“No. I’ve never had one before this,” I said.
“Oh.” Her face went far away.
“Before Mr. Delacroix, I only belonged to myself, and I suppose the man who got me on drugs, but that was different. I could leave.”
“You’re smart so it was easier for you, I suppose, but I can’t imagine not belonging to anyone, miss. I wouldn’t know where to begin, even here, let alone going so far like you did.”
Samuel took the tray of dirty dishes to the house and Thomas stood by as we talked. “Ma’am, would you like me to clear your plates?” he asked.
“Marie-Louise, are you finished?” I asked and she took the last strip of bacon.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Yes, Thomas, thank you,” I said and smiled at him.
“Would you care for anything else, ma’am? There’s fresh lemonade,” he said as he bent to take the plates.
“That sounds like a perfect drink for planning, don’t you agree, Marie?”
“Very good, ma’am,” he said without waiting for Marie’s response, “and if I may speak candidly?” he asked.
“Certainly,” I said, a little puzzled.
“The staff is pleased you’re here and I speak for us all when I say it is our pleasure to serve you. They enjoyed meeting you the other day. It’s all they talk about.”
He turned so he was not facing Marie. “We’ve been waiting for the real lady of Twisted Oak for some time. Miss Nez, please don’t hesitate to ring if you need anything at all any time. We’re at your service.”
Marie appeared completely unaffected by his remarks. Apparently she and the staff did not get along. It was obvious she and Thomas only tolerated one another out of loyalty to the family. Mr. Delacroix’s voice rang in my head: Treat them with respect and they will return the favor.
“Thomas, you’re very kind. Thank you. Please let them know I appreciate them very much. I think we’ll all get along very well.”
He smiled a broad, gleaming white smile. “It’ll be my pleasure, ma’am.” He carried the plates inside.
“So Marie, there are a few options for you, I think,” I said, turning back to her. “Your skills as a musician should be shared, don’t you agree?”
“How, miss? I don’t know what you mean. I play for Mr. Delacroix and Master all the time. I share it whenever I can. I would have played for you last night, but I messed up. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Marie, there’ll be time for that. But I was talking about maybe playing for people outside of Twisted Oak. In the city there are many places you could—”
She interrupted. “I can’t go to the city. I’ll get lost. Bad men will get me. Master said so.”
“I was in the city and bad men didn’t get me,” I said.
“But they got Sunny and almost killed him. Miss, there are bad men out there. Trust me, I know,” she said, her voice grave. The mere thought of her experiences made me cringe.
“Well, maybe someday you’ll be ready for that. In the meantime, Sunny knows musicians and he knows the business. The manager at his bar, her name is Abby. She knows a lot and I bet she can set us up in a recording studio so you can record your music.”
“Make a record of my own? Oh, I dunno, miss.”
“If you want me to, I can talk to Sunny and see what he thinks. I’m sure you know he’s a gifted musician as well.”
“I like Sunny,” she said.
“Marie,” I said sharply.
“Sorry, ma’am.”
Taking a lead from Mr. Delacroix, I said, “That’s better,” and smiled.
“Yeah, it is, miss,” she smiled. “Sunny’s awesome at the guitar and have you heard him on the violin?”
“No, I haven’t. He told me he plays, but I’ve never heard him.”
“He plays so well. His classical is good, but you should hear him play Cajun fiddle and zydeco. He can fiddle, Miss Nez. He is crazy good.”
“See how many options you have? Maybe you and Sunny can make a record together. I’m sure there are more options that you and I haven’t thought of yet. Mr. Delacroix says the four of us will talk about them this afternoon. Maybe we can brainstorm and come up with more good ideas. I can tell you that Mr. Delacroix said in his very own words that Twisted Oak will never turn its back on you. He said it to my face, so please know the family will always be here for you, Marie. You deserve happiness. Mr. Delacroix said so too, and you have to trust him.”
“So, I’ll just sort of belong to the family?” she asked, still confused by the notion of not being anyone’s submissive.
“That’s how Ty was for a long time before he signed on with Sunny. He didn’t really belong to anyone, but he was part of the family. Maybe you can talk to him about how that went.”
“Miss, he belongs to Sunny now?”
“Yes, since last week. He’s one of us now.”
“I don’t like him, miss. Why does Sunny like him?”
“I love him, Marie. He’s the one who found me, saved me from the bad men in the city. When Mr. Delacroix and I come to live here, Sunny and Ty will come with us, so you better get used to having him around.” I remembered her remarks about Ty being black. “Ya know his daddy’s white.”
“That makes it even worse because then they get all uppity, ma’am.”
She was pressing my patience. Thomas shifted his stance, but his expression remained neutral. His self-control impressed me.
“Ty isn’t like that, and I think speaking in generalities about people you don’t know limits your own knowledge. I suggest you rethink your feelings on this. I’m here only because Ty was kind to me. He’s a good man.”
“He fucked you. You said so. You let him fuck you, ma’am.”
“It was more like the other way around. I fucked him.”
“Why, Miss?”
“Mr. Delacroix told me to.”
