“It’s for my protection as well as yours.” He put his hand on Tony’s shoulder. “Look, go get cleaned up. Have Nina take care of you. And we’ll wait for you to come back down.”
“No, go on with the taping without me. I’ll just slow you down.”
Eagan put his other hand on Tony’s other shoulder. “I need you here. You’re very important. Go get cleaned up and changed and we’ll see you down here, okay?”
Tony nodded.
“Do I need to call your sponsor?”
Tony paused before shaking his head. A twinge in Eagan’s gut signaled that he should have ignored Tony’s answer and called his sponsor anyway. He wanted so much to trust his friend. Eagan had given him a second chance for a reason. Hopefully, Tony recognized that.
Tony went toward Eagan like he wanted to hug him. To dissuade him of that feeling, Eagan took a couple of large steps back and pointed up the stairs. Although Eagan was more than willing to help the young man, there had to be a line in their relationship, even though he loved Tony like a brother.
Perhaps that was the problem. Eagan hadn’t hugged his own brother in a while. How could he grant that level of intimacy to a non-family member?
He called Nina on the downstairs intercom to let her know Tony was on his way up to change. Eagan strolled to the Phil and the camera crews. From where he stood, he had a great view of the remaining ten women sitting at the table.
“We’re just waiting for Tony, then we can start,” Eagan announced.
“What is he doing? Taking a potty break? We’re on a tight schedule.” Phil glanced at his watch then peered at the stairs.
“Don’t worry about him. He’ll be fine.” Eagan looked into the dining room again. This time, he found his intended target.
Begonia sat at the end of the table, nestled between Meadow and Sunny. As though he had called to her, Eagan watched her blink, then turn her gaze to his direction while the other women continued talking among themselves. Her penetrating stare made him want to challenge her. Was she actually trying to stare him down? Then she licked her lips.
Damn. The more he looked at her, the more he wanted her. He had to get her out of the house. He wanted her for all of the wrong reasons.
“Did you read over the specs for the show?” Phil asked.
Eagan tumbled the show idea around in his head. Another vanilla set up. Eagan’s head pounded at the idea. He had to shake things up. The time to do it was now.
“Eagan?” Phil questioned when Eagan didn’t respond.
Before Eagan could say anything, Tony sauntered down the stairs. He rolled up his shirtsleeves, a definite Tony move, then he hustled over to the crew.
“Sorry to keep y’all waiting.” Tony smiled.
The expression seemed genuine. His whole demeanor had changed from scared kid just a few minutes ago to that suave heartthrob that garnered him legions of female fans. He could have a successful career again if he wanted it. Tony just had to want it bad enough.
“It’s about time.” Phil stormed toward Tony until Eagan stood between the two of them.
“Let’s just start the show. No matter what happens, you keep that camera rolling, got it?” Eagan faced the cameraman, but Phil was the one asking the questions.
“What are you talking about? Eagan, what are you planning?”
“You ready to get started, Tony?” Eagan patted the man on his back.
“As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s do this.”
Tony did his usual intro. He talked about the previous contestant that was just booted off the show. Then he talked to a few ladies around the table. Each one of them had an opinion about how they were doing in the contest. Eagan would for sure put a stop to anyone feeling they were leading the pack, as far as this competition was concerned.
Tony introduced Eagan, who strolled into the room. As soon as Tony got out of the room and out of the shot, Eagan put his hands to his hips and surveyed the women.
“Good afternoon, Master Eagan,” the women all said at once.
Eagan remained quiet, watching each one of their reactions to his silence. Poppy looked around the room, then stared at Phil and the crew as though asking for help with her eyes. Meadow chewed her plump lower lip. Pansy twirled a curl around her finger. Begonia continued staring at him.
“You were all probably told what today’s task would be,” Eagan began. He thought he heard Phil exhaling in relief behind him. “You all are going to be learning the proper table etiquette because I expect my submissive to be a lady at all times, at home and in public. However, behind closed doors is another story.” He cleared his throat. “Everyone stand up now.”
