Mastered(78)

“You have a good time and then we both will have a good time together.”





The ride home was unnervingly silent, but at least Evangeline sat nestled against Drake’s hard body, curled underneath his arm, her cheek resting against his broad chest. His hold was possessive, which she’d decided at some point over the past few days, she liked. She liked it a lot. She felt as though for the first time she belonged. That she fit in, though the idea of her fitting into his glittering, excessive lifestyle was absurd. And yet there it was. She had her first real sense of belonging since she’d left her parents’ home to move to the city.

Who would have ever thought that she would have had so much fun in the very club she’d endured such humiliation in just a short time ago? Short in literal time, and yet it seemed a lifetime ago. So much had happened since that fateful night. In a twisted, really screwed-up way, her decision to agree to her girlfriends’ plan—and the subsequent disaster that ensued—was responsible for where she was now and more importantly whom she was with now.

As her mother always said, fate worked in mysterious ways and trying to predict the future was like trying to prevent water from sliding through your fingers. She sighed and snuggled a little closer into Drake’s side.

Drake’s head turned in her direction, his chin rubbing over the top of her head.

“What was the sigh about?” he asked.

She made a shrugging motion and pushed her face into his chest. For once she didn’t blurt out the truth. How could she explain what she didn’t even fully understand herself? Not to mention that while her experience with men was limited, she was pretty sure uttering words like fate this early in a relationship would cause most men to hit the brakes hard. She was getting ahead of herself and needed to remember, for the first time in her life, not to focus on next year, next month, next week. Live in the moment. Today. Take each day as it came and enjoy the ride.

Surprisingly Drake didn’t question her further. Perhaps he sensed her sudden introspection. They rode the rest of the way in silence, his warmth surrounding her like a cocoon.

When they arrived at Drake’s apartment, he pulled her from the car in his gentle grasp and wrapped a protective arm around her body as he hurried her toward the entrance. Then he dismissed the two men who had accompanied him, men she hadn’t even noticed until then, and they promptly melted into the shadows, leaving her to wonder if she’d imagined their presence.

When they exited the elevator, Drake took off his suit jacket and tossed it, as he did every other time he arrived in his apartment, over the coatrack just inside the door, and he began unbuttoning his sleeves, rolling them carelessly upward as he sought to make himself more comfortable.

“Did my angel enjoy her night in the club?” Drake asked. “Although you rather reminded me of a princess holding court among your many admirers. You were quite the hit on and off the dance floor.”#p#分页标题#e#

He smiled indulgently at her as she flushed with sudden self-consciousness. Initially she’d been nearly as excited about a night out at Impulse as one might be over a funeral, but she had to admit she’d actually had fun once she loosened up and let herself go with it.

Being a VIP was pretty cool, but being Princess VIP, as Maddox had quickly dubbed her, was unlike anything she’d ever imagined. She’d compared everything that had happened so far to a fairy tale on more than one occasion, but tonight? It was like a high-tech, futuristic, absolutely rocking fantasy that put the traditional tellings of fairy tales to shame.

She’d smiled, she’d laughed, complete strangers had been nice to her, and even as badass as Drake was, there was no possible way he could have arranged on such short notice for an entire club full of people to all play roles and pretend to suffer her existence. So the only possible conclusion to be had was that . . . magic had happened.

Somewhere out there, she had an invisible fairy godmother who’d waved her magic wand and altered Evangeline’s entire reality. And the best part? It was well past midnight, and her prince was standing right in front of her with an absolutely delicious look on his face.

She threw herself into his arms, hugging him fiercely. “Thank you. It was the best evening ever. But my favorite part was the time we spent together alone in your office when you fed me.”

She promptly blushed, discomfited that she’d just put it out there like that. She made herself sound like a satisfied cat purring because her master had given her a treat.

He cupped her chin and lifted it so their gazes met. “I’m very glad you enjoyed being fed by my hand because it’s something I plan to do often. I am very serious about taking care of you, Evangeline. In all ways. And tonight, I’m going to show you a side of me and yourself that until now you haven’t seen or experienced. Are you ready for that?”