quietly. “You need some time to adjust. I’m going to assign you to the demonstration rooms. That might give you time to sort things out. When you feel ready for the selection room again, come tell me.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“I’ll alert Mistress Alice of the change. You may leave.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Relief that he hadn’t been angry, that he was giving her a second chance to figure things out, flooded her. She rose to her feet and left the room. Despite the reprieve, she didn’t feel better. She still felt incomplete. And she didn’t want to think about the reason.
The status change helped, but whatever magic she’d briefly found with Master JW was lost. A couple of the submissives-in-training came to her after a demonstration, asking for her advice. Startled, Ally realized that they considered her a mentor. Being able to help them gave her a shot of confidence. Enough so that, in late August, she screwed up the courage to speak with Master Liam.
“Ally? Are you ready to go back to the selection room?” he asked.
“I don’t think so, sir.”
“Is there a problem?”
“I was wondering…” She took a deep breath. She had to know. Something about Master JW had connected with her. “Is Master JW well? I haven’t seen him…”
With her eyes on the floor, Ally heard the chair move back.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she said hurriedly, worried about the boundaries and rules she might have broken. “I was…” She bit the words back as his shoes appeared around the desk and moved closer.
“Look at me, Ally,” he ordered quietly.
Trembling, she lifted her chin and met his gaze.
“Everyone has their own demons. Some…” His gaze left her face briefly before he looked at her again. “Some take longer to deal with.”
“I understand that, sir.”
“Continue in the demonstration rooms and helping with the trainees, Ally.”
“Yes, sir.”
By the beginning of October, Ally knew she had to think about life after her contract was over. Part of her was surprised that Master Liam hadn’t pushed her about returning to the selection room. Mostly she was relieved that he allowed her to keep doing demonstrations. She didn’t want to rely on the kindness of Andy and Belinda, so getting a job would be a necessity. She discussed the job situation with her cousin, who helped her with her resume and suggested sending it to several corporations.
When she saw the list, she panicked and called Andy frantically.
“Andy, I can’t work for MacLauren Computing!”
“It’s all right, Ally. Keith’s business is completely separate from Kevin’s.”
She tried to calm down. “You’re sure?”
“Positive. You’ll be fine.”
So, on a blustery day in late October, she paid the taxi driver and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the MacLauren Building. The taxi pulled away, splashing rain and mud at her. Two more cars roared past as she tried to get out of the way.
“Shit,” she muttered, glancing down at her spattered legs and skirt. “Hopefully I can clean up before the interview.”
She entered the large lobby and was surprised to see that she’d have to go through security. The guard at the desk took her name and confirmed her interview time and location, indicating that she should enter the elevators and go up. Hurrying past the security desk, Ally pushed the call button for the elevator. The light board indicated it was in the basement parking garage. Biting her lower lip, she brushed at her coat and hoped she’d be able to find a ladies’ room to clean up in. Between the elevators, a plaque listed the medical, legal, and accounting offices on the lower floors. She knew that several known corporations had moved their headquarters to the building after 9/11, including MacLauren Computing. And there…
“Good God, you’re still a fucking mess.”
She immediately recognized that derisive tone and cringed. Before she could react, fingers wrapped around her
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“I’ll alert Mistress Alice of the change. You may leave.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Relief that he hadn’t been angry, that he was giving her a second chance to figure things out, flooded her. She rose to her feet and left the room. Despite the reprieve, she didn’t feel better. She still felt incomplete. And she didn’t want to think about the reason.
The status change helped, but whatever magic she’d briefly found with Master JW was lost. A couple of the submissives-in-training came to her after a demonstration, asking for her advice. Startled, Ally realized that they considered her a mentor. Being able to help them gave her a shot of confidence. Enough so that, in late August, she screwed up the courage to speak with Master Liam.
“Ally? Are you ready to go back to the selection room?” he asked.
“I don’t think so, sir.”
“Is there a problem?”
“I was wondering…” She took a deep breath. She had to know. Something about Master JW had connected with her. “Is Master JW well? I haven’t seen him…”
With her eyes on the floor, Ally heard the chair move back.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she said hurriedly, worried about the boundaries and rules she might have broken. “I was…” She bit the words back as his shoes appeared around the desk and moved closer.
“Look at me, Ally,” he ordered quietly.
Trembling, she lifted her chin and met his gaze.
“Everyone has their own demons. Some…” His gaze left her face briefly before he looked at her again. “Some take longer to deal with.”
“I understand that, sir.”
“Continue in the demonstration rooms and helping with the trainees, Ally.”
“Yes, sir.”
By the beginning of October, Ally knew she had to think about life after her contract was over. Part of her was surprised that Master Liam hadn’t pushed her about returning to the selection room. Mostly she was relieved that he allowed her to keep doing demonstrations. She didn’t want to rely on the kindness of Andy and Belinda, so getting a job would be a necessity. She discussed the job situation with her cousin, who helped her with her resume and suggested sending it to several corporations.
When she saw the list, she panicked and called Andy frantically.
“Andy, I can’t work for MacLauren Computing!”
“It’s all right, Ally. Keith’s business is completely separate from Kevin’s.”
She tried to calm down. “You’re sure?”
“Positive. You’ll be fine.”
So, on a blustery day in late October, she paid the taxi driver and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the MacLauren Building. The taxi pulled away, splashing rain and mud at her. Two more cars roared past as she tried to get out of the way.
“Shit,” she muttered, glancing down at her spattered legs and skirt. “Hopefully I can clean up before the interview.”
She entered the large lobby and was surprised to see that she’d have to go through security. The guard at the desk took her name and confirmed her interview time and location, indicating that she should enter the elevators and go up. Hurrying past the security desk, Ally pushed the call button for the elevator. The light board indicated it was in the basement parking garage. Biting her lower lip, she brushed at her coat and hoped she’d be able to find a ladies’ room to clean up in. Between the elevators, a plaque listed the medical, legal, and accounting offices on the lower floors. She knew that several known corporations had moved their headquarters to the building after 9/11, including MacLauren Computing. And there…
“Good God, you’re still a fucking mess.”
She immediately recognized that derisive tone and cringed. Before she could react, fingers wrapped around her
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