He Wanted A Submissive

veinticinco.

When Valerie and Brian reached the mall, it took a bit of time for Valerie to adjust to shopping for a much higher nosed audience. First she found herself getting lost in Saks Fifth, much like a kid in a candy store. Luxury brands were now suddenly at her fingertips and Versace, FENTY, and Burberry seemed to be screaming the loudest.

The store even happened to have a couple of Telfar Global bags on hand and that was practically unheard of.

Brian stalked around with her quietly, never too close and never too far. Only when he stepped away for a phone call did Valerie not see him in the corner of her eye.

She was five fingers deep in a hot pink Birkin bag when she heard him clear his throat behind her causing her to glance back at him. He still had his cellphone in hand.

"Mr.Giovanni wants you to choose your engagement ring today as well. No expense should be spared." He told her curtly. Valerie just hummed her acknowledgement. For some reason her heart faltered a bit at that.

I have to choose my own ring, huh?

It was apparent that the fantasy that they'd shared for the last two nights in a row she was being rudely awakened from. It was back to business as usual, literally. This engagement was an arrangement to a marriage that would benefit them both, but love was not in the equation.

Meaning yes, I had to pick my own damn ring.

Valerie was upset with herself for even caring this much because for as far as she was concerned she still loathed Luca in some ways, but the ways were disappearing as fast as a sand castle on an angry beach.

She liked him, definitely, but still felt they had a ways to go if she ever wanted to consider him as a true husband. Why would she do that though?

There were bigger fish to fry.

The Armata was one hell of a fish.

Walking towards the cash register to be checked out, Brian put all the new items she'd add to her closet onto the counter to be scanned. There was a young platinum blonde woman behind the counter. The teal gum she had in her mouth must've been delicious with the way she was chewing it loudly.

When Valerie handed her Luca's black card the girl's eyes lit up like the top star on a Christmas tree, her lavender stiletto nails grasped the card delicately before she flitted over Valerie's appearance and gasped.

"You're Luca Giovanni's new fiancé! Fuck, I would kill to be in your shoes right now." She gushed as she swiped the card.

Valerie laughed nervously as she stuck the card back in her wallet and took her bags graciously when they were handed to her. "Baby, I'd kill to be out of them..." She trailed off leaving the cashier with her jaw hitting the floor.

It was weird being recognized in public like she was some celebrity, but she was on the rise she guessed. Her face was plastered next to Luca's on every magazine front, but not looking the princess she was for all those hours. Of course they had to capture her in the middle of the rubbish left behind after Luca's clash with Jeff. Barefoot and halfway bruised.

The tabloids had dubbed her the "Wild Ride Bride". Somebody who was in for a big storm wedding the "drunken brute" that was Luca Giovanni and to think he had the nerve to be upset with her for stepping in the middle of the fight. At least she was proof he could get somebody to marry him, the gossip columns swore he was doomed to live as a handsome, but very lonesome geezer forever.

Same thing my family thought about me, I suppose.

Her mind flitted back to her family's expression when she finally brought someone home to meet them.