Brie Surrenders her Heart (After Graduation, #8) (29 page)

T
he night she had been waiting for all her life had finally come—the premiere of her first film, her
baby.
A film she hoped would change the world in some small, but positive way.

People were going to see more than just a simple documentary. The film revealed Brie’s personal transformation from the shell of a girl she had been into the fully actualized woman she was now. Would people recognize the significant, soul-level change or only see the kink? As Sir zipped up the back of her blood red gown, Brie suddenly felt a twinge of fear.

“What’s wrong, téa?”

She turned around with tears in her eyes. “What if they don’t understand? What if they don’t get it, Sir?”

“It’s the risk you take. You cannot force people to see what you see. All you can do is present your truth to them.”

She swallowed hard. “For the first time, Sir…” Brie gazed into his confident eyes, “I’m scared.”

He smiled as he put his hand under her chin and tilted her head higher. “Why did you make this film?”

“To share a new world of desires and a level of satisfaction people might not know exists.”

“Do you feel your documentary accomplishes that?”

She gave a half-smile, understanding where he was heading with the question. “Yes, Sir, I do.”

“Then whatever happens tonight, it will have gone well enough, agreed?”

Brie pressed her forehead into his chest. “Well enough…” she echoed. “But if it were up to me, I would prefer ‘well enough’ to mean a huge success, with lots of positive press and millions of enthusiastic fans.”

Lifting her chin again, he asked in a serious tone. “Is that why you did it?” His intense gaze pierced her soul and the arrow of truth flew straight into her heart.

“No, Sir.”

“Do not waste your energies on the unimportant.”

She tiptoed to kiss Sir’s firm lips. “As always, you give me the perspective I need. Thank you, Sir.”

“This journey we embark on tonight will be a challenge, I’m certain of it. But I said it once and I will say it again, so that we are clear. No matter how this affects our lives, I’m proud to stand with you in this moment.”

A lone tear escaped Brie’s eye and rolled down her perfectly made-up face. Sir brushed it away with his thumb. “Exude elegance and poise, confident in the knowledge you are mine, Brie.”

She smiled, remembering he had said those words the night of her collaring.

He returned her smile and announced, “I have a surprise for you.”

She was grateful for any distraction, thinking he’d gotten her flowers or jewelry. “What is it, Sir?”

“Your parents are joining us tonight. They’re on their way here as we speak.”

She swallowed hard, trying to keep the shock from her face. “My parents?”

“I asked them to come and support you tonight.”

“And my dad agreed?” Brie asked, unable to believe it.

He nodded as he turned her back around and placed a delicate chain around her neck. “They may not care for the path you have chosen, but their love for you remains constant.”

She touched the necklace, noticing that it fit right under the collar she wore as if it were a part of it. “What’s this?”

“A little reminder,” he said, kissing the nape of her neck.

Brie walked over to the wall mirror to look at it. The intricate piece rested on her collarbone. She leaned closer to see the silhouette of two condors in flight, their wings outstretched and touching, connected to one another.

She was in awe. “Where did you find this?”

“I had it made for you.”

“It matches the collar so perfectly, Sir. I…” She turned to face him. “There will never be a more perfect gift.” Brie glanced in the mirror again, smiling as she touched the condors. She believed the necklace held the same significance as a wedding band.

She put her hands on Sir’s chest and gazed up at him. “I love you, Thane Davis.” Her insides fluttered as she said his given name.

He leaned down and kissed her. “I love you too, Brie Bennett, with all the fierceness of a condor.”

She could feel the light pressure of the birds on her neck when she kissed him back. Whatever happened, nothing could touch her. She was protected by Sir’s love.

The ride in the limo was miserably silent. Despite the fact that her parents had come to support Brie, it was obvious they hadn’t changed their minds about Sir or the BDSM lifestyle. She could feel the judgment rolling off her father in waves. He refused to acknowledge Sir and it mortified Brie.

She looked around the spacious limousine and shuddered. Nothing good ever came out of a limo ride.

Sir had insisted they act vanilla in front of her parents. It made for a strained and difficult trip. Brie was nervous about the premiere, so she placed her hand on Sir’s thigh for comfort, although she would have preferred to be at his feet.

Brie tried to kill the deafening silence by forcing a conversation. “So Mom, did you watch my film?”

Her mother gave her father an uneasy glance before answering. “I did…”

“And what did you think?”

“Frankly, I found it shocking.”

“Is that all?” Brie asked leaning forward, hoping to hear something positive from her lips.

“I like your friend Lea.”

Brie sat back, disappointed that was all her mother had to say. She looked out of the window and said, “Yes, Lea is a funny girl.”

“Will all the men who used you be there?” her father asked coldly.

She turned towards him, looking her father directly in the eye. “The men who helped train and support me will be there. If you have nothing nice to say to them, say nothing at all. They do
not
deserve your contempt.”

“That is my intention, daughter. I will remain silent,” he replied, glancing at Sir briefly to emphasize his meaning.

Brie groaned inside. “Why did you come tonight, Dad? If all you’re going to do is make me feel bad and insult the man I love by ignoring him, what’s the point? You might as well have stayed home.”

“I came, daughter, because the man beside you insisted I was needed tonight. It seems obvious to us both that he was mistaken.”

