Page 149 of Deep Cover

30

Cole

She wavered for a minute before she fell, landing on her hip, one hand up to me.

It was Vincent who took the hand. Instantly I took a step forward, one hand tightening into a fist.

Claude stopped me. One hand lightly on my arm, his eyes catching mine. He didn't shake his head or speak. Just looked at me.

I didn't have to let him take her home. In fact, I'd pull a weapon on him before I let him leave the house with Annie.

But I couldn't stop this. If he didn't get what he wanted he'd do something worse. If nothing else, he'd stand up and demand I let him take his property: Possession of Annie for a month.

I couldn't do that. Not yet. The instant she began to feel like she could go back to Washington and resume her life was the instant she became vulnerable. The minute we think we have something down pat, something trips us up. It's not that pride goes before a fall but more just a fact of life: When we think we're through failing for a while, we fail again. Just to be certain we learn.

She couldn't learn when she was in Vincent's house.

Fists balled, I watched as Kie implored her Master. She hadn't even been his girl at the auction. That had been somebody else. But undoubtedly Vincent had told her about it and now if I read her expression right, Kie thought she had the excuse to hurt someone more vulnerable than she was.

There was a strength to Kie, but it was all physical. She was a fireplug of a girl, all shoulders and biceps and thick, strong back. She was beautiful, with a fox-like face and big dark eyes, but she was cruel.

I can be cruel. But there's a difference between cruelty and sadism. It's not easy to explain. It's not always true. But a sadist is somehow preferable, to my way of thinking, because largely they want sensation. Reaction. Maybe to cause pain but physical.

Kie, she'd do anything she could to hurt Annie, inside or out.

Maybe all I really meant was there's a difference between a sadist and Kie.

Because if Kie could fuck up Annie's delicately resetting mindset, she would.

I watched as Vincent gave Kie permission. Watched her smile and look around the room at all the trays of food. At a nod from Vincent, she moved directly to one of the Mexican platters.

When she came back, I froze in place, consciously relaxing my fists.

She held a fork in one hand. And a shiny red jalapeno in the other.

My gaze went fast to Annie in the middle of the room where I'd walked away from her. She'd fallen from her knees to her hip, but in the last few seconds she'd sat up again, gathering her dress around her rather pointlessly. Once removed, it appeared to have become nothing more than a handful of panels. She had gathered her knees in close, draped the gown, and wrapped her arms around her calves. Her head was down and when Kie addressed her, she didn't flinch but rather all her muscles hardened, fighting, I thought, the urge to lash out.

That's my girl.

Because she'd had a hell of a shock but instead of flinching when Kie reached her, Annie reacted with anger.

It didn't help. I tried to force myself to turn away. As if maybe the debasement of my slave was of no matter. This was only the start of the evening's festivities. There would be time to repay Kie. There would be time afterward to deal with Annie. I couldn't have her embarrassing me. That meant I couldn't take the first step toward that happening.

I waited, fists bunched, for Kie to hand over the pepper and insist Annie eat it.

She didn't. Instead she squatted down easily just in front of Annie and spoke to her earnestly.

Annie's head came up and she stared at Kie with her mouth open, then turned and stared at me.

I nodded. One time. Betraying her utterly.

Under Kie's prodding, Annie moved into an obscene position, on her knees, those knees spread wide, her heels together, her ass up in the air, her hands out in front of her. I understood only then what Kie was doing because until then I'd been watching Vincent, the cruelty in his eyes, the way he watched Annie. I wanted to step between them and block his vision.

Instead I watched, horrified. When Kie squatted down behind Annie, I shouted, demanding she stop.

But it's anything goes at the parties, and an orgy between sadists doesn't always run the way a normal orgy does. Vincent and Andrew both stepped between me and Annie, both turning to look back, determined not to miss anything even as they grabbed my arms.

Kie scored the jalapeno deeply with the fork, threw the fork down and pivoted forward to Annie. One thrust with her hand holding the pepper.

And Annie began to scream.

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