Master (7 page)

She hadn't thought of that.

"Oh, Athol, I'm being mean, aren't I?" Anna was
contrite. She hadn't thought of Athol's side when she'd asked for help.

"Hey, doll, I'm a big boy even if I do look about
twelve. And wait and see. It's strange, but once through these doors I'm my
real self. No sweat. So do you trust me?"

"What? Of course I do."

She was sure he muttered,
god help
me, but had no time to ask. Athol took her hand and led her across the room
toward the bar.

****

Cade
stood in front of the computer
screen and swore. Even in black and white, Anna looked as if she was about to
faint. He would bet his last rope she was the color of snow and at least as
cold.

"Come on," he muttered. "You can do it. Show
me, love, show us." The fact he didn't know if there was ever again going
to be an 'us' he wasn't going to think about. All he knew was now he'd found
her he had to try again. The threat of her picture going on public display was
almost an idle one.
 
Cade
had hoped against hope that one day that perfect pose would be on show. He was
so proud of her in it. After she'd walked out it was the only thing he held on
to openly. His lasting hope was that one
day,
he'd
recreate it again with her. Their lovemaking after he'd untied her had been the
best ever, and
Cade
knew he'd never experience
anything like it with anyone else.

He and
Linsey
had had a long chat.
Even after Anna had walked out of the club,
Cade
had
had faith in her integrity. What he hadn't expected was for her to walk into
the club, indeed any club as she had. Did she know he was there?

He'd
travelled
north on a whim.
Not to try to speak to Anna, he knew better than that. She didn't know, but
Cade
had someone watching her 24/7. There was no way he'd
lose track of her again. Whatever the outcome, they had to resolve their life.
Linsey
had been overjoyed when he'd offered to help out for
the evening. The last thing he'd expected was for Anna to turn up. He'd
intended to confront her during the following day.

Ah right. She's got this far.
I'll either freak her, or I won't.
Cade
was pleased he'd asked
Linsey
not to promote his participation. Athol would have a
clear conscience, when Anna undoubtedly confronted him.

"Time,
Cade
."
Linsey
had entered the room without him hearing her. She
looked over his shoulder at the screen. "What're you staring … oh shit. I
had no idea." Her voice rose, and her worry was evident. "Seriously,
I'd've
told you, if I did."

"I guessed that. Don't worry, I won't renege. Anna
might freak, but that's up to her. I wonder why she chose tonight to come
in?
"

Linsey
shrugged her shoulders under
the thin blue silk she was wearing. "No idea. I kept to my side of the
bargain and didn't contact her. I didn't even know she was here. Athol must
have brought her in when he finished his shift. I wonder what he'll do with her
when he
demonstrates?
I can't see Anna participating
in scribing, can you?"

She'd better not.
For one awful moment
Cade
thought he'd spoken aloud. He saw red—literally. A
haze of anger filled him and clouded his vision. No one, but no one except
himself would do that to his wife, and even then not unless she asked him to.

"Probably not," he said is as non-committal voice
as he could manage. "But then I couldn't see her walking into the club
either. Don't worry, when Athol's busy, I'll look after her for you."
If she doesn't emasculate me.
"What's the schedule?"

Linsey
ran through the list of
events. "And we'll keep you until last if that's okay?
Sort
of saving the best bits."

Cade
smiled.
"If
I'm still in one piece.
Lead on,
MacDuff
,
let's go and show our faces. Are you demonstrating?" With one last look at
the monitors, where Anna was now seated at the bar, still looking as if she
might throw up and clutching onto Athol like a suction
pad,
he followed
Linsey
out of the room.

They walked down some stairs to a locked door.
Linsey
unset the
combination.
"With
Suki
.
She's always happy to be flogged for a good cause. All tonight's demos are with
experienced subs.
Hell,
we want to show people what
they might like, not put them off for life. Connie, who you met, is one of my
girls, and I tell you, she's ecstatic at having the chance to be tied by
you."

Cade
nodded, as he listened with
half his mind. The other half was full of regret it wasn't Anna he'd be tying.
However, he'd seen no flying pigs, so that scenario wasn't likely.

As they entered the main room—the Great Room, as
Linsey
called it—there was a tangible ripple of excitement.
Cade
heard his name whispered and saw more than one
person glance his way only to shift their eyes as he glared.

"Protocol seems to have gone to hell," he said in
a voice that carried. "Not what I'd have expected."

"No, nor me."
Linsey's
tone of voice was not pleasant. It could freeze the sun. "And it better
be
rectified soon. Master Fergus?" She spoke to that
evening's dungeon master, who approached her. "Sort those subs,
please."

The blond-haired man who had appeared at their side dipped
his head.
"Of course, Ma'am."
He walked over
to the group of girls who had spoken. Several stiffened, and one dropped to her
knees and bowed her head. Out of the corner of his eye,
Cade
watched Anna's demeanor. She'd stood up, and he reckoned only the fact Athol
was holding her arm stopped her running.

"Ma'am?
That's a new one on me."
Caden
dragged
his eyes away from his wife and looked at
Linsey
, who
was watching Master Fergus closely. As first one girl and then another nodded
and looked down toward the ground, she turned her attention back to
Cade
.

