“You’re dying?”

I couldn’t believe what she was telling me. One second she’s fully recovered from her ailments, and the next second she’s…

“You are kidding, aren’t you?”

“What would I make jokes with you about that, dear?” She coughed, practically hacking up her lungs just sitting there, her lit cigarette in her hand, the last place it probably ought to be. “If I wasn’t serious, I wouldn’t have come out here to see you in person.”

“If your lung cancer is relapsing on you, then maybe you ought to cut it out with the smoking, mother?”

“Oh Claudia, dear… I quit smoking years ago, and look what good it did me then.” She rolled her eyes, pulling the cigarette back to her mouth and inhaling. “I’m as good as dead already, might as well make the most of it.”

“Darcey has asthma, you know. You can’t just smoke in here.” I scoffed angrily, standing up and stomping my way to the window, trying to keep my house free from irritants. “Have some decency, you old hag.”

“Oh, I forgot just how sweet you are, sweetie… really~” She did it again, having very little regard to what I was saying. “Besides, I thought Darcey wasn’t a real person, isn’t that what you said, dear?”

“Is this about Bella again? I told you already-”

“This is about Alecia.”

Alecia… It had been years since I heard that name, and even longer since she had died. 12 years ago to be exact.

It had been 12 years since Alecia had been put down.

“What about her, mom?”

“You need to patch up your relationship with your sister.”

“My sister?” I paused for a moment, trying to ration it out in my brain. “Eugh, right… Candace…”

Candace.

Candace. Candace. Candace. Candace. Candace. Candace. Candace.

The name never felt right slipping off of my tongue. It was vomit worthy. Deplorable. Disgusting.

At least I thought it was at the time… but that was before I had to stop and take a cold hard look at who I was as a person, and as a sister.

“You’ve never once even called her that, have you?” My mother asked, and I simply shook my head no.

“What if she doesn’t forgive me, mother.” I paused, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed, saying nothing as my mother exhaled the smoke from her lungs. “I was very vocal about not supporting her when she… you know-”

“When she came out as a woman, you mean?” She asked again, and I nodded once more. “And then what happened?”

“And then my husband came out as a woman…”

“And then?” My mother kept pestering me for more, despite already knowing the answer.

“And then I came out and started buying up all the girls in the world, straight from Cyrus’ stock no less~” I sighed, leaving the window open as I took my seat again.

Or, alternatively, I could eat shit tripping over my stupid leg just trying to get back to my chair.

“God. Fucking. Damn it.” I whined, turning back to my mother as she held my cane out for me to take, which I did, violently swiping it out of her hand and climbing back to my feet. “I should just give up and have this stupid thing amputated.”

My mother sure did get a chuckle out of that one. “That’s what I did~”

“I’m fully aware, mom…” I limped my way back to the couch, not bothering to sit down across from her then. “Is that why you invented the cane?”

“One of the reasons, yeah… it is a fancy little piece of tech, don’t you think?”

My mother, Lilith Mariam, was the woman responsible for just about every piece of usable tech my family possessed, including the very fancy collars clasped to the necks of all three of my slaves. But it wasn’t limited to that of course, the cane I used to navigate around thanks to my stupid limp was also loaded with special advancements.

The technology in my cane alone could kill a person, and it had before.

“On the topic of slave technology. Your brother says he has a new girl to recommend to you~”

“Oh, of course he does. It doesn’t help that I buy every slave he recommends to me on the spot.”

“He’s good like that, I’ve trained him well.” My mother was also the woman who created the slave facility that my brother now ran, the lucky little punk just got that thing handed to him. “Little Zenna must get lonely around here, doesn’t she?”

“Are you sure this isn’t about Bella? Because you make it sound like it’s about Bella.” I scoffed, not wanting to get off topic. “You said this was about Alecia… what about Alecia?”

“You and I need to have a serious talk about Alecia here soon… but in the meantime, you need to make up with Candace for what you did to that poor girl.”

Alecia and Cardinal St. Clair. Mother and son. A beautiful little pair, at least for a while.

I didn’t know what to make of it at first. The kid was ten years old, there was no way a child that young could know for sure that they wanted to transition, and I, being only eighteen, didn’t really respect it from the beginning.

“Her mother didn’t have anything to leave her when she died, Claudia…” My mother, antithetically, had always treated Candace like one of her own children ever since her mother Alecia died. “I have things to give, and I’m not going to do that to her. Not again.”

“So you really are dying, huh?” I bit my lip, clutching my cane in my hand, not wanting to think about it.

“I know it’s hard, darling…But I will always love you, in this life and the next.” She smiled, taking notice of my cane in my hand. “Do you want my technology?”

“You know I’ve never had a knack for that sort of thing, mom. What would I even do with it anyways?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Have a little bit of fun with it, who knows?” She smiled, picking up her own cane and lifting herself to her feet.

“Have you told Cyrus yet?”

“Oh… that boy would have a heart attack on the spot.”

“And what about Candace?”

“Candace has been going through a rather rough time lately, from the sounds of it…”

“And I suppose you expect me patching up our relationship to somehow fix that?”

“You have to start somewhere.”

“So that’s it, you’re just going to stand up and walk away?”

“Pretty much.”

My mother was always a straightforward person for the most part, and it would seem that death didn’t really seem to change that. Even when she was faced straight down the barrel of it, Lilith Mariam was a fearless woman.

“Throw a party for me~”

On the contrary, it seemed like she would rather celebrate.

“A party?”

“And make sure to invite your sister, she’s a hell of a time, and her lady friend too~!!” Lilith smiled, shaking her head. “That doll’s a wonderful girl.”

“She’s got a lady friend?”

“That’s not my place to tell, why don’t you ask her~”

I helped my mother to the door, kissing her goodbye as she headed back home.

Sometimes I hated my mom, especially when she was right. But right now was not one of those times.

Right now I was just sad that I was going to lose her.

No, not sad. Angry.

I shut the door, beating my head on it for a few moments before turning back to the side room, clutching my cane in my hand. “Zenna MacNair!!! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!!!”

↞✶↠

“I’m sorry for hitting so hard, darling.” I sighed, admiring the beautiful sight of poor precious little Zenna. “Sometimes your master just needs to let her anger out.”

“Oh, it’s alright Ma’am. I understand.”

Oh Zenna. My precious Josephine had two slaves of her own, but I only had the one, and that was Zenna.

“Master, I-” She used to be so headstrong, until I got to her, and taught her what it meant to be one of my slaves. “Permission to worship, Ma’am?”

Precious little thing didn’t even need to wait for a vocal response before climbing onto the sofa next to me. All she needed was a smile to let her know that the answer was a yes.

Out of all the girls I’d possessed, Zenna was my favorite slave, but she wasn’t the first and she surely wouldn’t be the last judging by my track record. Like my little brother had done countless times, I had cycled through a number of slaves before. It wasn’t uncommon for arrangements like that to not work out in the end, especially when you purchase girls off of the zed list.

