Slave To Love (8 page)

Chapter Four

Taren sat at a booth next to a wall at Juan Pepe’s. She faced the door, waiting for her hero, her idol, to come through. Nerves filled her so much that she bounced her knees under the table. She would have a millisecond to capture Ananda Morton’s attention. Convincing her to hire her for the job would be challenging. She had her arguments ready to go.

“You still waiting for your party?” a waitress asked, blocking Taren’s view of the door.

Taren peered around her and tried to get the woman to take the hint about moving her body. “Yes. She should be here at any moment.”

The waitress filled Taren’s glass with more water and left her. The whirring sound of the blender behind the bar, mixing up a margarita, grabbed Taren’s attention. She wanted some liquid courage right now, but she would hold off until she talked to Ananda. She didn’t want to be drunk or even tipsy for that conversation.

Taren crossed her legs, hoping it would calm her. It didn’t. She took in a deep breath, inhaling the salivating aromas of cilantro and grilled meats.

Her phone in her purse chirped that it had received a new text message. She dove inside and retrieved it.

What did you do?
read the message from Dori.

Oh, shit.

Taren looked at the door and saw Ananda Morton walking into the foyer before coming into the main restaurant. Ananda’s face hadn’t changed from when she’d done her TV show, but her style had. She chopped off her long, chocolate locks in favor of a short shag with blonde highlights that framed her angular face. Today she wore a solid white maxi dress with braided fabric that created a halter strap around her neck. With her complementing caramel skin tone, she looked flawless.

Ananda held her cell phone in her hand. Oh, no. Taren hadn’t thought about the fact that Ananda would text Dori to confirm.

Ananda peered down at her cell phone, scanned the restaurant, then turned to leave.

“No.” Taren bolted from the booth and chased after the woman who could change her life. As soon as she got outside, she wasted no time in making herself known. “Wait! Ananda, wait!”

Ananda turned to Taren, paused, but continued marching to her car. “I don’t know who you are. Apparently, I contacted the wrong person.”

“No, you didn’t. You sent a text to Dori, right?” Taren stood a couple of feet from her but far enough back to make Ananda feel safe. “I mean Meadow.”

When Taren mentioned Dori’s scene name from the show, Ananda stopped.

“Who are you?” Ananda stood by the driver’s side of her car.

“My name is Taren Kerrigan. I’m a friend of Dori’s. She told me that you had been contacting her about doing your new show. I have to tell you, Mrs. Morton, she doesn’t want to do it.” She shook her head.

“What are you? Her attorney? Her agent?” Ananda’s chest and neck started to turn red as she spoke to Taren. “She could have told me that instead of making me come all—”

Taren interrupted her. “No. I’m not her attorney or agent. I’m a friend of hers. Five years ago, I wanted to try out for
Love My Way
. Dori went in my place because I was too young at the time. She doesn’t want to do your new show. But I do. I want to find my Dom.” She smiled to sell her story.

Ananda stared at her, almost studying her to see if Taren told the truth. “Why?”

Taren needed to be seated to explain that part. “Can we please go back into the restaurant?” She pointed to the front door. “I promise you. I am harmless.”

After a beat, Ananda strolled around her car. “I’ll decide that.”

Taren clasped her hands together and had to convince herself not to hop up and down in excitement. “Thank you so much. I truly appreciate your time.”

Ananda didn’t speak again until after she sat and ordered herself a glass of water. “I don’t appreciate being tricked and lied to, Ms. Kerrigan. If you think this would cement you this job, you’re sadly mistaken.”

Taren swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. Like I said, I’ve wanted to be a part of the show and lifestyle since I heard about
Love My Way
five years ago. If I was eighteen then, I would have given you a run for your money.”

Ananda glared at her. “Are you saying you would have won had you competed?”

Taren sat up taller but kept her hand around the base of her glass to keep cool. “I love learning. I would have been a great pupil.”

Ananda snickered and shook her head. “That’s another thing. This show will be about a submissive looking for her Dom or Domme.”

“Oh. You will have Dommes on the show?” Taren never considered that women would also be competing to be her Mistress. She picked up her glass of water and took several gulps.

