Beneath her Notice – Chapter 9 1 min read

Chapter Nine: After Hours

One evening, Mara worked long after Elena had left. Adrian emerged from a conference room with his jacket over one shoulder.

“Good night.”

“Adrian.”

He stopped.

Mara removed her glasses.

“Get under my desk. Now.”

This arrangement belonged only to them.

Once he had disappeared, Mara opened the cabinet behind her desk. Three shoeboxes waited inside. She selected the one bearing a single name:

**CASADEI.**

The red-suede Blades emerged from their tissue paper. Mara changed shoes and walked once around the desk simply so Adrian could hear the chrome heels.

Pleasure came first. She extended a red-suede toe and allowed him to devote his attention to it. Without Elena present, Mara could experience each restrained kiss without dividing her concentration.

Then Adrian opened his palm.

The chrome Blade settled into it.

Mara believed she would push harder without an audience. Instead, she discovered the power of alternation. Whenever Adrian prepared himself to endure, she offered the shoe to worship. Whenever he relaxed into the privilege, the heel returned to his hand.

Pain followed pleasure. Pleasure interrupted pain.

He never knew which version of Mara he would receive.

When at last he emerged, Mara looked toward Elena’s dark office. She had proved she could command Adrian alone, yet she wanted Elena to know what had happened.

Perhaps she wanted approval.

Perhaps she wanted Elena’s displeasure.

Both possibilities excited her.

“Are the Casadeis your ultimate weapon?” Adrian asked.

Mara smoothed the tissue over their red suede.

“No.”

“What is?”

“Making you wonder what I’ll choose next.”

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