{"id":267,"date":"2014-12-31T00:50:48","date_gmt":"2014-12-31T05:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/?page_id=267"},"modified":"2014-12-31T00:50:48","modified_gmt":"2014-12-31T05:50:48","slug":"slave-the-book-2-of-the-marketplace-by-laura-antoniou","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/?page_id=267","title":{"rendered":"Slave, The (Book 2 of The Marketplace) by Laura Antoniou"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>ebook $9.99
\nISBN 9781613900031
\npaperback $19.95
\nISBN 9781613900048
\n145,900 wordsl 296<\/p>\n

[wp_eStore_add_to_cart id=77]<\/p>\n

The ebook edition is also available at: Amazon<\/a>, Barnes & Noble<\/a>, Smashwords<\/a>, Kobo<\/a> & AllRomanceEbooks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Buy the paperback edition<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Robin wants to be a slave in the underground world of the Marketplace. She falls under the tutelage of the infamous trainer Chris Parker and spends an intense few weeks with him. Little does she know that her adventures as a slave are just beginning, taking her from one coast to the other, into the whirlwind party world of a California gay couple and their house of slave boys<\/p>\n

The ebook edition also contains an all-new, never before published story \u201cThat\u2019s Harsh!\u201d The story tells the tale of what happens when Robin\u2019s masters decide to throw an all-male party. What will they do with their one female slave? Give her the weekend off? Not likely!<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of thought on the topic of submission went into this novel, and it struck some very strong chords with folks who can find themselves in the protagonist\u2026 well worth reading!\u201d\u2013Blowfish<\/p>\n

And now, the entirety of Chapter One for your reading pleasure:<\/span><\/p>\n

Chapter One of The Slave, by Laura Antoniou<\/p>\n

New York City, Autumn<\/i><\/p>\n

The traffic in the streets below the hotel echoed upward, pushing through the window, which was cracked open for fresh air. The city was restless; the pulse of the weekend had reached its frenzy. The customized horn of a wedding limousine blared out the identity of the newlyweds that the dark-haired woman had passed in the lobby. The sound made her want to jump, but she held herself still with practiced tension.<\/p>\n

The man sitting in the high-backed chair paid no attention to the tacky sound of the horn, or to her for that matter. His eyes were busy scanning the papers in front of him, turning them over in patient, careful movements that didn\u2019t betray the slightest interest in their contents.<\/p>\n

The urge to speak, to cough, to shift her body into a more relaxed position, to pour a glass of water from the sweating pitcher on the room service tray, all hit Robin at once. She had been standing still since she handed the file to him; he didn\u2019t seem to notice. She pushed all the thoughts aside with an almost angry strength. I will be patient, <\/i>she chanted inwardly. I am patience.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you make yourself comfortable?\u201d His voice was a rough tenor, a singer after a grueling concert, a student at four a.m. It was also loud; it broke the silence and Robin\u2019s efforts to be calm.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease,\u201d Robin said. Her own voice shook, almost imperceptibly. When the man looked up, she swallowed hard and continued, \u201cI\u2019m unsure of the proper courtesy to show you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded. \u201cVery nice. Why don\u2019t you sit down on the couch for now? It\u2019s already been a long night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin nodded and sat, smoothing her skirt neatly down her lap. Sitting made it easier to relax into a more proper attitude. She took a long, softly casual look at her inquisitor.<\/p>\n

He was older than she, but had the kind of face that refused to betray its years. His short, black hair was very thick, and showed a slight tendency to curl, but was trimmed back so severely that Robin knew he would get it cut again soon. A sparse mustache and the vaguest of five o\u2019clock shadows gave him a scholarly look, or, as she remembered in the dim light of the bar last night, the look of a terrorist. He wore tinted glasses in heavy steel frames. Today, he was dressed in a crisply clean, long-sleeved shirt and a muted tie. His jacket was draped across the arm of the other chair in the sitting room.<\/p>\n

There was no sign of the leather jacket he had been wearing last night.<\/p>\n

He finished with the papers and stowed them neatly back into their folder. Then he sat in silence, until Robin began to imagine that she could hear the swishing sound of the second hand on her watch. The silence was as oppressive as any heavy hand she had ever felt. She wanted to bend to it. For a brief moment, to her horror, a flush of shame and thrill passed over her, as clear to her interviewer as the strident horns of the taxis below.<\/p>\n

