by Maren Smith
The scent of garlic and olive oil met his nose long before they reached the buffet and his belly rumbled, reminding him that he hadn’t had anything to eat aside from a deli bagel on the way to the airport. Between the luxurious accommodations, the stunning company, and the food, he was tempted to put down stakes and stay.
Man, his handler would have kittens. He laughed inwardly at the thought of telling the older agent he was retiring to live in a kinky resort. He sighed wistfully and led Holly to a vacant table and sat down.
“Naboo, Holly.”
She leaned forward as she knelt. “It’s nadu, with a d,” she whispered. “I’ll help you learn the common ones after supper so you don’t stand out.”
Without waiting for an answer, she dropped to her knees next to the chair he’d chosen, spreading her thighs wide. Her hands rested palms up on her thighs and she lowered her head. Damn, she looked too vulnerable like that, but he couldn’t risk taking her through the buffet line. Just because he couldn’t see Carmen didn’t mean he wasn’t lurking around somewhere.
When he bent down to ask her what she wanted, she hissed, “Hook the chain to the table to save the spot and let people know I’m in a program.”
Flint did as she asked, wishing he’d thought to go through what he needed to do before taking her out. He sat down and petted her hair, pulling her against his leg. “What do you want to eat?”
“I’m not picky. Everything is good. The antipasto salad is excellent, too.” She was silent for a split second and let out a breath as she turned white as a sheet. “Carmen is by the dessert table. He’s wearing a red cape and Greek armor.”
“Okay.”
“I can’t do this, Fl—”
He gave her leash a sharp jerk and grabbed her chin. “Look at me, Holly. What is my name?”
Tears welled in her eyes and she took a deep breath. “You are Master Miguel and I am your kajira until Sunday.”
Unable to help himself, he touched his lips to her forehead, kissing her gently. “That’s my girl. Just kneel here with your head down but keep your eyes open. He won’t touch you in front of so many people and won’t recognize you if he doesn’t see your face.”
“But what if—”
“Holly, trust me, please. I will keep you safe.” As he said the words, he hoped he could keep his promise. A single tear trickled down her cheek and he wiped it away with his thumb.
She straightened her spine and nodded, careful to keep her hair over her face. “Okay.” Taking a deep breath, she added, “I’m good. He’s at the dessert table, so he’ll be leaving soon, right?”
“That’s the spirit. I’ll grab something fast from the buffet and be right back, okay?”
Giving him a watery smile, she said, “Sure. Go. I’ll be fine. Bring me a few of those breadsticks, too, please. I’m feeling the need for carbs since we can’t have alcohol here.”
“You got it. And I’ll get some of that caprese bruschetta, too. Everything is better with balsamic reduction.”
She blinked and choked out a surprised laugh.
He tousled her hair, pulling a few strands forward to further disguise her face. “I’ll be quick.”
Flint didn’t exactly hurry through the line, but he didn’t waste time gathering several selections to share with Holly. It was safer for her to be on the floor until Carmen left. He stepped around a couple kissing in front of a giant tray of lasagna to grab the breadsticks Holly wanted, and added a large bowl of Caesar salad. Carbs to order for his lovely kajira.
When he turned to walk back to Holly, he nearly dropped the tray. Carmen was standing over her, prodding her thigh with the toe of his boot. To her credit, she didn’t move a muscle or lift her head. Olive oil dipping sauce sloshed over the rim of its bowl as he hurried back to her.
Fuck, that woman had a steel backbone. Terror mixed with admiration roiled in his gut as he approached.
Carmen was smirking down at Holly. Pasting a smile on his face, Flint approached and set the tray down. “What’s up, boss? I was just getting something to eat.”
“Looks like enough to feed a family of four, my man.”
“So? I’m hungry.”
“What about your girl here?” Carmen touched Holly with his foot once again, and Flint wanted to break it off and shove it up his ass.
“Eh. She can eat if she behaves and sucks me off after dinner.”
