Chapter 4 Chapter 0004

•SLOANE•

My fingers stayed on the purple collar around my neck after Georgia left me alone at the bar. I still couldn't believe I was actually there.

I felt out of place sitting there in my black dress and jacket. I ordered another tequila shot and drank it quickly.

"First night here?"

I turned toward the voice and saw a man sitting beside me. I hadn't noticed him before.

He wore a black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms and dark pants.

"That obvious?" I replied.

"A little." His voice was deep and controlled.

The bartender placed another drink in front of me before I could ask for one.

"I didn't order that," I muttered.

"I did," the man answered.

"You don't have to buy me drinks."

"I know."

I frowned at the response. He picked up his whiskey glass and took a sip before looking back at me.

"So why are you here?" he asked.

I scoffed. "Bad decisions."

"That bad?"

"My boyfriend cheated on me." The words came out before I could stop them.

The man stayed quiet for a second. "Recently?"

"Tonight."

His expression didn't change much. "And your solution was coming here?"

"Like I said, bad decisions." I shrugged. "But I'll go home soon. I don't think I belong here." I turned and looked at him. "What about you? Why are you here?"

"I like the atmosphere."

"That's vague."

"So are your answers."

That almost made me smile. We kept talking after that. Mostly simple things, music, work, and the club.

I told him I worked in a marketing company. I didn't exactly want to tell him that I was working in a PR Crisis Management Company.

He only answered that he worked a demanding job that required a lot of traveling. He didn't give me many details or his name, but that was fair.

At some point, I realized almost thirty minutes had passed. Then another man approached the bar beside me.

He looked drunk. His eyes immediately dropped to my purple collar. "New here?" he asked with a grin.

"Kind of."

"Are you looking for company tonight?"

"I'm okay."

He ignored my answer completely and stepped closer. "Purple means available, sweetheart."

Before I could reply again, the man beside me stood up. Everything about him changed instantly. He frowned as he leaned toward the man.

"Leave her alone," he muttered.

The drunk man frowned. "Who the hell are you?"

The stranger looked at him without reacting. "The man telling you to walk away."

The drunk man scoffed. "She's wearing purple. She's free."

"Not anymore."

The stranger stepped slightly in front of me, and the drunk man glanced between us before rolling his eyes. "Whatever."

He walked away a few seconds later.

I looked up at the stranger immediately. "What was that?"

He sat back down like nothing happened. "Men like him don't understand polite answers."

I stared at him for a moment. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know."

There was that answer again. Before I could speak, he reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

A black leather collar.

My breath caught instantly. "What are you doing?" I asked.

He looked directly at me before leaning closer. I should've moved away, but I didn't.

His fingers brushed my neck as he unclasped the purple collar Georgia gave me. Then he replaced it with the black one.

I touched the collar in shock. "Why would you do that?"

"You didn't object."

My mouth opened because he was right. I didn't stop him, and that frustrated me.

He stood and held his hand out toward me. "Come with me."

I hesitated for two seconds before placing my hand in his. He led me upstairs toward a private hallway away from the crowd. We stopped in front of a black door marked VIP.

He unlocked it and motioned for me to go inside first. The room had leather couches, dim lights, and a small bar in the corner.

Then he locked the door behind us and reality hit me immediately.

I turned toward him angrily. "You don't just put a collar on someone without asking."

"You didn't stop me."

"That doesn't mean I agreed."

"You liked it enough to follow me upstairs."

I crossed my arms. "You sound very confident for someone who won't even tell me his name."

He looked at me for a second before replying, "Names aren't important tonight."

That answer should've made me leave. Instead, it made me more curious.

He walked closer. "Do you want me to take the collar off?"

The answer should've been yes, but I stayed quiet. A small smirk appeared on his face like he already knew my answer.

He sat down on the couch and motioned for me to sit beside him. After hesitating, I did.

"What exactly is this?" I asked.

"A simple arrangement."

I frowned.

"You need money," he continued. "I can tell."

I stiffened immediately. "You don't know anything about me."

"You're right, but I want to make things easier for both of us."

That irritated me because he wasn't wrong. There were hospital bills, rent, and Mia's tuition fees. I was desperate enough to sit in a sex club wearing a collar.

"What do you want in return?"

"You."

The direct answer made my stomach tighten.

"If you belong to me, there will be rules," he continued.

"What kind of rules?"

"Loyalty and honesty. And no other men."

Mike immediately came to mind. That part wouldn't be difficult anymore.

"You answer my calls," he continued. "You don't disappear without telling me. And when we're together, you follow my instructions."

I swallowed. "And if I don't like something?"

"Then you tell me."

At least he answered that immediately.

"And the money?"

"I'll pay you fifty thousand dollars every month, and tomorrow you will receive a hundred thousand dollars to prepare yourself before we begin."

My chest tightened instantly. That amount could help Piper immediately. I could pay all my debts and Mia's tuition fees.

He reached into his pocket again and placed a set of house keys on the table in front of me.

"My address is attached. You'll come tomorrow night."

I swallowed and picked up the house keys. "Okay, tomorrow night."

He looked satisfied with the answer. Then he reached up and adjusted the black collar around my neck.

"Good."

•••

The next morning, I couldn't stop thinking about him.

I hid the black collar beneath my blouse before leaving for work. Billy had called twice already asking where I was.

I grabbed coffee on the way to the office and headed straight toward his office when I arrived.

I knocked once before opening the door. Billy looked up immediately. "Sloane. Finally."

Then I saw the man standing near the window. And my entire body froze.

He was my dominant from the club.

Billy smiled proudly. "Perfect timing. I want you to meet our newest client."

The man turned toward me, and recognition flashed across his face immediately.

Billy continued talking without noticing the tension between us.

"This is Sebastian Vettel Sebastian Vale. Formula 1 champion and currently the biggest problem in my life.”