The corner of his mouth rose in a twitch of a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re very good,\u201d he said, leaning over to retrieve his jacket. \u201cTell me what your instinct was telling you to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin\u2019s mouth went dry. She licked her lips and coughed a little to clear her throat. \u201cI wanted to kneel,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that. But there\u2019s more.\u201d He pulled a cigarette box from one pocket and snapped it open.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to make obeisance at your feet.\u201d Robin\u2019s voice was still at a whisper. Her blush fairly glowed.<\/p>\n

\u201cShow me how you were trained to do that,\u201d the man said, leaning back into his chair.<\/p>\n

Robin rose, quickly but without any jerky movements. In two steps, she was in front of him, but still outside of arm\u2019s reach. With grace, she knelt, lowering her body to the carpet, and then continued the movement seamlessly until her forehead brushed the fibers. She could smell the chemical scent of the cleaners. It struggled with the richer scent of the well worn, polished leather boots now within her reach. She held perfectly still.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may,\u201d came the voice from above. The man sounded faint, his tones overrun by the pounding in Robin\u2019s ears. She raised her head a few inches and placed one careful, soft kiss on each boot, firm enough to let him feel her presence, light enough not to leave the faintest smudge of her lips. Then, she retreated back and lowered her head again.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery nice,\u201d the man repeated. \u201cPlease seat yourself again.\u201d<\/p>\n

She rose up to her knees and looked at him, her eyes meeting his. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you\u2019re quite welcome.\u201d As she sat down again, he lit a cigarette. \u201cDo you smoke?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good. You would have to quit, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin leaned forward, her heart pounding. \u201cDoes that mean that you\u2019re accepting me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Your records are acceptable, your spotter is well known to me, and your behavior is impeccable. I just wanted you to realize that when you enter the Marketplace, you are not permitted to retain any addictions.\u201d He smiled suddenly. \u201cExcept of course, for the obvious one.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled back despite the echoes of panic which resounded in her. \u201cThe addiction to submission?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo being owned, yes. That\u2019s a prerequisite. We weren\u2019t formally introduced last night. I am Chris Parker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Robin said politely. \u201cI\u2019m sure you know all about me now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, this?\u201d He waved his hand over the folder. \u201cNo, that doesn\u2019t tell me much about you. It tells me how you\u2019ve experienced some minor forms of service, which is helpful, but it couldn\u2019t possibly tell me anything about how genuine your devotion is, or how serious you are about a potential commitment, or how profound your need for this kind of life is. Those things I can only learn from you. I will need to test you some more, and to train you in the specific areas of behavior and service that I require any client of mine to possess before I present them for sale.\u201d<\/p>\n

Client! Robin swallowed hard. When they called me a slave, I wasn\u2019t, and now that I am, they don\u2019t call me one. <\/i>She resisted the urge to giggle, but her shoulders relaxed just a little bit more.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would love to have the opportunity to show you my dedication.\u201d Robin\u2019s eyes danced. \u201cThese are things I\u2019ve been thinking about for years. No, not only thinking about, but dreaming about. Trying to do, in some way or another. This is something I\u2019ve wanted all my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll your life? That\u2019s impressive. Tell me.\u201d Chris flicked ashes into the glass ashtray beside him.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything? From the beginning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the traditional place to start a story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin frowned for a moment, considering. Where do I begin,<\/i> she wondered. What is the real beginning here? When I was little? Those games we used to play? Or when I first realized what power the fantasies had? Or with Maria? Or Troy?<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said softly, suddenly aware of time moving around her. Parker hadn\u2019t moved an inch, except to bring the cigarette up and down again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so excited\u2026 so, relieved, I guess. But scared, too. This is turning out to be harder than I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t tell you to relax,\u201d Chris said with a slight smile. \u201cBut you shouldn\u2019t be trying to impress me with your story. I\u2019m much more interested in the things you remember as important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I remember everything,\u201d Robin laughed. \u201cAnd I\u2019m not sure what\u2019s important. I mean\u2026 it all was. And\u2026 and\u2026 nothing was.\u201d She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. Now that I have a real chance, suddenly I\u2019m nervous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNaturally. It\u2019s all right to be nervous.\u201d Chris ground the stub of his cigarette into the glass, twisting it down until the last sliver of smoke vanished. \u201cTell me about your first sexual experience as an adult, if that makes it simpler.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin nodded gratefully. \u201cThat\u2019s easy. But you\u2019ll laugh.\u201d When Chris remained silent, she blushed again and lowered her head. Everything depends on this interview, she reminded herself. He\u2019s accepted me for now, but I can still mess things up. I have to be perfect.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cI was at college,\u201d she began.<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

