Authors: Roni Loren
Tags: #Fiction, #Literary, #Romance, #Erotica, #Contemporary
He chuckled and slid his hand along her lower back. “Come on, slave. Time for your
debut.”
The words made her muscles freeze, and she hesitated when he tried to move her forward.
He looked back to her, a wrinkle appearing in his brow. “What’s wrong?”
She glanced at the door then back to him. “Is it okay that I’m kind of terrified all
of a sudden?”
He turned to face her, his eyes soft, and put his hands on her shoulders. “All you
need to do is focus on me and what I tell you to do. I’ll take care of you. That’s
my most important job as your dominant, and I’ll never shirk that responsibility.
Trust that you can give yourself over fully to my care without worry.”
The words warmed her even though the idea of blind trust always sent a shudder of
foreboding through her. She managed a half-smile. “Are you saying I need to let you
be my prince?”
A strange expression flickered over his features, but he quickly covered it with a
confident smirk and brushed his knuckles along her jaw. “Exactly.” He leaned over
and gave her a quick kiss. “Not that you have a choice, slave.”
She grinned. “I think you might be the nicest evil prince ever.”
He slid his hand around the back of her neck and guided her toward the door. “I wouldn’t
make that call so soon, Tess. The night has just begun.”
TWENTY-THREE
Kade led Tess through the main cabin toward the backyard, feeling like a hypocrite
for telling her she shouldn’t be nervous when he was barely reining in his own butterflies.
Despite how many times he’d been to parties at The Ranch, he’d never brought a submissive
whose opinion mattered to him so much. Tonight he was going to show Tessa what this
world looked like. Not the easily palatable version, but the real one. She was going
to get her first view of the kind of relationship he desired, and he had no idea how
she was going to react.
Exploring fantasies was one thing. Most people would be willing to try a little kink
as a one off every now and then. But much fewer wanted that dynamic every day of their
lives.
Before they reached the sliding glass doors that led to the back, Colby pulled them
open from the other side. Tessa halted her step, no doubt confused by his appearance,
and intimidated. Colby was a big, scary bastard in normal clothes, but in his leathers
he probably looked downright terrifying to Tessa. Kade cupped the back of Tessa’s
neck, the collar pressing into his palm. “Ready for her?”
Tessa’s head swung toward Kade, question marks in her eyes, but he gave her no reassurance.
If he was going to give her this night, he wasn’t going to dilute it for her.
Colby gave a brief nod. “Yep. She’ll fetch a good price in that outfit.”
“A what?” Tessa asked, panic underlining her voice.
“Hush, slave. I didn’t give you permission to speak.” He reached for the buckle on
her collar and undid it. “I was only transporting you and preparing you for the auction.
Highest bidder gets to take you home.”
She reached up and grabbed at her neck when the collar slipped away. He liked the
glimmer of loss in her eyes, the sudden awareness of what the collar represented and
what he was stripping from her. It’d make it all the sweeter when he got to put it
on her again.
He took her elbow and handed her off to Colby, who was doing an impressive job of
keeping his stern expression.
“Kade,” Tessa protested when he stepped away from her.
“It’s Master Van or Sir,” he reminded her. “And you’d best remember how to be respectful
or I may not be inspired to bid on your services tonight.”
She wet her lips, the words probably sinking in, understanding dawning. “Yes, sir.”
“Master Colby will take you where you need to go.”
Another pleading look passed her face, but he wasn’t going to give her more information
than that. He gave Colby a quick nod, and Colby led her out. Kade turned around, knowing
she was safe with Colby, and went back down the hallway to get the last of what he
needed for the plan.
Tessa McAllen, welcome to my world. Hope you enjoy your stay.
Tessa’s knees were weak with nerves as Colby led her toward the open field behind
the cabin. She could hear voices before they turned around the back corner of the
house, but when the party came into view, she couldn’t believe what sprawled out in
front of her. Women were milling around in . . . gowns? She blinked a few times, unsure
she was really seeing it. But it was like she’d walked into some evening soiree in
Regency England. The men were dressed in long tailcoats, vests, and breeches—at least
she thought that’s what the pants were called. The whole scene was enough to root
her to the ground.
Colby looked down at her. “What’s wrong, slave?”
For some ridiculous reason, her eyes went wet. She’d told Kade her fantasy about a
prince as an aside. It had been an offhanded comment, silly. And though he’d said
he planned to give her the role play tonight, she only thought he meant in a general
way—just between the two of them. But what spread out before her was a scene from
one of her historical novels come to life. She shook her head. “Kade did all this?”
