by Red Phoenix
She squeezed his arm. “I don’t mind. If more Doms stood up when they saw that kind of behavior, the world would be a much safer place.”
“Most people don’t want to get involved, and newbies like her don’t know what’s acceptable and what’s not.”
“Which makes what you do at The Center so important,” glee stated proudly.
Brad looked around, not as enthusiastic about the crowds as he had been at first. “What would you say if I offered to scene with you at the Training Center? I’d take you to my place, but it’s littered with boxes.”
“The idea of that sounds divine to me, Master Anderson.”
Brad called Marquis Gray on the phone before he began the scene, wanting to inform the longtime trainer of his intent so there would be no misunderstandings or hard feelings later.
“You don’t need my permission,” Marquis stated.
“No, but I want to maintain your trust and respect.”
“Will this submissive be a student at the school at a later date?”
“No, glee is an experienced sub with no need for our classes.”
“Then by all means, enjoy the equipment The Center provides. It’s one of the perks of being a trainer here. Just remember to turn off the camera before beginning and turn it back on before you leave. The cameras are meant solely for training purposes.”
“Appreciate the advice. Have a good evening, Gray.”
“Before I let you go, any word on Lady Crimson’s replacement?”
“I have an appointment with Mistress Lou tomorrow.”
“I’m impressed. If you convince her to join the panel, I’ll take my hat off to you.”
Brad laughed. “I’ll get you a hat then.”
“Have a good evening, Master Anderson.”
After hanging up, Brad slipped the phone in his pocket and walked over to turn off the camera in the far corner before returning to glee, who was patiently waiting for him.
Brad placed his hand on her head and said formally, “Stand and serve your Master.”
The naked submissive stood up with practiced grace. He stared at her body appreciatively. Glee was a fine specimen of a woman—her feminine form in full bloom at the age of thirty-five—full of the confidence that time and experience created, with permanent marks that attested to her joy in submission. Yet, glee still maintained that infectious excitement that made her spirit inviting. Although Brad preferred the “wild ones”, he could see settling down with such a woman…
“Are you ready to experience the intimacy of my whip, glee?”
“It would be my honor, Master.”
“Then stand on the X.”
First Day of Class
Brad was only given twenty minutes with Mistress Lou at lunch. The tense expression on her face as she approached his table made Brad apprehensive. If she was this stressed now, how could he possibly convince her to add on more by taking the position of trainer at The Center?
He held out his hand, impressed by the woman’s firm grip. There was no doubt, Mistress Lou was a formidable businesswoman who could not be manipulated by flattery, so he laid his cards out on the table for her.
“As you may have heard, Lady Crimson has left her post at the Training Center. Now that I’m Headmaster, I need to find a Domme worthy to join me on the panel.” He inclined his head towards her. “Naturally you were the first person who came to my mind.”
He could see she was getting ready to tell him all the reasons she couldn’t, but he stopped her by addressing them himself. “I know you put in far too many hours at your job. I also appreciate that you’re the Mistress of several submissives who need time and attention. However, I have the perfect solution.”
He grinned inwardly when Mistress Lou gave him an irritated look reserved for pushy salesmen.
“Now, Mistress Lou, if you are a trainer at the school you will have the opportunity to relieve the stress of your day job by physically working with our students every night during the six-week course. You can include your submissives in the Dominant training sessions as well, thereby giving them the attention they need while, at the same time, benefitting those who require their experienced submission to learn and grow.” He leaned toward her when he gave his closing line, “Just think that for six weeks every few months, you will have the opportunity to change lives while still keeping those things most important to you a priority.”
Mistress Lou stared at him, her expression stoic. She seemed quite unaffected by his heartfelt pitch.
Brad leaned back in his chair. That’s all he had—and it hadn’t been enough, he could tell it by the look in her eye.
“My submissive Boa said he spoke with you last night.”
Seeing an unexpected lead-in, Brad set his elbows on the table and nodded.
“There are few men I would be interested in Boa scening with. You happen to be one of them.” Her eyes sparkled when she added, “I know it’s not your inclination to dominate males with your whip, but I quite like the idea of observing you two together.”
Seeing this golden opportunity set before him, Brad wanted to jump in without hesitation, but played hard to get. “As you said, male submissives are not my thing.”
She pursed her lips. “I’m not interested in you fucking him, Master Anderson. Simply exposing him to the force of your whip. Witnessing the power exchange between two well-endowed men, confident in their opposing roles, would be an extraordinary experience.”
He raised an eyebrow, saying nothing.
“The idea intrigues me enough that I would agree to become a trainer for the reasons you stated, as long as you sweeten the pot by agreeing to scene with Boa at The Haven.”
“At The Haven, huh?”
Her thin red lips curled into a smile. “I know I am not the only one who would enjoy the exchange.”
“One session with Boa is enough to convince you to join me on the panel?”
“It is.”
Brad couldn’t believe his luck.
“Do we have a deal?” she asked.
Brad immediately stuck out his hand to shake on the deal before she could change her mind. “Naturally, Mistress Lou.”
