Pennies (Dollar 1)

Master A’s temper swirled as silence lingered. “There’s been enough sharing for one night. Time to remember who your real master is. What do you think of that, my sweet Pim?”

Real master.

That meant kicks and whips and chains.

I bowed my head, keeping my face covered.

You told me to obey him.

Anger churned in my chest because I knew no matter what happened in their business agreement, I would be in a world of pain the moment the door closed on Mr. Prest.

Wobbling a little from too many shots of bourbon, Master A stomped from the lounge toward the front foyer.

My heart clicked ‘start’ on a stopwatch, mourning the swiftly ticking seconds before I was hurt again.

One,

two,

three,

four.

Please, don’t let me endure anymore.

Master A bellowed, “Leave, Mr. Prest. Our business is over. Pim and I need to have a little chat.” Glaring over his shoulder, he waited none too subtly to kick Mr. Prest out, all while his gaze hammered knives into my chest.

Mr. Prest’s fingers tightened on my leg, digging perfectly trimmed nails into my skirt. He held the pressure for a second too long, holding his breath.

I daren’t look up. Even though I knew he wanted me to.

He’d yanked more answers from me without speaking than Master A had managed in two years. We had an unspoken understanding between us. A chemistry recognising our connecting similarities. What made us notice each other? Why did I sense as if I could know him…

I hate that you can see my secrets.

But in return, I see some of yours.

His talk of business and weapons weren’t who he was at heart. Such talk was cobwebs and prisms, keeping the truth hidden.

How I knew that, I didn’t know. How he could read me, I didn’t understand.

And it terrified me as much as it intrigued me.

“Return to your master, silent one. I hope to see you again.”

You can’t go.

I…

He released me as he stood. With half a smile, he moved sleek and sedately toward the exit where Master A paced with his arms crossed. I’d never seen him so angry with another man for touching me.

“Come here, Pim.” Master A snapped his fingers, tugging the invisible cord around my throat.

Instantly, I stood on creaking bones, keeping my chin down in taught respect. Only utmost servitude would save me tonight.

Already my blood popped and fizzed with terror. My body wept achy tears at the thought of what would happen. The only thing granting courage to inch across the floor was the intoxicating scent of Mr. Prest and the warm heaviness of his blazer.

I belonged to a beast. But if that was true and Master A was an animal, then Mr. Prest was the game warden. He was the master with the locks and keys and power. He had the jurisdiction to whip such animals into submission, to starve them for bad behaviour, and force them to behave against their base desires.

I didn’t know which was worse.

The animal or the ringleader.

“Get Mr. Prest’s jacket off your worthless fucking body, Pim!” Master A snapped as I padded closer, making me flinch.

My fingers rushed to obey, pulling at the immaculate lapels and slipping the expensive material down my arms.

I mourned the loss of heat and comfort immediately.

Mr. Prest held up his hand. “No, I said she can keep it.” His eyes turned evil as he looked at Master A. “And I do mean that. When I return in a few days, I expect to see she’s still in possession of it. Got that?”

Master A swallowed his rage, unsuccessfully hiding the anger on his face. “Fine.”

“Good.”

Turning his dangerous gaze on me, Mr. Prest murmured, “Until we meet again, silent one. Don’t ruin my gift.” With a last lingering look, he permitted himself to be ushered from the white mansion.

The way Master A kicked him out offered no respect or politeness.

The way Mr. Prest stalked outside extended no gratefulness or acceptance.

Battle lines had been drawn, and I had an awful feeling it’d been because of me.

I hadn’t instigated it.

I wasn’t a spoilt girlfriend flirting with her lover’s acquaintances to cause problems. I was just a girl begging for a quiet existence, wishing to vanish so she never had to see another male again.

Rage from both of them plaited together, buffeting my body as the door slowly swung closed. Rage that would earn me broken parts, and salvaged parts, and parts I wished would just give up living and perish.

Breathing through an oncoming panic attack, I kept my eyes on the final sliver of the driveway.

The last thing I saw, before everything dissolved into a fit of agony, was the terrifying stranger and his powerful back as he walked away.

THE MOMENT MR. Prest left, I drifted toward the corridor and staircase.

I’d played my part. I’d been the pawn in Master A’s business transaction.

I was done.