Page 39 of Her Double Desire

Chapter 14

Veronica

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It's not long beforepeople begin to arrive.

I kneel in a far corner beside a tall pillar, hoping I'll be ignored. Sitting there, I witness men of all types wandering around. I see other slaves as well, all of them with tattoos like my own on their neck, though different names. Curiously, I wondered what happens if a slave changes owners. Who pays for the tattoo to be removed and replaced?

If I wanted to change mine, could I?

That's whenheapproaches me.

His face is angular, Puckish in a way. The midnight blue of his three piece suit is exquisite—certainly expensive. He fixes his dark eyes on me and then gives a sideways smile. “Hello there, pet. And who might you be?”

I clear my throat, speaking politely. “Veronica, Sir.”

“Ah, Veronica,” he muses, tilting his head and looking me over. “You may call me Sir Mace. Stand for me.” He doesn't have a commanding voice like Shawn does. I'm not compelled to obey. Still, I rise up, becoming conscious of my revealing outfit.

Mace steps closer until he towers over me. With seeking fingers, he reaches out and strokes my throat. “You're Oliver's. I heard he spent seventy thousand dollars to own you, you must bequitegood, then.” His gaze rolls like lava down my body, his other hand tracing over my bodysuit.

I was expecting Oliver to approach me, not another man.What do I do? What does he want from me?

“Such a lovely little pet, Oliver always gets the best stock. I'm not sure how, considering how incompetent his staff is,” he chuckles.

My backbone straightens. “Shawn and Jared aren't incompetent.”

He squints at me, his mouth a humorless smile. “No?”

“They're attentive, determined teachers. They were... more than kind to me, these two weeks.”

He holds my face, staring into my eyes so fiercely I feel my own begin to water. “I want more of you, I think,” he whispers, rubbing his thumb across my lower lip. I cringe instantly. “Come with me, unless you wish to play right here.”

Digging my heels in, I shake my head. “I'm waiting for someone else, Sir.”

Mace laughs, dragging his nails over my stomach. “Aren't you obedient. That's good.”

My attention darts around the room. I'm searching for Jared, for Shawn, for some kind of instruction. I don't want to make a scene. I also know I'm not prepared for this... this stranger.

Suddenly, Mace wraps a hand around my wrists, bringing them up between us. His voice is velvet heat. “Relax, Pet. You passed my test.”

“Test?” I whimper.

His grip becomes tighter. It almost hurts. “Mace was a fake name to throw you off. I'm Oliver, your new master. And you're right, Jared and Shawn aren't incompetent, not if they bought a gem like you for me.”

A rush of vertigo hits me.This is Oliver?“Sir, I didn't know.”

“Of course not. That was the point.” He releases my wrists. I blush furiously as he traces his hand down to the shape of my chastity belt under my outfit. “Goodness. Did you upset someone so badly for them to punish you like this?”

Unsure what to do, I close my eyes. “Shawn decide this, so...”

“Shawn did?” He snorts, shaking his head. “He's always been a sadist. Still, this is an interesting turn.”

My eyes flutter open, letting me catch a glimpse of other people in the room observing us. And then I see two sets of eyes that send lightning straight to my heart. Jared and Shawn; they're watching me from the back bar.

I can't tell what their expressions are, it's too dimly lit. But they're definitely watching.I don't want to let them down. Licking my lips, I try to think of something to say to Oliver, to dig up a sexy phrase, or anything alluring. But I can't make any clear thoughts except one.

Help me.

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