Ricochet (38 page)

scarves, five pairs of sweatpants), and tried to

decide what to wear.

Rick hadn't given him any clue as to the role

he'd be playing tonight, so he went for something

neutral and chose his favorite pair of blue jeans.

He thought a tee shirt was too informal to wear

with them, so he sorted through his shirts, trying to

decide which one to wear. At the back of his

closet, tucked away, was the red shirt that Emily

had said didn't suit him; her dislike of it must have

sunk into his subconscious because he hadn't worn

it since then. Now it caught his eye because the

color was similar to the scarlet shirts that Rick

often wore. Matt put it on and looked at himself in

the mirror.

It didn't look bad. In fact, he thought it suited

him. He wasn't sure why Emily had disliked it so

much. Maybe because it made him look more

powerful and dynamic than she liked in her subs.

He decided to wear it; Rick wasn't Emily, after all.

When he was ready, he glanced at his watch:

8.20. It only took twenty minutes to drive to Rick's

place, so he got there early and sat nervously in his

car outside Rick's house. The big, wrought iron

gates were open, but Matt wasn't sure if he should

drive in. Maybe he should just wait here. He didn't

want to be too early. He started counting the

number of blossoms on the bushes in Rick's front

yard, and then the seconds ticking by on his watch,

and then, unable to take it anymore, he snapped and

drove his car onto the driveway and got out.

He glanced at his watch again, although he'd

only looked at it ten seconds ago.8.52. He was still

early, but maybe Rick wouldn't mind. He couldn't

bear the tension for another second, so he walked

up to the front door and knocked.

There was a short wait and then the door was

opened.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm earl…" Matt began,

and then he stopped, his jaw falling open.

Rick was standing in the doorway, but it

wasn't a Rick he'd ever seen before. He was

dressed in a sumptuous, silver-grey, three-piece

suit, complete with buttoned up vest. Under the

vest was a crisp white shirt and a scarlet silk tie -

in almost the exact same shade as Matt's shirt, and

there was a pair of shiny black shoes on his feet.

His thick dark hair, instead of being artfully

tousled as usual, had been tamed with gel and was

neatly parted on one side. His jaw lacked its usual

covering of stubble and had been closely shaved;

Matt could smell the clean tang of his cologne. He

wasn't wearing his thumb ring, or an ear cuff, or

his usual assortment of leather bracelets, but there

was an elegant gold watch peeping out of his vest

pocket, attached by a chain to his buttonhole.

He looked like one of those old-time

Hollywood movie stars Matt had loved so much as

a kid - suave, sophisticated, and dripping elegant

good taste.

"Unhhh…" Matt didn't know what to say so he

just stood there, with his mouth open. Rick's large

frame fitted surprisingly well into the suit. The

acres of smooth fabric hung perfectly over his

firmly muscled flesh, and his long legs looked

particularly good in the wide, forties-style pants.

"You must be Matthew," Rick said, and he

didn't sound like Rick any more than he looked like

him. His voice was more clipped and

authoritative, and Matt noticed that he wasn't

standing like Rick, either. He was holding himself

differently and looked much more formal.

"Yes, um, I am," Matt said croakily.

Rick looked him up and down - slowly, like

he was examining merchandise. "At least you look

like your picture on the website," he said when he

was done. "I'm Richard." He held out his hand, and

Matt took it, still staring at his co-star in disbelief.

Rick gave his hand a hard, single shake and then

dropped it. He didn't seem at all like relaxed, laid-

back Rick right now. Matt couldn't see even a

glimmer of the Rick he knew in this powerful

individual in front of him, and he was blown away

by just how good an actor Rick was. He was so

used to seeing Rick playing Alex Tanner that he'd

had never appreciated his acting range before.

"Come in." Rick stood aside, and Matt

walked nervously past him. "This way." Rick led

him into a den, with a big oak desk standing

imposingly in the middle. "I've prepared the

contract," Rick said, gesturing at the desk.

Matt edged closer and saw a piece of paper

lying there, with an expensive fountain pen resting

on top of it. "I trust you haven't changed your

mind?" Rick asked, picking up the fountain pen and

removing the lid. Matt caught a flash of gold

cufflinks laced through the sleeves of that crisp

white shirt.

"No, I haven't," Matt replied, his mind racing.

Rick had said a contract? What kind of contract?

And what did it say? He tried to get a sense of who

he might be in this scenario. Clearly they weren't

Rick and Matt anymore - they were Richard and

Matthew now, and that gave him leeway to create

a persona. He decided immediately that Matthew

definitely wasn't a pushover. "I mean - I'm here,

aren't I?" he threw back at Rick, and was pleased

to see Rick's eyes flash response to that little show

of attitude. Now they were really playing!

"Yes, you are." Rick nodded, gazing at him

thoughtfully. "Now, let me explain my terms to you

precisely, Matthew. I don't want you crying

afterwards that it wasn't what you were expecting."

That sounded ominous. Matt took a deep

breath and began counting the number of books on

the shelves above the desk.

Rick seemed to guess what he was doing and

stepped

smoothly

between

him

and

the

bookshelves, blocking his view.