\u201cGreg? Do you have the\u2026 things?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, baby, right in my pocket.\u201d Greg Carneson, basketball player, drummer, and communications major, patted his hip pocket with a knowing chuckle. \u201cI wasn\u2019t going to forget. I mean, how could I? With you writin\u2019 it down and everything. That was a nice letter, babe. No one ever wrote me nothin\u2019 like that before.\u201d He grinned and shifted his knapsack onto one shoulder. \u201cI wish we had a nicer place to go, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin laughed nervously. People passing them raised their heads to follow the sound and saw a really cute couple. Greg was tall, with raggedly cut blond hair and a tight T-shirt that displayed his team number. Robin always looked like she stepped out of a soap commercial, her face bright and slightly pointy, her burnt mahogany hair swinging free around her shoulders in soft curls. Neither one would ever be picked out as a beauty, but they were young and healthy and seemingly happy, and that made up for all their minor imperfections. They complemented each other, tall and slight, massive and elfin, fair and dark. Even their eyes\u2015Greg\u2019s an uncomplicated bright blue and Robin\u2019s a deep amber-brown\u2015were as different as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll just have to make do,\u201d Robin replied, eyeing her boyfriend\u2019s pocket.<\/p>\n

Oh no, was her real thought. I don\u2019t believe it. He just brought condoms, the idiot! What the hell did he think I was writing about?<\/i><\/p>\n

As she followed him to the parking lot, she tried to remember everything she had written about in that oh-so-hard-to-write letter. I was as clear as I could get,<\/i> she thought desperately. What do I have to do, scream it out? Serves me right for going out with a jock.<\/i> She bit her lip, trying to figure out what to do. Damn it! I shouldn\u2019t have to do all this! Doesn\u2019t he get it?<\/i><\/p>\n

They had been dating for about two months. They had met in the gym, where they had been eyeing the same karate class. In the end, he didn\u2019t have time to take it, but Robin enrolled. And since she was in the gym so much anyway, she came to watch him shoot baskets and drill with the coach. Soon, they were going for lunch together, and then, wham, they were dating.<\/p>\n

And of course, everyone knows what eventually happens when you date someone. What Greg was absolutely oblivious to was the fact that Robin had never gotten to that \u201ceventuality\u201d before. Nor, apparently, after all of her careful hints and coaching, had he gotten around to understanding her more specific desires.<\/p>\n

A terrible, nervous weight settled in her stomach. Oh God, why am I doing this? was the thought that rustled through her consciousness as she followed Greg silently to the car, smiled blankly when he sang along with a love song on the radio, and then nodded when he pulled into a parking space near the off campus frat house where his friend was going to let him borrow his bedroom.<\/p>\n

In the end, all that Greg had brought was the condom in his pocket. No scarves, nothing to bind her or to blindfold her, or anything. And if he\u2019d seen any of the movies she had suggested he rent and watch or bring with him, his style certainly didn\u2019t show it.<\/p>\n

Because the minute he closed the door behind him, he was all over her. His big hands encircled her body in a rush, and he kissed her hard and long, the way they kissed after at least twenty minutes of warm-up stroking, nibbling and licking. As he slid his fingers up inside her sweater, his sole concession to romance was whispering \u201cOh, babe, I\u2019ve wanted this forever.\u201d Followed immediately by, \u201cBut we gotta get outta here by eight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin tried to think of what she was doing as submitting to his desires. She allowed him to lead her to the bed, passively standing and turning for him as he pulled her clothing open, up, down, off. She closed her eyes to his kisses, to his glee as he fingered and then gently kneaded her breasts, but it just didn\u2019t work. Her disappointment over his lack of attention to her careful hints was so overwhelming, and his eagerness was so clean-cut and so achingly stereotypical!<\/p>\n

His own body was as handsome as his face, a strong chest and beautiful long legs. And her first sight of an erect male organ wasn\u2019t disappointing; it was about the size she had expected, and Greg was fresh from showering after practice. She reached out to touch it, and he fairly purred.<\/p>\n

Her imagination switched on, and she heard his purr change to a growl. \u201cDo you like it, baby? Tell me you like it, slut. Tell me how much you want to kiss it. Get down there and make me believe that you love this cock. \u2019Cause I\u2019m gonna slam it right down your throat, baby, and you\u2019re gonna take it. You\u2019re gonna take this cock any way I give it to you, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

Instead, in cold reality, he quickly guided her backwards to the bed and practically fell on top of her. He shifted to find a good position, trying not to lean an elbow on her, kissing her when he could, trying to keep at least one hand on her tits. And then, he remembered the rubber in his pocket and had to go back to get it, leaving her lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She looked over to one side of the room, where the frat boy had pinned up about a dozen overlapping beer posters, all featuring big-chested girls in skimpy bikinis, running around at the beach, their hands full of dark, sweaty bottles. She looked back down at her own body, with her small breasts and her short legs, and felt a sudden wave of inadequacy.<\/p>\n