“Oh, well, then I understand,” she said. “Did you want to, though?”
“Of course I did. He’s a very kind and gentle man.”
“Big dick, too, miss. I saw it last month, but I thought he was a fag.”
“He is, but you know how it goes when one receives a command from one’s master,” I said.
“So he takes commands from Mr. Delacroix, miss?”
“Yes, just like you do, and Jackson and Sunny, too. He’s one of us.”
“Was it good?” She was at the edge of her seat.
“Marie, please remember for your own sake to address me properly.” My clit tingled. The power was delicious.
“Yes, ma’am,” she immediately responded.
“Yes, it was very good,” I laughed.
“Miss, you’re so adventurous,” she said.
“Just following orders,” I said with a smile.
Thomas presented us with an etched-glass pitcher of bright yellow lemonade with lemon slices floating in it. The sound of ice hitting the sides of the glasses as he poured was a happy one and reminded me of the day before when I had seen Twisted Oak for the first time.
“That’s perfect, Thomas, thank you. I’ll always associate this lemonade with my first day here, and you were the first person I saw,” I said.
“My pleasure, Miss Nez,” he said, and stood by after pouring. I could swear he was eavesdropping.
“I feel better now,” Marie said, “knowing you listen to me, that you understand. I was beginning to think I was wrong about everything. I mean, look where I live and all that I have. Why should I be so unhappy?”
“My dear,” I said, “people require so little, if you think about it. But if we don’t have love, we don’t have anything.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she said as she lifted her glass to her lips.
“Marie, love comes to those who open their hearts and minds to it. The more you love, the more you’ll be lov
ed. It isn’t easy, especially for some of us who haven’t had a lot of love, but open your heart and your mind. Don’t be afraid. I’m here now and everything’s gonna be okay.”
“I wish I had a good master like you do,” she said, and we sipped in silence.
“Ma’am, I have a message for you.” Thomas handed me a small piece of paper with neat, unfamiliar handwriting that read 11:15. Thomas walked away before I could thank him.
“We better go. I don’t want to be late. You heard Mr. Delacroix,” I said.
“Miss, where should I go?” Marie asked in confusion.
“To your rooms. Nothing has changed yet, so just carry on as if everything is the same. Go to your rooms and wait for Jackson.”
“Thank you,” she said. We rose from the table and she picked up my sandals. “Miss, sometimes I think it’d be nice to belong to you.”
31.
I quickened the pace up the stairs, praying I was not late. I was unsure how long Thomas had held that note and there were no clocks for me to tell exactly how much time had passed. Twisted Oak was a cunning place. One moment you were as free as a bird, and in the blink of an eye, the cage slams shut. I pictured the alligator waiting silently in the marsh and hoped Mr. Delacroix was not waiting for me.
I ran into our rooms relieved to find them empty. The microwave in the kitchenette read 11:23. I undressed and hung my clothes on the brass valet that stood next to the door before going to the toilet. When I came back to the sitting room, Mr. Delacroix sat on the sofa shirtless and relaxed in red silk pants, my pillow at his feet.
“My lord, you startled me. I didn’t know you were there,” I said and quickly sat on my pillow. It was new, firm. Plush silks and satin brocade in the colors of spring, the wide lace on the edges crocheted in a floral pattern.
“Are you comfortable, my love?” he asked.
“Very,” I said, and leaned against his leg.
“It’s a nice place to be. Ya know, sometimes I miss being on the bottom. I hope you know how good you have it,” he said, his voice thin and terse. “After speaking with Marie-Louise, sir, you can bet I do. I’ve learned a lot today, namely that you are, as she says, ‘a good master.’”
He did not offer any information about how things went with Jackson, so I assumed he preferred not to speak about it. Still, his silence was unnerving.
“Sir, do you want to know about my conversation with Marie-Louise?” I asked.
“Yes, what else did you learn?”
“It’s hard to know where to start, sir, but she told me that she’s glad I’m here and that she doesn’t blame you or me for anything. She’s grateful to you for being so good to her and she feels as though she’s let you down.”
“She made no mention of our first encounter?” he asked, surprised.
“None at all, my lord. Quite the opposite, in fact. She said that you’ve been very kind to her and how grateful she is. She’s terribly afraid she’s let you down.”
“Interesting,” he said.
I was anxious to share what I had learned. “My lord, she knows Jackson wants to break the collar and she wants to as well. I think that’s obvious to everyone, but she’s absolutely terrified that you’ll send her back to the village. She said she’d kill herself before she went back there, and I have to say, I understand. The thought of going back to Kansas City makes me want to puke. Sir, we can’t send her back. Whatever happened to her out there traumatized her so badly that she’d rather die than go back, to relive it. It must have been horrible. And if I may speak candidly?”
“Yes, Nez.”
“Jackson really played on that trauma. My lord, he’s got her so scared that she refuses to leave the grounds.”
“Oh, I know. It would be cruel to send her back. I’m much better at inequity than I am cruelty. I think you know that already.”
“Yes, sir,” I agreed.
