Brie hadn’t noticed him standing there in her hurry to get to her car.

  Faelan called out as he walked up. “Brie! Brie Bennett.”

  She turned, looking surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve been waiting to talk with you alone.”

  “I can’t,” she exclaimed nervously. “I don’t think Sir would approve.”

  Faelan kept his eye on the prize and said calmly, “But this is between us—it doesn’t involve him.”

  She looked as if she was about to flee, so he gently took hold of her arm. “We’re just going to talk. What’s the harm in that?”

  “I don’t think we should.”

  “Brie,” he replied, smiling sadly. “Don’t you think I deserve an explanation?”

  “Todd…” She quickly corrected herself, addressing him properly. “Mr. Wallace.”

  He didn’t care for being called by his surname—it created a distance between them he didn’t want—but he forced himself to shrug it off.

  “We’re two of a kind, you and me.”

  Faelan was encouraged when he drew near to her and she didn’t move. “I knew the minute I met you that you and I were meant to be. Hell, my one thought this whole time has been to become the man, the Dom, you need.”

  She replied angrily, “It didn’t appear that way at my graduation.”

  “Blossom.” He smiled, saying her pet name with tenderness. “You should know that I didn’t touch Mary.”

  Shaking her head, Brie turned toward her car. “I heard Mary… Don’t even go there.”

  He moved toward her with caution, afraid she might bolt. “Look, Mary needed a little pain so I delivered what she asked for. There was no intercourse involved.”

  Brie glared at him as if he was lying. “If that was the case, you should have explained that to me when I asked, but you didn’t! And now…it doesn’t matter.” She put her hands on her hips. “I’m Sir’s now. There is no going back.”

  Her words were like daggers to his heart but still he persisted, needing her to understand. “We are meant to be together, Brie.” He backed her up against the car, putting an arm on either side of her. “Headmaster Davis stole you from me. Why the hell did he spend all that extra time training me to be your Dominant just to steal you away?”

  He could tell she was swayed by his presence—their natural chemistry affecting her as much as it did him. But the blood in his veins ran cold when she looked up and said, “I chose him.”

  “It’s because of that damn Mary, isn’t it?” he demanded. “She’s the one who screwed it up for us.”

  “When I asked if you wanted Mary, you answered, ‘Yes.’ I knew then you didn’t care about me.”

  “What? Did you expect me to lie to you? Any guy who told you he wasn’t attracted to the girl would not have been telling the truth. Come on, Brie…” He lifted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. “Just because I find her attractive doesn’t mean I want to collar her. I was clear about that.”

  Brie glanced away, his candid answer having a clear effect on her. She scooted away from him and headed to the driver’s side of her car.

  Faelan let her go, stating quietly, “I deserve a chance.”

  Her hands were trembling as she fumbled with her key, trying to unlock the car. “It’s too late.”

  He had to convince her that it wasn’t.

  “I need you, blossom.” Faelan returned to her, covering her trembling hand with his. “You are my reason.”

  Brie slowly pulled the key back out of the lock and looked up at him. “No…don’t say that.”

  “Brie, I didn’t understand who I was until I met you. You opened my eyes to the truth and freed me from the hell I’ve been suffering.” He saw the tears in her eyes, and knew he had her full attention. “Don’t turn your back on me now.”

  She shook her head. “Please…stop.”

  “If you knew the truth, you would not be so callous toward me.”

  “I’m not being callous, Todd.” He smiled to himself, gratified she’d called him by his first name. “But this,” she gestured at the two of them, “doesn’t do either of us any good. We can’t change what happened graduation night. I—”

  It was time. Time to share his past with her. It was a natural response to lift his hand and caress her cheek. He leaned closer, ready to speak the words he’d held back for so long.

  “Brie, is this man harassing you? Do you want me to call the police?” Mr. Reynolds called from the shop’s doorway.

  The connection was instantly broken—his chance evaporating before his eyes as Brie backed away.

  “No, everything is fine, Mr. Reynolds,” she answered. “We’re done here. I was just leaving.”

  She unlocked her car door and glanced at Faelan. “Don’t talk to me again. You’ll only get yourself in trouble.” Jumping into her vehicle, Brie took off without looking back.

  How could it just end like that?

  Faelan glanced at Mr. Reynolds. The man would never know the injustice he’d dished out by interfering.

  Getting into his blue Mustang, Faelan took a few minutes to collect himself before heading out. Rather than driving back home, he drove straight to work. There was no need to indulge in another bender. He’d just have to remain patient and trust there would come a day when he would get his blossom back.

  Faelan shook his head as the memory faded. He couldn’t have been more wrong about Brie, but he didn’t regret what happened because it eventually led him to the woman he truly loved—the surly sub who’d prevented him from collaring Brie in the first place.

  Mary turned the camera back on herself. “So yeah, there are a lot of people here at the wedding, and you’d think Brie would be eating up all the attention but the girl is totally fixated on Sir Davis. Like a lovesick cow or something.”

  “You jealous?” he asked with a grin.

