MasterofVelvet (13 page)

“We’re here—this is Giorgio’s place. He’s well-known and
highly respected in the community.”

Beth swallowed hard. “Is he a Dom?”

“He is, but all you need to do is wait until he speaks to
you and address him as ‘Sir’ when he does speak to you. You’ll be fine.”

Adam took her hand and led her through the
intercom-controlled security door, with its surveillance camera.

It was an adult shop. Beth had been a reluctant visitor to
such establishments once or twice in the past, accompanying one of her
boyfriends who had been marginally more adventurous than the rest. Ever since
then she’d had an aversion to pink fluffy handcuffs. Why it had been necessary
to actually go to a place like that when there was the internet she’d never
known but somehow with Adam, she didn’t mind at all.

This place, however, was in a different league. The
preponderance of black leather and chrome chain was overpowering. She was
trying to take it all in when a man came out from another room—a few inches
shorter than Adam, almost as physically imposing as him, age difficult to
identify, all dressed in black with silver-streaked long black hair drawn back
in a sleek ponytail.

“Adam, good to see you. How are you doing?”

The two men shook hands. They were obviously friends.

“Great, thanks, Giorgio. How are you?” He waited for the
other man to reply, then put his arm around Beth. “I want something special for
her.”

“Day and play? No problem. I have a couple of new day
collars that I think you’ll like the look of.”

Adam glanced at the velvet ribbon. It looked good on her but
circumstances dictated that it was time to do things properly.

“Thanks, Giorgio. And for play I want the best you’ve got.”

The other man nodded, looking Beth up and down. “The private
room’s ready for you. May I use her name? I’ll need to touch her as well—is
that all right with you?”

It was a matter of courtesy, one Dom to another—after all,
in the eyes of the community, subs were property and one Dom would no more come
between another and his sub than he would touch anything else the other owned.

“Giorgio, this is Beth. She’s new to the scene but she’s a
fast learner—and she’s very special to me.”

“I’m very pleased to meet you, Beth.”

Beth kept her eyes lowered, and her hands clasped in front
of her. “Thank you, Sir—I’m pleased to meet you too.”

“Come with me, Beth. I have something for you that I think
your Master will like.”

Adam watched the two of them leave, knowing that Beth was
about to be fitted with one of Giorgio’s special play collars—an easy-to-wear
combination of leather and soft suede that subs could wear for hours without
discomfort.

He made his way to the private room, already conscious of
his erection growing in anticipation of what was to come. Once Beth was fitted
with her collar, she would be brought to the private room by Giorgio, who would
then leave them while Beth modeled the collar for him. It was an indulgence
they really didn’t have time for but he wanted to see Beth in all her naked
glory, wearing just the collar, and he wasn’t prepared to wait.

Making a mental note to pick up matching ankle and wrist
cuffs, Adam made himself comfortable on the sofa. It was only a couple of
minutes and then Beth came in following Giorgio. In her left hand, she was
clutching the velvet ribbon but around her beautiful neck, there was the collar.
God, it looked good on her.

“Thank you, Giorgio. We won’t be long but then we do need to
look at a day collar.”

“No problem. Everything’s ready.”

Once the other man had left, Adam turned his attention to
Beth. She was standing quietly, waiting to take her cue from him.

“Take your clothes off, Beth. I want to see you.”

He was waiting for a protest but it never came. Instead,
lips pressed together to calm her nerves, she began to remove her clothing and what
she did next proved that she was everything he thought she was. She didn’t just
strip her clothes off—when she’d done that, she assumed her first position in
front of him. Desire raced through him.

He had to do it, Adam realized. Before he dragged her fully
into this pile of shit, he had to give her one last chance to walk away. “Beth,
there’s every chance that my life is about to become the most ungodly mess
imaginable. This is your last opportunity to say no. If you don’t want this
relationship with me, then use your safeword and I swear I’ll never lay a
finger on you again. I’ll take you back to your home and you can go into work
tomorrow morning as if this weekend never happened.

“If you have any doubts, love, follow your instincts.”

