Chapter 47
Violet
I stepped into the amphitheater-style lecture hall just before ten o’clock to find the other Selection girls already gathered there. Everyone looked remarkably chipper considering we'd all been up until nearly two in the morning.
Madeline caught my eye from a few rows up and waved me over to the empty seat beside her.
“Morning,” she said as I sat down. “How are you feeling after last night?”
“Tired, but relieved,” I said. “You?”
“Same. I'm hoping today is something easy. Maybe a nice lecture on wine pairings or something.”
The buzz of conversation filled the space.
Everyone seemed to be speculating about what today would bring.
Mrs. Astor entered right at ten o'clock, her usual stern expression replaced with something that almost looked like amusement. That immediately put me on edge, because I couldn’t remember a single time I’d seen that woman crack a smile.
“Good morning, ladies,” she said, clasping her hands in front of her. “I hope you all had adequate rest after last night's trial. You performed admirably. Most of you, at least.”
A few nervous laughs rippled through the room.
“Today's session will be quite different from your usual classes,” Mrs. Astor continued. “In fact, it's not a formal class at all.”
I sat up straighter. Beside me, Madeline did the same.
“Instead,” Mrs. Astor went on, “you'll be spending the day with your Reaper partners.”
Confused murmurs spread through the room. Madeline shot me a questioning look, and I shrugged.
“As you've learned over the past two months, a successful partnership in our world requires complete understanding between husband and wife,” Mrs. Astor said.
“You must know each other's minds, each other's strengths and weaknesses, each other's fears and aspirations.” She paused.
“You must also understand each other's bodies. What brings pleasure, what causes discomfort, what boundaries exist and what desires might be explored.”
Oh.
Oh.
The room had gone completely silent.
“Physical intimacy is a cornerstone of any strong marriage,” Mrs. Astor continued, her tone remaining perfectly professional despite the subject matter.
“Particularly in partnerships like yours, where trust and vulnerability are essential. So, on that note, your Reapers have been instructed to take you to private spaces within the estate where you can explore this aspect of your relationship in whatever way feels appropriate to you both.”
“Of course the Club has a training module for sex,” Madeline muttered under her breath, just loud enough for me to hear. “They have one for everything else, so why not this too?”
I had to bite my lip to stop myself from giggling.
“This is not a test,” Mrs. Astor clarified. “And of course, there is no performance evaluation. No one will be observing or judging you. This is simply an opportunity for you to deepen your connection with your partner.”
She looked around the room. “Your Reapers are waiting in the corridor outside. You're dismissed until tomorrow morning. Enjoy your day, ladies.”
I stepped into the corridor to find Julian leaning against the wall, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
“So this is what you meant by fun, huh?” I said, walking up to him.
His wicked grin widened. “Maybe.”
“I really should’ve known,” I said with a soft laugh.
He pushed off the wall and offered me his hand. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
I took his hand, hyperaware of the other couples around us. Some were already walking away together, while others stood in the hallway talking quietly, looking excited.
“Where are we going?” I asked as Julian led me down the corridor.
“You’ll see,” he said, still grinning wickedly. “It’s a surprise.”
We passed through parts of the estate I'd never explored before, deeper into the northern wing. On our way, we encountered other couples heading in different directions. One girl was practically dragging her Reaper toward the nearest door, both of them laughing.
Finally, Julian stopped in front of an ornate door with intricate carvings. He pulled out a key I'd never seen before.
“What exactly is this place?” I asked, peering up and down the hall as he slid the key into the lock. “They didn’t show us this wing on the tour.”
“It’s full of private rooms,” he said, pushing the door open. “For exactly this purpose. Each Reaper has access to one, and this is ours.”
I stepped inside, and my eyes instantly widened.
The room was dimly lit, with recessed lighting that cast a warm amber glow across deep burgundy walls.
A massive bed dominated the center of the space, draped in black silk sheets, and the headboard was upholstered in tufted velvet with discreet attachment points built into the frame.
Above that, the ceiling was one enormous mirror.
Low leather seating curved along one wall, and a bar cart next to it held crystal decanters and glasses.
Along another wall, sleek black cabinets displayed their contents openly.
Silk restraints in jewel tones hanging from hooks.
