Receipt of Purchase
Tessa had been in a deep, dreamless sleep, but something lured her away. A distant voice called her name. Her body discouraged the change, her limbs and lids so heavy she couldn’t have gotten more than just a few hours of rest.
“Tessa.”
“Five more minutes,” she pleaded.
“Come now, pet. I’ve let you sleep in,” came the amused response.
Her ears perked up. French had that effect on her regardless, but the familiar voice was all kinds of sexy, stirring lust and warmth. Right on its tail was a strange longing to feel secure, a lingering sense of uncertainty.
“We need to start the day, little fox, and it’s already past nine.”
Little fox. Holy hell.
Her eyes cracked opened and everything from the night before came flooding through the fog, though it seemed a little disjointed in the light of day. The conversation she’d overheard between Felix and Sir Louis had been intriguing, because it was apparent they knew one another and shared some kind of history, yet it had also been disconcerting. Felix’s outlook on being unlovable, in particular. Then, he’d sought out the lock at her neck and whispered those words.
“Mine…my little fox…but to be mine forever.”
A shudder worked down her spine. It was just as unsettling in memory.
Felix was crouched in the open door of the cage when she rolled over, his blue eyes content and edging toward smoldering.
“There you are now,” he smiled. “Good morning, my sweet vixen. How was your first night being caged?”
If he only knew. The problem was that every ounce of steely conviction she’d forged in the wee hours of the night now felt weak and despairing. No way could she return to auction without telling him why. She didn’t have to know him to know he’d demand an explanation. That was just common sense, and she was too horrible a liar to convince him of some frivolous excuse. Plus, there was the matter of his bid. He’d already paid for her submission until sundown, so would she even have the option to leave beforehand?
“It was different, Master,” she finally answered.
“Different in a bad way?” he inquired, picking up on the undertones of uncertainty she couldn’t hide.
“It’s just my legs. I’m not sure I can get used to keeping them bent up all night.”
“Come, stretch them out.”
All her muscles stretched naturally, dragging a moan of relief from her as she crawled out to lay on her stomach. She closed her eyes at Felix’s amused chuckle, and reveled in the softness of the area rug. It was nearly as comfortable as the bedding in her cage.
“So much for your masochistic tendencies, little fox,” he teased.
She tried not to tense at the pet name that no longer felt personal or uniquely hers. “I think that switch turned off in my sleep, Master.”
Tessa couldn’t prevent the way her body melted into languid pliancy when he massaged her legs with warm, confident hands. Felix watched his own progress, so she studied him on the sly. He was dressed in a pair of casual beach shorts and adventure shirt. The tabs holding the rolled sleeves in place around his impressive biceps were mimicked on the front pockets.
The tailored fit showcased the broadness of his build more than the tux had, causing the heat of her lust to rise with no care to her thoughts on the matter. Not that she could deny his overall sex appeal. Everything about the man tempted her. The idea that she wasn’t anything more than a replacement in his eyes left a residual unpleasantness she wasn’t used to.
Tessa wasn’t naïve when it came to the ways most D/s dynamics worked. Monogamy fell under a much different definition in their world than it did in the vanilla one, hence the term Alternative Lifestyle. Dominants often had multiple subs to fulfill their wide range of needs, or just because they enjoyed the variety—even in Total Power Exchanges where a dominant might be legally married to their main submissive. Whether subs interacted or not, they always knew about each other. Everything was open, accepted, and consensual.
Tessa had never been a Dom’s only sub, nor was that really the problem she had with Felix. It wasn’t a matter of him having his own personal harem to choose from. He could have that waiting for him back in Metz, for all she knew. It was the idea that he was using her as a stand-in for a sub he’d prefer to be there in her stead.
“I need to use the restroom, Master,” she whispered, unable to take the sinking weight of her thoughts any longer.
“Good, you can get ready for the day while you’re in there. Then join me on the balcony for breakfast.”
After he helped her stand, Felix took his time removing the collar from around her neck. Tessa hadn’t been expecting the air to shift between them, or to feel the loss of its embrace, as if it mattered. Shouldn’t she be glad to have it off? Relief was there, but it wasn’t alone, and that just confused her. She definitely needed time alone to refortify her resolve.
Tessa took her first step away from him, and it triggered a tenderness in all her naughtiest places, reminding her of the thorough fucking she’d received the night before. Lovely. How was she supposed to keep her mind off that when every movement ached just enough to keep her aware?
When she made it to the bathroom, she contemplated locking the door, but knew better. At the sand-and-shell pink marble counter, she eyed Felix’s belongings, all set neatly around the sink to the right. Unlike the small packaged items on her side, he had two leather travel cases and an expensive electric toothbrush with a Waterpik attachment.
She was undeniably curious, but she’d never been one to snoop. The answer to her suspicions couldn’t be found in his brand of aftershave. Besides, it was exactly the kind of thing her mother would do. And Tessa prided herself on being everything that woman wasn’t.
Since Felix had washed her hair the night before, she tossed it into a messy bun and took a quick shower. Well, as fast as her sore parts would allow, anyway. Her nipples were a little darker and tender from the clamps Felix had used to heighten her pleasure during sex. She shook off the memory before the vivid details could form in her mind and hurried herself along.
Wrapped in a towel, she pulled her hair free and brushed it out, studying herself in the mirror. She was still the same averagely pretty Tessa she’d always been—a fact she was more than content with, truly. It had saved her from being exploited for her looks, no matter how hard her mother had tried. Yet with Felix, she couldn’t help seeing herself a little differently and wondering if out there, beyond the shores of Dark Day Isle, a man like him would even spare her a second glance.
When her gaze fell to the empty column of her throat, she swallowed through the cluster of emotions trying to forge there and admonished her foolishness. It wouldn’t matter where they were, kink would always play a part. Felix would never see just her appearance, but her submissiveness and all the things he could do to her for his own pleasure. That’s what he was attracted to the most, just like every other dominant.
