by Maren Smith
“A real shame,” Tasha said, though she didn’t agree at all. She was glad to have a brief respite from Eamon’s piercing gaze boring holes into her back.
“Right. Tell me,” Lishy went on, “what brought you here? Are you into threesomes?”
Tasha almost choked on a slice of carrot. “What?”
“You learn to watch people when you work here. And you seem to be displaying a particular interest in every male duo in the room. What gives? Are you trying to work out which of them are open to having a woman join in?”
A rush of heat prickled over Tasha’s face. “No… I didn’t… I never even considered…”
“Oh, sorry. Must have misunderstood.”
“You mean two guys sharing a woman?”
Lishy giggled. “Sure. Happens all the time. Great for a session, in my opinion, but I’m not sure I could handle two men all the time, not in a regular relationship. I’ve had bad enough luck with just one. How about you? I assume you’re single.”
“I am.”
“Well then, you’ve come to the right place.”
Tasha toyed with her bread, wondering how on earth to start asking all the questions that had been eating away at her ever since her first interaction with Eamon. Had that just been yesterday? It felt like a lifetime.
“Go on then, ask away. I can tell you’re dying for some answers.” Lishy took a sip of water. “Or would you prefer me to just start rattling out information?”
Deciding to go all in, Tasha took a deep breath. “Look, can I be honest with you?”
“I would hope so!”
“I’m kind of—okay, completely—new to the lifestyle and I’m still not sure it’s for me.”
Lishy set her fork down slowly, deliberately, and simply stared at Tasha, her hazel eyes wide with astonishment. “How new, exactly?”
“Like: never been in a BDSM relationship, never played, never… anything.”
“You’re fucking kidding me.”
“No. I’m not.”
“Wow.” Lishy picked up her fork again but didn’t do anything with it. She simply clutched it, still staring at Tasha. “So you’ve never been spanked, never been tied up, never been made to come…”
“Never anything,” Tasha said again. “I mean, I’m not a virgin in the conventional sense, but… yeah.”
“But you’ve always been curious, right? Otherwise, why the fuck would you apply to come and work here, of all places?”
“Oh yes,” Tasha lied. “Curious, definitely. It’s just… the reality is so different to what I imagined. I was hoping you could help shed some light on a few things for me.”
“Oh boy,” Lishy said. “We are gonna need so much more than just one lousy lunch break.” She looked down at her half-empty plate, then pushed it aside. “I assume you told them.”
“Told who what?”
“In your application,” Lishy said. “I assume you were honest about your… inexperience. It wouldn’t do for your first ever taste of play to be a semi-public switching from Master Grimsley, for example, although he doesn’t really do as much with employees as he does guests. Or, in your case,” she shuddered, “a punishment from Master Eamon.”
“Why not?”
Lishy looked at her as if she’d grown another head. “Because that would be like losing your virginity in a porn movie. In a gang bang. With horses.”
“Oh.” Despite herself, Tasha giggled. Even though she wasn’t sure what Lishy was trying to say, it made for an amusing visual.
“You get what I’m saying, right?”
“Of course.”
“You have to ease into things. Explore slowly, with someone you trust. Someone who knows you’re new. Find your limits.”
“Of course,” Tasha said again.
“I didn’t know Master Marshall even hired complete newbies,” Lishy muttered, as if to herself. “I’m amazed he allowed you to be assigned to the Dungeon right away.”
“They were short-staffed,” Tasha said hastily. “I don’t think it was planned. Anyway, I don’t do anything down there except tidy up.”
“Actual tidying? Or waving a duster around and looking pretty?”
“Changing sheets, refilling the dispensers, taking out the garbage—”
“Do you smoke?” Lishy said suddenly.
“Not really. Sometimes. Socially.”
“Well then, we’re going for one right now.”
Tasha found herself being led through the restaurant and into the bustling kitchen, where a terrifying female chef—presumably the famous Cook Connie—was barking orders. Lishy kept going through a side door and the next minute they were outside, breathing in the heady smell of fresh herbs.
“One of our break areas,” Lishy explained, “and a place where we can talk in peace.” Walking briskly past the neat rows of rosemary, parsley, oregano and other plants, she headed to a vast flower pot and fumbled behind it, drawing out a crumpled pack of cigarettes. “I like to keep them here,” she said, “that way I don’t have to carry them around with me all the time.” Shaking a lighter out of the pack, she slipped off her heels and moved to the farthest picnic table. “Want one?”
“Actually, I do.” Tasha took a cigarette and waited for Lishy to hand her the lighter. She felt like a naughty schoolgirl sneaking a smoke behind the bike sheds.
“So,” Lishy said, exhaling deeply. “I’ve given this some thought and the thing is this: nothing happens here by accident. No doubt Master Marshall has told Master Eamon that you’re new and he’s initiating you by letting you work down in the coveted Dungeon, where you can watch sessions all day and ask questions.”
Tasha frowned. “I’m not sure that’s the case, actually.”
“Of course it is. It must be.”
