Lured By My Master

by Jenna Jacob

The following day couldn’t go by fast enough. My stomach felt as if a rabble of butterflies swirled and dipped. I was both nervous and anxious as to what the evening might hold. Sensing my giddiness, Liz teased me relentlessly.

  “What am I supposed to wear tonight?” I asked.

  “I’ve got that taken care of. Come by around eight, but make sure you eat dinner first. I’ll have plenty of water. It will be fun.”

  “Fun?” I choked. “I’m just hoping I don’t pass the hell out.”

  “You won’t. I promise.” She giggled, then added, “Not in the first five minutes, anyway.”

  “Ugh,” I groaned. “Are you trying to scare me away?”

  “Not on your life. You’d better show up, or I’ll come drag your ass to our place myself.”

  I quickly sobered. “No. I’ll be there. This might be the only way I can reach Sam now.”

  A look of sorrow settled over her face. “I know. I heard he pulled you off his team.”

  “Good god. News sure travels fast around here.”

  Liz grimaced. “No. Sam came by late last night to talk to Ian and James.”

  “What did he say?”

  Her shoulders slumped. “You know I can’t tell you.”

  “Why not? You all weren’t inside the club, for shit’s sake,” I whispered. “You let Ian see me when I was…”

  “That was totally different,” she spat softly. “I was worried I’d have to haul your brokenhearted ass to this hospital.”

  “If you had tried, I would have…I don’t know, changed my damn locks.” I threw up my hands and smirked. “I’m glad you didn’t, and I’m glad you love me so much that you’ve put up with me being such a bitch all these years.”

  “You’ll always be my bestie, bitch or not.” Liz giggled.

  “I love you.” I pulled her in for a quick, tight hug, then looked at the clock. “Only another thirty minutes. Yikes. I’m going to be climbing the walls by the time I get to your place.”

  Liz shook her head and laughed. “Relax. It’s going to be fine.”

  ~

  Everything was, until I arrived at the trio’s house and Liz took me back to her bedroom.

  “You mean I’m actually supposed to go prancing out there, in front of both your Doms, wearing this?” I gasped, holding up a tiny red thong and elegant corset.

  “Oh, relax.” Liz chided. “All your private parts will be covered. Besides, Ian and James won’t do anything sexual to you, and vice versa. These lessons are aimed to teach you the dynamics of the power exchange, not sex. You already know all about that.”

  “I can wear my yoga pants and a T-shirt to learn in. Why do I have to dress—”

  “Because fetish wear,” she began as she loosened the laces of the corset, “will help center you. Put your head in a more submissive place. Not to mention, make you feel incredibly feminine. At least for me they do.”

  When Liz had finished trussing me up, I stared at myself in the mirror. The hard boned stays covered in red satin, embellished with a wide band of black lace and beads, outlined the bust and hem. The corset hugged my body like a glove. The metal busk closures along the front held my breasts in place as they arced over the beading, like toffee-colored pillows. Liz was right. I did feel decisively more feminine.

  I couldn’t help but wonder what Sam would say if he could see me now. A bittersweet smile tugged my lips.

  “Oh, I keep meaning to ask you.” Liz smirked. “Are you still having morning sickness?”

  My mouth fell open and my eyes grew wide. “Not funny. I told you before, I’m not pregnant. I’m fine. It was nothing but a bit of the flu.”

  “Damn.” She frowned. “I was hoping for a little baby Brooks to cuddle and coo over.”

  “If you want a baby, don’t hold your breath for me to pop one out. Get busy making your own.”

  “I would love to, but right now, we’re just practicing.” She grinned, then sobered. “Are you ready to begin?”

  I sucked in as much breath as the corset allowed and gave her a nod. As I followed her back to the spacious living room, it felt as if ants were crawling under my skin. But when Ian and James saw us enter the room, the approval in their eyes settled some of my anxiety.

  “You look lovely, girl,” Ian praised as he extended his hand to me.

  “Remove your robe,” James instructed Liz.

  I couldn’t help but smile when I saw she was wearing a corset as well. Though hers was black with white iridescent beads, she looked simply stunning.

