ARROGANT MASTER (5 page)

She doesn’t fight or struggle. She doesn’t try to pull away
from me, grab the door handle, or run down the hall like she’s just escaped a
serial killer.

Instead, she stills in a solemn silence.

“You’ve been taught to obey, haven’t you?” I ask. “Or is it
a natural obedience?”

Standing this close, I see how clear her eyes are. They’re colorless
yet bright, crystalline with a touch of sky blue.

“I’m a firm believer in the fact that everything happens for
a reason, Bellamy. It’s not often that I dole out second chances. In fact, it’s
quite rare. But I’m willing to give you one more chance because for some
reason, I find you completely infuriating and fascinating and a dynamic like
that could make for a satisfying partnership. Have you any interest in becoming
my sexual submissive?”

She swallows audibly yet holds her head high like she’s
still deciding if I terrify her or turn her on. I don’t want her to be afraid
of me. I don’t get off on the fear. I want her respect. I want her submission.
I want her to give herself, all of herself, to me.

“
I need a job
.” Her
admission comes via gritted teeth and a set jaw.

“Do you understand what you’re agreeing to, Bellamy? You’re
not going to be some secretary. You won’t be filing paperwork or returning
phone calls.” My hand meets her jaw, running the pads of my fingers along her
baby soft skin. “Your official title will be concierge, but your primary duties
will be sexual in nature. For all intents and purposes, you’ll be a hybrid
employee.”

“Hybrid?”

“I’ll use you professionally…and personally.” My stance widens,
as my hand drops down her goose-bumped skin. “And my offer still stands. Twenty
grand per month because this position can be intense, demanding.”

Her gaze drops to my feet, and she wears the expression of a
woman contemplating the selling price of her soul.

“I’m going to push your limits, Bellamy. I might make you
uncomfortable, or I might give you more pleasure than you’ve ever known. That
part is up to you.” I reach for her chin, tilting her face up until our eyes
meet again. “I’m a complicated man who prefers all other facets of his life to
be…
uncomplicated
. This is my release.
You
will be my release.”

She pulls in a slow drag of a breath.

“Are you a virgin, Bellamy?”

“That’s a personal question.” Her response comes without
pause.

“It’s a relevant question, and your job offer is contingent
upon the answer.”

“No.”

“No, what?”

Her arms cross tight along her chest. “No, I’m not a
virgin.”

“Well, then, I think you’ll do just fine here. After all,
it’s
just sex.”

Her face tilts slightly, just enough that the sun peeking in
from the clouds outside my window illuminate the delicate angles of her face. Goddamn,
she’s beautiful.
Obstinate as hell but exquisite in every
other way.

I envy the man who enjoyed her first.

“Fine,” she says. “I’ll accept the position.”

A slow, half-smile claims my lips. Getting what I want never
gets old.

 
“Would you like
a preview?” I propose. “A sample, if you will?”

Her eyes close softly, and she nods. I take her hand,
squeezing it securely as it trembles in my palm. I lead her to a closet in the
back of my office, pulling the door open to reveal a set of fur-lined cuffs
attached to the back of the door. With one hand gripping her wrist, I lift her
arm up to the restraint and secure it. As soon as her second hand is restrained,
I back away and admire my work.

“How does it feel, Angel?” That’s going to be her nickname.
It suits her well. A girl with the face of a saint but the body of a sinner
should wear no other name.

Her chest heaves as she swallows deep breaths, one after another.
“Different.”

I step closer, our eyes locked tight as I breathe in her
clean scent. My hand finds the band of her waist-cinching pencil skirt, and I
tug her shirt out in one quick pull. With my fingers working the buttons with
slow intention, I lean in and graze my mouth just above hers, not gifting her
with a real kiss just yet.

Her eyes wince and then relax before closing completely. She
breathes me in, exchanging the air between us along with our power.

Before she has a chance to anticipate my next move, I press
my mouth into the flesh of her neck, tasting her sweetness and working my way
down to the spot just below her collarbone. Her flesh slips between my teeth as
I suck and bite, my cock throbbing each time she squirms against the back of the
door.

If this gets her going, she hasn’t seen anything yet.