Resigned to see the day through, Tessa hung the towel back in its place and left her temporary sanctuary. The idea of misbehaving enough that Felix would be glad to take her straight back to Louis flitted through her mind and was dismissed just as quickly. Disobedience didn’t come naturally to her, so it would take an effort on her part, with no guarantee she’d get a favorable result in the end. More than likely, she’d wind up with a laundry list of punishments and would still have to confront him with the truth.
The doors to the balcony stood open, inviting a warm breeze to carry the exotic perfume of tropical flowers into the suite. Felix sat on the other side of the table, facing her and the breathtaking view simultaneously. The steady rise and fall of whispering leaves from the sporadic growth of jungle below obscured the sound of the ocean, which appeared much closer than it was. Tessa had the craziest urge to lean over the balcony railing and stretch her hand out to see if she could feel the cool, salty spray on her fingertips. Instead, she looked to the man waiting patiently for her undivided attention.
The smile he gave her spread across his seductive mouth and carried through to his eyes. Again, it was strange to note that one iris appeared darker than the other. It was only noticeable when the light hit him just right.
“Little fox,” he exhaled.
It was similar to the way he’d greeted her following the auction, so she didn’t respond. His gaze drank in her nudity with a slow perusal that spoke solely of his right to do so. By the time their eyes met again, unmistakable lust had replaced the brightness in his.
“Sit,” he ordered. “Eat. We have a long day ahead of us, and I have a surprise for you.”
A little stunned he was having her eat at the table with him, she didn’t hesitate to pull the chair out and sit down.
“Surprise?”
He seemed to notice her lack of enthusiasm, but didn’t comment. “You’ll see.”
Tessa lifted the dome from her plate to find a fluffy omelet, two strips of bacon, a cup of yogurt parfait and a croissant. When Felix did the same, she paused and blinked at his untouched food.
“What is it?” he asked, inspecting his meal like there might be something wrong with it.
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “I just thought you would’ve eaten by now, Master. I’m sorry you had to wait on me.”
“It was no trouble.” He dismissed her words with a wave of his hand. “I wanted to eat with you, and it was my choice to let you sleep in. It gave me time to take care of a few important things this morning.”
“Oh.”
She envisioned him taking advantage of the office area to catch up on business, and that was immediately followed by a harrowing thought. What if he’d contacted his International Relations associates in France to get her that inside track on her internship?
Shit! She’d completely forgotten about that, and after their misunderstanding during that entire conversation, she couldn’t possibly turn his offer down now. Yet, that would be the right thing to do if she went back to auction. Tessa’s chest tightened with uncertainty. Anxiety threatened to rise if she didn’t put a stop to her circling thoughts.
“Eyes up.”
Damn it. She willed her thoughts to calm and lifted her gaze. He was studying her with a shadowed expression.
“What’s on your mind, pet? You’re very withdrawn this morning.” Displeasure coated his tone.
Tessa had no idea how to answer that. She couldn’t lie, but wasn’t sure how to confess the truth, either.
“I’m…processing all my new experiences, Master,” she replied, trying not to wince from the guilt. It was more of an evasion than outright dishonesty, but enough to have her rambling onward. “I like to pick them apart and analyze the details. It helps me decide whether I’d want to try them again or not.”
He continued to stare after her words trailed off.
“It’s the cage, isn’t it?” he asked, mildly deflated. “You don’t have to be afraid to tell me if you don’t like something, Tessa. I want this to be a good experience for both of us.”
Great, now he was worried she didn’t like the cage, when that wasn’t even the problem! The weight of guilt on her shoulders increased and she struggled to keep them from sagging. Why did she have to wake up in the middle of the night and overhear those things? She’d been so much happier in her ignorance.
Tessa opened her mouth to respond, but a loud rapping on the main door saved her from having to. For a moment, she feared Felix would make her answer anyway. Reluctantly, he rose from his seat and skirted the table, pausing beside her. With one hand on the table and the other on the back of her chair, he leaned into her. Intentional or not, it was just as intimidating as it was enticing.
“We’ll come back to this conversation,” he warned. “Now, eat. I don’t recall telling you to push the food around your plate.”
She blew out a breath once he entered the suite and forced a bite of omelet into her mouth. There was no way in hell she’d make it to sunset. Felix was too intuitive, and, damn him, tempting. Every minute she kept her mouth shut, his ability to weaken her resolve grew stronger, because she simply couldn’t stop herself from being attracted to him—on a physical or submissive level.
She just needed to put her big girl panties on, tell him the truth, and deal with the fallout. She wasn’t even sure which scenario she feared most; that she was right and returned to auction on her own, or that she was wrong and Felix grew so angry, he handed her over to Louis without hesitation.
The chipper voice of their visitor grabbed her attention as he came into view through the wall of windows. He was dressed like all the other staff and talking loud enough for her to hear every word. Oh, goodie, another opportunity for unintentional eavesdropping.
“Everything you asked for, sir,” the man continued, holding up a selection of clothing in one hand and a shopping bag in the other.
“Good,” Felix approved. “Tessa!”
She stood and replaced the domes over both their plates to keep insects away, before entering the room. With eyes averted due to their visitor, she met up with them near the foot of the bed.
“Look,” Felix commanded. She lifted her gaze to see him laying out three different bikinis and beach cover-ups on the comforter. “Do you like these?”
She did. Each one was a different style and color combination that would complement her complexion, and even the sheer covers looked designer. There was no question they’d fit, since Felix had already proven he had her membership file memorized.
“Yes, Master.”
“We’ll take them,” he informed the other man.
Tessa swallowed her surprised protest. For some reason, she’d only been expecting him to choose one of the outfits. Guilt swelled inside her again, and she silently berated herself for not being upfront with him on the balcony. She hoped he could return the clothes if they ended up parting ways.
“Excellent,” the man replied. He pulled a pair of flip-flops from the bag. They were clear, save for a pale pink floral pattern on the sole. “These will go with anything, and of course, we can’t forget her most important accessory.”
