mouth and laced her fingers together to keep from biting on them. âI donât think so. What is that?â
âThe trainees are responsible for cooking, cleaning, running errands, and anything else Master needs to run the house and club. Itâs kind of like working in the mailroom of a large corporation. You have to start at the bottom and work your way up.â
âSo I wonât be expected to have sex?â Her stomach dropped, and she wasnât sure if the cause was relief or disappointment.
Gracie shrugged. âIt depends. I was ready on my first day because Iâd been coming to Benediction for seven years. A membership was the first thing I bought with the money I got from my trust fund on my eighteenth birthday.â
âEighteen?â On Danielleâs eighteenth birthday, sheâd had no idea what to register for in her first semester of college, much less know her sexual preferences. âHow did you know you were . . . ?â
âSubmissive? Kinky? Itâs something I was born with. Iâve known since puberty. While other girls fantasized about kisses and getting felt up by thirteen-year-old boys, I was dreaming about adult men tying me up and spanking me. I never felt like I fit in with the rest of the vanilla world. It took a lot of energy to fake it. What about you?â
Although Danielle was here under deceptive circumstances, sheâd felt as though sheâd been a fraud her entire life. Being overweight and shy had prevented her from making a lot of friends, and other than Roman, when an occasional someone had broken through her shell and befriended her, sheâd kept walls up, never allowing herself to grow close to anyone. âIâve never fit in either.â
âThatâs one of the things I love about kink,â Gracie said, wrapping an arm around Danielle. âThe community. Weâre all freaks in our own ways, and we donât pass judgment on one another. Okay, maybe a few of us do, like Cassandra, who unfortunately youâll meet soon.â She patted Danielleâs thigh as if reassuring her. âBut you can finally be who you are inside without fear of recrimination.â
Danielle exhaled. âWhat if I donât know who I am?â
âDonât worry your pretty head about it. Master will help you find out. Just enjoy the ride, and everything will fall into place. I take it you donât have a lot of experience in BDSM.â At the knock of the door, Gracie jumped up from the bed and skipped across the floor. âThat should be your new wardrobe!â
She flung open the door. Holding several hangers of clothing, a tall redhead strutted into the room like a model on a runway.
âI have the clothes Master ordered.â The redhead stopped in front of the bed and glared at Danielle in disdain, pursing her lips as though sheâd eaten a lemon. âHm. I donât think Master gave me the correct size. I doubt any of these will fit you.â
Although Gracie had warned her about Cassandra, the words still stung, and the bit of confidence sheâd acquired from her short time here dissipated.
Gracie rolled her eyes. âDanielle, this is Cassandra. Sheâs a bitch. Donât pay her any attention.â She plucked the clothes from Cassandraâs hands and gave Danielle a wink before hanging them up in the closet. âI think youâll look hot in these.â
âAlready hitting on the new girl?â Cassandra placed a perfectly manicured hand on her bony hip and smirked like a stereotypical high school bully.
Gracie twirled on her heels and stomped to the door, pointing her finger to the hallway. âGet out, Cassandra. Youâre just jealous because Master let me go to the freeway last night while Sir Logan used you in his Shibari demonstration and didnât get you off.â
âEven without an orgasm, Iâd rather have Logan Bradfordâs undivided attention
Katie Salidas, K.A. Salidas