  “You are a vision, precious.” James beamed.

  “Thank you, Master,” Liz replied shyly.

  Ian flashed a proud smile her way, then focused his attention on me. “Tonight, we will work on basic submissive postures and protocol. Protocol being the most important of the two, as far as I’m concerned, but each Dominant has their own preference.”

  I listened intently as he kept his eyes focused on mine.

  “When I ask you a question, the proper response I expect to hear is yes, Sir. Or no, Sir. Understood?”

  “Yes, Sir,” I replied.

  “Very good.” Ian smiled. “Now I’d like you to kneel for me.”

  “Am I supposed to say yes, Sir again?” I blurted out.

  He chuckled and shook his head. “No, that’s not necessary. Only if I ask you a direct question.”

  With a nod, I lowered to my knees and sank into the thick, soft carpet. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liz do the same. A rush of confidence and gratitude, for her being here alongside me, blossomed.

  “Very nice,” Ian complimented. “Rest your butt cheeks on the tops of your heels. Keep your back nice and straight, like it is now, then drop your chin. Good. Good. Now cast your eyes toward the floor and don’t move.”

  Relieved that his directions were concise and simple, I couldn’t help but wonder how many submissives he’d trained this same way.

  “You look simply beautiful in your submissive pose, girl,” he praised.

  Warmth washed over my skin.

  “Place the backs of your hands on your thighs, palms up…and simply let them rest there.” I did as he instructed and waited. “Good. Now I want you to remain in this position while you clear your mind. I don’t want you to focus on anything other than the serenity flowing through you and the sound of my voice when I speak. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  At first, I found myself studying the fibers of the carpet and not doing as Ian had said. But slowly, a gentle calmness started to settle through me. It was nearly the same sensation I’d felt when Sam had me on the bondage table at the club.

  I missed him. Missed his control and command. Missed his warm laugh and gentle smile. Missed his lips, his arms, and the incredible way he sailed me to the heavens. My body ached and craved all the things I couldn’t have.

  “I can feel your mind churning, girl,” Ian barked unexpectedly. I jolted. “Clear the thoughts from your head. Now.”

  As I invited back the peace I’d experienced moments before, my breathing began to slow, as did my pulse. I felt encapsulated in a kind of snow globe. And as the indescribable tranquility sank deeper and deeper, time seemed to evaporate. Lost in my inner silence, I didn’t hear a doorbell or knock, only James’ voice instructing Liz to answer the door and pulling me out of my reverie.

  “Hello Master Sam,” she greeted nervously. “Um, won’t you come in?”

  Yanked away from the gossamer, peaceful place, I jerked my head up and began to twist around.

  “I didn’t instruct you to move, sub,” Ian thundered as he covered the top of my head with his palm, keeping me from stealing a glance back at Sam.

  My body trembled. My plans were thwarted. I’d been thoroughly busted.

  “What in the hell is going on here, Ian?” Sam barked.

  “Why don’t you ask the girl?” Though I couldn’t see his face, I could hear the smile in Ian’s voice.

  In the blink of an eye, Sam’s shoes appear
ed in front of my knees. “Look up at me, Allisinda,” he demanded. I raised my head and gazed into his eyes, blazing in fury. “What the fuck are you doing?”

  “I’m beginning a submissive training class, Sir.”

  “You’re what?” His eyes grew wide. He staggered back as if I’d slapped him. “Why?”

  I swallowed tightly.

  The words that tumbled from my lips next would no doubt seal my fate with Sam. Either he’d realize that I was determined to be the woman he desired or he’d turn and walk away, for the final time.

  “Because I know now how much I want you…need you. Need you in my life more than the stupid walls I’d built. Walls I thought would keep me from ever being hurt. But being away from you has hurt more than any pain I’ve ever endured. I want you, Sam, because you make me feel complete and whole.” His expression softened, but only slightly. “I’m learning the ways of submission because I know this lifestyle is a big part of who you are…what you need. I finally understand that your Dominance is what makes you complete and whole.”

  “And what exactly do you hope to gain from this training?”