What’s the zed list? You ask, really? Has my brother not even stopped to explain anything to you?

Right, well here’s the basics of how the slave trading system my mother’s family created works, as explained to me by my brother: Which I’m sure just means it has holes in the explanation.

Class A slaves are the most basic ones-
They’re the ones off the streets, the people you’ll see on missing person posters in department stores that are most certainly owned by the types of people who are most likely to buy said missing persons off of the slave markets.

They’re nobodies. The unemployed, the homeless, the sex workers. People like Cecilia- errr, Elizabeth, is the name I think my brother came up with for her? I’ve never been good with adjusting to new names, that’s why all of the wife and I’s slaves get to keep theirs.

Speaking of our slaves, Darcey was a class A. She was just some disgruntled night shift box store employee, straight out of high school, kicked out of her parents house, an easy target for sex trafficking.

Class B slaves are the troublesome ones-
Not to say that they’re difficult to handle as slaves, because once anyone is put through the system, they become pretty fiercely put under our boot.

Troublesome in this case just means the kind of people who stepped too far, and crossed the family in a way that got them sent to the facility as punishment. That Sydney girl who Cyrus was seeing before he settled on his newest slave used to be one of his employees, until she fucked up one too many times.

There are a lot of other folks who are dangerously close to becoming class B slaves as well, including but not limited to that Fairmont girl, who is in possession of some particularly crucial information that I have a vested interest in keeping secret.

Autumn, stubborn headed problem child Autumn, was a class B as well. She was just a thug of ours at first, until she started stealing from the family. Needless to say, she doesn’t do that anymore.

Class C slaves are the special ones-
These ones are the ones who are often specifically hunted down on the request of a client.

They’re targeted, rather than picked at random. Sometimes it was just because a client wants a very specific celebrity or something, or sometimes it was for something they did, like class B.

The key difference there was that unlike with class B slaves, class C slaves had a pre-selected destination. They didn’t show up in the system like other slaves did because they weren’t ever meant to be up for sale, their existence as a slave is supposed to be hidden.

Zenna wasn’t always so sweet, but she was always doomed to end up in my hands.
I went to high school with Zenna MacNair, but back then she was my personal bully, a rough and tumble impoverished girl with family issues who took her anger out on the rich girl with a limp. She somehow turned out to be a police officer, so it’s probably for the best that she isn’t one of those anymore.

Where was I? Right, the zed list-

Regardless of what class of slave you end up being, you do not want to end up on the zed list.

The zed list was a gateway to hell where naughty slaves went to die. When someone on the zed list went up for auction, it was because that auction was their last. If a slave on that list goes up for auction and doesn’t get purchased, they are sent to the office of one Jane Colton, that is to say, they were functionally dead the moment they left the sale floor.

It could happen for a variety of reasons, the most common of which was being an unruly slave, but it could also happen to slaves who were theoretically perfectly fine who just never ended up getting purchased. The zed list was also a one stop shop for all of the slaves who were intended to go to a pre-destined owner, before said owner changed their mind before even getting to them.

In fact, class C slaves were practically on the zed list by default. In fact, Zenna got put on the zed list when I got cold feet and decided that I didn’t want her, who could stand to let their school age bully live in their house after all? It was seeing her on the list and knowing that she was doomed to die if I didn’t buy her that eventually made me change my mind back.

Zenna was impossibly overjoyed when she found out that I had decided to give her a chance at the last possible second, after finding out that I had changed my mind once she was already in the facility.

She venerated me for the fact that I decided to be merciful and allow her into my life, and she’s been an angel ever since.

Unsurprisingly, all of our slaves ended up finding their way on the zed list for one reason or another.

Problem child among problem children, Autumn Turner, practically held the record for fastest promotion to the zed list for her behavior, she was just that unruly.

Box standard Darcey Peyton also made it onto the zed list, her behavior was perfectly acceptable, exceptional even, but nobody wanted her, so she stayed in the system for years. The poor thing just got unlucky really, because it’s not like it’s her own fault her teeth are crooked, not all slaves can be beauties straight off the shelf.

All of these girls got recommended to me at the last minute by my brother, knowing that I just couldn’t help myself with them. They were the best selection of slaves who were on their last leg, and just needed another chance to get it right this time.

But there was one other reason that I could think of for a slave to get put on the zed list.

Being returned.

It was an extremely rare thing for a slave to be returned to the facility, oftentimes if they didn’t work out, they were just killed. That’s what my brother did to the slaves he didn’t like, they never got a final chance to find a better owner. If Liz couldn’t do better than the girls before her, she would have been killed, just like Sydney.

Of course not all people were as cruel as my brother. Sometimes owners didn’t want their former slaves to die, so they sent their slaves back on the promise that they would find a good home.

Which they often did not.

I was one such person who wasn’t usually so cruel as Cyrus was, but I never returned my slaves to the facility because I knew better.

I was the last line of defense for some of these girls. My brother knew that if I couldn’t get them back in line, no one could. A girl came to me because I was the only place for them to go.

But that just meant that unfortunately, if I had to get rid of one of my slaves, there wasn’t anywhere else for them to go. I didn’t like to do it, but when I had to get rid of one of them, I had to put them down.

Bella. I still missed Bella, and so did Zenna. But there wasn’t anywhere else for her to go.

Bella Springer was a doomed effort from the start really, because she came with a fatal flaw. She still loved her last owner, even though her last owner didn’t love her. Her last owner didn’t want her, I did, but she didn’t want to be with me. So she no longer is.

“Zenna, dear.” I stroked her hair gently, admiring the four leafed clover design shaved into the side of her hair, tracing over it with my finger for what must have been the thousandth time. “Do you still… miss Bella?”

“I think we all miss Bella, Ma’am.” Zenna shuffled in my lap, slowly sitting up next to me. “Why do you ask?”

Why did I ask? Why else would I ask, I couldn’t help but muse over the possibility of getting a new slave.

Cyrus had recommended someone new to me after all, and that probably meant that whoever she was, she was on the zed list.

“My brother has recommended a new slave to me.” I pondered how much information I really ought to give to her. “I was wondering whether or not to give her a chance here~”

“Have you met her yet, Ma’am? Last time you didn’t go see a slave you were recommended, they got sold, didn’t they?” Zenna smiled, trying not to pry too deep. “If you would like her, then I approve, Ma’am. Anything for you if you think it’s what’s right.”

I didn’t really want a new slave. But I couldn’t dismiss the idea offhand.

Because truthfully, everytime I end up taking a look at a slave, I end up buying them then and there. If I wanted to just let her go to another bidder, I would need to stay home… but last time I did that, the girl didn’t end up getting sold.

And she died.

“I’m considering it…” I sighed, lifting myself to my feet with my cane. “But for now, get back to work~”

↞✶↠

“Cut to the chase Cyrus, who is she?”

My little brother hadn’t even had time to come in and sit down before I was hounding him for more details.

“You know what happened to the last girl I bought from you. I’m not just going to bail an undeserving slave out of her rightful death again. If you think she’d be a good fit, you’d better tell me why.”