The skin around Carmen’s thin lips wrinkled into a vicious smirk. “She isn’t behaving now. You should teach her some manners.”
“Sure, boss. I’ll take care of it later. I’m hungry.”
Carmen sneered down at Holly but kept his feet to himself. “Whatever. It figures you’d pick a fat redhead. You’d better not feed her any of that bread or she’ll get bigger than she already is.”
Breathing a sigh of relief as Carmen walked away, Flint dropped into his chair, his legs unwilling to support his weight. What had he been thinking? For fuck’s sake! He’d put Holly at a tremendous risk for a fucking breadstick? The food on the tray no longer appealed and he wanted to toss the whole mess at the next person who looked at him sideways. “From now on, we’re doing room service.”
“No. Hand me a breadstick, please.”
“I don’t think you understand just how—”
“I said, hand me a fucking breadstick.” She glared up at him through the curtain of her hair, her mismatched eyes wet with angry tears. The green one spat poison while the blue glittered with shards of icy fury.
Flint didn’t have the heart to chide her for her language and obeyed her hissed order. He handed the food over, wondering if she’d bite his hand. She took it from him and gnawed on the garlicky bread in silence. When she’d finished, he held out a piece of bruschetta.
“Thank you. You should eat as well.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Have some of this.” He held out a fork with a bite of braciola and waited until she’d nibbled it away. “Is it good?”
“Everything is good here. Cook Connie feeds us well.”
Knowing she’d been right about his need to eat, he choked down half the braciola and some of the salad, feeding her bites from his plate. When she refused his last offering, he pushed the tray away and helped her to her feet.
“We’re going back to our room now. And then we’ll talk about what happened.”
“Fine.” She folded her hands behind her back and waited patiently while he detached her leash from the table.
He winced at her one-word answer. Nothing was remotely fine about any of this, but it couldn’t be helped. She said nothing as he led her back to their room and was equally silent when he unhooked the chain from her collar.
Holly’s shoulders relaxed when the chain left her collar and she sighed in relief. “Excuse me, please. I need to use the bathroom.”
“Of course.” He stepped out of the way and could only watch as she closed the door between them and the lock clicked.
Holly would never know how she’d managed to hold it together long enough to return to the room, but her stomach was having none of the heavy meal she’d eaten. She slapped a hand over her mouth and rushed to the toilet, dropping to her knees just in time for her dinner to make a reappearance.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to puke quietly. A fist hammered on the door and she grimaced as she spat into the bowl.
“Holly, let me in.”
No. Piss off. “A little busy here. I’ll be out in a minute. I’m fine.”
The door rattled, the sound ending with a solid thump as it opened. She sighed and lowered her face to the cool porcelain as Flint dropped to his knees behind her and pulled her unresisting body against his chest. With a free hand, he closed the lid and flushed.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m—”
“If you say you’re fine one more time, I will paddle your ass.”
“Okay.” She wriggled out of his arms and stood, her arms clasped arou
nd her stomach. “I’m not fine. I’m terrified.” She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself enough to speak. “Carmen almost saw my face.”
“I know, honey.” Flint’s jaw tightened, the bones and planes of his face coming into sharp relief as he kicked off his boots and unzipped his vest, leaving it hanging open to reveal a very nice set of abs. His skin was like velvet over the bunched muscles covering his abdomen.
Brushing past her, he leaned down to turn on the water to fill the tub. “We’re going to have a hot bath and relax. After that, I’ll go to the café and get you something to eat.”
“No food. Please. I’ll eat in the morning.” She went to the sink and turned on the water, cupping her hands to rinse out her mouth.
“I’ll hold you to that promise, Holly. Despite whatever nasty shit Carmen said, you’re not fat and you need to eat.”
“I know that.” She barked out a laugh. “Why would I listen to the nasty words of a mean little fucker who should eat a goddamned sandwich once in a while?”
