Page 49 of Heist

Patrick blew out a breath. “OK. I assume you have a contract or something for me to sign?”

Austin pulled a folder from her desk. “Already started your file. We just need a retainer and a signature. That will make us formally client and attorney.”

“This still feels wrong,” he said as his pen hovered over the signature line. “I’m sure the firm I use in California can send someone.”

“Please let me do this for you, Sir,” she whispered.

Well, he couldn’t turn down a plea like that. He signed the contract and initialed where she indicated, then called his bank and initiated a payment for the retainer.

“Can we get the hell out of here and stop being so formal?” Austin asked when he was finished.

Patrick gave her a wry smile. “Let’s go order room service at my hotel and have a chat.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

Patrick dragged a hand through his hair and picked up the cap. “You sure you’re good to leave?”

“I’m meeting my client. I’m totally good to leave.”

Patrick laughed. “OK. I’m calling the car around back again.”

They took the elevator down and walked to the car in silence. When they were behind the tinted glass, she surprised him by crawling into his lap.

“You should sit down and buckle up. This isn’t safe, baby girl.”

She giggled. “It’s New York during rush hour. We’re going to be sitting still for most of the trip. Just hold me please.”

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I just hate this. I feel like I was just getting comfortable with you as my Dom and now we’re in this weird attorney client roleplay, only it’s not a roleplay and I don’t want to mess anything up.”

Patrick felt his insides tighten. She was going to hate the conversation he intended to have.

In his suite, she started unbuttoning her blouse to take it off. Damn it. She was making this hard.

“Austin. Stop. Let’s eat and talk,” he said when the third button came open and he caught a glimpse of her lacy bra.

“You’re acting weird,” she said, dropping her hands to her side.

Ignoring her, he picked up the phone and ordered two steak dinners and a bottle of wine.

When it arrived, they sat at the small dining table where he took a deep breath. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, OK?”

“That really doesn’t sound good. Are you about to break up with me?”

Patrick winced. “I’m about to make a suggestion.”

Austin eyed him and he continued. “I think you should step back from the house submissive program. Just until we wrap up this legal stuff.”

Austin was shaking her head. “No. Absolutely not.”

“I don’t want to fuck up your career by putting you in a bad position with your boss. Not to mention it’s a damn unethical power imbalance for you to be my submissive and my attorney at the same time.”

“So, you want me to just stop being your submissive?”

“Technically you’re the club’s submissive. I’m just in charge of your training and we’ve come to an understanding about the kind of training you want.” It was a shitty thing to say and he knew it.

“Don’t get technical with me, Patrick. This is fucked up.” She stabbed her knife into the tender steak. “Damn it. I’m a consenting adult and I’m capable of balancing the two roles. Have a little faith in me. What was the first thing I did when I walked in here tonight?”

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