Bubbles’s smile slipped down. “He’s okay, I guess.”
“Okay?” Solo dropped her fork. Then she turned to Taren. “You’ve made him a winner at least two times. That’s the most of anyone left here.” She turned to Breeze. “Your guy hasn’t won anything yet.” Then she looked at Sweetheart. “Your guy won once, right?”
Sweetheart nodded.
“And my Dom hasn’t won a damn thing.” She closed her eyes and had almost an orgasmic expression. “Lord No has an amazing body. The quiet ones are the ones to look out for. If I were a betting woman, I’d put my money on Lord No to win.”
“I wouldn’t make that bet,” Taren said. “I haven’t made my mind up yet. It’s still anyone’s race.”
“I know this.” Solo raised her glass. “Here’s to us being in the hundred thousand and up club.”
Sweetheart and Bubbles clinked their glasses against Solo. Breeze continued eating.
“What’s up, Breeze? Too good to talk about money?” Solo finished up her breakfast.
“For me, this was never really about the money.” She shrugged. “I like playing. I like serving. That’s what it was all about for me.”
“I like all that, too. But it’s nice to get what you could make in a year in a few weeks.” Sweetheart laughed. “It’s an awesome feeling.”
“Yeah, for some of us, we need all the money we can get.” Bubbles stabbed some eggs on her fork, looked at it, and put it back down. “It’s been nice playing here, but at home, my mom has this rare form of cancer that’s inoperable. Her treatments are expensive. I’m hoping to be the last slave standing. I need all the money I can get.”
“Oh, honey, why are you here?” Breeze shook her head. “You should be at home with your mom and enjoying what could be her final moments instead of being here.”
“I’m a teacher. I don’t make that much money. I needed to do something to earn a lot of dough fast, and I’m not a psychic. I can’t predict the right lottery numbers.” Bubbles shrugged.
“You’re playing this game all wrong then.” Solo shook her head. “Why are you so combative with Lord No? Why not go along with everything he does?”
“I don’t feel comfortable with him. But I’m getting there.” Bubbles stood. “Anyone else done? I’ll take your plate.”
Taren stood. “I’ll help you in the kitchen.” She followed Bubbles and stood next to her at the sink. “I’m so sorry about your mom.” She put her arm around Bubbles’s shoulders. “Have faith.”
“I’ve been keeping the faith and praying every chance I get. This money would help out a lot.” Bubbles gazed at Taren. “No pressure.” She chuckled but immediately turned away as soon as tears crested her bottom lids.
Taren wrapped her arms around Bubbles. She felt more of a responsibility to do the right thing the more she got to know the contestants. She turned her head and rested it on Bubbles’s shoulder. She gasped when she caught Lord No standing in the kitchen watching them.
Taren pulled from the embrace. “Anything I can help you with?” She tried to smile and even stood behind Bubbles to block her from his view.
He didn’t need to see his slave getting upset about a personal matter. He wouldn’t care.
Lord No kept his stare on Bubbles. He took a step closer to the two of them and stopped. In his swim trunks, bare feet, and a towel draped over his shoulder, he looked ready for a vacation, not for something heavy.
He pointed to Bubbles and then pointed to the backyard area.
“I can go out there. I’ll have to learn how to serve you anyway.” Taren started to go toward him, but he held up his hand to stop her.
Again, Lord No pointed to Bubbles and then pointed to the pool. He started to charge toward her like he wanted to grab her arm, but Taren blocked him.
“I’ll make sure she gets out there.” She kept her face stoic but stared at him.
He pointed to his wrist to pantomime time ticking away. Then he pointed to the pool area again.
“Understood, sir. I’ll make sure she gets out there.”
He backed away from them and went out back.
With him gone, Taren released a breath she’d been holding when she saw him. She turned to Bubbles. “Are you okay? I’ll be more than happy to fill in for you if you need a minute to get yourself together.”
Bubbles wiped her face. “No, I’m fine. House slaves don’t cry, right?”