“That’s not true! I’m glad Mr. Davis invited us,” Brie’s mother exclaimed, clutching her husband’s hand. She smiled at her daughter. “Sweetie, even though this is not the kind of premiere I ever dreamed I would be attending, I
want
to be here. You are everything to me.”

“Will you both stay to watch the film?” Brie pressed.

Her father growled. “Do you realize the sacrifice this is going to be for me as your father?” He stared at Brie harshly. “Do you?”

“No, Father. I can’t imagine,” she answered simply, biting back an ugly retort.

“I am going to be exposed to things a father should never have to witness. On top of that, I get to live with the knowledge that the rest of the world has seen it too. You are
my
daughter,
my
little girl.”

“I am the girl you raised to be an independent adult. If my happiness is important to you, then you no longer need to worry. I am not only happy, but content and successful. I am living my dream.”

“And my nightmare,” he mumbled under his breath.

“You know, Dad, I’m glad you’re going to watch my documentary. At least you won’t be able to make ignorant statements anymore.”

“We’re about to pull up,” the limo driver interrupted.

Brie looked out at the crazy amount of people crowding around the theater. “I never expected such a turnout for a documentary film,” she said in wonder. She was thrilled until she saw the protests sign.

Oh, no…

Sir saw them too. “Head up at all times, Brie. You are focused on me. No one else matters.”

She remembered a similar lesson in Russia. She closed her eyes and repeated to herself,
No one else matters.
When she opened her eyes, Brie felt a new sense of calm.

She told her parents, “Follow us, but
please
don’t speak to anyone. These people don’t need extra cannon fodder to use against me or my film.”

“Our lips are sealed,” her father replied, his expression hard and unwavering.

Her mother looked at the angry multitudes milling outside the car and panicked. “Brie, I don’t want them to hurt you!”

Sir assured her, “She’ll be fine, Mrs. Bennett.”

Sir then cradled Brie’s face in his hands and smiled. “Your moment has finally come, Brie. Embrace it with pride and confidence.” He kissed her deeply, right there in front of her father. The boldness of the gesture infused her with a rebellious self-confidence.

When the driver opened the door for them, angry shouts filled the vehicle. Sir made her parents go first. “Wait beside the car, and then follow behind us.”

Sir exited next. He stood up outside the limo and held his hand out to her. Brie took it and squeezed it hard, needing his courage.

“Slut!” was the first word to greet Brie as she emerged from the limo. She looked at Sir and smiled. If that was the best they could do, this was going to be easy.

She was enamored by the red carpet at her feet and the velvet ropes sectioning off each side. Hundreds of flashes went off as Sir held out his arm to escort her down the carpet.

Brie looked into the barrage of flashing lights and saw news cameras as well. Brie assumed the coverage would be a good thing, whether it was for the documentary or the protesters.

She was surprised to see Master Anderson standing just inside the ropes, and farther down, Master Coen as well. She wondered if they’d been asked to walk the red carpet as well, since both were mentioned in the film.

“Miss Bennett!” one of the reporters called out.

Sir led Brie over to the woman. She smiled at the reporter as she nervously played with the condors around her neck.

“Can you tell us why you created this documentary?”

“Certainly. I wanted people like me to have a better understanding of the D/s lifestyle.” She giggled. “To be honest, when I first learned about it I was pretty shocked. But through my training, I’ve come to understand the beauty and power that can come from it.”

“Beauty—I’ll say! Just look at these hunky men you worked with,” the reporter said, giving Sir a flirtatious wink.

Brie ignored her remark, and leaned towards the microphone. “I hope my documentary can open people’s minds and bring couples closer together.”

The reporter continued to flirt with him. “Closer is exactly where I’d like to be.”

Sir frowned and moved Brie on to the next reporter in line. He leaned down and whispered, “Well done. Keep it about the film.”

The male reporter she approached looked to be as old as her parents. Brie was already dreading his questions.

“Miss Bennett, this documentary is based on your own training. Is that correct?”

“Yes, it documents the six-week training I experienced at the Center.”

“Did you go into training with the intention of documenting it. or was submission something you wanted to become skilled at?”

“Great question!” she complimented, realizing she had a true reporter on her hands. “I joined the Center because I was curious about the lifestyle after receiving an invitation from the headmaster of the school.”

“When you say ‘headmaster’, you are speaking about the man standing beside you, Sir Thane Davis, and not the current headmaster of the school?”

It appeared that the man had done his homework. “That’s correct. Because I studied film, it only seemed natural for me to document my days as I lived them. After I got to know the other students, I asked them to add their experiences as well.”

“Would you say you are close to your fellow classmates?”

Brie looked farther down the red carpet and saw that both Mary and Lea were ahead of her, answering questions under the protection of Faelan and Tono.

She glanced back at the reporter. “Yes, I’m most definitely close to both. Although Mary and I have our differences, as you will see in the film, both ladies are exceptional friends.”

He surprised her with his next question. “Miss Bennett, do you feel this documentary may end up hurting the BDSM community in any way?” he asked.

It was a sobering thought. Brie frowned when she answered, “I certainly hope not. It’s my belief that knowledge is power. How can learning about something new and dispelling preconceived ideas be a bad thing?”