“I didn’t let him see them. I was on top so it wouldn’t hurt and he wouldn’t notice.”

“Ashamed?” Shame didn’t fit on Caprice. He’d always envied her that.

“He wouldn’t understand.”

“I see. So it appears I’m not the only one dipping a toe into the vanilla pool.”

Even in pain, she rolled her eyes, breaking the spell of the few moments he’d had with her before. “Andy is an old friend. We went to school together. We ran into each other in a bar. We were lonely. It just happened.”

Leo put the gag back in her mouth and started on to her back. When he drew blood, he moved on to a fresh area until she was marked to his satisfaction.

Half an hour later, he cursed himself as he surveyed the damage. She would heal. He hadn’t done any permanent harm, but if she went into a nasty streak, she had evidence to show the police. There were witnesses placing him here. Just another example of how she held all the power and why he didn’t want this.

If Leo wanted to break free of Caprice, it wouldn’t be until after the holiday when she was home. He’d have to be more careful about leaving marks the rest of the week. As vindictive as she could be, she would use what had been consensual to put him behind bars. He didn’t do well caged.

He untied the ropes and unsnapped the gag, placing everything carefully back in his bag. There would be time for other toys another day.

“Why are you stopping?”

“Stretch out on your stomach and don’t question me. The rules are still in place.”

“Yes, Master,” she managed.

Leo removed a smaller bag from the larger one and unzipped it to reveal bandages and ointment. He went to the bathroom to wash his hands, then he smoothed the cream over each of her whip marks and welts and bruises. After the ointment he sprayed a soothing antiseptic spray, then applied bandages.

When he was finished, he undressed and got in the bed, pulling her against him and cradling her, much as he had Faith a few hours before.

“You don’t want to be with me, Caprice. You like the idea of me. The reality is never quite as good.”

“That’s not true,” she said, her words muffled against his chest.

“Yes, it is.”

14

Faith wore a glitzy black evening gown and some of the jewelry Leo had given her for Christmas. When she’d first unwrapped the dress, she couldn’t figure out when or where she would wear such a thing, but as it turned out, Leo’s New Year’s Eve party was more of an affair than Christmas.

The party was black tie optional, and some took the optional seriously. Mariella, Leo’s seven-year-old niece, had decided to wear her princess Halloween costume, including tiara. Leo’s Aunt Mimi sported something almost as creative: a red dress that had feathers coming out of it, along with a matching feather boa and headpiece. She had glittery red shoes, long gloves, and a cigarette popping out of an old-fashioned cigarette holder. Quite possibly a Halloween costume, too.