Page 61 of Mastered By Desire

“Keep looking.”

The woman’s eyes are lowered so I can’t find clues in her expression. There’s something about the way she tilts her head.

“She’s submissive,” I say, “but she isn’t meek. I get the sense that at any moment the scene could end and she’d be on top of the world. Or maybe…she already is.”

Gage sounds like he’s smiling when he says, “Indeed. That was you tonight, Leah. And next time you’re on stage for the auction, it can be you again.”

There isn’t much to say afterward. I know this isn’t a date, that Gage isn’t forming a relationship with me, but in some ways I really wish he was. I love the way he talks to me, the way he seems to see me.

And the things he’s teaching me? Mind-blowing.

He kisses my forehead and we get up. He helps me dress.

I notice he doesn’t give me back my underwear. Small price to pay for his coaching.

As we’re walking out his office door, something buzzes in his pocket.

He pulls out his phone and checks the screen. “I’m sorry, Leah, I have to answer this.”

He sounds truly regretful, troubled.

“Yeah, sure, no problem.” I flash him a carefree smile. “I can see myself out.”

“You’re certain? If you’d rather wait a moment?—”

The phone buzzes again in his hand.

I wave him off. “I’m good. Thanks for tonight.”

“You’re welcome.”

After I step out the door, he closes it firmly behind me.

I hear his voice on the other side. “Claudia, are you all right?”

Who’s Claudia? A spark of jealousy ignites in my heart before I quickly stamp it out. This is not my business. I’m not going to hang around and listen, either. Gage doesn’t owe me anything. In fact, I owe him after what he taught me tonight. I’m not going to repay that debt by eavesdropping on his private conversation.

The club is packed as I make my way to the rear door and parking lot. My mind is spinning with everything I did, everything Gage taught me.

When I reach my car, I stop short. It doesn’t look right.

It takes me a minute, but I figure it out. Both tires on the driver’s side are flat. Well, that’s shitty. Did I run over something and not notice? Seems pretty weird that they’re all the way flat, when I was able to drive here just fine.

I step closer and see long, wicked gashes across the rubber.

Someone slashed my tires.

17

Leah

Istare in shock. I’ve never seen slashed tires before. There’s something very violent about it. Violating.

While I stand still, staring, my phone vibrates with a notification. I ignore it, but it vibrates twice more.

I’m going to have to call for a ride. And some kind of service to fix my tires. Do I need a tow truck? I know how to change to my spare, but I only have one spare, and from the looks of it, I need two.

Circling around to the other side of my car, I groan. Not two.Four. Whoever it was slashed all four of my fucking tires.

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