The record player had a setting to restart the needle at the beginning when it reached the end. She didn’t know how long he would be, so she set it and placed the needle on the record. The music started, that deep, haunting tone. Frightening and sad. Everything she’d found her experience with Leo to be.

Faith went to the mirror and knelt in front of it, spreading her legs, committed to the outcome.

* * *

Leo sorted through mail, mostly wedding bills and deposit receipts. Then he checked email. He wanted to put off the moment when he’d go upstairs, find her ready to go, and have to keep his end of things. The idea that she’d go to the dungeon was too far outside reality to hope for, especially after he’d asked her to relive that night. It would push her the final bit to wake her up and take her out of his life for good where she’d be safe and could find some happiness.

When she was gone, he’d call Mei Lin. If she hadn’t gotten back with her Master, perhaps there was something they could build on in this life after all. If it ended up being a rebound, that might be ideal, a short fling to scratch each other’s itches and help heal each other’s losses. Faith felt like she belonged to him, like she was his responsibility to care for and keep safe, but keeping her safe from himself meant she couldn’t be under his roof.

As he closed the browser window, his cell rang. He recognized the number.

“Hello, Caprice.” His words came out on a sigh.

“I miss you.” Her voice was desperate over the line, as if she’d been crying. He doubted it was over him. Most likely some other love affair had gone sour and he was the first person she thought of when she was alone again. Lucky him.

Leo glanced at the calendar. It was about time for a Caprice call. He should have known a few quick sessions during the holidays weren’t going to end with her meekly going off to Vegas and never contacting him again. But his dick could tell convincing lies when necessary.

“I told you it was just during the holidays,” he said.

“Why are you marrying her? I don’t get it. Honestly, I don’t. I mean she’s pretty enough, I guess, but she’s not what you need, and you know it. I’m what you need.”

Caprice wasn’t what anybody needed. Least of all Leo. But he held on to that retort. He also wasn’t about to tell her the engagement was broken off. It would send her into his arms faster than anything, or else it would start the rumor mill going. When it came out, he needed the family to hear it from him, not twisted in with Caprice’s jealousy and half truths.

“I need to be going,” he said. “I have somewhere to go with Faith.”

She made a disgusted snort over the phone. “Dinner and a movie? Maybe she’ll get the courage to hold your hand. Maybe you two can share a tub of popcorn and look longingly into each other’s eyes during the romantic comedy and come home and fuck in the missionary position with the lights out and roll over and go to sleep.”