“Is this really why you wanted to see me? Couldn’t you just wait until I came to you?” Cyrus, a man always filled with ulterior motives, was stunned that I was being so upfront first thing after he got in the door. He hadn’t even had the time to recover from the little kiss on the lips I had greeted him with. “Who even told you anyways?”

“Mother did.” I swallowed nervously, frowning. “Did mother tell you what’s going on?”

“Yes.” Cyrus answered with a single word and nothing more. “And there’s four girls on display this week. One of which is on the zed list.”

“And who is that?”

“She’s this girl in the packet, the one at the very back.” Cyrus snarled, pulling a packet of information from his bag and holding it out for me to take. “The only reason I’m coming to you for her is because I know you like to save girls from impending doom. But if you’d rather pass on her, that’s fine by me… I can’t really say for certain that she even deserves a second chance, you just seem to take pride in being a safe haven for slaves on their last leg is all. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

I glared at him, swiping the packet from his hand. “What’s wrong with her?”

“…Wrong with her?”

“Why is she on the zed list, Griffin?” I rolled my eyes, needing to know whether looking at her profile was even worth it before putting in the effort. “Is she a troublemaker? Did nobody want her? Did her intended owner get cold feet? There has to be a reason, what is it?”

“She reached her intended owner’s side.” Cyrus sighed. “And then she was returned, less than six months later.”

I took a deep breath, exhaling my anger as I set the bundle of information down on the table next to me without even looking at it. “No. I will not be giving shelter to a slave whose last master didn’t want them. Not again.”

“Then don’t. Nobody’s making you. I’m just giving you the option.” Cyrus rolled his eyes, leaving the packet with me on the table. “If she dies, she dies. It’s no skin off my back. You’re the one who disapproves of killing slaves.”

“Ever since I put down a slave with my own hands for the first time, I haven’t really wanted to, no.” I turned away from him. “You know what happened to Bella. I’d rather not have another girl like that on my hands, I’d rather her blood be on your hands.”

“And that is why mother gave me control of the facility, and not you.” Cyrus continued, rubbing it in my face just slightly. “Like I said, if she dies, she dies. Her last owner would be none the wiser.”

“Well good for whoever that is, I guess.” I scoffed, responding with a sarcastic rebuke. “You make sure to give her a good rape session before she dies, okay?”

“I might just have to, yeah.” He sighed. “So why did you really want to see me, if you don’t want the slave?”

“I wanted to ask about Candace…”

“Candace?” Cyrus sounded shocked. “I’ve never even heard you say that name-”

“Look, I’m trying. Okay?” I protested. “And I’m going to try and patch things up between us.”

“Pfft. Good luck.” He rolled his eyes. “You’re going to need it.”

“Alright, listen. Mom wants a party before she goes out, and I want to invite Candace, okay?” I continued. “Does that sound reasonable, little brother?”

“It’s a good start, but Candace is leaving town tonight.” My brother snickered. “She’s on her way to San Francisco soon.”

“Oh, good!! That means I won’t have to deliver my invitation in person.” I smiled, skipping towards my desk and beginning to scribble something down. “You can do it for me~”

“Come again?” He was, again, very shocked. “That’s a little presumptuous of you, sis.”

“No, it’s not. You’re my little brother, and you’ll do as I say~” I sighed, trying to put a little bit of heart and soul into my little sister’s handwritten invitation. “I heard that she’s been having a rough time, and I want her to know that I’m going to be here for her from now on, I’ll make it a plus one event and everything, she can even bring her lady friend~”

“Having a rough time is a little bit of an understatement… her lady friend left her recently.”

“We all have to have our first heartbreak sooner or later.” I finished up the letter and folded it into the envelope before handing it off to my brother. “Make sure you get a picture of her face when she opens it, okay?”

“Everyone wants to use me as a middle man today. First mom and now you.” Cyrus just rolled his eyes and swiped the letter from my hand like I had with the packet. “I guess I have a plane to catch, huh?”

“I guess you do~” I escorted him to the door, giving him a hug and a kiss on the lips to say goodbye. “Love you, little brother~”

“I love you too, but you’ve gotta stop doing that.” He shuddered. “Just because dad does it to you doesn’t mean you can do it to everyone else.”

“Oh whatever, don’t be a buzzkill~”

I saw Cyrus out to the front door, waving goodbye to him as he and his assistant Phil drove away, returning back upstairs to my office shortly thereafter.

“Oh!! There you are, Ma’am~!!” Autumn was waiting for me outside of the door to my office as I arrived, bowing for me as I approached. “I have lunch ready to be served to you, Master. Will you be eating in your office today?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I think I will. Get to it, cutie~”

Oh the wonders of having multiple slaves, it was the only life worth living, and I couldn’t believe I let myself go so long without it. Autumn technically belonged to Josephine of course, slaves imprinted on one master, and not two, it’s just how their physiology works.

Autumn and Darcey answer to my wife first and foremost, and to me secondarily, which still includes treating me with due respect and referring to me as their master.

But Zenna- Zenna was all mine, and if we got a new slave, she would be too~

Cyrus left the paperwork on my desk. Now normally that wouldn’t be an issue, I had a paper shredder next to my desk, and I was just about to put it through when my curiosity got the best of me- which it often did.

Alright then, let’s get a good look at you.

I held it in my hand and flipped through it, swiping past the other girls on sale. “Abbagail Lyndsay… Daphne Scott… Lucy Barnett…” I stopped as soon as I got to her page. “Chloe…”

I was instantly taken aback by just how bizarre her profile was, it was practically blank.

The identity of her previous owner had been redacted of course, but as for her, she also had practically nothing on her. She had no last name, there was zero information about who she was in her past life, nothing on her behavioral issues, or the reason for being returned.

There wasn’t even so much as a photo. What was there was also extremely baffling. She was listed as “Chloe.” There was no last name, just the first name. Her number was #0000, and she was a Class C, which was honestly the most baffling part.

No one had ever returned a Class C slave back to the facility after they had reached their destination. Never.

And she was on the zed list. Great.

“Lunch is served, Ma’am.” Autumn returned with food after a few minutes.

I sighed, smiling at her as I closed the packet. There wasn’t going to be any help from me getting out of her fate, this Chloe girl was just going to have to impress some other owner enough to find a good home. I swept it aside, turning to the waste bin and dropping the paperwork inside.

↞✶↠

“Well hello there~!!” I smiled as I saw my father step inside. “I wasn’t expecting you today… to what do I owe the pleasure??”

He smiled, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me towards him. My father was always happy to see me. “Well hey there, doll.”

I chuckled under my breath, letting him plant a kiss on the lips before letting go of my lap and letting me step away. “Good evening, father~”

It took a few moments for me to finally notice, but eventually I did catch wind of the shocked and frankly kind of disgusted look on his assistant’s face. “Holy shit… what the fuck?”

I stepped back and smiled at her, rolling my eyes. “And good evening to you too, Mrs. Watts~”

“Never fucking do that again… please.”