“But Eamon—sorry, Master Eamon—hasn’t said anything to me about watching anyone play. In fact, I’ve only heard things going on, not seen them. I’m always in the rooms after they’ve been vacated, tidying up after…”
“Hmm,” Lishy said, taking another drag. “Hmm.”
“He threatened to take his belt to me,” Tasha confessed quietly.
Lishy snapped her gaze to Tasha’s, her hazel eyes frank, searching. “And? How did that make you feel?”
“Excited,” Tasha admitted after a moment. “Really damn excited.”
“That’s great!”
“It is?”
“Of course! Did he follow through with his threat?”
“No.”
“Then he definitely knows,” Lishy said, stubbing out her cigarette. “I’ve never known Master Eamon to just threaten anything or anybody. He always follows through. While he doesn’t ever get romantically involved with staff members, he has no compunction about disciplining them.”
“Why doesn’t he get involved?” Tasha couldn’t help asking.
“Who knows? You’d have to ask him. It’s a shame, if you ask me. A man that gorgeous… on the other hand, it’d be a tragedy if he were to tie himself down to just one woman. By remaining single, he keeps a lot of dreams alive.”
“He’s not that special,” Tasha muttered. “I actually find him pretty rude.”
Lishy chuckled. “He has an image to maintain, hon,” she said. “Big Bad Dungeon Master. He can be pretty easygoing in private.”
“I can’t see that at all.” Tasha wasn’t sure whether she felt relieved or disappointed at the revelation that Eamon was essentially out of bounds for her.
“Look, we need to get back to work, otherwise we’ll be in for it,” Lishy said, hopping back off the table and tracking down her shoes. “Sorry we couldn’t talk longer but there’ll be other opportunities. At least now we know why you were sent down into the Dungeon. You can relax—I assure you that Master Eamon knows you’re a complete newbie. I’m sure he and Master Marshall have come up with some kind of initiation plan for you. And, knowing them, you’ll love every minute of it.”
“Thanks,” Tasha said, unable to bring herself to burst Lishy’
s bubble. How could anyone know how new she was when she’d entered the Castle by accident and lied on all the paperwork?
“Anytime.” Lishy led them back inside, through the big reinforced door. “You know your way from here?”
“I do.”
“I want a full report tonight, okay?”
Tasha smiled at her new friend’s bubbly enthusiasm. “Of course.”
“Excellent. I’ll see you later. Have fun with Master Eamon!”
With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Tasha turned toward the Dungeon. Then she stopped. Why was she following all the rules like she was really working there? She’d come to find Carmen, not to refill condom dispensers and change sheets! What was the worst that could happen—she’d lose the job she hadn’t even applied for in the first place?
Pushing back her shoulders and lifting her chin, she set off toward the Rainbow Room. The only place where modern technology was allowed within the Castle, it was usually full of guests—and Little Maids—so she wouldn’t stand out. And Carmen was the boss of a massive criminal network, surely he’d have to go in there sooner or later to check his phone…
Eamon was livid. The little minx hadn’t returned to the Dungeon after lunch and he wasn’t able to go looking for her until after his next booked session.
His client was a pretty, slender blonde who reacted in all the right ways, made all the right noises, and was clearly trying to seduce him. Ordinarily, he would have allowed her to.
Unfortunately, he had something else entirely on his mind.
Tasha.
He went through the motions out of rote, trying to remain focused on the woman as he played the role he was so good at, but for the first time ever, his heart wasn’t in it. Worse, the client could probably tell.
“Well, that was fun,” she said coolly afterward, getting back into her Roman slave dress.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it,” he replied, equally coolly. He had brought her to at least three orgasms, surely that had to count for something?
She peered at her backside in the mirror. “Not very marked, am I?”
“A hot shower will bring them out.” I swear to God, if she complains to Marshall, I am taking it out on that little—
“So do I see myself out?”
He took a deep breath. “We have aftercare rooms, if you feel you need to…”
“No, that’s fine,” she said hastily. Disappointment was dripping from her every pore and Eamon felt like a complete heel.
“Hey,” he said, “if you want to play again, I can do tomorrow after—”
“No, thank you.” She gave him a long look. “You know, it’s okay to cancel or reschedule if you’re not in the mood. Just a tip for next time. I’d prefer to have been given the choice. Better to wait another day and actually feel like your partner is enjoying himself…”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” He’d have to make sure she got some kind of consolation. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with me today but that’s no excuse.”
“Yeah, well. We all have bad days, I guess.” Displaying spectacular poise, she slipped on her sandals. “I hope you sort out whatever it is that’s bugging you.”
“Oh, believe me,” he said grimly, “I will.”
The moment she left, he ran a hand over his head and let out a deep sigh.
Fuck.
He knew he should go and find Dominick; tell him he’d fucked up during a scheduled session and ask whether he’d managed to find out anything about Tasha yet—but he figured that could wait. First, he was going to find that little imposter and make her rue the moment she’d decided to disobey him.
It didn’t take him as long as he’d thought to track her down. She was in the Rainbow Room, huddled in the corner, trying conspicuously to blend in. Her eyes met his the moment he entered and he saw a flicker of something he couldn’t interpret. Fear? Disappointment? Anger?
