She nodded, slowly, but surely. I smiled at her and she returned the gesture.
“Besides,” I went on. “I think you could use a friend around here, and you two were close before. I’m sure you will be again.”
“I…” she started, but seeing my warning look, she just giggled and shook her head. “Fine. I won’t say anything.”
“Better not,” I said, pulling her against me when I felt a sudden need to have her warm, lithe body against mine.
She felt incredible – like there was no other place for her to go in the world but my arms. I’d never get enough of her, that much was becoming painfully obvious.
Slowly lowering my head, I caught her lips in a deep kiss and didn’t stop until I was fucking sated. She tasted like sweet coffee and milk and I drank from her mouth as freely as she let me, making her mine with every flick of my tongue, every bite of her full, luscious lips.
“Remember,” I said when I could finally bring myself to pull back. “You belong to me. Is that understood?”
She looked right at me and smiled her sweet little smile that made my mind go weak and my dick fucking harder than ever.
“Yes, Master,” she whispered obediently, and walked out on me, the scent of her lingering in the room long after she was gone.
Six
Rose
I was told my new dancing instructor would arrive the next morning.
I couldn’t sleep. I woke up before 5 a.m. and spent the morning pacing my room, waking up Thorn in the process. He groaned and grumbled and tried pulling me back into bed but I was restless, anxious to meet the person who would be there for the last dance I ever did.
Once we’d had our breakfast and I’d gotten ready, I was eagerly anticipating the instructor’s arrival. Thorn had me wait in the lounge area, with coffee and tea being poured by the silent maids as we waited. He wore a mysterious smile on his face which I couldn’t explain to myself, and I wondered whether there was another ace up his sleeve.
When I heard footsteps coming down the hallway, I rose from the couch and nervously paced the room, waiting for the doors to open. My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest, and my nerves made me jittery and scared.
“Calm down,” Thorn said in my ear, his arms going around my body, holding me in place.
I let him hold me, melting into his embrace and letting him take over. It was so easy now to let him have all of my control. To give up everything and place it in his hands, to let him decide for me. I couldn’t imagine a life without him making my decisions.
I was in his arms when I heard the door open, my back to the entrance as I heard heels clicking on the floor. My posture stiffened and I waited with bated breath until a familiar voice greeted me, and my blood felt frozen in my veins.
“Hello,” she said, nonchalantly and as if no time had passed at all.
I ripped myself from Thorn’s embrace and turned around, my eyes drinking her in, seeing her for the first time in so long – a shocking feeling after I’d accepted the fact that I would never lay eyes on her again.
“M-Madame?” I stuttered in shock, taking a step towards her but once again freezing on the spot. “But…”
My words failed me, my sentence trailing off into nothing. All I could do was stand there and stare at her, trying to come to terms with the fact that she was really standing right in front of me.
“What are you…” I finally managed to get out, but still unable to speak coherently.
My eyes danced between her familiar features and Thorn’s troubled expression, and once again, he took over and stepped between us, embracing my former ballet teacher and holding her to his chest. Madame was shivering, shaking and holding back sobs as my Master held her close to his chest. My mind was racing with incoherent thoughts and questions I didn’t dare speak out loud. I didn’t understand what was happening at all.
“Rose,” Thorn finally said once he pulled back from the hug. “I want you to meet Lili Dugare.”
“Madame,” I said again. “I… I know her already.”
In that moment, my heart swelled with love I felt for Thorn.
He had flown in my former ballet teacher, a woman I had been working with since I was a little girl. He had taken the effort to find her, to bring her out here – somehow convincing her to join us.
“I know you do,” Thorn went on, and I gave him a big, albeit shaky smile, still shocked by the turn of events. “Lili has been your instructor for years, hasn’t she?”