Shackled (20 page)

Bethany’s senses shimmered. She was going to be punished
here
? She had no idea what the school room was, but just the image the name suggested raised the prospect of other people watching her. People who would witness whatever it was her master did to her. Realizing that Peter was waiting for an answer, she nonetheless looked at Jonathan, who nodded.

“I disobeyed my master,” she said softly.

“A willful act of defiance, I’d bet,” Peter said.

Bethany caught the laughter in his eyes and realized he was having fun.

Peter dropped his voice to a soft rumble. “Do you enjoy being paddled, Beth?”

The way he asked that, the look he gave her, had her pussy clenching in hunger. The soft buzz of the vibrator only added to her arousal. Her voice came out more breathy than she intended when she said, “Yes, Master Peter, I’ve discovered that I do.”

“Bethany’s been coming into her own beautifully,” Jonathan said. He stroked a hand on her hair then urged her to lean against him. That position caused her to spread her legs just slightly. Peter, of course, let his gaze fall to her cunt, barely hidden from view, and Jonathan pressed that button again.

The smile on Peter’s face told her he knew what she was wearing and more, what she was feeling.

“You seem to enjoy that, Beth. Does it feel good, that vibration against your pussy?” Peter’s quiet tone, she was certain, only reached the two of them.

“Yes. It feels very good, Master Peter.”

“What do you think, sweetheart?” Jonathan stroked his hand over her hair, and then he pushed that button again, and Bethany wondered that between the two gestures—one tender, one arousing—that she didn’t come right then and there.

“Master?” Bethany wasn’t certain what it was Jonathan was asking of her.

“Would you like Peter to come home with us? Would you like to spend the next several hours with two cocks to pleasure?”

“I want to please you.”

“Then answer the question, baby. Yes, or no?”

Bethany didn’t have to think very long or hard. From her position on the floor, leaning against Jonathan and looking at Peter, she was just below eye level to his crotch. It thrilled her beyond belief that his cock was hard, pushing against his pants.

“Yes. I want to fuck you both at the same time.”

“Good girl,” he said softly.

Bethany caught movement as someone approached. Not until he stood beside them did she realize it was Jordan Fitzpatrick.

“Gentlemen.” Jordan snagged a chair from the next table, turned it around, and sat down.

“We’ll be back in a moment, sweetheart. Stay here and talk with Jordan for a few minutes.” Both Jonathan and Peter got up from the table, drinks in hand. Once they were gone, Jordan said, “How are you, Bethany? Is everything all right?”

This wasn’t the voice of the master, but the friend she’d always known. His demeanor confused her. Then she understood that, for whatever reason, and for this space of time, the “scene” had been suspended. “I’m well, Jordan. Actually, I’ve never been better, and yes, everything is fine.”

“Has it been what you’d expected so far?” He sat back and they could have been back in his office, at the beginning of their initial meeting. She thought that perhaps he wanted to assure himself that he’d done the right thing, handing her over to Jonathan.

“It’s been more than I expected, mostly in a good way.”

“Mostly?”

She smiled. “I have some work to do on me, I’ve discovered,” she confided to him. “It’s complicated, but I’ve come to understand that I have some sort of a wall—one I built to protect myself when Tim was alive. I’m having trouble dismantling it.”

Jordan smiled. “I see. Some things just take time, Bethany.”

“That’s what Jonathan says.”

“Then, you’re satisfied with my choice of master for you?” Jordan looked as if he was trying to fight his smile.

“I’m more than satisfied. I’m blissfully happy. Thank you, Jordan.”

Just then Jonathan and Peter returned.

Jordan looked at her for a long moment then nodded. His next words were addressed to Jonathan. “Thank you. Since that incident with Bacchus a few months ago, I’ve been keeping closer tabs on things.”

Bethany had no idea what he was talking about. Instinctively, she looked at Jonathan.

“I’ll tell you later.” He nodded to Jordan. “After a visit to the school room, the three of us are going back to my place.”

Jordan raised one eyebrow. Then he smiled. “I’d tell you to have a good time, but I rather think that’s a given. Mistress Bev is expecting you, by the way. Do you mind if I tag along?”

He spoke only to the men now, and Bethany knew the scene had resumed, and she’d been put back into her place—obedient sub.

Jordan’s mention of the school room fueled her curiosity.

Jonathan touched her shoulder. “Are you ready?”

Even though she had no idea what came next, she said, “Yes, Master.”

Short minutes later, she stood with the men in the open door of a large room that did, indeed, resemble a school room. The woman at the head of the class was dressed even more sexily than Bethany. Her breasts appeared larger and seemed to explode out of the bustier. She wore no collar but sported thigh-high, spike-heeled boots and carried a black leather riding crop. A domino covered the upper part of her face, and her long, red hair fell in straight strands from a comb at the crown of her head.

The room held at least twenty other people, “students” in different costumes, and all of them gave their attention to their “teacher,” Mistress Bev.

The Dominatrix nodded to the men.

“Look, class, we have guests! And one of them is the Head Master. What do you say?”

As one, the adults playing the role of students rose and turned toward the door. “Good evening, Master Jordan.”

“Class.” Jordan’s acknowledgement fell short of brusque, yet the class, as one, seemed thrilled to have even that much of a response from him.

