Page 31 of At Her Service (Club Velvet #2)

CHAPTER 31

A bby lay stretched across the couch, a book in her hand. She’d been staring at the same page for the past ten minutes. There were so many things she was supposed to be doing. Finding a place to live, to start with. While Erin had told her she could stay as long as she needed, the apartment was barely big enough for two people, let alone three.

But what really made living with Erin and Dan intolerable was the way they kept tip-toeing around her. It was as if they thought she was so heartbroken that seeing them act like the lovey-dovey couple they were would break her. Being treated like she was fragile? That was so much worse.

She needed to find her own place. Not to mention, a job and a car. But she couldn’t bring herself to do anything. She was too numb.

She let out a heavy sigh. She wasn’t really numb, but she wished she was. Because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop the churning in her stomach and the stabbing in her chest that she’d felt every moment since she’d walked away from Valerie.

Maybe I should have listened to her. Maybe I should have given her a chance…

She shook her head. There was no way she could ever forget what Valerie had said. Before that night, the most humiliating moment of her life had been her sixteenth birthday, when her stepdad had finally snapped and told her he wished she’d never been born.

But what Valerie had done? That had been worse. And there was no taking it back.

The front door opened. Abby sat up. It was too early for Erin to be home from work. Or had Abby wasted another day on the couch without realizing it?

Erin stepped into the living room, shutting the door behind her. “Good, you’re here.”

Where else would I be? But Abby didn’t say that.

Erin sat down on the arm of the couch. “So, uh, heard from Valerie?”

Abby shrugged. “Not for a few days. She kept trying to call me at first, but I guess she gave up.”

“Right. Well, you see, she actually called me.”

Abby blinked. “ What ?”

“You put me down as your emergency contact when she hired you, remember? Anyway, she just wanted to know if you’re okay. She’s really worried about you. You should talk to her. Or at least listen to what she has to say.”

“What’s the point?” Abby muttered. “There’s nothing she can say that can undo what she did.”

“Maybe not. But aren’t you being a little harsh with her? She made a mistake. She’s only human. And she wants to apologize, make it up to you. Shouldn’t you at least give her that chance? You want to be with her, don’t you?”

Abby shook her head. “ She doesn’t want to be with me. She said so herself. I was never more than a fling to her.” An image flashed across her mind. Of Valerie standing before her ex-wife in her living room, Abby’s panties in her hand, denying that there was anything between them. “She made her choice. It wasn’t me.”

Erin let out an exasperated sigh. “For god’s sake Abby. You need to snap out of it. Valerie is out there fighting for you right now, and you’re just going to sit there making excuses?”

Abby scowled. “I’m not… Wait, what did you say? Valerie is what ?”

“Uh, about that. So when she called me, she wanted to—” The doorbell rang. Erin jumped up from her seat. “Let me get that. I think it’s for you, though.”

“For me? Erin, what’s going on? What did you do ?”

But her friend was already walking to the door.

She opened it up, revealing a familiar man dressed in a suit and cap. Valerie’s driver. He was a man of few words, so Abby had only spoken to him a couple of times.

He gave Erin a polite nod. “I’m looking for Abby Peters.”

“She’s right here.” Erin turned to her. “Well? What are you waiting for?”

Abby sighed and dragged herself off the couch, joining Erin at the door. “Valerie sent you, didn’t she?”

He nodded. “Ms. Kane would like to meet with you. I’m here to take you to her, if you agree to it. She’s waiting for you.”

Abby shook her head. “No. Absolutely not.”

Erin grabbed Abby’s arm and gave the man an apologetic look. “Can you give us a minute, please?”

The man nodded.

Erin shut the door and turned to Abby. “So, I may have told Valerie you were staying with me.”

“Of course you did.”

“And she may have told me to expect this.”

Abby crossed her arms.

“You have to go, Abby. Look, I know how badly you’re hurting. And I know that facing her seems daunting right now, but would she go through all this trouble if she didn’t care about you?”

Abby hesitated. Maybe Erin was right. Maybe she needed to give Valerie a chance.

Maybe she was worth fighting for.

“All right,” Abby said. “I’ll go.”

Erin smiled and threw her arms around Abby, squeezing her tight before breaking away again. “I’ll tell the driver you’ll be out in twenty minutes. You go get ready. You’re not meeting Valerie looking like that .”

“What’s wrong with…” Abby looked down at her clothes. She was wearing the same oversized t-shirt and old sweatpants she’d slept in. “Yeah, I’ll go change. And fix my hair.” She couldn’t remember the last time she brushed it.

“Just make it quick,” Erin said. “Valerie is waiting.”

* * *

Half an hour later, Abby sat in the backseat of a car making its way through the streets of Los Angeles. She’d asked the driver where they were going before getting in, but he replied that he’d been instructed not to tell her. That almost made her turn around and head right back up to the apartment, but Erin had practically shoved her into the car.