After handing the shoes over to Felix, he produced a clear jewelry case with a silver collar inside. Was there an actual store on the island that sold both beachwear and kink gear? That was convenient.
“I’d be more than happy to return the leather one, if you found it unsatisfactory.”
“No, we like the leather,” Felix answered. “I just hadn’t been thinking about her spending time in the water when I picked it out yesterday.”
Um…what?
Tessa’s mind came to an abrupt halt, then backpedaled through all her internal drama surrounding the collar and right into the memory of when Felix had first brought her to his suite. He’d taken a package from the pocket of his tuxedo jacket prior to draping it over the chair and rummaging through his luggage. All this time, she thought he’d gotten the collar from his suitcase, when apparently that had only been the chains and clamps. Did that make her feel any better?
Yes, knowing it had only ever been around her neck definitely made her feel better about the collar, but it didn’t change the things she’d overheard. Conflict still warred inside her.
“Very well, sir.” Their visitor bowed. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you.”
“Just let me know when my special order arrives, Remy.”
Remy? Felix’s reply had been absent, but his knowledge of the man’s name added weight to her theory that he was a regular at the resort. When she tilted her head to follow Remy’s departure from the suite, a hint of orange caught her eye in the sitting room. Once the door was closed, she turned and her lips parted on a quiet gasp.
As she approached the fox face of wax molded to the shape of her naked torso, Tessa could hardly believe her eyes. There were pieces missing, and parts of it were damaged from where Felix’s impatient hands had shoved under it to get to her flesh. The snout was the most incomplete, but the rest was pretty intact and propped up on some kind of easel.
Her mind raced back through the night’s overheard conversation, and her heart thudded a little harder. He’d had Louis bring him all the pieces from the Aftercare room, just so he could glue it back together again? That had to have taken him all night! Why would he do that? It was absurd to think his feelings could be that strong for her after such a short time. There had to be another explanation. One that fed her fear of being a stand-in for someone else. Did he even see her when he looked at her?
Tessa jumped and spun around when Felix’s hand settled on her shoulder from behind. His eyes swirled with things she was too leery to pin down, but there was no mistaking the concern. She’d been less than convincing in keeping up appearances.
“You did that…for me?” she hazarded.
“I saw how upset you were when I broke it apart,” he replied. “I didn’t want that to ruin your first experience with wax play.”
Oh God, that did it. She couldn’t take the crushing weight of guilt and uncertainty anymore. She had to know the meaning behind his whispered words, because her desire to stay regardless of the truth was only growing stronger. That didn’t make it any easier to wrangle her nerves, though, because in all honesty, she was lousy at confrontations. This was simply too important to be a chickenshit about.
“Why do you call me little fox?”
Felix looked completely blindsided by the question. “Do you not like it? Is that what’s been bothering you this morning?”
“No, I.…” Tessa squeezed her eyes shut, rallying her courage, before she could lose her nerve. “I heard you, last night. I didn’t mean to, I just woke up.”
The air in the room seemed to evaporate. Felix went so still, she was afraid to breathe.
“What did you hear?”
“You and Sir Louis talking about gambling and superglue.” She gestured to the wax piece.
“That’s all you heard between Louis and me.”
Trepidation ached in the back of her throat and her chest felt too tight. He was already pulling away from her, closing himself off. Or, perhaps she was the one trying to distance herself in hopes it would soften the blow when the whole thing ended exactly the way she feared most.
“No,” she admitted. “A little before that, about long-term contracts and…love.”
His expression darkened and his brows knit deep in a pained grimace, as if she’d struck him. When he looked down at the jewelry case in his hand with confusion, something in Tessa panicked. She was afraid he might shut himself off completely, before she was able to explain.
“Felix—”
“You just lay there,” he accused.
Guilt swamped her anew, her face heating with it. “I didn’t know what else to do. I panicked,” she rushed out. “I didn’t want to get into trouble for eavesdropping, when I hadn’t meant to.”
“So you just lay there and let me think you were asleep?” he countered. “That’s the same as lying to my face!”
“I know. I’m sorry.” Her eyes misted with regret.
She was truly sorry about all of it, but that didn’t change anything. She couldn’t go back and do it differently now, the damage was already done.
“Sorry?” He gave a short nod. “You will be. Is it ever okay for you to lie or try to deceive your Master, Tessa?”
Her mouth worked without sound, thrown by the reminder that they hadn’t officially broken their roles yet. It seemed she’d been a little too prepared to return to auction, which must have been plain as day on her face, because his frown deepened.
“You think your confession spares you punishment?” he demanded. “You had ample opportunity to let me know you were awake—”
“I don’t want to be a replacement!” she blurted, because he was moving too fast, directing the conversation to an end already and she was far from finished.
“A what?” He balked.
“A replacement for someone else,” she stammered. “If that’s what you need, I can’t be that. I won’t. I’d rather go back to auction.”
His eyes widened and he stepped toward her. “No,” he denied. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about, Tessa. When have you ever heard me say anything of the sort?”
“I—” she faltered, shame mixing with the stirrings of doubt, causing her defensiveness to rise. “You didn’t. It’s just those things you said by my cage…”
When he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, her anxiety rose with the niggling of fear that she might really be that mistaken. Because then she’d be left feeling like a fool and that was too mortifying to consider.
“Let me get this straight, you overheard something completely out of context—me thinking aloud—and that was your conclusion? That you’re a replacement for someone else?”
The way he said it made her feel absolutely ridiculous, which had her back going up. She refused to believe that anyone in her position wouldn’t have drawn a similar conclusion, or at least the need to question what they’d overheard.
“What was I supposed to think?” she snapped. “That after a handful of hours, you were already thinking about forever?”
Darkness swept over his features, and she instantly regretted her crassness. Maybe it was a little unfair to toss words he’d never intended for her to hear back in his face like that, but how else was she supposed to get her point across? She wasn’t ridiculous, damn it, nor was she a drama queen. This wasn’t something she’d just made up on a whim to cause an argument, they were her real doubts and feelings!
