Perfectly Too Far (10 page)

“
Alright,”
she declared, putting on a firm grin. “Alright, fine, let's get
lunch. These paint fumes are going to my head.”

****

She
was both surprised, and grateful, when they didn't go very far.

Sitting
out in the backyard, the pair reclined under a large umbrella to hide
from the angry LA sun. It was beautiful; the sky clean and clear, the
scent of fresh mowed grass.

Corbin
served them glasses of mojitos, trays of chilled tomato soup and
small finger sandwiches. It made Judith feel exorbitantly fancy.
Though she loved it, she wished she didn't still have paint stains on
her hands.

Still,
he didn't bother to change his jacket, so what does it matter?

Benedict
swirled the ice in his glass, mint leaves dancing in a tornado. “So,
you stayed the night here, Corbin tells me.”

Blinking,
she sipped her own drink, enjoying the sugar on the rim. “He
told you that, did he?”
What
else did he tell you? Unless he doesn't know what I did last night,
either.
Benedict
didn't go for the leading question, so she relaxed her tense
shoulders and nibbled a sandwich.

“
How
did you like it?”

“
What,
staying here?”

Those
blue eyes peered at her through the shade, making her shift on her
chair. “Yes, I'm hoping you enjoyed yourself. I'm more at ease
when I feel like a real host.”

Judith
motioned with half a sandwich, indicating the table of food, then the
yard around them. “Well, isn't this being enough of a host?”

“
For
most people,” he chuckled, closing his eyes as he sipped the
mojito.

“
But
not for you,” she stated bluntly. The alcohol warmed her. It
was strong, making her bolder. Benedict gave her a hard, questioning
look, but she didn't back down.

“
Not
for me,” he agreed. “Ms. Flight, I admit, I like having
some... input, some part rather, in how my guests are doing.”

“
You
like being in control.”

There,
on his face, was a hint of displeasure. That odd, burning threat she
had encountered the day she had asked about the red door.

Benedict
was silent, his mouth a hard line, brows hooded low over those
piercing sapphires. The girl felt her facade cracking, the alcohol
not enough to keep her confident.

“
Maybe,”
he whispered, “maybe I do. Is that a problem for you?”

Swallowing
her drink in one gulp, trying to avoid answering, she felt the ice
tickle her nose.
Oh
god, I've made him angry. What was I thinking?
“No,
not a problem, it's your home after all.”

“
Correct,”
Benedict nodded. “My home, my rules.” For awhile, he just
studied her. She wondered if he was trying to read her, to figure out
her thoughts. The concept terrified her. “You did agree to
them, you know.”

“
Yes,
right, I know.” Biting her lip, she stared down at the sandwich
she still held, her appetite gone.

“
As
long as we understand each other, Ms. Flight.”

“
Of
course,” she breathed, looking at her reflection in the ice of
her glass. “We understand each other perfectly.”

****

That
night, she dug the mask out again.

It
hadn't been her plan. At least, she told herself that. She didn't
want
to break the rules Benedict had set. But, as she watched the last
person enter the red door, and as Corbin seemed to vanish off to
wherever, she couldn't fight her urge.

In
a similar outfit to last night, a dress of shimmering ink and low
heels, lips luscious and ruby as her target, she slipped through the
door.

That
time, when she made it down the stairs of that quiet place, she
nearly bumped into someone.

“
Oh!”
She gasped, startled and wide eyed at her mistake.
Oh
god, oh god I messed up, I've been caught!

The
person turned, their mouth friendly, their eyes kind through large
mask holes. “Oh, careful, that last step can catch you by
surprise. I've fallen before,” the strange woman laughed.

“
Uh,
right, ahahaha,” Judith replied, on edge. As she looked around,
she noticed there were several people, all standing in line before
the purple curtain. Someone stood by the table, a man with no mask at
all. A man she knew.

Corbin.

In
his normal, black chauffeur clothes, he watched as people signed
their names on the clipboard. The line was dwindling fast, and her
fear was blooming like a hard thistle in her stomach.

What
do I do? Will he recognize me?

The
woman in front of her bent low, carefully writing her name on a page.
“I'm a little nervous about tonight,” the stranger
confided.

Corbin
offered a kind smile. “Don't be, just enjoy yourself.”