Bubbles patted Taren on her arm before she padded out to the pool area. Taren watched the action from the kitchen. Lord No jumped out of the pool and went over to Bubbles. She saw him putting his hand under Bubbles’s chin and lift her face up. He peered over her head and stared pointedly at Taren. At that moment, he held her arm and walked her to an area out of view.
Not content to leave it up to chance that Lord No would do the right thing, Taren headed to the dungeon area to look through the window.
“Hey.”
Taren turned to see Jace behind her. He, too, wore his swim trunks.
“What are you doing?” Jace stood next to her.
“Seeing what Lord No is doing to Bubbles.” She looked through the window to try and find them. “She got kind of upset this morning. And he demanded that she go out and serve him. Jerk.”
“Come out there with me.” He opened the door that went to the pool.
“Shouldn’t you be going out with Sweetheart?”
Jace held Taren’s hand and pulled her out with him. “What did I tell you last night? Demand what you want.” He tossed the towel on a nearby lounge chair. He jumped in the water and started his laps.
Taren searched the backyard for Lord No and Bubbles. She walked down the length of the pool to the other side of the backyard. In a far corner between the house and a large hedge doubling as a fence, she found Lord No with his back to her and pinning Bubbles to the corner.
Taren’s senses kicked into overdrive. She saw him as a bully crowding her in a corner. “Lord No, I’m getting some tea. Would you like some?”
Lord No turned around and glared at Taren. He started to charge toward her, but Bubbles held his arm and kept him back. She got in his face and whispered something before strolling toward Taren.
“I’ll get the tea. I’ll serve him.” Bubbles’s face looked drained.
Lord No stormed by Taren to get to the pool. He jumped in and settled at the bottom for a moment before coming up for air. When he did, he made sure to be at the opposite end, far from Taren.
She didn’t know what all happened between him and Bubbles, but she didn’t like him pushing her around outside of play. If she hadn’t made him a winner and granted him immunity, she would have booted him next. She’d made a promise.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Having only a few contestants left made Jace’s stealthy moves even easier. He ducked into the guesthouse to call Rich LaMarca. He only had a week until he had to go to the follow-up meeting with him. With filming, he didn’t know if he would make it. No way would he ask Taren to eliminate him so he could make this appointment. Not only did he not want to disappoint her, he now wanted to fight for her. He wanted to win her.
“Mr. LaMarca’s office,” the receptionist answered.
“My name is Jace Morton. I have a follow-up appointment to meet with Rich in a week. I wanted to see if I can postpone that appointment. Something came up and I won’t be able to make it.” He paced in the bedroom area.
“Mr. LaMarca is not accustomed to be left waiting.”
The implication that Jace made this call in a flippant manner, like he didn’t care, made him feel like his body had been covered in lava. He had to calm himself down before speaking to this underling. “I’m sure, which is why I’m calling now. I realize how important his time is. Move my appointment.” He no longer had the tact or patience to ask nicely. The Dom side of him emerged.
“But you don’t understand. Mr. LaMarca may have subsequent meetings because of this one meeting.”
“Bottom line, I can’t make the
appointment. I need you to reschedule. Call me back with a new time and date.” He disconnected the call.
Jace hid the phone again. He would have to be secretive in leaving the guesthouse. He peered out the window and saw no one. He strolled out of the small home and made his way across the lawn to the main house. Before he got there, he heard the raised voices from outside.
Jace ran to the door and flung it open. Inside he found Kitty, Macabre, and Taren standing on one side of the dungeon and the rest of the contestants and slaves standing on the other side. It felt like a Wild West moment where he had stepped in between an impending duel.
“What the hell is going on?” Jace volleyed his attention between the two groups.
“I overheard Junior over here telling his slave that they would be together soon.” Fear pointed to Bruiser. “If he doesn’t want to be here, his ass needs to leave.” He turned to Taren. “I want to win. Don’t waste film on him. Get him out now.”
