To Command and Collar [Masters of the Shadowlands 6] (23 page)

Before Kim managed to phrase the question, Master Sam strode across the yard to the lanai, dressed in well-worn jeans, boots, and a pale blue cotton shirt the color of his eyes. He was older than everyone, with silvery hair and skin tanned to leather. He nodded to the men, smiled at the women, then looked at her.
“You two didn’t get a chance to really meet the other night,” Master R said to her as the man walked over. “Sam, this is Gabrielle’s friend, Kim. Kimberly, this is Sam.”
The sadist who’d flogged the sub so mercilessly that she’d screamed. Kim swallowed.
“Nice to meet you.” Sam held his hand out, waited until she gave him hers, and squeezed gently. “You’re a brave girl. Raoul is very proud of you, you know.”
When her mouth dropped open, he winked at her and took the chair next to them.
“My friends,” Master R said, stopping the various conversations. “Since Sam will attend the auction, I plan to tell Dahmer I’ll be out of town this weekend.
“We did discuss that as a possibility.” Galen’s fingers made a staccato sound on the tabletop. His black gaze held hers for a moment. “Although I like some redundancy in an op in case of
oh-shit
moments, I’d as soon not put more civilians in harm’s way.” He glanced at Vance, who nodded.
Galen grinned and tapped the table with his knuckles. “Agreed.”
Knowing she wouldn’t be involved, Kim sipped her beer and paid intermittent attention to the talk around her. Various plans were discussed with the police dom, Dan, contributing here and there. Outside the patio, the rain and wind increased, shaking the palms and bushes, sending the bright flowers to lie in soggy heaps in the grass. They hadn’t had their day in the sun. Their time had been cut short, she thought. Like Holly. Her throat tightened, and she concentrated on the conversation again.
“Can’t you get there sooner?” Sam asked the FBI agents in his sandpaper-rough voice. “Dahmer said the vans deliver us buyers early, so we can check the
merchandise
, do a miniscene, maybe even fu—” He bit off the word.
“You going to be able to do this?” Vance asked. “You look more nauseated than Sandoval did.”
“I have some lines I’ve never crossed,” Sam snapped. “So I’d like your raid to be sooner, not later.”
“We’d prefer that too.” Galen rubbed his face. “But after you lead us to the place, we need time to set up roadblocks.”
Vance added, “A lot of the buyers will leave after their purchase. Arresting them on the road means there’ll be fewer in the auction house—and less chance of the innocent getting hurt.”
“Except buyers will be hurting them while we’re
testing
the merchandise,” Sam growled.
Master R’s phone rang. He pulled it off his belt, frowning at the display. “Private.” He held up his finger for silence. “Sandoval.” He listened, then said, “Hold on—my hands are wet. I need to put the cell down.” He flicked the setting to speaker.
“I’ll wait, Raoul.” The Overseer’s voice bit into Kim like fire coral yet made her think of rotting fish.
Nauseated, she silently set her beer down.
After positioning the phone on the coffee table, Master leaned down and wrapped his arms around Kim, holding her between his legs in a prison of security.
Every person on the patio had gone still, barely breathing.
“We’re on for this Saturday,” the Overseer said. “I’m looking forward to seeing your scene again. I think the buyers will be very pleased.”
“Saturday?” Master R paused. “Dios, Dahmer. I’d hoped the auction would be Friday. I’m going to be out of town Saturday and Sunday. I have a consult in Venezuela.”
Silence.
“I’m afraid your absence isn’t acceptable, Raoul. It’s too late to get another demonstration set up.” Dahmer’s voice had sharpened, sending a shudder through Kim. That was what he sounded like when he’d ordered a slave to be whipped.
Oh God
.
Master R’s arms tightened. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have a choice. Business must come before pleasure.”
“I see.” More silence. “Well, I do understand how inconvenient it can be to rearrange appointments. Let me sweeten the pot, starting with your friend.”
Galen’s eyes narrowed.
“Go on,” Master R said.
“One of the…shipments…fell through, which means less merchandise available this week. So the last batch of buyers—including Sam—will have to wait for another auction. But since I believe in a favor for a favor… If you do the demonstration, I’ll put your pal back on the list so he can attend. Hell, I’ll even give you both a twenty percent discount on anything you buy.”
Master R inhaled slowly. After a second, he said, “That’s tempting, Dahmer. I might manage, but my timing would be extremely tight. After I fly in, I won’t have time to fetch my…pet…from…storage. So if I do rearrange my schedule, I’ll have a different pet with me.”
“Absolutely not. Only previously purchased merchandise can be brought into an auction.”
Kim put her hands over her mouth. He’d have to take her? Not the FBI agent? A chill ran up her spine.
Master R started to speak, but Galen made a cutting-the-throat motion.
“Well, that complicates matters. Give me a second to figure out if I can juggle things,” Master R said. He set the phone to mute.
A violent tremor shook Kim’s body.
Galen’s eyes turned to her, but he didn’t say anything.
“I’ll have to go,” she whispered.
Master R growled something foul in Spanish. “No. No, you will not do this. You’ve done enough.
No más
.”
If he really loses his temper, will he shift completely to Spanish?
Why couldn’t she think of anything to say in any language? Needing not to think, Kim stared at the ground. An ant was trying to drag a fragment of chip to its home. The piece was too big, but it tugged and tugged. So stubborn.
Sam broke the silence. “Galen, I think this would destroy the girl.” His pale eyes were cold as ice, but he gave Kim a small smile. “I’m rather fond of this one, even if she does reduce Raoul to swearing in Spanish.”
“I don’t understand why Dahmer’s so adamant about Sandoval doing this demo,” Vance muttered.
Galen didn’t speak.
“No.” Master R said, although no one had asked anything. “Dan, you know how often something goes wrong. I will risk my life. Not Kimberly’s—or her freedom or her well-being. Would you take Kari to such a thing?”
Dan’s hand opened, conceding him the point.
An auction, filled with slavers, filled with women being sold.
I’ll never escape, will I
? Kim leaned her forehead against Master R’s thigh. Everything in her was struggling, drowning in fear, sinking. Deep in the ocean, colors would fade away until everything turned gray. Turned cold. Like death.
I can’t
. But could she sleep at night, live with herself if her absence meant a woman would get bought by another Lord Greville? She lifted her head; it felt too heavy to support.
Master R looked directly across the table. “Z?”
Z had a low voice, as smooth as Master R’s, but without the spine-tingling accent. “No, Raoul, I wouldn’t agree.” His arms tightened around Jessica, and his brows drew together. “But I’ve discovered some foolhardy submissives have steel spines.”

