Page 230 of The Delta's Rogue
He smiles against my skin and kisses my neck, where I used to wear that fake yet very real choker. “Are you ready?” he asks.
“Beyond ready.”
I’ve been ready for a while. Months. But there was so much to do after we left Crescent Lake. Between planning Dominic’s memorial, meetings with the council, meetings with my dad, public appearances, destroying the trafficker’s headquarters, working with the crones on the punishments for any surviving witches Amara had on her side, setting up the new team to rescue the girls Lyall and Amara sold, therapy appointments, and planning for our official coronation, it was hard to find a day to ourselves.
It was hard to feel like wedeserveda day to ourselves. A moment to ourselves. A moment of peace.
He releases me and puts space between us again. His eyes sweep over me one more time as he reaches into his suit jacket and takes out the slim black box I’ve seen only once before.
Butterflies come to life in my stomach.
This is it. The final step in our relationship. Not as mates, but as a Dom and his sub.
I have his mark, and after tonight, I’ll have his collar too.
As he removes the lid and the choker comes into view, I’m trembling with excitement, anticipation, and lust. Because once he clasps it around my neck…
Heat thrums through me, my clit throbs, and I moan softly.
A half-smile tugs at Sebastian’s lips. “Patience,cariño.”
My thighs clench at the deeper, commanding tone of his voice.
How can I be patient when he orders me around with that voice? When it melts my insides, tightens my nipples, and makes my pussy beg for his attention?
His smile grows at my deepening sexual frustration.
This is going to be a long night for me. I can already tell.
I can’t wait.
“Sarina.” Sebastian pockets the box and holds the choker across his palms, showing it to me as he speaks. “Sarina, I give you this collar tonight to mark you asmysub. This collar is a physical representation of the contract we created and signed together.” He steps closer and lifts the collar so it almost touches my neck. “You will bring this collar to me when you need me to be in control. You will come to me with your collar and our contract if, at any time, you want to amend the terms of our agreement. As your Dom, I promise to take care of you, protect you, pleasure you, or punish you in any way I see fit when this collar is around your neck. I promise to respect your safe word if and when you need to use it, and I promise to respect the boundaries put in place in our contract.”
I stare at him through my lashes as he makes his promises to me. The excitement in me builds with each one.
This is really happening. I’ll finally be his sub. His good little rogue.
“Do you also promise to abide by the rules in the contract we signed together?” he asks.
“I do.” My reply comes without hesitation.
“Good girl.”
I hold my breath as he encircles my neck with the choker and clasps it shut.
It’s the first time I’ve had anything around my neck since the night he saved me. The gold, diamonds, and rubies are cool against my skin, and the necklace is as tight as it can be without choking me or digging into my skin.
I wait for the panic to hit, for the fear to settle in, but it doesn’t. There’s no pain, no fear. The weight of the jewelry is comforting, and I feel safe.
Protected.
Free.
His.
It may not always be this way. There may be times when the fear overwhelms me and won’t release me from its grasp, and we have a plan in place for when that happens. But tonight… Tonight there is only freedom—freedom to be his and let him control me.
The long end of the chain dangles down my back to the top of my tailbone, and I can already imagine how it will feel against my bare skin when I’m in lingerie. Or naked.