Leather cuffs with quick-release mechanisms. Various sizes of plugs, some jeweled, others sleek metal that caught the light.
Vibrators of different styles and intensities.
Paddles, crops, and whips arranged like art pieces.
Blindfolds in various materials. Temperature play items, including what looked like glass wands that could be heated or cooled.
Between the cabinets, mounted on the wall, was a leather bench with adjustable positions, and near that was a standing frame with restraint points at various heights. There was even a sex swing suspended from reinforced ceiling mounts.
“Well,” I said slowly, turning to stare at the cabinets again. “This is not what I was picturing.”
Julian flashed me another wicked smile. “Disappointed?”
“Are you kidding? This is way better than another lecture on which fork to use.” I leaned in to take a closer look at a bejeweled butt plug. “Though I have to say, the Dionysus Club really commits to a theme. Even their sex dungeons are fancy as hell.”
He laughed and crossed to the bar cart, grabbing two bottles of water. “Can't have the Selection girls getting fucked in anything less than luxury, right?”
“God forbid.” I took the water he offered and cracked it open. “So this room is really just for us? All day?”
“Yup. And not just today. From now on, we can come here whenever we want,” he said. “Unless we have prior commitments, of course. Also, everything in here is brand new, in case you were wondering.”
I nodded slowly. “I really wish I’d known about this place sooner,” I murmured, brows rising as I looked at a remote-controlled vibrator with what had to be at least ten different settings.
Julian leaned back against the bar cart, watching me. “Something catch your eye?”
I glanced at him, then back at the display. “I guess you could say I’m a little curious.”
“Yeah?” He stepped closer to me, hands sliding around my waist. “What did you have in mind?”
I twisted my lips with contemplation as my eyes skated over the items again. “Actually… the thing I’m most curious about is what’s on your mind right now,” I finally said, arching a brow as I turned my head to look up at him.
His grin turned wolfish. “You really want to know?”
“Absolutely.”
He was quiet for a moment, and I watched something shift in his expression. A flicker of heat, maybe a little hesitation. Then he leaned down, his mouth close to my ear.
“Do you remember that night when I was with you in your dorm room?” he asked, voice low. “Back in October.”
I nodded, and he went on.
“I watched you after I left. When you thought you were finally alone.”
Oh god. The hidden camera he'd admitted to placing in my room. I’d forgotten all about that.
“You were so fucking turned on,” he continued, his breath warm against my neck. “And you didn't waste any time, did you? Went straight for that toy of yours.”
His voyeuristic admission scraped something tender in me, a flash of vulnerability, but the spark that followed burned it clean.
“You saw that?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
“Every second of it.” His hands tightened on my waist. “And I've got to tell you, Violet, that was the horniest I've ever been in my entire fucking life. Watching you ride that dildo, hearing those little sounds you made, seeing how badly you needed it...”
I swallowed hard as hedonistic heat continued to spread throughout my body.
“I've thought about it so many times since then,” he went on. “Wondered what it would be like to see it again. But this time, you'd be doing it for me.”
I turned in his arms to face him fully. His eyes were dark, pupils blown wide.
“You want to watch me play?” I asked, lifting a brow.
A low, growling sound rose in his throat. “Fuck yes, I want to watch you,” he ground out.
I bit my bottom lip, considering. In the past, the idea might’ve made me self-conscious. Embarrassed, even. But instead, all I felt was a rush of heat and curiosity.
“I can do that,” I said, smiling coyly. I glanced over at the bed, then back at him. “But you have to stay at the end of the bed. No touching until I say so.”
Julian’s grin was pure sin. “Deal.”
I stepped back from him, letting my fingers trail over the edge of the cabinet. The variety of toys glinted under the amber light, each one promising a different kind of thrill. My pulse was quick, the anticipation thick in my chest.
“I’m serious about the no-touching rule,” I said, voice low and teasing. “If you move before I tell you, you’re going to regret it.”
Julian’s smirk was wicked, but he stayed rooted at the foot of the bed. “I can handle it,” he said.
I picked up a slim, metallic vibrator first, feeling its weight in my hand. The thought of Julian watching me made my fingers tingle. Slowly, deliberately, I traced it along my inner thighs, giving him a perfect view. His breathing hitched, and I could see the way his jaw clenched.