Bought (His For A Week)

“I know. Plus, I’m out a ‘processing fee’ of two thousand dollars.”

“That’s pretty steep, assuming most of the women are participating because they need the money in a bad way.”

“It is.”

He scratched his chin. “So, you were betting on not being bought by an asshole? Not sure I would have taken those odds.”

“Not a complete asshole,” she retorted. “I figured there would be some element of asshole-ness, or at least desperation, in all the buyers at the Scarlet Auction. Who else would need to buy a woman in the first place?”

He could have clarified that he didn’t need to buy her. He just wanted to. Instead, he said, “Maybe it’s the thought of owning a woman, even for a week, that makes it exciting.”

“Last I checked, slavery ended with the Civil War in this country.”

Some of his former classmates at Howard would disagree with her statement and argue that slavery was alive and well, just in more insidious forms that society wouldn’t recognize as slavery. But he didn’t want to get too deep into a scholarly debate.

“In BDSM, the bondage is titillating for the slave, too.” And just to rile her up a little, he added, “You’ll like being my slave.”

Her breath seemed to stick in her throat. “You so sure about that?”

“I found the right buttons to push yesterday, didn’t I?”

“That was yesterday. You weren’t being as big an asshole.”

Inwardly, he smiled. He had sensed, correctly, that she wasn’t pleased with his decision to have her go naked like the other women.

Grabbing her by the arm, he yanked her to him and caught her jaw in his other hand. Leaning closer, he said low into her ear, “First of all, it’s risky calling your Master an asshole, even if I am one. Secondly...challenge accepted.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Kimani maintained what she hoped was a cool exterior, but her toes curled at his nearness and gruff handling. She was not herself with this guy. When she should have been quiet or focused on asking questions to probe into his psyche, she found herself defensive and much too verbose with her own opinions. It was like all her training had gone out the door. She couldn’t shut up and just do her job.

“What challenge?” she asked, her words coming out shakier than she wanted.

“You think you won’t come for me today? I’m going to prove you wrong, pet. Over and over.”

Jesus. How was she going to get herself out of this? Did she want to get herself out of it?

Jake had finished with his skiing and was back aboard the boat. Derek cut the engine, leaving them to float near the middle of the lake. When the two of them climbed to the front of the boat, Ben pulled her closer till she sat between his legs. Kimani didn’t mind being as far away from Jake and Derek as possible, though feeling Ben’s thighs pressed to hers rattled her more than she would have liked.

“You sluts having fun?” Derek asked after he plopped himself down beside Ryan with an open bottle of ale.

“Yes, Master,” Ryan replied.

Jake settled into the seating next to Claire. “Why don’t you sluts put on a show for us?”

“What kind of a show?”

“I like me a little girl-on-girl action. Let’s do Slut #1 with Slut #3.”

Claire looked a little bewildered. “Umm...”

“Maybe she’s not up for that,” Kimani said, and received a glare from Jake.

Claire nodded. “I’m not a...lesbian.”

“I don’t give a fuck,” Jake said. “Nothing turns a guy on more than girl-on-girl. You want to please your Master, don’t you?”

“Yes, Master.”