by Lily White
“It’s gorgeous.”
He didn’t respond except to ask, “Would you like to see the closet and bathroom?”
“No.” I shook my head as if the motion would help me regain clarity in my thoughts. “What is this, Holland?”
“It could be your new room. That is, if you’re willing to do what it takes to have it.”
I blinked and struggled not to fall asleep in the second that it took me to close my eyes and open them again. “Have you drugged me?” It was the only reason I could think for why I was so fucking exhausted. Given my schedule, I did nothing but sleep. Why did it seem like I could pass out at any fucking second?
“No. I haven’t drugged you.”
“Then why am I so tired?” I could barely get the words out and for a moment, I wondered if Holland understood what I’d said.
The mattress bounced when he stood up and I balanced my body with my hands to keep from tumbling off the side. I watched him walk over to the closet, open the door and step inside. I wondered how big the damn thing was, but I couldn’t find the energy to stand up and look for myself.
Stepping out, he carried something silk in his hand. Only when he stepped closer did I notice that it was a nightgown of some sort.
“Hold your arms up above your head.”
It took me several attempts to get my arms where he wanted them, but once I was successful, he pulled the silk over my body. I looked down to notice that it would barely cover my ass. It was so short. I couldn’t complain about being somewhat covered. I’d been naked so long, the material felt slightly foreign against my skin.
Kneeling down, he placed his hands on my knees and gently spread my legs apart. I had no strength to fight him and I felt trapped by my own exhaustion. There was nothing I could do, but look down at his perfect face. His tan skin was flawless over his cheeks except for the slight shadow of stubble. His mouth had perfect contours, cut to have shape, but still full so that they were inviting and soft. It was the way his black hair framed his face and the emerald green of eyes that made him so striking. It was the perfect combination of light and dark against the creamy brown color of his skin. Reaching out, I ran my hand over his cheek.
He stared at me for only a second before looking between my legs, the pink of his tongue flicking out to run along his bottom lip. His gaze was palpable and my breath caught at the heady sensation. With a wicked glint in his eye, he looked up at me and winked. He stood up so suddenly that I almost fell back when I angled my head to look at him. I watched him cross the room to disappear back into the closet and emerge a few seconds later with a red silk scarf in his hands. The color was so vibrant against the white of the room.
I couldn’t help but notice that the black button up shirt that Holland wore was perfectly tailored to his broad shoulders and chest. Although large, he moved with a feline grace that was both enticing and frightening. I felt nervous to be in his presence.
“Lie on your stomach and place your hands behind your back.”
I shook my head out of instinct, but caught myself before he felt a need to correct my behavior. If I’d learned anything, it was that struggling against him would only prolong the inevitable.
Doing as he’d instructed, I lowered my body to the mattress and rolled over, crossing my wrists over my back. His hands were gentle and warm when he grabbed mine and I felt the unmistakable soft slide of silk being wrapped around my wrists and tied into place.
Panic started to bubble up inside me, but I focused on my breath, steadying it to prevent myself from being afraid. His hands moved from my wrists to my hips and he lifted them so that my ass was in the air while my forehead was still pressed down into the mattress.
The room was so quiet except for the sound of his palms sliding up my legs, pushing up the nightgown when they slid over the curve of my ass. I felt exposed suddenly, unable to move or cover myself. My body trembled with part fear and part anticipation. He pulled away from me and I attempted to turn to look for him. Between the weakness in my body and the position I’d been forced to take, I couldn’t see anything besides the blankets that had bunched up on either side of my head.
The only sounds I could hear in the room were the rush of blood in my head and the white noise of the air vents that blew cold air down over my bare skin. I focused on my breathing again and on the beat of my heart in my chest. I didn’t know if he still stood behind me or even if he was still in the room.
Shivering now from the air, I closed my eyes and sunk my face down into the feather comforter on the bed. I’d almost fallen asleep when I felt his mouth between my legs.
Air rushed from my lungs immediately and my arms pulled at the bindings that tied them together. It was an immediate spark that shot through me, one that I didn’t have the strength to resist or force away. I moved against him, almost losing my balance until his hands came up to grab the backs of my thighs and hold me in position.
The moans that escaped my lips were soft as first. I was surprised at how easily they slipped from my throat. Grasping my hips, he rocked my body back and forth in time with the movement of his tongue over and between the sensitive skin.
With my head bowed down, and with my body already fighting exhaustion, I felt like I was floating above the bed. Hormones were rushing through my blood, the feel of his mouth on my body and his fingers gripping my skin sending shockwaves barreling through me. The muscles inside me twitched as an orgasm slowly bloomed. It was the most intimate of kisses. I was helpless in the position he had me, completely subdued and surrendering to the feelings of ecstasy he was forcing through me.
Releasing one of my legs, he reached up to push a finger inside me and the moan that tore from my chest was so loud, it surprised me. I was operating on instinct. The feral and primitive part of the brain that was only concerned with the body’s natural needs sparked to life, overriding the formulation of intelligent thought.
I was lost to what he was doing. Lost to the rhythm in which he moved. Lost to the way my body trembled because of his touch.
