“May I have an opening offer of fifty thousand?”
2
Gabriel, aka Kaine
My shoulders heave as I exhale hard, starting to relax as I sink into a plush red chair in the last row. The dimness of the light is soothing. It’s only been one year, but from the tension in my body, it might easily have been ten. My cock is hard as hell, but then it often is, and I’m very used to that. Sexual tension is like fuel to me. Pure, unadulterated power. I store it, keeping it leashed and burning inside me, drawing on it to drive my success. Which has been enormous. The others here are wealthy, powerful. Yet not one can touch the empire I’ve built.
I watch as the auction moves on, uninterested in the lovely flowers Mrs. Sparr has on display. Each one is beautiful, every one different from the last. But I’ve had them all, over the course of the last few years I’ve been a client. Lovely, talented, very… capable girls. But none of them are what I want tonight. Tonight, I came for the finale girl.
She’s standing back, separated from the others, and I can’t see her properly from where I’m sitting. No matter, I tell myself patiently. There’s plenty of time for that. I lean back and run my hands through my hair, around the back of my neck. I am nothing, if not a patient man…
One week. One short week. Once a year… here at La Laisse.
I have to have total control. Make no mistake. When I say total control, I mean just that. All year long, I’m business, nothing but fucking business. Even here, where sexual extremes are the norm.
I’m a man, with all the powerful drives and needs of any man. But only for a single week out of the year, do I allow myself the indulgence of a woman. Any more than that, and I’ll lose my edge. The edge that makes me who I am. But even here, I won’t lose control. It’s the only valuable lesson I ever learned from my father. Never fucking lose control.
I watch, amused as Dalia parades her ample charms. She’s luring in a man I’ve unfortunately seen here all too often. He’ll get his money’s worth. Dalia’s equally expert at both submission and dominance. God help him, if he’s looking to be the sub tonight, I think, smiling. But then that’s no concern of mine. No woman has ever dominated me. And no woman ever will.
My eyes wander back to Eden. The first virgin La Laisse has ever offered. Her robe is pink silk. I can see that her hair is very long and pale. Until she steps forward on the stage, that’s about all I can see.
But the details of her appearance aren’t why I’m going to buy her. It’s her innocence I’m after. My cock throbs hard, and I shift my thoughts away from it. I’m good at that. A man who lives without sexual expression for a year at a time, has to be good at it.
Mrs. Sparr lowers her sterling gavel to the podium and Dalia is sold. I don’t know who looks more pleased, as her partner leads her off the stage. He sits back down in his front row seat and pulls Dalia onto his lap. His hands cup her ass as she sits, and I watch the small movements of his shoulders and the way she shifts and settles. He’s inside her already, I think, equally amused and disdainful.
I sit up now, ready to take what I came for. I have only a week, I tell myself. And every minute counts… Shit, every fucking second…
Mrs., Sparr has led the virgin to the center of the stage and is talking to her softly. As she moves aside and heads for her podium, I get my first real look. Something inside me shifts, almost painfully, and I sit spellbound. Her hair isn’t just light. It’s blonde, pale blonde… the color of corn silk. The lights touch it just so, and it seems to have a blush of rose in it. It’s long, to her hips, but falls in careless spiraling curls over her shoulders. Her eyes look off in the distance, as if she sees something the rest of us can’t. They’re green, I see, even from yards away. I feel like I could look at her, just like this, for hours and not see every detail. When her robe falls back in a soft swoosh, it actually takes me by surprise. I haven’t breathed… and it comes as a rude shock when I do. Too loud in the quiet room.
“May I have an opening offer of fifty thousand,” I hear, and I’m frozen, unable to move. All my attention is on how lovely she is.
“Fifty.” The man who’s currently fucking Dalia raises a finger discreetly.
“Sixty,” I hear myself say, moving to the edge of my seat. I haven’t given any thought to what I would pay. It’s never been an issue before and it sure as hell isn’t now.
