Mine (11 page)

Presley saw it in the depths of his eyes, the promise he was offering now: a house (one without a dungeon in the basement), children filling their life with joy, and kinky nights when he would always make her feel as if she was the only woman who mattered to him.

She smiled. “Irrevocably ours.”

Mrs. Dmitri Pratt.

Six months of marriage to Dmitri had flown by in a blink of an eye. Presley liked being Dmitri's submissive, but she adored being his wife. Surrounded by the soft lighting in Club Sin, she rubbed her rounded stomach and smiled to herself. In four months, she'd meet their daughter, Hannah. And she knew Dmitri was as excited as she was to hold their baby girl.

Even though happiness swirled within, she wondered if some of that was due to the afterglow from her flogging scene with Dmitri earlier. Just because she was pregnant didn't mean she still couldn't play. Only Dmitri seemed gentler than he had been before she was pregnant. He was definitely more careful where he flogged her, keeping the leather tails focused on her bottom alone.

She lifted her head from her growing belly and glanced out in front of her. Cora sat on the couch with Aidan beside her. Cora's body had bounced back after the birth of her and Aidan's son, Jackson, only eight weeks ago. Presley hoped her body tightened up as fast as Cora's had, though she knew Cora had opted for corsets since Jackson's birth. Next to them, Kenzie—who was due to give birth at any moment now—sat beside Porter. And in front of Presley, Ella and Kyler were lost in love, with eyes only for each other.

Presley couldn't hold back her smile. Things were good. Really good.

“Now what is that smile for, doll?” Dmitri's low, rumbly voice caressed down her spine.

She turned, staring into the strength of Dmitri's eyes. “Things just seem so great, don't they?”

He scanned the dungeon, glancing over the members either in aftercare or those who were actively playing on the BDSM stations. When he turned to her again and said, “Things are very good,” the softness in his voice warmed her. He leaned across her and ran his hand over her stomach. “How is my girl doing tonight?”

“She's moving a lot,” Presley admitted.

Her eyelids fluttered as he moved his hand from side to side across her belly, and she sighed again with the slight exhaustion that had settled in of late. She'd thought that the tiredness would go away after the first trimester, but it never seemed to. “I think she likes the music.”

Dmitri winked. “Of course she does. I anticipate her being a mini you.”

“Well, let's hope so.” Presley laughed. “That means she'll be much easier to deal with. With your personality…” She hesitated as Dmitri's brow arched. “Well, we don't want a toddler running around who thinks she owns the world.”

He chuckled softly. “This is true.”

Warmed by the love in Dmitri's eyes, she glanced out at the dungeon again, fighting off the heartburn that also never went away. She scanned Club Sin's members, realizing that even though things had seemed disastrous only months earlier, Club Sin's new location wasn't such a bad thing after all. A lot had changed. But it had changed for the better.

Miles stood across the dungeon, talking to a Club Sin submissive. Presley had wondered how Dmitri would feel when submissives went to Miles instead of coming to him. As far as Presley could tell, it didn't bother him. In fact, Dmitri sat relaxed next to her, simply enjoying his night.

“He's happy, too.”

Presley slid her glance at Dmitri, finding him more at ease than the last time she looked. “Who's happy?”

Dmitri gestured at Miles with a jerk of his chin. “I've never seen Miles smile as much as I have in the last few months.”

Curious about that, Presley eyed Miles's smile, thinking the same thing herself. Truth be told, she hadn't known much about Miles until these past months. Before, he'd only come to Club Sin occasionally, because his business had kept him so busy. Now he put his life into the nightclub and Club Sin, and it appeared to be exactly what Miles needed in his life. She turned to Dmitri and asked, “Does that make it easier for you?”

His head cocked, eyebrows drawn. “Easier how?”

“To give up the club?” she explained gently. “Is it easier to hand over the control to him because of how happy it makes him?”

Dmitri paused, clearly thinking her question over. “Club Sin is in a good place. The dungeon is also in the right hands.”