When a climax finally overtook me, it felt like I was splitting apart. Body, thought and soul, I fractured on that bed, falling to pieces around him and giving in to the overwhelming euphoria that I hoped would never end.
Chapter Twenty-One
Holland
She writhed over the mattress and I sat back on my heels to watch the seductive way she moved in response to her orgasm. I regretted not being inside her, luxuriating in the feel of how her pussy would tighten over my cock, milking me as I slid tip to balls until I filled her.
Resisting the urge to drop my pants and mount her small body, I closed my eyes and breathed in slow and deep to stop the relentless pounding of my heart. She was fucking beautiful¸ dressed in white, blending perfectly into the room except for the red color of her hair and the red scarf that bound her wrists. She was like fire and ice, a symbol of innocence torn apart by the streak of a wild and reckless heart.
“I want to bury myself inside you,” I confessed.
She trembled because of how she was positioned. One by one, I pulled down her legs so she was no longer on her knees and I moved her to the center of the bed, crawling in behind her and pulling her to my chest. I was practically wrapped around her. Her eyes were closed, sleep taking her to a place far from where she needed to be. In any other situation, I would have let her rest, but not now. Not when I finally had her to a point where she wouldn’t resist what was happening.
Stroking my finger across her cheek, I whispered in her ear. “Wake up, Claire. You can’t sleep the day away.”
Her eyes fluttered softly and I knew she was awake. “Let’s go eat and then I’ll show you around the house.”
Even though her eyes were closed, she answered, “I’m so tired.”
Smiling above her, I pushed up and out of the bed before pulling her up into a sitting position. Finally, the blue of her eyes could be seen.
“Let’s go.”
I wanted to cater
to her. It was extremely shitty of me to expect her to operate on no sleep, but it was exactly what I was going to do. Pulling her up onto her feet, I allowed her to step in front of me so that I could grab her ass and run my finger between her legs to tease the skin that was sensitive and swollen with what I’d just done. She jumped, but relaxed back into me within seconds. Smiling, I brought my lips to her ear and whispered, “I’m saving this part of you for later. You have no idea how badly I want to throw you back on that bed and ride you until you’re screaming my name…”
She shivered, but I didn’t know if was in response to my breath on her ear or what I was telling her.
“…I will take you, Claire, because you’re mine to take. I’m starting to think you don’t mind. I’m starting to think you want this.”
Her head turned slightly in my direction so that my lips were brushing over her cheek. Slipping my finger up inside her, I grinned when her knees started to buckle. Her head fell back against my shoulder and I added, “I don’t want you wearing panties because I want to be able to look at your body at all times and imagine all the ways I’ll be taking it tonight.”
She moaned as I rubbed the tip of my finger around the opening of her body, but I pulled away to keep myself from throwing her down like I just said I would. Leading her out of the room and down the maze of halls that led to the kitchen, I wasn’t surprised to find Aiden and Rebecca sitting at the table. Their voices echoed through the halls, warning me of their presence as I approached.
“Good morning.” Feigning cheerfulness, I led Claire into the room, tucking her slightly behind me to protect her from the full brunt of Aiden’s scrutiny. His face was hidden behind a newspaper when we entered, but I knew eventually a corner would fold down and he’d be studying every move Claire made; every perceptible behavior that she exhibited.
“Don’t you mean good afternoon? His voice was filled with mockery, the subtle warning that he could blow everything I’d worked to achieve over the last three days completely out of the water.
Yes. Only three days have passed, but Claire was put through the motion of an entire week. As far as she knew, her schedule had been the same as any normal person. However, her body wasn’t getting the rest it needed to recharge or store enough energy to function. Although Aiden telling her what had been done wouldn’t replenish her energy, it would clear some of the confusion and all my work would have been for nothing.
As I suspected, the corner of his paper folded down and he had a look in his eye that gave away the fact that whatever he had planned wouldn’t be pleasant. His right eyebrow cocked over his clear blue eye and a malicious grin tugged at the corner of his lip. As usual, he was dressed impeccably in a three-piece suit, the jacket of which was casually hung on the back of his chair. In the crisp white shirt, vest and dress slacks that he wore, he was the poster child for the accomplished businessman enjoying a cup of coffee at lunch. To any person that didn’t truly know him, he was what most men strived to become in life. To me, he was the epitome of evil. In that regard, however, he was the example of what a Master strives to become: no morality, no pity and no empathy for the people he trained, both Courtesans and other Masters.
“I thought the sun would be setting in a few hours. Maybe I was wrong, but I could have sworn…” He said as he pretended to check his watch.
He was a fucking bastard, but I kept a neutral expression in order to convince Claire that what he said didn’t affect me.
Rebecca, once again, was sitting at Aiden’s feet. She looked beautiful today in a pink leather corset and matching silk panties. Lace trimmed, thigh-high stockings were held in place by the garter belt she also wore. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a high ponytail on her head and her makeup was applied light enough that one would assume she wore none at all. She looked up at me from beneath the table and gave me a small smile. She hadn’t been happy over the past three days, but Aiden continued with his ruse that she was being sold. I considered calling him out on his lies as much as he was threatening to call me out on mine, but I refrained. As always, Aiden had the upper hand with every person who was present in the room.