Without warning, I step away, and her eyes flash with a wild
intensity.

“Why’d you stop?” she
breaths
.

“I told you. It was a sample.”

“So you just like to tie women up and kiss and touch them?”

My face cocks as I rake my hand along my jaw. “I’m not a
pervert, Bellamy. When you put it that way…you make it sound…”

“What’s in this for you?”

“Do you really need to understand what I get out of this?”

“Untie me.”

I shoot her a scolding glance. “You should address me as
Master,
and you should ask me politely.”

Her lips wiggle and dance. Perhaps it’s her nerves, but this
isn’t the time or the place for humor.

“It’s not funny, Bellamy. This isn’t meant to be cute. If
you’re not capable of taking this seriously, then clearly you’re not what I
need.”

“Please untie me,
Master
.”

My cock pulses.
I lunge for her
restraints and slip them off her wrists before shutting the closet door and turning
to face her. “You’ll work Monday thorough Friday, my schedule, and you’ll need
to be available during nights and weekends, whatever suits my whims and urges.”

“Nights and weekends?”

“Is that going to be a problem?”

She glances out the window behind me, deep in thought for a
moment. “I’ll figure out a way to make it work.”

“You’re unmarried, correct? No children?”

“Right. None of…
that
.”

She speaks as if those things repulse her, which is perfect.
I’m not marriage material, and I am certainly not a family man. The last thing
I need is a woman believing for two seconds that she can mold me into what she
wants, that she’ll be the one to change me.

That’s not how I work.

“Excellent.” My phone rings, likely my nine A.M. conference
call with my half-brother, Beckham. “We’ll hammer out the rest of the details
later. For now, you’ll need to head down to Laurie in H.R. to complete your
hiring packet.”

“Will I have an office? Or will I just be in here, with
you?” Her naivety is almost endearing.

“Your office will be right next door. Now, if you’ll excuse
me.” I grab the receiver off my desk and take a seat, watching the way her hips
sway as she walks out the door. I’d give anything to hang up this phone and grab
a handful of her curved ass in my hand.

As of now, that ass is officially mine, and I’m counting
down the days before it’s stinging warm and she’s wriggling in my lap against
the crack of the paddle.

After all, I still need to punish her for lying.

BELLAMY

Questions swarm my mind, mixing together in
a slurry
of confusion and excitement.

What just happened in there?

And what did I just agree to?

And what kind of company
has
these types of jobs?

Is it legal?

On what planet is any of this normal?

And why do I
not
feel as if I’ve just been sexually assaulted?

At least I’ll be paid well.
Twenty-thousand
dollars a month well.

I tuck my shirt back into my skirt and smooth my hands along
the buttons until I no longer look like I’d been hot and bothered two minutes
ago.

I’m blushing. My cheeks fill with red that radiates straight
down to my core. When Dane almost kissed me, I thought I was going to lose it.
It’s a miracle I stayed as composed as I did because all I could think about
was the way he would feel inside me.

The intoxicating bite of his expensive cologne still lingers
in my lungs. I want to bathe in it and never forget the way it swept me away
for a small portion of my young life. His cologne makes me feel fancy. Sophisticated.

Like there’s a whole other world out there waiting for me to
explore.

A world like I’ve never known and in which I undeniably
belong.

My mind is stuck on Dane like it’s on a loop, replaying the
last hour over and over, the good intensely dominating the bad.

I walked in this morning thinking I’d be filing papers and
typing memos all day. Never once did I ever imagine a scenario in which I’d be
agreeing to sexually submit to some arrogant suit.

The hunger in his eyes and the way he subtly licked his lips
as his gaze dripped down me slow like honey melted my concerns and strengthened
my resolve. Sex with a very handsome man might not be the worst thing I
could’ve stumbled into.

But I didn’t love the restraints.

At all.

Sigh
.

“Laurie?” I knock on the door with the H.R. sign hanging
next to it. “I’m Bellamy. Dane sent me here to sign some paperwork.”

She looks up over her red-framed glasses, her pearls pooling
into a puddle on her desk.

“Yes. I’ve been expecting you. Come in. Have a seat.”

