Madame (Salacious Players' Club, #6)

by Sara Cate

When I notice the shake in my voice and the tension behind my smile, I keep reminding myself to be the woman in the mirror. Bold. Beautiful. Fearless.

Just as I’m about to apologize for being difficult, I close my mouth. The woman in the mirror doesn’t say sorry for making her preferences known. She has nothing to be sorry for.

“I think I wanted it to tell me I’m submissive because that’s the role I’ve been playing my entire life. I belonged to my father. I belonged to my small town and all the expectations put on me there. Then I belonged to my husband. I thought that’s what I wanted because that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

Love is nothing more than a form of control. And from here on out, I will be the only one in control.

Is loving a person truly enough when existing together requires so much more?

“If you’re going to be a people pleaser, then the first person you need to please is yourself.”

Switches prefer to change roles in the bedroom depending on their mood, partner(s), or situation. They enjoy both dominant and submissive roles and often pair well with other switches. Well, great, I huff. Even my sex life is unable to make a decision.

“I’m nothing if not a good girl.”

I seem annoyed, and I don’t mean to. But I am annoyed.

Did I ignore the red flags because I was excited to see her again? Yes, like an idiot.

But that’s the thing, isn’t it? Love and family life are complicated. It’s never perfect, and problems are truly unavoidable. Guilt, fear, and resentment are just shadows—inevitable dark spots behind where love, trust, and happiness shine.

“No. I want you, Eden. I’m not experimenting. I know.”

“Eden, what do you think love is? If it made sense, it would be like taxes or the weather. But it doesn’t. That’s why there are songs and art and literature—because we’re all just trying to make sense of something that never, ever makes sense.”

“You think a person has to be alone to feel lonely? You know nothing.”

Vibes

I’m tired of bending over backward for the sake of others.

Who is bending over backward for me?

Just because it ended doesn’t mean there weren’t great moments.”

How simple children are. Why can’t adults be like this? Apologize. Love. Be happy. Like it’s all that easy. I wish it were.

It’s not exactly as I envisioned, but nothing ever is. That doesn’t make it any less perfect.