She understood that, and figured that's what most of the members thought, too. Perhaps the lack of security at Club Sin had been an issue for a few of the members, because everyone seemed a lot more carefree now. With two checkpoints, a fingerprint scanner, and the nightclub to explain their presence, Club Sin members seemed more comfortable now than they had when the dungeon was in the basement of the house.

Presley looked at Miles again, seeing the smile that Dmitri had seen, so free and honest. “It's a new start for him, isn't it?”

“Yes. We've all found love and moved on from the task of looking after many submissives. Now we are Club Sin Masters”—he had raised his voice and Presley noticed that all eyes were on them as he spoke—“who still have a responsibility to the members, but each of us has only one submissive that we put all of our focus into.”

“I, for one, wouldn't change a thing,” said Porter, who wrapped his arm around Kenzie's shoulders.

Aidan and Kyler nodded.

“Things have changed so much in just two short years,” said Cora. “It's kinda unbelievable. I mean, I'm still getting used to Sawyer not being here.” Her bright smile shifted to Presley. “And you do realize it's all because of you.”

“Me?” Presley gasped.

“Of course it is,” Ella said, from her place on the couch. “By coming to Club Sin, you started the chain of events that brought us all together.”

Presley pondered Ella's words. She'd never thought about it that way, though she supposed they were right. If she hadn't been brave enough to walk through Club Sin's door, none of this would have happened. Or maybe it would've happened for some of the others, just in a different way. She realized that having a hand in everyone's happiness brought her joy—a joy erasing all the heartaches of the past.

She'd been brave when she was scared. She'd been daring when she wanted to run. She'd been strong when she needed to be. Fate had led her to many places, but she'd taken control of her life to get what she wanted. And realizing all of that made her feel good about herself. “I guess you're right,” she said to the group. “But you all had a hand in it, too.”

Kyler nodded. “Very true, but your love inspired us.”

Dmitri placed his hand on Presley's stomach, feeling the baby kicking. “I'm pleased that we did.”

Presley nodded, thinking it funny how life was like a roller coaster. Things could be great. Things could be bad. But somehow the middle ground, where everyone was just content and settled, was the place that Presley liked most. Every bump in the road with her relationship with Dmitri was worth it. Now she was pregnant with his child, and they were going to start a new chapter in their lives. Maybe life's ups and downs weren't so bad after all.

She turned again and gazed thoughtfully at Miles, knowing she owed a lot of her happiness to him. If it weren't for Miles and the trust Dmitri had in him, her dreams of a family would never have happened. She noticed how Miles stood straighter than he ever had. Now it seemed he had a purpose, something that he had lacked before. The dungeon was under his control, and Presley grinned to herself, knowing he used it to his full advantage. She'd never seen Miles play with so many submissives before. Apparently he was enjoying the single life, and then some.

Still, a little voice in Presley's head—the one that always told her to worry about others—made her stand up. “Want a drink?” she asked Dmitri.

“A water, please,” he replied.

She hurried away to fetch their drinks, quickly stepping toward Miles. He stood with a submissive next to the fridge by the stools. He caught her eye as she drew closer.

“Yes?” he asked when she reached him.

She laughed. “How did you know I wanted to talk to you?”

He grinned. “You've been staring at me all night. What would you like to say?”

“Sorry for staring.” Presley took two bottles of water from the fridge, then she turned to him again. “It's just that things have changed—a lot. You seem to be enjoying yourself more now. I guess I've just noticed it.”

“I
am
enjoying myself,” he said dryly. “Should I not be?”

“Of course you should. I suppose I was…”

“Let me guess. You're wondering if it bothers me that Dmitri has handed all the responsibility over to me. You're worried that maybe that responsibility wasn't what I wanted. And you're thinking all of this, because Dmitri gave up the club for
you.
”

She shrugged. “It's a lot of responsibility. It can consume your life.” This was what had been bothering her lately—she'd wanted Dmitri to change his life for her, but to do so, he'd given his responsibility to Miles. She needed to know that was okay. “Maybe I feel a bit guilty.”

