Liberate Yourself (The Desires Unlocked Trilogy Part One) by Evie Blake
Authors: Evie Blake
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more pain than pleasure.’
Valentina swallows hard. What’s the difference? How much pain still allows some pleasure?
‘And this room,’ he walks up to a steel door, polished and shimmering in the dim hall, ‘this is the Dark Room.’ He presses his hand against it, turning round and staring at her with an expression of triumph. She can see it then instantly. He is a dominant; there is no doubt.
She looks away from Leonardo and stares at the metal door.
‘What happens in the Dark Room?’ Her voice is almost a whisper.
Leonardo takes a step towards her. He is so close, his Armani aftershave is almost overpowering.
‘In the Dark Room you are scared, Valentina, because as the name implies, there is no light. You can see nothing, not even your hand in front of your face.’
‘Why would anyone want to go in there?’ Her voice lowers.
Leonardo flashes her a flirtatious look.
‘It is precisely because of your fear that you are able to heighten your sexual experience to a degree you will never have anywhere else.’
Valentina doesn’t move. She knows this man wants her toreact. To laugh, perhaps. Or exclaim. Even run away up the stairs. She won’t do it.
‘I see,’ she says calmly. ‘But I suppose it will be no use to me if it is all in the dark. I won’t be taking any pictures in there.’
Leonardo nods, a lazy smile spreading across his face.
‘Quite right. There is no need for you to go into the Dark Room . . . unless, of course, you want—’
Valentina cuts him short.
‘Can you show me the other rooms, please. I’m afraid I have to go soon.’
Leonardo’s smile widens. He knows she is lying. Already he has worked her out. She is scared of the Dark Room.
‘Very well,’ he says, strolling over to open the wooden door. ‘This is what we call our Atlantis Room. You will see why, I hope, once you have experienced it for real.’
Valentina pauses on the threshold. She looks at Leonardo’s hand, his elegantly manicured fingers, as he slowly turns the handle. Her heart begins to race. She has a feeling that once she steps into the Atlantis Room, her life will never be the same again. It is a choice she is making on her own, without the consent of her lover, and yet as she moves forward, she hears Theo’s soft American accent in her head.
That’s my girl, my intrepid Valentina
.
Belle
THERE IS A KNOCK ON HER DOOR. BELLE CHECKS HERSELF in the mirror. She brushes down her dress, her hands gliding over the slinky black material. It is one of her maid’s uniforms, which Belle adjusted herself. Something she enjoyed doing, sitting on her little balcony in the Venetian sunshine, sewing and listening to her neighbour playing Bach on his harpsichord. She is not allowed to do this sort of work at home, but she loves to make things and it gave her great satisfaction adjusting Pina’s uniform for the needs of her client. The little black dress now hangs just below her bottom, and above the line of her black stockings, which are of course decorated with white lacy garters. She has a crisp white apron on over the dress, and a little white maid’s hat crowns her black bob. The Russian knocks again. My, he is impatient today, Belle thinks, picking up her feather duster and opening the door.
‘Good afternoon, sir.’ She bows her head respectfully as the Russian strides purposefully into the room.
‘Good afternoon, Katya,’ he says, looking stern. ‘And what took you so long to answer the door?’
‘I am sorry, sir, I came as fast as I could.’
‘Well that’s not good enough, Katya,’ he replies, fixing her with a steely glare, making Belle’s heart race a little. ‘You will have to be reprimanded.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Do you know why?’
‘Because I did not do as you said.’
‘That’s right, Katya. Last time I told you to answer the door promptly after my first knock. Today I have had to knock
twice
.’
The Russian holds his arms out for her to take off his coat. He smells of
Valentina swallows hard. What’s the difference? How much pain still allows some pleasure?
‘And this room,’ he walks up to a steel door, polished and shimmering in the dim hall, ‘this is the Dark Room.’ He presses his hand against it, turning round and staring at her with an expression of triumph. She can see it then instantly. He is a dominant; there is no doubt.
She looks away from Leonardo and stares at the metal door.
‘What happens in the Dark Room?’ Her voice is almost a whisper.
Leonardo takes a step towards her. He is so close, his Armani aftershave is almost overpowering.
‘In the Dark Room you are scared, Valentina, because as the name implies, there is no light. You can see nothing, not even your hand in front of your face.’
‘Why would anyone want to go in there?’ Her voice lowers.
Leonardo flashes her a flirtatious look.
‘It is precisely because of your fear that you are able to heighten your sexual experience to a degree you will never have anywhere else.’
Valentina doesn’t move. She knows this man wants her toreact. To laugh, perhaps. Or exclaim. Even run away up the stairs. She won’t do it.
‘I see,’ she says calmly. ‘But I suppose it will be no use to me if it is all in the dark. I won’t be taking any pictures in there.’
Leonardo nods, a lazy smile spreading across his face.
‘Quite right. There is no need for you to go into the Dark Room . . . unless, of course, you want—’
Valentina cuts him short.
‘Can you show me the other rooms, please. I’m afraid I have to go soon.’
Leonardo’s smile widens. He knows she is lying. Already he has worked her out. She is scared of the Dark Room.
‘Very well,’ he says, strolling over to open the wooden door. ‘This is what we call our Atlantis Room. You will see why, I hope, once you have experienced it for real.’
Valentina pauses on the threshold. She looks at Leonardo’s hand, his elegantly manicured fingers, as he slowly turns the handle. Her heart begins to race. She has a feeling that once she steps into the Atlantis Room, her life will never be the same again. It is a choice she is making on her own, without the consent of her lover, and yet as she moves forward, she hears Theo’s soft American accent in her head.
That’s my girl, my intrepid Valentina
.
Belle
THERE IS A KNOCK ON HER DOOR. BELLE CHECKS HERSELF in the mirror. She brushes down her dress, her hands gliding over the slinky black material. It is one of her maid’s uniforms, which Belle adjusted herself. Something she enjoyed doing, sitting on her little balcony in the Venetian sunshine, sewing and listening to her neighbour playing Bach on his harpsichord. She is not allowed to do this sort of work at home, but she loves to make things and it gave her great satisfaction adjusting Pina’s uniform for the needs of her client. The little black dress now hangs just below her bottom, and above the line of her black stockings, which are of course decorated with white lacy garters. She has a crisp white apron on over the dress, and a little white maid’s hat crowns her black bob. The Russian knocks again. My, he is impatient today, Belle thinks, picking up her feather duster and opening the door.
‘Good afternoon, sir.’ She bows her head respectfully as the Russian strides purposefully into the room.
‘Good afternoon, Katya,’ he says, looking stern. ‘And what took you so long to answer the door?’
‘I am sorry, sir, I came as fast as I could.’
‘Well that’s not good enough, Katya,’ he replies, fixing her with a steely glare, making Belle’s heart race a little. ‘You will have to be reprimanded.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Do you know why?’
‘Because I did not do as you said.’
‘That’s right, Katya. Last time I told you to answer the door promptly after my first knock. Today I have had to knock
twice
.’
The Russian holds his arms out for her to take off his coat. He smells of
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