“Master Jonathan, Master Peter. Welcome to our class. Please, be my guests.” She waved her arm, and Bethany saw the stocks that looked very similar to Jonathan’s.

“Thank you, Mistress Bev.” Jonathan bowed to the woman then turned to Bethany.

“Master Peter is going to discipline you, slave, as my hands are going to be otherwise engaged. Respond to him as you would me.”

It took her a moment to understand his meaning, and when she did, her heart thudded, and her slit leaked.

While Peter was using the paddle, Jonathan intended to be using another source of stimulation altogether—the remote vibrator.

Chapter 17

All Constance needed to do was find one more doctor willing to sell his signature on an affidavit. Just
one.
Standing so close to success, she could almost taste it, and it was the sweetest nectar she’d ever sipped.

Tossing her suit jacket across the sofa, she made her way to the bar and poured herself a glass of scotch. She’d checked her answering machine as soon as she returned home, but the message light wasn’t flashing.

Bethany hadn’t returned any of her calls, and that wasn’t like her sister-in-law at all. Constance didn’t like not knowing where the woman was or what she was doing. Not that she ever really went anywhere or did much more than work and then hole up in that house of hers. But this close to putting her plan into action, she wanted Bethany close.

What could she possibly do in that tiny little hovel of hers, anyway? How had her brother been able to stand living in such draconian conditions after being raised in the Craig mansion? Why in the name of God hadn’t he simply divorced the bitch and crawled back to their father? Daddy would have taken him back. Eventually.

Who was she kidding? Timothy Craig, Senior, would have welcomed him back,
had
welcomed him back, after a fashion, after her useless brother’s death.

Whenever Constance thought of the huge inheritance her father had left his son’s widow, she just got furious all over again.

Of course, Bethany, in her small-minded, pedestrian way, really had aided her own upcoming fate, and unwittingly done Constance a favor in the bargain. She had it on very good authority the five million dollars dear old Dad had bequeathed to Bethany simply sat in a bank, gathering interest.

Bethany would have no idea what to do with the kind of money the Craigs had been born into.
Noblesse oblige, my ass
. The only responsibility Constance felt was the need to relieve Bethany of her unaccustomed wealth.

Leaving five million dollars in the bank and not touching it was the very definition of crazy, in Constance’s opinion. So she was really doing everyone a favor.

Still, it bothered her she didn’t know where Bethany was. She’d call her nephew. Dear Daniel would have a way to reach Mom because Bethany was almost sickeningly maternal. If Bethany was staying with friends, or on vacation, Constance would soon know it. And with the aid of the Internet, she’d be able to locate her, too.

“There you are.”

Constance turned at Trey’s words. He stood at the entrance to the library, hands on his hips, and treated her to one of his patented Trey lewd once-overs. Constance shivered, not entirely certain she appreciated the way he looked at her. At the same time, she couldn’t deny that her nipples had hardened and her slit had become wet.

“Yes, here I am. You look dressed to go out.” If that little bastard thought he was going to be stepping out on her, he had another think coming.

“One of my friends has invited us over for drinks.”

Constance tilted her head to the side. She hadn’t met any of Trey’s friends in the three months they’d been together. She wasn’t certain she wanted their entanglement to get any deeper at this point.

Yes, part of the reason she’d decided to go after what she believed was hers by rights was to keep Trey around. But she was honest enough with herself to admit it hadn’t been Trey, personally, she’d been thinking about. Just whichever young, buff stud her eye landed upon. In truth, she was nearly done with Trey.

But only nearly. Until that money was in her hands, she supposed it wouldn’t hurt to humor the boy. And on the plus side, his cock was still as virile as it had been the first time he’d fucked her, and he did still give her really good orgasms.

“I’m a little tired, but all right. It’ll just take me a few minutes to change.”

“You don’t need to change. You’re perfect just as you are.”

“Oh. Well, thank you.” A compliment from the king of self-centeredness? Constance didn’t know what to think of that.

Trey had come into the room and picked up her jacket. Since he held it out for her, she set her unfinished glass down and went to him, allowing him to help her into it.

His smile aroused her and frightened her at the same time. Constance shook her head. Frightened her? This was
Trey
. He might get rough in the sack from time to time, but the poor simple boy wasn’t a threat to anyone, least of all her.

“I’ll drive.” He held out his hand for the keys to her BMW. Without hesitation, she gave them to him.

“Is it far?” she asked as they headed toward the front door.

“No, not far at all. Don’t worry. One quick drink, and then we’ll be in bed before you know it.”

Constance nodded her head. She’d planned to have a couple of drinks anyway. No harm in drinking someone else’s booze instead.

* * * *

“Open the stocks, slave, and place yourself inside them,” Peter said.

Bethany shivered. The tendrils of arousal and excitement, and yes, apprehension, wove through her. This was a new feeling, and she liked it.

Conscious of the people in the room, of the stares on her, she unlatched the top bar and opened the stocks. Then she set her head and hands in the appropriate grooves. Peter proceeded to close and lock the device, and Bethany realized that, as low to the floor as these stocks had been set, everyone was getting a pretty good eyeful of her naked ass.

Peter confirmed this. “The thong you’re wearing is perfect for this kind of display,” he whispered as he finished securing the device. “Your masters are going to do their best to make you come, sub. Even if you make no sound, everyone watching will know when your sweet little cunt lips begin to quiver that you’re having an orgasm.”