“I couldn’t say for sure. But it’s time for dinner in a few minutes.”
They left the punishment closet and walked toward the elevators. Down the hall, Skylar could hear the sound of a whip cracking followed by the sound of a man moaning in either pain or ecstasy—or both.
“How is your first day going?” Shani asked as they rode the elevator to the first floor.
“It’s been pretty intense,” Skylar replied. She frowned. “I feel like a jerk for already screwing up bad enough to be put in the cage.”
Shani made a dismissive tsking sound. “Hey, don’t sweat it. The cool thing here is once you’re disciplined, it’s over and done with. You get to start fresh as soon as the punishment is over.” She gave a small laugh. “There’s not a slave here who hasn’t spent time in that cage at one time or another, including me.”
“Wow,” Skylar replied, surprised. “Everyone just seems so perfect. It’s hard to imagine any of you fucking up.”
“Hey, we’re all human. The training can get super intense, as I’m sure you’re already discovering. As long as you give it your best effort, that’s really all Mistress Ella and Master Ryan expect.”
“Are they a couple, those two?”
“Who, Mistress Ella and Master Ryan?” Shani scrunched her nose and then laughed. “Not hardly, seeing as Mistress Ella is gay.” She shook her head emphatically. “No, not a romantic couple. They’re business partners. Mistress Ella actually owns Maya. You’ve met Maya, right?”
“Yeah,” Skylar said, her impressions of both Mistress Ella and Maya shifting in the kaleidoscope of her thoughts. Now that Shani had laid it out, it made perfect sense. “And Master Ryan…?”
“Footloose and fancy-free, as my dad would say,” Shani replied. “As you might imagine, our female guests, and a few male ones too, sometimes try to get a little too cozy with our resident hottie. But he’s super professional about it. Rumor has it he had a rather substantial heartbreak somewhere in his recent past.”
“And what about Master Caelan?” Skylar asked, striving to keep her tone casual. “Is he, uh, footloose and fancy-free?”
“As far as I know,” Shani replied. “He kind of keeps to himself more than the other Doms.” She flashed a sly grin. “Why are you asking? You interested?”
Skylar looked away, her face heating. “No,” she lied. “Just curious.”
They stopped at Skylar’s room. “You’ve got about ten minutes to wash up before dinner. I’ll be back to collect you.”
“Can I put something on?” Skylar asked. “I mean, besides this?” She touched the collar, its fit around her throat reminding her of her status.
Shani shook her head. “Other than for initial presentation, trainees are kept naked unless you’re specifically told otherwise.” She smiled. “Don’t worry. Nudity is so common on the island that no one bats an eye. Plus, we have two other trainees right now, so you won’t be alone. They’ll be at dinner with us so you’ll get to meet them. See you in a few.”
Left alone, Skylar used the bathroom and unpacked her things. She pulled her phone from her purse and looked at it. She’d signed an agreement stating she wouldn’t contact the outside world without express permission. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t check her email and messages, did it?
Deciding she could, she unlocked her phone. There was a message from Rhi. “Good luck! We’re both so proud of you!” The message was followed by four smiley face emojis and several x’s and o’s. Skylar smiled at the text, visualizing her sweet friend. Would it really hurt anyone if she replied?
Almost without making the conscious decision, she clicked on a heart emoji and sent it.
Someone knocked lightly on her door. With a guilty start, Skylar quickly dropped her phone in her purse and went to open the door.
Shani was waiting for her. “Hungry?”
“Starving.”
Shani led Skylar toward a large dining room set up with small tables laid with crisp white tablecloths and black linen napkins, crystal and silverware at the ready. Delicious aromas of roasted meat and fresh bread wafted from the room, making her mouth water. But instead of entering the dining room, Shani led her past it.
Perplexed, Skylar asked, “Why didn’t we go in? I thought you said it was time for dinner.”
“Oh, staff slaves and trainees aren’t permitted in the formal dining room without express permission. We have our own private space. We get the same fabulous food as everyone else. It’s actually a great chance to catch up with each other. You can relax and not worry about protocol or proper form.”
She led Skylar through a pair of swinging doors into a large, bustling kitchen. It looked like any restaurant kitchen, with staff dressed in white scrubs, their hair pulled back in nets. There were only three of them, all busy at the various counters chopping, cooking and plating. The kitchen smelled heavenly, and Skylar’s stomach gurgled.