Flint chuckled and shook his head. “You swear like a pirate. If I cared, I’d probably spank you.”
“Sorry.”
He dumped lavender bath salts into the tub, letting the crystals mix with the running water before he straightened. “Let me help you get undressed.”
“Wait.”
Flint’s fingers stilled as he reached for the ties on her costume. “Do you want to be alone?”
“No. I want that gun you told me about.”
“Okay.” He shut off the water and walked out of the bathroom.
Holly followed, watching as he unzipped his suitcase and pulled out a sweet little Glock.
Handing it to her stock first, he said, “This is yours. You won’t be able to hide it in your costume, but keep it close whenever you’re by yourself in our room.”
“Thanks.” She released the action and checked the load before snapping it back into place, noting the filed serial number. “This isn’t a legal weapon, is it?”
“No.” He smirked and added, “Think about it this way. If you have a chance to shoot Carmen, you’ll get to do it with his own gun.”
Shaking her head, Holly tucked the Glock in the nightstand. “If I had the nerve to shoot him, I’d have done it two years ago.”
“I think you had the nerve but you didn’t have the opportunity. You do now. Use it if you have to.”
Flint touched her shoulder and dropped a kiss on the top of her head before sauntering back into the bathroom. That single moment engendered trust where none had been before. He was willing to turn his back after arming her. Her tiny remaining bit of disbelief in his story faded and she dropped to the bed, her ass hitting the plush fabric of the duvet. She allowed herself only a moment to marvel over that before following him.
By the time she joined him, the tub was full and Flint was checking the water temperature. He smiled and stood when she came to a stop in the middle of the bathroom.
“Let me help with your costume.”
Smiling, she untied the strings holding the garment together and shrugged, allowing the fabric to drop from her shoulders to the floor. Using a clip from the vanity drawer, she pinned up her hair. “That’s the great thing about a kajira costume. There just isn’t much to it, and the cuffs and collar are powder-coated steel. Water can’t hurt them.”
His eyes lit up with amused appreciation. “I see that. What do you wear in the winter?”
“The Castle is kept fairly warm. If we get cold, we’re allowed to have grippy socks and a robe inside, but we have to dress warmly if we go out.”
Flint held out an arm and she stepped into the tub, hissing as she lowered herself into the water. Leaning back against the side, she said, “It comes under the heading of proper care, though polar bear excursions are allowed if they’re monitored.”
He knelt down and picked up a sponge. Trailing it over her shoulders, he asked, “What’s that?”
“It’s when a Master sends his sub out to roll in the snow naked. There’s a five-minute time limit, and it isn’t allowed if the temperature is under twenty-five.”
He shivered and helped her lean forward to wash her back. “Sounds unpleasant.”
“It can be, but the reward is worth it.”
“What’s the reward?” He squirted soap into his hand and massaged her back. She groaned in pleasure as his strong fingers worked the knots in her muscles.
“Cuddling up to a warm Master. They always seem to forget that part and can’t punish us for getting them wet and icy, because it’s their fault we’re cold.”
He snorted, his shoulders shaking with mirth as he laughed. She liked to see him laugh. His face got all crinkly and soft and his brown eyes sparkled. She wondered if he’d looked that way before Carmen.
“That’s cruel, but funny as hell.” His eyes darkened, but he smirked at her. “I bet you get spanked a lot.”
She shrugged and stretched, allowing him to reach her lower back. “Not really. I don’t mess up very often, and there isn’t much demand for a kajira, especially since I’m not in that program yet. Master David asked me to move after this weekend, though.”
“Are you going to do it? You could move on once Carmen is neutralized.”
“I like it here. It’s safe and comfortable, and I’ve made friends.” She trailed a hand through the water as she thought about her answer. “Honestly, when I saw you and Carmen this afternoon, I didn’t expect to live through tonight, much less the weekend.”
“I’m sorry, honey. That wasn’t my intention. I was just as surprised to see you as you were to see us.”
