Page 36 of Slave

Vaguely, I heard the sound of a timer, but I was so lost in my head that I didn’t register what it was. Then I felt his hand on my arm and jumped.

This was not happening to me! He’d caught me not paying attention again after he’d just warned me last night. I knew what was coming. I knew, and yet I still wanted to beg for it not to happen.

“Look at me, Brianna.”

I’d been expecting that tone, but it still had me trembling. It was so hard to look at him. His face was rigid, his jaw clenched. “What did I tell you last night about not paying attention?” He didn’t wait for me to answer. “I thought you would have learned the importance of that lesson after our talk, but obviously you haven’t. I told you there would be consequences next time, and so as much as I do not wish it, you’ve made your choice. Go get your books and bring them to me.”

My books? What was he going to do with my books? When he noticed my hesitation, he raised his eyebrow slightly, and I knew if I didn’t get moving quickly, whatever he had planned would get much worse.

I made it down the stairs as fast as I could, my legs not quite so steady after the three-mile bicycle ride. The books were lying where I’d left them last night on the nightstand. My heart clenched when I thought about what he was going to do with them. As I made my way back up the stairs to the gym where he was waiting, I almost wished he’d do anything but take away my books.

When I entered the room, he was standing right where I’d left him and didn’t move as I approached. Standing before him, the books in my right hand, I watched in dread as his hand came out asking for them.

A small whine left my lips as I placed them in his grasp. He heard it, of course, and made a tsk sound with his tongue before tucking the books under his arm. “These will remain in my possession for one week. As long as I feel you’ve learned your lesson, you will get them back next Sunday morning. Until then, the library is off limits to you as well.”

He was taking my books. I didn’t know why, but that felt worse than if he’d have hit me. It had been so long since I’d been able to read, to lose myself in a novel, and he was taking them away.

There had been no doubt in my mind that eventually I’d displease him, but I’d never thought he’d choose my books of all things to take away from me.

Stupid. He can take everything away, remember? You are nothing. You have nothing.

His voice brought me back to him again. “I expect you to pay attention to your surroundings at all times, Brianna.” Master’s voice changed slightly before he spoke his next words. “Now, as for your hesitation in complying with my request...” This is it. What will he do to me? “We are finished here for today. You will go shower and dress for dinner with my aunt and uncle. Pick out a skirt and blouse from what Lily got you. If you need help, come find me; I will be in my room getting dressed as well.” Then he took a step toward me and lifted my chin. “I want to make sure you are paying attention today, Brianna. Only cold water for your shower.”

And with that, he walked away.

Two hours later, we were in his car. It had been less than two weeks since I’d started taking warm showers again, but it was enough time to make me forget how much I hated cold ones. Because of the workout, I’d had to wash my hair. By the time I’d stepped out of the shower, I was freezing.

I had to do better. It couldn’t be that hard to stay focused and pay attention. Daydreaming was something I’d always had a habit of doing. When I was younger, my teachers had given me more than one lecture on paying attention.

We drove for almost an hour before he pulled over along the side of the road. There was countryside all around us, but I saw no house nearby so I wasn’t sure why he’d stopped. I kept myself still but focused my complete attention on him.

He shifted in his seat to look at me. There was silence in the car for several minutes as I waited. Finally the words came. “While we’re here, you will keep your head up. If someone asks you a question, it is up to you whether or not you answer it; however, I do expect you to be polite.”

“Yes, Master,” I whispered obediently.

He brushed his fingers against my cheek and then ran them though my hair down to my shoulder. “You will do fine, Brianna. I will not leave you alone. Remember, you are safe.”

I was safe. He kept saying that.

Master’s pulled his hand away, turned back around in his seat, and put the car in drive. Less than a mile later, we turned down a long driveway, and I could see a huge house in the distance.

We were here.

The house was massive, at least from what I could see. It had to be just as big as Ian’s, but where his was creepy and intimidating, this one was elegant and regal.

We walked to the door, his arm at my lower back. I felt calmer knowing he was there, which was strange. I couldn’t explain this weird mixture of fear and trust I had.

The fear I understood. He owned me. It was the trust that boggled my mind. I had no reason to trust him except for the fact that he had yet to lie to me. Even down to the consequences this morning, he’d been truthful. I cringed at the reminder that I had no books to occupy my days or evenings for the next week.

My Master didn’t knock when we reached the door, but instead walked in as if he owned the place. He guided me through a foyer bigger than my room and down a long hallway that opened up into a kitchen. There stood a woman with long, brown hair very similar in color to Stephan’s.

Seeming to have the same sixth sense as Master did, she turned moments after we entered the room. “Stephan!” she screamed, dropping what she’d been holding in her hand and wrapping him in an exuberant hug.

She pulled back and looked at him as if assessing. “You are not allowed to stay away for that long again,” she said, playfully slapping his arm. “Do you hear me?”

He chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”

Then her eyes fell on me. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?”

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