By the time Greg got back, fumbled around in his idea of foreplay for a little while longer and then heaved himself up to put the condom on, she found herself wishing that the experience would be as painful as some of her romance novels suggested it was; instead, it felt a little like a lightning-fast cramp.<\/p>\n

She then tried to imagine that he was someone else. Her very distant and cold Italian teacher, for example. Or maybe, if she squeezed her eyes really tight, she could believe that he was a pirate, a dashing serial villain, holding her maiden\u2019s body in his rough, churlish hands, breathing the scent of rum into her face, growling curses and taunts.<\/p>\n

Yes, that was it! Or, maybe, when Greg was done, he would leap off of her, pull a pair of handcuffs out of his knapsack, and snap them on her while she lay back in an exhausted swoon. Then, with a leer, he would tell her that the price for the room was her body\u2015and that all the boys in the house would be by to sample her charms. And they would come, first to ogle, and then to paw at her, and then to finally thrust their way into her body, again and again\u2026Yes\u2026 yes\u2026.<\/p>\n

But before she could work that fantasy into a proper orgasm, he was done, his body heavy and sweaty over hers, his breath as stale as any pirate\u2019s, a wet, limp bag of latex dripping across her thigh and onto the musty sheets.<\/p>\n

And to make matters so much worse, he nuzzled her throat gently, whispered, \u201cOh, baby, baby, that was great! Was it good for you, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it took every ounce of strength I had not to laugh in his face,\u201d Robin remembered, her own face finally showing her amusement. \u201cI went to bed that night thinking that if I couldn\u2019t get this all-American jock to tie me up and spank me, then I wasn\u2019t going to get anywhere. It was such a letdown!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was better than what many people have,\u201d Chris commented. \u201cYou did choose him, and he did not harm you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin blushed, but nodded. \u201cI know. But I still feel like I really messed that up. I should have waited\u2026 I should have been clearer about what I needed. I mean, I wrote these little coy phrases in this love letter, about wanting to be swept away, and be made powerless\u2015but I never really said, \u2018Hey, Greg, I want you to tie me up and pretend you\u2019re a pirate, OK?\u2019\u201d When Chris didn\u2019t respond right away, she leaned forward a little and continued. \u201cIf I had waited, I might have been able to give it to someone\u2015maybe to Maria, or Troy. It should have been special. And I threw it away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving mediocre sex is hardly something to mourn several years later,\u201d Chris said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just that now, with this chance to really live it, I feel like I made this incredible mistake. Wouldn\u2019t I be more\u2026 valuable if I were still a virgin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly not. An oddity, perhaps, but not especially valued. Experience is what counts, Robin, and you should know that. You\u2019re allowing your fear and anxiety to distract you. You\u2019re over-compensating. You don\u2019t have to do that with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, sir.\u201d She looked genuinely ashamed. \u201cI\u2019m really very nervous. I talk a lot when I get nervous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see that. And you\u2019ll speak a lot more before we\u2019re through. Just keep in mind that I\u2019m not interested in hearing excuses or explanations. By the end of our time together, I want to know all about your past experiences and dreams and how you felt about them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of them? My entire history?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Parker nodded. \u201cAs much as is relevant. I\u2019ll let you know when you\u2019re telling me something I don\u2019t need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin glanced up and looked out the window. The late evening darkness was cool, enveloping. I could still walk out now, she thought, catching the shadow of her reflection in the glass. I could just tell him that I must have been mistaken, insane, I have a job to do. I have to go to Italy in two months. I can leave and just go on like I was. I was happy. I am happy. I can find someone new.<\/i><\/p>\n

But if I leave, I\u2019ll never know. Never know if I was really ready for this. If I could have been\u2026.<\/i><\/p>\n

Robin turned back to Chris and lowered her head. \u201cI\u2019ve always been strong,\u201d she said, her tone a sharp contrast to her words. \u201cI did what I wanted to, and never let someone run my life. And I can\u2019t remember a time when I didn\u2019t want to be a slave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Chris said smoothly. He rose, and with a speed she could have never suspected, pulled her up off the couch by the front of her jacket. She gasped at his strength, and rose to her toes, her eyes just barely above his. His fist was tight against her throat, his body terrifyingly close.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I can make you into one, girl,\u201d he said softly. \u201cWhat do you have to say to that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin gasped in another breath. Oh God! Oh, I want this! What do I say? What does he want me to say?<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a question!\u201d he barked. \u201cWhen I ask you a question, I expect an immediate, honest reply!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes! I mean, thank you, sir, yes, I want you to make me a slave!\u201d Robin gasped again, her heart pounding, and her throat pressing against Chris\u2019s knuckles.<\/p>\n