“It’s not really your place to determine what I should think or feel, no matter how much time has passed, is it?” he returned, his voice hard.
“No, but that goes both ways. Felix—”
“Master,” he growled in warning.
“Can’t you at least try to see it from my point of view?” she ignored him. “What would you have thought?”
“I don’t know what I would’ve thought, Tessa. I’m still trying to figure out how I’m the one being brought to question, when you’re the one who pretended to be asleep. You’re not new at this, you know exactly what you should have done.”
“I told you, I panicked. People don’t think straight when they’re panicking,” she argued.
His hard stare was a warning she was far too worked up to heed. “I am still your Master and you will not use that disrespectful tone with me when I have done nothing to deserve it. You panicked because you knew you were in the wrong,” he admonished. “Do you think that’s how this works? That you get to run back to auction over one little misunderstanding that you, yourself, have conjured from God knows where?”
“Which you have yet to deny!” she interjected, her defensiveness reaching dangerous levels. “So how wrong can I really be?”
“Plenty, trust me. And how have I not already denied it?” he demanded. “Do you need to hear the exact words, ‘you are not a replacement’? Because I’m about to spell them out on your bare ass. I don’t play that way, Tessa. This is my joy. This lifestyle is the only fucking happiness I have in my life, so I don’t bring drama here!”
Tessa blanched, his words reminding her of the remark he’d made to Louis about no one loving him. He didn’t want drama there, yet that’s exactly what she was causing. Somehow her need for reassurance had turned into a full-blown argument, which hadn’t been her intention. All she’d wanted was a simple yes or no; was she a replacement or not? Instead, he’d made her feel stupid for asking, whether he’d meant to or not, and she’d reacted.
“If you could just…” her words faltered, unsure.
What else did she need to say? In a roundabout way, she’d already gotten a positive explanation for the collar, and Felix had just claimed she wasn’t a replacement, so where was the immense relief she’d been hoping for?
Tessa feared it was still hiding behind her remaining defensiveness and skepticism. She couldn’t help believing that Felix had revealed more feelings with his whispered words than their blip of time together warranted. He claimed he’d merely been thinking aloud, that his words had been out of context, yet no matter which way she tried to put them into a more reasonable order, the result was the same.
He’d been contemplating a long-term situation, and that hadn’t been the deal. Nor was it something she could give him. Second chances were too precious to scoff at. Tessa would never be able to live with herself if she let go of her dreams a second time. She would be going to France at the end of the week, no matter what.
“If I could just what? What else do you need to be reassured of, Tessa?” he pressed, tossing the jewelry case onto the sofa beside him and crossing his arms. “Because we’re not doing a damn thing until this is settled.”
She knew what she still needed; some kind of guarantee that their dynamic was only temporary. To say as much would sound extremely presumptuous, though, and since she’d already missed the mark with all of her other assumptions, it was difficult to trust her own judgment when it came to his intentions.
“I don’t—” She exhaled in frustration and peered around the room, trying to find the right words to get him to understand. “I don’t know what kind of role I’m supposed to be providing for you. I have no idea what your expectations are, or…anything.”
“Tessa, it’s only our first full day together, how—” he cut himself off, as some kind of epiphany crossed his features. He slapped a hand to his face and rubbed hard. “Jesus. Tessa, have you never submitted without a contract before?”
Oh. No, actually, she hadn’t. Not once in her entire experience in the lifestyle. She shook her head, a little dazed as that insight seeped in and soothed some of her anxiety. He might be on to something.
Even though she’d signed a contract with Club Vitalz for the getaway, there were none in place for her and Felix’s dynamic. They hadn’t discussed anything about it the night before. No rules, guidelines or expectations had been highlighted or negotiated.
Given that it was also a round-the-clock situation without those necessary boundaries in place, it could explain why her emotions were tripping her up. Why it felt more personal than temporary.
“That will change,” he vowed. “Until then, let me be perfectly clear. The only role I want you to provide for me is that of my submissive—as yourself, not someone else. I call you my little fox, because that’s the first thing that came to mind the second I saw you at the auction. When Louis read off your experiences, I was inspired to try pet play with you, because I’ve never been a pet owner before, but that is not the sum of all we’ll experience together, or that I’ll expect from you. Do you want to try something different?”
Tessa shook her head again, her heart skipping up a few notches with a mixture of shame and a heady dose of the relief she’d been waiting for. It was one thing to be reassured she was his only little fox, quite another to learn she was his first pet ever. Despite how much she’d fought against it, she felt extremely embarrassed to have been so horribly mistaken.
“Use your words, Tessa,” he commanded.
“No, Master,” she croaked.
She watched his entire body tense, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “Who am I?”
“Master,” she answered.
Her chest and throat contracted, because she’d just opened the door to her own possible punishment and there was no taking it back. No stopping what would come next.
“Whose Master?” He stepped closer.
Tessa swallowed. “My Master,” she whispered.
Felix kept approaching until he was less than a foot away. The air charged between them, the same way it did whenever he locked her collar, adding a tingling heat that belonged to the perverse pleasure of her submissive side. The part of her that craved nothing more than being dominated.
He didn’t have to lay a finger on her in either pleasure or discipline to assert his authority over her, and that was such a freaking turn on. Just another complex layer that was extremely difficult to explain to an outsider. A moment passed where all he did was study her, then he lifted his hands and looked at his palms, before lowering them.
“What am I to do now, Tessa?” he whispered.
He wanted to punish her, that much was clear. It would be the expected choice. She was already anticipating it, anyway, but she worried about her list of consequences. He had every right to be displeased and disappointed about her pretending to be asleep. He was absolutely right, she’d had plenty of time to announce that she’d been awake.
If Tessa were honest, she hadn’t really panicked until he’d started approaching her cage. For that much, she was a hundred percent guilty. But the thought of getting punished for voicing her concerns seemed like a gross injustice, and neither her attraction to him, nor the relief she was still trying to fully embrace, would save them if that were the case. Temporary or not, Tessa could never be in a dynamic where the communication was all one-sided.
