Brie Faces her Master's Fears (After Graduation, #4) (19 page)

They both greeted Sir, but Brie was surprised to hear a hint of repentance in Mary’s voice.

Sir nodded to them both and turned back to Brie. “I will be meeting with Headmaster Coen in his office. Go there when you are finished.”

“Yes, Sir,” Brie said, bowing gratefully. Whatever happened today, Sir would be there to support and encourage her. She watched him walk down the hall before she entered the room.

Lea ran to her, then hugged her tightly. “Oh, Brie, I’m so sorry about what happened. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Baron stopped the creep before anything happened.”

“But it must have been frightening, knowing what almost… And we were right there,” Lea said with tears in her eyes.

Mary snarled, “As soon as he brought you into the Play Arena, I would have been all over his ass. No way would I have let him touch you! What, did he think we wouldn’t notice or wouldn’t care?” Brie could tell Mary was boiling with pent-up rage.

Brie walked over to her and put her arm around Mary’s shoulders. “I know you would have protected me.”

Mary’s voice was rough with emotion. “I never meant for that to happen, Brie. I know you blame me—everyone does.”

Brie squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. “No. I don’t, and I know Sir doesn’t. I should have trusted my gut when I saw how rundown it was, but like you, I was curious.”

Mary pulled away, but slowly, as if she wanted the contact but felt uncomfortable with it. Brie turned to Lea. “So let’s sit down and talk about the documentary. It’s the whole reason we got into that mess in the first place.”

“I’m in—whatever you want, however you want it,” Lea said, sitting down beside her.

“No,” Brie said. “Hear me out before you agree to anything.”

Lea propped her chin up with both hands. “Okay, shoot!”

“Mr. Holloway wants your honest stories. He won’t settle for superficial crap. But if you do this, you will become an easy target for the haters out there. It could get really ugly.” She looked sympathetically at Lea. “And you’d have to tell your mom. Is that something you’re willing to face?”

“Obviously you are,” Lea stated. “If you’re willing to jump into the lions’ den, I’ll jump with you.”

Both Brie and Lea stared at Mary.

“What the hell? I don’t even know why you’re asking. I told you from the beginning I wasn’t going to get all personal. Did you really think I would change my mind?”

Brie suddenly had an idea, realizing exactly how to sway her. “I remember a story you once told me. One about a little girl who watched
It’s a Wonderful Life
and decided to become a pharmacist so she could save lives. Well, I think you could save lives with this film. From the abuse you suffered and
survived
, to learning the importance of full disclosure in a scene, the mistakes you and I made could prevent others from suffering the same consequences—or worse. I plan to include what happened to me at The Kinky Goat,” she added with seething rage, “because I don’t want any girl to fall victim to a creep like that.” She wiped away the angry tears that fell from her eyes. “Mary, everything we’ve learned—all of it—will be lost if you don’t agree to do this.”

Mary just glared at her, saying nothing.

Brie leaned forward and said with confidence, “I know you aren’t a coward.”

Mary responded by growling and pushing away from the table. Brie simply sat there and stared at her, letting it sink in.

“No means no!” Mary hollered, getting up from the table. She paced around the room furiously, muttering to herself.

Lea gave Brie a cautious thumbs-up.

Finally, Mary sat back down. “I know I will regret this and hate you for the rest of my life.”

Brie opened her briefcase and pulled out the consent forms. “Now, there’s no need to sign this today. Read it over; make sure you understand everything before you sign, anyway.”

Mary grabbed it from her and signed it immediately.

“What are you doing?” Brie cried.

“I know myself. If I take this home I’ll tear it into a million pieces.” She glared at the form and then shoved it in Brie’s face. “Better take it from me now.”

Brie quickly placed it back in the briefcase and shut the lid. “I don’t think you’re going to regr—”

“Shut up, Brie. Just shut up,” Mary snarled.

Brie knew better than to push her any further. A nervous happiness started to build inside. It was really happening… Mary, her Nemesis, her frienemy, had agreed.

“So do you guys want to see what I already have?”

Mary shrugged, but Lea clapped her hands. “Damn tootin’, I wanna see how I look in this film.” She asked with a grin, “Does it make my boobs look bigger?” Lea adjusted her breasts with her hands for dramatic emphasis.

“Naturally,” Brie answered, pulling out her laptop as the other two gathered around. “Now, feel free to tell me what doesn’t work for you. I’ll be filming a lot of new shots, so I have plenty of room to play.”

They spent the next hour and a half laughing their way through six weeks of training. Brie kept sneaking glances at the other two, overflowing with happiness. This journey they were on had not ended at the Center like she’d thought—it was truly just beginning.

Brie walked to Sir’s old office, listening to the sexy echo of her heels in the hallway. Surprisingly, one of the most useful things she’d learned was how to walk in six-inch heels. It had given her a seductive power she’d never had before, and she basked in the glory of it as she swayed her hips.

She knocked on the office door. Even though she knew Master Coen was headmaster now, it surprised her to hear his voice order from within, “Enter.”

Brie opened the door and had to catch her breath. Sir was holding a thin iron rod in his hands. She took a step back and then dropped her gaze to the floor.
The brand!

“Well, it appears it’s time for you to go,” Headmaster Coen told Sir. “Thank you for your time.”