He let her go, and she fell back onto her heels, but kept herself erect. She tried to control the urge to pant; her breath returned in short gasps.<\/p>\n

\u201cStrip.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin took her jacket off immediately and cursed her trembling fingers. She laid it on the couch and tried to be graceful as she unbuttoned the silk blouse. She was glad she had decided to wear the garter belt and stockings rig instead of pantyhose, but Chris wasn\u2019t even watching as she took her skirt off. He had gone into the adjoining bedroom without a word.<\/p>\n

Robin looked down. He hadn\u2019t said strip to your lingerie. So she unclipped the expensive stockings and rolled them off, and then wiggled out of everything else. Almost as an afterthought, she unclipped the gold necklace and dropped it and her watch and earrings on top of her clothing.<\/p>\n

Now she was as naked as the day she had entered this world. She drew herself up into a standing posture that seemed appropriate, with her hands behind her back, and then fretted about whether she should kneel. He didn\u2019t tell me to,<\/i> she reminded herself.<\/p>\n

He kept her waiting for what seemed to be a long time. She jumped a little when she heard his voice in the bedroom, but it was clear that he wasn\u2019t talking to her. She could hear pauses, and the sound of his light laughter. He had to be on the phone.<\/p>\n

I wonder who he called. Maybe he\u2019s calling someone else to come and\u2026 look at me. Or maybe to try me out. Oh, get a grip, Robin, you should be over those fantasies! It\u2019s just a phone call. He\u2019ll be back in a minute. <\/i>A slight chill built in her upper arms and spread across her shoulders, raising goosebumps. As the first shiver ran through her, a tightness settled around her nipples and drew them achingly up.<\/p>\n

This is only a test, <\/i>she thought, trying to calm herself. I am being good. I am being patient.<\/i><\/p>\n

I am patience.<\/i><\/p>\n

When Chris Parker returned, he paused to examine her. He had taken his tie off, and unfastened the top button of his shirt, but that was the only change. His eyes registered neither interest nor appreciation.<\/p>\n

Well, of course not, <\/i>Robin thought. Think of where you met him, girl. This is one man who is just not interested in the temptations of the female form. And besides, if what they say is true, he\u2019s seen hundreds of slaves. Amazingly beautiful ones, men and women. So there\u2019s not much to be impressed by here.<\/i><\/p>\n

He walked around her slowly, not touching her. When his finger finally did land on her shoulder, she jerked a little more upright, and a faint shuddering ran down her arm. He didn\u2019t comment, but slowly ran that finger along her collarbone and down her spine.<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t help it. She freed a slight moan, an exhalation of pleasure and tension.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re very sensitive,\u201d Chris said, drawing his hand away. \u201cTurn to face me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She did, and met his eyes. She instantly dropped her eyes down, but kept her shoulders back.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was careless. You should have kept your gaze up, or turned with your eyes already cast down.\u201d Casually, he pinched one nipple. The sudden sharpness stabbed into her and she gasped again, feeling a flush rise along the back of her neck, and a familiar thrumming between her legs.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have to return home tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n

The sudden return to real issues startled her, but she recovered quickly. \u201cNo, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you will stay here. Go and lock the door; put the Do Not Disturb sign out.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sat down again, and watched as Robin approached the door, hesitated, and then maneuvered her way around it so anyone standing in the hallway could have only gotten a glimpse of her bare arm and shoulder. She slipped the chain lock into place, fighting back the familiar fear that came every time she played with someone new. Of course, this time it was far stronger than it ever had been before.<\/p>\n

Hundreds of questions resounded within her in an instant. Would Chris Parker demand new or unfamiliar service from her? Would he be as brutal as his appearance last night had suggested? Was he really worthy of the trust she was about to give him? Would he want to have sex?<\/p>\n

Can I get out of it if it gets to be too much for me to handle?<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cNow come back here\u2015\u201d Chris pointed to a spot on the floor in front of him, \u201con your hands and knees. With grace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir,\u201d she whispered, dropping to her knees. Concentrating on moving her limbs cleanly and guiding herself around the corner of the chair without awkwardness took over from the morass of concerns which had temporarily flooded her, and she relaxed in the performance of that simple task. She halted in front of him, and let his hands guide her to the precise position he desired.<\/p>\n

