Page 82 of Slave

He looked over at Lily, and she began talking.

“When we were in Brianna’s room last weekend, she asked me if I was ever your slave. I told her I wasn’t and that neither was she.” Lily’s eyes lowered before she continued. “When it was time to go, I should have asked for a few more minutes or something other than what I did, which was nothing.”

I had had no idea that Brianna had asked her if she was a slave last weekend. Looking at Logan’s face while Lily told her story let me know that this was why she had not been speaking today at dinner. Lily should have said something. To Brianna. To Logan. To me. Instead she had kept it to herself and allowed the woman in my arms to suffer even more confusion than was necessary. Brianna had opened up to Lily and had gotten silence in return.

Lily finished by apologizing again for her poor judgment and fell silent again. Apparently her punishment wasn’t over. I couldn’t say that I disagreed with Logan.

My best friend then stood and walked over to stand in front of us. Brianna looked up hesitantly, and he smiled at her before turning serious again. “My deepest apologies, Brianna.”

Then he looked at me. “Please call if you need anything.” I nodded and they left.

Brianna sat unmoving in my arms. I knew that she’d heard every word that Lily and Logan had spoken, and I knew she had to have many questions floating in her head that she was probably afraid to voice. Everything in me rebelled against letting her go, but I knew that I must.

I patted her arm and told her to stand. Then, taking her hand, I led her to the couch and had her sit down beside me. We hadn’t been here since the time I told her she didn’t have to end every sentence she said to me with Master.

She sat with her head down, holding tightly to my hand as if she thought I might let it go. I wouldn’t. I was too selfish for that. Some part of me had to be able to touch her while we talked.

My thumb moved lazily on her knuckles as I stated, “There’s something you want to ask me.”

She didn’t answer me, so I waited. If it took all night for her to talk to me, we would wait here.

And wait we did. After five minutes she began picking at the slacks she was wearing with her free hand. After ten she began moving her legs. Fifteen minutes passed, and she opened her mouth, but no sound escaped. This went on for several more minutes before small sounds began emerging.

But even after that it took another three minutes before a definable word came out. “You . . . bought me.”

It wasn’t a question, but I answered anyway, “Yes. I did.”

Her head fell lower, and her shoulders fell forward slightly. “I am your slave,” she whispered, clearly not talking to me but herself.

“Look at me.” She did as I said, albeit slowly. Her eyes were fearful. It was something I’d noticed gradually fading when she looked at me. I didn’t like seeing that it had returned.

“Would you like to know why I bought you?” Brianna’s eyes widened, and her breathing picked up. I both saw and felt the signs of her anxiety. She wanted to know, but she was scared of the answer.

“Maybe I should have told you that first night. I don’t know,” I said to her honestly, pleading with her to believe me. “You didn’t believe anything I said back then.” I shook my head as I remembered what she’d been like that first night. So fragile and completely broken. “I didn’t know how you’d react.”

She didn’t say anything so I continued. “A friend of mine came to me.” I began, trying to pick my words carefully. “He saw you at a party.”

Her hand loosened around mine. The fear was turning into panic. As much as I wanted to keep space between us, I just couldn’t be physically separated from her anymore. I couldn’t just watch her crumble before me.

I released her hand and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her flush against my body. My forehead rested against hers as I looked into her eyes, almost forcing her to concentrate on nothing but me. “Daren told me he didn’t think you were there because you wanted to be. He had asked Ian”—she shuddered when I said his name—“if you were for sale. He knew I had the means to buy you. That’s why he came to me.”

Brianna’s eyes were still fearful, but they were no longer unfocused. I soften my tone as I said the next words. “I didn’t buy you to own you. Not like you think I did.”

More minutes passed in silence. “Say something. Please,” I begged.

“Why?” she whispered.

“Why what?” I said back just as softly. We were so close that our noses were almost touching.

Her eyes changed to pleading, but I wanted her to say something. Anything. “Do not be afraid, Brianna. You can ask me anything.”

Brianna’s words were still weak as she spoke them. “If . . . if you didn’t want to . . . own me,” she choked, “then why did you . . .why would you buy me?”

I closed my eyes and took in the scent of her. My next words could change everything for her. And for me. “There are people out there who enjoy what Ian does. Alex, for example. But if you weren’t that type of person . . . well, I couldn’t just not do something. I had the means to help you. I couldn’t just walk away and leave you there if that wasn’t what you wanted.”

She blinked up at me. There was still so much confusion in her eyes, but I was glad to see the fear was retreating. “Then I saw you,” I said, bringing my hand up to caress her face. “I knew without a doubt that this was not the life you wanted. But you were so broken, so scared. I wanted in that moment to help you above all else.”

Brianna’s eyes were full of questions now. I knew I still had so much to explain. “I was selfish, though. When I brought you into my home I knew that I wanted to keep you.” She stiffened, and I strengthened my hold. “Not as my slave, Brianna.”

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