“Oh calm down, Leah.” My father snickered, and for a moment you could hear his assistant squeak as he smacked her on the ass. “Don’t you worry, she’s just my daughter~”

“That’s what makes it weird, Sir!!” She growled at him, her face bright red with a combination of embarrassment and anger at getting her ass slapped by her boss.

Cardinal shrugged her off, moving on to the next topic of conversation. “So, your mother... what’s this your brother tells me about a party?”

“Mother, like usual, is being rash and impulsive… she wants a party.” I followed my father into the lounge. “She expects to pass in the next few months.”

“Good riddance-”

“FATHER!!!” I practically spat flames at him as I shouted. “No. That’s my mother you’re talking about.”

“Eugh. Death happens sweetheart. I was still married to Alecia when she died.” My father took a seat in my favorite spot, knowing very well that it was where I liked to sit. “Remember what you did to my Alecia before she died?”

“Alecia was a slave, father.” I protested. “My mother is an actual human being.”

“Right… keep telling yourself that.”

“What do you want, dad?” I snarled. “Because clearly you don’t care about the fact that my mother is dying, so get to the point, please?”

My father sat there for a moment, turning to Leah and nodding for her to explain.

“Aria Fairmont.” Leah sighed. “What does she have?”

“What does she have?” I scoffed. “She has 0002B.” I paused for a moment, and when I didn’t get a reaction from either of them, continued explaining. “Charlotte’s parcel?”

“And you’re sure that she has it?” My father responded.

“If I could prove that she has it, I’d have it back already.” I snapped back. “But yes, I’m sure she has it.”

Once upon a time, my sister brought a very pristine little thing to my house for a family gathering, and by the time she was gone, said thing had made off with something very important of mine.

I shouldn’t even know the girl’s name, but I do, and that’s because the dirt she uncovered was about me.

“I should like to have her hanged for that, you know?” I continued to snarl. “Like a crow.”

“Whoa. Holy shit.” Leah interrupted again. “Is she allowed to say things like that?”

“I’m an adult, Leah. I can say whatever I want.”

“Says the girl who hasn’t changed since high school.”

“I’m trying. I really am.”

“Yeah. Well I’m about to put a bullet in a recovering racist’s head if she’s not careful.”

“Threaten me like that again, and I’ll make you regret it.” I snarled at her. “I can see to it that you end up dead on the end of someone’s cock, just like little Sydney did.”

Leah had no response to that, just a shocked gasp, her eyes going wide with disgust just hearing me have the gall to mention her name.

“Alright, girls.” Cardinal interjected. “Calm down.”

My father had this way of commanding control over everyone in a room, regardless of who it was. It was enough to get to me, and I in turn was capable of getting Tallulah Paciente to kiss my feet with a few carefully placed words, but my father was in a league of his own.

“I’m sorry, Sir.” The two of us caught ourselves speaking unison, something which we both couldn’t help but smiling at.

“That was too far, I’m sorry.” I sighed, taking Leah’s hand as I apologized. “I’m trying to get better, I really am.”

“I trust you.” Leah smiled. “Thanks.”

“That party I mentioned earlier, you and your husband are free to stop by if you’d like, Leah~” I smiled, trying to be more polite.

“I would love to come, but my husband is dead, I’m afraid.” Leah scoffed. “That cheating rat bastard can rot in hell.”

“I’m assuming you put a bullet in his head, then.”

“No, actually.” Leah blushed. “I didn’t have to lift a finger~”

“Then who-”

“I did, sweetheart.” My father stood up, and smiled, putting one hand on Leah’s shoulder. “The punk crossed me once too many times. He was a shitty enforcer anyways.”

“I see… so what’s the plan then, you two?”

“The plan is for you to host your little party for your mom… and you-” Cardinal tapped Leah on the ass again, something which she very much did not like. “You’ll attend by yourself and be my eyes and ears, but in the meantime, I need that parcel back.”

“From Aria, you mean?” Leah responded. “Aria’s with Candace right now-”

“There’s a problem with that then.” I grinned. “Candace is leaving the state tonight~”

The two of them both looked at me like I had electrocuted their mother’s to death, which kind of made my skin burn. “Oh come on, I didn’t deadname her, did I?”

“It’s just very weird not hearing you do that, dear.”

“I guess you have changed since high school, huh?”

After a long drawn out conversation about things that I, and frankly you, don’t really care about, I bid my father adieu. Kissing him on the lips and making Leah squeal with discomfort as they left, seeing him off like I had my mother and my brother already today.

I guess everyone in the family is coming to see me today, huh? I paused, sighing under my breath. Everyone except-

“Ahem.” My train of thought was interrupted by one of my workers. “I caught your little rascal digging through your office on the cameras. What should I do with her?”

Nell Monet, my primary enforcer here at home, was someone who I hired after my last enforcer was shot and killed by a group of drug addicts. But ever since I’d hired them, things seemed to go pretty smoothly.

They were basically my version of Leah Watts or Phil Burke, a right hand man to keep the pesky little slaves in line here at home… and it looked like they had apprehended one such slave red handed.

“Darcey…” I sighed, seeing my slave being held by her pretty blonde hair in my enforcer’s hand. “You’re usually such a good girl, too~”

“I’m sorry, Ma’am.” Darcey pleaded. “If I had known it was inappropriate, I wouldn’t have been doing it, I swear. I respect your authority too much to misbehave…”

I sighed, taking a quick glance down at my cane before slowly making my way over to the pair of them. “What did she do?”

“She was digging through your bin, Ma’am.” Nell held the paperwork I had tossed out for me to take. “Is this something you wanted disposed of, Ms. Mariam?”

“It was, yes.” Darcey shut her eyes in fear as I approached, swiping the paperwork from my enforcer. “Leave us.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” They nodded, finally letting go of Darcey. “Let me know if you need me.”

“Will do.” I sighed, taking a good long look at the packet before shifting my gaze onto my slave. “Do you have anything to say for yourself, girl?”

“I’m sorry, Master.” Darcey dropped to her knees without even needing to be told to. “It won’t happen again, I’ll remember this.”

“I’m sure you will, Darcey. Because I won’t let you forget it.” I picked the end of my cane up from off the floor, pointing it at her.

Darcey flinched, cowering in fear as the cane got closer to her, and I can tell that her fear was only growing as I pressed the cane to her collar, rather than smacking her across the face with it.

Click. Zap.

It was always a hassle trying to carry around more than one controller at a time, that’s why I always carried my cane with me.

At least partially, the main reason I carried it around, despite being thirty-four years old, is because I would fall over without it.

But it was also really nice just being able to grab ahold of my slaves by the collar with nothing but the steel rod I used to walk with, and sending a dangerous volley of electricity through their bodies.

“Now what were you doing in my office?”

“I was taking out the trash, Ma’am. Trash day is tomorrow.”

“And so you decided to dig through my trash instead of disposing of it?”

“I couldn’t help myself, Miss. But I know better now, it was a mistake, I won’t make it again.”