His hands swept over her body in an examination. While she held herself still, her hands and knees pressed firmly in place against the carpet, he touched every part of her that could be reached. His hands circled her throat and then stroked it, trailed across her shoulders and down her arms, probing at the muscles in her upper arms, tapping the inside of her elbows. His fingers tickled her ribcage on the way to gently cupping her breasts, pressing them up against her body lightly, then letting them fall.<\/p>\n

Robin moaned, and dipped her head low.<\/p>\n

Ignoring her, Chris placed one firm palm on her lower back while the other hand stroked and probed her midsection and her belly. A tap from that hand and she pushed her knees further apart, and then still further, so that one hand could comfortably reach between her thighs to explore the tenderness of her pussy. She had shaved only that morning; it was a habit left from her time with Troy. But Chris gave no indication as to whether he approved or disapproved. He did cup her entire sexual delta in one hand and compress his fingers around it until she moaned again. And when one finger slipped along the edges of her lips, she gasped, and lifted her ass just a little bit more, her face flooding in shame.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, hungry little cunt\u2026\u201d Chris whispered. But he left off teasing her in that fashion and continued his examination, cupping her round buttocks, squeezing her thighs and running his fingers across the bottoms of her feet.<\/p>\n

She felt his hands suddenly leave her, and the creaking of the chair as he leaned back into it. Her entire body felt primed for attention. Every inch ached for another touch; her skin felt like it was alive with electricity. And this just from being so lightly handled! She drew in one long breath and said, \u201cThank you, sir!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was wondering where your manners had gone,\u201d Chris replied. \u201cThere are much harsher ways I could have conducted that examination.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin cringed. \u201cYes, sir. I\u2019m sorry, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust for comparison\u2019s sake, then. Up, girl!\u201d He snapped his fingers, and Robin drew her body up, coming off of her arms. But before she could complete her turn to face him, he grasped a hand full of her hair and dragged her toward him, throwing her off balance, sending her crashing into his knee.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep yourself up, you clumsy idiot,\u201d Chris snapped, pushing and pulling her into place. She winced and he jerked hard on the fistful of hair he still held. With his free hand, he cuffed her lightly across the mouth, and she gasped in the shock of impact. No one had ever done that to her before.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd don\u2019t let me see such exaggerated reactions, either. I know what you can take, girl.\u201d He cupped her chin and forced her mouth open. \u201cThat\u2019s it, show me what your teeth look like!\u201d<\/p>\n

Humiliated to her core, Robin tried to allow her body to follow his manipulations, but it was hard, because he moved quickly this time, never allowing her to fully relax. He twisted her head one way and then the other, and then dropped the hand from her face and slapped her heavily across her left breast. Before she even had enough time to gasp, he slapped her right breast and grasped the nipple between his fingers, pressing tightly.<\/p>\n

Robin bit her lip to keep from moaning, and the heat from the slaps seemed to rise through her chest and into her face. Her breaths came in short gasps, punctuated each time he compressed that captive nipple, and when she whimpered at the pain, he switched and took up the other one and did the same thing. His hand went back and forth between her nipples, twisting and pinching them, while he still maintained a tight grip on her hair, bending her backward.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you like this?\u201d he asked suddenly, pulling her head forward so she could look at him. \u201cI asked you a question, girl!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes! Yes, sir, I do!\u201d Robin managed to get the words out all in a rush.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you should be thanking me.\u201d He jerked her head back again and slapped her breasts, harder this time, and as he savagely twisted one nipple and pulled it up and away from her body, she wailed and threw her hands behind her body to keep them still. Dimly, through the haze of intoxicating pleasure and pain, she heard her own voice offering thanks, again and again, until Chris pulled her back forward and touched her lips with his fingers. She panted, her chest rising and falling heavily, her nipples burning and itching with pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d do better if you simply remembered to offer your gratitude on a consistent basis, rather than waiting for commands or invitations,\u201d he said calmly. He released her hair, and she wavered a little, catching her balance, but managed to press her lips against his hand, lightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, sir,\u201d she breathed. \u201cFor the lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not over yet.\u201d He pushed her back, and when she fell onto her arms, he nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s it. Now raise your hips. Present that hungry cunt to me, girl, lift it high. And don\u2019t you dare fall until I give permission.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin followed his instructions, so that she was still resting on her calves, her back curved like a bow. Her legs were still wide apart, and this position opened her pussy lips before Chris, giving him a perfect view of the wetness his treatment had drawn from her.<\/p>\n

He leaned down and opened her, carefully, keeping his eyes on hers. When she looked away, unable to bear his gaze, he thrust two fingers inside of her, slipping through her folds like a hand sliding through thick layers of glossy silk. Robin opened for him easily; she was hot and soaked with her own excitement, and her entire body shook with hunger and ecstasy.<\/p>\n