“Sixty-five,” I hear from the side of the room. I’m getting irritated and I don’t much care for the sensation. “Seventy-five,” I offer, my voice louder than I usually allow.
“Seventy-nine,” the man with Dalia calls out. I feel a burst of anger inside and respond without thought. That asshole’s already bought two women tonight.
“One hundred thousand,” I call out coldly. He turns to look back at me, but says nothing. For a moment our eyes lock and the mutual dislike is palpable. I know he recognizes me. Everyone does. And I’ve always known exactly what he is…
He’s a fucking lawyer. A goddamned politician. And he’s caused trouble for me and my business more than once. He wants this girl as much as I do, but I’ve just bid more than he can pay. I see it in his eyes.
The sharp sound of Mrs. Sparr’s gavel snaps his head forward again and I give a snort of satisfaction.
I rest my eyes on Eden’s beauty and feel a surge of power and lust. I own her now, and I’ve never enjoyed this feeling more than I do now. I watch as she drops her eyes for the first time to where the audience is sitting. So… she is curious, I think, as she wrinkles her brow, trying to get a look at her new master. I see so many expressions on her face, all at once and in such a rush I can’t identify them all.
But I will, I tell myself, anticipating the night to come. I will see every emotion, every feeling, every thought and desire you experience. I will feel everything that I make you feel…
As I stand and move closer to the stage, I watch her face as she gets her first real look at me. Her eyes are wide and sparkle like emeralds. I climb the stairs and stand beside her, looking down at her. I’m enormous next to her slender body.
I won’t touch her, at least not yet. I know she can see the lust in my eyes, and I see her generous bottom lip quiver. I’m fucking hard as shit and I’m pretty sure she knows it. But she doesn’t look away from me.
It’s a huge mark in her favor.
But she doesn’t know the rules yet, and she’s going to have to obey them all. To the letter. No mistakes.
I’m going to have to teach her.
The sooner the better.
3
Eden
It’s over.
But it’s not even started yet…
I swallowed hard and looked up at him. My Master. A man whose name I don’t even know. That I’ll probably never know.
It’s not just the girls here who don’t use their real names. The clients are addressed only by the word Master. Dalia told me that if he likes you, you might be allowed to use his initial too. Or any name he might choose for you to use. It’s all up to the master. He makes all the choices.
I felt my breath, shallow and fast, as I looked up at him. He was powerfully built, wide at the shoulders and tapering to slim hips and muscular looking legs. His hair was black and just touched the top of his collar. But it was those eyes that I couldn’t look away from.
They were steel grey, almost cold in color, but burned somehow too. Like fire, as they watched me. He stood close… so close I could feel the heat coming off him. But he didn’t reach out to touch me. And I knew better than to touch him first. Mrs. Sparr had been explicit… about a lot of things. My mind shot back to the image of Dalia’s master fucking her as she sat on his lap, only moments after he bought her. That man had wanted me too, I thought, as a wave of revulsion ran through me.
“Mrs. Sparr, my compliments,” my new master said, without taking his eyes off me. I felt my cheeks burn as Mrs. S came forward to smile at him. The two of them were fully clothed, while I stood only in skin and jewelry. It was surreal.<
br />
“Mr. A,” she purred, as she reached her hand out toward him. I watched as he took it, raising it to his lips.
“Always a pleasure,” he murmured in return. “You’ve outdone yourself,” he added, watching me intently. I felt the blush in my cheeks drop to my chest, deepening and making me sway on my feet.
“Forgive me,” my master said, reaching behind me to where my robe rested on the chain binding my arms. “You will keep yourself covered when we aren’t alone,” he said, as those steely eyes bore into me. “You’re mine now and the first rule is… I do not share.”
He slipped the robe up around my shoulders and covered me with it. His hands were huge too, like the rest of him. And rough. They snagged at the delicate silk. This was a man who knew hard work, I thought, physical work. He might be richer than any man here, but that wasn’t a body that came from a gym.
