Page 34 of Slave

My Master’s words continued to run through my mind long after he left me to go upstairs, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around them. I’d felt the possessiveness in his touch when he’d kissed me and again when he’d touched my cheek earlier. It was so contradictory, as so much was with my new Master, in that both were equally as gentle.

I tried to look over the forms for school, but I couldn’t focus on anything other than our conversation and its implications. He’d given me so much, and I knew the price would be high. I didn’t know why he hadn’t used me yet, but he would.

Then his last words echoed in my ears. You are safe. I thought about that and realized I was, at the very least, safer. For some reason he seemed to want my trust, and even though it scared me beyond reason, I knew on some level I did trust him, a little.

I needed to stop worrying about what was going to happen. There was no way to stop it either way. Stephan would come back downstairs soon, and I wanted to have this paperwork filled out by the time he did. So I forced myself to concentrate.

Amazingly, the forms were simple, at least until they’d asked my reason for leaving school. How did a person in my position answer that question? In the end I decided to ask Master. It would not do for me to anger him by putting down the wrong answer.

He was still upstairs by the time I’d finished filling out the paperwork, so I took my time going through the rest of the packet of information. There were some brief overviews of some of the undergrad programs they offered, nothing detailed of course, but enough to make me want it. I’d always dreamed of going to college and maybe even teaching someday. The teaching might not be a possibility now, but maybe, if what he’d said were true, college was.

I was so lost in my daydreams of college that I didn’t hear him come down the stairs. I didn’t even notice him until he was standing a few feet away from me, calling my name. My reaction was immediate. Dropping the papers, I fell to the carpet and lowered my head to the floor. I knew he didn’t like me to say I was sorry, so I bit my tongue and allowed my actions to speak for me.

Master stood without moving for several long heartbeats, then he bent to pick up the papers I’d dropped. I heard shuffling and knew he was looking them over. He took his time and must have read every word both typed and written. While he read, he did not address me or give me permission to get up. And so I stayed where I was.

I felt movement and then his feet disappeared from my view. The sound of fabric giving a few feet away told me he’d sat down. “Come to me.” Again, his voice was firm, but he didn’t seem upset. I noted he had not told me to get up or rise, but to come, so I only raised my upper body and used both my hands and knees to bring myself to his feet once again.

Once I was sitting at his feet, he reached his hand out and raised my chin. “You were not paying attention, were you, Brianna? What was so important that you neglected to pay attention to your surroundings?”

I swallowed. Would he take this away from me if I told him the truth?

“I see that mind of yours working; however, I expect you to tell me the truth. There is no greater insult or displeasure you will cause me than to lie to me.”

My eyes began to lower, and I felt his hand on my chin tighten in warning. Immediately I brought my eyes back up to his. “College, Master.” His brow rose again in question. “I . . . I used to dream of going to college and . . .”

My words drifted off, and he finished them for me. “. . . and you realized that now it may be a possibility. That is understandable, Brianna, but it is still not acceptable for you not to notice what is around you. You must be aware of where you are and who you are with at all times, whether that be inside or outside of this house, is that understood?”

“Yes, Master,” I whispered.

He watched me for a long time and then said, “I will let this incident go without a consequence, but do not let it happen again.”

“I won’t, Master.”

He released my chin and picked the papers back up. When he spoke again, it wasn’t what I’d expected. “Come sit in my lap, Brianna.”

My heart started pounding. This was it. I swallowed down my fear, stood slowly, and did as he requested as gently as possible. The arm not holding the paperwork wrapped around my waist. I kept waiting for it to move up or down, but it didn’t. It just lay innocently on my stomach.

As we went over what I’d filled out, I had to concentrate hard on what he was saying. I didn’t want to get caught again not paying attention, but it was difficult.

Somehow I managed, and we were able to come up with something to fill in that empty space I’d been so unsure of with “personal conflicts.” Master didn’t think they’d want a more specific answer because it was only for record-keeping purposes.

Amazingly, I’d gradually started to relax the longer we sat and talked. The bliss of the moment was cut short as he set the papers down and said, “Kiss me.”

I hesitated and began to see the furrowing of his brow showing his disappointment. I didn’t want that. I’d promised myself that I would do whatever he asked, and now that he was asking something of me, look at my reaction. It was a kiss, just a kiss. So I leaned in, closed my eyes, and tried to stay calm.

He relaxed under me the moment my lips touched his, but he didn’t move other than to kiss me back. It felt odd. I’d never kissed anyone before. I mean, I’d been kissed, but I’d never been the one doing the kissing. Maybe that shouldn’t make a difference but somehow it did.

When I finally pulled my lips from his, I opened my eyes to find his staring back at me. Then the knuckles of his left hand came up and brushed my cheek. “Very nice, Brianna. But next time do not hesitate.”

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Brianna

I was in a deep sleep when I heard an annoying beeping sound by my ear. And as much as I willed it to go away, it wouldn’t stop. Finally, I opened my eyes and located the sound. The alarm.

Reaching out, I hit the snooze button, desperate for it to stop. But as soon as my eyes opened enough to take in my surroundings, I remembered where I was. It had been so long since that had happened.

Lifting my hand to my neck, my fingers grazed the tiny circle of metal there. My collar. Stephan.

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