In the same quick motion, he withdrew the fingers and snapped a lightning fast slap against her swollen cunt lips, and then penetrated her again. He repeated the motions again and again, pushing into her and then slipping out to deliver another stinging blow.<\/p>\n

Robin thought she would go insane with the pleasure and the agony! She lifted her hips in surrender and fell slightly back with each blow. Her nipples, still aching from their torment, felt as though they were still being crushed, so tight was their arousal. And with each invasion, her clit seemed to nearly explode with the pressure, only to feel the sharp sting of his fingers a moment later. Her hip movements began to get more exaggerated, rising to engulf his fingers, jerking back in reaction to their impact.<\/p>\n

Her arms shuddered with the pain of the position, and she knew that she couldn\u2019t take much more of this without falling, but she bit her lip again and straightened them out, fighting for the strength to keep going. And when finally, she was trying to prepare the words that would let her tormentor know that she had reached her limit, he stopped, and slapped one thigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver! Hands and knees again!\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned, trembling. As her thighs met, she felt the amazing warmth and the flood of her own juices which covered her sex and her upper thighs. When she knelt again, and Chris pulled her legs apart, she whimpered.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m not finished with you yet,\u201d Chris said, reaching under her body. He seized her achingly sore and needy cunt in his right hand and let the left one rest against the curve of her ass. Without warning, he began to spank her, but not in the manner of her past lovers, who used this particular form of chastisement entirely for pleasure. No, Chris\u2019s hand was heavy and punishing, and each time it fell, his fingers under her body accepted her thrust forward and hurt her in some way. At first, he would strike, and then pinch her lips, tugging her backward again. Then, he began to flick his fingers harshly across her engorged clit. He would go back to pinching after a while, and then spread her lips wide and press one finger up against the hood, until she wriggled with explosive agony.<\/p>\n

And meanwhile, his hand on her ass cheeks gave rise to first a flush of heat, and then an insistent stinging pain, and then the awful, jarring pain that brought up red marks and left a lasting warmth.<\/p>\n

Robin fell forward, onto her elbows, whimpering, inarticulate sounds of endurance and reaction mixing with every stimulus. And when the rhythm of the actions built up to a peak from which she could not escape, her hips thrust back and forth, her fingers gripped the carpet, and she gulped in breaths that couldn\u2019t sustain her until the next shock. The wave was coming, it was building up like pressure in a sealed bottle, and each new strike, each new twist, each torment drew her closer and closer!<\/p>\n

And then Chris stopped.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait there,\u201d he said as he drew his hands from her body.<\/p>\n

Robin gasped, and it took all her strength to keep from collapsing face forward onto the floor. As Chris rose from the chair and walked behind her, the slight breeze caused by his passing swept between her legs, chilling the skin that was so covered with moisture. She moved slightly, and scraped her nipples against the carpet, and bit back a moan. Carefully, she pushed herself back up onto her arms, and stayed there, her head low, and waited.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t believe he stopped,<\/i> she thought, feeling tears in the corners of her eyes. I don\u2019t believe it! I am so ready\u2026 I could have come in an instant! I haven\u2019t been this ready this fast in ages. Oh God, he is good.<\/i> She tried to ignore the throbbing between her legs, and around her nipples, and the glow of the beating on her ass. I will be good, <\/i>she reminded herself. And when he is finished with me, I will get what I\u2019ve wanted all my life.<\/i><\/p>\n