I took a human resources management class at college once. I
don’t remember much about it besides the fact that H.R. is meant to protect the
company from certain liabilities. Most people think the H.R. department is
their personal liaison, someone to turn to when they’re having troubles with
their superiors or an unfair policy.

Laurie’s job is to serve the best interest of the company,
which is exactly why the first document resting atop the stack of paperwork is
a non-disclosure agreement.

She knows.

How many have come before me?

“This is standard,” she says, sensing my reluctance. “Feel
free to take it to your office and read it over. There’s a consent form in
there that you and Mr. Townsend need to complete together. If you have any
questions, I’m a phone call away. The insurance forms are pretty
self-explanatory. Don’t forget to sign and date the background check
authorization and complete the emergency contact form.”

I gather the stack of papers in my hand and nod toward the
door. “Dane said my office is next to his. Would it be unlocked?”

“Everything’s ready for you. Your key is on your desk. I.T.
has set up your computer. There’s a company directory in your top desk drawer.”
Her words are short and curt, like she’s telling me, “You’re a smart cookie.
You got yourself into this. You’ll figure it out” in not so many words.

I suppose she’s exactly right.

When I leave Laurie’s office, I bump into a group of women
standing around the reception desk laughing and chatting idly with fancy,
enameled mugs in their manicured hands. The conversation ceases as soon as I
approach, but one of them offers me a kind smile.

“I’m Bellamy.” I stop and introduce myself. Humanizing
myself always seemed to work with the mean girls at school. People tend to be
kinder in their judgments when they realize you’re not much different than they
are or at the very least, that you have a name.

Marlene introduces them as Caitlin, Harlow, and Brenna. I’m
told they’re from accounting, but they look as if they sashayed straight off a
Parisian runway. I’m guessing smiling Brenna is the halfway decent one of the
bunch. The others keep their distance, not saying much of anything as they grip
their mugs and bide their time before I carry on my merry way.

They’ve got to know.

I’m sure the second I
leave,
they’re going to discuss the new company courtesan.

It’s
okay,
I’m not here to make
friends. I’m here to make money so I can move on with my life. This’ll all be a
distant memory someday, mean girls and all.

I amble down the hallway, toward the mahogany double doors, which
house my master’s office. I giggle at the word
master
. It’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. I can’t possibly
take it seriously.

But for twenty thousand dollars a month?
I’ll at least pretend
like I take it
extremely
seriously.

When I reach my office, I slip inside expecting something
more along the lines of a janitorial closet. The buckling of my knees in
response to the sweeping view of the city, the polished mahogany desk, and the
crystal sconces on dimmers was the last thing I expected. Wallpaper covered
walls in a shade of cream give off a luxurious sheen fit for a palace-dwelling
queen, and a brand new laptop and cell phone rest in the center of it all.

My finger traces along the dust-free ledge of my desk before
trailing up to the silver laptop. I crack the lid and take a seat at my desk.
The screen prompts me to create a password, but before I do, I pick up the
shiny, white cell phone sitting to my right.

I’ve never owned a cell phone in my life. They’re strictly
prohibited in the Miller family.

Except, of course, for my father. He gets one for emergency
purposes, he says, since he works outside of the home.

But no one else.

I’ll have to fight tooth and nail and explain that this is a
work phone, and even then it’s I’m looking at slim chances. But it’s worth a shot.

While I ransack my drawers in search of a pen, a quick rap
at my door ushers in Dane. I lose my breath for a second until I force ice
water through my veins and try to regroup.

“That was a quick conference call,” I say as he takes the
seat across from me. He pulls two pens from the interior breast pocket of his
suit and places one in front of me. It reminds me of a polished silver bullet.
Upon examination, I see his monogram along the barrel.

His palm runs the length of his slim, black tie. “My brother
isn’t one to be long winded.”

“What’s his name?”

Dane’s head tilts as if he’s bothered by this small talk.
“Beckham. Beckham King. He runs the east coast division.”

Different last names. I want to ask why, but it’s none of my
business.

“Have you had a chance to go over the paperwork?”

“I’m just getting settled. Was looking for a pen when you
walked in.”

“Why don’t you start with the consent form? My time is
limited, and I’d like to get that out of the way.”

