ALINA’S POV

    When I woke up the next morning, I wasn’t in the punishment room.

    Lucian has to change the name of that room to Pleasure Room, because it’s more pleasure than punishment that goes on in there.

    Anyways, I was back in our bedroom,cleaned up, dressed, and tucked beneath the soft sheets, my body deliciously sore.

    Sunlight filtered through the curtains.

    Lucian was nowhere in sight, and with how perfectlyid his side of the bed was, I was sure it had been a while since he’d left.

    I sat up and stretched, my joints cracking with a satisfying pop.

    “Mhmmm.” I moaned softly at the sensation.

    A warm, mouthwatering scent drifted to my nose, pulling my gaze toward the nightstand. There sat a tray of breakfast, a single rose, and a folded note written in Lucian’s neat handwriting.

    ‘The project you wanted me to give to your parents is in the drawer in my study. Rest more before you get up for the day!

    The note read.

    A small, satisfied smile tugged at my lips. I picked up the rose, bringing it to my nose.

    It’s either Lucian hadpletely fucked my senses out of mest night, or I was hallucinating, because the rose smelled just like him. I’m not even joking.

    I kept sniffing it like a creep until my stomach growled loudly, reminding me just how hungry I was.

    I grabbed the tray and began to wolf down the food, moaning softly at how delicious it tasted.

    Just as I took thest bite, my phone rang.

    Setting the tray aside on the bedside table, I slid out of bed and tugged my phone off the charger, answering

    the call.

    “Alina?” Talia’s voice came through,ced with worry. “Are you okay? Please tell me Lucian didn’t hurt you or punish you too harshly.”

    I let out a softugh at her choice of word, the sound warm in my chest. “He did punish me alright—”

    “Oh God, Alina-” She cut in, her voice rising with rm.

    But I spoke quickly, not wanting her to get the wrong bden, because I know how wild her imagination can get. “It’s not in the way you’re imagining” I made my way into the bathroom, thinking a good sonk would feel perfect

    “You just said he punished you and now you’re saying it’s not in the way I think. Is there another definition of punishment that I don’t know about?” she asked, incredulous. “You don’t have to cover for him, Aline. If he hurt you, you can tell me. I know he’s powerful and all, but I will make sure he doesn’t get away with

    “Talia, hold on. Let me exin” I rushed out, hearing how far her inngin

    imagination had already run

    I stepped into the bathroom, smiling as I saw the bath already drawn for me, candles, petals, the works

    “Awn, Talia, I’m so lucky” I said sweetly, almost moved to tears.

    “What’s going on?” She asked, confused

    “Lucian drew me a bath, candles, petals, the whole shebang.” I told her, setting the phone on speaker and cing it beside the tub as 1 began to undress.

    “I don’t understand. You just said he punished you and now he’s drawing you a bath? I’m confused” I could practically picture her scrunched up expression.

    I realized she wouldn’t understand unless I started from the beginning.

    “Okay, sost night… let’s just say Lucian has a very borate room in the mansion. He took me there for this so–called punishment. Think Fifty Shades, but more relined, if you can believe it. It was freaking intense, Talia, but this morning. I woke up in our bed. With breakfast in bed, a flower, and a sweet note on the nightstand.” I summarized.

    “Hold on a damn minute and rewind back to the point where you talked about a Red Room of Pain.” Talia said, her tone a mix of shock and excitement.

    “He doesn’t call it that, Talia” I said with a chuckle, easing myself into the bath

    The warm water enveloped my body, rxing every inch of me except my head.

    “You said it was a punishment room. What’s the difference?” She asked tly

    “Yes, he calls it that, but if I’m being honest, it’s more pleasure than punishment that happens there. I mean, he had me cuffed to a metal pole-

    “You mean 365 Days type shit?” She interrupted, excitement thick in her voice,

    “865 what?” I asked, confused.

    “Wait…you still haven’t watched it?” she asked, shocked. “I added it to your watchlist on Netflix. You have to watch it, Alina. Please tell me you will watch it.”

    “Geez, rx. I will” I assured her with augh.

    The issue I had was that I preferred reading an erotica to watching. Reading left more to my imagination.

    17:50 bThu/bb, /bbSep /bb18 /bbN /b

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    55 vouchers

    “Anyway, he had me cuffed to a pole, I was hanging there gagged, and in nothing but my underwear because he had ripped my clothes off me with bscissors/b.”

    “Hold on, ba /bgag? Scissors? This is even better than Fifty Shades or 365 Days! Tell me from the start, Alina. Stop holding back on me.” She pleaded.

    With how invested she sounded, someone hearing won’t believe it was about my sex life.

    “You don’t expect me to give you every detail now, do you?b” /bbI /bteased.

    “You better start talking, or so help me, I wille over there and dunk your head in that bath you are currently in until you start talking.” She threatened.

    “Geez, rx. Why do you have to be so aggressive?” I chuckled, even though I knew full well she wasn’t joking.

    “I’m listening.” She said, her tonepletely serious.

    She didn’t join in my humor apparently.

    “Fine.” I sighed, then dove into a detailed recount of everything that had happened.

    “Why is it that all the handsome, domineering guys always have skeletons, and bargain–basement BDSM rooms, in their closets?” Talia chuckled when I was finished.

    “I know, right?” I grinned, even though she couldn’t see me.

    “God, Alina, you are living my dream!” She eximed dramatically.

    If only she could see my flushed face from sheer embarrassment, having to recountst night’s happenings.

    “I’m sure if you calm down and let someone love you, you’d have your own experiences.” I told her. “Though, knowing you, you’d probably be the one tying him up in your bed.” I added with augh.

    “Oh, shut up,” sheughed. “I’m d Mr. ckwood exined things about Trixy, though.” She said redirecting the conversation back to the topic on ground.

    “Yeah, apparently I had nothing to worry about. He ended things with her before we even got serious. I let her get into my head.” I admitted.

    “I told you she was trying to get into your head. But, to be fair, if I were in your shoes, I’d probably do worse.” She admitted.

    “Yeah.” I murmured, my voice dipping lower.

    Talia noticed right away. “What’s wrong?”

    “Nothing, really. I just wish I’d treated Lucian better from the start. We could have been married by now.” I said, voice thick with regret.

    “You can’t cry over spilled milk, baby. You need to focus on the present and what the future holds.” Talia reminded me.

    b17:50 /bThub, /bSep 18 N

    …

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    55 vouchers

    She was right, as usual. My focus should be on building trust between Lucian and me. It was clear he loved me, but trust… trust was a luxury I didn’t bhave /bwhen it came to him and I had to work towards changing that.

    “You’re right.”I agreed softly.

    “Duhh.” Talia said, tone filled with pride. “Now tell me… how did you learn to fight like that? Honestly, Alina, I worry you’re in over your head sometimes, but then you prove me wrong.”

    I rolled my eyes, picturing her raising a brow.

    “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” I said honestly.