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.