Hesitantly, she looked up at him, moved into an upright
kneeling position and took one of his hands in both of hers. He felt the brush
of her lips on his palm and then her eyes met his. “Please may I kiss you,
Adam?”

He nodded, and their lips met in a gentle expression of
love.

“I’ll never leave you,” she whispered against his mouth. “If
you want me to go, you’ll have to tell me to go. Tell me that you don’t want me—then
I’ll go.”

He let his forehead rest against hers for a moment, allowing
the tension to subside a little. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind
that he should make her go, because deep down, he didn’t want her to go. And
now that she wore his collar, she was his to protect.

“We’ll talk more about it later. For now, I’m going to take
this collar off and we’ll go and choose your day collar—something you can wear
every day without advertising your status to all and sundry. Get dressed now.
And by the way—you look beautiful.”

The buckle of the collar was at her nape. While carefully
unfastening it, Adam inhaled the perfume of her hair and her body. He wanted
her badly but it would have to wait. There was still a lot to do before they
could go to Winterleigh.

As well as leather and suede, Giorgio also worked in
precious metals and gemstones and it was that skill which enabled him to supply
jewelry that, to the vanilla world, looked like completely innocent pieces but
which conveyed a special message to those in the lifestyle.

Adam knew what he wanted for Beth as soon as he saw it—an
ornate, heavy gold chain too short for her to remove it over her head without
unfastening it, secured by a discreet but fully working padlock, for which he
would carry the key. Attached to one of the links at one end of the chain,
there was a small charm—a tag that would have Adam’s initials engraved on it
shortly. The advantage of the piece was that for ordinary day wear, it could be
worn with the padlock at the nape of her neck. If he wanted to make his
ownership of her known, then he would direct her to wear it with the padlock resting
over her heart.

“It’s stunning, Giorgio,” Adam approved, handing over his
credit card, “and before I forget, I need the ankle and wrist cuffs to match
the play collar.”

“Already in the box, Adam. May I congratulate you on your
choice of day wear for your sub? It suits her perfectly.”

Adam had left the collar round Beth’s neck. He turned to
look at her, his eyes devouring her face and body. “It’s as flawless as she is,
Giorgio.”

* * * * *

After stopping at Beth’s place to pick up her belongings,
they returned to Adam’s apartment for a few more essentials and then they were
on their way out of the capital.

The further they drove away from London, the more Beth
became aware of a change in Adam. He was still tense but as they proceeded down
the motorway, she realized that he was losing the veneer of urbane
sophistication that he wore at the office, and instead was acquiring an air of
carefully controlled…aggression? Beth wasn’t entirely sure that that was the
right word—there was just something about the way he was focused that sent a
chill down her spine but she knew with absolute certainty that it wasn’t
directed at her.

One thing was for sure, though—he was a man with a lot on
his mind and as such Beth didn’t feel inclined to press him about the mystery
that was enveloping them. He had, after all, said that they would discuss
things later. Instead, she fingered her new collar, conscious of the weight of
it around her neck and thought about what had happened back at Giorgio’s.

The whole experience of being fitted for the play collar had
seemed surreal, right from the instant that the other man had asked Adam for
his permission to touch her and to use her name.

She still wasn’t quite able to work out how she felt about
that—on the one hand, objectified, as if she had no thoughts, no feelings, no
intelligence, no rights of her own but it was also an expression of respect for
her relationship with Adam. Then, while being fitted for the collar, she had
been shown nothing but respect by the other man.

So, what exactly was she getting herself into by staying
with Adam? Whatever it was, she loved him. Was it time to let go of her
independence and dismantle the wall that had protected the most vulnerable part
of her for so long? Could she be brave enough to do that with Adam? Oh God,
such a confusing whirl of thoughts and questions.

“Beth, tell me what you’re thinking.”

She had to say something. “Adam, we’ve known each other,
worked together, for over three years now. I know you have good reasons for
doing what you’re doing even though we haven’t talked yet. I’m sorry for being
such a pain earlier on.”

“You’re not a pain, love. I’ll tell you everything when we
get home and then you’ll know why this is all happening. We also need to talk
about our relationship. Give me your hand.”

