Giss dragged her gaze away from Linc’s. To the young man, she nodded. “Yes, I’m his.”
“Glad that’s settled. I’m Eco.”
“Gissandre.”
He waved a disapproving finger. “You have no name until you’re given one.” He turned his attention back to Larsinc. “Sir, permission to begin the grooming of your propertyimmediately?”
Larsinc nodded.
“Would you like to be present for the cleansing?”
“You’ll probably need me to be.”
“Oh, no, sir. Naughty little baggage is dealt with swiftly here.”
“Baggage?” Giss exhaled. “Larsinc, I—”
“Permission to gag your property, sir?”
“What?” she squeaked.
“Granted.” Larsinc caught her chin and tipped her face up. “Behave yourself, or I’ll use a paddle instead of my hand the next time I spank you.”
* * *
Giss shook her head at the white ball gag, but Eco’s impatient foot-tapping eventually caused her to acquiesce. She opened her mouth, and, as it slid into place, vivid memories of another gag she’d had in her mouth surfaced. The way she’d been sternly and painfully punished by Linc came roaring back, reminding her of how she’d been unable to scream loudly enough to raise an alarm. She remembered the beaded flogger licking flames across her backside and sobbing into her bunk linens when he’d finished. The utter humiliation of being chastised so systematically still stung a bit. The next morning there’d been lash marks across her ass and small dots of bruising, as if her pale skin were a canvas that he’d flicked blue and burgundy paint over. She could’ve gone straight to a professor or security officer in the morning, but even with no phallic gag in her mouth, Larsinc’s strong domination had muted her voice. It was still doing so now. She’d accepted Eco’s ball gag because Linc had agreed to it for her. There was a part of her that always allowed him a degree of authority over her. Why was that?
“So you must have been raised in a rich household,” Eco said conversationally. “Submission will be more challenging for you, but that doesn’t mean you won’t reach your full potential. Educated men and women are often quick to learn the lessons. I myself am from a wealthy family. That was likely why I was chosen to be your handler.”
As they walked down a passage, she glanced up at the archway which was inlaid with precious metals and featured naked women with bowed heads on their hands and knees.
Above them were words in an elegant script.Measure my devotion by the curve of my spine.
“Your master is quite handsome and articulate. From a wealthy family as well?”
She shrugged.
“You don’t know his background?”
She shook her head.
“You will. And he’ll learn everything about you. An intense, intimate relationship is part of our mission here.” Eco smoothed a finger over his brow. “He’s in a roughened state, but he has a great deal of funds…unless your inheritance was used to pay for your passage here?”
She shook her head.
“So he’s more wealthy?”
She half nodded, half shrugged.
“He’s never been with us before. I will need to check with him regarding whether certain services will be utilized. I’ll make my recommendations when we’ve had a closer look at you.”
Her gaze slid uneasily to him.
The passage ended at a door, and Eco pressed a button to cause it to slide open. A light scent of fruit and flowers emerged. A young woman wearing a burgundy leather collar, cuffs, and matching thong walked toward them. Her nipples were pierced with jewel-encrusted rings that matched the hair adornments in her upswept hair.
A middle-aged woman hurried forward to clip a leash to the girl’s nipple rings. “Step lively. We mustn’t be late,” she said crisply, leading the girl past them.
Gissandre’s gaze followed the red-haired woman until the door closed behind her.