I lick the pad of my middle finger and page through the
stack of paperwork until I come across a consent form. It’s on personal stationery
with the logo of a legal firm at the bottom along with an attorney’s signature.

“I have some questions first.” I peer across the desk at him.
“If that’s okay.”

“And what are your questions?”

“It’s just, I didn’t know this type of job existed. I guess
I’m more curious than anything else. Is this legal?”

He smirks. “You’re not a prostitute, Bellamy. If that’s your
concern.”

“I guess I just don’t understand why you need someone here
all day, every day for this? Not that I’m complaining. Like I said, I’m just
curious. I’m not judging you.”

“I don’t expect you to understand.” He holds still, his gaze
steady and unwavering. He’s certainly not apologizing for his preferences.
“When the entire world is at your fingertips, you can be more frivolous with
your whims. Some people might like a fancy coffee maker in their kitchen,
knowing they can have their favorite coffee drink whenever the mood strikes them.
They’re addicted to coffee. They need it every day. The machine is there for
their convenience.”

“You’re comparing me to a coffee maker?”

“I’m just saying
,
we all have our
vices. Mine just happens to be beautiful, submissive women. If I can afford to have
one exclusively on stand-by for me, then I certainly won’t deny myself that
luxury.”

“So I’m a luxury?”

“You are absolutely a luxury.”

“And what exactly will I be consenting to?” I bring the
paper closer, inspecting it and reading from the top.

“Read, Bellamy.”

I, _______________,
declare under penalty of perjury that I am above the age of eighteen.

I, ________________,
declare that I am participating in this sexual relationship of my own free will
and that I have not been coerced, threatened, manipulated, or harmed into doing
so.

Both parties agree that
this agreement is to be private and not disclosed to third parties for any
reason. Doing so shall result in legal punishment including sexual misconduct
and invasion of privacy.

My initials next to the
listed items below indicate that I am consenting to those acts:

___
Fondling
and kissing intended to cause sexual arousal

___ Oral sex (giving and
receiving)

___ Sexual intercourse
with a condom

___ Spanking

___ Paddling

___ Sensory deprivation
(blindfolds,
etc
)

___ Ball gags

___ Rope arrangements

___ Cuffs, ties,
shackles, and other forms of bondage

___ Nipple clamps

___ Biting

___ Vibrators and forced
masturbation

___ Orgasm denial

___ Public play

___ Sex club
accompaniments

___ Dirty talk

___ Punishment in
various forms (physical, verbal, sexual)

I, _____________,
declare that I am drug, alcohol, and infection free, and I am consenting to
have sexual intercourse and participate in a D/s relationship with
_____________. I also agree to have a complete medical examination done at my
earliest convenience and to release the records to _____________.

It is understood that
when I say the word STOP at any time, before or after, my partner agrees to
cease all activity immediately.

Party 1________________________
Date_________

Party 2
________________________Date_________

“You’re blushing, Miss Miller.” Of course he points out the
obvious.

“Will we be doing all these things?”

“Not necessarily. Some of them I’ve grown quite bored of to
be honest. We’ll do whatever strikes my fancy when the mood hits.”

Our stares lock for a moment.

“Do these things scare you?” he asks.

“No,” I half-fib.

“Good,” he says. “You shouldn’t be scared. I would never
hurt you, Bellamy. You should know that. This relationship isn’t pleasurable
for me if it’s not, at least in some way, pleasurable to you.”

That’s a relief.

“That’s good to hear, because looking at all of these things
makes me think you just want to hurt me.” It’s the most honest thing I’ve said
in a while.

His hand shoots across the table, falling on mine. His
movements are brisk and stiff like he’s not one to easily give comfort, but his
gaze is reassuring in this moment.

“Don’t ever think that I want to hurt you. I take care of
what belongs to me. I’ll take my pleasure and give some back in return. The
power may seem to lie in my hands, Bellamy, but it’s really all yours. If you
allow me to touch you, to do these things with you, the power is yours.”

Yeah, but it doesn’t feel like it.
If I’m
tied up and he’s forcing a vibrator between my thighs, who holds the power
then?

“I’ll go slow with you,” he says. “I’m not in the habit of
baptizing by fire.”

“Appreciated. Thank you.”