  A lump formed in my throat. “A second chance with you, Sir.”

  Jerking his head toward Ian, Sam pinned the man with an icy glare. “Did you offer her your protection?”

  Sam’s angry demand had Ian raising his palms in surrender. “No. Hell no. I wouldn’t do that to you. Christ, man. I’m simply teaching her the basics.”

  “Well, you can stop right here and now. If anyone is going to teach her, it’s going to be me!” Sam bellowed.

  Though the fury rolling off Sam was all but incinerating, my heart leapt for joy. Hope exploded inside me, like the grand finale on the Fourth of July. Tears of joy slid down my cheeks, and I bit my lips together to keep from grinning like a loon.

  “I, ah…I think it might be best if the three of us head to the club…spend the night there even,” James suggested with a laugh as he slipped an arm around Liz’s waist.

  My bestie was grinning from ear to ear as she flashed me an encouraging wink.

  “I’ll get our girl a coat and meet you two out front after you bring the truck around,” Ian called out to James. Turning back toward Sam, the man seemed suddenly edgy. “Feel free to make yourselves at home. The dungeon’s unlocked, and there’s plenty of food in the fridge.”

  As Ian turned to escape, Sam grabbed him by the arm. “You fucking set me up, didn’t you?”

  Ian cracked a guilty grin, then quickly sobered. “Look, a few days ago, neither of you was fit for anything besides straightjackets.”

  I gaped at Sam. Hearing that he had suffered too filled me with shameful relief. Guilt darted across his face, as if embarrassed by Ian’s disclosure.

  “We’re leaving so you two can work your shit out. Now do it.”

  I could tell Sam didn’t like taking orders from Ian, but instead of arguing with the man, he simply issued a curt nod. Clenching his jaw, Sam locked his gaze on something behind me as Ian grabbed a coat from the closet and headed out the door. Neither of us said a word until the sound of James’ truck faded into the distance.

  “Tell me, who are you learning the lifestyle for? You or me?” Sam asked softly, still staring off as if lost in his own head.

  “Both of us, Sir.”

  Finally, he settled his gaze on me. “What does being under a Dom’s protection mean to you?”

  “That I am not a free sub for other Doms. And that I only follow the commands of one Dom.”

  “That’s right. And the Dom who offers you protection should not only train you but push your limits as well. Do you know what limits are?”

  My mind had been blown so completely the night he’d taken me to the club, I couldn’t remember if he’d talked about limits or not. I remembered clearly the conversation about free subs and protection, because I was seething with jealousy at the time.

  “Things a submissive won’t allow?” My reply was nothing but a stab in the dark.

  “Are you asking or telling me, girl?”

  Sam readjusted his stance. Squaring his shoulders, he tucked his hands behind his back, then spread his legs ever so slightly. His posture screamed power, authority…Dominance. My pussy grew hot and wet. My heart began hammering in my chest.

  Still, a foreign sense of isolation emanated off Sam, as if he’d drawn the shades and barred the windows to keep me from delving too deep into his soul. I felt off-kilter and nervous. Yet the fact that he remained standing in front of me was a thread of hope. I clung to it tightly.

  “Asking, Sir. I don’t know the answer for certain.”

  “Pretty good guess,” he replied flatly, then narrowed his eyes.

  “There are three cornerstones to a successful BDSM relationship,” he continued. “Honesty, communication, and trust. We’ll begin with honesty. Right now.”

  He bent and gripped a fist in my hair, then tugged. I rose to my feet, trying not to moan, as tingles of pleasure-pain careened over my scalp. The wetness between my legs increased as he led me across the room to the couch.

  “Sit.”

  I’d never witnessed his Dominance so potent and intense, not even at the club. His strict, no-nonsense demeanor sent a naughty thrill to skitter through me.

  I eased onto the edge of the cushion, spine straight, shoulders back, and head level. Though Ian hadn’t had time to teach me a proper sitting posture, I remembered seeing some of the subs at Genesis comport themselves in such a way. I wanted to show Sam that I wasn’t playing a game but, instead, intending to give this my all.

