Xavier awoke abruptly, sensing the chill of an empty space next to him. The bed lay cool and untouched, devoid of any lingering warmth. Shifting his position, a derisive sound escaped his mouth, assuming Cathleen must be in the bathroom freshening up. Memories of their passionate night danced at the fringes of his thoughts—her tired sighs echoing in the quiet room, her form yielding to the unyielding tides of pleasure he had extracted from her core. Against his will, a faint smile flirted with his expression.

"Needy, weren't you?" he murmured to the empty room, picturing her chained form on the spanking bench. Her beauty in bondage was a vivid...