“Master, I know I was wrong,” she began, letting her tone reveal the sincerity of her regret.
“You lied to me. Twice. Once, by pretending to be asleep and again when I asked you directly what was bothering you on the balcony.” He listed off. “You disrespected me, even though you know exactly how to communicate without doing so, and rather than trying to sort out a misunderstanding of your own making, your first fucking choice was to run away.”
Guilt wrapped around her and squeezed hard, especially with the reminder of her evasion to his question at breakfast, but he was wrong about running away being her first choice. She inhaled a breath to tell him as much, but he continued before she could.
“I want you to go to the balcony, gather our breakfast dishes and bring them to the desk.”
“Master, I’m sorry, I—”
“Breakfast dishes,” he cut her off, clearly disinterested in hearing anymore of her defense.
Tessa swallowed the sting of his anger, and bowed her head. “Yes, Master.”
She struggled under his suffocating disappointment, yes, but it was her disappointment in herself that was the worst. She’d known, even as she’d been doing it, that eavesdropping was wrong. Just like she’d known his direct question deserved an equally direct answer, rather than her being a coward.
Why wasn’t he punishing her?
Perhaps he already was, by making her stew in her own guilt until he was damn good and ready to relieve her of it. That thought didn’t help her feel any better at all. As much as she detested being in trouble, she longed for punishment. For the release of guilt and her Master’s disappointment it granted.
Without punishment, there was no closure. The problem would continue to fester between them, rather than being resolved. There would be no moving on, no going back to the way things had been, only a perpetual limbo of tension which could lead to resentment.
Tessa brought their covered plates inside first, setting them on the desk where Felix had already seated himself. She noted the jewelry case in his lap, though he’d yet to remove the collar from it. He watched her with an unreadable expression. The urge to speak rushed over her, but she was afraid he’d just cut her off again, so she turned back to gather their drinks from the balcony. After setting his coffee and her orange juice on the desk, she linked her hands together and waited for his next direction.
“Here.” Felix gestured to the floor beside his chair.
Tessa rounded the desk, surprised to see another comfortable rug already in place. She’d never really paid any attention to the office area, so wasn’t sure if it had always been there or not. Felix removed the domes from their plates and started cutting her breakfast up, as she knelt on the rug facing him.
A kernel of hope stirred inside of her when he insisted on feeding her. It fizzled just as fast. She was lucky if he spared her a glance, and that was only when he was directing food into her mouth. He seemed lost in thought, alternating between their plates in a way that felt mechanical rather than comforting. Tessa ate like a good girl, despite her lack of appetite.
In the midst of lifting another bite to his own mouth, Felix dropped the fork back onto his breakfast untouched and slid the plate away. He rubbed at his face again, and leaned back in the chair.
“Do you want to be here, Tessa?”
In hindsight, the question shouldn’t have come as such a surprise, but it alarmed her.
“Yes, Master.”
Worry trickled into her thoughts, perhaps he’d changed his mind and was contemplating returning her to auction after all. Maybe he just couldn’t get past the lying and the drama he claimed to despise being brought into his happy place.
He looked at her, studying her with a different kind of intensity than before.
“Is no punishment too cruel?”
His voice was quiet, as if pondering aloud. Her mind latched onto the paradox the question posed, wondering which way he’d meant it. No punishment at all, or no limit to its severity? Neither of those choices made her happy or comfortable. If he didn’t punish her, the argument wouldn’t be over. He’d still be disappointed, and she’d still be guilty. There would be no clean slate.
“Yes, Master,” she replied, deciding it fit either way.
“Do you know the kind of position you’ve put me in?” he asked. “You threatened to go back to auction over a simple misunderstanding.”
Fuck, and now he worried she’d do it again if he punished her. Tessa had never meant it as a threat, though, just a reluctant choice between two undesirable options. Even so, the idea of going back to auction had never sat well with her, filling her with just as much dread as her concerns. The fear of getting stuck with a Domme or a really cruel sadist had damn near tied her into knots.
“Master,” she replied. “I never wanted to return to the auction, I hated the whole idea of it. I just hated it less than being a replacement for someone else.”
“But you’re not a replacement for someone else,” he reiterated.
“I know that now,” she pleaded with him to believe her.
It felt like she was on a seesaw with Felix balanced right in the center. She just wasn’t sure if he was trying to talk himself into punishing her like he wanted to, or talk them both out of it.
“Do you, Tessa?”
“Yes. Please, Master, I do.”
It was the truth. Believing him wasn’t the problem. If anything, it was just the opposite. She believed him too much. The hours he’d spent gluing her wax piece back together again; the story behind the scar on his ribs; his willingness to help her get an internship in Paris; the hot and erotic confession he’d made about seeing her bound and completely his.
No matter if he was speaking or acting, he did so with an honesty that worried her. And perhaps it was her own hang-up, an unnecessary concern, but she couldn’t help wanting some kind of guarantee that their dynamic would remain temporary. She’d much rather stay there and be worried than get returned to auction.
Felix stared off into the distance as the seconds ticked by. When he looked to her again, it was with the expression she recognized above all others; the unyielding stare of her Master.
“Two very important things are going to happen when I touch you, Tessa,” he warned. “One, I’m going to give you your punishment, and two, you will never mention the auction again. It will no longer be an option, do you understand?”
Tessa opened her mouth and was surprised when the desire to argue failed to appear. She never would’ve thought she’d want the option of returning to auction taken away from her, yet his words brought about relief, rather than anxiety or irritation. She looked him in the eye and nodded.
“Yes, Master, I understand.”
Felix leaned forward, grabbed her under the arms and lifted her into his lap. It was the first time they’d touched since before their argument, and it stirred unexpected emotions, shaking all of her tense muscles. Relief played the biggest role, hitting her strong enough to sting her eyes. Felix adjusted her, until he cradled her with a hand palming her bare bottom.
