For a man determined not to make this a contest including sex, he wanted that one contestant as badly as he had wanted Ophelia the first time he’d met her. That meant only one thing. Begonia had to go.
With a stretcher ready, Sergio, Phil, Eagan, and another stagehand lifted Iris’s petite frame onto the gurney. After strapping her down, Sergio wheeled her to another room away from the cameras and other contestants.
“We only have fifteen minutes left for this episode,” Phil said between gritted teeth while his back remained to the camera. “You wasted twenty of it sitting up in your room.”
“It was my twenty minutes to waste.” Eagan stripped off his jacket and laid it on the table next to his bag of tricks.
“You don’t have much time. You have to get rid of one of these ladies tonight. Do what you have to do and then get to the elimination ceremony.” Phil returned to his spot behind the camera and made some non-verbal cues to Eagan.
As much as he hated not tending to Iris alongside Sergio, Eagan knew he had a job to do. As it was the show was going in a questionable direction. He knew to get it out of its slump, he would have to do something spectacular and end it with a bang.
As he returned to the table with his whips, Eagan rolled up his shirtsleeves to his elbows. “As I was saying before, you all will learn more about me tonight.” He picked up his whip again. “I need one volunteer.”
Scanning the group, he thought for sure Sunny or even Venus would have jumped at the chance. It was apparent that Sunny had some background in the BDSM lifestyle. Venus didn’t, however she was ready to please, probably to get the prizes at the end. Women like her were so transparent.
“I’ll do it.”
Eagan couldn’t help but blink when Begonia volunteered. This was the same woman who couldn’t answer a simple BDSM question. Even if she weren’t in the Lifestyle, which was obvious, she should still be able to answer the question.
Without getting permission, Begonia stepped forward in front of Eagan. Nervous energy emitted through her gaze. Staring at her lips, he knew she was chewing the inside of her bottom lip the way it drew in and out.
“Are you sure?” he asked to give her a chance to back out.
“Yes, sir.” To punctuate her claim, she took another step forward, crowding into his space.
“Okay, take about ten steps that way and put your back to me.” He pointed toward the front door. Maybe if Begonia had a clear shot of it, she would keep walking.
She took the required steps. From the way her shoulders drew up and back down, he knew she had taken a deep breath.
In an elevated voice, Eagan said, “Now pull down your dress to expose your back.”
Her body froze. After what seemed like several minutes later, she turned to him. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” Eagan adjusted the whip in his hand. “If I have to repeat myself, elimination will be a breeze tonight. Now you can either debate me or—”
Before giving her a second option, Begonia rolled her top down to her waist, exposing her bare back. Eagan caught a glimpse of the succulent curve of her breast when she briefly turned. Good to see nudity wasn’t a problem for her.
When Eagan saw Phil directing his cameraman to get into Begonia’s face, he held up his hand to stop him. Though in a mask, Begonia didn’t need her nudity exposed this soon. Ratings or not, he didn’t want to make this some Girls Gone Wild TV show.
Eagan stared at Begonia as she stood perfectly still. Her dark caramel skin was too perfect, too beautiful to mar. He did, however, want so desperately to touch it, taste it, feel it under his hand.
A clearing throat snagged Eagan’s attention. He turned to the cameras and found Phil pointing to his watch.
Time. Yes. He had to keep going.
“The basis of the BDSM relationship is trust,” Eagan began. “I know what you’re thinking. That’s the basis of all good relationships, right?”
The ladies nodded. Eagan took that time to snap the whip next to Begonia’s arm. He didn’t touch her. He made sure of that. However, he knew the sound would get to her. And it did. She, along with the other contestants, all jumped. A few gasped.
“Trust is paramount in the BDSM Lifestyle. ‘Safe, sane, and consensual’ is not only our credo, it’s our mantra. We live by it. I expect you all to do the same.” He snapped the whip again, this time on the other side of Begonia. And he did it again over her head, a feat at her statuesque height, especially in her heels.
“I will use toys like this and canes and paddles throughout this competition and in the relationship. If you don’t think you can handle it,” he snapped the whip right beside Begonia’s head, “then get out of the competition now.” Good thing she stood perfectly still.
With whip in hand, he stormed to Begonia, standing behind her. He took in a deep breath and caught her fresh, fruity scent.
“Pull your dress up,” he commanded.
Without clarification this time, Begonia rolled her dress up. Then, she turned around. Although he couldn’t see her full face, her pupils were fully dilated, so much so her brown eyes now looked black. Her breathing matched that of a hard panting.
He’d done his job. Eagan managed to frighten her a bit. But she didn’t run away. Impressive.
“Go back in line with the other women.”
By the time Begonia resumed her spot, Iris returned to the living room, walking slowly as she held her head.
“I’m so sorry for fainting earlier.” She stood in between Freesia and Magnolia again. “I feel so silly.”
“Don’t. Your body reacted the way you felt. No shame in that.” Eagan put his hands to his hips. “Unfortunately, ladies, one of you will have to go home. As much as it pains me to remove the very collar I just gave you to signify that you’re mine, I will have to do it.”
