Page 13 of Into the Night

“It kills me…” Candace leaned near Mitch, showing off her perfect veneers that looked tough enough to bite a woman in half. “How your Mistress found you, a diamond in the rough, and polished you until you shine brighter than any other woman in this city.”

“You should have met me a few years ago. You wouldn’t have even noticed me in an empty room.” That was how Mitch liked her daily life.Fade into a crowd and never be seen again.When she was “on,” though, she was liable to make half the women in a room fall in love with her.It’s win-win… I get the thrill of all that sexual attention, and Vanessa’s ego inflates to the size of the earth.Except she had to be careful around Candace. If the police were right, she might be a dangerous woman to get involved with.

Oh, but Mitch didlovedanger…

“I highly doubt that. You see, I have quite an eye for talent in certain fields. You’re exactly what we would call a natural. It’s in your eyes, Michelle. The way you move across the room. I bet you had hints of that potential already expressed long before you met Vanessa.”

Mitch kept her lips pursed into a heavy smile. She wouldn’t tell Candace the truth.

“It must have been exciting, watching you come into your own and perfect your skills. Newbies don’t strut into the Summit and take first place by chance. That’s a fantastic bond with your partner. And natural skill, if I may say so.”

“Were you there?” Mitch politely asked. “When we performed?”

“You might say I enjoyed myself immensely that weekend. My only regret was that I wasn’t a judge and voted for you myself.”

Mitch grinned.

“Are the other rumors true?” Candace lightly grazed her fingers over Mitch’s hand. She felt nothing. “I mean, the ones I know are true, but shall ask out of good faith.”

“You’ll have to be more specific than that.”

A dark streak overtook Candace’s visage, but it wasn’t enough to set Mitch off-balance. She had seen worse. She had taken downfarworse.

“I think you know exactly what I’m talking about. I simply don’t like speaking of money in polite company.”

“My Mistress talks about money all day, so I can’t relate to that.”

The conversation had lulled near the loveseat. Mitch took that as her cue to rejoin Vanessa, who welcomed her with the kind of open arm that was reserved forherpet. Mitch cuddled right up into Vanessa’s embrace and felt her heartbeat against the cheek. If they had been back home, this would have been it… the perfect segue into falling asleep while feeling the safest Mitch ever had.

Except she was far from safe right now. Candace Lister devoured her with one look.

“Ladies,” she said with a cracking voice, “I hope we have all gotten to know our new guests well because it’s time for them to show us what they’re capable of.”

Mitch glanced at Vanessa as if she could convey the wordhazingusing nothing but a look. Yet she figured that Vanessa had a good idea about what was going on here. Hadn’t they discussed it on the way over?“If they want us to give them a free show…” “Yes, of course. No problem.”The only times Mitch said no was if she were ill or distraught. And if shereallymeant it, she used the safe word, the one word that surpassed even the meaning of “no.”

“Well, then…” Vanessa sat up, shrugging Mitch awake. “What would please the discerning masses tonight? I’m afraid we haven’t been here long enough to know what would immediately please you.”

The small crowd was awkwardly silent, including Candace, who kept to herself. It was Kasey who finally spoke, her eyes alit with mischief.

“Since most of us have already seen your regular – but, to be sure,riveting –shows, why not show us something that not many get to see? We’re all professional adults here. We can handle almost anything.”

The silence of the others essentially sold everyone on the idea. Mitch exchanged a fervent look with her Mistress, but it wasn’t Vanessa who immediately agreed to a small challenge. It was Candace, whose silent but excited expression saideverything.

“We’d be happy to oblige.” Vanessa urged Mitch to stand up with her. “Give us a moment. Right over here.”

They stole into the corner farthest away from the other guests and the refreshments that Mitch had left behind. Vanessa shielded Mitch from the prying eyes that had been undressing her for the past half hour.Didn’t take long before we were asked to perform.Granted, they were the last to arrive… almost as if Candace had purposely told them a later hour…

“Have you had a good look at what she stocks in here?” Vanessa asked.

Mitch nodded. “Some things even we don’t have.”

“But we know how to use.” Vanessa glanced into the back of the room. Not as far as the bondage bed, but the thing hanging from the ceiling right in front of it. “I’m thinking a twist on the Public Darling. That should get her going.”

“I’m yours to command, Mistress.”

“As long as you’re willing to go along with it.”

“You know me.” Mitch lowered her arms, offering her partner a hearty view of everything between her throat and dress. “If I’m not willing or interested, you’ll hear it first.”

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