Ananda nodded. “Of course. A true submissive’s need to serve isn’t because of sexual attraction. But an apt pupil like you knew that already, right?” She twirled her glass of water between her two hands, making the ice clink against the sides.

The waitress returned to get their orders. By the time she left Taren alone with Ananda, Taren had her wits about her and organized her thoughts.

“I’m sorry for using Dori’s phone to pretend to be her to get you out here. I’m not sorry about why I did it. I do want to—” Taren paused before she completed her answer. “I want to submit.” She saw Ananda’s eyebrows go up. “I want to serve.”

“You never answered the question I asked you in the parking lot. Why do you want to be a part of the BDSM scene now? You saw the books and the movies and it made you curious?” Ananda glared at Taren.

Taren could tell that Ananda protected her new lifestyle very fiercely. “No. I wasn’t influenced by any of those.” She knew to sway Ananda’s perception of her as being some conniving, immature ditz, she had to bare her soul and be completely honest. “I’m motivated and work hard, but I have no direction.” To say it out loud took her off guard. She plucked a chip from a bowl on the table, but she broke it up into pieces instead of eating it. Her stomach wouldn’t be able to take on food right now. “I need someone to help me focus.”

Ananda stared at her for a while. “I don’t know. Meadow has experience, both as a submissive and being in front of the camera. You’re a wildcard. Your inexperience could ruin the show.”

“Or help it. I’ll be like your viewers, inexperienced but curious.”

Ananda nodded like she liked Taren’s answer.

Good. Taren exhaled. It didn’t take long for their food to arrive. Before Taren could taste anything, Hurricane Dori blew into the restaurant and landed squarely at her table.

Anger filled her friend’s eyes. She had her mouth clamped tight enough to make a thin line. Taren knew it couldn’t be possible, but it looked like smoke billowed from Dori’s ears. Taren kept her hand on her fork in case she needed a weapon of some sort.

“You bitch.” Dori planted her fists on her full hips and shot laser beams from her eyes at Taren. “How dare you use my phone to—”

“Meadow,” Ananda began. “Please have a seat.”

Dori glared at Taren then Ananda. “Dorothy or Dori. Don’t ever call me Meadow again.”

Instead of sitting next to either of them, Dori pulled a chair from a nearby empty table and sat at the end of the booth.

“I don’t blame you for being mad.” Taren kept her voice low, hoping that would keep Dori calm.

“Mad? You stole my phone.” Dori held the device up to Taren’s face.

“I didn’t steal it. I borrowed it.” Taren smiled, but her cheerful demeanor didn’t work on her friend.

“You pretended to be me to get Ananda out here.” Dori turned to Ananda. “Has she been trying to convince you that she would be perfect for your upcoming show? She’s flighty. She doesn’t really know what she wants. I’m not going to do your show, but you should not hire her either.”

Taren sat stunned. She knew exactly what to say to Ananda, but hearing her friend say how she truly felt about her made her feel like she’d been stabbed in the back.

“I appreciate your honesty.” Ananda bowed her head to Dori. “I’m sorry you won’t do the new show with me.”

“I’m glad you finally understand. I’m married. I have a child. I have a career. I can’t go on this show and embarrass myself again.” Dori looked at Taren. “If you were smart, you will do the same. Thank Ananda for her time and go back home. Get your career going, find a nice guy, settle down. You are not some wide-eyed teenager anymore.”

Taren nodded. “You’re right. I’m a grown woman.” She stared at Ananda. “A
magna cum laude
graduate. I graduated high school early. I graduated college early.”

“Smart woman.” Ananda smiled.

“I know what it is that I want.” She moved in closer. “Who hasn’t done something desperate to get something they want? We’ve all made bad decisions, right?” She looked at Dori. “I want to try something new.” Then she turned to Ananda. “I can be your submissive on the show.” She smiled harder. “What can I say? I’m a slave to love.”

Ananda laughed. “I think you just came up with the perfect name for the show.”

Taren covered her mouth. “Does that mean…?”

Ananda wiped her hand on a napkin and extended it across the table. “Welcome to
Slave to Love
, the show where you will find your perfect Dom…or Domme?” She winked.