“
Right,”
she giggled, “I just didn't think I'd go this far.” With
that, she brushed through the curtains, leaving Judith with one of
the two men she had been terrified of running into.

He
looked up at her, so she forced a careful smile onto her face.
Clearing her throat, she grabbed the pen, staring down at the page
before her. In a rush, her fingers shaking, she hastily wrote the
name, 'Sparrow' without looking. Then, with a wordless nod to Corbin,
she rushed through the curtain.

On
the other side, she breathed easier, her skin melting from the flush
of adrenaline.
I
don't think he knew it was me. How could he, with this mask?

The
main room was busy, she was sure there were far more people there
than last night. Winding through the group, she studied the women,
the men, trying to get a grasp on the social cues. Before she had
time, a voice rang out over the crowd, solid and sharp.

“
Attention,
everyone!”

Instantly,
there was silence. She followed the eyes to spot someone standing by
one of the hallways. He was tall, built, and wore the familiar pair
of black gloves that had kept her from sleeping.

That's
Onyx.

“
I
have here a list, I need these girls to step forward and kneel by
me,” he pointed to the floor before him. There was a poignant
pause, as everyone seemed to wait anxiously. Judith got the
impression this was an important moment, but she wasn't sure why.

Onyx,
in a mask that revealed that wicked mouth of his, grinned. “Good.
The first girl is Tara!”

There
was a pleased murmur, Judith watched as a woman with short, curly
brown hair moved forward. Her hands were linked nervously, like she
wasn't sure what to do with them. Onyx smiled at her, and she
returned it weakly, kneeling down by his feet.

“
Next,
I need Roseli!”

A
woman who challenged the black outfits, her long dress pale grey and
flowing, almost transparent, moved with confidence from the crowd.
Gently, she folded to the floor, bowing her head obediently. Judith
blinked, turning to a woman beside her, tapping gently.

“
Excuse
me, but what are they doing?”

The
lady pursed her lips, peering down at Judith, then back to Onyx. “Ah,
you've never seen the collecting phase? Master Onyx is gathering all
the women who signed up tonight to be trained as submissives. We
usually get a few here and there, but it's always exciting to see who
will be trained, so you'll know if you might be interested when
they're auctioned.”

The
red-head clenched her teeth, afraid she might say something foolish.
An
auction, that's right, he mentioned that.

Onyx
was still calling out names, he soon had four girls at his feet.
Looking at the list, opening his mouth, he hesitated.

That
slow smirk, it sent a thrill into her belly.

He
lifted his head and looked out over the crowd, before finally calling
the final name with clear delight in his voice.

“
And
the last girl I'm looking for, is
Sparrow
.”

At
first, hearing the name she had chosen, Judith didn't register it as
her own. Standing there blankly, she watched as Onyx looked around,
seeking the girl he had named. The crowd mumbled, a hushed noise, and
he said it again.

“
Sparrow?”

Like
a punch to the temple, she felt suddenly nauseous and stunned.
He
just called me, why did he call me? How...

Trembling,
Judith felt the people around her moving, spreading apart, seeking
the girl who had been named. Onyx was frowning now, but a break in
the crowd revealed the red head to him, so he smiled.

“
Sparrow,
come here and kneel.”

What
do I do, what do I do?

Everyone
was staring, her knees felt like water. She thought, if she took a
step, she'd simply crumble. He pointed at her with that gloved
finger, his tone low and without negotiation. “Here. Now.”

She
began to move.

Pulled
forward by her own fear, her own inability to resist such a powerful
demand, Judith found herself standing within reach of the imposing
specimen. His fingers reached out, gripping her jaw tightly. Those
words were low, fierce. “I was hoping you'd be on this list.
I'm disappointed, though, that you seem to be
terrible
at
listening. We have a lot of work to do. Now, kneel.”

Released
from his grip, her strength gave out. Judith fell weakly to her knees
at his feet.

What
did I get myself into?

Judith
walked with the group down the hallway. Like the other passages, it
was dimly lit, but she could see where she was going. Unlike the
other hall, though, that she had wandered down the first night...
this one was long, curving here and there. She was positive they were
going deeper.

Behind
the girls walked a trio of men, while ahead of everyone was Onyx. He
led the group, not speaking a word, so that the only sounds were
their heavy booted steps, the blood pounding in Judith's ears.