He whispered, “Ask me to rescue you from this situation and I will whisk you away from here. You can have a cordial on the glider to make this memory fade. In days it’ll seem like nothing more than a dream.”
She swallowed, her nervousness threatening to overwhelm her. She clenched her fists and straightened her spine. “I’ve never broken my word out of fear, and I never will.”
“Bold words. Let’s see then if you stand by them or take them back.” Rocurt turned and unhooked his belt. “Strip her, Ev. Do you have a collar and leash for her here?”
Her startled gaze darted to Evston.
“Yes, top drawer with our masks.”
Her stomach lurched. Everything ready and waiting. Now that the decision had been made, things would progress like a speeding glider.
Lord Evston crossed the room. “Arms up, pet.”
“I-I’m not ready. I’d like to talk about this.”
“No.” He gripped her wrists and pulled them up toward the ceiling. “Keep them up. If you disobey us, there will be consequences you won’t like.”
Her heart hammered in her chest. She swallowed and kept her arms stretched above her head.
“Good girl,” he said, taking the fabric into his hands and lifting it up and off her body. She shuddered.
Commander Rocurt, whose face was now covered by a black mask, walked over. He’d seen her naked before, but had never paid special notice. She had thought it was because he was so in love with his wife that he had no interest in another woman’s body. His slow perusal now seemed to negate her presumption.
He cupped her breast and squeezed. She willed herself to remain still.
“How about a harness with clamps? And a horsetail. She has long legs.”
“We could, but I had something else in mind.”
Rocurt nodded. “Are a collar and leash part of your plan?”
“No, but it’s customary for pets of all stripes to be on a leash when being led through the woods to the lodge.”
The commander fitted a blood-red collar around her neck and strapped it in place. Then he hooked a long metal leash to it, causing the collar to press against the back of her neck.
A small pillow sailed through the air and landed on the floor. “On your knees while you wait,” Lord Evston said.
Commander Rocurt put pressure on her shoulder until she dropped down onto the pillow. She stared dizzily at the floor. What should she do? She could still stop this before it turned into a public humiliation. She should stop it. But when she opened her mouth, no words emerged.
Evston removed his com and tossed it on the bed. Rocurt did the same. They were no longer defined by their occupations. They had no plans to let duty or anything else interfere with their night’s plans.
Evston fastened a deep blue mask over his handsome face and then rolled up his sleeves to reveal his toned forearms. He bent down, catching her chin in his palm and raising her face.
“This is your last real chance to end the night before things are done that can’t be undone.”
She stared into his eyes. If she stopped now, she would never really know him. Or herself. And this was the last chance she’d get to explore this particular part of life.
“I won’t taunt you over it if you choose to back out now, firebird,” he whispered, fingering the collar’s ring. “You’ve already proven you have remarkable courage.”
She pressed her lips together and shook her head. She wouldn’t back out.
Next to her ear, his next words were as light as breath. “I adore you.”
A moment later, he was on his feet and staring down at her. “You’ll call me Master V. And my brother Master C. You’ll speak only when instructed to.”
She raised her head and narrowed her eyes, telling him without words that if she decided to speak, the party’s rules wouldn’t stop her. Nothing would.