“Mrs. Sparr,” he said, turning back to her. “Privacy, please. Now.”
I cast a quick look around the room. Several men had already taken the women they’d bought into the next room. A large, luxurious room like an old-fashioned ballroom. Basically, it was exactly that.
The masters who liked to show off their girls, and those who wanted to share them, could take advantage of the reception held there after the auction. I’d seen Dalia go in with the black-eyed man, along with a second girl he’d bought earlier in the evening. I’d been warned it was a possibility, and had to restrain myself from sighing out loud from relief now. At least my master wasn’t taking me in there…
Even so… the idea of being alone with him… a perfect stranger, so soon…
I shifted nervously and bit down on my lip. My eyes darted from him to Mrs. S.
“Please,” she said with a smile, gesturing for him to lead us. “I’ve put you in the Citadel, Mr. A, as you asked.” She fell into step behind him as he walked with long, steady strides. It was obvious he knew where he was going. I wondered absently, how many girls he’d taken there before. And what sort of things happened… in a place with such an ominous sounding name…
“Eden,” Mrs. S whispered as she fell into step beside me. “You have no idea how lucky you just got. Mr. A’s been with us for years. He’s… different from the others, but the girls have never complained.” I looked at her sharply and saw her eyes glitter. “In fact, lots of them go out of their way, to try to appeal to him. I guarantee you’re the envy of every girl sold tonight.”
We walked past the wide entry to the ballroom. Fast, but not so fast I didn’t catch an eyeful. There were girls lying on the long elegant buffet tables, naked, their breasts covered in black caviar… the hollow of their bellies filled with oysters and ice. My steps slowed, my eyes huge as I watched a man lap at the caviar as he held his raging cock in his hand and pumped. Dalia leaned over the table and watched him, as she rocked with the thrusts of the man behind her.
I dragged my eyes away, biting my lip, as my own master led us to the elevator. Mrs. S took my hand and squeezed it hard “You’ll be fine, Eden. I know you will. Just do what he tells you. And do nothing of your own accord.” We caught up to my owner as the elevator door opened.
“Remember,” she said, letting my hand go. “Nothing.”
He unlocked the door to the Citadel and stood back, wanting me to enter first. Mrs. Sparr’s warning was still ringing in my ears. What the hell had she meant?
I walked into the loveliest suite of rooms I’d ever seen. Even in photographs.
Everything was in various shades of soft silver and grey. There were pale tones and dark ones, and the lighting was that familiar champagne color. It spread up the walls in soft fan shapes that gave the entire room a kind of golden glow. It was nothing like what I’d imagined. This looked like a very expensive condo, not a very expensive brothel… I shifted my shoulders awkwardly.
“Please, you’re uncomfortable. You must be,” he said.
He picked up a tiny gold key from a table next to the door and turned me in his hands, lifting the back of my robe. I felt the chain binding my arms go slack and sucked in the first full breath I’d taken in hours.
“You must tell me, whenever you’re uncomfortable. Or in pain, Eden,” he said, his eyes sharp on mine. “That’s not a request.”
I blinked… and nodded, afraid to speak without permission. He watched me a moment longer and moved into the living room, away from me. I stood where I was, waiting, trying to ease myself deeper into the folds of my slippery robe. Then I wondered why. It wasn’t like I could hide myself from him much longer…
He sat down and gestured for me to come closer. I stopped when he held up his hand. I was still a foot away. He still hasn’t touched me, I thought absently. I almost wished we could get it over with. The anxiety was building with every minute I had to wait.
“What is your name?” he asked, looking only in my eyes. His were curious, I thought. Sometimes cold grey, but sometimes warmer… like right now.
“Eden, Master,” I replied softly, as I watched the corner of his mouth tilt up.
“No…,” he said firmly. “Your name. Not the advertisement Mrs. Sparr dreamed up.”