The ladies all glanced at each other first before immediately standing. As usual, Eagan kissed each woman. This time Begonia didn’t turn her head. Gone, though, was the passion in her kiss, which she’d had that first day.
“In public, I expect you to wear what I want you to wear without underwear underneath.”
A few of the women gasped. Sunny nodded. Venus beamed. Begonia finally broke her stare to direct her gaze at her plate.
“At home, I would want you completely naked.”
“Cut!” Phil screamed.
Eagan pivoted and with a glare he hoped could melt steel, he cut his attention between Phil and the hapless cameraman, and said, “I said keep rolling!” He stared at Phil. “Phil?”
“Shit! Shit!” Phil paced in front of his chair. “Keep going.” He shook his head and kept his gaze from the room as though not watching him would absolve him from the blame.
Eagan returned his attention to the women. “Like I was saying, in my house, as my submissive, I would expect you to be naked at all times. However, for this contest, you don’t have to be naked.”
Almost every woman released a long breath. Freesia wiped her forehead.
“I do want you to be without underwear, so right now take off your bra and panties.”
The ladies all stared at him.
“What if we don’t wear any in the first place?” Venus raised her hands in the air.
Her gravity-defying breasts strained against her tight yellow tube top. And the band she wore around her hips had to have been a belt originally and not a skirt for the outfit.
“If you are not wearing bra and panties, or if you’re wearing them and you do have them off, I want you to sit down. Those who have to take off your undergarments, I want them folded neatly and placed underneath your chairs. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Master Eagan,” was the mumbled response from all of them.
Venus sat down. The rest of the women moved at a snail’s pace to first remove their panties. For the bras, some women were creative. A couple undid their bras under their shirts and pulled the undergarment through their sleeve.
Others were clever and had on strapless bras so they were easier to remove from under their tops. Sunny and Lily, both former submissives, took off their tops completely, then shed their bras for Eagan, the other contestants, and the world to see.
Eagan tried not to stare at Begonia, but his gaze directed him to her several times during this ordeal. She was one of four remaining standing. She, like a few others, did the trick of pulling her bra through her sleeve. Pity. Begonia had such wonderful breasts. Eagan wouldn’t mind seeing them again.
She folded her undergarments with care and placed them under her chair. The last one standing was Poppy.
With her arms crossed over her chest, she cocked her head. In her red mask, she personified the angry, black woman.
“Are you waiting for something, Poppy?” Eagan asked.
“Nope. I just ain’t going to do this.” She shifted her weight to her other leg.
“And why not?” Not that he wanted to humor Poppy, but he was curious to hear her reasoning.
“It’s stupid.”
That reason boiled his blood. “Are you saying my lifestyle is stupid as well?”
She didn’t respond. Instead, she gazed at her fingernails.
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“Are you on your menstrual cycle? If you are, we can accommodate you.” He signaled to Willow to get extra towels, before Poppy stopped her.
“Oh, hell, no! I’m not admitting that on TV.” She waved her hand in front of her.
“Do you want to participate in this exercise or not, Poppy?” This time he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Count me out.”
“Leave the room now. I don’t have time for this.” When he barked the command, he noticed Begonia had jumped as though he’d said those words to her. Begonia had nothing to worry about. She’d complied. For now, she was safe.
In a coquettish move, Poppy drew her arms together to squeeze her breasts and show off her cleavage. Then, she said, “What? No spanking like you did with Begonia?”
Eagan glared at Begonia then turned back to Poppy. “I don’t reward submissives who behave badly in order to get punished. If that’s what you’re expecting, you’ve got the wrong Dom. Leave.”
Poppy pushed her chair back under the table and stomped back to her room. Eagan secretly hoped that in the immunity challenge later on that Poppy wouldn’t get it, so he could eliminate her once and for all.
“Now that everyone is ready, let me tell you what the winner will get. The winner gets a seven-course gourmet meal at Belle, down at the beach, with me. You will also receive another prize when we get there, but I’ll save that for later. For now, watch and listen.”