“You had better now.” I snarled. “Back in the good old days, slaves had neither the right nor the ability to read, and if I was in control, it would still be that way, little missie~”

“Yes, Ma’am. I am so dreadfully sorry…”

“You’re forgiven, dear.” I pressed a button on my cane, watching her face light up as it detached from her collar.

“Really, Ma’am?”

“Yes, really.” I smiled. “Now fly along little bird, go show Josie some love~”

“Yes, Master. Thank you.” She smiled, bowing for me before she ran off. “I love you so much, Master.”

And that’s where things stood for a while.

I shredded those documents and got rid of any trace they were ever there.

I had made up my mind about not getting a new slave.

Until I hadn’t.

↞✶↠

I yawned, stretching my body out for just a moment before rolling over to the woman in bed with me. “Oh Josephine, darling~”

Two days had passed, and the only thing that had consistently been on my mind was that name, Chloe. Not my wife, not my slaves, but that name. It stuck to my brain like a song on loop.

“Josie, dear?” The sun had just set, but I needed to shake her awake before she fell asleep for good. “I need to speak with you about something~”

“Is it about the slave girl?” Josie slowly and groggily sat up in bed, still reeling from a hangover. “Because if it is, can it please wait until the morning?”

“It can’t wait until the morning, my love. That girl is on the sale floor right now.”

“I thought you said she wasn’t going on sale until tomorrow?”

“I told you that yesterday, darling.”

“Right.” Josie winced, holding her aching head. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay sweetie~”

Josephine Jacquel was the prettiest woman I knew, but she hadn’t always been that way. When I first met her, she was the prettiest boy I ever knew, yet she was still the prettiest thing I had ever laid my eyes on.

“Oh pretty girl~” I smiled, sitting up in bed behind her as I stroked her gorgeous red hair.

Pause. I can see the confusion in your eyes reading all of this. You have questions.

Candace and Claudia have a strained relationship because Claudia didn’t support her little sister when she came out of the closet.

Claudia has a wife. Claudia and her wife have three slaves, who are all women, which means Claudia is a lesbian. Claudia’s wife is somehow coincidentally also a transgender woman, just like her little sister is, which seems super ironic and too unlikely for it to actually happen.

But if Claudia is all of these things, then how could she not support her sister’s transition?

And the answer is complicated. But this might be the only chance I get to explain it to you, so I’ll try my best-

Demographics in Florida are weird, like everything else in Florida is. Though we may live in a city, we live in a city on a small island barely connected to the mainland which is practically owned by the mafia.

I grew up in a mafia family, which was not only Catholic, but also happened to be quite wealthy and conservative. To say that I hated the idea of same-sex marriage back when I was first old enough to vote would have been pretty accurate.

I was a conservative catholic girl growing up in a family that pretty heavily adhered to the idea of women being subservient to their husbands. My father owned slaves and raped his goddamn maid after all, and part of the agreement between my mother and father during their divorce was that ownership of the slave facility would go to my little brother Cyrus, and not to me.

By the time I was an adult I had pretty much come to terms with the fact that my little brother would become the head of the family, and that I would instead marry into some other powerful family in order to give them their own sons to inherit their father’s legacy.

But then Cardinal Jr. came along and did the unthinkable. He was a total accident, but he had been a perfectly fine boy up until he was old enough to think for himself.

That kid was ten years old when he decided that he wanted to be a girl. When he insisted that he was a girl… and his mother just let him.

There’s an eight year gap between myself and my little sister, which meant by then I was an adult who had made up my mind about my own views.

If I had tried to even so much as say that I liked women back then, my mother would have smacked me upside the head and made me swallow one of her cigarettes, which she did.

I was a good little conservative girl at heart because when I tried to come out and tell my mother that I didn’t want to marry a boy, she corrected me.

When I tried to insist that I didn’t want to be subservient to my future husband, regardless of what the bible said, my mother was there to set me straight. But when Candace came out as a girl, there was no one to take her aside and shove a bar of soap down her throat, so it felt like it was somehow my responsibility to set her straight like I had been set straight.

She needed to be corrected, but absolutely nothing could break her, not when she had her mother behind her. Being my father’s slave, Alecia couldn’t stand up to me, but she was endlessly supportive of little Candace, and I hated her for that.

Why couldn’t my mother have been that supportive of me as a child? Why did it take her until Candace was an adult to tell me that she’d always be there to support me? Why did it take her until I was Candace’s age now to apologize to me?

I didn’t support Candace at the time, not because I thought it was fundamentally wrong, but because I had been locked into the closet for my whole life, and that just didn’t seem fair.

Somehow Candace was the thing that made my mother change her mind, not me, Candace- whose mother had always been supportive of her from the very start.

But everything changed when I eventually met Josephine.

Imagine me having never held onto a successful relationship with a rich boy in my life, 26 years old, giving into my desires and attending a burlesque show for the first time- and seeing him.

I wouldn’t have even been able to tell that he wasn’t a woman if I didn’t already recognize him. The heir to the Jacquel family- a family of drug lords.

His feminine beauty was enough to get me on board immediately, and I married a drag queen, the closest thing I could get to a real woman until she actually came out as a woman.

Of course she was a woman. I was always a lesbian, even if I didn’t self identify as one, just like she had always been a woman. Just like my little brother had always really been my little sister.

What we had was always taboo, I was so close to embracing my own sexuality, but I was also very close to losing her then and there… I would have left her if it wasn’t for one thing-

“Did Autumn put Lillian to bed already?”

I’m not just her wife, I’m the mother of her child. I was seven years old when my parents finalized their divorce, but Lillian was still only five now, and she was three at the time.

Unlike my mother and father, Josephine and I still loved each other, but she just couldn’t keep going without acknowledging how she really felt. She couldn’t be a father.

She’s just as much Lillian’s mother as I am, and I’m going to make sure that I’m always there to accept her for whoever she grows up to be, just like I wished my mother had been.

Just like Candace’s mother had been for her, until she passed away…

“I’ll be sure not to wake her up on my way out.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the facility.”

“But I thought you didn’t have an appointment?”

“I don’t. But my brother owns the facility, and he got it from my mother.” I slowly climbed out of bed, trying to get myself dressed in something fancy, but not too fancy, my cane in hand to make sure I didn’t fall over. “She wants a party, the least she could do is let me use her name to get into the facility~”

↞✶↠

I never went anywhere alone, I didn’t have to, I had assistants to drive me places and take care of the things that were beneath me, and this was Russel’s job, not mine.

They weren’t slaves, they were actual people, which unfortunately meant I had to pay them and treat them according to law. It was a little bit disappointing, but I couldn’t really trust slaves to do this kind of thing.

Something about knowing that you or someone you love is about to die really puts things into perspective for you. My mother wanted a party, so she was going to get a party.

But before I could focus on making sure my mother’s last celebration was a night to remember, I had to get this girl off of my mind. My mother was dying, and I couldn’t stop that, but I could at least make sure that this Chloe girl didn’t die as well.

