Page 82 of Brie's Submission
She bowed low to him, and then to Brie. Her walk was graceful as she took small steps towards the door to the far left. When Akira had quietly closed the door behind her, Brie tried to keep the jealousy out of her voice. “Is she your sub, Tono?”
He shook his head in amusement. “No, toriko. She is my assistant. She helps me with the shoots.”
“Why does she call you Master?”
“Out of respect. In certain circles, I’m considered a master of the rope.” His humble smile melted her heart. “It is actually the reason I was absent at the auction last week. I had a live show in New York. Normally, I don’t leave California, but I wanted enough disposable income to make sure I won your auction this week. I refused to be outbid again.”
Brie blushed, remembering her first auction when the Russian Dom, Rytsar, had outbid Tono. Knowing that the man before her was a renowned artist was disconcerting. “I didn’t realize you were famous, Tono.”
He chuckled and gathered her into his arms. “I am not famous, little slave. People simply enjoy the art, and others want to learn the technique.”
Something told her that he was being overly modest, but she accepted his answer. He pointed to a short, red kimono artfully hanging on the wall. “That is for you to wear for the shoot, toriko. You may join Akira in the bedroom. She will help you dress, and then I want you to meet me out back.”
He kissed her on the forehead and left.
Brie lifted the gorgeous kimono and traced the gold thread accents with her fingers. The soft feel of the silk thrilled her. She’d never worn anything this beautiful before.
She carried it into the bedroom and spent the next half-hour being primped by Akira. She wore no clothes underneath the silken kimono. Although her makeup was simple, Akira applied a deep red lipstick and redid her eyeliner. She spent most of her time creating an elegant updo for Brie, complete with decorative chopsticks. When Brie looked in the mirror, she saw a model staring back at her.
“Wow, Akira. You are a magician.”
The woman twittered softly. “Not so, Miss Bennett. It is easy to work with natural beauty. Please do me the honor of following me to Master.”
The young woman walked with tiny, graceful steps to the back door, and presented Brie to Tono. “I hope you are pleased with my work, Master.”
Tono had changed into a traditional black kimono, and looked devastatingly handsome. He walked over and looked Brie over critically. His eyes on her made her even hotter for him. “Nice work, Akira. Thank you. You may leave now.”
The young woman bowed and left the two alone in Tono’s backyard. Brie looked around, finally noticing the gorgeous Japanese garden. It was tiny, but the space beyond the patio was filled with exotic plants and a small waterfall. “This is lovely, Tono.”
He moved up behind her and put his hands on her waist. “I am glad you like it. It does not take much to create heaven on earth.”
She smiled up at him and moaned softly when he kissed her. “Oh, how I’ve wanted this…”
“Yes, toriko. Your spirit captured me the first day we met.” He kissed her neck, sending pleasant shivers down her spine. “I plan to immortalize that spirit on film today. But first we must sit down for tea.”
He gestured to a low table with two pillows. He held out his hand and helped her kneel down on one. He sat cross-legged on the other and smiled at her. “Tea is good for the soul, toriko.” He poured from an earthenware pot and handed her a small cup decorated with an orchid. She smiled, recognizing the same design as on the wax she had at home.
Tono poured himself a cup as well. She waited to take a sip until he put his cup to his lips. They both swallowed the tea together, looking at each other. The brew caressed her throat like a warm blanket, and she sighed in contentment.
“Drink more, toriko,” he insisted at intervals, and filled her cup several times. She didn’t mind. The tea had a soothing quality to it, much like the sound of the waterfall, and she felt completely at ease.
“Do you know much about Kinbaku?” he asked.
She smiled at him bashfully. “Only what Mr. Gallant shared in class. He said it was beautiful, though.”
“Yes, my intention is to create harmonious art using the beauty of the model and the intricacy of the rope. But it is more than art, toriko. I plan to carry you to that other plane of consciousness where you can soar free.”
She looked at him questioningly. “What do you mean?”
Tono took another sip of his tea and encouraged her to do the same. “This week you had Doms show you the American way to bring a submissive into subspace. Today I will show you a different way.”
“How is it different?”
He reached across the small table and lightly ran his index finger down her arm before answering. “The American way is to cause pain to quickly bring a rush of endorphins into your bloodstream. My way is much more subtle, but equally effective.” Brie’s skin warmed at his touch, and she looked at him lustfully as he continued.
“By constraining you with rope, I will free you to enter that realm without the need of a whip or cane.”
Her eyes widened. “Really?”
