Slave (14 page)

His steps were solid as he walked toward me. And just like Saturday, his hand found its way into my hair. “Good evening, Brianna.”

I took a chance and answered, “Good evening, Master.”

The fact that I’d answered seemed to please him as the tips of his fingers grazed my scalp before his hand left me. “Stand,” he said, his voice warm.

Lifting myself up, I stood, still keeping my eyes on the floor. I saw his right hand twitch slightly and thought he was going to touch me again, but it remained at his side.

“Dinner smells wonderful. Is it ready?”

I nodded. “Yes, Master.”

“Very good,” he said, taking a step back. “Set everything on the table, and I’ll be back in a minute.”

As soon as he disappeared into his room, I went into the kitchen and started putting everything in the serving dishes I’d found. He had such a well-stocked kitchen. Everything I needed was there and then some.

By the time he walked back into the main room, I had all the food on the table and was standing close by. Keeping my head lowered, I waited for him to approach me. He came to a stop in front of me and this time he did bring his hand up to touch my face very lightly before sitting down in his chair. “Join me, Brianna.”

I took a seat and waited for him to fill his plate before hesitantly reaching to fill my own. We ate in silence for a while, and he seemed to be enjoying what I’d prepared.

Sometimes I found myself watching his hands and remembering how often his touch had calmed me, but then the knowledge of the other things those same hands could do brought me back to reality. It was like he was tearing down my defenses and that scared me more than anything. He would hurt me just like Ian did; it was only a matter of time.

When he was finished, he patiently waited for me. As I lay the fork down on my empty plate, he reached out to lift my chin. Once I was looking at him, he released me. “I’ve arranged a vehicle for your use this week until we can find you something more permanent. I also spoke with Brad, and he’ll be here at eight thirty tomorrow morning. I expect you to give him your full cooperation,” he said, looking meaningfully at me. I nodded.

He looked like he was going to say something else, but the phone ringing cut him off.

Master stood, leaving me at the table waiting while he spoke with whoever was on the other line. When he hung up, he didn’t come back to the table. Instead, he instructed me to clean up and that he would be back in a few minutes.

I waited to get up and do as I was told until after he had walked out the door. It didn’t take long to put everything away and get the dishes into the dishwasher. When everything was done, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself; but only moments later, he came back through the door.

Instead of walking toward me or addressing me at all, he went to his bedroom and disappeared. He was gone for a couple of minutes and then walked back out as if nothing had happened.

Master walked over to the same plush chair he’d sat in the night we’d talked about my school paperwork. And just like that night, he told me to come to him. I went and he extended his hand indicating that, once again, I was to sit on his lap.

When I sat down, his arm came around me just as it had the other night. I was still nervous, but not as much as before. His touch was different when he was displeased with me; it was firm and almost detached. Right now, his touch was calm and gentle. I had no problems sitting here all night if that was what pleased him.

I kept my head lowered as he began to speak, “I have some things for you.”

His hand reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone and a key ring with a remote attached. He held them out for me, waiting for me to take them, so I did.

Looking them both over, I noticed the key was for a BMW. I wondered if it would be similar to the one he drove. The phone was nothing overly fancy, but it wasn’t a basic model either. Of course, it could have been just that for all I knew. I’d never owned a cell phone before, but this one fit his personality, if that made sense, and nothing I’d seen of his yet struck me as low end.

After allowing me a few minutes to look them both over, he had me open the cell phone and we went through how to use it. He’d already programmed his numbers into the phone for both cell and work, but he’d also put Lily’s in there.

I couldn’t help the smile that covered my face and he noticed. His free hand drew light patterns on my arm. “You like Lily? You enjoy spending time with her?”

“Yes, Master. Very much.”

“Well that’s good then. She has invited us over for dinner Thursday evening.” I smiled at the knowledge that I’d get to see Lily again in a few days.

“I also spoke with my lawyer. He was able to locate copies of your records and is sending them via messenger to my office tomorrow. I was hoping to have them today as well, but apparently he encountered a little trouble.”

My brow creased and the smile on my face disappeared. Trouble. Where would he have gone to get the information? Dallas or Two Harbors? I really hoped it was Dallas, but I was putting my money on Two Harbors. Dallas had no reason to give him trouble.

I felt Master shift his weight and suddenly I was flush against him with my head on his shoulder. But for once, I wasn’t scared of him. He wasn’t the monster I was afraid of.

Brianna

Over the next two days, a pattern started to form. Although my days varied, my nights were very much the same. When Master came home, I would be waiting by the door for him. After a brief greeting, he’d disappear into his bedroom while I put the food on the table. We’d eat dinner together, mostly in silence, and then we’d retire to the living room and his chair.

Every night when he’d have me sit in his lap, it was the same. First, he’d ask me about my day, what I’d done. Then he’d tell me about his.

