Page 28 of Vengeance of Childhood Proportions (Till Death Do Us Part #7)

Chapter Eighteen

Holly

I didn’t know what to expect when I got to the club that night.

I was dressed in a similar corset to the one I was wearing the night I’d met Master Mal.

I had on a black-lace thong with a garter belt, stockings, and suspenders under a pair of jeans.

My wig tonight was shoulder length and black; it was pretty stiff, so I didn’t worry about it falling into my eyes.

I was wearing the same blue contacts as the night before.

The note had said to meet him at nine, but it was nine-thirty and I had yet to see him.

I’d passed up my opportunity to dance on the pole and another sub was doing a show for her Mistress.

So here I was at the bar, just tapping Master Mal’s business card against the wood counter in front of me while sipping a water and waiting.

Just…waiting.

Had I gotten the time wrong? The date? I stupidly turned the card over to re-read his message to me one more time, as if it would suddenly have different words on it that would explain why I was being stood up.

Someone came to sit by me. Excited, I turned, only to feel my shoulders droop in disappointment when I saw it was Valentino.

“Sweetling, what is it?”

I knew I should get up and kneel, to ask his permission to remain seated at the bar with him, but I honestly didn’t have the mindset. Rejection was tainting my mood.

“It’s nothing, Sir. I just thought I was going to meet Master Mal here tonight.”

Valentino’s eyebrows drew down. “He told you he would meet you and he’s not here?”

I nodded. Feeling self-conscious, I showed Valentino the card Jason had given me, like I was in high school and needed proof that a boy liked me.

Valentino pulled out a phone from his pocket.

He scrolled through it a moment before selecting an option and putting his phone to his ear.

“Mal,” he snapped. I stiffened at the harshness in his usually so-polite tone.

“Where the fuck are you and why is Dani sitting at my bar looking like she’s about to cry because you’re not here? ”

My cheeks heated as my eyes widened, but I did not dare say anything. This was not Valentino right now, but Master Valentino—and he was pissed. The fact that it was on my behalf was the only reason I was not currently kneeling at his feet, begging forgiveness.

Valentino listened to whatever Mal said on the other line before his eyes narrowed.

“Did she now?” I stiffened, thinking the ‘she’ was in reference to me, but then tracked Valentino’s eyes towards the front of the club.

The only ‘she’ I could think of in that specific direction was Dominique.

“Don’t you worry. She will be severely punished for this.

” After another pause, “Oh, I’m aware that was likely her intent.

But trust me, she will not like this punishment.

” Softer, Valentino turned towards me. He handed me his phone.

“Here, sweetling. Talk to Master Mal. I’ll be back in five minutes, I promise.

” I took the phone as Valentino snapped his fingers, getting Joey’s attention from behind the bar.

“Watch her,” he demanded, pointing at me before storming off.

Oh, fuck. I would not want to be Dominique right now.

Slowly, I put the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“Little Owl.” A shiver ran down my spine at his deep baritone. “Fuck, sweetheart, I am so sorry. I called around eight to tell Dominique that I was running late. I asked her to tell you when you came in. Something came up at work and it was unavoidable.”

“It’s okay,” I assured him.

“It’s not,” he growled. The low rumble made my nipples pucker in my corset.

Geez, I wanted to hear that growl again, but this time with his scruff leaving burn marks on my neck as he did it.

“I gave Dominique an order, and she blatantly disobeyed it. Master Valentino has assured me she will be punished.”

Not wanting him to think Valentino wasn’t going to follow through on that promise, I said, “He left to go get her.”

“He left you alone ?”

I winced at his shout, pulling the phone away from my ear. “Joey’s here,” I tell him quickly. “And he said he’d be back in five minutes.”

“I’m almost there, Little Owl. Thirty minutes, tops.” I heard the sounds of traffic in the background of the phone call.

“Please don’t speed.”

He chuckled darkly. “Giving me orders, Little Owl?”

My eyes widened as I realized what I’d said. “No, Sir. I mean, I did, but I didn’t mean it like that. I just don’t want you to speed and either get hurt or get pulled over just to get here faster. I’d rather you arrive alive.”

This time his chuckle held promise. “I’ll forgive you this once, Little Owl, but only because I feel guilty enough as it is for running late.”

“It happens,” I told him. Or at least, I’m told it does. Since I didn’t have a nine-to-five or really any form of a traditional life, I couldn’t say that from personal experience.

“We will exchange numbers tonight,” Master Mal said just as I heard a commotion behind me. “What’s that?” he asked.

I turned on the bar stool, putting my back to the counter. I swallowed hard. “Um, Master Valentino is dragging Dominique into the main room by her hair.”

Dominique was walking, but Valentino’s tight hold was definitely in charge of where she was going.

“Good,” Master Mal said gruffly. “I promise, Little Owl, I’ll be there soon. Please give the phone to Joey.”

I turned around again to see Joey was standing right behind me. I passed him the phone.

Joey accepted it and then immediately straightened. “Yes, sir! Of course, sir! I promise, Master Mal, I’ve got my eye on her.” He nodded, even though Master Mal couldn’t see it. “Sure thing, I’ll take care of it right now.”

Then he held the phone out to me again.

I took it with a shaky hand. Then watched as Joey picked up the phone on the wall next to the kitchen door to make another call. “Um, Sir, why is Joey calling a pizzeria to place an order for a white pie with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and balsamic?”

“Answer me truthfully: have you eaten tonight?”

I fidgeted on the bar stool. “No, Sir.”

“That’s why. The pizza will take some time to arrive, but hopefully it beats me there. Our reservation upstairs still holds and we can bring it up if needed.”

I vaguely recalled telling Master Mal my favorite food was pizza last night. The gesture was so sweet and completely unexpected. I felt a little off kilter about it. “Thank you, Sir.”

“Once I verify Dominique’s punishment is to my satisfaction, it’ll just be you and I for the rest of the night, Little Owl. Be ready.”