“Good.” She let go of his hand and picked up her fork, taking a small bite of her salad. “I’d already determined I would agree to your offer because I wish to work with you. However, the chance to secure a scene for my beloved sub was too good to pass up.”
Brad chuckled, feeling only admiration. “So you set me up, Mistress Lou?”
“No, I simply negotiated an arrangement that was pleasing to both parties.”
He held up his glass of water and nodded to her. “Welcome to the team.”
She stated in a formal voice, “It will be a pleasure to serve the community with you.” The Mistress looked at her watch and abruptly stood up. “And now I must leave. It has been a pleasure conducting business with you today.”
Brad watched her walk away, feeling extremely satisfied knowing his team was now complete. With Marquis, Baron, and Mistress Lou heading the panel beside him, this session of students would be well served.
He couldn’t wait to begin.
Brad was in for a shock when he got a call from Brie a few nights later. She suggested he meet with the two of them at a bar. It seemed the newlyweds, who’d just returned from their honeymoon, were desperate for his company—and he couldn’t have been more pleased.
Damn, today’s my lucky day, he thought as he jumped in his truck.
Any excuse not to stare at his numerous boxes was a good one, but getting to hang with Thane and Brie was an unexpected bonus.
When he found out the reason for the impromptu gathering, however, he was stunned.
Completely stunned.
At first, Brad had assumed the couple was pulling an elaborate joke on him in payment for all the ones he’d played on them. It was a huge letdown when he finally realized they were serious.
Brie and Thane were having a child, and now nothing would be the
same. He left the bar smiling and waving at Brie as he drove off, but as soon as he turned the corner he bellowed, “Shit, shit, shit!”
First Amy popped out a kid—killing any chances with her. Then Lady Crimson had resigned from The Center after getting knocked up. And now Thane and Brie were expecting one of those smelly creatures.
Babies were nothing but bad luck.
Brad returned to his home feeling utterly defeated. When Cayenne jumped up on his shoulder, he scratched her furry chin, stating, “I need to look into getting you spayed, little lady. I’m not about to go through this with you too.”
She mewed, rubbing herself against him.
Brad retreated to his small backyard and settled down on the old folding chair the previous owners had left behind. He looked over the neglected garden with concern, knowing action was needed.
With a determined sigh, he stood up and ripped off his shirt, heading for the farthest corner of the lot. He couldn’t stop people from having babies, but he could damn well care for the abandoned plants in his yard.
Brad talked to them while he worked, attracting the attention of his next-door neighbor.
“Young man, can you help me?”
Brad stood up and looked over their shared three-foot fence. A tiny old woman who looked to be about ninety smiled back at him. Her wrinkled skin was dark, making her enthusiastic smile that much more bright and engaging.
Her eyes drifted down from his face to his chest, and she stared with the same lustful interest as women three-fourths her age. “Oh my…” she murmured.
Rather than cover up, he flexed his chest muscles and put his hands to his waist in a Superman pose. “How can I help you, miss?”
“I think my dog lost one of his balls on your side of the fence.”
Brad looked down the length of the fence and saw a green tennis ball. He walked over and picked it up, handing it to the old woman with a grin.
“Thank you, young man.”
“My name is Brad, I just moved in. What’s your name?”
The woman tilted her head, smiling flirtatiously. “You can call me Miss Em.”
He held out his hand to her over the fence. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Em.”
“Likewise, Mr. Brad.” She stared at his chest unabashedly. “What brings you to LA?”
“A new job.”
“Modeling?” she guessed.
Brad laughed, shaking his head. “No, I’m headmaster of a school. On the weekends, however, I prefer to garden.” He looked around his sad little plot of land. “It looks like I have my work cut out for me.”
“Yes, George and Enid weren’t much into their yard. He was a carpenter, not a plant person, and she liked bingo far too much to waste time in the backyard.”
Brad clapped his hands together. “Well, I’m a man who is up for a challenge.”
Miss Em glanced down at his crotch, stating, “I bet you are, Mr. Brad.” She looked up to meet his gaze. “I appreciate a man who can cultivate good neighbor relations. I think you will be a mighty fine fit here.”
He took her hand and kissed it gallantly. “I look forward to many fine weekends spent out in the backyard.”
“As do I,” she replied with a twinkle in her eye.
“Unfortunately, Miss Em, I must excuse myself if I’m to make any progress tonight.”
“By all means, Mr. Brad. I know it’s late, but I’ll go make you some lemonade and cookies.” The old woman hurried into her home, giggling like a young girl.
“Maybe LA won’t be so bad after all,” he snorted to himself, grabbing a huge weed and yanking hard on it—thinking of Brie as he did so.
The first day of Submissive Training under his leadership had finally arrived. It had demanded a lot out of Brad to be prepared for this day, but watching the excitement of the students as they entered the building for their first day made it worth it to him.
He watched them unseen as they came through the doors, noting the way they walked and the manner in which they interacted with the receptionist, Rachael, at the desk.