I learned a great deal about him. The Coleman Foundation raised money to help those who couldn’t afford medical treatment. They used the money to set up funds accessible through local hospitals. Master even told me several stories of how the money from the foundation had saved lives.

It was one more thing about my new Master that didn’t add up. I couldn’t see how a man who helped people every day could be like Ian. But he wasn’t like Ian, except for the fact that I was his property. I was beyond confused.

On Tuesday, he’d asked me about Brad and the fitness routine he’d set up. Wednesday, it was about the veal I’d made. Master always found something to question me about, and he expected me to talk. It always felt strange getting those first few sentences out, but after that it was easier.

And then he’d always end our talks with a kiss. Monday and Tuesday he kissed me. But then last night he’d asked for me to kiss him again. I’d still been nervous but not nearly as much as last time. His lips were familiar to me now.

Tonight would be different though. He’d called me during his lunch, on the cell phone he’d gotten me, to let me know he’d be home around four and to be ready to leave when he arrived. Master didn’t give me any details, but I had a feeling we were not only going to Lily’s tonight. None of that mattered however. I would do as he asked and be ready when he came home.

I walked out of the room I’d been given just after four, freshly showered and dressed in a pair of black slacks and a deep purple blouse. It was dressy, but not too fancy since I’d chosen to wear more casual flats. Taking a final look in the mirror, I took my place on the floor and waited.

Less than five minutes later, the lock turned in the door and Master entered. I heard some movement as he set something down on the floor, and then he walked over to me. “You may stand, Brianna.”

I stood up and closed my eyes as his hand found my hair as it always did. It was so strange how much I liked this moment when he came home. His fingers came down to lift my chin, and I raised my eyes to meet his. Something seemed to float behind the surface as he looked at me, but soon it was gone.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes, Master.”

“Good,” he said, already moving us both toward the doorway. “We have a stop to make first.”

I would have never guessed this was where we were going in a thousand years. He maneuvered his car into a front parking spot at the DMV. Master seemed to sense the unspoken question of my thoughts and answered, “You need a license. We will just say that yours was lost and get a new one printed.”

He made it all sound so simple, and as it turned out it was. Master walked up to the window with me and handed the woman several pieces of paper. I didn’t see what they were until she gave them back, my birth certificate and a copy of my school records complete with photograph. After that, she asked me a few questions covering my height and weight, had me sign a piece of paper, and took my picture. It took until almost five thirty for everything, but in the end I once again had my driver’s license.

As we got back in his car, I continued to look at the picture staring back at me on the shiny new license. It was me, but yet it wasn’t me.

I knew that didn’t make any sense since it was
me
, but I seemed different somehow. The picture on my old license had been of a sixteen–and-a-half-year-old girl who, while so happy to be able to drive, was also still dealing with the loss of her mother. This woman looking back at me now lacked the innocence of the other. She could pretend the world was good and wonderful. I could not.

Glancing over at the man sitting beside me, I once again tried to figure out his motives. He was a contradiction that I couldn’t figure out, and I didn’t know that I wanted to anymore. If I was supposed to spend the foreseeable future with him, I would not complain or worry. He was my Master, and I was his slave. I was okay with that.

Stephan

Brianna had slowly begun to relax over the last few days. She still had her moments, but they were becoming less frequent. It was so hard to believe that this was the same broken woman from two weeks ago.

But she was. I had to remember that every single second of every day. Mostly, I tried to keep things predictable for her, and it seemed to help.

I wanted her to trust me, and selfishly I needed some form of physical contact with her. As a result, I’d arranged it so that when we’d talk each night, she would sit in my lap. Amazingly, it seemed to be working. My touch had calmed her in the past when we’d been outside of my home, but now it seemed to have the same effect inside.

However, feeling her on my lap and not acting on my instincts was difficult. I continued to settle for kissing her at the end of each night when what I truly wanted was to explore that body of hers. I knew it was wrong, which was why I had taken to ending every night this week in my shower. My nightly solo sessions were not enough, but they had to be for now. She was still scared of me, and I would not have any sexual relationship we might have be based on that.

As we pulled up to Logan and Lily’s condo, I began to wonder once again how Brianna would react to my best friend. He was usually very good at reading people, so I was hoping he’d find a quick way to make her feel at ease.

I walked to the other side of the vehicle and opened the door for her. She got out slowly, and I knew she was nervous. I lifted her chin to make her look at me, and brushed my lips gently against hers. “These are friends. You do not need to be afraid.”

Brianna nodded and whispered, “Yes, Master.”

I stepped back and guided us inside the building and into the elevator. I pulled her closer to my side as I pressed the button for the top floor. To anyone on the outside, we would look like a normal couple.

The doors opened, and we walked down a short hallway until we reached a door with two decorative steps in front. I knocked, and in less than a minute the door opened revealing a very excited Lily.