“I’m going downstairs now Jane, either escort me to the basement, or fork over the elevator key.”

“But I can’t just-”

“Yes you can, now do as I say, or I’ll send you to your own office to be put down.”

I was fortunate enough to inherit some of my father’s innate power to intimidate and overwhelm anyone I came across.

“Y-yes, Ms. Mariam. Right away, follow me~” Jane led me downstairs, not bothering to argue any further. “I really must protest this, though. We have other clients who actually made appointments.”

I didn’t have an appointment, because I was sure that I wasn’t going to be buying her, but now that I was here I was just glad that I had come to my senses and decided to give her a shot.

I’m throwing a party, which means I need maids.

That was going to be my internal justification for buying her, if I decided that was something I was going to do, which I wasn’t planning on. I wasn’t there to buy her, I was just there to take a look, and nothing more.

I stopped outside the door, there it was, she was on the other side. This was literally the last possible moment I could have to get a look at her before it’s too late. I had rushed here as fast as I could, but at least I had made it just in time.

“Look, I know I’m not supposed to be here, but I just-” I put my hand up to the handle, taking a deep breath and shaking my nerves off before opening the door and stepping inside. “I’m only going to be a minute, I swear.”

The door closed behind me, and whatever the response I may or may not have been getting from the people who worked here went quiet behind me as the silence of the small saleroom took over.

My eyes scanned across the room at eye level, which for me was a lot higher than most people, giving my above average height, the room seemed relatively empty. It had been a few years since I had done this, so I forgot to expect the slave to be kneeling when I first stepped inside, but once I realized that I looked down, and there she was.

Oh Lord…

I froze for a moment when I saw her, which was fine because it seemed that the poor girl was much too busy looking me over from head to toe. Which I could appreciate, even if she ought to be keeping her gaze down, it was just one point of justification towards not buying her.

But I could excuse her for not being able to keep her eyes off of me, almost everyone found themselves in awe of my height. Besides, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her either.

Holy shit…

I felt myself letting go of the cane, hearing it settle against the wall as I found myself needing to get as close a look of her as I could. I was able to walk to her without it, but she most certainly took notice of it propped up against the wall.

“I’ve only got you for a few minutes, before they come in to drag me out of here~” Even as her gaze drifted over to the cane, mine stayed fixed on her kneeling body as I stood in front of her, looking down upon her delicate little beauty from above. Her profile hadn’t come with a picture, so I didn’t know what to expect, but I was more than stunned with what I got.

Just look at you~

She looked up at me, finally letting me stare her straight in those gorgeous hazel eyes of hers. Those eyes were full of fear, but all it took from me was a little smile and a wink to help ease the tension in her pretty little ginger brain. “But I just couldn’t resist~”

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. You could almost hear the gears in her brain going off as she looked over everything I had to offer, wide-eyed as she took it all in, and there was a lot for her to take in, which she clearly wasn’t ready for. “I- I’m sorry… I wasn’t expecting anyone else today, Ma’am.”

“I know you weren’t, I didn’t really set up an appointment, but I just couldn’t stay away…”

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, and neither could she.

She took her time adjusting to my presence, which I allowed, if only because she was being polite. She hadn’t expected to see me so it was only fair that she was caught off guard, it just gave me more time to admire everything she had to offer.

Wavy orange hair, hazel eyes, sharp eyebrows, puffy cheeks, pouty round lips…

One thing struck me about her appearance more than anything else, because her appearance was a lot more than the sum of her parts, that was for sure. She was one of the prettiest little pictures I had ever laid my eyes on, and for good reason.

She looks like Josephine.

The resemblance was uncanny, and for just a moment I let that get the better of me, because the instant I found myself getting lost in those eyes was the instant I felt my knee buckling under my weight. I dropped to my knees in front of her, but even as I knelt I towered over her, and she took note of that, which put an eager smile on my face. “It’s kind of a last minute decision, but last time I passed up on the chance to come see a slave day one, they were gone before I got a chance to come take a peek.”

It was a rather soft way of putting it, but it was technically true. The last time I decided not to come look at one of the slaves recommended to me, she ended up getting killed.

And I almost made the same mistake here…

I was simultaneously kicking myself for being so stupid that I almost let last time repeat itself, and patting myself on the back, relieved that I had changed my mind at the last second.

I almost let a beauty like this die, just because I didn’t want her to end up like Bella ended up.

But what really was the worst that could happen? How is dying like Bella died any worse than being put down here?

Answer: It’s not.

“But you… you were recommended highly, why is that?”

Come on, Claudia. Don’t just let her pretty looks rope you into buying her. She needs to be useful to you, or she isn’t worth having. She may have some of Josie’s looks, but she’s not Josie.

I bit my lip excitedly, trying to curb my excitement even as I continued to stare at her cute little curves. Talking myself down from buying her even as we spoke.

She’s a slave. Her life isn’t equivalent to that of an actual person, no matter how cute she is- She’s still just gator bait.

“You’re pretty… but I’m not after pretty, I need a maid.”

You just happen to be very pretty gator bait… but I’m no croc.

I was saying that for my own benefit as much as I was saying it for hers. Most slaves who came through here were sex slaves, there was little chance for this one to be any better of a slave than any of the other girls. If I couldn’t justify buying her over the other girls on the sales floor, I couldn’t justify buying her at all.

“A- a maid?” That excited her. It was a sign, the cute little thing was like a dog whose ears suddenly perked up at the idea of getting to go outside for a walk. The slave mongrel was eager to get out of its cage. “I can be a maid…”

“Oh yeah? Where are you from?” I had the biggest smile on my face just hearing her speak, I couldn’t look away from those cute little eyes of hers, I wanted them so badly. “What did you do before all of this?”

Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes. This I can work with.

“I… well I’m from California, but-” She faltered under the weight of my presence, blinking first and looking away, her gaze drifting down to the floor below. It was more than just a sign of submission, it was a plea.

Slaves liked to cling to this idea that not just any person was worthy enough to belong to, it was a belief that helped protect them more often than not, even if it was fundamentally wrong. This girl could belong to anyone, and she should be grateful for it.

But that decision to lower her gaze, not just out of instinct, but voluntarily tilting her head downwards to break eye contact with someone who’s gaze was challenging you to keep staring, was her blinking first.

And blinking first was the way that slaves acknowledged you as someone worthy of obeying. She was asking for it and she didn’t even know it.

“But, I can be a maid… I have more than the basics that they teach here, I’ve been properly trained as a maid, Ma’am.”

But no matter how much either of us wanted it, desire still wasn’t enough. I need you to be useful to me, Chloe.

Right, I should probably ask her what her name is, just to make sure I even have the right girl. It would be really awkward if I somehow made a silly mistake like that.

“I’m curious where you learned those, exactly… What’s your name, doll?” I had already one that little staring contest, there was no reason to stay on the floor, especially knowing how far above her I was. I stumbled to my feet, struggling just slightly without my cane, but I managed. I wanted her to think I didn’t need it for now.

