“Will Chambers, how are you?” Liam shook his hand. Jane
and I nodded at each other, and then she lowered her eyes.
“Liam, you remember Jane, right? Jane this is Liam Hastings,
and I’m sure you remember Norah?” Liam nodded at her, and we
smiled at each other again. Never in wildest dreams did I ever think
the last time I saw her, that I would see her again, wearing a ball
gown, next to two handsome men wearing tuxedos.
“I need to talk to you about some business, can we leave the
girls here for a moment?” Will asked. Liam looked over me and
touched both sides of my arms. “Are you going to be alright?” he
asked. I nodded. “Oh good lord, she is a grown up, right? You can
leave her, I don’t think the world will end.” Liam didn’t even look at
him. He kissed my hand and winked at me. Jane stepped closer to
me when they walked away.
“He seems very fond of you?” she said. I smiled. “How is
your…..I mean, how are things between you?” she asked. I didn’t
know if Liam would want me to discuss our relationship with her, but
I didn’t want to be rude either.
“It’s fine.”
“Fine?” she said. “How does he treat you?” she asked again. I
looked down at my feet. “It’s ok, this is just between us.”
“It was hard at first. But it’s easier now. He’s changed a lot.” I
smiled. I didn’t think anything I had just said was a big secret.
“Is he rough with you?” she stepped closer so no one would
hear us.
“Rough? I mean he has been upset or angry with me before.
But he hasn’t punished me in a long time.” I wasn’t sure if that was
something he would want me to share or not. I pressed my lips
together thinking I had over spoke.
“Will is very rough with me. He treats me like a maid and a
whore. When people are around he acts like he cares for me. But
when we are home, he is always having me clean something, fold
something, and make sure everything looks right. And then at night,
or whenever he wants it, he just takes it, ya know? Hard, cold,
sometimes it’s fun, but most of the time it hurts.” I narrowed my
eyes at her. I wasn’t sure what she was talking about.
“What does he take?” I asked. She looked at me like I had
two heads.
“Sex. He takes it. He just does whatever he wants, and puts it
wherever he wants it. He doesn’t care if I am ready or not.” I nodded
and my face felt flushed.
“He grabbed my arm last night during dinner, forced me to
my knees and rammed his cock in my mouth.” She adjusted her
shoulder straps. “And we had dinner guests! But he doesn’t care. He
likes for men to watch.” She looked at me. “Liam doesn’t do that to
you?” she asked. I didn’t know how to answer her. So I just shook my
head. “He doesn’t? Is he a good lover?” I knew I shouldn’t be
answering these kinds of questions. I didn’t even want to answer
her. I didn’t know what kind of lover Liam was, but I didn’t think it
was any of her business.
“He’s been very patient,” I said. I didn’t know what to say.
Liam was patient most of the time. Ever since the night I provoked
him, he had been very different. His declaration in my bed let me
know that he would wait for me. He was just as confused about what
I was to him, as I was. But it was clear we didn’t have the typical
slave/master relationship, not that I had clue of what that was.
“Patient?” she shrugged her shoulders. “I wish Will had
patience. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before he starts loaning
me out to his friends,” she paused. Loaning her out to his friends?
I wondered if this was something all Masters did with their
slaves. Was it only a matter of time before Liam did that to me?
What if Liam didn’t want me for himself but just to watch me with
other men? “Maybe he will loan me to Liam and I can feel
his….patience,” she winked at me. I didn’t like the sound of that.
Loan her to Liam? Liam with her? I didn’t like that at all.
“No, I don’t think Liam would do that, he and I are….” I didn’t
know how to finish that sentence. “We care…..he cares about
me…..we haven’t even……” I stopped myself. Jane looked at me in
shock and covered her mouth.
“He hasn’t had sex with you, has he? That’s what you meant
by patience?” she asked. I lowered my eyes. I knew this was too
much information. “I can’t believe that! Not even when they first
bought us? He hasn’t been with you at all?” I touched my necklace
and I could feel my face turning red. “You’re still a virgin?” She
looked over at the men standing near the bar and he raised his glass
to me.
“You can’t tell Will, okay? Please, I’m begging you. I shouldn’t
have said anything. He isn’t going to like this,” I begged. I looked
back over at the bar to find Liam. He was laughing and talking with
several other people.
“He must really care about you, Norah.” I nodded and started
to walk over to Liam. He saw me coming, and raised his arm to put
around me.
“This must be Norah,” a man I didn’t recognize said. I put my
arm around Liam and leaned into him. So many of his business
associates had heard about me. I wondered if Mr. Stackhouse had
told everyone about Liam’s girlfriend, or maybe his secretary had
started a rumor. I knew Liam wasn’t out telling people about me.
“Yes, this is my sweet Norah. I’m sorry I left you alone for so
long darling,” he kissed my cheek and I gave him a slight smile. He
pulled me closer and put his mouth to my ear. “Are you alright? You
look upset.” I nodded. He looked back at the group. “We’re going to
go find our seats.” He took my hand and we walked over to the
tables. “Hey, what’s wrong? Talk to me.” I squeezed his hand.
“Seeing Jane…” I looked down. “It just brings back bad
memories.” He pulled me closer and held my head against his chest.
“Please don’t think of that tonight,” he breathed.
