Free Brie Learns Restraint (After Graduation, #5) by Red Phoenix Page B

interview Marquis. She set the camera on the tripod first and then erected her light reflectors, adjusting them several times until she was satisfied. Next, she got out her list of questions and read over them a multitude of times, gradually getting more nervous as time passed.
    She waited a full half-hour before Marquis joined her. His stern countenance let her know not to question him about Faelan. “Would you please sit here, Marquis Gray?” she asked, pointing to the seat.
    He did so, stating stiffly, “I apologize for the lateness.”
    Brie smiled, trying to lighten his dark mood. “I truly appreciate you taking the time to meet with me today.”
    “Let’s begin,” he instructed, not allowing time for any small talk.
    Brie turned on her camera and made a few last-minute adjustments before sitting down next to it, so that it would appear as if Marquis was speaking to the camera when he answered her questions.
    “First, I want to thank you for meeting with me today, Marquis Gray.”
    “My pleasure, Miss Bennett,” he replied, without a smile.
    She jumped into interviewer mode, not wanting to waste a second of his time. “I am sure many are curious about how one becomes a trainer for the Center.”
    “It is not something you strive for. The Submissive Training Center looks for individuals who show extensive skill in a particular area. However, they must also have the patience needed to work with students.”
    “May I ask how you came to work at the Center, then?”
    “Headmaster Coen, who was simply a trainer at the time, noted my flogging skills and felt I would be a good match to be on the panel of trainers. I was not interested, until there was an incident with an inexperienced submissive at a club I frequented. I did not witness the abuse myself, but I saw the aftereffects. I regret I was not able to help the young woman, but I determined then that I would make it my mission to empower submissives so that such maltreatment would cease.”
    “Can you elaborate on the incident, Marquis Gray?”
    He raised his eyebrow. “Suffice to say the girl was permanently hurt. That is all I will say about it.”
    Brie knew better than to push the trainer, and went to her next question. “May I ask how you became a Dominant in the first place?”
    “I come from a large family with eleven siblings. I noticed early on that the religious beliefs my parents subscribed to valued appearances more than reality. I could not accept such duality.” A slight smile haunted his lips. “Instead, I sought inner enlightenment through pain, similar to the monks of old. Once I’d achieved a sense of self, I desired to help others attain it.”
    “How old were you?”
    His eyes pierced her when he answered. “I was ten.”
    Brie’s jaw dropped, but she quickly recovered. “When did you have your first scene with another person?”
    “I was thirteen. The girl was seventeen. She was lost. I aided her in regaining her inner purpose.”
    Brie had not expected such an answer, and had to think fast on her feet. “How do you feel pain helped her to achieve that?”
    “A person’s tolerance for pain varies with the individual, but there is a point common to all where pain forces you to focus on the present. Too much pain and that focus is lost. However, if you can maintain the correct level, you can keep a person at a point of awareness that is enlightening. Initially, that was my goal when I started flogging. However, I quickly realized the sexual allure of pain for many. I enjoy delivering both.”
    Brie’s loins trembled—she knew very well the pleasure he was capable of delivering. She cleared her throat self-consciously. “Going back to what you said earlier, you mentioned that your family is religious. Does that mean you believe in God, Marquis Gray?”
    He stared straight into her soul. “Yes, I believe in a higher being.”
    Again, she was stunned by his answer. She’d never considered that practitioners of BDSM would