He pressed her palm down on his thigh. “Why are you
trembling, Beth? You don’t think…? Love, I’m not letting you out of my sight,
not for a very long time, even when this heap of crap is over and done with.
When we talk later it will all make sense, I promise.”

And with that, he raised her hand to his mouth for a gentle
kiss. “Beth, I’ve wanted you in my life for a very long time. Now I’ve got you—let’s
just say I’m not planning on letting you go. No matter what.”

In that instant her mind cleared and she had a real answer
for the question he’d asked. It was time to let go.

She so wanted to say it, to admit to how she felt, the words
were there, battling to pass over the threshold of her lips, but was this the
right place or the right time, in a car on the motorway? If not here, where? If
not now, when?

“I’m glad,” she said, looking out of the car window, aware
of the inadequacy of the words when measured against the feelings. Her throat
felt so dry—nerves, she guessed. “Adam?”

“What is it? Are you all right? If something’s bothering
you, Beth—”

“I love you.”

God, that sounded so pathetic.

As soon as she said the words, Beth wished she could take
them back. Not that they weren’t true—she’d just sounded so pitiful. Even worse,
tears of embarrassment made her eyes smart. All she’d probably done was make a
bad situation worse.

“Beth.” His voice made a verbal caress of her name. “We’ll
be at Winterleigh in about twenty minutes. When we get there I’ll let you get
settled in the family room while I bring everything in from the car and then
we’ll talk. There are things you need to know but this isn’t the best place to
tell you.”

Beth had never known twenty minutes to pass so slowly. They
turned off the motorway, onto a main road leading to winding country lanes
clothed in the russet shades of autumn. In what appeared to be the middle of
nowhere Adam slowed the car and then they were turning off the lane and into a
drive, access to which was secured by remote-controlled gates. They passed
through the gates, around a bend to the left and there was the most beautiful
house Beth had ever seen. This was Winterleigh?

The car crunched over the honey-colored gravel, following
the sweep of the drive, stopping at the front door. Adam came round to help
Beth out. For a moment she simply stood there, looking up at the cream-colored
walls and leaded windows. She’d had no idea what to expect but it wasn’t
anything like this.

“You have a beautiful home, Adam.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “It’s always been missing
something vital,” he said with a hint of longing in his voice before turning
back to her. “Until now, that is.”

He led her inside. The interior was every bit as impressive
as the exterior. It was also light and modern with a definite minimalist theme
to the neutral décor. The family room was dove gray and white with a pale
oatmeal carpet and it was to that room that Adam took her with an order to make
herself at home. He would be back in a few moments and then they would talk.

Beth was looking at the contents of the bookcases when he
came back, carrying two cups of coffee.

“I’d have made it something stronger but even I draw the
line at alcohol at this time of the afternoon.” He deposited the cups on the
coffee table. “Come here, Beth.” He held out his hand. “Sit with me.”

Though she wanted to curl up at his side, Beth sat demurely
a few inches away from him on the cream leather sofa, dreading what was going
to happen next. This would be where he told her that he was very flattered but
unfortunately he didn’t feel the same way about her. He liked her and wanted
her but he didn’t love her.

His arm went around her shoulders, pulling her against his
body. “About what you said in the car, love. It shames me that I let you be the
one to say it first—I should have told you as soon as I realized. I guess too
much baggage got in the way.” He tilted her head up for a kiss that consumed
her. “I love you, Beth. I have for a long time.”

She looked at him in silence, searching for some sign that
he was just humoring her, but there was none. He meant it. Beth let out the
breath she didn’t know she’d been holding and rested her head against his
chest, one arm draped across his abdomen. Whatever the reason behind their
flight from London, it would be all right now. They’d see it through together.
Adam loved her.

“Now, about our relationship.” His arm tightened around her.
“You were right, this is too soon. I was planning to give you time to get used
to me, to the change in our relationship—to fall as hard for me as I have for
you—and then convince you that moving in with me was a good idea. But the
circumstances we find ourselves in now have to take priority. For now I need to
keep you close to me for your own safety.”

He kissed her temple. “I want to make it clear that I’m not
asking you to make any decisions about the long term. For that, you need to be
in possession of all the facts before making a decision about the rest of your
life. I just need you to understand that you have to stay here with me for now.”