“Gosh, I’m in such a rush that I’m forgetting to even look at your paperwork…” I made my way to the table, forcing myself to look away from her just long enough to get a look at her paperwork. I didn’t feel the need to look at it when I came in, I may have shredded the copy I had at home, but not before I had memorized everything that was on it. There was nothing on the packet that I didn’t already know.

“Chloe. My name is Chloe, Ma’am.”

Oh thank god, she answered quickly. There was no way I was going to be able to keep my eyes off of her for long enough to look at her paperwork. I just needed confirmation that she was who I thought she was.

“Chloe is a pretty name, I like that… apparently you have no last name though.” I set the packet aside without even reading a single word on it, too eager to get my hands on her to keep my eyes away. She had no last name, I remembered that much without having to read it off of a slip of paper. “Is there a story behind that?”

The answer: yes. Of course there was a story behind that. In any case where you find yourself wondering whether there was a story behind something, there was always a story behind it to be told.

“It’s complicated, Ma’am… I-”

It just wasn’t a story that I cared about hearing right now, I did already know the answer after all.

“You’ve been owned before, right. That makes sense.” I picked my cane back up with my dominant hand and twirled it, partially just to show off, but partially to seem menacing. If she thinks that I’m going to leave because she was a used slave, she might try harder to convince me she was worth it.

“I don’t mind that, at least at face value… it means you’ve been properly trained on being a maid, and you theoretically know how to fully devote yourself to someone, and trust me, that’s quite important to me… but what gives me pause is the fact that you were returned for some reason…”

I stared at my cane for a moment before pointing it at her, remembering all of the things that I had to do to Bella with this thing. I put the end of it under her chin, mere inches from being able to activate her collar as I tilted her head upwards. If she turned out to be like Bella, I was going to treat her like Bella. “Why did that happen, Chloe?”

She swallowed nervously, but she didn’t resist. “Permission to speak freely, Ma’am?”

“Permission granted.”

“There is a lot that I can’t say about my last master without giving away her identity, and keeping her identity safe is very important to me, especially right now… but things just didn’t work out the way she was expecting them to.” She relaxed into my control, and even as I pulled my cane out from under her chin, I could feel the control I still had over her. “She liked me, and I liked her, but her family didn’t like me so much.”

She’s still in love with her last owner, not a good sign. That’s 2-2 Chloe, you had better give me a good reason to buy you here soon.

“Family business is always dreadful business, isn’t it?” I set the tip of my cane back down on the floor, trying not to fall over. “I’m fortunate to have a very loving family myself~”

As much of a loving family as I can have from a mother who didn’t approve of my decisions growing up, and who loves my little brother more than I. A father who still very much thinks of my little sister as his heir. A brother who’s just a complete psychopath. And a little sister who still hasn’t forgiven me for what happened between us.

If her former owner’s family is anything like mine, I’m really not surprised~

“I grew up in a foster home, Ma’am…” Her voice was nervous, but measured. Polite, even as she lowered her head back down. “I’ve never had so much of a family, so it was quite devastating that hers didn’t like me.”

“You poor thing!” I scoffed. Fuck, she’s an orphan. Of course she’s an orphan, I shouldn’t be surprised. She needs a real family, and I was very desperate to give that to her. “That’s absolutely dreadful.”

She was exactly the kind of girl I went for, one in need of rescuing.

“It wasn’t too terrible Ma’am, you shouldn’t worry about me.”

“Oh hush… I’ll worry about you all I want.” I shook my head, looking down at the time as I cooed at her, watching the time I have with her slip away. I need to make a decision, and I need to make it soon. “I hate the thought of parents abandoning their children… I would never do such a thing to my kids.”

Time to speed things up a little, how is she with kids?

“You have kids, Ma’am?” Her response didn’t seem to betray the idea that she was alright with kids, but it wasn’t the most confident of answers, she probably had her own mommy and daddy issues which were far worse than mine.

“Just one. As well as a loving wife to help me take care of ‘em~” I bragged, and why shouldn’t I brag? Josie and Lillian were my pride and joy, and if this girl wanted to be a part of our family, she needed to be able to serve them just as well as she can serve me. “But don’t let that intimidate you, I suppose…”

“Intimidate me?”

“My wife and I are looking for a maid. We have a large home, and neither of us are very keen on doing the housework when we can have servants do that for us.” I took a quick glance towards the door as I stepped towards the slave again. I could hear the chatter of Phil Burke and Jane Colton outside, which meant I was likely to be escorted back upstairs soon. “My wife and I are very much in love… but I just know for a fact that she wouldn’t be able to keep her eyes off of you~”

She blushed, and it lit up the room. That was it, that was all I needed.

She’s gay.

Now I myself don’t think of myself as gay, but I love cute gay little things like her, and she was blowing me out of the stormy blue water. I couldn’t get enough of her.

“And don’t get me wrong, I can share… but my dearest wife already has two slaves, and I really am after a maid, and not much more.”

I was lying through my fucking teeth. I wanted little rosy cheeked orphan annie here suffocating in my cunt as soon as I could possibly get her there. But I couldn’t betray my mission, not just yet. I didn’t have the time to fuck her here and now, but I absolutely would if I could, from the looks of the table behind me she had already been raped at least once today, and I desperately wanted to put her through that again.

But I masked my excitement with a stern expression as soon as I felt myself stumbling, gently kneeling in front of her so that I could get one last look into her soul. “I’m being nice now… but I would expect a level of perfection from one of my slaves~”

“As you should, Ma’am.” She spoke without hesitation, clearly excited by the idea of serving as my slave. “Regardless of who my master is… they deserve perfection.”

And I’m going to get perfection out of you, my dear.

“I like hearing that, I really do.” I gave her a smile and a wink before standing back up, hearing my brother’s goons outside getting ready to come in and get me. “Though, I am afraid that it’s time for me to go…”

“Thanks for coming to see me, Miss.” She gave me a smile, still blushing. “You’ve been my favorite all day…”

That was probably the best thing I’d heard all day. “I hope you find a good home, Chloe.”

Mine.

“I hope so too, Ma’am. Thank you…”

Oh yeah. This one is mine.

↞✶↠

I stepped back out of the room of my own accord, letting Phil escort me back upstairs and to the office of Rachel Hastings, who was currently acting as my brother’s secretary while he was away.

“Does she have any offers yet?” I couldn’t stand the idea of waiting any longer, this girl was going home with me, and she was going home with me tonight.

“None yet, Ms. Mariam. But I think one of our other clients was certainly considering-”

“How much do I have to bid to close the auction up front?” I was willing to let someone else walk away with her when I got here as long as she found an owner, but now that I’d gotten my hands on her, I wasn’t going to let her fall into the hands of another bidder. “I’ll pay however much money it takes to buy her outright. I want to take her home tonight.”

“That’s… certainly a possibility, Ms. Mariam. I can phone your brother for you if you’d like?”

“No need. I’ll do it myself.”

