Page 38 of Master A-0011

“What do you mean?”

“Matching marks on a place ofmychoosing. A mutual promise.” I licked my lips and felt my body come alive as images of my cutting Ethan filtered through. I’d never been into anything like that before but suddenly I wanted to. Maybe evenneededto.

“Matching marks.” Ethan stood, reaching over, lowering me so that my face was even with his. “I accept.” He leaned in, pressing his lips to mine. “Do you accept my proposal, Pearl? Will you marry me?”

At the phone starting to ring again, Ethan groaned.

“I will marry you.”

His lips met mine, and the passion behind the kiss had me leaning towards him as best as I could in the restraints. I could feel him unfastening me. I barely cared as I took charge and pushed my tongue into his mouth. Fingers fisted in my hair at the back of my head, angling me so that he could devour me whole. And he did. I felt myself falling…falling…My mind spun and the need for him to touch me and make me his left me desperate.

“Finish letting me out.”

“You want me?”

“Yes. Set me free. Take me to the bed.”

Knocking in the distance. It had Ethan cursing as his head gave a hard jerk. He reached up, unbuckling the other cuff. He barely had my last ankle undone when multiple heavy footsteps approaching outside the barrier had him jerking to the door so no one could open it.

“Hold on. Give us a minute.” His hand rose behind him to tell me not to move as he cracked it open. “We’ll talk in the living room. What the hell is this…Oh.Fuck.” He stopped and his lips parted as he looked between whoever was in the room and me. Back and forth. Back and forth. “Pearl… I’ll be out here. Get dressed and join us in the living room.”

Master A-0011

If I had thought my night couldn’t get any better, I was mistaken. Where my good side was elated from Pearl’s acceptance of my marriage proposal, the demons in me were climbing the ceiling, stalking the meals that had been escorted inside the apartment. But I could see where the new me wasn’t the same. The old me would have had a field day. I would have been hyper-focused planning and awaiting my attack. That wasn’t the case this time. I wasn’t the Master right now. I was the protector Elec had created with my approval. I was the fiancé, the future husband, and although I had been anticipating their arrival…this was about Pearl. Her emotional state came first, and I knew this wasn’t going to be easy for her.

“I tried to warn you I was coming.”

My eyes swept over to the Main Master only to shoot back to Quincy, Vicki, and Sissy.

“I was busy.”

“I can see that. You have blood on your chin.”

My hand ran down the length, but I kept my attention on the three people tied up on the far side of the room.

“I didn’t cut her face if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“I trust you not to disobey. Why didn’t you answer the phone?”

I glanced back to the Main Master. “I couldn’t. I was in the middle of a proposal. I asked Pearl to marry me the right way. Well…she made me realize I needed to. She needs a ring. I wanted to take her to get one but.” I stopped, my brow creasing. “She’s not going to be so excited about it now.”

“You’re going to buy her a ring? Ethan…she’s a mining heiress. A diamond mining heiress, at that. Fuck buying her a ring. I’ll introduce you to Master Four. We’ll come up with the perfect customization. You need your new signet ring anyway.” Elec’s hand lifted as he flashed his.

“You keep saving my ass.”

“That’s what I do.”

He barely got the words out when the door opened. Pearl saw me immediately, slowly making her way through the threshold as she spotted me and the Main Master, who was standing at my side.

“Is everything ok—” Movement from the guards had her head turning. She jerked to a stop, jumping from fear as I reached around her waist, pulling her up against me so she couldn’t run away. “What are they doing here?I don’t want them here.”

“Shh. They can’t hurt you anymore.” I held to her tightly. Her face was buried in my chest and feeling her body tremble had the evil in me clawing at my insides to break free.

“Make them leave. I don’t want them to see me.I can’t?—”

“You will,” I lifted her chin, making her look up at me. “They will see you, and they will pay for what they did. Look at them, Pearl. They’re not our guests, they’re our marriage gift from the Main Master.”

“Gift?”