To Have and to Master (Masters Unleashed 3)

“Exactly. It’ll be a good thing to remember in life.” He pulled her to him and kissed her, with only the most fleeting pity for the saleswoman. When he finally let her go, he paid, and led Varushka down to the shore before he slipped the ring onto her trembling finger.

“I never expected to fall in love with you so soon, malish,” he said as she stared up at him, ignoring the view. “You’re not allowed to bewitch any more men, though, now that you’re mine.”

She sighed and fluttered her eyelashes coquettishly. “Those other men aren’t bewitched, they’re wondering why I always have come in my hair.”

His grimace made her laugh out loud, and again he marveled at how much he loved his woman. “Way to ruin a perfect moment! Here I am trying to be romantic and you have to bring up something that happened once. Once!”

“Hmm . . . you’re right. That was pretty bratty. Maybe you ought to spank me, Master.”

He feigned a glower. “No spanking for you! You’re grounded from spankings for a week. Now cuddle me, dammit. Is that all I am to you? A convenient spanking hand and a dispenser of free hair product?”

“No, Master,” she said, impishly. “But it helps.”

* * *

It only took five minutes on his lap before Varushka was ready to venture over to where Everly and Kate were hanging out in the pool. At first she sat on the deck with her little feet dangling in the water, but after talking to the other two for a few minutes, she pulled off her cover-up and slid into the pool in just her bikini bottoms, like the other female subs at the party.

Their buddy Chris wandered over to join them, offered them beer, then stayed to chat. “Janine was worried that today was going to be too cold for swimming, but it’s almost too hot to stand around out here.

“If you’re too hot, it’s from looking at the women,” Ambrose said, grinning. “I’m starting to regret shaving my head again though. I’m going to fry my melon if I don’t move into the shade. He shifted his chair back into the shadow of the table’s umbrella.

“Varushka is settling in,” Banner remarked, watching the knot of women socialize. “Kate and Everly really like her. I have to say, though, that I was surprised you bought her a ring already. It hasn’t been very long.”

“When she’s the right one, you know,” Konstantin and Ambrose replied at the same time.

Chris raised his beer to that, and nodded. “Yup. I knew with Janine right away. I can’t believe I have buddies who are still happy with picking different girls up at clubs every weekend. Can’t train a woman in one night.”

“You really can’t,” Konstantin agreed. “It was almost like Varushka was pretrained, though. Maybe because she’s naturally submissive and wasn’t raised to think it was a bad thing. It’s hard to believe how smooth it’s all been.”

Chris clapped him on the shoulder and went to check on other guests.

“She’s a lot more sure of herself than she was the last time we hung out,” Banner observed, arching a brow at Konstantin. “She holds herself more confidently, and even walks different. You also look a hell of a lot more relaxed. Do you have something you want to share with the class?”

Worried, Konstantin looked back at Varushka, trying to see her through someone else’s eyes. She seemed happier, more social, and less afraid. Was there more, or was Banner just fishing for information? Would people who knew her well, like her parents, be able to tell he’d been sleeping with her? Guilt nibbled at him as he looked for the telltale signs. There was no question she was getting overly familiar with him, but surely she’d be more on guard around her family?

“Mind your business,” he finally grumbled. They were delusional if they thought he’d tell them something that personal. Before her he would have, but Varushka was almost his wife, not just a woman he bossed around and stuck his dick in.

“He’s totally fucking her,” Ambrose said. “Just look at that obsessed look in his eyes. He can barely stand to be this far away from her.”

Konstantin sighed. “She doesn’t know many people here, and this kind of thing is unfamiliar to her. She was completely vanilla when she got to America, and now she’s wandering around topless at a kinky pool party. Maybe I should keep her closer.”

A middle-aged man Konstantin didn’t know stopped in front of them, frowning. “Excuse me. I saw the girl in the pool over there walk in on your arm.” The man pointed a disapproving finger at Varushka.

Shit. What had she said? “Yes, she’s mine. Can I help you?” Konstantin grumbled. He didn’t have a lot of patience with self-important asshats. The self-important asshat quota in his life was full—just two, and they were going to be the best men at his wedding.

The man lowered his voice. “Bringing underage girls to parties like this isn’t just disgusting and against the law, but you’re putting the rest of us at risk too. You need to collect her and leave. Take her home to her mom and dad.”

Fuck. Seriously?

“She’s several years over the age of consent,” Konstantin replied calmly. “No need to worry.”

“Like you’d say so if she wasn’t? If you’re staying, I want to see some ID.”

Konstantin rose, forcing his stance to stay loose. Back in the day, someone taking that kind of disrespectful tone with him would have been shown some manners, but he wasn’t a teenager anymore. He pushed aside the urge to punch the guy.

“Our hosts can vouch for us, if you’re concerned. Do you think Chris would let me bring her if he didn’t know she was legal?” Konstantin stared at the guy coldly, until he dropped his gaze. “You have no business asking for her ID. It’s Russian, anyway, so I doubt you could read it. Move along, friend.” He smiled pleasantly, but the man saw something in Konstantin’s gaze that made him take a couple of steps back.

“I won’t be dismissed,” the man said impetuously, hands on his hips.