She sneaked a peek and saw Sir put the brand in a thin wooden box, before shaking Coen’s hand. “My pleasure, and thank you for this,” he added, holding up the box.

Brie shuddered.

Sir winked at Brie as he walked her out. “How did it go, Brie?”

She immediately forgot about the brand and grabbed onto his arm. “Sir, Mary said yes!”

“Excellent.”

“You were right. My assumptions about Mary were way off.”

He looked at her compassionately. “I have found that is normally the case, Brie. What we think to be true has nothing to do with reality.”

She pressed closer to him. “You’re so wise, Master.”

“You have called me ‘wise’ once before. Did I not tell you that I prefer intelligent, quick-witted or experienced?”

She giggled, remembering their conversation at the club after Master Anderson’s bullwhip session. “Yes, Sir. I do recall you saying that a
long
time ago. Can you forgive your wayward sub for forgetting?”

He slapped her on the ass. “I should take you home for a thorough spanking, so that it will remain fresh in your mind.”

She wiggled her butt suggestively. “If it pleases you, Sir.”

When they arrived home, he handed her the dark wooden box to carry up to the apartment. He was not letting her forget that it existed. She stood in the mirrored elevator, staring ahead, her body tingling with fear. She noticed that Sir looked completely relaxed and unconcerned, as if this was an everyday happening. Would he try to brand her tonight?

Will I let him?

Brie looked down at the box with tears pricking her eyes. The fear evoked by Master Coen’s ‘mock branding’ still resonated in her mind. Sir was asking too much…

As devoted as she was to Sir, Brie did not want to endure the pain of the brand—even if it would please him.

When they entered the apartment, Sir sat down on the couch and asked her to kneel at his feet. “Give me the box, téa.”

Brie held it up with shaking hands.

He opened the wooden box reverently and smiled. He picked up the simple iron rod with a handle on one end and a ‘T’ on the other, and twirled it between his fingers. “There are two things I am quite aware of, téa. You are not a masochist, and you are afraid of this brand.”

He looked down at her. Brie nodded in agreement, not trusting herself to speak.

“You will not wear my brand until you beg for it. Until that time, it will remain in this box, unused.” He gave her a benevolent look, adding, “I promise—even if it means you never ask.” He placed it back in the box and closed the lid, latching it. “Put it on the top shelf of our closet.”

She rocked back to her feet and walked down the hallway without speaking, grateful he was not forcing it on her. She pushed the wooden box far into the back of the closet, with no desire to feel its skin-melting touch. However, knowing that Sir wanted her to wear his brand was powerful. Even more potent was the knowledge that he was leaving it up to her.

She walked back to him and settled at Sir’s feet once more, purring silently as he ran his fingers through her hair.

“I know this will not come as welcome news, téa, but my clients are returning to Russia and have requested I join them. The purpose of my visit is to observe their factory practices, so that their managers can be properly trained for the relocation.”

Brie looked up at him, unable to hide her disappointment.

“This will be at least a three-week trip.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it.

“But I am not leaving you alone again. Completing your film is paramount and you need support for that. Normally, I would suggest you stay with a friend, but given recent events, I am not comfortable with that option. After much thought and soul-searching, I have come up with a solution I think will serve both our needs.”

“I don’t understand, Master.” Brie shook her head, an icy chill running down her spine. “I have a feeling I don’t want to understand.”

He lifted her chin, forcing Brie to focus on him and not on her growing concern. “Your safety and well-being are the only things that matter to me. Since you cannot come with me, I will leave you here in the hands of another.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Master?”

“I will give him full rights as your Master, bar one.”

“Rights?” she cried out in alarm.

“In every way you will serve as his submissive. However, he will not have the right of penetration. I expect you to obey every command without question or suffer his punishment when you fail. I have instructed him not to be lenient with you.”

“No…” The weight of Sir’s abandonment crushed Brie’s heart like a heavy stone.

“Téa, this is my command. I cannot stay and I will not leave you alone. You must obey me in this.”

“Please, Master, don’t ask this of me.”

“I am not asking,” he replied.

She bowed her head, struggling between shock and grief.

“Look at me, téa.” Brie forced herself to look into her Master’s eyes, unable to hide her feelings of resentment. He said with gruff emotion, “I have promised to protect you. I can do no less.”

“But…giving me to another? Don’t you love me?” she whimpered.

“It is the force that drives me. You need to be supported, not only as a submissive, but in your film endeavors.” He caressed her cheek tenderly, his gaze certain and kind. “My love for you is without question, Brie.”

She jumped when the doorbell rang.

He nodded. “Answer it.”

Brie fought with her conflicting emotions. She did not have to answer the door. Sir could not force her to give herself to another Master. If push came to shove, she had the option to leave…

“Obey me,” he commanded with gentle firmness.

Looking into his eyes again, she saw only love for her. Sir was not asking her to do this for himself. This was a sacrifice of love on his part.

She got up and walked to the door, her heart pounding as she reached for the doorknob. Which trainer would it be? Marquis? He was a disciplinarian and had an interest in helping her with the film. Or would it be Master Anderson, the bullwhip master who was also Sir’s good friend? Either would be a challenge she wasn’t sure she was ready for.

Brie took a deep breath and opened the door.