“That’s fine.” Bruiser ripped off his mask. His low brow covered his brooding blue eyes. He looked handsome, evident by the way Breeze stared at him like he had transformed into a movie star. “I can’t help that I fell for my house slave.”
Solo and Sweetheart stared at Breeze. Bubbles kept her gaze down to the floor.
“The only way you’re going to get a submissive is by winning her.” Bruiser looked at Taren. “I don’t think she wants you either.”
Fear charged at Bruiser, who didn’t back down. He released Breeze’s hand and went after Fear. Lord No and Jace intervened in time to break the two men up before blows could be thrown, although had Jace let Fear thrown the first punch, he would have been eliminated.
“Get off me!” Fear struggled out of Jace’s grip. When he did, he glared at Bruiser. “You’re a fucking joke.”
Bruiser chuckled. “Me? At least I know how to cane, mother fucker.” He turned to Kitty and Taren. “It’s true. I’ve fallen for Karonica.”
“Who?” Fear and Macabre asked at the same time.
Bruiser stared at Breeze and ran his finger along the side of her face. “This woman here. When we’re not playing, I want you to call me Dru, okay?” He broke his stare from her to turn to Taren. “I wouldn’t have been a good Dom for you. I would be thinking about her, wanting her, wanting to play with her.” Then he looked at Kitty. “Sorry if this ruins the flow of the show. I’ll do whatever the next task is if you want and Taren can go through the motions of eliminating me.”
“Fuck that. Let him go. Gets me closer to the prize.” Fear rubbed his hands together and stared suggestively at Taren.
To stop that, Jace stood in between Fear and Taren to block his view. “Kitty, what are you going to do?”
She looked at the group and cursed. “There was a fucking plan, man.” She shook her head. “Fine. You.” She pointed to Bruiser and Breeze. “We’ll do interviews with you.” Then she turned to Taren. “We’ll get your reaction to this turn of events. The winner of tonight’s events was going to get to play with you exclusively in there.” She pointed to the guesthouse. “Since we’re not going through the motions of doing a challenge, I’d say that Lord No gets Taren for the night.”
“What? No.” Jace shook his head. He had to keep under wraps that the guesthouse had been designated as been off limits. As a contestant on the show, he shouldn’t have known that. “Can I talk to you?” He pointed to Kitty.
“No.” She looked beyond him and pointed to Lord No. “You and Taren can go into guesthouse. You’ll have it for the night. Take whatever toys you want. There are no cameras in there.” She glared at Jace like they shared an unspoken conversation.
Jace knew this prize for Lord No had been a punishment for Jace.
“Bruiser and Breeze, we’ll do your exit interview here. Then you’ll go see the P.A. to get your hotel assignment.” Kitty turned to Lord No. “Congratulations on the last win. Have fun.” She walked out of the room but not without Jace on her heels.
“You know that place is off limits,” Jace said under his breath to her. “I still have shit in there.”
“Too bad. I have Doms falling for house slaves. I need to do something to shake up this show so that I can keep my job.” She patted Jace’s chest. “Guess you shouldn’t have dipped your pen in the company ink, huh?”
He pushed her hand off him.
“And, yes, I know I’m a bitch.” She smirked. “It’s my best quality.”
When she walked off, Jace turned to talk to Taren. When he did, he found her and Lord No gone. Sweetheart and Bubbles remained in the room talking to each other.
“Where did No and Taren go?” Jace looked at the remaining slaves.
“Where do you think?” Solo nodded her head toward the guesthouse.
Jace rushed to the glass but stayed inside the house. He pressed his hands against the window. Even though he didn’t want to look like a dog missing its master, he knew he appeared that way. Funny how a submissive in training managed to get him to submit.
“Sir, is there anything you would like for me to do?” Sweetheart put her hand on his arm. “We have a whole dungeon here.”
Jace glanced at her. “Not in the mood. Take the night off.”
He returned to his room. He would have to wait until Lord No returned to know when Taren would be free. God help Lord No if he did anything to Taren.