“Oh, my little fox,” he sighed, unable to miss her trembling. “You really do need your punishment, don’t you?”
“Yes, Master.”
Silence stretched between them for a moment, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. In a strange way, it seemed like Felix was waiting for her to stop shaking and relax in his arms, before he’d get on with it. The gentle way he continued to knead her ass cheek made it next to impossible, though. Tessa was right back on the seesaw again, her body wanting to relax into the arousing sensation, even while her muscles remained tensed in anticipation of punishment.
“Every afternoon, starting today, there’s to be a poolside luncheon. It’s a social for all of us,” he spoke at last. “A time for everyone to get a little break from their roles and enjoy the company of our peers. For the dominants to mingle, as well as the subs to visit with one another. You will not be joining today.”
Tessa looked at him with an audible gasp. The excitement she’d begun feeling about seeing Kip and Gema again took an immediate nosedive. “Master–” She knew she had no right to argue, but it was so disappointing.
“Would you rather get spankings, Tessa?” he asked.
His tone revealed well enough that he already knew the answer to that. It didn’t save her from having to answer.
“Please, Master?”
“No,” he answered firmly. “You will not be attending the luncheon. I think it’s a far more suitable punishment for your crimes. I want you to remember your lesson, Tessa, so we never have a repeat of this morning.”
Every part of her wanted to protest, bargain, bribe—anything to be allowed to attend the luncheon. There were so many other ways he could punish her, taking the luncheon away was the worst. Of course, those thoughts only drove home how apt her punishment was, even to her own pouting mind. And that just sucked.
“Do you understand, Tessa?”
Being forced to admit she knew he was right was worse, and he undoubtedly knew that.
“Yes, Master,” she sulked.
“Good, then let’s go over some of your rules,” he replied, unaffected by her continued pouting. “One, you do not lie to your Master. Two, you do not disrespect your Master. Three…”
Tessa tried not to moan when his grip tightened on her ass as he adjusted her into a more upright position in his lap.
“Absolutely no going back to auction,” he continued, his tone firmer than before. “Four, no keeping secrets. If something is bothering you, for any reason, you will speak up immediately. I don’t care if we’re here for seven minutes or seven days, there must be open and honest communication. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes, Master.” She sighed, the guilt still present, yet no longer as heavy now that her punishment had been issued.
“Then be honest with me right now, little fox. Do you dislike the cage?”
It wasn’t surprising that he was still worried about it, when he seemed to like it so much. “I don’t dislike it, Master,” she replied honestly. “It’s just hard to sleep without being able to stretch my legs out all the way.”
“Would you be willing to give it another try?”
She would and knew most of her determination stemmed from wanting to please him, but that was inescapable. The other part of her determination was to see just how far she could really take her role as his pet. Like Felix had claimed, this week was about new experiences for both of them, and she’d never explored pet play as deeply as he seemed interested in trying. She might even discover that it was her preferred kind of kink.
“Yes, Master.”
“Good girl. Hand me your new collar.” He gestured to the jewelry case on the desk.
After she handed it to him, she lifted her hair out of the way and waited. The metal was cold against her skin when he fit it around her neck, and it didn’t embrace her the way the leather one did. Yet, a shiver traveled down the center of her body when the lock clicked shut. The air charged, as always, but it seemed different. Perhaps it was more significant in the wake of their upsetting morning.
“On your feet,” he directed, helping her to stand and following right behind her. He moved around the side of her and fingered the single ring, examining the overall appearance of the collar. He couldn’t hide that predatory edge, but his response was expected. “It’s not quite the same, is it, little fox?”
“No, Master.”
“Mm,” he remarked. “Still, it keeps you collared even in water, and that’s all that matters. Come.”
She didn’t hesitate to follow him across the suite toward the main door, where he stopped and pointed to the front corner of the giant rug in the sitting area.
“Whenever we arrive back to our room, unless directed otherwise, you will immediately kneel here and wait for further instruction, do you understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Show me.”
Tessa turned to face the interior of the suite and knelt exactly the way he preferred.
“Good girl,” he approved. “Up.”
Once she was on her feet again, he gestured to the room at large. “You are never to sit on any of the furniture, except your stool,” he said, continuing with her rules. The more he outlined, the more relief she felt. “Pets are not allowed on the furniture, unless they’re snuggling with their Masters, understood?”
His words warmed her insides with the pesky arousal that was always right there to join in at a moment’s notice, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.
“Yes, Master.”
Felix turned into her and cupped the side of her face, using his thumb to tilt her chin upward.
“And you’re to always, always keep your eyes open,” he ordered on a quiet growl, just before dipping his mouth to hers and reminding her of just how dangerously skilled it was.
He moved her as he kissed the breath right out of her, until they were near the side of the bed. It was more of a struggle than before to keep her eyes open, giving him full access to her feelings and thoughts while trying not to squirm under what she saw in his. He licked the seam of her parted lips, before licking his own and tilting her a wolfish smirk that intensified the erotic heat.
“Are you ready for your surprise, little fox?”
“What?” she asked in confusion, her eyes sliding to the wax piece in the sitting room.
Felix glanced at it with a chuckle. “No, that wasn’t it.”
“But, Master, what about what happened?” she hazarded, her voice small with shame. “I thought I was in trouble.”
“I already told you what your punishment was going to be for that, Tessa. It has nothing to do with the rest of our plans for today. Besides,” he added, crowding her into the side of the bed further as his expression grew hungrier. “It’s a treat for both of us; a game designed to put you right in all that inescapable suffering you crave so much and keep you there, for as long as I see fit.”
The whimper was out of her mouth before she could stop it, and his responding grin was pure predator. God, had she ever met a man more primal? Her Master was the sophisticated wolf. Proud, carnal, inviting, and dangerous all wrapped up in one delicious package.
Tessa just wasn’t sure what that made her, because she didn’t feel like a helpless lamb in his presence. His hunger ignited her own. His predatory edge adrenalized her. And when he bared his teeth, she longed to feel them sinking into her flesh.