The rest of her life. He really wanted her. Loved her. Beth
felt like she’d just been handed everything she ever thought she wanted but she
had to be sure and not just for her own sake. She had to be sure for his sake
too. She pressed closer to him, using her body to tell him that she understood,
that she wasn’t frightened of what he wanted.

“As for why we’re here and not in London, I promised you an
explanation,” he continued. “By the time I’m finished, we may both need
something stronger than coffee.”

Beth listened intently as the man she loved began to tell
her of his past—the years he’d spent in the military, the transfer to Special
Forces where he’d been the linguist on the team and the missions he’d been sent
on in some of the world’s most hostile hot spots, where he’d acquired the scars
that marked his body. She wept silent tears for what he’d gone through, for the
friends and comrades he’d lost.

“Shh, Beth, don’t cry, not for me. It’s all in the past now.
Or at least it was. Dan thinks, and I have to agree with him, that the bugs and
cameras were planted by, or on behalf of, someone we ran into back then—someone
who may be looking for revenge.”

“Revenge? For what?”

Adam shook his head. “Who knows? Beth, it wasn’t a picnic
out there. We had to do things—”

She reached up to kiss him. “You did what you had to do,
Adam. You had to protect innocent lives—how many did you save?”

“If this is someone out for revenge, then perhaps not the
one or ones that mattered.” His voice was almost haunted. “I brought you here
so I can protect you better, love. The house has state-of-the-art security—Dan
installed it last year—and out here, I have the means to protect you with
reasonable force if it becomes necessary.”

Beth went very still. “What does that mean?”

“The house has a gun room—all legal, don’t worry. I normally
only use the shotguns on clay pigeons.”

A chill descended over Beth as she realized the implication
of what he was saying. The danger they were in was real. “Is there anything I
can do to help?”

“I’m not teaching you to shoot if that’s what you’re
asking,” Adam said in a tone that brooked no argument. “If someone sees you
with a firearm, it makes you a target—you can leave that to me. What I want you
to do is get to know this house inside out and to be able to get to a secure
room I’m going to show you from anywhere in the house.”

“A panic room, you mean?”

“Not in the sense you’re thinking, Beth. It’s just a secure
room with an independent communications system, so that if we’re attacked and
they cut the obvious lines of communication, the system in that room will still
function.”

For a moment, Beth wondered when reality had morphed into
the pages of a thriller, the only place where any of this would make sense. She
had to ask. “Why do you even have a secure room? Do you have a crystal ball I
don’t know about?”

Adam gave a short, humorless chuckle. “Dan’s idea—God knows
why he thought I might need the damn thing.”

Well, it was an answer—of sorts. “Suppose something does
happen. Do I just call the police? Should I be calling anyone else?”

“Good questions, Beth, and they deserve good answers.
There’s still an outside chance that this could just be industrial espionage,
in which case there’ll be no danger to us here but if this does prove to be
connected with my past and something happens, call the police and then call Dan.
He’ll know what to do.”

“And when I’ve done that?”

“Stay put. Dan will come for you.”

Why Dan? Why not Adam?

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he held her
close. “My love, we have to face facts. I may not be in a position to come for
you. It’s always wise to have a backup plan.”

Beth closed her eyes. Something awful was rushing in her
ears. No. That wasn’t going to happen. It was a nightmare that didn’t bear
thinking about. She wasn’t going to lose him—not now, not ever.

“And in order for the plan to work, I need to show you the
secure room and give you a tour of the house—but I think that can all wait ‘til
tomorrow. I think that what you need right now is something to take your mind
off that crap.”

Adam pulled out his keys, including the one for the padlock
on Beth’s day collar. “Turn around and lift your hair up.”

The chain dropped from around her neck, Beth missed its
weight immediately. She watched her Dom lay it carefully on the coffee table.

“I left everything in the hall. Go and get the collar and
cuffs. They’re in the small gray box.”

Adam watched his sub walk out of the room. He hadn’t
intended to upset her but she had to know what they were facing and what to do
if the worst-case scenario happened. Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

It could still turn out to be nothing more perilous than
industrial espionage.