“You are a sweet woman, Presley. It's endearing how much you care about others.” His voice became tender, which was unusual for Miles, who usually came across as tough and arrogant. “You never need to worry, though. For the first time in my life, I'm finding out what I want for my future and myself. I'm no longer working at a job I hate, only because of the money it can offer me.” He leaned toward her and winked. “Besides, now I have the chance to explore submissives and find out exactly what I want out of a relationship as a Dom. Maybe even one day I'll find a submissive who will accept my collar.”

“So you're happy?” she asked.

He nodded. “I am. Very much so. The future is mine to take, and I can't wait to see where it takes me.”

Relief brushed across her. Knowing how excited Miles was about his new life made everything that much better. All the bad things that had happened to Club Sin had only made it stronger. The changes had not only made her and Dmitri's life happier but also had brought something special to Miles's life. A new future for him—one with endless possibilities. She didn't know where he'd end up, but somehow she knew Miles would take Club Sin in a new direction, breathing new life into the dungeon.

She couldn't want for anything more than what she had right now. The sense of fulfillment washing through her was worth every tear she'd shed in her past. And she knew that by giving Miles Club Sin, Dmitri had done the right thing for everyone involved.

“Presley.”

The hard command sent heat straight down to her toes. She turned, finding Dmitri, all Dom and intense, frowning at her. “You said you were getting drinks. You didn't bring the water back to me.”

“I…” She swallowed against the surge of arousal flooding her. Those eyes; that voice. Dmitri knew how to set her on fire. “I hadn't quite gotten there yet.”

One brow arched. “Ah, that is a shame.”

“Why?”

Miles quickly made his exit as Dmitri's grin began to shift, becoming one of pure sin. “Because now I'll have to punish you.”

At one time in her life, Dmitri, in his Dom mode, would have unnerved her. Not now. Two years of being with him had taught her that sometimes a Dom corrected behavior that he didn't approve of. Other times he found opportunities to punish to start playtime. This was one of those times.

She mirrored his grin. “Oh no, sir, not a punishment.”

His eyes darkened, growing smokier with his arousal. “I've created a saucy sub. What have I done?” He reached for her, cupping her face, rich amusement in his eyes. “I wonder what I should do about this?”

A few suggestions came to mind. She settled on one. “Fuck the sassiness right out of me, sir?”

“No, Presley.” His smile—filled with such passion leaving her winded—spread across his face, as he pressed his hard cock against her. “I'll fuck you until you beg me to stop.” His mouth brushed across her cheek, stopping at her ear, where he whispered, “Then I'll fuck you again.”

She leaned back to stare into his piercing eyes, which had opened her own eyes to a life of happiness she'd never known she wanted. “Sounds like a dare, sir.”

His mouth came within inches of hers; she could smell his minty breath. He tangled his fingers in the strands of her hair, locking her into his hold. “No, doll. As always, it's a promise.”

Dear Reader,

It's hard to believe the Club Sin series is over, isn't it?

I cannot express how much all of your support has meant to me. Every email I've received and all the kind words you've sent to me have brightened my days. I'm touched by how much the Club Sin gang has become a part of your life, as much as they've become a part of mine.

While we're saying goodbye to our beloved Club Sin Doms, I'm so excited to introduce you to the new spin-off series, Dirty Little Secrets. If you thought the Club Sin Doms were men to die for, wait until you meet Micah, Darius, Ryder, and Gabe. Prepare to swoon! These men do not disappoint!

Keep reading on for a sneak preview of
Bound Beneath His Pain,
the first book in the Dirty Little Secrets series.

Lots of love!

—Stacey

For my Club Sin readers

To my agent, Jessica, thank you so much for selling the Club Sin series, and for all your hard work during that process. It's amazing that we have seven books behind us now! I can't wait to see what our future holds.

Sue, thanks for taking a chance on Club Sin, and for sticking by me throughout this series. It's been a fun journey. Your support has meant everything to me. I'm so excited to see what we do next together!

To everyone at Random House, from marketing to cover artists to everyone in between, thank you for all that you do.