Eagan allowed Willow and Apple to conduct the mini-lesson on table etiquette. He strolled around the table, silent, watching all of the women pay attention to his slaves as they taught the basics. They showed them what forks to use and when, the proper spoons for soups and desserts, and even how their napkin should be used. Later, Eagan would show a select few women how he wanted them to use the napkin. The use certainly had nothing to do with dabbing the corners of their mouths.
Eagan stared at Begonia as she listened and watched the lesson intently. As soon as he stood behind her, he absorbed her tension radiating from her body. Her breathing increased the more he stared at her from behind. She rubbed the back of her neck as her shoulders rose and fell with each harried breath.
Ever so slowly, Begonia craned her head around to steal a peek of Eagan. When she caught him staring back at her, she wiped her chin against her shoulder to play off her blatant attempt to catch a glimpse of him.
At the end of the lesson, Eagan sat at the end of the table. “The next dining lesson, ladies, will have you learning what it’s really like to eat with me at home. It’s a different experience than going out to dine.” He scanned the women, gauging all of their hopeful expressions in their eyes. “For today’s challenge, I reward Sunny as the winner.”
As usual, the demure woman smiled a Mona Lisa smile and bowed her head, so different than Venus’s hop and giggle.
“You will be accompanying me for dinner tonight.”
“Thank you, Master Eagan. I look forward to it.” Her soft voice floated over the table.
“And you also get to invite three contestants to go with you.”
All of the ladies sat up straighter and smiled in Sunny’s face, as though they were all best friends.
Eagan held up one finger. “Be sure to choose carefully.”
Sunny nodded. “I’ll have to invite my fellow submissives. Lily and Pansy.” Then, she turned her attention to Begonia. “And I’m also inviting Begonia.”
Begonia lifted her head and faced Sunny. Her eyes carried an expression like she didn’t believe Sunny had called her name. Begonia might not be too happy about being picked, when she and the rest of the women heard his next bit of news.
“Are you sure Lily, Pansy, and Begonia are the women you want to take with you to dinner?” he asked before dropping his bomb.
“Yes, Master Eagan.”
He stood. “The rest of the ladies who were not picked will have dinner furnished here. You can also rest assured. Tonight, you will not be eliminated from the contest.” All of the women put their hands over their hearts and breathed a long sigh of relief. However, Eagan wasn’t finished with all of his news. “Wait. Before you all get too happy. The contestants going to dinner, you all are on the chopping block. Since you won the immunity challenge from last time, Sunny, you’re safe. Lily, Pansy,” he paused before addressing Begonia, “and Begonia, one of you will be eliminated tonight. Elimination will be based on what you learned here today. Make a mistake and you’re out. Understood?”
Lily and Pansy nodded. Begonia looked like she was mumbling curses under her breath.
“You are more than welcome to practice here at the table for as long as you want.” Eagan strolled by them. “I’ll be leaving for dinner at exactly seven o’clock. If you’re late, you’re eliminated.” He turned back to them at the doorway. “Enjoy the rest of your day. And I’ll see you four ladies later.”
“Cut!” Phil screamed. “Christ, Eagan—”
Eagan didn’t wait to hear Phil’s rant. There were more pressing things on his mind right now, like, did he want to get rid of Begonia now, or keep her around longer?
Chapter Ten
“Thanks, Sunny.” Now pissed off, Lily’s Chinese accent became more pronounced. “I was going fine in this contest until you had to drag me to dinner.”
“Yeah, now one of us is on the chopping block.” Pansy crossed her arms then glared at Sunny. “Except for her.” She jabbed her finger into Sunny’s shoulder.
“Hey!” Ananda pulled Sunny away from the coven of women. “Sunny couldn’t have known what Eagan was going to do. She thought she was doing us all a favor by inviting us to dinner.”
“Some favor. I hope Eagan is not like my last Master.”
