Double the Price (SeXlection #2) (3 page)

When Tuesday came around, I made it home on time for once, the game starting promptly at seven. I walked into my apartment, only to hear his soft voice giving commands. “My master wants the good scotch ready to serve and the imported Russian vodka with the guest he has coming, and if the canapés are dry, he will chew out your boss and never order from your company again.” I smiled, thinking he might really have a knack for this crap.

Because I hated this.

“Oh, good, you’re home, master,” he gasped as I stepped into the kitchen. My jaw dropped open when I saw him. “Please taste this and tell me if you think it’s acceptable.” He raced over to me and stood on his toes. I leaned over and he slid some tiny crab cake thing past my lips. I moaned, nodding as my eyes never left him. “Good, good. I’m half cat, so when it comes to fish and seafood, I’m biased.” He turned around and growled. “No, the pastries do
not
go out on the table. We will serve those later. I
will
bite you!”

He stormed off and corrected whatever error. Half an hour later, the caterers were gone and only one bartender was left—and I finally had a chance to corner my slave alone.

“Anything else I should sample?” I murmured as I backed him against the fridge, drinking him in as my cock leaked in my slacks.

“Anything you would like, master,” he whispered, blinking up at me from under his unimaginably long lashes. He was so distracted he thought I meant food. Cecil was even more beautiful now than when I had met him. He had his hair gelled up somehow so it looked like he’d just been fucked good, rode even harder, and put up wet. His eyes had on perfect, dark mascara, accented with just the right amount of eyeliner so they stood out bigger and brighter than ever, and the most subtle hint of shadow that matched whatever getup he was wearing.

“How did you ever put that on by yourself?” I asked as I reached and touched one of the silk pieces hanging. It looked like something out of the Roman ages. Basically it was a bunch of independent straps all over his limbs, one across his chest and another around his waist and then dozens of see-through hanging silk strips connected to the straps.

And that was
all
he was wearing.

“Where did you even
get
it?”

“Do you not like it, master?” he whispered in horror, the blood draining from his face. “I should have asked. I’m so sorry. There wasn’t much time and—”

I moved my hand over his mouth, realizing he had gloss on his lips as well. “It’s stunning, as you are,” I murmured, moving his hand to my cock and letting him feel how much I liked it. The last thing we needed before our debut was for him to worry he looked bad. His eyes went wide and he went to drop to his knees. “No time. Guests will be arriving shortly. How did you get into that and where did you get it?” I stepped away and removed my fingers from his lips, not missing when he licked them and stared at my groin.

Fuck, that made my dick twitch.

“I learned to dress in it at the brothel. It’s a typical slave garment for ocelots since we don’t wear collars,” he panted, his chest heaving as his gaze moved up from my groin to my eyes. “I called the coordinator and told him I needed to be presentable for a function right away and he made a call to get me one from the training class. I have to return it after we make arrangements for me to get my own. I forgot to ask you yesterday. I’m so sorry, master.”

“You’ve had a lot thrown at you quickly. You’re doing wonderfully, Cecil.” I reached out and cupped his cheek, my heart fluttering when he rubbed his face against me and started purring. Luckily the doorbell rang. I dropped my hand and cleared my throat.

“Would you rather I greet your guests or you, master?” he hedged, glancing at the door.

“I’ll greet them. I haven’t told them I bought you yet. Let it be a surprise,” I chuckled, eyeing him over again. “Go wait by the bar and be ready to serve.”

“Yes, master.” He raced off, and I headed to the door, shaking my head. Well, they had been right about how eager to please he was always.

“Your honor, thank you for coming,” I greeted after opening the door. I’d been trying to get the consul general for the Russian consulate of this area to come to
anything
of mine for as long as I could remember. I had so many clients that wanted me in good with anyone in that region that they practically were knocking me in the head to get it done.

He gave me a stiff nod and shook my hand. “Neil, good to see you. Craig promised me you could play cards.”

“I can but I think you’re going to take my money since you’re eyeing me like easy pickings,” I chuckled, trying not to lay it on thick but letting him know I wasn’t a pushover either. I opened the door wider and let him pass just as my good friend Craig came off the elevator. I was the only apartment on the whole floor and the doorman had to specially key them up to my level but there still was an outside door with receiving area.

I preferred it that way instead of places where the elevator opened right into the apartments. Much more privacy and security than those floorplans.

Thank you
, I mouthed to Craig as he hurried to join us. He nodded and slid right in. He was a managing partner at a huge firm and one of the reasons he got there so young was because he was
my
attorney. All my deals went through him and I made him lots and
lots
of money. He was my best friend, as loyal as could be, and threw as much business and contacts back to me.

We’d known each other since freshman year of college. Who would have guessed this was how we’d turn out and still be having each other’s backs?

I let the door close behind us and gave Craig a half hug before leading both men into the living room. Before I could say anything, Cecil held out a small tray with three glasses on it and said something in Russian, bowing his head respectfully. The consul general blinked and then smiled as he took the glass. Cecil’s eyes darted to it and then to me. I quickly took one and so did Craig. We toasted to the man and tossed back the Russian vodka.

The very
strong
Russian vodka.

Then the two of them started talking, Cecil purring and giggling as he set down the tray on the bar.

“Jesus, you never do anything halfway, do you?” Craig chuckled under his breath, plopped down his shot glass on the bar, and leaned in towards me. “I can’t believe you get an ocelot as your first slave, Neil.”

“Of course you know what that means. I didn’t. I had no clue. It just kind of happened but so far it’s really working out.”

“I’ll bet it is. He’s stunning.” He cleared his throat and asked the bartender for a scotch. “I want the full story later. I’m just sorry I missed seeing you at one of the balls.”

