by Lily White
Turning to scoop the food from the serving dishes on to my plate, I heard Molly whimper again. The slap of the cane against her ass followed immediately after, as well as Aiden’s annoyed reminder that she needed to shut up.
To say I was pleased he was keeping her silent would be an understatement. Molly’s high pitched voice had been like sandpaper against my skin every time I heard it echo down the halls.
“Yes, actually, it was a long night. I’ve had a lot to prepare for the party tomorrow, and a certain bitch in this house hasn’t been the best at behaving.
The cane slapped her ass again and I turned in time to see Aiden idly reading his paper, a smirk pulling at his lips when Molly cried out around the large red ball firmly jammed in her mouth.
Taking a seat at her midsection, I had just enough room for my plate on the table. Every so often, she’d move or make a small sound, and the slap of the cane followed immediately. It concerned me that, for as long as Aiden had been training her, she still hadn’t learned to completely obey.
“May I ask a question, Master?”
Aiden folded down the corner of his paper to stare across at me. “Of course.”
Directing my eyes at my food, I finished chewing a small bite of my pancakes. “Will there be any requirements of me at the party tomorrow night?”
“Look at me, Rebecca.”
Glancing up, I noticed the dark shadows beneath his eyes.
He stared at me for several seconds, his gaze taking in and examining the expression on my face. Whatever he saw, he didn’t like.
“It’s a party for the Society. The Masters will play Secret Santa, and the courtesans will be the gifts. You will be the centerpiece.”
“I won’t be participating?”
He grinned, the set of his lips cruel and arrogant. “How fair would that be to your new owner? I highly doubt he’ll be excited to see you passed around before he’s had a chance to play with you himself. Don’t you agree?”
My heart sank, and all the hope I’d managed to grasp onto that Aiden was just playing with my head slipped between my fingers.
“Yes,” I lied, “I agree.”
Cocking a questioning brow, Aiden asked, “You’re not going to argue or complain?”
Anger coursed through me, small, violent surges of pain and self-doubt a ticking bomb in my veins. I wanted to argue, wanted to rage at him for being so stupid as to throw me away, but what good would it have done? It would only satisfy him more to know he was hurting me. I wouldn’t give him that. Aiden loved nothing more than to see the pain he could cause in his playthings.
“No, Master.” My words were clipped, but I held his stare. “Whatever makes you happy makes me happy.”
His brows angled down between his eyes. His lips pulled into a thin line. And his wrist flicked to slap the cane across Molly’s ass, satisfaction rolling behind his stare when she cried out.
The rest of breakfast was spent in silence, except for the few times Aiden slapped Molly’s ass with the cane and she cried. It seemed every time she moved a tiny bit or made a sound, that cane landed squarely on her ass. How he watched her from behind his newspaper, I wasn’t sure.
Incidentally, it may have been immature for me to poke her in the side with my fork a few times to cause her to move, but by the sixth time I’d done it and she cried out when the cane slammed down, I lost the ability to hide my smile.
Aiden cleared his throat, finally noticing what I was doing. My eyes met his when the corner of his newspaper folded down and my smile quickly disappeared.
*
The evening before Christmas Eve passed without incident. Theresa and the other house staff that didn’t enjoy the activities of the Society left during the night to go spend the holidays with their family and the staff that remained to serve as waiters, bartenders and other such roles would be paid handsomely for not only their service, but also their silence. At first, I’d wondered how the Society managed to remain secret with a full staff in many of the Masters’ homes, but Theresa had explained to me that the wages they paid were enough to make any person look away and pretend they’d seen nothing.
After showering, I stood in my room in front of my closet deciding what to wear for the evening. I had a few gowns that were slinky enough, but mostly just lacy underthings and a few negligees. The dress code in Aiden’s house was often as little as possible, and I wasn’t sure what he had planned for me for the evening.
The party would begin in two hours and I was to be the centerpiece. The thought sent a chill through my body because it reminded me of that horrible frame he had built for my weight, the one that still hung in the dining room as an empty reminder that he could strap me up at any time he wanted and take away what little pride I still had.
As soon as my hand landed on a red leather bustier with matching panties, the door to my room opened quietly before I heard the click of Aiden’s shoes approaching.
“I have your outfit for tonight.”
Turning around I expected to see a box in his hands, or at least a few strings of cloth on a hanger, so it took me by surprise to see a can of paint and a brush. Aiden held it up with a wicked grin pulling at his inviting, sensual lips.
“What is that?”
“Body paint, my beautiful girl. I told you that you would be the centerpiece. What did you think that meant?”
A sigh blew over my lips. “I thought you were going to strap me up in the frame in the dining room again.”
His lips pulled together and his eyes closed for a brief moment. “Ah, Rebecca, how you tempt me. However, that’s not what I have planned for tonight.”
Placing the can and brush on a side table, he swirled his finger in the air to indicate for me to turn around.
“The directions say that it takes at least twenty minutes for this paint to dry fully, so once it’s applied, I’ll need you to stand perfectly still for that amount of time. I’d hate for you to mess up my masterpiece.”
“And what, exactly, are you creating out of me this time?”
The brush tickled my legs as he swept paint down the backs of my thighs. I jumped in place, a reaction to the cold paint and also a movement that resulted in Aiden’s hand slapping me hard over my ass.
“Try not to move. And to answer your question, you will be the Christmas tree.”
My eyes widened at his words and my head swiveled to the left so that I could see the paint can that was open and the green liquid it held inside.
“The tree? Are you kidding me?”
Soft laughter sounded behind me. “I never kid, Rebecca. You should know that better than anyone.”
He spent a good hour making sure every part of me was painted green, every part, that was, besides my face, my breasts and between my legs. Once finished, he replaced the lid on the can and walked around me admiring his artwork.
“Yes, I think that will do nicely.”
His eyes met mine with amusement and lust flashing behind the sky blue color. “We’ll give you some time to dry and then we’ll need to get you in place before the Masters arrive with their gifts. Are you excited?”
Licking my lips, I fought to remain perfectly still. Any movement on my part would cause the drying paint to crack and I knew Aiden would find some humiliating way to punish me for ruining his fun. Knowing that members of the Society would be arriving shortly, I was determined to avoid giving Aiden a reason to embarrass me in front of them.
“Will I be meeting my new owner tonight? Will he be happy to see his courtesan looking like this? I assume it will be hard to play with me without getting paint on his skin.”
Aiden grinned, but the expression was hard rather than soft. “As a matter of fact, yes, he will be in attendance tonight. Although, I’m not sure he’ll care much about the paint. Once it dries, he’ll be able to do whatever he wants to you without worry of ruining his clothes.”
Anger was a subtle note to his tone of voice, and I lifted an eyebrow in recognition of it.
“May I ask a question, Master?”
Aiden stared at me, silently permitting me to ask any question I wanted.
Swallowing down the anxiety that was slowly creeping into my muscles and crippling my ability to think, I asked, “How is it you were able to convince the buyer to take a used courtesan instead of the specific woman he purchased? I’ve never heard of such an arrangement before.”
His response meant more than he probably imagined. Desperate to find even a small amount of hope, and desperate to discover that his insistence to send me away was nothing more than a cruel joke he’d been playing all along, I braced myself for his answer.
A smile tilted his lips as he reached up to run a fingertip along my jawline. His eyes stared down at me with a cold, calculating understanding of why I’d asked that particular question.
With a voice so soft that it coaxed a shiver across my skin, he answered, “I explained to the buyer that I had something much better in store for him. As I’m sure you can tell, Rebecca, Molly isn’t ready to be sent off to a simple owner. Her bratty temperament hasn’t yet been broken, and perhaps that’s my fault for having spoiled her. You should know better than to think that I would hand over anything that wasn’t absolute perfection to a buyer. My reputation is on the line. It’s why I’ve never given you away in all the years I’ve had you.” His grin became more wicked. “But, now that you’re the perfect courtesan and have lost the spark of rebellion that was always a large part of you, I feel it’s time to finally let you go.”
I felt broken in a million pieces to look at him and know that it may be the last time, but there was still a nagging whisper inside my thoughts that made me wonder if he still wasn’t playing some extraordinary game. It wouldn’t be the first time. Aiden often sent me away as a means of punishment when my rebellion against him went too far. But this was the first time he had another courtesan waiting and willing to serve him in my place. I couldn’t be sure about anything when it came to my Master, and my heart beat rapidly beneath my ribs as I considered the fact that this might be the last moment he and I would ever have alone.
I knew better than to continue arguing. And I felt like a damn fool for pretending to be the perfect courtesan. Perhaps it was a consequence of the games I’d been playing these past couple of weeks that I was being sent away.
“I’ll miss you,” I finally admitted, my voice soft so that it was only a whispered confession between us.
His thumb and finger caught my chin, gripping it gently to ease my eyes up to his. “I know,” was his arrogant response.
Releasing me, he stepped around me to walk towards the door, leaving me crying where I stood. My hands and heart were empty of every hope I’d had that he would eventually tell me that he wasn’t, truly, letting me go.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
AIDEN
Standing within the entry foyer of my home, I glanced around at the cheerful decorations that Theresa had used to bring a small bit of Christmas into a normally elegant, but grim interior design. I wasn’t fond of the lights and colors, wasn’t impressed by the Christmas music playing throughout the room via the speaker system, but I choked back my misgivings in favor of the excitement the evening festivities would bring.
Everything was in place, everything that was, except Rebecca and Molly. My guests wouldn’t arrive for another half hour, so I took the opportunity to ensure that the staff was doing their best to get everything ready before I walked in the direction of Rebecca’s room to retrieve her.
Letting myself in without bothering to knock, I found Rebecca standing exactly where I’d left her.
“Have you been standing there like that this entire time?”
Yes, the paint required at least twenty minutes to dry, but I never intended for her to remain perfectly still for this long. She had to be exhausted just by the effort it would have taken to remain on her feet.
“I was afraid I’d ruin the paint.”
Crossing the room, I reached out to run my hand up her body. The paint had dried to become a perfect canvas for the rest of the set up I had in mind for my beautiful girl.
“Absolutely perfect. Just like I knew it would be.”
Her eyes met mine in a show of defiance, but it was too little and a bit too late for that. I was too far invested in this dance, and in my games, to allow her to throw me off balance now.
“Follow me to the main living room. Let’s get you the rest of the way prepared so that you look absolutely lovely by the time my guests arrive.”
We stepped out into the hallway, and as we passed Molly’s door, I paused to knock. Turning to glance over my shoulder, I saw a dejected expression marring Rebecca’s beautiful face. Before I had the time to comment on the pained look in her eyes, Molly opened her door and spun in place so that I could inspect the outfit I’d chosen for her to wear.
“What do you think, Master? Is this what you were hoping for?”
Dressed as Mrs. Claus, Molly looked lovely with her large breasts exposed. The red costume wasn’t much more than a silly hat, a pair of even sillier shoes with small bells attached, and a thong with a red mesh skirt lined with black faux fur. She would make many of the men in the room drool with desire, which was the effect I’d intended. It was a shame that she didn’t have the same effect on me. For as luscious as the young woman was, her personality had a habit of interfering with the perfection of her body. If I could keep her from talking for the majority of the evening, she would be a useful bit of entertainment.
“You look absolutely fuckable. The Masters will appreciate you very much. Let’s go out into the living room. We still have to finish preparing Rebecca before my guests arrive.”
Stepping into the living room, my eyes ran another cursory inspection over the décor. Comfortable seating was arranged in small clusters throughout the large space. On the tables within the seating areas, candles flickered in large hurricane globes offering a sensual and intimate dance of shadow mixed with light.
Wreaths and other tasteful, yet festive, elements littered the space with white twinkle lighting that cast an ephemeral glow across the walls and ceilings.
Hidden beneath dark, red silk sheets were benches and other special pieces of furniture that were scattered about the room in obvious places. Those contraptions would be unveiled later in the evening when those in attendance felt the need to show off. Every man had his particular kink in the society and several were not only exhibitionists, but also voyeurs that enjoyed watching the theatrics involved in the other Master’s skills. Neither kink was much of a turn on for me, but I wasn’t so shy that I minded any man watching the tricks I used to force a courtesan to her knees.
Nothing was more exceptional or exciting to me than the centerpiece that took its proud position in the middle of the room. A spectacle designed by my own hand, it was nothing more than a stool set in the middle of the room and beneath a large chandelier. Tethers hung down from the ceiling, skillfully designed to look like ribbons you would use to wrap presents. But, they had their purpose and I was barely able to contain the excitement I felt to see the centerpiece finally come together.
Turning to look at Rebecca, I fought a grin to see the expression on her lovely face. Her eyes were locked to the stool that sat beneath the chandelier and it was obvious she understood that seat was intended for her.
Leaning towards her, I whispered, “Do I even need to tell you where you’ll be sitting this evening?”
She was like a spitting cat, her fur all rumpled and her tail four times its normal size. I wanted to pet her the wrong way just to hear her hiss.
“No, Master. I have a pretty good idea where I’ll be sitting tonight.”
With a smile on my face, I replied, “Excellent. That makes my job all the more simple. Since you know where I expect you to be, why don’t you put yourself there so that Molly and I can complete the centerpiece?”
Without complaint, Rebecca took her seat on the tall stool, her shoulders rolled back and her body
a perfect example of the symmetry of the female form. Snapping my fingers at Molly, I indicated for her to grab the remaining props necessary for the living tree I was creating.
Rebecca’s eyes grew significantly larger when she saw the string lights Molly handed to me. Kneeling down, I fought to contain my laughter at Rebecca’s reaction, only because I knew the lights weren’t the worst part of this particular setup.
“I found these lights on an interesting website that sold unique items designed specifically for use on the human body. They are guaranteed not to become so hot over the course of several hours that they’ll burn the skin or injure you in any way.” Wrapping the lights up her legs, around her hips and abdomen, beneath and above her breasts and eventually across her shoulders and down her arms, I had just enough to illuminate her body completely. I was a touch disappointed when Rebecca didn’t squirm or complain.
Once the lights were in place, I turned to Molly and took the spread bar from her hands. Holding it up for Rebecca to see, I smirked at the way her eyes rolled.
“I’m sure you have a good idea what the bar is for, my lovely. You’ve been a fan of it since the first night of your training, have you not?”
Molly laughed from behind me and I made a mental note to add that to the list of transgressions for which she would eventually be taught a tough lesson.
Spreading open Rebecca’s legs, I locked the bar on her ankles and admired the pretty pink skin between her legs that was in stark contrast to the dark, green paint. Stepping back, I looked her up and down, pleased with the way the tree was turning out, but still not quite satisfied. Thankfully, I had more to add to the design and I turned to Molly to take the nipple clamps from her hands that I had specially made for this occasion.
Much like the set I’d used on Rebecca many times since the first night I began training her, this set had two clamps for her nipples and one for her clit. Knowing that a tight set of clamps could damage those sensitive parts of her body if left on too long, I had these designed to be gentle for long term use. They were intended more for decoration than sexual gratification and after affixing them to her body I stepped back to admire the small ornaments that hung from the silver chains.