Turning to face him, she leaned forward and rested her arms on the edge of the tub. “What’s going to happen to Grace?”
“I don’t know.” He chewed on his lip and looked away. “I’m trying to come up with an idea that might protect her, but I can’t stop what happens without blowing my cover. We have to trust that her guard knows what he’s doing until my handler can check the information you gave me.”
“What happens then? It was true two years ago, but—”
“I arrest the skinny little fucker and put him away forever. With luck, he’ll get shanked in prison. Carmen has no friends.”
She nodded and hugged her knees to her chest. “I know. I keep reading the news from Wabasha, hoping to hear of his death. I can’t stand the thought of him hurting anyone else.”
He stood and held out a hand. “Come on. Let’s get you dried off and into bed. You’ve had a busy day.”
“Do you want me to go back to the dormitory?”
“No. You need to stay here, but I’ll sleep on the floor.”
She got out of the tub and dried off then picked up her costume. Shaking it out, she hung it on a hook on the back of the door and winced at the broken lock. She might as well add that one to her list of demerits. She knew better than to lock a door between herself and her Master. Master Grimsley was not going to be happy.
There was nothing she could do about it now, though. She followed Flint into the bedroom and bit her lip at the sight of the huge bed.
“Flint?”
“Hmm?”
His fingers worked the buttons on his kilt and she realized she would finally get the chance to see what he had on under it. Her mouth went dry as the leather fell to his knees, revealing a very tight round ass she wanted to sink her teeth into.
“Did you have a question, Holly?”
She tore her gaze away from his gorgeous ass and stared up into amused brown eyes looking over a muscular shoulder.
Busted.
Chapter 5
Damn, Holly had a pretty blush. Her face turned almost as red as her namesake berries when he caught her staring at his ass.
He grinned at her, thoroughly enjoying her embarrassment. “I don’t feel so bad about checking you out now. We’re even.”
“I’m supposed to be looked at. That’s part of a kajira’s duties, along with other things.” As she spoke, she crawled
between the sheets and propped a pillow behind her back. “You don’t have to sleep on the floor, either. This bed is more than big enough for a soccer team. I promise I can keep my hands to myself for the weekend.”
“What if I don’t want you to?” Where the hell did that come from? He had no business even looking at Holly, much less touching her. And he certainly had no business feeling jealous of her serving other Masters. “Never mind. Forget I said that.”
“Good idea.” She turned over and settled into bed, her dyed hair trailing across the pillow as she gave him her back.
“Wait.”
He rummaged in his luggage and pulled out a worn t-shirt along with a pair of sweats. He pulled the sweats on and handed her the shirt. “You can wear that to sleep in.”
“Thanks.” She sat up and accepted his shirt then tugged it over her head. It hung on her like a sack, but she didn’t complain and curled up under the covers once more.
Flint climbed in the other side and turned to face her. The line of her back was visible under the expensive sheet, and he had to resist the urge to touch it. Holly had made her feelings quite clear and he couldn’t blame her. Reaching over, he switched off the light.
Holly let out a soft cry and rushed into the bathroom. She turned on the light over the sink and closed the door halfway, allowing a dim stream of illumination into the bedroom. She trotted back, her feet barely touching the floor as she leapt into bed.
Part of him wanted to laugh at her childlike behavior, but the sensible part knew she was right to be afraid. He slid across the bed and pulled her into his arms.
“Hey!”
She struggled against his hold and he tightened his grip on her. “Shhh. We’re just going to sleep. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I’m not worried about you hurting me.”
“I’m not going to do anything else, either. You’re scared, and I want to hold you until you fall asleep.”
She hissed and was stiff in his arms but she stopped fighting him. “Is that an order, Master Miguel?”
“Yes. Go to sleep.”
To his surprise, after a few minutes of grumbling and shifting, she drifted off. Her soft, breathy snores made him smile and he kissed the back of her head.