“You,” he said in his most booming Dom voice, pointing directly at her. “With me. Now.”
Several pairs of eyes swiveled to watch their interaction. A woman wearing a schoolgirl uniform sniggered. “Uh-oh, someone’s in trouble!”
“Do you want to be next?” Eamon rounded on her.
“No, Sir.”
“Thought not.” He turned back to address Tasha, who was getting slowly to her feet. “Get a move on,” he snapped. “You’ve kept me waiting long enough.” The moment she was within reach, he took her upper arm firmly, steering her toward the door.
“Wait,” she said, “I need to—”
“Unless you want to make this far worse for yourself, I suggest you do not speak unless spoken to. I’m not feeling very chatty right now.”
To her credit, she shut up and allowed him to tow her unceremoniously out of the room, down the hallway and into the elevator. He remained purposefully silent during the short ride down, still gripping her arm.
He could sense her fear—she was trembling—but there was something else underlying it. He just couldn’t tell whether it was anger or desire.
No matter. He’d find out soon enough.
The moment they entered the Dungeon proper, he dragged her into a private room and locked the door. Only then did he let her go.
“You were told to come straight back here after lunch,” he said quietly. “Explain yourself.”
She stared at a spot on the ground in front of her, rubbing her arm even though he knew she was doing that purely for show. He hadn’t been holding her that hard.
“I’m waiting.”
When she still didn’t respond, he took a deep breath, trying to contain his anger.
“Was there some kind of emergency? Did you need to go to the Rainbow Room to contact someone?”
She gave the tiniest shake of her head. The movement was so small, it was almost imperceptible.
“What then? Do you want to get fired? Because you’re on the right track if you do.”
Her pink tongue slipped out and traced her lower lip but still she said nothing.
He wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake her but instead he moved toward the door. “You have two choices,” he said. “You can either leave—and by that I mean the Castle, today, for good—or you can stay and start being honest with me. Which will it be?”
There was a long pause. When she looked at him, her eyes were huge, her pupils dilated. “Stay,” she whispered.
“Then take your clothes off. Everything. Now.”
The disbelief in her eyes was clear but still she raised trembling hands to the front of her uniform and started unbuttoning it.
He leaned against the door and folded his arms, watching her closely, his mind racing. A part of him was aware that what he was doing was wrong, that he shouldn’t even think about punishing her while he was still so angry, that he should give himself some time to cool down, and that making her choose between punishment and getting fired was dishonorable, to say the least, but something about her seemed to make him lose all control—and sense.
And it didn’t help that her body, as she revealed it inch by inch, was glorious. As he’d guessed, her breasts were full and creamy, her nipples a dusky shade of pink, puckered in the cool air. Her waist curved into round, shapely hips. A diamond glittered in her belly button.
The mere sight already had him more excited than hours of playing with other women. He wondered idly whether she could see his raging erection through his black leather pants.
Once she was completely naked, she stood there, her eyes downcast, her hands clasped in front of her. She was still trembling.
“Turn around,” he said curtly.
To his surprise, she obeyed immediately, moving in a slow circle, giving him a great view of her full, heart-shaped ass.
He wanted to do so many things to her body that he barely knew where to begin.
“Bend over that horse over there.”
Again, she obeyed without hesitation. His first glimpse of the plump, smooth lips of her sex almost unmanned hi
m.
Striding over to her, resisting the urge to reach out and place his palm between her thighs, he said instead, “Safeword?”
There was a long pause. “I don’t… I don’t have one.”
Mentally cursing whatever jerk she’d played with before for letting her believe she didn’t need—or deserve—a safeword, he said brusquely, “With me, you do. Pick a random word. Or I’ll pick one for you. Just make sure it’s not the Castle safeword.”
“Purple,” she said at length.
“Fine. I would like to add, however, that as this is a punishment, you are only to use it in an absolute emergency. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Sir.”
Suddenly he realized what felt so wrong about the situation. Even though she absolutely looked the part, bent naked over a spanking horse, the picture of contrition, there was a resigned air about her. Eamon had punished hundreds of women, including several Little Maids, but there was always an underlying current of excitement, even if they were frightened (which they usually were). They showed it in different ways, of course, but the lust was always there, always palpable.
Whereas Tasha just seemed… defeated.
“Last chance to change your mind,” he heard himself saying. “We can go upstairs and let Master Grimsley deal with this instead.”
She shook her head. “No, Sir. I’d rather… get it over with.”
“Very well.” Striding over to one of the implement chests, he selected a thick leather belt. “What did I say would happen if you disobeyed me again?”
“You said you would strap me down naked and take your belt to me,” she whispered.
“What did I tell you to do after lunch?”
“Come straight back here.”
“And what did you do instead?” He returned to her side.
There was a pause. “Look, can we just—”
“What did you do instead?” he repeated, injecting more steel into his tone.
“I didn’t come back.”
“Were you in the Rainbow Room the entire time?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Why?”
Another pause. “Please… just do it. Just punish me.”
Resisting the urge to reach out and caress one of her milky, smooth buttocks, he raised the belt instead and took aim. “As you wish.”