Dimly, she heard him speaking again, but not to her. It again took him a long time to get back, and she was amazed that in that time, she had not lost the edge of her passion. She was still as excited upon his return as she had been when he left.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome here,\u201d he said. Robin looked toward him. He was standing by the window, his foot resting on the edge of a low, narrow table positioned underneath it. She crawled to him, not sure what other way might be permissible.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. Now come up\u2015\u201d He guided her with a hand in her hair again, and pointed at his boot. \u201cI want you to straddle that. Yes, get your cunt over it, nice and comfortable. Put your legs on either side of the table, and wrap your arms around my leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin did as he instructed, and the feel of the polished leather between her legs sent a shudder throughout her body. She gladly wrapped her arms around him, feeling the warmth and strength of him, the smooth fabric of his pants.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it. You know what to do now, girl. I want to see you get off. So move your body, hump my leg, just like the little hungry pet you are. I want to feel you fucking yourself on my boot, bringing yourself off just like a bad dog in front of company. And you\u2019re going to do it quickly, girl. You have three minutes.\u201d He gripped her hair and showed her that he was looking at his watch. \u201cBegin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robin couldn\u2019t think; she didn\u2019t dare think. Every word he said, the images he invoked, the incredible humiliation of it all was too overwhelming to believe. But the need within her was also overwhelming, and the need to obey, to do as she was told, was also incomprehensibly strong. Slowly, she shifted her position, trying to figure out how to do it. The first time her weight settled back onto his boot, the leather pressing against her, opening her up, she moaned at the intense surge of joy that raced through her. The position was odd, and the command heavy, but she moved her hips and body, and grasped his leg and whined, and soon she had built up a rhythm that would satisfy.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, such a good girl,\u201d Chris murmured encouragingly. \u201cSuch a good little pooch. Come on, hump it out; let me see how much you need it, you\u2019re just like an animal in heat, you need to fuck it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, oh, nooo!\u201d Robin whimpered, clutching him even tighter.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, yes, that\u2019s it. Do it. You may come at any time, girl, but if you don\u2019t before the time is up, it may be a long time before I permit it this opportunity again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease! Yes! Yes! Ungh! Oh God!\u201d Robin writhed against the leg and against the boot, feeling the leather grow slippery underneath her, and feeling the wetness of tears against the cloth she was leaning into, and then the rush hit her as fast as lightning. Her entire body, aching, hot and tight, drew tightly against Chris\u2019s leg and her cunt ground into the top of his boot and she seemed to explode! Her eyes tightly shut, she still saw bright bolts of light, her hands gripped compulsively, her toes dug into the carpet, scraping back, pushing her forward. She panted, and thrust herself forward again, only slower, and felt the shudders rise into pleasure again, only this time fainter, and as she drew back, she felt Chris\u2019s hand lightly stroking her head.<\/p>\n

This time, she let the tears come and knew they were there, and she sobbed and gulped air as he gentled her down, putting her back onto the floor. When he lowered his leg, and nudged her with the boot that was now covered with her own essence, she didn\u2019t hesitate, but raised her head up and began to wash it over with her tongue. She didn\u2019t stop until she covered every inch, and her tears added a different taste to the leather where they fell.<\/p>\n

He took it away when he was satisfied, and she felt something light fall across her shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is money on the table by the door. Give it to the housekeeper when she comes, and then lock up again and come into the bedroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he walked away, Robin sat up, still a little dizzy. The object across her shoulders was a shirt\u2015the one Chris had been wearing. She pulled it on just in time to hear the gentle knock on the door, and she followed his instructions, giving the five dollar bill to the woman in return for the blankets she bore.<\/p>\n

Chris, his muscular shoulders now more evident in the white T-shirt that was tucked into his pants, pointed at the floor at the foot of the king-size bed. Robin nodded, and, feeling more than a little bit disappointed, laid the blankets out on the floor. I should have expected this,<\/i> she thought, folding them into a semblance of a bed. It\u2019s in all the books, isn\u2019t it? I\u2019ve dreamed about it, haven\u2019t I?<\/i> But somehow, the cold reality of a hard floor next to a wide, soft bed with plump pillows and the warm body of a man who had just given her a magnificent orgasm was just too jarring. She trembled slightly, trying to form the words in her mind, trying to decide whether begging for the privilege of sleeping next to him would be presumptuous, and then just allowed the thoughts to subside. She would not\u2015could not!\u2015tempt fate. When Chris came up behind her, she knelt absolutely still.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not remove this during the night,\u201d he said, slipping a soft blindfold over her eyes. \u201cIf you must rise to answer a call of nature, you will manage to find your way without removing it. Do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. Please\u2015I\u2019m sorry, sir, I should have thanked you. After\u2026I mean, thank you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you should have. But I\u2019ll make an allowance this one time, because of unfamiliarity. Go to sleep. I will tell you when to remove the blindfold.\u201d<\/p>\n

He guided her down into her cocoon of scratchy wool. She pulled the blankets around her and\u2015despite the strangeness of the place and the circumstances\u2015fell at once into a deep, deep sleep.<\/p>\n

To read the rest, download the ebook or purchase the printed book today!<\/em><\/p>\n

[wp_eStore_fancy2 id=77]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ebook $9.99 ISBN 9781613900031 paperback $19.95 ISBN 9781613900048 145,900 wordsl 296 [wp_eStore_add_to_cart id=77] The ebook edition is also available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo & AllRomanceEbooks. Buy the paperback edition! Robin wants to be a slave in the underground world of the Marketplace. She falls under the tutelage of the infamous trainer Chris … Continue reading Slave, The (Book 2 of The Marketplace) by Laura Antoniou<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":1086,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-267","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/267\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}