Chapter 51

“Look, let’s just have the conversation, Brad. It’s done. It was fun while it lasted, but we’re done now.”

“Anne,” he said. Her name tasted strange in his mouth. He’d never said it, not here in this house, not while he wore her collar around his throat. In fact, he never even said it at work; she was ma’amthere, or Ms. Dunford, if he had to speak to her at all, and they rarely needed to. That was safe. That was what he was used to. He didn’t know who Annewas. He wondered if she knew who Bradleywas. “What did I do wrong? I don’t want to make excuses, but you know I’ve never been…at one of these balls before. If I did something, said something I shouldn’t have, looked somewhere I shouldn’t have. Please just tell me. You don’t have to send me away. I…” Did he want to say this? Should he? Fuck. He would say it. If she truly meant to send him away, there was nothing left to lose. “I love you, mistress. I don’t…wantto leave.”