Adam’s plan was relatively simple. For the remainder of the
day he was going to concentrate on Beth and give her something other than their
predicament to focus on. Tomorrow he was going to start training in earnest, to
get back to something approaching the level of fitness he had while in the
Regiment—or at least try to. Some target practice wouldn’t go amiss either. One
of the advantages of living in the middle of nowhere with several acres of land
at his disposal was that he could set up a target range and use it and no one
would give a second thought to the sound of a shotgun. And he had to give Beth
the guided tour of the house.

Today though his priority was Beth and giving her a
distraction now would help both of them. It would take her mind off what was
going on and it would help him to envision a future beyond the current
situation—a future with her.

“Put the box down, and take your clothes off slowly. Perform
for me, Beth. You’re a stripper putting on a private show for a client and at
the end of it you want me to fuck you. Show me how much.”

He was expecting her to blush maybe, to fumble with the
buttons of her shirt—but he watched entranced as she began to sway in time to
music only she could hear. Her expression was soft and dreamlike as her hands
stroked over her still fully clothed body, drawing his attention—as if that
were necessary—to the curves of her breasts and hips. She had the look of a
woman who knew she was loved.

She shimmied elegantly out of her gray skirt, revealing legs
clad in sheer, black, lace-topped thigh-highs, and the smooth pussy he had
taken great delight in shaving just a few hours ago. With arms raised as she
seductively lifted her mane of hair, her shirt rode up, revealing voluptuous
hips and the neat indentation of her navel.

The little tease then turned her back to him while she
unfastened the shirt and looked provocatively over one shoulder and then the
other as she began to slide the shirt off. When it dropped to the floor she
turned to face him again—hands clasped in front of her, gaze modestly lowered.
She clearly thought she’d obeyed his orders.

However, since she looked so sexy in the nylons and heels
and this was her second performance of the day, he was prepared to let it slide—besides,
it would give him the pleasure of removing them when he fitted the cuffs to her
ankles.

“Very good, Beth,” he murmured appreciatively, loosening his
tie and unfastening the top buttons of his shirt. “On the basis of that
routine, I’d be more than happy to fuck you. Now tell me how you felt while you
were doing that. And tell me the truth.”

She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment—another habit he
needed to ensure that she broke—and then admitted that she’d felt really silly
to begin with but that it had gotten easier.

“That’s better. Trust me, Beth—from where I’m sitting, there
was nothing silly about what you just did. It was beautiful to watch and it’ll
come more easily with practice, love. And I intend to give you a lot of
practice.

“Now pass me the box, then sit down on at that end of the
sofa, lean back against the arm and put your feet on my lap.”

“Yes, Adam.”

With very precise movements she presented the box to him and
then obeyed the rest of his instructions, giving him a wonderful view of her
almost totally naked body. Her slim feet were on his lap, pressed together and
perfectly still. With a touch that spoke of ownership, he ran his hand up her
legs to her pubic mound, which he stroked sensuously with the back of his
fingers. The effect on her was obvious, evident in the delicate shudder she
gave as she closed her eyes.

After removing the shoes, Adam took his time with the
nylons, savoring each moment as he rolled first one then the other down her
endless legs. Completely naked, she was a real live wet dream. A picture popped
into his mind. When Beth was confident enough in their relationship he’d take
her to a very special spa for some very special treatment.

As well as being stunningly beautiful and an astute
businesswoman, Alessandra was a Mistress—a Domme. One of her enterprises was a
luxurious spa and for her friends in the community, she had set aside a
secluded suite of treatment rooms where a sub could be given a top-to-toe
pampering session by Alessandra’s subs—who were both male and female and highly
trained in the necessary skills. And while the session was taking place the
Dominant of the lucky recipient could watch, either from behind a two-way
mirror or relaxing on a luxurious velvet chaise longue in the same room.

The thought of Beth being the subject of such a session was
a seriously hot image, especially if the attending subs were given permission
to touch her breasts and her pussy and he ordered her not to become aroused.
Would her limits ever embrace a semi-public experience like that? At one time
he’d have said no but now he had just a glimmer of doubt.