Buttons and Shame (Buttons 4)

6

Cane

I returned to Tristan’s fortress and moved through the security measures just as I did last time. They patted me down and made sure I wasn’t packing anywhere unseen. The routine was unnecessary since I’d been doing business with Tristan for years.

I joined him in the dining room and was relieved dinner wasn’t about to be served. All I wanted was my money so I could get the hell out and return home. The second I was in the house, I thought about his slave. She was nowhere in sight, so she was probably chained up somewhere.

I wouldn’t allow myself to think about those tits. About that luscious pussy. If I let my thoughts get carried away, I’d have a boner in a room full of dudes. “Have you considered my offer, Tristan?” I didn’t play games when it came to business. I asked for a specific number for a very specific reason. There was no negotiation for my products. That wasn’t how I ran the show, and my clients showed me respect by not trying to talk me down.

“I have.” He crossed his legs and rested his hands on his lap. “Your price is fair. However, I can only give you half.”

“If you can only give me half, then you get half of the product.” The average cost for each item didn’t rise or fall. I wasn’t tight on cash, so I didn’t need to make a deal. Crow and I expected premium prices for premium items.

“How about I give you half now and the other half later? You know I’m good for it.”

“If you’re good for it, why don’t you have the money now?” Why make a big purchase if he can’t finance it? That was Bankruptcy 101.

“I put a lot of money into a project and expect a return on that investment in thirty-one days. At the moment, I’m low on funds, but the investment was worth it. I will make a killing and have no regrets. But I do need the weapons now. Can we work something out?”

Tristan was a man of his word, but that wasn’t enough. “If I make this deal for you, I’ll have to do it for others. So I can’t let that happen.”

Tristan nodded like he’d been expecting that answer. “Is there something I can give you for collateral? That would make it fair.”

“Do you have anything that valuable?” He would need to have enough jewelry to fill an entire store to cover the remaining balance.

“It depends on your interpretation of value.”

I smirked. “That doesn’t sound good.”

Tristan snapped his fingers at one of his cronies. “Bring her in here.”

My heart raced when I imagined whom he was referring to. I hadn’t stopped thinking about her since I left. Instead of picking up a woman last night, I went to the hotel and jerked off to the memory of her incredible pussy.

Tristan’s man guided a blond woman into the chair across from me. Blond hair, big tits, and flawless skin, she looked like she’d been snatched from a pageant. She didn’t wear any scars like the other woman, but she was just as terrified. She couldn’t stop shaking, and she wouldn’t meet my gaze or Tristan’s.

I eyed him and waited for an explanation.

“She was on a modeling gig from America when she was taken. I bought her for a million dollars at the gentleman’s auction. She’s a virgin—it’s been proven. As a thank you for giving me an extra thirty-one days to gather the second half of the payment, I’ll give her to you. Do whatever you want with her.”

The woman began to breathe heavily as tears burned in her eyes. She started to shake violently just before she turned hysterical. Her tears turned into sobs that echoed in the dining room.

“Shut it,” Tristan hissed. “Or I’ll break your ribs.”

She silenced her cries but wouldn’t stop shaking.

Tristan turned back to me. “We have a deal?”

She was beautiful, but I didn’t find her attractive. She was scared and weak, nothing like that other woman. She didn’t hold herself with respect despite her station. There was nothing unique about her. Her eyes were blue, and her hair was blond like every other model in the world. She didn’t do anything for me. “I don’t want her.”

Tristan placed the back of his fingertips against her arm then slowly moved up to her shoulder. She shivered at his touch as if his fingers were made of ice. When they reached her shoulder, they moved across her body to her tits. He gripped her breast through the bra and gave it a firm squeeze. “You don’t want her?”

I probably would if I hadn’t had the other first. “I want the woman I had last night.” I didn’t think it through before I made my request. “I can tell you find her valuable.” I hadn’t stopped thinking about her, and her request kept playing in my mind. She wanted to be with me rather than be trapped with Tristan. I would enjoy fucking her for thirty-one days. I’d make every single day count.