Twenty-Nine Evelyn #2
Vanessa slipped her hand into her purse as she described growing up wealthy and the pressures of attending a feeder boarding school.
She pulled out a stylish scarf and wrapped it around my neck.
Her breath fanned against my cheek as she adjusted the soft, vanilla-infused fabric, keeping me warm the rest of the way.
“I’ve told you so much tonight,” I commented as we stepped into the hotel elevator, which carried us up to the penthouse suite.
I’d opened up about my plans, my past, my struggles, my dreams—and as far as we’d established, we were just two women casually seeing each other.
I wasn’t her submissive, and I certainly wasn’t her girlfriend.
So why did she get to hold so much power over me?
I’d given her my authentic self, and now those pieces lay exposed and unclaimed.
“Anything you share or do with me stays between us. Also, I have something for you, sweetheart.”
I pushed away the lingering doubt. I needed to let her actions speak louder than labels. I hated labels anyway, and couldn’t ruin what might be an unforgettable night with my overthinking.
"I don't need more gifts. The earrings you got me are already one of the best gifts I've ever received."
"I've noticed." A small smile crossed her face. "This one goes with them. If you don't want it, you can tell me. The decision is entirely yours, and yours alone. So I want you to think about it carefully," she said, holding the hotel room door open for me.
“Nessa, wait. If it’s so valuable that I need to debate whether I should risk wearing it, I don’t want it,” I insisted, removing the scarf she had tied so perfectly.
Ignoring my protests, she reached into her bag and withdrew a long, flat jewelry box wrapped in black velvet. Cradling it in both hands, she held it out to me with such care it looked as though it contained something irreplaceable.
"I don't want the responsibility of carrying around something this expensive. I'm sorry," I admitted, making no move to take it.
"Honey." Her voice softened. "I need you to trust me and open it."
After a moment's hesitation, I accepted the box. The velvet was cool beneath my fingertips as I slowly lifted the lid.
My breath caught.
Nestled against the black lining was a delicate gold necklace. At its center rested a pale aquamarine, its facets catching the light in flashes that perfectly matched the earrings she'd given me.
“Oh my God,” I whispered against the back of my hand.
“I want you to be mine, Evelyn.”
Not wanting to wait another second to have the collar fastened around my neck, I reached for the delicate chain, certain she'd understand what I was asking.
The moment I lifted it from the box, my heart sank.
There was no ring.
Of course there wasn't.
She wanted me to be her girlfriend. I saw that now. That was almost certainly what she was asking, and it should have been enough. It was everything I'd wanted only moments ago.
Except somewhere along the way, I'd started wanting something else too.
A warm hand slipped beneath my chin, gently lifting my gaze to hers.
"Use your words, Evelyn. No means no, and no is a perfectly acceptable answer."
"It's really pretty. I like it," I managed, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. I should have been happier. I'd wanted us to be something for so long.
Gently, she took the necklace from my hands before pressing a kiss to my forehead and laying it back inside the box.
"Hm. Then I'll get you a traditional necklace instead. It'll be just as beautiful."
The words landed with a dull ache. Disappointment settled heavily in my chest, followed almost immediately by guilt. I never should've let my imagination get ahead of me. This was already more than enough. I needed to stop being so ungrateful.
"No," I said quietly. "This one's beautiful. I really do like it."
"Honey," she replied with infinite patience, "I can have another necklace made that looks nearly identical. I'm not going to let you agree to something this significant because you're attached to an aesthetic that can be recreated."
My own internal scolding drowned out the rest of her words as I reached for the necklace again, desperate to undo my mistake. Wearing what I hoped was a more convincing smile, I gave it another appreciative look.
That's when I noticed it.
The clasp had a tiny keyhole.
And etched so subtly into the gold that anyone unfamiliar with it would overlook it entirely was a delicate V.
My smile became genuine in an instant.
"You really didn't realize it was a submissive's choker, did you?" Vanessa asked, frowning.
"There's no loop?" I stated though it sounded more like a question.
"No, but one can be attached if I deem it necessary.”
Relief crashed over me so suddenly I almost laughed.
"Vanessa, I want to be yours," I whispered.
She smiled, though there was something expectant behind it.
"My what? I want to hear you say it."
"Your girlfriend...and your submissive."
Now that I'd finally gotten out of my own head, I noticed how hurt Vanessa had looked despite her best efforts to hide it. The relief that washed over me was reflected just as clearly across her face.
"You already were mine, whether you were ready for a choker or not." She stuck a thin golden key into the clasp. "I'm giving you a spare key, in case of emergencies, but only I get to take this on and off, understood? It's safe to sleep in."
"Yes, Vanessa."
"My good girl," her warm breath fanned against my neck, moving my braid to one side as she secured the jewelry.
I sighed as her lips brushed my neck. My gaze lifted to the mirror, my heart stumbling the moment our reflections came into focus. It looked like something sacred. Trust. Passion. Submission.