Page 55 of Slave

The sales woman quickly disappeared, which left only the couple. They were watching us closely. My hands were still cradling Brianna’s face, but she’d lowered her head when my grip had slackened and was now looking at the floor.

Ignoring our audience, I leaned in, placing my mouth an inch above her ear where our observers could not see my lips and asked, “Are you okay, love?” Brianna was the only one that mattered to me at the moment.

She nodded, and I let my lips graze her hair as I pulled her closer to me. “Are you able to put your shirt on for me?” Brianna nodded again, and I pulled back enough to hand her the shirt. She took it without hesitation and only fumbled a little as she put it on.

Just then, the sales lady pushed her way through and handed me a small cup full of water.

“Thank-you,” I said to her before turning my total attention back to Brianna.

Her hands were resting flat on her thighs. I reached down and one by one placed her hands around the cup. “Drink,” I ordered softly.

Obediently she raised the plastic to her lips and began to drink. Satisfied that she wasn’t about to fall apart on me for the first time since entering the small room, I turned completely to our audience. “Thank-you for your assistance, but if you don’t mind we’d like a few minutes alone.”

To their credit, the couple seemed a little embarrassed as they pulled themselves away and disappeared from the dressing area.

The store employee hesitated a few seconds, but finally said, “Of course.”

I turned back to Brianna and watched as she drained the cup before laying it as an offering at her feet. I picked up the now empty container and put it up on the bench behind me so that it was out of the way. With a slight shift in position, I was kneeling in front of her with our knees almost touching.

Brianna had once more placed her hands in her lap, but I noticed her pressing her lips together, alerting me to her nervousness.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.”

She remained silent.

“Brianna,” I said in a firm voice to let her know that I expected an answer.

“Will you take my books away again, Master?” she whispered.

Take away her books? What was she talking about? “Do you think I should take your books away again?” I asked, wanting to hear her answer.

“Please, anything but my books, Master. Punish me however you want, just . . . just please don’t . . .” I heard a choking sob and although I couldn’t see her face at the moment, I knew she was crying again.

Reaching out to her, I pulled her head into my chest. This was not a conversation I wanted to be having in the middle of a store or out in public, for that matter. I gently stroked her hair in the way she liked until I felt her calm.

“Are you able to walk?” I asked.

She nodded and whispered, “Yes, Master.”

I pulled back and helped her to stand. Lifting her chin, my eyes met hers. “We will discuss this at home.”

She nodded and cast her eyes down.

Walking back out into the store I kept my hand in hers. The sales woman met us almost immediately, as I’m sure she’d been hovering close by since she’d left us. Giving her my credit card, I instructed her to put the clothes we’d left behind aside for one of my staff to pick up tomorrow. As soon as I had the card back in my hands, I guided Brianna back out into the mall.

This time we didn’t linger. To make it easier on her, I positioned us on the edges of the crowd and kept us moving. I just wanted to get her home. She’d had enough for one day and deserved some rest, even though we still needed to talk.

The entire drive home Brianna was tense and looking down at her hands. Usually she liked to watch out the window as I drove, but her entire body radiated anxiety. I wanted to comfort her, but I was unsure how at the moment. She seemed to think she was in trouble, although I didn’t understand what she could have done to warrant punishment.

I didn’t linger in the parking garage, and we quickly made our way into the elevator and up to the top floor. She was still quiet. Brianna hadn’t said a word since we left the store. Although in her defense, she never initiated conversation, and I was still mulling over everything that had transpired in the last hour.

I unlocked the door, stepped through, and threw my keys down on the table. She followed me inside without stopping, and knowing she would follow me, I went directly to her bedroom, and then into her bathroom.

As I walked through the door separating the two rooms, I heard her enter the bedroom behind me. Under the sink I found the bottle of bubble bath I was looking for. It was something I had provided for Tami when she was using the room, so she had not taken it with her, thankfully. Taking it over to the tub, I turned on the tap, regulated the temperature to a comfortable level, and poured in some of the fragrance.

I waited until the water reached the desired level before shutting off the tap. When I turned around, Brianna was kneeling just outside the doorway. Strolling over to her, I reached down, took her hands, and indicated that I wanted her to stand.

Placing my hand under her chin, I brought her face up so she could look at me. “You are to get into the tub and take a bath, Brianna. You are to stay in there at least thirty minutes. When you’re finished, there will be clothing laid out for you on your bed. Put them on and meet me in the kitchen.” I didn’t wait for her to agree before I dropped her chin and left the room.

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