Without giving her an inch to breathe, Felix reached around her and dug a smaller clear case from the abandoned shopping bag. He opened it and held the item up for her to see. It looked like a beetle. That was the first thing that sprang to her mind. Shaped like a guitar pick, it had two curved arms that stuck out of the sides from the pointed tip and they looked like beetle legs.
“Do you know what this is?”
She shook her head. “No, Master.”
He smiled, appearing pleased that she didn’t. “It’s a variation of the Eve. Only, this particular model is controlled by remote.”
He held the small, button filled device up to show her, and Tessa’s stomach jittered with nervous anticipation.
“Lie on the bed exactly how I instructed last night.”
Tessa lifted herself up onto the mattress and scooted backward, blindly moving things out of her way in the process. Her hand landed on a piece of paper, the scrunch of it drawing her attention. It was a computer printout that read Receipt of Purchase along the top. She was about to dismiss it as belonging to the items Remy had delivered, until she saw her own name. She picked it up and read the whole thing.
Master/Owner: Felix Debré
sub/slave: Tessa Fauns
Auction Price: €10,000 x 7 Days/Nights
Total Purchase: €70,000 - Paid in full
It was dated and time-stamped for that morning, which meant it had been one of the ‘important’ things he’d taken care of while he’d allowed her to sleep in. Even if she’d been right about her concerns, Tessa never would’ve been able to go back to auction. Felix had already purchased her submission for the entire week. And it was worse than she’d originally believed, because he’d paid in euros, rather than dollars. She couldn’t even begin to calculate the exchange difference, she only knew it was a lot more.
“What is this?” she asked, unable to stop herself, holding the paper up for him to see.
His expression fell into a passive mask again. “You’re not going back to auction, we’ve already had this discussion.”
And she didn’t want to, by any stretch of the imagination, but he’d taken that choice away from her long before their confrontation. Before even making it a rule. There was something inside of her claiming she should be very upset about that, yet it couldn’t seem to matter more than the money.
“I know, but seventy thousand euros?” She jabbed the paper with her finger. “Scratch that, eighty thousand, because you already paid that ridiculous bid last night.”
“And if you’d gone back to auction this morning, Tessa, it would be triple that, because I would never let anyone outbid me for you,” he countered, his tone ringing with finality.
Oh, sweet mother of pearl.
“So, what? You would’ve made me stay with Sir Louis the whole week?” She balked. “Would I have been forbidden from joining any of the activities, as well?”
“You think I’d voluntarily watch you submit to another Dom?”
Taken aback by that response, she was inundated with her own prior thoughts about him being in that same suite with other submissives before her. She’d never considered that if she’d gone back to auction, she might have been forced to watch him bid on another sub to spend the rest of the week with, rather than her. It made her extremely glad that her concerns had been wrong, but it fueled her anxiety about him wanting more than just a temporary situation.
“This is only temporary,” she stated, her voice trembling despite how much she meant it.
“I’m well aware of that, Tessa,” he replied, his smile melting right back into predatory. “But I told you last night that you would be wearing my collar for the entire week and I damn well meant it.”
Could it really be as simple as that? His mind was already set on being her Dom for the week, so there was no changing it? Tessa’s fears ebbed, as she accepted that with the hope he was being just as honest as before.
Unfortunately, there was still the money issue. It was uncomfortable knowing her own price, and that he’d be willing to pay more just to keep her away from the other dominants. It was borderline possessive for one, and she wasn’t that fucking special, for two. Not enough to warrant an eighty-grand price tag.
“This is way too much money, Master,” she said, unable to express the depth of that fact.
Felix smirked in disagreement and plucked the paper from her hand. “No, it’s not, little fox,” he argued, his tone amused, yet edged with warning. “Now, lay down and spread your legs before I decide to show my pet why it’s not in her best interest to question her Master’s spending habits.”
Tessa wasn’t immune to the threat, even if she still felt the amount of money was beyond ridiculous. To argue any further wouldn’t change it, though, and could potentially cost her another day of socializing privileges.
She lay down on her back, bent her knees and set her feet apart just like he wanted. Her eyes locked onto the beetle toy again, and she wondered where in the hell he planned on putting it. Felix grabbed her ankles to pull her closer, then retrieved the bottle of lubricant from the nightstand drawer.
The sight of it brought back all the hot, erotic memories she’d been trying to ignore since waking and the rest of her nerves gave way to desire. After applying lube to the toy, he put more on his fingers and the fleeting thought of him sticking that thing in her ass raced through her mind.
Felix didn’t give her time to worry, sliding his fingers over her pussy with a slow tease. Tessa’s moan was quiet, her entire sex heating with anticipation. She fought to hold still when he worked his slick fingers under her folds and over her clit. Her nipples hardened from the pleasure, her skin shivering to life with goosebumps. She winced when he stroked over her slit, because it was still tender.
He paused and leaned over her, until their noses were nearly touching. Staring right into her, he deliberately stroked her opening again.
“Is my poor little fox sore from her Master’s pleasure?”
“Just a little, Master.”
“Mmm, good,” he purred, taking a sensual nibble from her bottom lip. “That just gives me all the more reason to use your ass tonight.”
Heat flared through her entire system with that promise. More evidence of her arousal coated his fingers, and he continued stroking her while erotic images played through both their minds. His next kiss was hungry, proving he was just as turned on as she was. Then, he moved back between her legs and started fitting the beetle into place.
Tessa gasped through another moan when he situated the thing under her labia, the rounded tip pressing right against her clit. The second his fingers released the legs, they spread her wide open and she groaned from the combination of soreness and pleasure.
It was an odd sensation, having the silicon arms holding her lips apart, keeping her core exposed to the air. Felix’s mouth spread into a devious smile just before he turned it on. Tessa yelped, jerking backward in a reflexive attempt to get away from the intense vibrations, but there was no getting away from it. The blasted thing held itself right against her, nice and snug. Just like that damn pillow of his, the toy was designed to use her own body against itself.