****
Taren took deep, cleansing breaths as she stared at Lord No across the room. Why the hell had Kitty let her be alone with this man without cameras or supervision?
She started to head to the door when Lord No blocked her path. He appeared menacing in his open black button-down shirt, black slacks, and black shoes. The fact that he wore a black mask that looked like it came straight from a horror movie had her quivering.
Lord No pointed to the bed and then to her. Did he want her to strip? Did he want to have sex with her?
Taren shook her head. “I’m not sleeping with you.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll scream so loud to get security in here. I know Bubbles fears you.”
Lord No blinked. He stood perfectly still.
“She wanted to switch with another slave but you Doms wouldn’t switch up with anyone.” She started to head to the door again, when Lord No grabbed her shoulders. “Get off me! Don’t touch me!”
He pushed her on to the bed and held his hand up as though asking to stay in her spot. Taren propped her upper body on her elbows. She breathed hard as she watched him.
When he opened the drawer next to the nightstand, she saw that as a sign that the man searched for condoms. She scrambled to her feet and tried fleeing again.
No managed to net her in his arm and bring her back to the bed. He pinned her down to the mattress by straddling her body. In his hand, he had a notepad and a pen.
Taren didn’t care what he wrote. She wouldn’t be a victim. With all of her might, she kicked her leg up as much as she could between Lord No’s legs. She heard him grunt when she made contact, but he pressed her legs down and turned the pad over so she could see his message.
Not going to hurt you. Want to talk.
Taren slowed her thrashing. Lord No took that opportunity to carefully climb off her body. He sat at a desk chair across from the bed. He flipped the paper to the next clean sheet and scribbled another message. He showed it to her.
Eliminate me next. I shouldn’t be here.
Taren sat up. “Jesus Christ, not you, too. I’m so sick and tired of this. Why am I not good enough for you Doms?”
Lord No shook his head. He wrote something and showed her.
“‘Bubbles should be home with her family.’” Taren looked at No after she read his message. “You know Bubbles?”
He nodded.
“Before coming here?”
He nodded again. This time he removed his mask. Hot damn, the man looked stunning. He could stop traffic with his drop-dead gorgeous face. A strong brow, full, kissable lips, and those hypnotic light blue eyes.
He wrote another message and showed Taren.
“You owned her.” Taren shook her head. “Why is she so opposed to being with you? Did you hurt her?”
He shook his head. With great force he wrote Never on the paper.
“So what was it?”
Lord No wrote for a while before he handed the pad to Taren.
I’ve owned Bubbles for a year. I learned about her mother and I tried to help her. She refused my help. Then she asked to be released. I came here hoping to forget her. I guess she did the same thing.
Taren held the pad. It all started to make sense for her now. “She didn’t want you thinking she was using you for money?”
He nodded.
Taren handed the notepad back to him. “You two coming here is fate.” She smiled. “Is that why you’re blackmailing Master?”
Lord No looked down for a moment before writing his next message. He showed her several dollar signs on the paper.
She needs money. The longer she stays and if I win will get her the money she needs.
“You would give up your winnings for her?”
Lord No smiled as he wrote down his answer. In a heartbeat.
Taren nodded. “I understand.” She laughed. “I thought you were so cruel.”
He pointed to himself, smirked, and nodded.
She shook her head. “No, you have a good heart. You’re willing to do whatever for her.”
Lord No shook his head. He wrote another message to her.
“‘I wish she knew that. I needed someone to talk to about Anya.’” Taren liked that he called her by her real name. He did know her. He cared for her. “I can’t believe you’re willing to leave for her. Not a lot of men are that devoted, Dom or not.”
Lord No stood and walked over to the window. He motioned for Taren to join him. When she did, he pointed to the main house.
Taren spotted Jace pacing back and forth at the window and looking across at the guesthouse. Lord No pointed to Jace then to Taren. He nodded.
Slave To Love Page 33