  Mary burst out laughing. “No way. A ring around my finger and a collar? I think I would suffocate and die.”

  He chuckled, not taking offense at her declaration. Mary was a free spirit. He’d always known that about her. But she had something that Brie lacked—a black hole in her heart. It was something he could relate to.

  Mary’s cavernous need turned most people away, but Faelan understood the gravity and weight of it. Because he understood it, he could appreciate how far she’d come. It was his mission to help Mary not only overcome her past, but truly be set free from it.

  Despite being one of the top graduates from the Submissive Training Center, the horrors of her childhood still held a tight grip on her soul.

  Becoming a student at The Center had been the best thing to happen to her, not only because of the excellent instruction she’d received, but also because it gave Mary a sense of belonging. In a world of trolls and ingenuous people, the staff and pupils at The Center had provided her with real human connection.

  As much as Mary clawed and scratched at those closest to her, Faelan knew she’d be lost without them—especially Brie. Mary would rather die than admit she not only cared about Brie but admired her.

  No other female in her life had stuck by Mary’s side through good times and bad like Brie had, including Mary’s own mother.

  It was the reason Faelan had insisted she go to Brie’s wedding, despite the fact he had to stay behind in Colorado. The look of excitement when Mary opened the invitation and saw she’d been asked to act as one of Brie’s bridesmaids had been deeply gratifying to him.

  “Can you believe Sir Thane Davis invited me to be a bridesmaid?” Mary smiled to herself, mumbling as she stared at the invitation, “What the hell was he thinking?”

  “Of course he asked you. Davis knows you’re important to Brie.”

  She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. That brief moment of vulnerability was a cherished gift. Each chink in her heavy armor, a victory.

  Mary chuckled to herself as if he’d made a joke. “I can’t. I don’t know why he even a
sked knowing the situation.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re not able to travel yet.” She gave him a bemused smile as she stroked her new collar. “You’re my Master now. It’s my duty to take care of you…” With a seductive grin, she reached down to graze her fingernails against his crotch.

  “True. You are mine now and your greatest duty is to obey me.”

  “I know…” She got that naughty twinkle in her eye as she started to kneel between his legs.

  Whenever confronted with genuine feelings, Mary tended to resort to sex or baring her claws. It was her standard mode of operation, but Faelan wanted to stop those old habits and replace them with something new. It required patience on his part and thoughtful guidance, because he must to be careful not to step on her fragile ego.

  Grabbing her by both hands, Faelan helped her stand on her feet. “As your Master, I can use you any way I desire, correct?”

  “Pretty much,” she answered, staring at him lustfully. “And for me the rougher the better.”

  “Then you, my slave, will buy plane tickets so you can attend the wedding.”

  Releasing his hold on her, Faelan stood back and watched for her reaction. It was a test of sorts.

  “A good slave would not leave her Master,” she insisted.

  “A good slave would obey her Master,” he corrected, leaning forward to kiss her on the lips.

  “But I can’t leave you,” she stated earnestly.

  Faelan suspected she was harboring fears about his health, so he assured her, “I will be fine. I’m certain my mother will be thrilled to baby me while you’re gone.” He put his hands on her shoulders and said, “My desire is to see you standing in line at your best friend’s wedding.”

  “Brie’s not my best friend!” Mary protested.

  He raised his eyebrow. “Seriously?”

  “Don’t you ever tell her that, don’t even hint about it. God knows I would never hear the end of it if you do.”

  It was like watching a teenager vehemently deny a high school crush. He cupped her chin and told her, “I got your back, woman. Your secret’s safe with me.”

  Mary smiled begrudgingly, shaking her head as she stared at the invitation again. “Heh, I’m going to be a part of Brie’s wedding…”

  Faelan was grateful to Davis. Whether the man knew it or not, he had cemented her relationship with Brie. Now Brie would remain forever a part of Mary’s life, a part of her sisterhood of sorts.

  Mary needed that stability in her life.

  “You know, I never thought I could ever feel excited about going to a wedding. But dang, I could just squeeze Brie ’til her eyes pop out.”

  “Best to wait until after the wedding to squeeze her, then.”

  Mary laughed, wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him with a childlike grin. “Thank you, Master.”

  His heart skipped a beat. When Mary looked at him that way, it stirred his protective instincts. Despite every emotionally charged roadblock Mary had thrown his way, Faelan had faithfully navigated them because he knew how much she needed him.

  The abuse at the hands of her own father had warped her sense of worth. To hide her self-contempt from the world, Mary had harnessed her beauty and used it as a weapon.

  Teasing men with her feminine wiles, but never letting them get close, was a game to her. Any person, man or woman, who dared to penetrate her inner circle was destined to be crushed and destroyed.

  He knew that was her truth.

  But no matter how many times he’d endured her well-aimed barbs, Faelan held on to the real truth. Mary was a fighter. The woman within, the resilient soul who longed to be freed from the chains of her past, had an inner strength and beauty few possessed.

  The abandonment by her mother and the cruelty of her father had defined her before. By accepting his collar, she’d broken the first chain.