I bit my lip again. He seemed amused somehow, but I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure of anything.
“Grace,” I said evenly, meeting his eyes. I saw them lighten and sparkle. Or at least I thought they did. “Grace… Clarey.”
“It suits you, Grace,” he answered, watching me closely. “There is some… business we need to discuss before… before we continue.” His voice was low and deep. It reminded me of a thunderstorm. Comforting. Soothing even, at a safe distance… Less so close up.
“You’re what I want. So I bought you,” he said quietly. “I’m in control,” he continued, never taking his eyes off me. “I’m always in control and you will never be… not while I own you.”
“You will do exactly what I tell you, nothing more, nothing less. You must agree to obey me without question.” His look hardened. “And I am unique in my requirements.”
I listened, watching his face as he spoke. His features stood like a stone wall in front of his thoughts. What the hell does he mean by unique?
“I’m not interested in making you do anything you’re not willing to do, Grace,” he continued. “But I won’t explain myself to you. And I can’t tell you now, what it is I’ll demand of you. You’re going to have to trust me. Completely. And agree to my terms. If you can’t, I will release you and Mrs. Sparr will be able to sell you again, still a virgin. A lovely, lovely one, I assure you,” he said, his eyes travelling the length of my robe.
“I will dominate you, if you choose to stay with me. Know that,” he said, lust apparent in his voice for the first time. “But I won’t force anything against your will. You can tell me no, at any time you please and for any reason. But our involvement will end at that moment.”
His eyes dropped from mine for the first time. “No matter what you decide, whether we proceed or not, you will never disclose, to anyone, for any reason, what’s transpired between us. I assure you, there would be consequences you would not care to face.”
“I don’t want one night, Grace. I want the whole week…” His voice trailed off as he reached forward and pulled the silk off my body. I saw his entire body tense, his erection huge and obvious under those expensive slacks. I was lost suddenly, in everything he was telling me, and in the sudden flash of unexpected heat I felt inside.
“I will introduce you to more pleasure than you can imagine, Grace.”
“I’ll do anything and everything to you that I please. And I do mean everything.”
“But you will tell no one what you’ve seen. You will not ask questions. And you will never, never, touch me.”
4
Grace
Holy fucking shit.
I thought I was ready for anything. I thought I’d heard it all, with the wealth of information my friends had shared. They’d even brought over some porn videos one evening. All those guys wanted was for the girl to t
ouch them, in every possible way.
And I’d thought nothing would shock me. Well, any more than the reality of all this was going to anyway…
I stood, probably with my mouth hanging open as he unbuckled the diamond collar from around my neck. “I don’t much care for these,” he said, putting it down on the coffee table. I put a hand absently to my throat and blinked, trying to understand.
“You will call me Kaine, not Master,” he said smoothly, watching me. “Sit.” He shifted on the pale grey sofa to make room.
I sank down, the thoughts rioting so loud in my head I was sure he could hear them too. I closed my mouth and took a breath.
“If you have questions, Grace, ask them now. I’ll answer only what I can. Most things have to wait until you’ve agreed to my conditions.” He reached for my hand. His felt warm and very strong.
“You can touch me…?” I began, feeling a strike like lightening shoot up my arm. It was the first time I’d felt the touch of his skin, and it tingled like electricity. “But why… You… don’t… like to be touched…?”
“I will touch you all I please, Grace. And it will please both of us… intensely. I will touch you in any manner I choose and I will touch you a great deal,” he said seductively. He ran his fingers up the inside of my arm and stopped just short, when the back of his hand brushed the curve of my breast. “That’s a very different thing from being touched.” He moved his hand to my lips and brushed his thumb over the lower one. “You can never reach out to touch me,” he said, his voice growing slightly harder. “If I choose, I might place your hands on me, but only if I choose. You will not reach out on your own. Not even in the most casual way.”
Best Friend's Little Sister Page 81