"What? Oh, Ma'am?
Why not?"

"Why not indeed.
I like it. And it suits you. What
does Anna call you?"

She looked at him. His pretense of nonchalance didn't fool
her.
"Up until recently a friend.
Now?
Who knows? Probably poison."

The look of compassion she gave him was almost his undoing.
Cade
felt like crying. He swallowed. "Hey, I've made
my
bed,
I rest on it, okay? My sins are
mine
alone."

"True, but when you involve me…"
Linsey
sighed. "Yeah, okay, over to you. What
now?"

That
Cade
reflected was the crux
of the matter. "I work for you. I promised you a demo and tutorial.
Where's my sub? We need to talk."

Linsey
waved, and a tall, dark-haired
girl approached and knelt at his feet.

"Ma'am.
Sir."

Caden
smiled. The sub and he had
conversed about the demonstration earlier, and he was happy they would work
together. However, he had an idea in mind and needed Connie the sub's
cooperation.
And
Linsey's
.

"
Linsey
, I need to talk to
you both in private. Make it look as if we're discussing the demo. Where can we
go?" His face must have reflected his need because
Linsey
didn't ask questions.

"Through here, both of you." She opened a door in
the back of the room.
"An interview room.
Will it
do?"

Anywhere would do if he could talk to them both without the
chance of Anna overhearing.

"I'm going to be devious," he said once the door
was closed behind them. "Connie, you need to listen very carefully."

She knelt in front of him and bowed her head.
"Yes, Sir."

Cade
sighed. He really wasn't into
formality with someone he had no true connection with. Those words that he
heard so often failed to stir him. It was as if someone had opened the
curtains.
Caden
realized for years he'd just been
going through the motions.

"It doesn't matter," he said quickly. If he was
going to win Anna, it had to be without subterfuge. He wasn't going to be
anything but open.
 
It was the only way.
And if they didn't?
Cade
decided
he wasn't going to think about that.

"Let's just go through what I'll need. First, restate
your safe words."

Connie looked surprised as well she might. They'd been over
everything earlier, practiced and practiced. This was after all a
demonstration, and a tutorial.

"We're showing
newbies
how to
feel and act," he said smoothly.
"Therefore?"

"Red,
Orange
, and Green sir.
Stop, slow down, and I'm
happy."

"Good girl. We need to leave nothing unexplained. And
although it might be teaching, hey, you have to get enjoyment. This could be
make
or break time for some people."
Including Anna, I think.
"I never
leave anything to chance."

Linsey
flashed him a glance. He
could tell she knew that hadn't been what she was going to say, but chose not
to interfere. It was just as well. The evening was going to push him to his
limits, especially if Anna watched.

Caden
decided to go for gold.

"This is the design."

Chapter Six

Anna watched
Cade
through hooded
eyes.

"Did you know he was here?" she asked Athol in a
voice guaranteed to send slivers of ice down his spine. He shook his head.

"Anna, love, if I had, whatever
Linsey
said,
I'd've
told you. You
matter. They don't."

That admission stole her breath away. True friends were few
and far between for Anna. It was rare she opened herself up.

"Thank you, Sir. Oh
fuck,
where did that come from?" Anna was mortified. The fact Athol laughed
didn't help.

"Like I said,
hon
," he
crowed. "You can't lose it.
Never ever.
And if I
wanted a lady, believe me you'd be her."

"Oh fuck off." Anna didn't give lip service to
him. "I can so go off you.
Oh my god, what?"
She pointed to the other side of the room, where a Dom unknown to her had a sub
strapped to a St.
Andrew’s Cross
.
"Who
the fuck is he?
That sub is not happy. No, don't ask how I know, I just
do." The woman in question showed unease in every muscle. "
Do
something, Athol, or I will. I can't believe no one has
noticed." She began to move.

"No need." Athol held her arm, stopping her approaching
the couple. It was probably the proper thing to do in the circumstances,
because in the mood she was in she'd probably be sued for assault as she
thumped the guy in the balls. "Your man has seen and sorted."

"He's not..." One look from Athol stopped her mid-sentence.

"No? He seems to think he is." Athol stood back as
Caden
left the couple at the cross with a dungeon
monitor and approached Anna and Athol. Anna's tummy, which had already done the
Samba, began a steady rock and roll.

"Athol, if you love me, don't leave me," she said
under her breath. He smiled, and she saw the compassion there.

"Anna, honey, I so do love you, but I value my hide
more."

She could have killed him as he nodded to
Caden
.

"Master
Caden
."

The acknowledgement of a Sir to a Master.
She scowled.

"Athol, you are a
wuss
."

 
He grinned. "Oh
am I ever. Now it's up to you, hon. Grab your courage and use it." He
walked away. Anna glared at his retreating back. What a cop out.

"Anna."
Caden
stood in
front of her. As much as her mind said kneel and submit, her body wouldn't, not
here. She looked at him and smiled. Anyone who knew her would recognize that
smile and be very wary. His eyes narrowed.

"Well hello,
Caden
. I won't
say it's a pleasure, because it isn't." Behind
Cade
someone gasped. She ignored the sound, even if inwardly it pleased her. He was
not her Dom, she wasn't a sub, and she'd say what she wanted.