  Today was the second. She’d allowed Brie into her inner circle, even admitted it in a roundabout way to him.

  “I’ll miss you…Master,” she confessed, looking at him demurely.

  Faelan felt a stirring in his spirit every time she addressed him as Master. Although he loathed the idea of being without her for an entire week, forced to endure his mother’s constant doting, it would be worth it for Mary’s sake. He felt certain both girls would benefit from the deeper connection this wedding celebration would bring.

  So while Mary set about getting ready for the big trip, Faelan busied himself arranging a special gift for her while they were apart. His intent was to take this simple wedding obligation and make it the next step in Mary’s metamorphosis.

  Transformation

  After showing him the reception festivities, Mary turned the phone camera back on herself. “So, Master, you mentioned earlier that you have a task for me tonight. Will you tell me what it is now?” she asked, while the celebration continued behind her.

  “Naturally,” he answered with a wicked grin. “I want you to go to bed alone. Put on the clothing I sent with you.” He could only imagine the look on her face when she unwrapped the box.

  “There is also a piece of cloth to use as a blindfold.”

  “Ooh…I’m liking the sound of this.”

  He chuckled lustfully.

  In the spirit of the celebration, he thought it would be amusing if Mary wore virginal white high heels and nothing else.

  “You will text me before you lie on the bed and wait. Someone will be joining you to observe you while you fulfill the task.”

  “What’s my task?”

  “He will observe you masturbating.”

  “Go on…” Mary begged, clearly excited.

  “You must come as many times as he requests without fail. If you prove worthy, he will take a picture of your wet pussy and send it to me so I know you’ve completed the first task.”

  “I love the way you think,” she complimented, raising an eyebrow. “You’re just so dirty…”

  “And you are the girl to fulfill my filthiest desires.”

  “That I am, Master.” Caressing her collar with her fingertips, she laughed again. Faelan was captivated by the smile on her face. When Mary’s defenses were down, she was truly the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. “It’s not the same without you here, Faelan.”

  “Well, I am about to change that,” he told her with a smirk, knowing how excited she would be after hearing his plans. “If your observer is pleased by your performance tonight, he has permission to use your body as a canvas for his art.”

  Mary’s eyes grew wide as she asked breathlessly, “What kind of art?”

  “I know how you love needle play.”

  “Oh, you are too good to me!”

  “That’s not the best part,” Faelan added. “The man who is joining you is the one and only Master O himself.”

  Mary’s jaw dropped when she heard the name. Faelan had never forgotten that night at the Haven when Master O had requested Mary join him and she had turned down the world-renowned Dom to scene with Faelan instead.

  Her sacrifice that night deserved to be rewarded, and it brought Faelan immense joy to give her this gift now.

  “Faelan, I don’t even know what to say…” Mary murmured, tears welling up in her eyes.

  He hadn’t expected such an emotional response and was touched by it. “I told you I would give you the world when I collared you.”

  She shook her head with a flirtatious grin. “You’re too good to me.”

  Faelan had saved the best for last and proudly announced, “I have instructed Master O to create an intricate and original design. You will be enjoying his unique attention for hours.”

  “Oh my god,” she cried in excitement.

  “When he’s finished, he plans to take a picture of you for his gallery.”

  “I’m going to be on his wall?” she asked, flashing that beautiful smile Faelan coveted.

  “As you should be,” he answered proudly.

  Mary’s ex
cited expression suddenly changed to concern. “It doesn’t seem fair. You alone over there, while I’m having all the fun.”

  “Trust me, your full participation is all I need from you tonight.”

  “Well, if you insist.” She smiled flirtatiously, batting her eyes at the camera. “Of course, I will have to find a way to pay you back.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  Faelan waited until he received her text. He sat down on the couch and slowly unbuttoned his jeans. Freeing his cock from his boxers, he began to slowly stroke it, imagining Mary lying on the bed, blindfolded in her white heels as she waited for the night’s events to begin.

  What he hadn’t told Mary was that he had asked Master O to call him and set the phone on the nightstand so Faelan could listen to their exchange.

  He heard the slight tremble in Mary’s voice when she answered the venerated Master just before she began her first task. He listened to the moans and cries of passion that followed as she played with herself for Master O’s pleasure, coming again and again as he requested.

  After the fourth orgasm, Master O announced her task was complete and sent a picture from Mary’s phone to Faelan of her blonde pussy all pink, wet, and swollen.

  The real fun began for Mary as Master O laid out his tools and explained to her what he was going to do. “I will be ornamenting your back tonight, but before I begin I want to slide a needle through each nipple and play with them as you kiss me.”

  “You’re going to pierce them?”

  “Temporarily,” he answered. “First, I squeeze your areola like this.”

  Mary moaned passionately in response to his touch.

  “You will breathe in deeply and hold it. When I command, you will breathe out slowly as I push the needle into your nipple.” He added with a low seductive laugh, “Enjoy the pain.”

  As he picked up one of the needles, he told her, “I want you to hold this needle for a moment. Imagine how it will feel as it pierces your skin.”

  “It’s so long,” she commented breathlessly.