“So, did ya’ll come up with any kind of solution?” That Southern drawl made my insides melt.
“Yes, sir, we discussed a few options. Like maybe she could branch out with her music, make a recording and hopefully, eventually, when she feels she’s ready, give a few concerts outside of here, maybe in the city, though that terrified her to no end. She was thrilled, though, with the prospect of making a record.”
“That’s all very nice and dreamy, but where would she live?”
“Well, sir, I was thinking that maybe she could stay in the children’s wing until she gets her feet on the ground.”
He stopped petting me and laid his hand on my head, motionless. The silence was deafening.
“Just for a little while, sir. You mentioned cleaning it up and making it livable again.”
“You told her she could do this?” Agitation rose in his voice.
“Oh no, sir, I only told her I would talk to you about it. In fact, I told her I wasn’t in a position to make promises at all. The only promise I made is that I would talk to you. We talked about broken promises and I told her I wouldn’t make any that I couldn’t keep.”
“Good girl, Nezzie, it’s good that you’ve learned to be truthful and honest. It’s the best way, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely, my lord. The poor girl has had nothing but lies and manipulation her whole life. No wonder she’s such a mess.”
“Indeed, my girl,” he said, petting me again. “So, considering her predicament, how long do you think it would take for her to, as you say, ‘get her feet on the ground’? You act as if she has ever been on her own feet. Nez, the girl’s only been on her back with her legs wide open since she fell out of the cradle. How long do you think it would take for her to be self-sufficient? Two months? A year? Three years? Forever?”
I was stumped. “Sir, you said that Twisted Oak would never turn its back on her.”
“Yep, I sure did, sugah.” Molasses and green grass. “But if she stays on forever, where will she live when the children come?”
“Sir, I think it’ll be awhile before there are children, don’t you think, and we can cross that bridge when we come to it?”
“It’s my feeling that once she’s in the children’s wing, she won’t leave. She tends to get comfortable. Hell, Nez, she’d be in that children’s wing till Jesus comes back.”
“Let’s draw up an agreement, sir, a contract to be renewed twice a year, so that she has to work on being independent.”
“It’s not a bad idea, but it’d be a lot of work. I’d have to make it your project and god knows it wouldn’t be an easy one. I dunno, Nez, but we’ve got time to think about it.”
“Thank you, my lord,” I said, and snuggled into him.
“In the meantime, I may have come up with another solution that I’ll discuss this afternoon when the four of us meet for tea. A plan that can easily remedy a lot of what ails me,” he said with a sigh.
“My lord, you mentioned that you’ve been feeling tense lately. Is there something I can do?”
“Aside from what you’re doing, no.” His voice was resolute as if he was answering to fate outside of his control. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
“Sir, another thing about Marie,” I began.
“Yes?”
“She’s confused about not being under anyone, my lord. I think she’s afraid of not having a dom. She’s insecure and I think it may be an issue going forward. I had to tell her what to do after our talk. She had no idea what she was supposed to do without you or Jackson there to tell her.”
“What did you tell her to do?”
“I told her to go to her rooms and behave normally because nothing has changed. She still belongs to Jackson.”
“Did she listen to you?” Curiosity perked his voice.
“Yes, my lord, and then she said something I wasn’t expecting at all. She said she wished she had ‘a good master’ like I do and then she said that som
etimes she thinks it would be nice to belong to me.”
“Did she now?” He smiled. “And your thoughts on the matter?”
“Well, sir, I may have given her the wrong impression. As you say, she’s very literal.”
“The wrong impression?” He seemed very entertained.
“I required proper salutations, sir,” I said.
“That’s my girl, Nez. She knows damned well you’re to be addressed properly.”
“She didn’t on a couple of occasions so I corrected her.”
“I can’t see how you gave her any kind of wrong impression. Personally, I think she did it on purpose to test you. She’s smart that way, ya know. She wants to see where you stand, test boundaries and push buttons.”
“I allowed her to carry my shoes back, sir.”
He laughed aloud. “She should carry your shoes, but why weren’t you wearing them?”
“My lord, she ran away when she thought we would send her back to the village and I had to chase her. It was easier to run without my sandals on.”
He laughed again. “She may be tiny, but she can run. I can see why she did. Sending her back to the village would be akin to sending her to hell. I’ll assure her this afternoon that it won’t happen. And don’t worry about what she said. She’s good at saying and doing anything to secure her comfort. She’ll do whatever it takes because that’s all she knows.”
“But something happened, my lord.”
He interrupted. “Nezzie, you and I have an agreement!”
“No, no, nothing like that, sir. Please, let me finish.”
He sighed an apology. “I shouldn’t interrupt either.”
“Thank you, sir. I was saying only that something happened inside me when I corrected her, when I told her to address me properly, and then when I let her carry my shoes.”
“You got off on that little bit of power, didn’t you?” he said knowingly.
“Yeah, my lord, I really did, and it surprised me.”
“Do you want her? Do you think you’re ready to be, how did she say it, ‘a good master’?”
Twisted Oak: A Sexual Odyssey Page 34
