I leaned against the desk and crossed my arms over my chest. I took a moment to look at her, to appreciate her last moments as my submissive. For the last year, I’d been her exclusive Dom, making us one of the rare monogamous couples within our world. She pleased me exceptionally well, and she required no training. Perfect the way she was, she came into my life and gave me the satisfaction I craved. I never loved her and told her I never would, and she accepted that at face value. “Up.”
She rose to her feet, her slender frame uncoiling from the uncomfortable position on the floor. One time, she stayed that way for nearly five hours while I entertained guests over dinner. She didn’t move an inch—not even to scratch her nose. Now she watched me with her big and bright brown eyes, waiting for a command she could fulfill. Her universe centered around me, the man she obeyed constantly.
I pulled the black ring off my finger. It was snug before my joint, and I had to twist it until it came loose before I placed it on the desk beside me. A faint tan line marked the skin that had been covered for so long. Now it could finally breathe, finally see the sunshine.
Her eyes widened when she saw my actions, knowing exactly what it meant.
“I’m no longer your Dom, Isabella. And you’re no longer my submissive.” Our arrangement had an expiration date, and we both knew it from the beginning. Despite how long we lasted, we knew this day would come. Like the sun rising over the horizon, it was inevitable.
In shock, she kept her same expression. To anyone outside of the two of us, they wouldn’t have a clue what her thoughts were. Her emotions were hidden deep like buried treasure beneath her permanent mask.
I stepped toward her then grabbed her right hand. I pulled the ring off her finger, feeling the snugness before it finally came off. The band was plain and black, matching mine with the exception of its width. I placed it on top of my ring and made them a pair once more. “You can speak freely.” She was no longer mine to control, so she could do and say whatever she wanted. It wasn’t the kind of freedom she wanted, but she had to accept it.
Her eyes took in the rings before she returned her gaze to my face. Large like the moon, both were glowing orbs that radiated mystical power. It was one of her features that attracted me to her in the first place. But now, they reflected her disappointment—and her pain. “I don’t understand…”
I hoped she would take this separation as emotionlessly as I would. In the beginning, I made it clear what kind of man I was, and I would never change. She claimed she believed me, but perhaps she didn’t. “It’s nothing you did, Isabella. You’re just as perfect as you were when I first looked at you. But I’ve come to realize I want different things.”
Her hands found each other in front of her waist, and slowly, her fingers started to fidget. Her shoulders weren’t as straight as they normally were, and the grace she once possessed had disappeared entirely.
I wanted to command her to remain still, but I couldn’t. I’d lost my privileges.
“We were fine yesterday. This is just so sudden… I thought you wanted me.”
This kind of desperation was pathetic and annoyed me. But she’d been with me for a year, trusted me for an entire year, and I had to be patient with her. I owed her that much. “I’m sorry if it’s unexpected. But honestly, my decision is just as unexpected. I still think you’re gorgeous, and every man downstairs will fight for you once they realize you’re no longer mine. But I’m not going to change my mind.”
Her thumbs continued to rub together anxiously, and deep in her eyes, tears started to form. Slowly, they coated the surface until they reflected my cold appearance.
“Don’t.” I had to stop it before it started.
She took a deep breath to steady her resolve, but the second she left my office, she would sob in the bathroom. I didn’t need to be psychic to figure that out. “Cal, is there someone else?”
I knew this question would come up, but I didn’t know how to answer it. I wasn’t even sure what my answer would be. When Rome gave me her name, my balls tightened back into my body, and I nearly came then and there. No woman had ever conquered my sexual desire the way she did. Those three slaps were better than any blow job I’d ever received. Instead of being annoyed by her power, I craved it. I wanted to conquer her—and I wanted her to conquer me. “Yes.”