direction as he heads downstairs. It's a rare night that Arlo doesn't indulge when we're here, but I tend to be pickier. I don't like to settle for anything but perfection.

My eyes don't stay on Arlo or the curvy brunette in his arms for long, immediately snapping to the woman right to the left of them. She's still, but not in the awed way of everyone else nearby. No, she looks protective and half ready to pull the brunette out of Arlo’s arms.

She wouldn't get very far—he can fight like a Viking, and she'stiny.

Her hair lays in loose waves down to her perky breasts, so white it almost looks silver in the lights. She's all slight curves and willowy limbs, and the stack of bracelets on her wrist makes my groin tighten with want.

I stand to lean over the balcony for a better view of her. It’s then that I realize something about her seems familiar to me. Have I met her before? I have a rule against fucking anyone here more than once, and there’s no way I’d have passed up on her.

She slowly gets back into the sway of the music as Arlo and her friend disappear, letting it flow through her. The way she twists her hips makes my blood heat in my veins. She'd look even better writhing beneath me.

I stalk down the stairs, watching her dance with hungry eyes as I hold my hand out.

She freezes as soon as she notices me. It’s only this close that I can see the freckle to the right side of her mouth, and I realize who she is as those pretty blue eyes blow wide.

She's the fuckingelf. The one who knelt in front of me and told me off with a sugar sweet smile in my own goddamn mall, the one I've been fantasizing about for the past two days.

Clara.

“My Diamond.”

Her pupils pin at the sound of my voice, and if I wasn't already hard, the sight of her mouth dropping open in aroused excitement would get me there. She slips her hand in mine with no hesitation, and I tug her close enough to feel her body heat against my chest.

“Follow me.”

I can’t wait to watch those pretty eyes widen in excitement when she sees what I have in store for her. If the bracelets stacked on her wrist are any indication, she might just give me a run for my money.

I could get behind the concept of Christmas if this is what it brings me.

I pull her to a stop in front of the door to my room and tuck my finger beneath her chin to tip her head up. Her mouth dropsopen ever so slightly, and it takes every ounce of self control I possess not to slip my fingers between those pretty, glossy lips.

“We’re going to go inside and go over your bracelets,” I tell her, tracing the stack of them with my other hand. “You’re going to tell me your limits and your safe word, and then I’m going to fucking ruin you. Sound good, sweet thing?”

Her cheeks flush beneath the edge of her mask, and I wish I could see the full extent of it. She nods, eyes already clouding over with lust, her breaths coming shallow. I frown at her, tightening my grip on her chin.

“Was that a ‘yes, Sir,’ I heard?”

“Yes, Sir,” she whispers, a choked off whimper buzzing against my knuckles.

“Good girl. You give me verbal responses here, or you don’t get anything. Understood?”

“Yes, Sir,” she agrees, her voice a little stronger this time.

I grin wolfishly before tapping in the keycode. The door beeps as it unlocks, and I swing it open to allow her entry.

She steps inside, eyes wide as she drinks in the sight.

A four-poster bed takes center stage, a plush emerald blanket spread atop it. The wall to the left is lined with floggers and paddles and canes, all hanging neatly. The chest on the other wall holds an array of different restraints—cuffs and collars and spreader bars.

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