“A what?” Tessa asked, panic underlining her voice.
“Hush, slave. I didn’t give you permission to speak.” He reached for the buckle on her collar and undid it. “I was only transporting you and preparing you for the auction. Highest bidder gets to take you home.”
She reached up and grabbed at her neck when the collar slipped away. He liked the glimmer of loss in her eyes, the sudden awareness of what the collar represented and what he was stripping from her. It’d make it all the sweeter when he got to put it on her again.
He took her elbow and handed her off to Colby, who was doing an impressive job of keeping his stern expression.
“Kade,” Tessa protested when he stepped away from her.
“It’s Master Van or Sir,” he reminded her. “And you’d best remember how to be respectful or I may not be inspired to bid on your services tonight.”
She wet her lips, the words probably sinking in, understanding dawning. “Yes, sir.”
“Master Colby will take you where you need to go.”
Another pleading look passed her face, but he wasn’t going to give her more information than that. He gave Colby a quick nod, and Colby led her out. Kade turned around, knowing she was safe with Colby, and went back down the hallway to get the last of what he needed for the plan.
Tessa McAllen, welcome to my world. Hope you enjoy your stay.
Tessa’s knees were weak with nerves as Colby led her toward the open field behind the cabin. She could hear voices before they turned around the back corner of the house, but when the party came into view, she couldn’t believe what sprawled out in front of her. Women were milling around in . . . gowns? She blinked a few times, unsure she was really seeing it. But it was like she’d walked into some evening soiree in Regency England. The men were dressed in long tailcoats, vests, and breeches—at least she thought that’s what the pants were called. The whole scene was enough to root her to the ground.
Colby looked down at her. “What’s
wrong, slave?”
For some ridiculous reason, her eyes went wet. She’d told Kade her fantasy about a prince as an aside. It had been an offhanded comment, silly. And though he’d said he planned to give her the role play tonight, she only thought he meant in a general way—just between the two of them. But what spread out before her was a scene from one of her historical novels come to life. She shook her head. “Kade did all this?”
“It’s Master Van,” Colby reminded her, but his voice was gentle. “And yes, he did. We didn’t expect this many people to show up on short notice, but give kinky people a chance to wear costumes and they’re all in.”
She laughed, swiping at the ridiculous tears that had escaped. “I can’t believe he went through this much trouble.”
“Can’t you?” Colby’s tone and frown fastened her to the spot. “My guess is that there’s not much he wouldn’t do for you.”
She glanced away, the comment hitting her right in the chest. “It’s not like that. We’re just having a good time together.”
Colby sniffed. “Uh-huh. Now come on, we can’t get started without you.”
She swallowed back the anxiety Colby’s comment had stirred up again and let him lead her toward the crowd. Heads turned, people openly giving her head-to-toe evaluations. The vibe amongst the group was anticipatory, like she was the roast pig about to be served for dinner. It was damn unnerving, and Tessa couldn’t help but feel wildly self-conscious about her state of dress. The other women were wearing full gowns. Though, admittedly, some of the low-cut bodices left little to the imagination. But here she was with a corset and a skirt that was so thin, she knew it was nearly useless at covering anything. The little jewel dangling against her sensitive parts mocked her, making her all too aware of her bareness beneath the skirt.
But despite the predatory mood of the crowd, no one touched her as Colby moved her through the knot of people. If anything, they backed up so as not to brush against her. Kade’s words came back to her—no one will touch you without my permission. But she didn’t know if that applied when she wasn’t wearing his collar. She moved a little closer to Colby, seeking protection from the only other person she knew would watch out for her.
He moved his arm around her in a friendly but reassuring gesture. “It’s okay, darlin’. No one can touch you until they buy you.”
That was supposed to make her feel better? Who exactly had the option to buy her?
Comments whispered on the breeze around her as they walked, lewd ones, suggestive ones, curious ones. But she got the sense this was all part of the production Kade was putting on. Everything about this was making her feel like she was less than the people around her—the commoner, the slave. It should have upset her, but instead it made something settle inside her. There was some comfort in knowing what her role was, what the expectations were.
Once they made it to the other side of the yard, a wooden deck came into view. Men and women who were not dressed in the fine clothes of the crowd but rather like her were lined up along it, kneeling. Around each of their necks was a crude leash made of rope, which was tethered to bolts in the deck. The two men of the group were shirtless and wearing nothing but strips of rough brown cloth around their waists. When one lifted his head, she was stunned to see it was Andre. His eyes met hers and he gave her a little smile.
The simple gesture made her feel better, but then a startling thwack ripped through the air and Andre flinched. The man standing in the shadows behind the line of slaves had swung a small multi-tailed whip across Andre’s back. “Eyes down, slave.”
Tessa winced, but when the man in charge stepped into the light, she realized Andre’s tormentor was also his lover. Jace put a booted foot between Andre’s shoulder blades and pushed, bringing Andre all the way down to his elbows.
It seemed cruel and degrading, but it was hard to miss the obvious erection hiding beneath Andre’s cloth. This was turning him on. And the logical part of her said that should be wrong. That it wasn’t normal. But her body was responding differently. Just watching the exchange had her mind drifting to Kade and her body warming. What would it be like to surrender like that? This was the opposite of everything she’d ever known. It was everything she’d been taught was wrong and deviant, not to mention completely incongruent with any feminist ideals she held dear. But she couldn’t bank the curiosity. It was overflowing inside her, bursting through the seams. She needed to feel what this was like with Kade. She needed to see what he really meant when he said he was dominant.
So as Colby led her over to the platform, she didn’t use her safe word, she didn’t say no, and she didn’t fight when he guided her to her knees between Andre and a woman she didn’t recognize.
Jace looped rope around her neck. “You are to remain here, head down, until your turn on the block. Do you understand?”