“It’s Master Van,” Colby reminded her, but his voice was gentle. “And yes, he did.
We didn’t expect this many people to show up on short notice, but give kinky people
a chance to wear costumes and they’re all in.”
She laughed, swiping at the ridiculous tears that had escaped. “I can’t believe he
went through this much trouble.”
“Can’t you?” Colby’s tone and frown fastened her to the spot. “My guess is that there’s
not much he wouldn’t do for you.”
She glanced away, the comment hitting her right in the chest. “It’s not like that.
We’re just having a good time together.”
Colby sniffed. “Uh-huh. Now come on, we can’t get started without you.”
She swallowed back the anxiety Colby’s comment had stirred up again and let him lead
her toward the crowd. Heads turned, people openly giving her head-to-toe evaluations.
The vibe amongst the group was anticipatory, like she was the roast pig about to be
served for dinner. It was damn unnerving, and Tessa couldn’t help but feel wildly
self-conscious about her state of dress. The other women were wearing full gowns.
Though, admittedly, some of the low-cut bodices left little to the imagination. But
here she was with a corset and a skirt that was so thin, she knew it was nearly useless
at covering anything. The little jewel dangling against her sensitive parts mocked
her, making her all too aware of her bareness beneath the skirt.
But despite the predatory mood of the crowd, no one touched her as Colby moved her
through the knot of people. If anything, they backed up so as not to brush against
her. Kade’s words came back to her—
no one will touch you without my permission
. But she didn’t know if that applied when she wasn’t wearing his collar. She moved
a little closer to Colby, seeking protection from the only other person she knew would
watch out for her.
He moved his arm around her in a friendly but reassuring gesture. “It’s okay, darlin’.
No one can touch you until they buy you.”
That was supposed to make her feel better? Who exactly had the option to buy her?
Comments whispered on the breeze around her as they walked, lewd ones, suggestive
ones, curious ones. But she got the sense this was all part of the production Kade
was putting on. Everything about this was making her feel like she was less than the
people around her—the commoner, the slave. It should have upset her, but instead it
made something settle inside her. There was some comfort in knowing what her role
was, what the expectations were.
Once they made it to the other side of the yard, a wooden deck came into view. Men
and women who were not dressed in the fine clothes of the crowd but rather like her
were lined up along it, kneeling. Around each of their necks was a crude leash made
of rope, which was tethered to bolts in the deck. The two men of the group were shirtless
and wearing nothing but strips of rough brown cloth around their waists. When one
lifted his head, she was stunned to see it was Andre. His eyes met hers and he gave
her a little smile.
The simple gesture made her feel better, but then a startling
thwack
ripped through the air and Andre flinched. The man standing in the shadows behind
the line of slaves had swung a small multi-tailed whip across Andre’s back. “Eyes
down, slave.”
Tessa winced, but when the man in charge stepped into the light, she realized Andre’s
tormentor was also his lover. Jace put a booted foot between Andre’s shoulder blades
and pushed, bringing Andre all the way down to his elbows.
It seemed cruel and degrading, but it was hard to miss the obvious erection hiding
beneath Andre’s cloth. This was turning him on. And the logical part of her said that
should be wrong. That it wasn’t normal. But her body was responding differently. Just
watching the exchange had her mind drifting to Kade and her body warming. What would
it be like to surrender like that? This was the opposite of everything she’d ever
known. It was everything she’d been taught was wrong and deviant, not to mention completely
incongruent with any feminist ideals she held dear. But she couldn’t bank the curiosity.
It was overflowing inside her, bursting through the seams. She needed to feel what
this was like with Kade. She needed to see what he really meant when he said he was
dominant.
So as Colby led her over to the platform, she didn’t use her safe word, she didn’t
say no, and she didn’t fight when he guided her to her knees between Andre and a woman
she didn’t recognize.
Jace looped rope around her neck. “You are to remain here, head down, until your turn
on the block. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” she said, unable to bring herself to call him sir. That felt wrong
for some reason.
He didn’t correct her on it and left her there on her knees. The party went on for
a while around them, and she had to fight hard not to look up or rock back into a
sit. Occasionally, someone would walk over to observe them. Boots or heels would cross
her view as the newest visitor circled the group, evaluating the goods for purchase.