He started at the head of the line with Lily and walked his way down it again like he’d done before. He stopped at Sunny.
“You answered a question I didn’t ask you.”
From the way her long, lean neck moved, he noticed Sunny swallowed, then bowed her head. Eagan sauntered down the line. He stopped at Meadow.
“You questioned my name for you and implied I wouldn’t have addressed your special needs.”
Meadow wrung her hands. “I didn’t mean to. I swear. It’s just that every time I buy a necklace, I have to—”
Eagan held up his hand to her. He strolled, stopping in front of Venus. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I think I’m going to have to keep my eye on you.”
“I would like that, Master Eagan.” Venus capped off her clueless statement with a courtly head bow.
He stepped over to Begonia. Damn Begonia. If he felt something was wrong with Venus, he really felt it with Begonia. She stared into his eyes without breaking her glare.
Anger? Hmm, he hadn’t expected that emotion from her. Fear, maybe. Appreciation that he didn’t actually touch her delicate skin. He had to find out what she was thinking.
Eagan stepped back to the center of the row. “Although I don’t know all of you ladies yet, I have made my decision.” He scanned the group again. “Even though a lot of you made some mistakes tonight, only one will be rewarded and one will be eliminated.” He turned to Begonia.
Shit! Did her nipples just get hard? Don’t look, man. Don’t look!
“Begonia.”
“Yes.”
Eagan cocked an eyebrow.
She swallowed. “Sir. Yes, sir,” she quickly followed.
“You didn’t know something as basic as what it means to be collared. I find that unacceptable.”
She lowered her head.
“However, because you were willing to step up and be the first to brave the whip, you have won the reward challenge. Due to the brevity of this show, that means you also win the immunity challenge, meaning you can’t be eliminated in the next show.”
Eagan wanted to know more about this one contestant. Once he figured her out, he would let her g
o and let a real submissive serve him.
“Tonight, I’m releasing you, Iris.”
The woman buckled like she wanted to faint again. This time Eagan was able to catch her and hold her arms.
“When you fainted, that showed me that you didn’t trust me. You assumed I would do something to hurt or harm you. If you can’t come into the relationship with trust, it’ll be impossible to build.” He held out his hand. “Iris, please return your collar.”
She unclasped her collar and placed it in his hand.
Eagan and every woman stared at Iris as she removed her mask. Underneath hid a beautiful, if not scared and remorseful, woman. Her brown hair cascaded down and around her face like chocolate waves. Her blue eyes entranced all who dared to look at her directly.
She handed her mask to Eagan as well. “My name is Deana,” she said. “I didn’t think I would be so scared of you and the whip. I just saw it and assumed the worst. You have been very kind to me. If I could do it over again, I wouldn’t have fainted.”
“Either this is not the Lifestyle for you, or I’m not the Master you need. I wish you luck in your search.” Eagan took a couple of steps back so that she could exit out of the front door.
As soon as she walked away, Eagan wasted no time turning his attention back to the group.
“One minute, Eagan,” Phil called from behind the camera.
“Begonia,” Eagan began, “since you won tonight, your prize will be a private dinner with me in thirty minutes. You also will be allowed to pick which bedroom and bed you desire before the other ladies. You other ladies can go to the patio where your dinner is waiting. Begonia, Apple will escort you to where we will be dining. Please remember not to be late.”
Although he wanted to see her reaction, he turned and headed to the stairs. Behind him blared the song “Love My Way” with Tony attempting to talk over it to congratulate the remaining women.
Dinner tonight would be interesting. Perhaps he should bring a cane to the table…for dessert.
Chapter Five
Ananda followed the nearly nude woman through a long and winding hallway. The spiderweb of a dress she wore hid nothing underneath, especially whatever it was that covered her vagina and ass crack like a leather diaper.
“Congratulations on advancing and winning the challenge,” Apple said with a light voice.
“Thank you.” Ananda decided that now would be the time to ask questions. She would have to be careful not to ask anything that would get her eliminated. “So how long have you been with Eagan, uh, Master Eagan, I mean?”
Apple peered over her shoulder. “Five years.” She smiled. “I finally found my purpose when I met him. I feel complete.” At a door at the end of the hall, she stopped. “I hope for you that, if you win this competition, you’ll find that kind of happiness and peace.”
“Peace?” Ananda had to learn to temper her responses, but there was no way this woman could think that getting beaten on a regular basis constituted peace or any level of happiness.
“Yes. Peace in knowing that what I want, he wants. I long to serve. He loves to be served. It’s a perfect match. If you truly are submissive—”
“I am!” Ananda said, cutting her off.
Apple nodded. “As a submissive, you love to submit to your master, sexually and otherwise. You will enjoy having your limits pushed.”
Ananda thought about her question carefully before posing it. She didn’t want to assume that Apple had sex with him. Her luck, she probably did.
“Don’t you miss out on having a sexually intimate relationship?” she asked, testing the waters.
Apple opened a door. “I have sex.” She smiled. “Just not with Master Eagan. Sometimes he takes us to play parties and allows us to have sex with other slaves. He likes watching us.”
Pervert all the way, Ananda thought.