  He dragged an ottoman from a nearby chair over in front of me. Straddling it, Sam sat down. He slowly skimmed his gaze up my body, like a sinful caress. His stare lingered at my breasts, plumped up in offering beneath the sexy corset. The heated glimmer in his eyes and growing bulge beneath his zipper told me he approved of my outfit. Even beneath his draconian veneer, he couldn’t hide his hunger from me.

  Folding his arms over his chest, Sam dragged his stare to my face. “When you discovered that Matti wasn’t staying with you, why didn’t you call me? You knew damn well I didn’t want you to be alone.”

  “Because you were angry with me. You said you needed a couple of days to think. I assumed that was merely a benevolent way of saying we were through.”

  “You assumed,” he drawled with a frown. “So instead of asking me directly, you turned off your phone, stopped eating, and crawled into a black hole of depression, correct?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  I wanted to curse Ian for ratting me out. But then again, if it weren’t for him, Sam and I wouldn’t be having this conversation.

  A sympathetic sadness flickered in his eyes. “Embarrassing to confess, but I didn’t fare much better myself. Is that when you and Ian concocted this submissive training idea to try and manipulate me?”

  “It wasn’t meant as a manipulation, Sir. Rather a declaration, but yes.”

  “And that’s the same day Ian and Liz discovered Matti wasn’t staying with you?”

  I nodded softly.

  “Use your words.”

  His feral growl made goose bumps erupt over my flesh. “Yes, Sir.”

  His nostrils flared.

  “Funny,” he began without a hint of humor. “I’ve been talking to Ian since you and I parted. He never mentioned you were alone and unprotected. But then again, I assume he’s kept my secrets guarded like he’d done for you.”

  Clearly Sam felt betrayed by all of us.

  “I’ll be honest with you, Cin. I’m more than a little suspicious about your sudden interest in the lifestyle.”

  “I’ll be equally honest with you, Sir. I spent those two horrible days soul-searching. I discovered I’d been doing everything in my power to keep from turning out like my mother.”

  “You have a lot of issues with your parents, especially your mother.”

  “Yes, I do. I still haven’t worked them all out. Maybe I never will.” I shrugged. “But I’
m determined to stop letting my past rule my future. I want to unlock the submissive inside me, for you or for a Dom who desires to take me under his wing.”

  The scowl on his face told me he didn’t like the idea of me being with any Dom but him. Good. I didn’t want another man, only him.

  Sam patiently listened as I explained how I’d unearthed the stranger inside me. He nodded, accepting my apology for constantly arguing with him at the drop of a hat. And studied me intently when I confessed that I was working on discovering the real Allisinda Noland.

  “So you see…I have removed the doors you’d grown so weary of kicking in.” I smiled weakly.

  “I never asked you to stop being you. I simply wanted the opportunity to teach you how to bend.”

  “I don’t know why you even wanted to. I was nothing but a bitch.” Sam arched his brows at my colorful language but couldn’t hide the tiny smirk that tugged his lips. “The thought of bending…of giving even so much as an inch was overwhelming. I’d convinced myself that compromise was weakness. Deep down, I wanted to bend but was terrified I would break. Then everyone, especially you, would see I wasn’t the smart, strong, independent woman. Simply the epic failure I’d been brainwashed into believing. But in the end, I only served to fail myself along with you and pretty much everyone around me. I know it sounds insane, but in my mind, the only way I could keep from turning into someone I loathed was by being someone I wasn’t.”

  My explanation sounded psychotic and totally irrational even to my own ears.

  “Please don’t call Tony and have me committed. I’m not crazy; I’ve just been horribly confused for a really long time.”

  A huge grin spread over Sam’s lips. His eyes sparkled in amusement, and I felt as if the sun had burst through dark storm clouds above me. Warmth and light shined down over my skin and illuminated all the dark, empty corners of my soul.

  “You’re not crazy, girl. I’ve known for a long time how you use defiance to deflect your fears.”

  Blinking, I gaped at him. “I wish you would have told me that.”

  Sam let out a laugh. “What? And provoke World War Three? Not on your life.”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yes, it was probably a good choice.”