Page 55 of Crushed
CHAPTER 18
Cormac
My driver pulled to the front of the Dahlia District, the brick building glowed in the exterior lighting. Instead of letting the driver find Scarlett and escort her to the car, I went inside myself. A few servers turned their heads and acknowledged me, but most of the club members were out, all attending the same event.
My eyes stopped on her. Scarlett, dressed to perfection in an outfit that I had selected: a long, dark blue dress that clung to her curves, showing off her muscular thighs in a side that went up to her hips. Sleeveless, a collared neck, the cleavage covered, but with a low back that nearly dipped into the valley of her ass. No underwear. Low heels. Her hair tucked into a low chignon, a parting of hair styled to the side to resemble side bangs, my name hidden underneath them. And her classic bright red lips.
“You look gorgeous,” I said. I took her hand, and she blushed.
“Anyone would look good in this dress,” she mumbled.
“It’s not the dress.”
I walked her to the car, opening the door and helping her inside. I held her thigh as we traveled; she was silent the entire way, already adhering to my instructions. Decadence Revelry was taking place at a ballroom and banquet hall at the center of Sage City, usually used for political events and charity galas. I usually stayed away from these kinds of events, unless a meeting called for it, like tonight. Warden was meeting us there.
But it helped that I enjoyed the hedonistic theme.
Tall columns stood in front of the ballroom like Olympic guardians, and a parade of expensive black cars let out their passengers while the drivers were directed to the parking area. Some attendees hid their faces behind veils and masks as they entered the building, while others flaunted their faces proudly. I had my secrets, but attending an event like this would not affect my reputation. I held Scarlett’s hand, and she squeezed my fingers.
Inside, there were sheer curtains on the walls, lit in shades of purple and blue. The outfits ranged from traditional evening attire, like Scarlett’s gown and my suit, to the more fetishistic outfits. The top one percent seemed to dress in the more traditional clothing, but didn’t hesitate to make their guests wear the finest leather and latex available. It was a display of power, and I knew that even if Scarlett was wearing an elegant dress, the revealing nature of it was on purpose, as was the lack of underwear to hide behind. I controlled her.
Scarlett held her chin high, walking in the heels as if they were a part of her, drawing the attention of all of the men, and even some of the women. She looked like an heiress, and in that soft lighting, there was no doubt in my mind that she was. What fortune she would assume wife wasn't the question, butwhenshe would own the world.
An event server offered us champagne and another offered us beef tartare on water crackers, we took both. We should have been mingling; we should have found Warden so that I could make it a point to discuss the topic of the evening. But the entire room was drawn to Scarlett, including myself. For once, I wasn’t in any rush to get straight to business. I put an arm around her lower back, tickling her skin with my fingertips. I took a deep, satisfied breath. Scarlett was mine tonight. Even if it was her duty to kill me, for tonight, she would obey.
We would deal with the consequences of our dynamic tomorrow.
A tall man with black hair cut close to his scalp nodded at me from across the room. A curly-haired brunette with silicone assets was close to his arm. I shook his hand.
“Warden,” I said.
“Stone,” he said. “Have you ever been to one of these?” He gestured at the room, at the decorations, at the beauty strutting around us.
“Never had the pleasure.”
“Allow me to formally introduce myself,” he said, turning to Scarlett. He offered his hand, and when Scarlett took it, he kissed the tops of her knuckles. I tightened my grip around her back. “My name is Scott Warden.” He held a hand to his side, towards the woman standing next to him. “And this is my guest, Jen.”
Not his wife, then. I waited for half of a beat to see what Scarlett would do. When she simply nodded her head, I filled in the gaps for her. She was obeying my instructions, despite being in a socially awkward spot. Good.
“This is Scarlett, my guest and property tonight,” I said.
“Property?” Warden asked, raising a brow.
“I’d be lucky if you calledmeproperty,” Jen said under her breath. He glared down at her, then forced a smile.
“Jen and I are good friends. Aren’t we, Jen?” he asked.
Jen’s eyes told it all:Not boyfriend and girlfriend. Not even a mistress or a whore. Nothing.“We are,” she said, her voice robotic.
“Is she your submissive?” I asked.
“Tonight, she’s mine,” he said. His chest puffed with a breath, then he relaxed into a steady gaze. “And I assume the title of property comes with the necessary endeavors?”
“Of course,” I said. I held Scarlett’s hand, looking deep into her copper eyes. “Scarlett has been training for this night for a very long time.”
“Impressive,” Warden said.
“Shall we?” I pointed to an area with chaise lounges and other seats. The four of us made our way there, ready to lounge about. Jen immediately sat on the ground, her legs bent to the side of her. Scarlett hesitated, seeming to wonder if she should do the same. I whispered in her ear, “Sit beside me.”
