Page 239 of Bound By Her

She needed to play the part tonight—Domme, hostess, auctioneer. In control. Survival in this world meant she needed to play her roles to perfection.

“Adria.” An older gentleman stopped her mid-step, brows raised in mild confusion.

“I heard they are being sold as a set only?”

Adria swore under her breath, startling him.

“Al, yes, let me clarify that. Excuse me.”

She moved toward the center of the room, her heels clicking across the marble floor.

Clearing her throat, she lifted her chin. “I apologize,” she said, “but it was just brought to my attention that I neglected to mention that tonight’s merchandise will be auctioned off as a set.”

The crowd murmured.

“We have to take all three?” someone called out.

Adria opened her mouth, prepared to strike back, but Kate beat her to it.

“Why? Do you think they’re too much for you?” Kate’s voice cut through. “They are not too much for me.”

It was meant to be helpful. But Adria’s blood simmered at the mental image of the boys on their knees for her.

Keep it together. You planned this.

She forced her voice into something charming and measured. “I assure all of you,” she said, “they will make an excellent addition to any household. They enjoy the company of both males and females.”

A man’s voice rang out. “What about the largest one? Does he need to be restrained?”

Adria’s stomach dipped. Her eyes flicked toward Kaydon, whose slow, wicked grin unfurled like a challenge.

“Why don’t we find out?” she said.

At the clap of her hands, the glass tubes hissed and rose into the ceiling. A collective gasp rippled through the room. For a moment, the crowd looked at the three men as though they were creatures in a dream.

“Who wants to play a game?” Adria asked.

Hands flew into the air.

Eric and the staff began clearing space in front of the pedestals. Adria focused on keeping her voice light, her posture easy, but inside, she felt like the floor was tilting beneath her.

“Each of you,” she explained, “one at a time, will issue a command to a slave. It must be something they could reasonably do while on the pedestal. If they fail, you win them until dinner.”

The game began. Commands were playful, harmless at first. Jump on one foot. Kiss the pedestal. Touchyourself. Easy. Predictable. But Adria knew the crowd. Knew how quickly curiosity could devolve into something else. Something darker.

She kept her expression calm, her mind racing through the choreography she had arranged.

Seth was first. Beth, her plant in the crowd, gave the command: Kiss your neighbor.

He tried, stretching dramatically between the two platforms, making a show of almost catching Bryson’s lips. He fell, just as planned.

Adria released a breath she was holding.

“First winner is Beth,” she announced, handing her a leash and collar.

She reminded herself again: This was for their safety. For survival.

The next guest—a man she didn’t recognize—stepped forward for Kaydon.

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