Lily was no longer in work clothes but had donned a little black skirt and frilly tank top. She managed to pull off the dressy casual look well, even with her current bare feet.

Before I knew what was happening, she had pulled us both inside with a squeal and enveloped the woman at my side in a hug. Brianna’s reaction was delayed for no more than two seconds before she hugged Lily back, and I released a deep sigh, relaxing just a little more. Maybe tonight would be okay.

We were ushered farther into the house, and we found Logan in the kitchen moving expertly from one dish to the other. He looked up. “Hey, Stephan.” He smiled at me and then shifted his attention to the woman Lily had her arm wrapped around. “And this must be Brianna.” Logan wiped his hands on the towel he had tucked at his waist and came around the island. Extending his hand, he said, “It’s good to finally meet you.”

She didn’t take his hand, but instead looked at me. I nodded, letting her know it was okay. Her hand came up cautiously to shake his.

Logan didn’t hold on for long before moving once again to take his place behind the counter.

There was tension in the room that hadn’t been there moments before, and once again I was worried. I knew she wasn’t good with people, especially new people. It would just take time. But even though I knew this, all I wanted to do was shield her from it.

Lily broke the tension by asking if she could get us something to drink. I told her water would be fine, and she moved behind Logan to get glasses. When she handed our water to us moments later, she asked, “Can I steal Brianna for a while? I want to show her the new dress I bought.” I nodded, and she was off with Brianna in tow.

I could hear Lily rambling on until a door shut in the background. And although I knew she was safe with Lily, I still worried anytime she was out of my sight.

Logan cleared his throat, drawing my attention. I raised my eyebrow, silently telling him to go ahead and say what he had to say. He reached into the oven, took out four beautifully cooked steaks, and set them on the counter. Taking a piece of tin foil, he covered them loosely and then turned back to me. “Lily says she’s doing better.”

“She is. Much better actually.”

He raised his own eyebrow at this and then shook his head. “If that’s really the case, I do hope you know what you’re doing. I know you collared her, but do you really think she’s ever going to get to the point you need her to be?”

For some reason his words lit a fire in me that I didn’t understand. “I will not give up on her, Logan.” He jerked at my tone, and realizing what I’d done, I softened my voice. “There’s no telling what tomorrow might bring or what she’ll want once I tell her she is free should she so choose. Truthfully, that possibility scares me. I know the chances of her wanting to stay with me are not good after what she’s been through. And Logan, it was bad. She hasn’t talked to me about it yet, but just by her reactions to certain things . . . I don’t know if she will ever fully trust me. Or anyone for that matter.”

Logan threw a strainer full of asparagus into a pot of boiling water. “She’s like this all the time?”

I shrugged. “The first few days were worse. She’s a little calmer at home now, more relaxed. But anytime we’re out around people, yes, she’s like this.”

“She drew closer to you when I approached her. And she deferred to you.”

“Brianna is very submissive. Too submissive sometimes. Like I said, when she’s home it’s better, but I think that has a lot to do with the fact that she knows what to expect. I’m trying to keep us in a routine as much as possible.”

“Probably a good idea.”

“Yes.”

“I already know the answer to this, but I’m going to ask it anyway. Are you planning on involving the police?”

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “No. First, I have no idea how I would explain my involvement without it becoming fodder for the press. And second, I can’t see that helping her. What’s done is done. It would be her word against Ian’s. He would fight, and she would back down.”

Just then, Lily and Brianna re-entered the room. Lily strolled to Logan’s side and asked if there was anything she could do to help. He quickly gave her several plates to take to the table.

Brianna came to stand beside me, but kept her head down. I brought a finger up under her chin. “No looking down tonight.” She nodded, and we made our way to our seats.

Dinner was pleasant enough. The food was wonderful, almost as good as Brianna’s, and I said as much. I saw her blush at my compliment, but she refrained from commenting. Logan did ask her some questions, and she answered but didn’t elaborate. Everything she said was to be polite, nothing more.

It was after nine when we arrived home, but I wasn’t ready for bed yet. I wanted to keep our evening ritual and asked her to join me in the chair. She sat down on my lap, folding her hands in front of her as always. I brushed her hair back so that I could see her face. “Did you have a nice time tonight?”

“Yes, Master.”

“What did you think of Logan?”

She hesitated before answering. “He seems nice.”

“But?”

“Nothing, Master.”

“Brianna,” I said in a voice that brooked no argument.

“He’s your friend,” she said. Brianna clamped her lips together but said no more.

“Yes?”

“You said you don’t share,” she whispered.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that would be what was on her mind.

“Have I ever lied to you?” She shook her head. “Answer me, Brianna.”

“No, Master. You’ve never lied to me.”

“So why do you think I would do so now? Logan is a friend. He is also with Lily. But even if that wasn’t the case, I told you I don’t share, and I meant it. You are my submissive, Brianna. You serve me, no one else.”