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He’d needed capital to expand and, I’d later learned, to bankroll a long list of informants who kept him apprised of as to be found and where Inforally, of course

In fact, Demitri Gerard had become so successful he currently owned twelve warehouses in New York City alone, the largest of which stood at Eleventh and Kent

Pulling the paper froivenThe alar with a loud, metallic click With a quick wave toht elevator tookup my sleeves as I looked around Clean, ce suspended fros to house collections that would later be sold at auction or moved to various dealers Thank fk this collection had yet to sell

Sunlight still poured through the dingy and cracked s that lined talls of the warehouse, and row after row of drapedup small plu from the only piece of furniture in the entire warehouse: a red velvet chaise I’d had delivered earlier that day I s how gorgeous Sara would look later, nad and begging on top of it

Perfect

I spent the next hour carefully uncovering each of theeach one toward the chaise I’d placed in the center Solass that had becoes with tilea buildings by the tih that I wouldn’t need to turn on any of the fluorescent lalass and I checkedthat Sara would be here any moment

For the first time since I’d devised this little plan, I considered the possibility that shethat would be Which was strange Most woseen on my arm But not Sara I’d never had to work even reet a woman’s attention before, and I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about that Was I honestly thatwhat I couldn’t have? I pacified etting anted, and would each h No har didn’t hurt, either

My lance around, I let myself into the lift and traveled the short ride down to the empty lobby

Her head snapped up at the sound of the door, andthere expectant, unsure

Easy, e her

"Hello," I said, bending to kiss her cheek "You look beautiful" Her scent was already fa like sum back to her as he drove away

"That was pretty presu a brow Her hair was sht, the front held in place with a sined what it would look like later, that priled and wild after I’d fked her "Especially considering I already paid hi my head with a smile "Let’s just say that lack of confidence has never been -up then?" she asked

"I don’t think I have one, actually I think that’s why you likeword," she said, the corner of herup into a srinned as I opened the door, indicating that she lead the way

We were silent as alked to the elevator and throughout the short ride up, but a new, heavy sense of anticipation seemed to pulse all around us

The lift opened directly into the warehouse, but instead of o in there," she said, nodding toward the room, "I need you to tell me that there are no chains or, like, i how bad this looked, howhere I promised myself I’d make it worth it

"No shackles or whips, I promise" I leaned down, kissed her ear "There oes first, shall we?" I swatted her on the behind before I walked past her to lead us inside

"Wow," she said, a hint of color still bloo across her cheeks as she crossed the threshold

So many contradictions

I let undy wrap dress, legs that went on for h black heels

"Wow," she repeated

"I’ the surface of a large silvera theets efra you co watched"

Her eyes widened as if what I’d said was so

I paused Had I misread her? To me she was pretty clearly at least a little exhibitionist, andseen "You know I enjoy looking at nude photos of you I know you enjoy public sex Where have Iit out loud that surprisedat each uess I always assu, not me I realize that sounds ridiculous"

"Just because what you had before was different doesn’t mean it’s what you like"

"I don’t think I fully understand what I like," she said, turning to face h in my life to really know"

"Well, here you are in a warehouse, with nothing but a velvet chaise in the middle of the rooure that out"