And so I did. I called my brother, and I bought her then and there, closing the auction on the spot. Once my brother let me go, I made my request for modifications, and I waited. Eager to get my hands on my new slave~

I knew it was going to take several hours to get my hands on her, but I was willing to wait, so I waited. A rather long time no less, but as soon as I found myself getting bored, I received a pleasant surprise.

My phone rang.

“Hello?” I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered it. “This is Claudia.”

“Hey, Claudia, this is Candace… can we talk?”

“Yes.” I couldn’t help but smile, finally getting to hear from her after so many years. “Please, I’d like nothing more.”

“I’m not coming. I’m sorry.”

My heart just about broke hearing her say that. My mother wanted Candace to be there, and honestly, so did I. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sorry… I just don’t know how comfortable I’d feel after… you know-”

“I understand, really. You don’t need to justify it.”

“Thank you…” She sighed from the other end of the line, relieved that I took it so well. “Maybe next time, if you’d like to invite me to another party-”

“I’m going to invite you to just about every party I ever have from here on out, I promise.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Of course I mean that. I love you, Candace.”

There was a brief pause, but even without a response, I could tell that she was happier than anyone else hearing me say her name for the first time.

“Parties aside, you’re welcome to stop by at any time, really.”

“Thank you, sis… I probably will one of these days-”

“But you should get back to sleep, huh?” I smiled, holding the phone close to me to help me hear better over the commotion behind the desk. “You’re in California, right? Isn’t it pretty late over there?”

“Yeah, I probably should.” She yawned, confirming my suspicions. “We’ll talk again soon, right?”

“Of course we will… one moment-” I pulled the phone away from my head, about ready to shout at whoever was making noise behind the desk, before I realized what the commotion was.

“Oh. I’m afraid I’m going to have to let you go darling… but it was nice getting to hear from you again… I hope we can talk again soon… I love you… buh bye~”

“Goodnight, Claudia… I love you too.”

I quickly decided to wrap up my phone call so that I could get at her as soon as possible. I couldn’t help but smile as I saw her, and so did she when she got a look at me.

“Was that your daughter?” She sounded loopy, but adorable.

“That was my little sister, actually.” I smiled, watching the brief looks of panic in both Phil and Jane’s faces, but I didn’t care. I had what I wanted right in front of me. “I haven’t heard from her in years… but she’s out on a trip, and she decided to give me a call~”

“That sounds nice.” The cute little thing was such a chatterbox, but I didn’t mind, I could correct her tomorrow. “Where is she now, then?”

I was blanking just looking at her, the exact details getting away from me as I stared at Chloe’s body in awe. “Oh, it’s slipping my mind… somewhere in California from the sounds of it.”

“I’m from California.” She was just so pretty as she rambled on, that was a girl that I wanted to rape. “San Francisco, to be exact.”

She seemed to be proud of that, but hearing her say it did help remind me. “I do think she’s in San Francisco now, actually~”

The cute little thing seemed frazzled, and not just because of the drugs, it was like she was staring straight into the face of some revelation, but couldn’t put the pieces together. “Are you… the one who bought me?”

“I am indeed~” I waved the workers off from behind her to back off, licking my lips eagerly. “I just couldn’t let you end up as property of someone who was going to mistreat you.”

“I appreciate it.” Her smile was overtaken by her blush, the cute little thing had no idea just how many ways I was going to be mistreating her when I got her home.

“Do go on and show me some respect, young lady.” I couldn’t help myself. I needed to whet my appetite with a little something here and now if I was going to get her back home alive. So I scolded her, but I did it lightheartedly. “I do own you now, you know. Show me the due respect that I deserve, my darling little maid~”

I was going to do my best to take good care of her, hopefully she wouldn’t miss her last owner too badly. I wanted her to like it at home with me.

“Yes, Ma’am. My apologies.

And she did as she was told, showing her respect to me by bowing down to me, just like the rest of my girls. “Much better~”

“Thank you, Ma’am…” I could hear her swallow audibly as she straightened out her posture, trying to demonstrate her training to me. “I won’t let you down, I promise…”

“You’re one of my belongings now, then…” I held my open palm out towards Jane. “I don’t suppose I have any other belongings to pick up, do I?”

Ms. Colton nodded her head, retrieving the personal items that had been delivered to her when my new slave had been dropped off here, holding the small bundle of things out for me to take and inspect, which I did, reaching in and pulling a single thing from out of the bag.

“Oh, bloody excellent… so your collar is one of my family’s.” I took the bracelet and wrapped it around my wrist. It was less me style than something that Candace would wear, but for now it would do. Nothing was going to stop the absolute delight currently bubbling up from inside of me from coming out.

“Y-your family?” The poor little thing couldn’t get her eyes off of the controller to her collar. “What about your family, Miss?”

“It’s your collar. My family designed these collars for our slaves, I have three currently strapped to the throats of my girls at home, it’s perfect.” I pressed just a single button on the controller, basking in delight at her reaction as she watched it turn on. “And that means I already know exactly how to use it~”

“Y-yes, Ma’am… that… that’s great…” There she went again, staring in the face of some revelation that she just couldn’t wrap her head around. “Your family… wh-what did you say your name was, if I may be allowed to ask?”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that… my siblings and I all use different last names anyways, which are in turn different from our father’s last name.” It was cute watching her swallow nervously as I approached her. There wasn’t much of a way for me to describe my family, they were a story for another day anyways. For now, she was the only thing on my mind. “We don’t have much of a family name for you to be able to recognize anyways…”

I wrapped my hand around the head of her collar and pulled, making sure it was tight around my slave’s neck. That collar wasn’t coming off. Ever.

“Yes, Ma’am…” There was a flicker of excitement in her eyes as she readied herself to pledge her loyalty and obedience to me for the first time. “My name is Chloe, and before I begin to serve as your slave, I would love to know the name of the woman who I belong to… may I ask your name?”

“Of course you may, darling.” Now that she was mine, there was no harm in letting her know who I was, and making sure she knew that I was someone that deserved the utmost respect out of her.

I extended one hand towards her, watching her closely as she gently placed her hand in my palm, and then she kneeled at my feet. Perfection.

“My name is Claudia Mariam. My colleagues call me Ms. Mariam, and my wife has the distinct honor of getting to call me Claudia, but you, my slave…”

“You are to call me Master.”

She knelt there in silence, but after a few moments I could see the light in her eyes and the smile on her lips as she excitedly lowered her lips to the back of my hand and placed a kiss on my gentle skin.

“Yes, Master. Thank you… I won’t disappoint you, I promise.”

“I’m counting on it, my little Chloe~”

I couldn’t be sure who was happier, her or I… but I could tell that the joy welling up in her chest as she struggled to hold back her tears was genuine.

She looked up at me for a few moments, before her eyes slowly closed… and then she collapsed.

I hummed under my breath, shaking my head at her as I picked up the phone to make one last call for the night. The poor little thing fainted~

“Oh, Josephine dear… there’s someone I’d like you to meet~”