"Maîtresse…" Armand whined, trailing after her like a lost puppy as she got ready for the evening.
"No."
"But—"
"I said, no, Armand."
"Why—"
Claudia whirled around, abruptly losing her patience with him. "Because I said so, that's why!" She didn't deign to look back at him, sure that Armand was giving her a look like he was the most tortured soul in all of Paris, no, the world.
It would work on her, too, which she hated. With Armand shirtless from sleep and covered in all the little marks Claudia'd had to work to leave on him early that morning, he was at his most pitiful.
Claudia continued to dress, wriggling into the tight, satin sheath dress Armand had laid for her, combing out her hair with an antique (even more antique than herself) mother of pearl comb—one of a whole set, a gift for their anniversary last year. It made the destitute little girl living in a cramped boarding house inside of her thrill to use something so fancy.
The silence persisted as she did her makeup. Claudia was still annoyed at Armand questioning her, and Armand always got all kicked dog when she yelled at him. She let it stretch on, waiting for her boy to gather his pride and come crawling back.
Claudia clasped on a string of pearls, or rather, attempted to. The necklace (yet another gift from Armand, oh Jesus, now she was starting to feel bad for snapping) had a tricky clasp. She was going to have to ask for help.
Armand broke at the same time she did, coming over swiftly to take the necklace from her hands, just as she drew breath to speak.
"I should not have questioned you, Maîtresse. My apologies."
He sounded sincere, and she really was starting to feel a little niggle of guilt, so Claudia threw him a bone.
"Kneel for me."
He did, head bowed, hands folded in his lap back straight. Perfect form.
Claudia laid a gloved finger under his chin, tilting his head up to look at her.
"You know I love you, don't you?" She murmured.
"Yes, of course. I would never doubt that."
"And you know that whatever I do, even if you don't understand my choices, is in our best interest?"
"I was wrong to—"
She put her finger to his lips. "Shhhh. Yes or no. Is everything I do in our best interests?"
"Yes, Maîtresse."
It was an awkward angle for kissing, but she couldn't resist. Armand's plump, pouty lips called to her. Her hand found it's way into his hair, even as one of his snaked it's way under her dress to clutch at her thigh.
Breaking the kiss before it got too heated, Claudia took a moment to close her eyes and breathe before saying.
"I know you don't like it. I don't like going out without my guard dog either, but folks gotta do all kinds of stuff they don't like sometimes. Like it or not, this is an important gala, and having a white face there with me will open up a lotta doors for us." She papped him hard on the cheek, almost a slap. "I'm not replacing you with the likes of Daniel Molloy, Dog. He's a means to an end, you hear me?"
Armand nodded, sniffing slightly. Terribly insecure, that man, for someone who could turn a rival inside out with just a thought. Still, she privately thought that it was a little sweet that he got jealous over her.
"Now here's what you're going to do while I'm gone." Claudia walked over to the closet and pulled out a large box, making sure to bend at the waist and show off her very few assets as she did. "You're going to pick something nice and big from the toy box here, and then you're gonna crawl into the crate and get yourself ready for me to play with when I get home. That sound good to you?"
One look at his face told her it sounded more than okay. Problem solved.