No one touched her or talked to her.
But the longer she kneeled there, staring down at her hands, the more wired she felt.
The not knowing what would happen next was both exciting and completely terrifying.
Could any of these people “buy” her and touch her? Would Jace hit her with that scary-looking
whip? She didn’t know the answers and no one was going to give them to her. All she
could do was trust in Kade. He said he would keep her safe, and she had to believe
that.
After about half an hour, the crowd noise started to take on a more energetic sound.
Jace came back up to the deck and gave a sharp whistle. The sound startled her, and
she almost lifted her head, but quickly corrected the involuntary reaction.
“Ladies and gents, can I have your attention?” Jace called out, quieting the crowd.
“I’m very happy you decided to come to our late night garden party. But let’s not
pretend you’re here for the canapés. I know you’ve all come here tonight to feed your
desires with an illicit night. Luckily, you won’t be left wanting. Our very generous
host has kindly provided a number of very lovely pleasure slaves for your consideration.
They won’t be cheap, but I assure you they will be willing and obedient. And if they’re
not, I know you all have your wicked ways of gaining compliance.”
The audience laughed, but Tessa could barely hear them over the pounding of her heart.
Even though it was cool outside, her skin was growing damp with sweat. She was tied
to a deck in front of a group of people, half-naked, and up for auction as a pleasure
slave. A few months ago, her most daring night had involved staying up until two in
the morning on a work night to watch a marathon of Nora Ephron movies. How had she
gotten here?
But she didn’t have time to contemplate further because Jace was untying Andre from
the spot next to her and pulling him to his feet. She dared a peek upward and Andre
sent her wink before Jace dragged him toward the makeshift staging area.
Jace kept Andre’s rope wrapped around his fist. “Our first slave up for auction is
over six feet tall, is strong enough to take a good, solid beating—which he enjoys
by the way—and can make a woman scream with his talented tongue. He also sucks cock
like a champion. In fact, I’m putting in a bid myself just for the chance at that
fine experience. Two thousand pounds.”
Tessa had to smile at the fact that they were pretending to use pounds. Kade really
had thought of everything.
Another bid came from the audience, this time from a woman. Tessa dared to lift her
gaze a hair since Jace was obviously busy, and saw a gorgeous blue-eyed woman in a
green gown raising her finger in the air to note her bid.
Evan
.
The sight was more than a small relief. Andre’s lovers were bidding on him. They weren’t
really auctioning him out to strangers. A few other people threw out bids but it was
clear that the bidding war was going to happen between Jace and Evan. Andre looked
more than happy to be caught between them. In the end, Evan won Andre with a bid of
five thousand pounds. Jace handed the leash to her, but Andre swept Evan up and over
his shoulder before she could use it and clamped his arm over her thighs to keep her
in place. She smacked his back, but he simply grinned and carried her off. So much
for an obedient slave.
The rest of the slaves went up on the auction block one by one. Some Tessa could tell
were auctioned to their lovers, but for others it was clear that it really was an
open bid. One woman was bought by a couple. The other guy was purchased by a petite
woman wielding a riding crop. She even gave an onstage demonstration of how well she
could use that crop when she lifted up her skirts and demanded he give her a sample
of what she’d bought. He’d gone down on her in front of everyone while she hit his
backside with the riding crop. The show had gotten the audience more than a little
stirred up. The chatter among them was at a mild roar, and watchers became participants.
Bodices were being unlaced and hands were roaming. Some in the crowd were on their
knees.
Tessa was enthralled with all the sights. She’d thought she couldn’t be shocked seeing
people be publicly sexual after the night at Colby’s, but it was impossible not to
be. It was compelling. And sexy. And overwhelming. She was so caught up in all the
watching that before she knew it, she was the only one left up there.
She still hadn’t seen Kade. She’d stolen glances at the crowd with each new auction
but she hadn’t spotted him. Her limbs began to tingle with nerves and from being so
still. Jace gripped her upper arm with gentle pressure. “On your feet, slave. Time’s
up.”
Her head spun as she climbed to a stand, and the little bead between her thighs teased
her with its swaying. How she could be so simultaneously freaked out and turned on
was a wonder. But as Jace led her to the edge of the staging area, freaked out was
starting to take the lead over the other. “Last but not least, we have a brand new
capture. She’s never been purchased before and is new to the ways of a pleasure slave.
She would be good for a patient master who isn’t afraid to teach and discipline her.”