Raoul remembered too well how Gabi had forced the FBI agents to let her work undercover, trying to catch the slavers. Although Kimberly might be terrified, she was no less brave than her friend. But surely she wouldn’t push to do this.

Rising onto her knees, she twisted around to face him, her hands on his thighs. Her wide blue eyes could pretzel a man’s heart. “Gatita, no.”
She swallowed. “Sam called me brave. It’s not brave to hide, knowing that if you do, other

women will suffer. Might die.” Her lips trembled. “Linda will be at the auction. When she’s sold, she might never get free.” Her cold hands tightened on his legs.

Raoul shook his head. “No.” When her lips pressed together, he shook her. He didn’t care if every slave in the world died. She wouldn’t—couldn’t do this. “
No
.”
Her arms closed around herself at the loss of his support, and he grunted and pulled her onto his lap. He’d worked all his life to be strong and powerful so he could guard the ones he loved—yet he couldn’t keep this little bit of female safe?
She buried her face in his neck. “We must,” she whispered.
Kouros cleared his throat. Raoul would have punched him if he hadn’t seen the pain in the man’s eyes. The agent didn’t want to ask this either, but he would, just like he’d allowed Gabi to go undercover in the Shadowlands.
Raoul held Kimberly against his chest, wanting only to shelter her. But he remembered what his mother had said when he’d tried to keep his younger sister, Lucia, from going to the mall…starting to date…driving a car.
You can’t protect her against her will, Raoul. It’s her life; you don’t own her
. He didn’t own Kimberly.
“Gatita mía, are you sure?” he whispered.
“Yes.” Shivers ran through her soft body.
“You still there, Raoul?” Dahmer’s voice came from the phone.
Kouros looked as if he wanted to kill something. But he nodded.
Raoul pushed the Mute button. “I’m here. If I move some appointments, I can attend,” Raoul said, unable to manage a friendly tone. “I hope you make it worth the inconvenience.”
“Oh, you’ll be pleased. You have my word.” Dahmer chuckled. “So I’ll be in contact sometime on Saturday night.”
“Until then.” Raoul snapped the phone shut, barely managing to keep from throwing it across the patio.

* * * *

Kimberly was very quiet that evening, pulling away from him as if she couldn’t bear to be close. Yet when she moved away, she’d watch as if afraid she’d lose him. He finally took her to the tower room to see the stars appear in the darkness of the sky.

“I’m sorry, sumisita. This was not how it should have gone,” he murmured into her hair. Dread had lodged in his bones, yet he wanted nothing more than to sit here with her in his arms. Soft and fragrant and warm, and appallingly brave.

