Protege(42)

“Your cheeks are flushing, Collette. Did my question arouse you?”

Recalling his demand for absolute honesty, she rasped, “Yes.”

“Stand.”

Her legs trembled as she rose.

“Remove your clothes and fold them neatly. You may place them on the seat of your chair. You won’t be sitting there anymore.”

Carefully, she lowered the zipper of her dress and slid it down her back.

“There are many paradoxes to a Dominant/submissive relationship, Ms. Banks.” She hid her wince at her formal name again. “Anxiety stems from lack of control or the sense of losing control. You’re likely sensing that I’m about to assert my authority on you in a way some might consider demeaning. You, of course, have the use of your safe word, but unless you intend to use that, I do not expect to hear a single objection from your mouth. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir.” She placed her shoes neatly under the chair and rolled her stockings down, curling them into the shoes for safekeeping.

“Many submissives find they have triggers. For some, it’s being told to kneel. For others it’s being forced to their knees. Triggers vary for each person. I know a sub who falls immediately into submissive mode when his master comes home each day and he greets him with forced oral sex.”

The word forced settled over her like heavy chain mail. There was something erotic about being taken within the confines of what they were doing—with a safe word at the tip of her tongue if needed. But forced was something entirely different. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that and struggled to imagine it.

“Today we’re going to identify some triggers for you, peach. We’ll try several and see which you respond to best. Later we’ll discuss your reactions and you’ll know which one serves as the most potent switch. Kneel.”

She awkwardly lowered to her hands and knees and waited. Sitting back on her heels, she toyed with various positions, hoping to see a response in his expression, telling her which one was best. She settled with her hands resting palms down over her knees.

“You’ll get used to kneeling. Your future partner might expect it often. For our purposes, I’m going to start your training with the highest expectations. This will allow you the exposure you need to determine which behaviors you crave and which you loathe. Do not assume you can outmaneuver a request, however. If it isn’t a hard limit, it’s fair game.”

The blood settled in her feet as she tried to hold the position, shifting slightly to better endure the pose.

“You’re what we consider a baby girl submissive. While this is merely an apprenticeship, it will prepare you better if we work under the theory of Master/sub for the moment. It will be more realistic and allow an easier transition for you.”

He reached for a small box on the table beside him. “That being said, you’ll require an item that signifies my ownership. Come here.”

She made to stand, but he stilled her with the cock of a brow. Slowly, she crawled the short distance between them and sat back on her heels.

“Good girl. Hold out your wrist.”

The box creaked open and she blinked at the thick white-gold bangle. He slid the bangle over her fingers and onto her wrist. It had two layers of metal and once the loose bracelet was on, he tightened the band and produced a diamond H lock, which held the bracelet in place. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it also wasn’t something discreet. The box snapped closed and he sat back.

“You will not take that off. If you leave the chateau, you’ll do so with my mark on you. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“What do you say when someone gives you a gift, peach?”

“Thank you, Sir. It’s beautiful.”

He nodded. “Routine is a valuable thing in this sort of relationship. Every morning you’ll hear from me by seven a.m. in some manner of communication, be it a text or my cock waking you up. The same will happen each night before bed. I expect a response every time I communicate with you.

“There will be days I have to leave for business. If I’m not here and you plan to go out, you will text me a picture of yourself and what you’re wearing. Rarely will I ask you to change. This is merely so I can have the pleasant reminder of your beauty and what is mine.”

Her chest heated at the mention of her beauty. He didn’t have to find her beautiful to take her on as a protégé. When he gave the impression he found her so, it touched deep, filling voids she hadn’t known were empty.

“You’ll be responsible for contacting me at noon every day, unless we’re together. I’ll expect your text and I’ll be highly disappointed if you’re late. Every day at three o’clock I expect you to spend an hour in the gym. I’ll allow you to choose your routine, but if I feel you aren’t choosing wisely, I’ll intervene. I don’t expect you to change your body. I only want you to have a healthy outlet for daily activity. Understand?”

“Yes, Sir.” There was a lot to remember. She already decided to write her schedule down when she was next alone.

“You will not masturbate without my explicit instructions to do so. If I share you with others, you will not kiss on the mouth. Your mouth belongs to me and your kisses are reserved for my lips alone. No other man or woman will have anal sex with you. That’s an intimate act, which will be shared only with your Dom. You will not share yourself with other men when I am not present. My presence is required for your personal safety. You may share yourself with other women when I’m not present if and only if I have instructed you to do so.”