Page 10 of Slave

I retracted my hand slightly, making her meet my eyes. “Needs, Lily. Needs.”

“I’ll be conservative, I promise.”

With that, I handed her the card and watched her walk purposefully out of my office.

An hour later, Lily called; Brianna wouldn’t leave the apartment because I had not given her permission to do so. Brianna’s willingness to follow instructions to the letter would be beneficial in the playroom but having it in place every minute of the day was exhausting.

Lily put her on the phone. “Brianna,” I said. “Lily is there to take you shopping for some new clothes. She’ll have you back before I get home.” She remained silent on the other end. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

Then the phone was given back to Lily, or more likely taken back by Lily.

“Stephan?”

“I’m here.”

“I’m sorry I raised my voice to you earlier. You did the right thing.”

I sighed. “Thank-you. I just hope I can help her.”

“You can, and you will. I have faith.” Her smile was evident through the phone.

And then she was gone, leaving me once again to think about Brianna. I hadn’t been doing much of anything else since my meeting with Daren last week. Lily would see what remained of her bruises today, but I trusted she would deal with it. They had lightened since I brought her home last week, in any case.

It was thinking about Brianna’s bruises that led me to my next phone call. Taking her to a doctor would raise too many questions, but I did want someone to check her out. I needed to make sure the bruises were the only things I was dealing with, at least physically.

“Hello, Richard. It’s Stephan.”

Brianna

The minute he walked out the door I let the trembling take over my body, and my legs gave out. For the first time in months, I let the tears fall freely without worrying about the consequences.

I didn’t know how long I lay there, but finally the tears stopped flowing, and I took the time to really look around. His home was nice. It was smaller than where I’d been, but less creepy, too. There were large windows all along one wall with a view of the downtown skyline.

Walking to the window, my hand came up and touched the glass. Then I remembered.

Fingerprints.

I ran to the kitchen and frantically opened the cabinets looking for glass cleaner. There under the sink was a bottle of Windex. Clutching it like a lifeline, I took several paper towels and went back to the window to wipe away my error before he came home. He’d been nice to me so far; I didn’t want to make him mad.

Ian had been pleasant enough as long as I did what I was told, immediately as I was told, and I obeyed his rules. But with my new Master it was different. This place was different. And I got to sleep in my very own bed instead of the floor.

The thought of trying to escape crossed my mind, but I cowered against it. No, he’d only find me, just as Ian had when I’d tried to run.

Racing back across the room, I put the supplies back and willed the memories to go away. I didn’t want to remember Ian or anything to do with the last ten months. My new Master was all I needed to think about. I had to make him happy with me.

Hearing a sound I turned quickly and saw the front door opening. Was he home early? Did something happen? Did I do something? I was starting to panic. What did I do?

I ran out of the kitchen so that I was visible from the doorway and dropped to the floor. Maybe, if he found me willing to accept whatever punishment he had in mind, he would go easy on me, and it wouldn’t be so bad.

But I didn’t hear his heavy footfalls. These were lighter, and it sounded like the person was wearing heels. Then they stopped. When I opened my eyes, not realizing until then I’d closed them, I saw two tiny feet wearing tan pumps a foot in front of me.

I didn’t know if I should look up or not, but since she seemed to be waiting for me to move first, I raised my head and found a beautiful woman with long red hair smiling down at me. “Hello. I’m Lily. You must be Brianna.”

Was I supposed to answer? She seemed to be waiting again. “Um . . . yes,” I said, my voice just above a whisper. Hopefully, if I wasn’t supposed to answer, my meek response would lessen the retribution.

All she did was smile at me. “Nice to meet you. Stephan sent me to take you shopping.”

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