Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
“Hi.” I grinned and searched his eyes. He’d recently showered and changed into sweats and a tee. “I thought I was gonna find my Owner on his knees.”
He chuckled and pulled me in for a quick, hard kiss. “Metaphorically. Come on. I can’t wait till the pizza’s here.”
I hitched my brows and followed him out to the kitchen. Two bottles of beer waited on the kitchen bar, along with a flat black gift box. It had a silvery bow on it.
“Are we celebrating?”
He smirked crookedly. “Depends on your answer.” He gathered me in front of him and slid the gift closer, then dipped down and pressed a kiss to my neck. “Open it.”
Stronger than titanium.
My stomach knotted with nerves, and I lifted the lid of the box, and I couldn’t fucking believe him. Oh my God, he’d actually… They were stunning.
More durable than tungsten.
“The leather cuff looked good on you,” Lee murmured behind me. “But I wanted something more permanent this time.”
Hell. I swallowed hard and traced a finger along one of the cuff bracelets.
The color of platinum.
“My God, Lee.” I picked one of them up and felt the weight of it in my hand. Such a simple design, straight lines, gleaming metal, about four or five millimeters wide, maybe two millimeters thick. Both had the same engraving.
The Property and Love of Master Kingsley.
Lee’s arms appeared under mine, and he placed a tiny screwdriver of sorts next to the box. It was the key, I realized.
He was collaring me—permanently. Fuck. I wasn’t gonna cry, I wasn’t gonna cry.
“Wear my collar,” he whispered in my ear. “For the rest of your life.”
I nodded jerkily as my throat closed up. Holy shit, this was happening. “Always, Master.”
He pressed himself closer to my back and took the first cuff from me. And he used the little screwdriver, in the same material, and unlocked the tiny lock.
“Have you heard of cobalt chrome before?” he asked quietly.
I shook my head, unable to stop staring at the cuffs.
“Long before we started marketing it as an alternative for gold in wedding rings, we’ve used it for artificial joints, implants, and prosthetics because of how our bodies accept the metal.” He attached the first cuff around my left wrist, and it snapped into place with the faintest snick. Then he used the tool to secure the locking mechanism. “You’ll wear them day and night. You’ll shower with them. They’ll weather every storm, every fight-fuck in the woods, every flame from my Kevlar flogger, and any insecurity we might face together.”
I sniffled and blinked past the sting in my eyes.
“They’ll always be with you.” He moved on to the second cuff. “By default, I will always be with you too. They’re not just proof of my ownership—they’re a reminder that Master is one call away. And only he has the key.”
My chest seized up, and the second both cuffs were locked into place, I spun in his embrace and threw my arms around his neck. I couldn’t fucking find my words. I just felt how full my heart was, how joy surged through me, how comfort threw a giant blanket over my existence.
Lee tightened his arms around me and squeezed me so hard. “They’re never coming off.”
“Good,” I croaked. “I love you so much.”
Stronger than titanium.
Like our love.
“Only you can make me this happy, Tate.”
I nodded quickly and pressed my lips to his scruffy jaw.
Cobalt chrome. I was gonna remember that for when I ordered our engagement rings after next paycheck. Because it was time.
“I want to smell as good as you do.” I peppered his cheek and jaw with kisses and sniffed him like the junkie I was. “Do I have time for a shower?”
“If you keep the gawking at the cuffs to a minimum, you should be able to swing it before the food gets here.”
“Oh, I make no such promises, good Sir.” I grinned and released him. I was already in love with the feeling of the metal around my wrists. It felt so damn right.
Pizza arrived just as I stepped out of the shower, so I hurried to towel off and pull on a pair of sweats. My shower routine wasn’t as smooth and fast as Lee’s, and knowing he wasn’t the biggest fan of my mess of products, I had to put some stuff back under the sink. Razor, body lotion, face cream, hair removal cream, cooling gel, aloe wipes, wax strips… I had it all.
I slapped on some aftershave and stared at my cuffs in the mirror as I rubbed my jaw. Fuck me, they were gorgeous. They were a part of me now. Like he’d said, they were never coming off.
I couldn’t describe how intense that felt. It was as if I’d grown another limb, an extension of my Master.
“Come on, beauty queen!” Lee hollered.