Taren grabbed her hand and shook it hard enough to rattle the plates and glasses on the table. “Thank you so much! You won’t regret this.”

“But you will.” Dori stood. “Don’t come crying to me when it does a number on you.” She glared at Ananda. “Lose my number.” She stomped out of the restaurant.

“I can’t believe this is happening.” Taren danced in her seat.

“I can’t believe I’m taking a chance with you. But you remind me a lot of myself. I hope I’m not making a mistake.”

“You’re not. Trust me. I’ll work hard and do whatever is asked of me.” She sat on her hands to keep from clapping. “So, when do I start? What happens now?”

“I’ll get some contracts drafted. Filming will take place here in Virginia Beach. But you’ll need to be on set twenty-four hours a day for the next month. Are you able to get the time away from work?” Ananda fished through her bag as she spoke to Taren.

Taren couldn’t eat. She could barely think. “I’m a temp. I’ll tell my agency not to book me for anything for the next month.”

“Good. You can finish out this week. It’ll give you an opportunity to get your affairs in order. Next week I’ll have a car come pick you up.” She took a bite of her lunch.

“Pick me up to go where?”

“Your new home for the next few weeks. I think you’ll really like it.” Ananda lifted her tablet and aimed it at Taren. “Smile.”

Taren could definitely satisfy that one request. Her face hurt from smiling. Even after Ananda placed the device back into her purse, Taren continued beaming. She’d done it. She would be taking a chance. She would be living.

Chapter Five

Jace slammed his suitcase shut about the same time his doorbell chimed. Perfect timing. He brought the suitcase to the front door. He set it down before opening the door. On the other side stood Ananda, a young man, and a white woman with jet-black hair.

“Good morning, Jace.” Ananda stepped inside. As though taking a cue from the last time they’d met, she shook Jace’s hand instead of giving him a hug. “I’d like to introduce you to my executive producer, Vern Nerdlinger.”

The pudgy man stumbled into the house, adjusted his glasses on his thin nose, and shook Jace’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you. You have a lovely home.”

Jace stared at the man for a moment before he nodded. “Thanks. I expect it to look like this when all this filming is done.”

Vern nodded his head and moved off to the side.

Ananda raised her hands to introduce the woman with the spiky hair. “And this is Kitty.”

Jace recalled the woman he used to see at a BDSM club he frequented. From the way she shook his hand, it seemed like she didn’t remember him.

She still smelled like citrus, like the woman ran through an orchard before coming to his home. He remembered her being thin, but never this slender. No matter her size, she could bring a man to his knees with her domineering style of play.

“Come on in. Ananda told me her plans.” Jace ushered his guests into the living room.

He had to abandon his initial plan to tell Ananda no on using his home. Jace knew Kitty’s style. From when they used to play in the same dungeon and ran in the same circles, he knew she wouldn’t allow any mischief to happen in his home. He couldn’t use that as an excuse.

“Yes, and now there’s a name for the show.
Slave to Love
.” Ananda beamed.

“Even though she’s a submissive?” Vern asked.

The question caused Jace to snicker.

Ananda shot Jace a glare before speaking to her associate producer. “Yes. It goes along with the whole 80’s song reference like
Love My Way
. Plus the name will cause a lot of conversation in the media.”

“As they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Kitty’s raspy voice sounded even grittier now, like she kept a constant diet of rocks and fire.

“So would you all like a tour of the place or you want to sit and talk?” Jace scanned their faces.

Vern kept his gaze down to the floor. Kitty and Ananda looked at each other.

“I know you’re on a time crunch. Let’s take a look around first and then we can discuss the dos and don’ts of being in your home. Sound good?” Ananda asked.

Jace nodded. “Of course this is the living room. I’m assuming you’ll do most of the filming in here.”

Kitty looked around. “Maybe.” She screwed up her lips. “Unless you have, like, a family room that works better.”

Jace led the group to his open dining room. When he built his own home after years of working hard and growing his business, he never imagined he would be alone in it. He thought by now he would be married and had at least two or three kids. He had no one to blame but himself. A hard schedule, hard living, and lack of trust kept him from having a relationship.