Just when you think your Dom isn’t a sadist…
“Now, now, my pet, you’re going to have to be a lot quieter than that,” Felix grinned. “Because you’ll be wearing that when we leave the room.”
What?! Horror must have been a neon sign on her face, because he laughed with absolute delight.
“Master,” she pleaded, but the look he gave her had the rest of her words dying off.
“You will wear it, Tessa,” he reiterated firmly. “And I will be the one in control over how often it gets turned on, at which speed, and for how long. You will not act or reveal in any way that you’re wearing it, and you will not come.”
There was no stopping the whimper of despair from escaping, though an undeniable thrill lay right below it. She yearned for these moments of torment, even without pain. Always, these little tests and challenges made her rewards taste all the sweeter. Made her orgasms far more powerful and gratifying. Felix had already confessed to knowing that much about her the night before. Had revealed just how willing he’d be to draw her torment out for days.
“We’re going to spend some time on the beach,” he informed her. “If you do as you’re told, to my satisfaction, then I’ll reward you. If you don’t, then I’ll reward myself.”
Winner takes all? But no, Felix would always find his pleasure no matter what, that much was a given. Tessa’s greatest reward would come when she passed his little tests and made him proud. To see and feel her Master’s praise in her ability to surpass a challenge was nearly as intoxicating as an orgasm, but the combination was like a super drug. An addiction, on steroids.
After braiding her hair out of the way, he lathered her down with sunscreen—another torment he seemed to take immense pleasure in—and helped her into the white bikini. The material felt strangely present against her sex with the beetle keeping her spread open. Despite being sheer, the black cover helped her feel a little less exposed.
She watched with curiosity as Felix packed a spare swimsuit along with a few other items in a small cinch-pack he slung over his shoulder. At the door, he attached her leash to the new collar and seduced her mouth with another hungry kiss, before giving her a rather smug smirk.
“Let the fun begin.”
More determined than ever, Tessa put her game face on. Halfway down the hall, she almost stumbled when he turned the damn thing on high. Air hissed between her teeth as pleasure sang through her clit all the way to her nipples.
“Problems, little fox?” Felix arched a brow over his shoulder.
“No, Master,” she ground out. “New shoes are always a little stiff.”
He chuckled, amused by that fabrication, then continued onward. The stairs leading down to the main commons were a lesson in breathing. He kept the beetle on the whole way, and though it was at the lowest setting, the vibrations coupled with her movements had Tessa practically drooling on herself by the time she reached the bottom step. And she was supposed to wear it for the rest of the morning? There was no way in hell she’d make it.
The submissive protocol of keeping her head bowed had never been more of a blessing, because anyone who saw her face would know. Her cheeks were hot with the desire stewing in her veins, and the resort was bustling with guests and their subs going about their personal business.
Tessa was hyper-aware of everyone’s movements, highly conscious of the dirty secret between her legs and the voice in the back of her mind whispering that it was all so blatantly obvious. That everyone could hear the vibrations. Of course, that only added a dirty thrill to the whole experience, making her needier.
Her Master was just plain devious.
There was no denying she liked it. The torment, the awareness. The fact that she had a Dom who was thoughtful enough to keep her in those places, his mind constantly working, devising ways to turn everything they did into another new experience. Another way to break her down into something more.
Maybe she liked it a little too much, but she could worry about that later when she wasn’t fighting off the ultimate pleasure building like a tempest between her legs.
Felix led her outside through the main entrance and approached one of the staff members standing by an impressive collection of golf carts.
“Good morning, sir, out to enjoy the sun?” the man greeted.
It wasn’t his enthusiasm that captured Tessa’s attention, but that he used French without prompting. It added to her suspicions that Felix was a regular on the island. Otherwise, the man couldn’t possibly know, since not all of the dominants were natives to France.
“Yes,” Felix answered, as he turned the blasted vibrator up to a higher setting and sent all thoughts flying right of Tessa’s head. “We need a ride to the west beach.”
“Very well, sir,” the man jogged over to the nearest golf cart and pulled it around for them.
Tessa slowly exhaled through her nose when the vibrations stopped. Felix gestured for her to climb into the back of the cart first, before sliding in right beside her. He sat with his legs relaxed apart, the entire right side of his body fused with her left. With the end of the leash, he patted the bare skin of her thigh, all the while peering around at the beautiful scenery—and hitting the medium-to-low speeds on the remote at random intervals.
The sun was shining, a warm fragrant breeze rustling the frilled palms and ferns around them, but all Tessa wanted to do was groan in misery. The switch-up game was even worse than the highest setting, because of the leash. Now he was really tormenting her, teasing her with feather-light slaps and low vibrations. He knew exactly what he was doing. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he wanted her to beg him for it faster and harder.
Not squirming in her seat had become her sole focus and single most difficult challenge to date. She ached to lean into her Master with deliberate invitation, to express with her body what she wasn’t permitted to say with her mouth. In an attempt to keep herself away from the edge, she slid her hand down her right thigh to just above her knee and dug her fingers into her flesh. Both the act of squeezing and the bite of her nails helped reel her mounting orgasm back.
Leather slapped across her knuckles so sharply, she jerked her hand away. Felix grabbed her knee and rubbed his thumb over the crescent-shaped indents, before tucking his mouth to her ear.
“Do you want me to blister your ass right here on the side of the road for everyone to see?” he demanded.
Her eyes widened on the floorboard and she shook her head.
“Then do not ever mar yourself like that again,” he reprimanded. “That flesh belongs to me, and only I have the right to mark it, do you understand?”
“Yes, Master,” she whispered.
He didn’t move right away, as if he might say more. At last, he decided against it and straightened in his seat. He returned to playing with the remote buttons and patting her thighs with the damn leash handle, adding the torment of caressing it over her skin every now and again.
It was the longest ride in a golf cart Tessa had ever been forced to endure.
