Page 27 of Her Submission (Monica & Henry #2)

The opening of Le Salon’s expansion was a long time coming. Although Monica was never, ever truly satisfied with how her businesses came together, it was good enough. Certainly ready to make its investment back.

Yet Monica couldn’t simply enjoy her party. She was the hostess, this was her big moment, and she was constantly “on.”

As it so happened, that was her happiest place when interacting with the public.

“Don’t look at me,”

Henry mused as he followed his wife through a crowd. My tall and handsome bodyguard.

“She’s the one who knows what’s going on. I’m the eye candy.”

Her hand was always interlocked with his as they moved through the swelling – but always just under fire-code – crowd.

Since the two salons weren’t connected, Monica arranged with the building owner to allow the use of the hallway for the party.

Right now, she and Henry moved from Le Salon to Le Etendue, where a throng of their VIPs waited for tours and demonstrations from some of Monica’s mountaintop employees.

“Hey!”

Jasmine flung her arms in the air, tipsy with a glass of something in her hand. Soon enough, her arms were thrust around Monica, bringing her in for a hug while Ethan watched on from behind her.

“This party is so lit! Holy cow, Monica, you always know how to throw an elegant rager!”

They kissed on the cheeks before Monica was called away again. This time it was Judith, who was stuck in Le Etendue while Madison kept an eye on Le Salon.

“There are way too many people here,”

Judith’s boyfriend Seth said as he hid behind her.

“This is not good for our immune systems. Isn’t Mrs. Klein here? She’s pregnant!”

Judith put her hand over his mouth with an admonishing shh.

“Everything’s great here.

Although we already have an issue with one of the curtains constantly falling.

I’ve taken the liberty of putting it in the closet for now.

Everyone can see our business here.

Just FYI.”

Monica made a note of that before thanking Judith.

By the time she made it to the main sitting area of Le Etendue, it was time for the show to begin.

She had hired two of the region’s premier demonstrators to show what one could accomplish in the expansion.

Mira put her female sub Blair through her paces, which allowed Monica to show off how one could adjust the lighting on the sunken stage in the living room.

This was as much about enticing some of the biggest spenders in the area to start reserving nights for the summer season as much as it was about entertaining them at her party.

What most didn’t realize was that Blair was a Salon employee.

And now an Etendue employee.

Blair would only work the expansion with her Domme, but they were definitely available for bookings.

To the point that Monica was currently working out an exclusivity deal with Mistress Mira.

That will piss Damon and Alice off.

Right now, Mira and Blair were monthly headlining acts at The Dark Hour.

They drew people in and raked in the tips – a mutually beneficial situation.

Yet Monica wanted them here.

Henry had joked she was possessive over Blair (and that it was rather hot, he thought,) but Monica just saw it as good business.

“Don’t make eyes at them like that.”

She wasn’t surprised that Damon leaned over the back of her seat, whisky on his breath.

Henry glanced at him before turning his attention back to the riotous show exploding on the sunken stage.

Mira was getting the audience involved and made it clear that this was everyone’s chance to see th.

“lovely, charming, and ridiculously sexy Blair out of her sheer kimonos.”

Half the room had been hosted by Blair at some point and were dying to see her naked.

“They’re mine, Monroe. I’m about to sign the dotted line with Mira tonight.”

“Like hell you are.”

“They can provide services here that they can’t in your club. It’s too public.”

“The hell they can’t.”

“Give it up,”

Henry told him.

“When my wife puts her mind to something, she gets it. Look at my whole family. What my Princess wants, she gets.”

Monica didn’t have a chance to offer her rival a witty reply before she saw a familiar face in the crowd. One that made her stomach drop – in confusion.

“Excuse me,”

she told both her husband and Damon.

“I see someone I need to say hi to.”

Paisley was startled when Monica appeared by her side.

“I came alone!”

she announced before Monica accused her of anything.

“He doesn’t know I’m here. Not yet, anyway.”

Monica jerked her head toward the employee bathroom. There was a line for the guest one, and both bedrooms were opened up for conversing and drinking. As they edged around a waitress holding a plate of empty glasses, Monica said.

“I hope he didn’t follow you.”

“He already knows all about this place.”

They barely had any quiet when they squeezed into the bathroom. Even with the fan on, it was difficult to hear Jackson’s latest girlfriend finally speak in private.

“So, why are you here?”

Monica asked.

There was barely enough room for them to not be touching each other. Monica refused to be pressed up against the toilet, though. So she made Paisley get cozy with the sink. It still smells like fresh paint in here. Monica was double-glad for the fan.

“I need a job,”

Paisley muttered.

Monica wasn’t sure she heard her correctly at first.

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve gotta get away from him.”

Paisley refused eye contact, one hand covering half her face while her long, dark hair covered the other.

“I mean, it was already heading that way, but this whole IRS thing has been unbearable. The writing’s on the wall. I don’t… I don’t wanna…”

Monica saw it in one of her eyes.

“I don’t wanna be like you, going out guns blazing.”

“I see.”

She had heard the IRS had moved in on Jackson. It was only a matter of time before he traced it back to her, but as long as Monica was protected, Jackson would have to take it out on the women who lived with him. While Monica had long accepted she couldn’t do much about them, well…

There was a chance here.

“Look, I did you a huge favor when you came by his place. I don’t like doing this, but…”

So, that was where her spine was.

“You know I can’t give you a job.”

“I’m not unfamiliar with sex work. I’ll be safe at the Chateau.”

“There aren’t any openings.”

“Fine. I’ll move into the city and work here. Come on, you have got to help me. I don’t have a lot of time before he finds out I came here. I’ve gotta leave before he suspects anything.”