The corner of the paper folded back into place and he disappeared behind the curtain of the news. Turning to Claire, I pointed to a pillow on the floor. It would be softer on her knees than the tile and as long as she behaved, Aiden wouldn’t object to her use of it.
Her shoulders drooped when she looked down at where I was seating her, but she sighed and took my hand to balance herself as she knelt on the pillow. Closing my eyes and opening them slowly, I thanked god that she didn’t complain or act out in any other way.
I made her a plate of food, mostly breads and fruit, placing it on the floor in front of her. The corner of her lip twitched and she looked up at me in question. I winked. Whispering so that only she would hear me, I said, “I know how much you hate the dog bowl. Try not to break this, okay?”
Tears pooled in her eyes, one slipping free to travel over the pale white of her skin. She nodded and I reached out to brush the tear away with my thumb. “Eat.”
Taking my place at the table, I devoured the food on my plate. Claire’s pillow was positioned so that she was facing away from me and I couldn’t help but admire the flesh that peeked out from beneath the silk nighty every time she bent over to eat. Every so often, I would reach down and stroke her gently, smiling to watch her body tremble upon contact.
“So, Holland. How’s school going?” Aiden spoke casually from behind the newspaper.
Claire flinched, but didn’t exhibit any other sign that she was disturbed by what he’d said.
“It’s fine.” I answered while picking at a muffin I’d pulled from a basket on the table.
The paper in his hand rustled and I knew he’d peeked around to watch Claire’s reaction to his words. When it rustled again, I grinned knowing full well that it pissed him off that she didn’t talk back. Her behavior was a sign that, perhaps, there were other ways to train a woman than what Aiden believed.
Finally dropping his attempts to clue Claire into the actual timeline that had passed, he mentioned, “Edward Clark is going to be here in two days to pick up his new Courtesan…”
I heard Rebecca whimper under the table, but I ignored it.
“…I’d like for Claire to meet him as well.”
I was able to look down at Claire briefly before Aiden folded the paper in fourths and set it on the table. She went still almost immediately after he spoke, but she didn’t make a sound or attempt to look back at me. Aiden eyed her thoughtfully while continuing.
“Before he arrives, I’ve requested that James come out to the house to tend to Claire. With as much time that has passed, I’m concerned about pregnancy. Let’s hope that neither you nor I have made that mistake. James will slaughter us both.”
I knew what he was doing and I was anxious as hell wondering if Claire would slip back into the behavior she exhibited when we first took her. When I glanced down at her again, she sat curled over herself, her back to the ceiling and her beautiful ass pointed in my direction. She’d cleaned her plate and I assumed was now waiting for my next instruction. She was so still that it appeared she was sleeping.
“When was the last time she slept?” Aiden asked as his eyes flicked up to look at me.
I didn’t respond and, thankfully, he dropped it.
“As I was saying, James will be coming by tomorrow morning. Please have Claire prepared and ready when he arrives.”
My thoughts drifted back to what he’d said before mentioning James. “Why do you want Claire to meet Edward? I’m not sure that it’s necessary considering he’s not the buyer.” My skin crawled at the thought of having Claire anywhere near Edward.
“I don’t recall ever mentioning to you the identity of the buyer.” A single brow arched over his eye.
“You haven’t. You never tell me until the day before a courtesan is sold. However, I don’t believe that Edward would be able to afford Rebecca an
d Claire at the same time. He’s a wealthy man, but not that wealthy. Especially not with Rebecca’s price tag. Unless, of course, he’s no longer buying Rebecca.” I arched a brow right back at him and his expression didn’t change.
My expression, however, said that two could play this game.
Spoken slowly and with a hint of anger, he replied, “That’s very observant of you, Holland. Of course he can’t afford both.”
“Then why does Claire need to meet Edward?” I was walking a fine line at this point. Aiden has always been right about one thing: I’m an arrogant son of a bitch. And in that moment, I’d just called checkmate on Aiden Oliver. There was no doubt in my head that I would regret that decision later.
“She needs to become accustomed to the men in the society. I think Edward will be an excellent choice for her first encounter. I have two other men selected for our dinner party that we’ll be holding in her honor. However, I’m keeping the identity of them to myself.”
I shrugged, pretending not to be bothered by the thought of any other man laying a hand on Claire. Like Aiden, I wanted to keep this particular courtesan to myself, regardless of whether it was proper for a Master to do so.
“Whatever you say, Aiden.”
Standing up from my chair, I reached down to pull Claire to her feet. She hugged into me almost immediately, using my body to support her weight. Aiden’s brow arched again when he witnessed it. Luckily, he chose not to say anything and I was able to get her out of the kitchen without further comments.
I’d planned to take her to the playroom this evening, but decided against it. Claire needed to sleep and she would be of no use until she had more energy. I’d taken things too far and it pissed me off that Aiden had been the one to point it out.
Taking her back to the white bedroom, I laid her down on the bed before stripping off my clothes and crawling in behind her. I hugged her to my chest and she curled up beneath my arm. It was sweet, but I questioned if the sentiment was more a result of her exhaustion than her attraction to me.
