Page 9 of Slave

Her quick response threw me, but it wasn’t what I’d wanted. She was back to kneeling on the floor. I sighed. After four days, I thought she would have known what I’d wanted when I told her to sit. This was going to be interesting. “Sit on one of the stools, please.”

I heard her movement and knew she’d done as instructed even though I wasn’t watching her. There was silence as I finished preparing breakfast and then came around to set both our plates down. She didn’t eat, even after I started, until I gave her permission.

After finishing breakfast with absolutely no conversation from my companion, I took her into my bedroom and gave her another T-shirt and a pair of my jogging shorts. She took them hesitantly and waited for instructions just as she had each day since arriving. “You are to go to your room and change into these clothes. I will be leaving and won’t be back until this evening. You may watch television, read any of the books in the living room, and make yourself lunch.” Then I handed her a piece of paper. “This is my cell phone. You are to call it if you need to.”

I closed the distance between us and raised her head to meet my eyes. “You will not be punished if you call me, Brianna,” I whispered.

With that, I picked up my jacket and left for work.

I was late, as I knew I would be. Things with Brianna took more time than I usually allotted myself in the mornings. It was quite obvious from my observations that she had not been able to do much past breathing without permission. She didn’t do anything because she was afraid. Fear had no place for my submissives inside or outside of the playroom.

So, when I arrived at my office, the first thing I did was tell Jamie I needed to see Lily as soon as possible.

Lily strolled into my office less than an hour later. “You asked to see me?”

“Yes, Lily,” I said. “Please shut the door.”

She did and took a seat across from my desk. Her expression showed concern. “Is everything okay? Logan said he tried to call you over the weekend.”

Of course, Logan had tried to call me. Not showing up to work without notice was strange behavior for me. I’d talk to him soon.

Instead of answering her, I got directly to the point. “Lily, I need your help.”

“Sure,” she said, smiling. “What do you need? I already talked with Karl and . . .”

I cut her off. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Karl. Or work, actually.” There was no easy way to say this so it was better to get it over with. “I have . . . inherited a . . . woman. And she’s . . . well she’s . . .” I grunted in frustration.

“Stephan, what’s going on? Are you talking about a new submissive? You didn’t say anything about getting a new sub. I mean, I know you were looking, but . . . when did you find her?”

She was rattling on in regular Lily fashion. And as much as I didn’t want to have to tell anyone about this, I knew if I wanted her help there was no choice. I cut into her monologue. “I bought her Wednesday night.”

Lily shot up from her chair. “You . . . you . . . bought her!” These last two words were said in a shout.

“Sit down, Lily,” I commanded. She wasn’t my submissive, but I was her boss.

After a few seconds delay, she sat back down. “What do you mean, you bought her?” she said with a hiss.

“I mean, I bought a woman from Ian Pierce last week.”

At the mention of Ian’s name, Lily’s back stiffened. After spending the weekend with Brianna, I knew Lily had good reason for her reaction. The man was obviously a sadist, and it didn’t surprise me that she’d heard of him. People talk.

“Is she okay?” she asked, her voice full of concern for this girl she didn’t know.

“Physically? I think so or at least she will be. Emotionally? Not at all from what I’ve seen. That’s why I need your help.”

“Anything.” And she was completely serious. Logan and Lily were two of my best friends; they would do anything they could to help me.

I nodded. “First, I need you to take her shopping. She has nothing but what she left Ian’s wearing, which isn’t suitable. I’ve had her wearing some of my old things, but she needs to have clothes of her own.”

“Do you know what size she is?” Lily asked, the excitement behind her eyes broadcasting her true feelings about my request. Lily loved a challenge, and this would prove to be a substantial one. Buying an entire wardrobe for a woman you’ve never met and knew nothing about wasn’t something to take lightly; and knowing Lily, and her desire to please, she would do her best for Brianna.

“No clue. She’s about your size. Maybe a little taller, I’d say. Does that help?”

“It gives me a place to start,” she said, and I could see her mind already working.

“Good.” I reached into my pocket, pulled out my wallet, and extracted a credit card. “I want you to take the day off, go pick her up from my place, and get her what she needs.”

Her eyes lit up as she reached for the card.

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