“It’s not your fault. Sorry I’m being weird.” She rubbed her cheek on his shirt. “I keep remembering how helpless I felt. How trapped. I wish Saturday came faster. Can you keep me busy tomorrow?”

“I can, yes.”

Her eyes started to drift shut. “I hope Gabi comes over tomorrow. Some noise would be good. She’s like a one-woman party.”
A party
. As he held his little sumisa, Raoul considered possibilities. At the auction, Kimberly might have to endure another public demonstration. If she felt more comfortable with being exhibited, her concentration might stay on him, not on the slavers.
A party would be a good idea.

Chapter Thirteen

Raoul strolled out to the kitchen, carrying a bunch of beach towels, and spotted Kimberly looking at the filled ice chest, arms crossed over her naked breasts.
She scowled. “Did you forget to tell me something? Are we going somewhere?”
“Kimberly.”
“What?”
He kept his gaze on her, waiting her out.
Silence. “I’m sorry, Master,” she muttered after far too long.
“Do you feel in need of being punished then?” he asked softly.
A step back. “No. No, Master.”
Did she have any idea why she was coming across with the attitude? His pity for her made him want to ignore it, but she needed consistency and rules more than sympathy right now. Since nothing else in her world remained stable, he must. He moved into her personal space, not touching, letting the size of his body add to the intimidation. “Then perhaps you would explain?”
“I—” Her fingers tightened on her mug. “I… It’s wrong. Those monsters buy women to be slaves, and here I am, volunteering to be your slave. But I’m not really, and I don’t want to behave like one.” Her chin jerked higher…and then her gaze dropped. “Only, then sometimes I do.”
Most of the time, you do, little sumisa
. He cupped her cheek, and his thumb under her chin kept her face raised to him. The shiver running through her at his care and his control reinforced her words. She was in conflict, and he knew the feeling well, especially when it came to her. “Any decent human, master or slave, is revolted at kidnapping and brutality and rape.” He rubbed his thumb over her soft lips. “Aside from the fact that the slavers’ crimes brought us together and into these roles, they have nothing to do with what is between us.”
Her mouth opened.
He shook his head, pleased when she obeyed. “You are not my slave, Kimberly. Although definitions vary, in my mind, a
slave
gives up the ability to say no, something like if she’d enlisted in the army. She deliberately places her life under someone else’s authority, often because her need to belong is so profound that she
wants
to be owned. Are you with me so far?”
Under his restraining hand, Kimberly nodded.
“Now a submissive gives up power, but not as much. Perhaps like a job instead of the military. A submissive wants more than an arranged scene, but that can be erotic domination all the way to serving full-time. Each relationship balances how those needs and wants are worked out.”
He pressed his thumb between her lips in an imitation of a cock. Her breathing increased as her soft mouth closed around him, holding him within. “You are submissive, Kimberly. You knew that even before you met Gabi, years ago.” He smiled. “And you require more than bedroom domination. Serving a master fills a need in you as great as the need to be dominated to truly enjoy sex.”
She glared at him.
“Oh, it is true, gatita. You’re not a slave who wants all your choices taken away, but you may very well be a full-time submissive.” He stepped even closer, holding her gaze. “Now use your tongue on my thumb the way you would on my cock.”
Redness streaked her cheeks as she ran her tongue over him, butterfly light.
“Suck.”
Her pupils dilated as she sucked.
He hardened. “Good. I’ll give you the real thing later.”
Her lips were wet, and he could see how they’d look around his shaft.
After replacing his thumb with his lips in a slow, drugging kiss, he said, “It’s a good day to remind you of the pleasures of domination—the fun of it—so we’re joining some people in a bit.”
Her face paled, and she took a step back.
“No, gatita. Nothing to do with the slavers. This is Marcus and Gabi. Andrea and Cullen. Each dom plays with his own sub.” He ran his knuckles over the outside of her bare breast. “And I will play with you.”
“Oh.” The way heat replaced the fear in her eyes pleased him. She trusted him. “Do you want me to prepare anything?” she asked.
Raoul shook his head. “Put on a suit and cover-up. We’re taking the sailboat out.”
When her face lit up, he knew he’d chosen wisely. Water always calmed her. As he watched her run upstairs, he smiled at how trepidation had glimmered in her eyes, the knowledge that today would be different.
Although they’d had sex frequently, he hadn’t pushed her, knowing the encounter with the Overseer needed to fade. But she’d worked through those fears, and now he could introduce something new. Something to take her mind off the auction and remind her BDSM could be fun as well as terrifying.