"I've arranged for the sum of money you

requested to go into your bank account as soon as

you sign the contract. It's a sizeable sum; I hope

you're worth it."

What was he here then? Some kind of

prostitute? It didn't seem like a simple transaction

of cash for sex though - not with how Rick was

dressed, and the formality of the money supposedly

going into his account, which Matt knew was just

for play and not actually going to happen.

"In exchange for this sum of money, you agree

to be my slave from now until tomorrow at 9am,"

Rick said, which at least answered that question.

"Your slave?" Matt repeated, feeling a little

shocked. So he wasn't to be Rick's sub for the

night, but his slave? That was something very

different. A sub was a dom's equal; he had rights

and his wishes had to be taken into account, but a

slave had no rights and was entirely the property

of his master for the length of the contract, to do

with as he pleased.

"My slave," Rick repeated firmly. "That's

why it's such a large sum of money for one night.

On the
For Sale
website you indicated that you

were happy to be bought, rather than simply to sub,

so you can't be surprised that I don't just want the

pleasure of your services; I also demand your most

abject submission."

Matt wondered where Rick had learned to

speak like that. He liked the idea of the
For Sale

website, and that he'd put himself on it, hoping for

a buyer. He wondered who he was that he'd done

something so reckless and tried to imagine how

that would feel.

"The sum I'm prepared to pay also reflects

your status," Rick added, and Matt arched an

eyebrow at him. "I'm buying your virginity too,"

Rick said, and Matt felt his stomach do a little flip.

Oh, this was good! Rick was creating a scenario

similar to the one he'd be playing as Ben, without

making it about Ben. "If you've lied about being a

virgin, I'll be extremely annoyed," Rick said, in a

cold, hard tone, and Matt felt a thrill of fear. He

wouldn't want to cross Richard, even if he knew

Rick to be a big goofball.

"I haven't lied!" he snapped, throwing his

head back as if insulted by the suggestion.

"It's unusual though; a pretty sub like you -

still a virgin? I would have thought some dom

would have enjoyed you by now." Rick gave him

an assessing look, his gaze sweeping over Matt's

body like he already owned it.

"I made sure they didn't," Matt said firmly,

getting into the role. "I knew it was the only thing

of value I had to sell, so I saved it."

"Hmm. Of course, you're under no obligation

to tell me, but may I ask why? Why are you here,

Matthew? Why did you agree to sell me your

virginity?"

"I want to be a doctor," Matt blurted out,

surprised by how easily his imagination supplied

the reason. "But I don't have the money to put

myself through college, so I'm waiting tables. I

knew if I sold my virginity then I'd get enough to

help me start out."

"That's very commendable of you."

"What about you?" Matt flung back. "Why are

you buying, Richard?"

Rick considered that for a moment, and Matt

could see him relaxing too, both of them getting

into this.

"I'm a very wealthy businessman, as you can

see." Rick gestured with his hand. "I didn't get here

by accepting less than I want, and if I can't get

what I want by any other means, then I'm very

happy to buy it. I enjoy taking subs on their first

sexual experience." He gave a seductive little

smile.

"And enslaving them?" Matt challenged,

raising an eyebrow.

"I like to be totally in control. I don't want the

sub changing their mind, or demanding that I do it

their way. I want to do what I want to them,

regardless of their feelings on the matter.

Enslaving them for the night enables me to do that -

within some carefully agreed parameters. Hence

the contract." Rick waved his hand at the desk.

"Please, sit down and read it through very

carefully before deciding if you want to sign,

because once you do you'll become my slave for

the night."

Matt sat down, his heart racing, and picked up

the contract.

This contract governs the slavery of Matthew

Lake (the slave) to Richard O'Shea (the master).

It applies for a period of one night, from the time

the contract is signed until 8.59 the following

morning.

I, Matthew Lake, agree to be the slave of Richard

O'Shea for the duration of this contract. I agree

to submit my body willingly to my master, to be

used for his pleasure. I understand that my own

wishes and desires are irrelevant and agree to

please my master to the best of my ability.

That sounded both hot and scary. Matt knew

that plenty of people made contracts with each

other for permanent sexual slavery, but it wasn't

usual to go to all this trouble for one night. He

liked how Rick was setting the scene for him and

also finding a good way to remove his control,

which was something he knew Matt found difficult.

It was all very well thought out to suit Matt's

precise needs. He glanced back at the contract.

I, Richard O'Shea, agree to take Matthew Lake

as my slave, to enjoy as I see fit. As his master, I

accept responsibility for his person and will

ensure that he comes to no permanent bodily

harm while under contract to me.

It is a condition of this contract that I may

terminate it at any time, but Matthew Lake may

not.

Matt gave a wry smile and glanced up.

"Problem?" Rick raised an eyebrow.

"I see you have more rights than me."

"Of course. I'm the master." Rick shrugged.

"You don't have to sign it, Matthew - but if you do,

I'll make damn sure you earn every single cent I've

paid for the pleasure of your slavery."

Matt swallowed hard, liking the sound of that.

He read on: