Indulgence

by Liz Crowe

  At least pet was better than slave, I thought, but— “You’re doing it again.”

  Someone knocked on the door, and I balled my hands at my sides. It was probably a good thing I couldn’t say my peace, but it didn’t make it any less frustrating. The office chair spun around, knocking into the desk as Kirk went to answer the door. I crossed my arms over my chest and sat against the back of the couch.

  Hot, cold, fucked, ignored, friendly, distant. I wanted away from the mood swings.

  And half of them were my own.

  A scrawny black-haired man stood in the doorway, I thought I’d noticed him in passing, but I had no idea who he was or what his role might be.

  “Don’t punch the messenger, but I was sent down to let you know that Ross threw down the order to release Gabe and Darian. Ross will be back tonight, and he wants everyone in his office—including your slave—when he arrives. You may want to stay here until—”

  “Unless that’s an order from Ross, I’ll damn well do as I please,” Kirk said.

  The other man nodded and made a clicking sound with his mouth. “Okay, I was just—”

  “Anything else?”

  Black hair looked past Kirk to me, and I turned my gaze away, dropping my hands to the back of the couch. I probably shouldn’t have been standing there, let alone listening, but too little too late.

  I heard the door click and the deadbolt slide into place. Kirk had started leaving the key in the inner lock while he was here. Apparently he really did trust me not to run, not that I’d make it to the front door without him noticing.

  “Dinner,” he reminded me, waving toward the kitchen.

  That was the last thing I wanted to think about, but since everyone knew about Gabe, I figured they’d all be watching for another attack. “What am I supposed to make?”

  “It’s a full kitchen. Make something good.”

  “I didn’t notice any frozen pizzas or fish sticks.”

  “Now’s not the time to be a smart ass.”

  “I’m being fucking serious. I was never a—” I waved toward the kitchen, “whatever they call people who are good in the kitchen. You want me to build a table or cabinet and I’m good, around glass and cooking things I’m a disaster. I have burned Ramen.”

  Kirk covered his face with both hands. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”

  “I always wanted to be at the shop with Dad, not in the kitchen…” I almost fell to my knees at the thought of never seeing them again. “Can we forget I said that?”

  Kirk tucked me against his chest. I avoided looking at him as I swallowed the tears and emotions.

  “I can’t believe you all even cook anyway.” I shrugged him off. “Can’t we just order food?”

  “That won’t be half as amusing.”

  “Right, watching me set fire to your kitchen is going to be fabulous. Maybe we should ask Miles and Alley to come up now and enjoy the show.”

  Kirk stepped toward me and I dodged his grasp, darting into the kitchen. He caught my wrist and pinned me to the counter, so I took the opportunity to rub against him.

  “You’re tempting fate,” he warned. “I put some pork chops in the fridge last night, get them out and put them on a cutting board. I’ll be right back.”

  Cutting board? That was dangerously close to giving me a knife. I laid them out and threw away the packaging. Then, I saw what Kirk returned with.

  “I’m sorry,” I squeaked.

  “Wash your hands, pull down your pants, and lean over the counter.”

  I watched him lube up the plug as I slowly ran my hands under the hot water. I couldn’t tell if it was the vibrating one or not, and I shuddered at the thought of trying to cook with that thing having a fiesta in my ass.

  “I’m the boss,” he said as I pulled down my pants and got into position. “Even if you’re trying to be cute, no trying to passive-aggressively top me.”

  There was no foreplay with this one, but I had been worked up all day, so it didn’t much matter. He pressed the cold tip to my hole and slid it in slowly. It was one of the larger ones, so by the time he had it nearly in, I wanted to climb up the wall. It fell into place with one more push then he rubbed against it with the palm of his hand. “Put your pants back on.”

  He was going to kill me.

  I pulled the pants up and buttoned them, the tight material pressing firmly against the base of the plug. You took control by giving up your control, I reminded myself, dragging my hair away from my face.

  Kirk heated up a pan and poured in some olive oil, and sprinkled seasonings over the two pieces of meat. I wasn’t sure if it was the pressure in my ass and the combination of everything else, but watching him stand over the stove shirtless and cooking wasn’t doing a damn thing to help me reign in my gung-ho sex drive.

  “Grab a baking sheet,” he pointed to a tall cupboard next to the fridge, “and make some fries. You can handle that, right?”

  We’ll see. I nodded. Walking with the plug in made me want to drop to my knees. Crawling might have even been easier.

  Hold it together.

  The fries pinged against the metal of the pan as I poured out a layer and spread them out.

  “What has gotten into you anyway?”

  “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I prefer the pleasure to the pain, and—”

  “And for some reason the pleasure’s the only thing on your mind today?”

  I nodded, pushing the baking sheet across the counter to the stove. “Tomorrow is my birthday,” I whispered. “The more I hold on, the more miserable I feel. I just want to let go and feel something else for a while.”

  The oven beeped and Kirk slid the fries onto the bottom rack. Then, he took my hand and pulled me closer. I felt the heat of the stove against my side as he pinned me between himself and the counter. “Let’s get through tonight, and I promise, I’ll give you a good day.”

  “You sure you can promise that? What if Ross—”

  He silenced me with a finger. “I’ve been dealing with Ross and Gabe, and everything else in this building long enough to know it’ll blow over.”

  Kirk placed the pork chops in the hot oil and seared each side, then turned down the heat, pulling me back against his chest.

  A criminal with a soft side—a very thorny soft side, but it was there.

  “Even if this blows over, Alley said,” I swallowed, my mouth felt like it was flooding from trying to hold down my emotions. “She mentioned initiation.”

  Kirk grunted and tilted his head back.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because I didn’t think you were ready to know yet.”

  I struggled out of his grasp, knowing that it was a mistake, but Kirk let me go. “When would I have been ready to know?”

  “When you can listen; when I tell you to calm down and come back over here.”

  My gut tightened, hands fisted at my sides. I wanted to disobey just to show that I could. Choices. I took a deep breath and took the two steps to close the distance between us.

  Kirk wiped away the tear that escaped.

  “What’s he going to do to me?”

  “Hard to tell. I think he just comes up with it on the spot. It’s not worth worrying about tonight.”

  I bit my cheek, and as if he knew, Kirk lifted my chin. I released the pinched skin and nodded. Even though I was still worrying.

  “What if it is tonight?”

  “He likes to do it during the weekend, when there’s a big crowd, so you have at least a few days. Worry about it when I tell you to worry about it.”

  I scoffed. “You won’t tell me to.”

  “Then, give me that.” He flipped over the meat and checked the fries. “I just got into an elevator brawl over you. Don’t question everything that I do or tell you to do.” He kissed my neck then patted me on the ass, intentionally hitting the plug.

  “Keep an eye on the food while I grab a shirt.”

  I pulled the fries out of t
he oven when the timer went off and put the sheet on top of the stove. Then I peeked through the cupboards until I found the plates. I sat out two and divided the fries between them.

  Kirk popped some pills into his mouth as he rounded the corner and took a swig of water, leaving his glass on the corner of the counter. “The pork chops should be done,” he said, removing the lid. He poked one with a knife then turned off the burner, leaving me to plate them.

  “They’re on their way down. Set the table and put out a beer for Miles.” He disappeared into the living room again. Since he didn’t give me a drink preference, I filled up his glass with water and sat out the food and silverware, finishing just as I heard voices in the next room.

  Miles stepped around the corner and smirked at the table. “What the hell’d you do to the girl?”

  Kirk rubbed the base of the plug and a breathy moaned slipped through my throat. “Simmering misery looks good on you.”

  I had to bite my lip as I knelt as his feet when we sat down to eat. The position pulled my jeans even tighter against the butt plug. The only comforting thing was that Miles could no longer see me from where he sat. I leaned my forehead against Kirk’s leg. He pressed his hand against my neck and traced my jawline with his thumb, winking when I looked up at him.

  He really was enjoying every moment of my discomfort.

  Chapter Twelve

  Who’s Your Master

  After dinner, I finally got my reprieve from the butt plug. Even though being sprawled over the kitchen table in full view of Miles and Alley wasn’t my preferred method, at least it was done. And with little time to spare, since he and Miles got a message from Ross to be in his office ten minutes later.

  Alley gave me a quick hug and half smile before following Miles out of the room, so he could get her back to his apartment before the meeting.

  I wished she was going up with us. I was fairly certain I wouldn’t have much to worry about with Kirk and Miles in the room, but around here, being the only girl in a room of men never seemed like a good scenario.

  Kirk skipped the leash, probably to show Ross that he trusted me, although we’d been over half of the building today without it. Before he opened the door to the apartment, he lifted my chin.

  “Keep your eyes down and do exactly as you’re told. No pauses, no second guessing. Walk behind me. In his office, stand just behind me. Ignore Gabe.”

  “Yes, Master.” I tried to lock my fear in some quiet place in my mind, but I could feel my entire body quivering with adrenaline.

  Kirk pushed me into the wall, capturing my mouth. Wrestling to control my emotions, knowing I couldn’t, I opened my lips and his tongue plunged inside, leaving me with the taste of him.

  He led me to the elevator, not even taking my arm to keep me behind him. It was up to me to prove my worth.

  To prove that he owned me.

  I wanted to grab his hand when the elevator opened on the tenth floor.

  “Breathe,” he whispered without looking back. We stood in the hallway, and he glanced at his phone. A few seconds later, the elevator dinged again.

  Oh, god, what are we waiting on, my brain screamed. I imagined Gabe stepping off the elevator and beginning the entire confrontation again, but Kirk was calm, and as the elevator doors opened, I saw Miles.

  He walked past me, and he and Kirk walked side by side in front of me until we reached Ross’ office door. They stayed close, flanking me slightly as we joined the group already in the room—Ross, Gabe, Darian, the one who’d aided in the elevator attack, and Alan, the blond from the security room.

  Beyond accounting for the bodies in the room, I resisted looking around, not only to stay out of trouble, but because I knew that I’d just get flustered if I saw their faces again.

  “Tell me,” Ross began, “why the hell I had to fly back here when you are supposed to be in charge.”

  “We had it under control,” Miles said.

  “I can tell that from all of the bruised faces. We have a breach, someone selling drugs, and all you can do is fight amongst yourselves.” Ross knocked his chair backward as he stood. “You argued to keep her, Kirk. Was it simply to piss Gabe off or put her to use, because frankly I’m tired of the shenanigans.”

  “I find her to be far more fun alive, and I didn’t feel like having to clean up a murder, or deal with the mess they would have made even if they left her alive.”

  “And you still believe that after this morning’s altercation?”

  “Yes.”

  Ross groaned. “Why is she even wandering around after she tried to run?”

  “She was punished, she learned her lesson, and she hasn’t caused any problems since.”

  “You don’t consider this morning a problem?”

  “She wasn’t directly responsible.”

  “I think you’re smitten. You don’t spend enough time with the other slaves; you don’t understand the mindset or how to make them behave.”

  “With all due respect,” Miles said, “I think he does. I think he made better work than most of us would in training a strong-willed girl.”

  “And look who’s talking,” Ross waved off Miles. “I suddenly feel like I’m surrounded by humanitarians.”

  I heard Gabe snicker, and Ross’ head jerked in his direction. “And you, fighting over a damn slave girl. You shouldn’t have brought her here in the first place. If you want to have your fun, do it elsewhere and make sure it doesn’t get tracked back here.”

  Ross righted his chair then sat down. “Silver.”

  Concentrate. “Yes, Master.”

  “Come here.”

  I walked past Kirk, hoping that no one could see my body shaking. Hell, I hoped they couldn’t feel it as I walked up to the desk.

  Ross turned to the side, motioning for me to stand in front of him. “Take off your shirt.”

  No hesitating. I pulled it over my head and held it in my hand, unsure of what he wanted me to do with it.

  “Turn around and kneel.”

  As if being this close wasn’t bad enough, he had to be where I couldn’t see him. I turned and dropped to my knees in front of him, gathering my shirt in my lap.

  He brushed my hair off my back, tucking it around my shoulder, then he traced every single mark left from the beating he’d ordered Kirk to give me.

  I struggled to keep my breath even as he pressed the still-sensitive skin hard enough to aggravate the deep bruises.

  He was counting them, I’d realized. Making sure that Kirk hadn’t gone easy on me. Making sure that every single one was exactly what he expected.

  “Turn around,” he ordered when he was finished.

  I stayed on my knees but shuffled around to face him.

  “You’ve learned your lesson?”

  “Yes, Master.”

  “And what is it?”

  “To do as I’m told, Master.”

  “And if I told you to crawl across the room and suck Gabe’s dick?”

  “Then, I would do as you ordered, Master.” Breathe. It’s just a test. Please let it be just a test.

  Ross grabbed the shirt out of my hands. “Crawl over to Gabe and undo his pants.”

  My stomach turned into a ball of ice. I moved to hands and knees and dragged myself across the room, keeping gaze glued to the floor. I didn’t want to see anyone else’s face. I didn’t want to seek Kirk’s neutral expression, or Gabe’s smirk, or Ross’ scowl.

  When I reached Gabe, I sat back on my feet. His belt buckle clanged as I released it. I popped the button free and slid the zipper down.

  I already wanted a shower, a scalding shower to rinse away the feeling of having to touch him. Even his clothes reeked of cigarettes.

  A bulge grew just behind the blue fabric of his underwear. But I dropped my hands to my lap. I’d done exactly as Ross had said.

  Gabe grabbed my hair, but I wasn’t taking orders from him. I waited for Ross’ next command. Seconds ticked by, and Gabe grew impatient as his erection grew.r />
  Ross chuckled. I heard his footsteps behind me.

  He was going to force me to take Gabe’s cock, just like he’d done with Kirk.

  Instead, he dropped my shirt in my lap and patted the back of my head, pushing Gabe’s hand away from me.

  “You think I should reward you for everything? Kirk was right to take her from you. To keep us all out of trouble and what could have become news.”

  Ross jerked my head back. “Put your shirt on and go back to your master. And you,” he grabbed Gabe through his underwear, “stop thinking with your damn cock.”

  I pulled my shirt over my head and scurried over to stand behind Kirk.

  Gabe grunted loudly then stumbled backward. Served him right, I thought, but then Ross approached Kirk.

  “Now that we’ve taken care of the nonsense. Where do we stand on the drug investigation?”

  “He sold them to at least two girls. Caught him on video passing a dime bag and we recovered the drugs.”

  “How were the girls paying for it?”

  “I doubt they were,” Gabe groaned. “Freebies get them hooked then they’ll do anything for more.”

  Ross nodded and sat back against his desk, I felt his gaze on me again. “Unless the slave wants to service us all while we talk, her presence is no longer needed. Gabe—”

  My heart shot into my throat.

  “—do Kirk a favor and escort her back to his apartment.”

  Kirk’s back straightened, but as he’d told me before, he had to pick his fights with Ross, and I suspected this wouldn’t be one of them. He unhooked his key ring from his belt loop. Gabe held out his hand, but Kirk handed them to me, holding up one in particular. “Lock the door behind you, take a shower, and go to bed.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  I held onto the key he’d held up, thankful they at least gave me something to claw Gabe’s face with if worse came to worst.

  “Gabe,” Ross added, “be back here in five minutes.”

  Gabe grunted and pushed open the door, he didn’t wait for me to even catch up. There I was, sprinting after the man who’d kidnaped and nearly raped me. The last thing I wanted to do was climb onto the elevator with him, but there was no choice for me. I kept as much distance between us as possible—still careful to stay close enough that he wouldn’t have an excuse to say anything.