Monica sighed.

“It’s not that I don’t want to help you, sweetie. The problem is that it’s bad for both of us. You don’t want Jackson to know that I helped you. You don’t want him to know that the one who got away helped you. It makes him more dangerous.”

She said nothing.

“Don’t you have any money?”

Monica wasn’t offering. That was also dangerous.

“Not really. My bank account is empty. He doesn’t do allowances. Not since you.”

“No, I suppose not.”

Monica had used the money from Jackson that she had saved over the years to put a downpayment on the Chateau. Jackson didn’t want any of his future victims to have a financial out.

“You need a job, it seems.”

“That’s what I’m saying! Otherwise, I’m turning tricks downtown! And like, that’s better than what Jackson probably has in mind, but not much! At least I can eat at his place!”

“I can’t give you a job,”

Monica reiterated.

“But I know someone who can.”

She took her hand and pulled her through the crowd again. This time, Monica ignored the greetings and calls for acknowledgment around her. She only had eyes for one tall, dark, and mysterious man in the crowd.

“Changed your mind?”

Damon asked as he grabbed a glass of champagne off a passing tray.

“Because I’m more than happy to recommend someone else that might work for you.”

Monica brought Paisley beside her, brushing back her hair and jamming a hand into the small of her back so she stood up straight and stuck out her cleavage.

“She needs a job at The Dark Hour. When can she start?”

Damon furrowed his brows.

“I’m sorry?”

“I’ll owe you a big favor while I pay a big one off to her. I need you and Alice to hire her at The Dark Hour. She’ll do anything.”

Monica nodded to Paisley, who quickly got the hint and announced.

“I’ll do anything. I have waitress and hosting training. And I can sex work!”

Oh, dear. The Dark Hour wasn’t that kind of establishment. Just because I keep poaching his employees to come work for me… Many a Dark Hour hostess had gone on to work at Le Chateau and the Salon. It was the source of friction between both hospitality dynasties.

Damon didn’t know what to make of the woman standing before him.

“We do have a hostess opening coming up that we haven’t advertised yet…”

“Good. Hire her.”

“…But why would I?”

Monica nudged him.

“Do you trust my eye? Be honest.”

“Hmm…”

“You do. So you trust me when I say that Paisley here will rake in the tips and make many of your guests quite happy. And she’s off-limits to me, so you’ll never have to worry about me poaching her. Oh, and you’ve quite effectively banned our ex-Dom from your premises, so she’ll be safe there.”

“So, that’s how you know her.”

Paisley hung her head, saying nothing.

“Please, Damon,”

Monica implored.

“The most dangerous time is leaving. Ask me how I know.”

He only took a few seconds to think about it.

“Fine. Here’s my card.”

He reached into his breast pocket.

“Call me tomorrow to set up an interview. As long as you don’t screw it up, you’re hired as a hostess starting in two weeks.”

Monica cleared her throat; Damon sighed.

“Make that ‘as soon as you’re settled in town.’”

“Thank you, Damon.”

“And, yes, you absolutely owe me. You can start by canceling that exclusive contract with Mira and Blair.”

Monica crossed her arms as Paisley pocketed his card.

“Try something else.”

“Fine. Our anniversary is coming up.”

He must have been referring to Alice.

“I want to rent out the whole Chateau for a weekend of my choosing. For free.”

“I know when your anniversary is. I’ll clear the calendar.”

Can’t wait to explain this to Judith. With Monica’s luck, that weekend was already booked for some foreign bachelor party or 21st birthday.

She’d rather lose that business if it meant making Damon happy – and securing Paisley some employment in her new post-Jackson life.

Paisley thanked Monica before slipping away. Monica was about to leave Damon’s presence as well, but he took her by the arm and brought her back.

“Hiring Jackson’s latest sub puts a target on my back, you know.”

Monica forced a willful smile as she shrugged him off her.

“You can handle him. He’s a weak man compared to someone like you.”

“Don’t flatter me, Warren.”

“You love it.”

Monica smoothed out the shoulders of her dress.

“Don’t lie.”

She didn’t give him the chance to answer. She was on her way back to Henry, who had saved her spot on the couch.

She’d rather sit in his lap.

“My, my,”

her husband said, spreading his long legs open to create the perfect seat for her.

“What have you been up to, Princess?”

“Putting Monroe in his place.”

“I’m sure he loves that from a professional submissive.”

“That’s what I told him.”

Laughing, Henry passed her his drink, which she gladly helped herself to. She had finally reached the point of her party where she was able to loosen up and have a little fun.

“The night is young,”

Henry whispered in her ear.

“I’ve been watching you cavort all over this place, eating up everyone’s presence.”

He tugged on the collar wrapped around her neck.

“What say your husband steals five minutes of your time? Say, in the bathroom?”

So, he saw me go in there with Paisley. He would want the whole story later, but right now, Henry was pitching a very different idea. Yes. Pitching. Monica felt it against her thigh.

She shuddered, delighted.

“While everyone is distracted by the show, Princess.”

She grinned against his cheek.

“Is that an order, sir?”

“It is.”

Monica didn’t care who saw them go in there together. Nor did she care if they heard her screaming in ecstasy ten minutes later.

This was her party. And after the year she already had?

I deserve it. All of it, from the success to the marital pleasure curling her toes and making her fall in love with her husband all over again. All of this is mine. The man, the bathroom, the business. I am queen. He may call her Princess, but in Monica’s mind, she ruled over everything.

Including this moment, when she indulged in the deepest truth of her submission.

Thank you for reading!