“It was a once in a lifetime event,” I muttered, thinking I hoped I never had to go back.

“I’m sorry, we’re being rude,” the consul general apologized to us as he took Cecil’s hand. “It’s just your cat is so magnificent and it’s always so nice to hear my home language spoken so beautifully.”

“You’re too kind, your honor,” Cecil purred, his cheeks heating up. “I’m out of practice. It’s nice to have someone to talk with who is so kind when I trip over words.”

“Any time you want to practice with me, dear Cecil, you have only to say the word. Please, call me Anatoliy.”

It took me everything I had not let my mouth fall open. I’d met the man at least a dozen times and Cecil had permission to call him by his first name within minutes of meeting him. Holy. Shit.

“Thank you, Anatoliy. My master has spoken so highly of you, I see he has not embellished at all of the gentleman you are. We’re still getting used to our new arrangement, but I think we’re having a dinner party soon—you must come.” Cecil glanced at me and gasped. “I’m sorry, master, please don’t be angry with me. Am I allowed to invite your friends without asking you?”

“Of course you are, Cecil. You have nothing to apologize for,” I assured him, my heart racing as I played a role I wasn’t used to. Husband? Master? Lover in a business setting? Holy shit, this was all new.

“What arrangement?”
Anatoliy
asked, glancing between us. “He bought you, no?”

“Yes, but my master is good, and he doesn’t like to
own
living beings even if I’m a slave. He believes as your countrymen do.”

“You do?” Anatoliy blinked at me, before smiling. “I did not know this about you, Neil.”

I shrugged. “It’s not a widely accepted opinion here and can get you into trouble.”
And I have no fucking clue what we’re talking about!
I glanced at Craig who gave me a look that clearly said he didn’t know either.

“Oh yes, I call him Neil when we’re alone, I have my own room,” Cecil gushed as he reached over and grabbed a tray of appetizers, offering it to our Russian guest. “He saved me from the brothel to come work for him as his personal party planner and host because he’s so busy and I’ve been trained that way as an ocelot. Sure we’ll act the part around people, I’ll play because after all, I
am
a cat shifter and we love that.

“I’ve imprinted on him because we had to for him to buy me, so you know the rules of that as educated as you are, but he has not ordered me into his bed
once
since he’s brought me here or been anything but a gentleman. He’s offered to further my education in any way I want. It’s just like the sponsorship programs of shifters in Russia, but we have to do it in his home because of the laws constraining him here. He’s very moral like that and even his assistant who’s worked for him for years says all of his employees call him the fairest boss they’ve ever had.”

“It’s always best to have dealings with people of strong character,” Anatoliy muttered, shooting me a quick glance as if reassessing my value. I wasn’t sure what to say to that, and luckily, there was a knock at the door. I excused myself and answered it. The rest of our group was there—a New York councilman and a judge. After that we sat, Cecil bringing us drinks that the bartender mixed up and making sure everyone tried all of the appetizers.

It went
really
well until about the sixth hand dealt when the judge wanted more than a drink from Cecil. “How about a good luck kiss, sweet Cecil.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, your honor,” he whispered as he laid his hand on the man’s chest and kissed his cheek. “That’s all I can offer you. I’m an ocelot. Once I imprint there is no one else I can truly kiss or who can make me orgasm than my master.”

“So you’re just for
show
?” the judge bitched, not sounding happy about that.

Neither was I.

Cecil set down the tray he’d been holding and slid his leg over the judge’s lap. “No, not at all. Those are my only two limitations, your honor,” he purred loudly, deeply in his chest. “As long as it pleases my master and you ask him first, there is lots I can do, am more than willing to do for you. I am quite talented and trained in many ways. I meant no insult or to tease.” He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Master, may I make amends with your guest?”

“Judge, did my slave offend you? Should he apologize?”

“Offend is a strong word,” he hedged, licking his lips. “But a smart man never turns down an offer of a proper apology for a misunderstanding.” I heard his zipper and Cecil’s hands were on the man’s chest.

“Cecil, I believe you have your answer.”

Cecil gave the barest of nods before he shimmed down the judge and under the table. The judge’s head fell back onto his shoulders and he let out a soft moan.

“Let the real games begin,” the councilman chuckled.

“I fold,” the judge panted, throwing his cards on the table. We kept playing, all of us distracted and drinking more even if we couldn’t
see
what was so obviously going on. When the judge was done, Cecil appeared back up above the table on his lap facing me and licked his lips.

“I made amends, master.”

I cleared my throat. “I can see that. Thank you, Cecil.”

“It was my pleasure,” he purred, moving the judge’s hand between his legs. “The judge is very well
mannered
.” Then he moaned, spreading his thighs wider. “Oh yes, please keep me nice and hard for when my master touches me later. He likes to watch people tease me and fuck me before he enjoys me in private.”

“Do you now?” the councilman asked, clearly interested.

“Wouldn’t you?” I chuckled, nodding to the thing of beauty that was Cecil.

“I’m not sure I’d share him if I had something so special,” he hedged, watching the fun in front of him.

“He likes it too. You haven’t seen how he acts later when we’re alone. It’s something I can’t even put into words,” I replied, playing into the act. “By all means, Councilman, partake if you want. I’ll be rewarded that much better later.”

“Who knew your poker night wasn’t as boring as everyone made it sound,” he chuckled and I had to hide my inner flinch. It was Craig that saved me.

“I tried to hint, I
tried
to tell you,” he drawled, rolling his eyes. “But we keep a lid on it for a reason. We want
friends
who will come and have a little fun, blow off a little steam. Not a small buy ball orgy.”