Begonia blinked at Lily’s admission. She knew some of the contestants there were submissives and knew about the Lifestyle. Lily didn’t strike her as being one of them. Cordial Sunny fit the mold as someone who could be and had been trained. Glancing at Sunny now, Ananda wondered if she could be like her. Trainable. Obliging. Submissive.
The women, all crowded in Ananda’s room, moved in closer to Lily.
“What was your last Master like?” Meadow asked, then devoured her lower lip.
“Rough. Very rough. He was really into rope bondage.” Lily shook her head. “Some days it was good. Other days, I didn’t want, or need, a knot rubbing against my clit, you know?”
Ananda and a couple of the other women crossed their legs as though feeling her pain … or pleasure. Ananda imagined that the right sized knot placed in the ideal spot would feel heavenly crushing against the clitoris. The thought of it made her hardened nub throb. She sat on her bed and listened to the other women.
“Who else in here besides Sunny and Lily are already submissives?” Poppy asked.
Ananda scanned the room waiting for someone to make a move. Finally, Rose brought her hand up.
“That’s all?” Ananda pressed.
Ananda nearly fell off the bed when Daisy and Freesia raised their hands.
“For real? You two?” Poppy pointed to the duo. “I thought I was the only freak.”
Freesia shook her head. “I’ve been in the Lifestyle for about ten years.”
“I’ve only been in it three years.” Daisy lowered her hand.
Freesia continued, “Master X and I had a great relationship. He knew exactly how to read my body and I knew how to make him happy.” She stared at Ananda. “There was this connection between us that I couldn’t explain. Every time I saw him, something triggered inside of me. Do you know what I mean?”
Although Ananda knew exactly what the woman was talking about, she played dumb and shook her head. “So why aren’t you with him now?” she asked.
Freesia bowed her head for what seemed like an eternity. When she brought her masked face back up, tears filled her eyes. “He died of cancer about a year ago.” She poked her fingers in the corners of her eyes to wipe away her tears. “He begged me to start serving another Master during his final days. I refused t
o do it. I wanted to serve that man until the end, and I did. Since then, I haven’t had a Dominant to take care of. A friend of Master Eagan told me about this show and I got in.”
“So you want to go from one white master to another?” Poppy sucked on her teeth.
Gone were the tears. Rage now filled Freesia’s eyes. “Master X was a proud African-American man who treated me the way I wanted to be treated.”
“Like a pet?”
“Like someone he couldn’t live without.” Freesia shook her head. “Color had nothing to do with serving. You do it because it’s what you want to do.” She scanned the women’s faces and, again, stopped at Ananda’s. “And don’t expect to fall in love with your Master like I did. We were different. We dated before he revealed his true self to me, so I already loved him. Eagan just wants a submissive to serve him. I guarantee you there will be no love involved in that relationship, which would be perfect for me.”
Daisy said, “Poppy, what’s your deal here? You seemed all happy and ready to do this competition when you first got here. Now you’re criticizing everyone and being disrespectful to Master Eagan. If you don’t want to be here, go.”
“What? And miss all of the excitement? Never. Besides, I’m a Sam. Always have been. Always will be.”
Ananda leaned over to Sunny and whispered, “What’s a Sam?”
“Smart-Ass Masochist.” Sunny turned to Ananda. “Just means she mouths off and expects to be punished for it. Most good Dominants don’t fall for that.”
Ananda nodded. Was that what Ananda had done? Had she provoked Eagan on the last couple of occasions when they were together for his attention? Had she wanted to be punished? The thoughts all seemed foreign to her. No way could she want that type of attention. Could she? She returned her attention to Poppy.
“If you’re so proud of your chosen lifestyle, why did you act like you were afraid of Eagan when he broke out the whip?” Poppy put her fist to her hip.
Freesia took a step back. “I really was afraid. I’m into BDSM and Master X was an excellent Master, but there were psychological limits he wasn’t willing to push with me, and ones he couldn’t do himself.”
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