Brad learned a lot by simply observing them when they didn’t know they were being watched. He could already tell which girl was going to be a handful by the way she sauntered in, giving Rachael attitude before heading over to the elevator. It would be interesting to see if she lasted the night.
Brad chuckled to himself when he headed down the elevator, once all the submissives had been accounted for. One had straggled in ten minutes late, her outfit a disheveled mess. Another pupil he worried might not make the cut tonight.
He walked past Mr. Gallant’s class and heard the teacher’s commanding voice as he explained the levels of submission. Brad grinned to himself, knowing how much these girls would be challenged this evening.
Brad took his place at the table with the rest of the panel. “All the students are here,” he told them.
Marquis pulled out a yellow pad of paper and proceeded to write down each submissive’s name.
“Not giving up on the old pencil and paper, Gray?” he asked.
Marquis gave him a slight grin. “While I find a tablet more efficient, I still enjoy the feel of a pencil in my hand. It’s also an effective visual for the students. When they see me writing something down, they assume they’ve screwed up and try even harder.”
“Always the crafty one, aren’t you?” Brad looked down at his tablet for a moment and asked, “You got another one on hand?”
Marquis nodded. He pulled out another pad from his briefcase and handed it to Brad along with a freshly sharpened pencil.
“What’s more intimidating than two trainers scribbling on their pads?”
“Three,” Baron answered. “Got a spare for me, Marquis?”
“I always come prepared,” Marquis replied. He fished out a third and gave it to Baron.
Mistress Lou shook her head when Marquis offered to get her one from his office. “I simply cannot take the time to transfer my notes from paper to tablet.”
Brad agreed. “We understand your time is limited, Mistress Lou. It will help you stand out and give the students something to wonder abou—”
Rachael came running in, a stricken look on her face. “Headmaster Anderson, something is wrong with one of the students. She’s making odd sounds and we can’t get her to speak.”
Brad frowned. “Where is she?”
“She’s been transferred to the trainer’s lounge.”
“Damn, what a way to start the new session.” Taking charge, Brad ordered, “Rachael, call an ambulance right now. I’m not taking any chances with our students.”
The trainers rushed behind him as Brad ran in a full sprint to see what was wrong. He burst through the door and blurted, “Oh, bloody hell…” when he saw what was waiting for him.
The others came running in after him, laughing.
Cayenne was sitting daintily on the sofa and meowed when she saw Brad. She jumped down and rubbed herself against his pant leg.
Brad looked at Marquis. “Was this really necessary?”
Baron chuckled. “I have to admit Rachael gave quite a commanding performance. She had me almost convinced something was wrong.”
Mistress Lou stared at Brad, an arched eyebrow raised and a smile on her crimson lips.
Brad bent down and picked up Cayenne, who proceeded to climb up his arm and perch herself on his shoulder. “Well…you got me good,” he said. “Didn’t see that one coming.”
“We did it for two reasons,” Marquis explained. “First, it was important to see how our new Headmaster would perform under stress. You did well by the way,” he said with a smirk.
Mistress Lou spoke up. “We also needed to establish our dominance in the practical joke department.”
“I do feel slightly dominated right now,” Brad admitted.
Baron broke out in a low chuckle.
Brad scratched the top of Cayenne’s head, joining in his laughter. “You do realize that retaliation will happen when you least ex
pect it.”
“We’re counting on it,” Mistress Lou stated as she turned and headed out the door.
Rachael was waiting for Brad when he left the lounge. She was blushing profusely, looking deeply ashamed. “I’m sorry, Headmaster. I feel bad for scaring you like that, especially on your first day.”
Brad handed her the kitten. “No reason to apologize, Rachael. It was well played.”
“I’m glad you can forgive me.”
He smiled, shaking his finger at her. “I actually admire you even more, Miss Rachael. However, as much as I admire your acting abilities, it will not spare you from my wrath. Prepare to get pranked.”
Rachael glowed. “I look forward to it, Headmaster.”
Brad returned to the panel and chuckled under his breath as he readied himself for the students. He stood up when they entered the room, each girl dressed in the required uniform of leather corset, short skirt, and those sexy high heels.
He could feel their nervous excitement as they entered, and it stirred the trainer in him. Six new students stood before the panel. How many would thrive in the six-week course and make it to the other side as educated and confident graduates?
Only time would tell.
“Take your place behind one of the ramps,” he commanded in a smooth but authoritative voice.
The girls moved behind the ramps, some of them staring at them warily, while others stood at attention, looking at him with expectant faces.
“Tonight we will be weeding any wannabe submissives.”
There was a shuffling of feet as his words sank in. They’d assumed up to that point that they were secured a spot after getting accepted into the school. Now they would learn the truth. Entrance was a privilege, but remaining here had to be earned.
“How can you tell who’s a wannabe and who’s not?” a pixie blonde with short hair asked.
“You may address me as Master Anderson. That goes for all of you,” Brad ordered, looking slowly down the line, making eye contact with each student.
“Master Anderson, how can you tell?” she amended.