Page 37 of Vengeance of Childhood Proportions

My boots had a long zipper down the back of my thighs. After removing them, I undid the zipper and button of my jeans. I saw the appreciation on his face as I revealed my garter belt, thong, and suspenders.

“Wait,” he said when I reached for the clips on the front of my corset. I paused, looking up at him. “I changed my mind,” he explained. “That’s too sexy for you to remove, soI’lldo it. But later,” he added. With a tip of his chin, he instructed, “Kneel.”

I knelt. Toes bent under my feet, my hands on my thighs, I kept my back and neck straight. Recalling his previous order to keep eye contact unless instructed otherwise, I made sure not to avert my eyes.

“Good girl,” he murmured, and I preened. Slowly, Master Mal walked around me. Like an inspection. My heart thundered in my chest, wondering if he liked what he saw. “Very good posture. Do you know your positions?”

I swallowed. “I’m not sure, Sir. I’ve found some Masters call the same positions as different names. I do not want to claim I know something without knowing whatyoucall them.”

He came around to my front. I met his eyes again as he ran a bent index finger down my cheek. “I value honesty, Little Owl. Even if you think it is something I will not like or may disappoint me. Do not hesitate to be honest with me, as you were just now, while we navigate this new arrangement between us.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Tell me your safe words,” he prompted.

“‘Crow’ to stop, ‘raven’ to slow down.”

He nodded once. “Good girl. You are in what I refer to as ‘kneeling rest position’ or ‘position two’.”

I opened my mouth to speak, then thought better of it and closed it again.

Of course, he noticed. “We are still learning each other, Little Owl. You may ask questions as we go.”

“Thank you, Sir. How many positions are there, Sir?”

“We will go over the five basic positions tonight. I expect you to practice them in your spare time so that you do not hesitate to perform tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Excitement rang in my voice and I felt my cheeks heat because there was no way he didn’t hear it.

Master Mal chuckled. “Yes, Little Owl. I plan on us meeting here again tomorrow. We will exchange numbers before we partways tonight so there is no chance of what happened tonight from happening again. Besides, I would like to talk with you throughout the day if you’re agreeable.”

I was, but there was a small problem with that. I didn’thavea phone. I had no one to call except Jason, and he didn’t have one either.

“What is it, Little Owl?”

“I, uh, need to talk to Master Kade, Sir. I don’t, um…” I bit my lip. I’d promised not to lie to him but how did I explain that I didn’t have a number because I didn’t have a phone? Who didn’t have a phone nowadays?

“Are you asking Master Kade permission to speak with me?”

My eyes widened. “Oh, no! No, Sir. I just… I don’t have a phone anymore, Sir.” I’d actually never had a phone that was my own. My parents had not given me a cellphone as a teen, and they certainly hadn’t given me one in the asylum.

“Did he take it away from you?”

“No, Sir. I’ve never…” Fuck. My anxiety was rising. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

Master Mal squatted in front of me. “Eyes back on me, sweetheart. Breathe with me. Deep breath in, hold it…and let it back out.”

We repeated this until I didn’t feel like I had a boulder sitting on my chest. Still, he did not stand back up.

He waited a moment, likely to ensure I was better, before asking, “Why did you panic, Little Owl?”

“Because I don’t want to lie to you.”

To his credit, Master Mal did not blink or show surprise by this. “And you would have to lie to explain why you need to speak to Master Kade about your phone?”

Feeling like a fool, I nodded.

“Answer when I speak to you.”