She stared out the window, nerves dancing in her stomach. It didn’t help that they were barely moving. She’d lived in Los Angeles her entire life, but tonight, the crawling pace of the traffic only added to her anxiety. She’d already put the privacy screen up. The last thing she needed was for the driver to notice that she was a mess.

She settled into her seat. She’d lost track of what part of the city they were in, but the streets were lined with designer boutiques, high-end bars, and fine-dining restaurants that Abby could never afford. Not even on the salary Valerie had been paying her.

Finally, they pulled up to the curb. They’d arrived.

The driver got out of the car and opened the door for her. As she stepped out onto the sidewalk, he gestured toward the restaurant in front of them. “Ms. Kane is inside.”

Abby thanked him, turning toward the restaurant. The sign above the door was written in French, and it looked even more expensive than the restaurant Valerie had taken her to at the resort in Italy.

That night had been a disaster. So had the night of her sixteenth birthday dinner. Every time she set foot in a fancy restaurant, it turned her life upside down in the worst possible way.

But she’d come so far already. She couldn’t turn back now.

She marched to the doors and stepped inside. At once, she was greeted by the ma?tre d’. “Good evening, Ms. Peters. Let me show you to your table. Ms. Kane is waiting for you.”

How did he know who she was? She was too nervous to ask. Instead, she followed him through the restaurant, trying not to think about how out of place she felt among such luxurious surroundings. Crystal chandeliers hung overhead, the tables set with fine china and artful floral arrangements on top of crisp white tablecloths. A jazz quartet played in the corner, and the guests wore cocktail dresses and suits, along with the waitstaff. While Abby had traded her t-shirt and sweats for a comfortable sundress, she was not dressed for a place as upscale as this.

They reached a quiet part of the restaurant towards the back. And seated at a table that overlooked the entire room was Valerie.

Abby’s heart stopped. Just the sight of Valerie took her breath away. And when her eyes met Abby’s, it took all her willpower to keep herself from crumbling.

“Abby.” Valerie rose to her feet. “I’m so glad you came.”

Abby mumbled a hello as the ma?tre d’ pulled out a chair for her. It wasn’t until she was seated that Valerie sat down again, giving him a nod of dismissal.

“I asked them to give us some time so we can talk without interruption,” she said.

Abby didn’t say anything. There were too many thoughts, too many feelings, racing through her mind.

Valerie folded her hands on the table before her. “Thank you for coming here tonight. And thank you for giving me a chance to explain myself. Because I need you to know the truth. About Francesca. About everything I’ve been dealing with. And most importantly, how I feel about you.”

Abby’s stomach flipped.

“I told you about Francesca. About how our relationship grew strained over time. That was… an understatement. I won’t go into detail, but the things she did and said weren’t pretty. I never told anyone how bad it had gotten because I didn’t want to admit it myself. And when we got divorced, I put it all behind me. I thought it was over.”

Valerie shook her head. “But my peace didn’t last. A few months back, she started calling me, messaging me, telling me she missed me, telling me she wanted me back, trying to reinsert herself into my life. And when that didn’t work, she doubled down, showing up at my job, at Club Velvet. But I ignored her in the hope that she’d eventually go away. I know that I should have done something about it, but I was afraid of what she was capable of. Especially when the threats began.”

A knot formed in Abby’s chest. “What kind of threats?”

“She threatened to expose me, to show the world what a violent, abusive monster I am. Her accusations are false. I never laid a hand on her in any way that wasn’t consensual. If anything, it was Francesca who tried to push our agreed-upon boundaries, but I always shut her down. We did everything the right way. We were always safe. But I have no way of proving that. She has photos she took when we were together, of bruises, marks, and more, and she threatened to use them, twist them, to fit her false narrative. It would be enough to destroy my career. No, to destroy me entirely.”

“Oh my god. Valerie, I had no idea she was like that.”

“I couldn’t believe it myself. I never thought she’d go so far. It wasn’t until she broke into the house the night we got back from Italy that she told me about the photos and her plan to release them. She tried to use them to blackmail me into being with her again. It made me realize how serious the situation was, how dangerous she was. And when she started asking about you, I knew I couldn’t let her get you in her crosshairs. So I lied to her. I told her that there was nothing between us. That…”

“That I meant nothing to you.”

Valerie winced. “I said that to protect you, but it was a mistake. I know I hurt you. And not just that night. There were so many things I did and said…” Her voice faltered. “All this time, I’ve been so wrapped up in my own problems that I didn’t think about how much my actions were hurting you. But I see now. I know that every time I said we had to keep things between us secret, it cut you deep. I know that refusing to tell you that I love you was a knife in your heart. I know that denying you meant anything to me only buried that knife deeper.

