Kerian climbed on the bed and his face spread into a depraved smile. “Shall we finish them off?”
“Hell yes.”
Late breakfast was being served while Sawyer and Ciara chatted in whispered tones, their bodies pressed tightly together. He was anxious to tell her of his endeavors at the club. He almost ruined the surprise and spoke of his new found liking for breath play, but luckily Kerian politely interrupted before he spilled the beans. Ciara sat quietly, enthralled with his every word. He stroked her hair and decided on breaking tradition by feeding her. She seemed to be uncomfortable with it initially, but quickly eased into her new role of being pampered. It was what her Master wanted, after all, and what Sawyer wanted, Sawyer got.
During brunch discussions, Sawyer was shocked to hear that an outing was planned. It was to be a lesson on proper Master/slave behavior in a public setting for him and a refresher for Ciara.
She dressed in something sexy yet appropriate and handed a short leash to him. He looked at suspiciously. He wasn’t fond of the idea of a woman wearing a harness of any kind, most especially not in public. Not particularly because he cared what people would think, but because he felt it was degrading. A collar, yes, but a leash?
“Does Kerian normally make you wear this out in public?” he asked, his face twisting into an unwitting sour frown.
“Master Morrison, this leash is a symbol of my commitment to the life I have chosen. The restraints I wear don’t need to be connected to anything to make me stay. I am bound to this life as a slave because I choose to be.”
He shook his head and let out an audible sigh. “You’re so bright and expressive, Angel. And also very knowledgeable for being a trainee.”
She bowed her head gracefully, the blush on her cheeks clear to see. “Thank you, Master, but the title of trainee is soon coming to an end.”
“That’s what I’ve been told. Are you excited for your transition?”
“Yes, as well as nervous. What about you?” she peered up at him.
“What about me?”
Her mouth popped open and she looked mildly dazed. “Nothing, Master. I didn’t mean to speak out of turn.”
“I don’t know what you mean. You weren’t.”
Ciara shook her head, “Your casualness catches me off guard every time. I just mean aren’t you nervous about your training ending?”
Sawyer huffed and grinned at her. There was no doubt he was much less strict than Kerian and he couldn’t imagine how difficult that was for Ciara to acclimate to. “Absolutely. There’s so much more for me to learn. Though I have to admit I hope my training isn’t nearly as long as yours. Six months seems exceedingly long.”
“Normal slave training averages three to four months, but the time frame is customized to each slave and their needs. Master K felt that I was a particularly hard nut to crack and so my training has been a bit longer.”
As obedient and docile as Ciara was, he couldn’t imagine her being difficult to train. “You? A hard nut to crack, huh?”
While putting on a black, pin-striped, low-cut blazer, she explained. “Yes, I was very insolent in the beginning. One half of my mind wanted the change, but the other half resisted it. It was a constant battle for me to accept Master K’s rules and punishment. But once I accepted who I really was and let the inner slave who was begging to come out of me free, things seemed to fall into place. I had to let my walls and defenses down, too. Training has been the most arduous thing I’ve ever done in my life. Even more demanding than earning my Master’s Degree and that was grueling,” her eyes widened and she smiled. “As for my body, it liked what was happening all along and kept telling my brain to stop being so overactive.”
And luckily for Sawyer, he was reaping the benefits of her ‘arduous’ training.
Finally dressed, she took the end of the leash and attached it to a gold bracelet around her wrist. She then looped the end of the leash around his wrist so that it was barely visible.
“You see, even in public, no one will know except you and me. Like a precious hidden secret only shared between the two of us,” she smiled.
“And I still have control of you.”
“Yes, Master. Complete control.”
Seated in an upscale restaurant on the edge of Denver, the two couples ordered their lunch meals, everyone around them oblivious of their Master/slave secret. It was euphoric. The way Kerian, Julia and Ciara interacted with one another was captivating to watch. Their connection was profound, and the love passing between them was palpable. They were their own little family unit and it warmed Sawyer’s heart. It also saddened him to think of Ciara on her own and away from the people who clearly loved her. The vanilla world was cold and harsh, and unkind to women like her. Most of all, they were judgmental and unwilling to accept something they didn’t understand; like Sonya had been. Who would care for her and guide her once her training was over? To think of her without a Master was unacceptable. He gave her a secret smile, his unspoken thoughts kept to himself.
“Ciara is going to start working at a publishing company as a junior editor at the end of the month, Mr. Morrison. We’re very proud of her,” Kerian stated as he looked to Julia.
“Yes. We’re so very proud of our sweet girl,” she chimed in, longingly gazing at Ciara.
“Thank you, Master and Mistress,” her eyes shined.
“I’m proud of you as well. Beauty and intelligence are two of the finest qualities a woman can possess, Angel, and you have them in spades.”
“Well said, Sawyer. Let’s have a toast to Precious,” Kerian lifted his glass. “Our lives are forever changed because of her presence and will never be the same without her. May she be cherished and loved a for thousand lifetimes,” he choked out.
Ciara’s eyes darted to him and a pained expression flashed in her eyes. Julia, too, stifled a cry.
“May I be excused, Master?” Julia squeaked out, nearly sobbing.
Kerian nodded, removed her leash, and she quickly exited the table. Dropping her head, Ciara scanned the tabletop and let out a soft whimper. When she did, Kerian wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tucked her into his body protectively.
“Precious…” he whispered in her ear. “Go find your Mistress. Comfort her.”
She looked to Sawyer for his permission and his heart went out to her. She didn’t need his permission anymore than Kerian wanted to let her go. He was only an onlooker, a bystander and an intruder in their lives. He quickly unsnapped the leash and nodded.
When she disappeared into the restroom, Kerian sat mutely solemn, picking at an imaginary loose thread on his tie.
Seeing the sadness in all their eyes, Sawyer couldn’t help but ask, “Kerian, why not just add Ciara to your family and ask her to be your slave indefinitely?”
When he looked up, a fierce yearning shone brightly in his middle-aged eyes. “Because it’s not my place as her trainer to make a selfish offer like that. She’s undergone a life-changing transformation and become attached to Julie and me. It’s to be expected. She is a true slave at heart and she would never deny her Master, but I do not want her to fear the unknown or to stay out of some sense of obligation. Do I want her to remain under my protection and to live with us? Absolutely, but I cannot take that which is not mine to take.”
He turned his face away to hide his hurt but Sawyer could feel it thick in the air all around them. Now he knew why Sarah would never offer herself to him and why their union could never be. He dropped his head, too, both the resilient Doms silently dealing with their sorrow the only way they knew how. At that moment he made his decision. Knowing that Sarah would never offer herself to him and regardless of how he felt about her, he would offer his Mastery to Ciara once their training was over. That is, if she still wanted anything to do with him after the impending scene that was looming in the very near future.