“Besides, the pleasure I get from serving more than makes up for any physical relationship I could have. Although I don’t need the chastity belt to keep me from pleasuring myself, Master Eagan likes to keep it on us.”
So that’s what that contraption was. A chastity belt. Damn. Ananda didn’t think those things existed in this day and age.
“I thought trust was a big deal in this Lifestyle. Doesn’t Master Eagan trust that you won’t touch yourself?” Ananda followed the woman into the room, but kept her gaze squarely on her.
“Yes, he trusts us and we trust him and his judgment. I can tell you’re not into this Lifestyle.” Apple stopped in the middle of the room.
“How’s that?”
“Mind games are a part of the Lifestyle. Like what Master Eagan did with you just now with the whip. He could have whipped your body several times, but didn’t. He wanted to play with your head, with your emotions.” She raised her hand in the air. “Here’s the third bedroom.”
Ananda scanned the room. A soft sage color covered the walls along with tribal artifacts and art. Four beds sat in the room with a different bedspread covering each. A small dresser sat next to each bed with a matching armoire alongside it. Considering the show confiscated their clothes, she wasn’t sure why she would need the dresser.
The plush tan carpet allowed her feet to sink into it with each step.
“This room. I want to stay in this one.” Ananda nodded.
“Might I suggest taking the bed closest to the bathroom,” Apple said and pointed to that direction. “It may ensure that you get first access into it each morning.”
Ananda wasn’t so sure of that theory. Besides, she would have much rather been closer to the door just in case she needed a quick escape. “No, I’ll take this bed right here. I want to be the first person seen when people come to the room.”
Apple nodded. “Very well. Would you like to freshen up before your dinner tonight with Master Eagan?”
Ananda had almost forgotten that she had a private audience with the great Master. “Yes, I would really like a shower and to change my clothes.”
“Do you prefer your showers hot, warm, or on the cool side?”
Ananda stared at the curvy blonde for a moment.
“I’m a slave to the house,” Apple said, answering Ananda’s unspoken question. “I serve those who are in it. I have no problem starting your shower.”
“That’s very nice of you. Thank you. It’s not necessary, though.” Ananda found it difficult to have anyone, let alone another woman, serving her in any way, shape or form.
“I know it’s not necessary. I want to do it.” Apple took a couple of steps closer to her. “I can also bathe you, if you’d like.”
Ananda took a few steps back. “No, that really isn’t needed. As you guessed, I’m not really fully into this Lifestyle. I’m going to need some time to get used to all of this. Sharing a shower with another woman is way out of my realm.”
“I understand. I will, however, wait for you out here in case you need help getting dressed.”
Ananda was going to protest that as well, until Apple cut her off this time.
“By the way,” Apple pointed up, “all bedrooms are equipped with cameras and microphones.”
Ananda peered up and caught a small black dome in the center of the room. When she turned her gaze to the corners of the room, she found red lights blinking. Yep, she was officially on a reality TV show. If dropping her top on the first show didn’t prove it then the cameras that invaded her privacy certainly did.
Shit, had she actually bared her breasts on television? What was she thinking? It was a good thing she wore a mask.
“Thanks for the warning.” Ananda scanned the room.
What if her mother watched the show? Her mother would know her body. Not that her mother would stay up past eight at night. And the woman still went to church every Sunday and expected Ananda to accompany her every time. If Ananda missed a sermon, her mother filled in as backup for Reverend Beachum.
She needed to stop dwelling on the past and get on with the task at hand. She had a man to impress and a futu
re riding on it. “By the way, what should I wear?”
Apple opened one of the drawers next to the bed Ananda had chosen. “There are clothes in the drawers. This armoire is yours, also.” She opened the doors. Inside hung dozens of dresses, gowns, and other outfits, both tame and questionable.
Ananda had never seen a closet with so much plastic and rubber clothing that hung alongside Calvin Klein and Gucci outfits.
“If you can pick out an outfit that you think Master Eagan would like to see me in tonight, that would be great.” It was a sneaky way to know what Eagan would like without having to figure it out for herself.
“As you wish.” Apple bowed before Ananda closed the bathroom door.
The bathroom was just as lush and large as the bedroom. In the black-white-and-red bathroom, Ananda’s breath escaped her as soon as her gaze fell upon the large picture window that looked out over the water. Just beautiful. The moon reflected off of the still water as though a part of it.
Instead of enjoying the view or the opulence of the room, Ananda stripped, removed her mask, and ducked into the shower stall with five heads. The large space made her wonder if the man shared this stall with more than one person at one time. Eagan looked like the type who needed constant attention. He had two slaves and he was looking for a submissive.
No time to think about the possibilities now. She had less than twenty minutes to dress and get back to him for dinner. After her shower, she dried herself and jetted out to the bedroom. She’d almost forgotten Apple was in the room. Thank goodness Apple remembered about the show.
“Begonia! No!” Apple rushed to her and covered her face. “Cameras all around, remember? You could be eliminated if Master Eagan sees your face.” She helped Ananda secure her mask over her face out of the watchful eye of the camera over their heads. “He is the executive producer. He reviews everything.”
Love My Way Page 7