“Saying those words? It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Because even if you didn’t hear me say them, it tore me apart to deny that I loved you. I do love you, Abby. More than I could ever possibly express.”

Abby’s heart skipped. Those were the words she’d been waiting to hear for so long. But could she truly believe them?

Valerie held up her hand. “You don’t need to say anything. Just listen. Because I need to tell you how I feel. Ever since we met, I’ve been so deeply drawn to you that I feel it in my soul. You light up my life, my heart, in a way no one else ever has or ever could. And when I look at you, every part of me longs to make you mine. I love you, Abby. That’s why I’m asking you to come back to me. Not as my nanny. But as my submissive, my girlfriend, my partner.”

She reached to the side, placing her hand on a black velvet jewelry box that was sitting on the table.

“I had this made just for you.” Valerie slid the box toward her. “Open it.”

Abby picked up the box. It was square and flat, and bigger than her hand.

Tentatively, she opened it up. Inside was a collar made of soft leather in a deep, rich crimson, so dark that it was almost black. It was accented with gold and had a trio of rubies embedded at the front. A small gold lock hung from the buckle at the back, and dangling beneath the rubies was a tiny golden charm engraved with the words, Owned with love by Madame V .

“I once told you that when I give you a real collar, it will be a collar that’s worthy of you,” Valerie said. “A collar you can wear proudly to show the world you’re mine. The truth is, there’s nothing I can give you, nothing I can say, that could ever convey how precious you are to me. But this is a token of that. A token of my love for you. And if you accept it, I’ll make sure to show you how much I cherish you each and every day.”

Valerie reached across the table and put a hand on hers. Abby’s pulse quickened.

“So, Abby. Will you do me the honor of becoming mine?”

“I…” Abby looked down at the collar, then back up at her Mistress. “Yes. I will.”

Valerie leaned across the table, cupping Abby’s cheek in her hand. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

Valerie pressed her lips to hers in a tender, aching kiss. Abby sighed into her lips, warmth spreading through her. This was what she’d always wanted. Someone to love, to serve, to devote herself to in all the ways she craved. Someone who would always take care of her, always be there for her.

Someone she belonged to.

“I knew it!”

The screech hit Abby like a slap. She broke away and turned her head to see Francesca marching toward them .

“I knew it!” She smacked the table with her palms, wild eyes fixed on Valerie. “I knew you were lying. You never?—”

Her eyes fell on the collar in the box in front of Abby, her face contorting with shock, then anger.

“You… you… I don’t believe this.” She looked at Abby, then back at Valerie, her eyes darkening. “I’m going to show everyone those photos. I’m going to tell everyone what you?—”

“Ma’am, I’m going to need you to come with us.”

Francesca flinched, looking over her shoulder. Behind her stood two security guards, their thick arms folded across their massive chests.

“What the hell is this?” She turned back to Valerie. “You need to tell them to leave, Val. I’m just trying to talk to you.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Valerie took Abby’s hand across the table. “They’re here because I told security to keep an eye out for you. That I filed a restraining order against you, which you’re currently in violation of. So either you let these fine gentlemen escort you out, or we wait here for the police to arrive and escort you out in handcuffs. Imagine the headlines. Hollywood darling Francesca Moreno arrested . The gossip sites will go wild.”

Francesca opened her mouth, then shut it again, looking around the room. A few tables away, a pair of young women had their phones pointed surreptitiously at the scene playing out before them. And they weren’t the only ones.

Francesca glanced at the two men, then back at Valerie. And without another word, she turned and walked away, the security guards following closely behind her.

It was only once she was out the door that Abby remembered to breathe.

“Wow,” she said. “You really weren’t kidding about her. I can’t believe she showed up here. Has she been following you?”

“It appears so,” Valerie said.

“I’m just glad she left without you needing to call the police.”

“Oh, I’m still calling the police. She’s not going to get away with this, or anything else she’s done. My lawyers are confident that the break-in and the pattern of harassment are enough to get her charged. And now that she’s violated the restraining order, it will speed up the process considerably.” Valerie’s hands curled into fists. “I’m going to make sure those charges stick. And I’m going to make sure she understands that I will not let her hurt me or anyone I love ever again.”

Abby put her hand on Valerie’s. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve never been better. And that’s the truth. I’ll never hide how I feel from you again. And I’ll never, ever let anything or anyone get in the way of us again.”

Smiling, Abby leaned across the table and planted a gentle kiss on Valerie’s lips. And when she broke away, Valerie was smiling too.

“You know what? All of a sudden, I’m not hungry.” Valerie’s eyes flicked to the box on the table. “How about I take you home so I can put this collar around your beautiful neck with all the ceremony the occasion demands?”

“I would love that,” Abby said.