CHAPTER 23
Sharae shrank back as Preston lashed out at Angel. She wondered if she'd made a mistake coming back. Maybe Preston was just as much a monster as Joe was.
After Angel crawled away in tears, Preston turned to her again. He smiled, the corners of his dark eyes crinkling pleasantly. “Come here, Sharae,” he said firmly.
At the sound of his voice, her doubts vanished. She pulled at the ropes binding her wrists, not to test them for weakness, but to feel the security of their delicious tightness. The ropes combined with Preston's commanding voice made her melt inside. This was why she'd come back here-to be controlled, owned-not brutalized.
She slipped into his waiting arms. He explored her mouth with his tongue and she sighed deeply. If he'd thrown her to the floor and taken her right then, she would have thanked him.
Instead, when he finished kissing her, he looked her in the eye and said, “Kneel.” She did so.
“You taste wonderful, Sharae. I'm glad you came back, but there are some things I need to know. Obviously, Joe didn't just let you go. You escaped, correct?'
“Yes, sir.'
“Why did you come here?'
She sucked in her lips, unsure of how to put her feelings into words. “I… He… You…'
Preston laughed as she stammered. “How about if I help you out? You discovered something about yourself last week, yes?'
She felt her cheeks flush. She nodded. “Yes, sir.'
“You like the feeling of being helpless, the way the ropes engulf you, control you.'
“Oh, yes, sir.'
He grunted. “You realize that, by rights, I should send you back to Joe. He paid for you. You belong to him.'
“Please don't, sir, I want to stay here. I offer myself to you. Please accept me as your slave. Command me, Master, use me for your pleasure.” Leaning down, she pressed her face against his shoes, kissing them.
He let her grovel for a minute. Then she felt his hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she found him half-smiling at her again. “It's against my slaver's ethics, but maybe I can make it up to Joe somehow.'
Sharae tentatively smiled at him. She would do anything if he didn't send her back to Joe. She knew Joe would be violently angry to discover she was gone. Her only regret was not being able to free Melissa. She had a feeling Joe would take his anger out on Melissa.
“But Joe is the least of my concerns right now,” Preston said, caressing her cheek. “I have some business to attend to with my Angel-and even more business tomorrow with a client.'
“Please, Master, don't send me back to him. Please,” she begged.
“I'll see what I can do, Sharae.'
She sighed in relief. It wasn't exactly a no, but it wasn't a yes, either. Didn't he want her? She was sure he was attracted to her just as she was to him.
“First,” he continued, “I want you to observe what punishment you will receive for disobedience. That is, if I accept you as my slave.'
She nodded. Preston took her by the arms and helped her to her feet. He circled her waist with another length of rope and threaded it between her legs. Sharae gasped slightly as Preston pulled the rope snug before tying it. He tied another rope to the crotch-rope, and used it as a leash to lead her down the hall.
The cord rubbed teasingly against her sensitive folds of moistened flesh. Without realizing it, she began to hold back, causing Preston to tug at her, forcing the rope further into her. She moaned, and heard Preston quietly chuckling.
He guided her just inside the door to Angel's room, then stopped. “Stay right there and don't say a word. Understand?'
She nodded. Her gaze strayed to the girl huddled in the corner. Angel's sobs were barely audible behind the harness gag she had strapped on herself at Preston's command. Sharae felt her own body quiver in anticipation. Was she really prepared to submit herself completely?
Preston stood over Angel in silence for a moment. Sharae could tell by his breathing that he had calmed down considerably from his angry outburst. “Angel,” he said at last in a surprisingly quiet voice. She turned, but remained huddled low. “Do you have anything to say to me?'
She nodded and began to talk through her gag. “Massr. I hussa had grrl. Heeze huniss me.” She spoke haltingly, gasping for breath often.
Preston turned to Sharae, smiling. “You see how a slave knows when she's been bad and begs to be punished? In case you didn't catch that, she said she was a bad girl and asked me to please punish her.” As he spoke, Angel looked up at Sharae and blushed. She apparently hadn't realized she was being observed.
Preston noticed the look. “Sharae is here to see how a slave gets punished.” For the first time, Angel looked up at Preston, her face asking the questions she couldn't say. “And that's all you need to know.'
Angel lowered her eyes. “Eff ir,” she mumbled.
He stood her up and turned her around. Taking a length of rope, he bound her wrists and elbows. Sharae couldn't help wincing at the tightness of the ropes as they dug into Angel's skin. She heard the bound girl groan as Preston stooped down and tied another length of rope to her ankles. He left about a foot of slack between her legs.
He stood and looked Angel in the eye. “You're to be flogged now, Angel. I have a particular whip in mind for you. You're to go to the playroom and pick one out from the toy box. Bring it back and I'll tell you if it's the right one.'
Angel nodded and turned. Half hopping and half shuffling, she made her way to the door and turned down the hall. Sharae watched her intently. She recalled how it felt to have her arms so tightly bound. She closed her eyes and suddenly felt herself oozing with arousal. She worked her fingers under the crotch-rope and began pulling on it, trying to get just the right pressure on her clit.
“Ahem!'
She opened her eyes, to see Preston staring at her, shaking his head. “You're not to make yourself come without permission.'
Sharae sighed and sucked in her lip. The feelings were so strong inside her, she didn't think she could stand it. “Please,” she heard herself saying, “may I come, Master?'
“No,” he said simply. He smiled and winked at her. “The answer isn't always no. But you must demonstrate your obedience.'
Just then, Angel hobbled back into the room carrying a flogger behind her in her bound hands. She turned so Preston could see it. It had a thick black handle with several thin leather strips attached to it.
Preston glanced at the flogger and waved his hand dismissively. “Wrong! Try again.'
Angel's shoulders sagged as she turned and headed down the hall again. Sharae watched, wondering just how many types of floggers they had.
CHAPTER 24
Sharae watched as Preston inspected the fifth whip Angel brought to him. He shook his head. “No. I think the first one you had will do after all. Go get that one.'
Angel huffed ever so slightly, then obediently turned and hopped out of the room.
“She's such a good little slut most of the time. I almost like it when she makes me angry. The little things she does to get back in my good graces are so exquisite,” Preston said thoughtfully. “Angel is definitely one of a kind.'
Sharae wasn't sure if she was supposed to respond so she kept quiet. Her mind was in a state of confusion. She was so horny she couldn't stand it; the rope pressing into her crotch was driving her nuts. She kept tugging on it slightly, stimulating herself surreptitiously.
Suddenly Preston was next to her. She gasped as she felt the yank on the crotchrope, driving it further into