We ate dinner and talked to the people at our table. We had
two other couples with us. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings, they had been
married for 35 years and told us we reminded them of when they
first met. Mr. Stackhouse and his daughter Rebecca were also at our
table. Rebecca looked my age and we talked about college, careers
and clothes. She complimented my dress many times and I told her
how great she looked as well. I felt very comfortable and our
conversation just flowed. Whenever I would go on about something,
I would look over at Liam and he was staring at me. Sometimes he
would squeeze my hand slightly, and I thought it was a signal for me
to stop talking, so I would. After dinner was over, Liam and I sat at
the table alone for a moment.
“I’m sorry, I can go on and on sometimes. I shouldn’t have let
myself get caught up like that.” I looked down at my hands.
“Oh, quite the contrary. I love hearing you talk. You don’t
sound that calm or carefree when you talk to me. It was a delight to
hear you go on like that.” He took a sip of wine. “I think I should have
your new friend around you more often, see how comfortable you
really can be.” He leaned closer to me. “I want you to feel like that
with me Norah.” I nodded and gave him a small smile. “I need to go
talk to someone, I will be right back.” I nodded, and picked up my
fork to eat my chocolate cake. “Don’t eat my cake, I want it,” he
smiled and kissed my forehead.
“Liam,” I hesitated after saying his name out loud again.
“Rebecca asked me for my email address. Is it ok if I give it to her?” I
asked. He knelt down so we were eye level.
“Yes it is, but thank you for asking.” He kissed my hand and
walked away. I sat there eating my cake, taking in this beautiful
room.
I thought of how far I had come from being shackled in a
basement somewhere in Paris, to now wearing a ball gown, and
feeling like Cinderella. I took a deep breath and then I felt a cold
hand on my shoulder. I turned to look up and didn’t recognize his
face. He was tall, blonde, and very handsome. He unbuttoned his
suit jacket and sat down beside me. I swallowed hard and looked
around the room.
“Don’t worry, Norah. I know who you are, or should I say,
what you are,” he still hadn’t taken his hand way from my shoulder.
“Liam and I are……friends. My name is Nick Meyers. Liam and I have
always had the same taste in women, and it surprised me when he
told me you were a brunette with olive skin. We usually prefer pale
skin with blonde hair. But I have to say, he hasn’t let me down. You
truly are as beautiful as he said you were.” His hand moved to my
neck and back to my shoulder. I stood up and shrugged him off.
“Please don’t touch me like that,” I said. I kept looking
around the room to see if I could find Liam.
I couldn’t believe Liam had told someone about me. This guy
not only seemed to know about me, but he knew Liam had bought
me. Nick stood up in front of me. “Liam likes to share, Norah. We’ve
done it many times. However, you he has kept all to himself.” He
touched my chin and forced me to look at him. “Rumor is, Liam has
really fallen for you. That you might be just the girl to make him
settle down.” He ran his thumb across my cheek. I shook my head
and slapped his hand away. “I wonder how tight that little pussy of
yours must be if it makes him want to settle down?” I stepped back.
“Hopefully, I won’t have to wonder for long,” he stepped closer. I
stepped back again and felt an arm around my waist. Liam pulled me
behind him, and held my hand.
“Back off, Nick! She’s mine! I told you that!” I put my face in
the Liam’s back and wiped the tears from my face.
“Oh, come on now, brother, we’ve always shared things
before. Let me get a taste of this whore of yours?” Before I could
even look up, Liam stepped forward and punched Nick in the face,
and caught him with his other hand.
“I told you, she’s different! She’s mine! You call her a whore
again, and a broken nose will be the least of your worries…brother.”
He dropped him to the floor and turned to me. “Are you alright?” I
nodded. He pulled me to him, and we walked to the bar.
“I’m sorry, I left you alone. I didn’t know he was here. He’s an
ass.” He held up his hand and ordered a glass of wine for me, and
shot of whiskey for him. “It was a fine evening, until that bastard
showed up,” he took the shot. “We went to college together and
were in the same fraternity. We’ve,” he paused, “shared things over
the years. But he has gotten just a bad as Will….fucking prick. His
father ran his construction company in the ground and I saved his ass
five years ago. He was supposed to join Will and I for the,” he
swallowed and adjusted his collar, “auction, but couldn’t get away.”
He took another shot, then ordered a glass of water. “Will told him
about you and the insane amount of money I spent to have you. He
called the other night with the cover of wanting to do some
business, but now I see he just wanted to know about you.” He made
me look at him.
“It’s been a great evening. Don’t let him ruin it.” I took a sip
of my wine. “Come dance with me, again. Forget about him,” I took
another sip of my wine, then pulled him to the dance floor. We
swayed close together and he nestled his face in my neck. “You are
an amazing woman, Norah. Don’t let what he said get to you.” I
nodded. “I would never share you with anyone.”
“Jane said that Will,” he stopped me before I could finish. He
pulled me away from his chest and made me look at him. “I’m not
Will, Norah. You’re mine. Only mine. I would never let that bastard
or any other man come near you like that Norah.” I nodded. “Tell me
you believe me.” I nodded again. “I need to hear you say it, little one.
Tell me you believe me.”
“I believe you.” We danced for several songs and then he
introduced me to several more clients, and we talked with Mr.
Stackhouse and his daughter again. Soon we were laughing and
listening to stories of fishing and hunting from Mr. Stackhouse and I
had forgotten all about telling Jane too much and Nick calling me a
whore.
Liam even felt comfortable enough to leave me alone talking
to Rebecca. I gave her my email address and she asked for my cell
