Free MASTERED: (The Novel) by K.L. Silver Page A

mouth;
the cab beep-beeped its arrival. Rescued from a simple question to which the
answer would be far more complex, she laughed self-consciously. To cover her
consternation she scolded him playfully, teasing that he was worse than a dog
with a bone.
      At
the sound of the now-blaring horn, Christopher at last looked up from the
computer. Missy adeptly avoided the quizzical glance he shot her way. With a
nervous smile, she withdrew from the room, closing the door behind her.

 
 
    Chapter
22

 
    Grabbing purse and sweater, Missy
practically sprinted from the house. She skidded to an unexpected halt on the
front porch, confused. A look of puzzlement clouded her features, quickly
replaced with delighted comprehension. Making her way around to the driver's
side of the taxi, she leaned towards the opened window to explain the change of
plan.
    Grateful to see an unfamiliar
face behind the wheel, she dug a five dollar bill out of her purse. Proffering
it, she apologized, thanking him kindly for his trouble. She saw the annoyance
in his eyes slowly dissipate, and he smiled back despite the wasted trip. While
he accepted the outstretched bill, he apologized for doing so.
    Turning, she took a few tentative
steps in the direction of her car. Magically, there it sat, smack in the middle
of the driveway. It hadn't sparkled
like that since it was new. Well,
new to her . Missy's heart melted and unexpected tears blurred her vision.
    Thankfully, it was no longer
necessary to navigate the logistics of retrieving her vehicle. The task had
weighed arduous on her mind. Her heart palpitated irregularly just at the
thought of seeing James. There was only one word for the effect he has on her
mind and body.
    Submissive...
    Shaking her head in disbelief,
Missy climbed into the driver's seat. Immediately enveloped by a sweet floral
aroma, she scanned the newly-detailed interior for the keys. No luck. They
weren't in the ignition or anywhere else that she could see. What she did
discover, however, caused her heart to cease its palpitations in her chest, and
begin to thump wildly in her ears.
    Resting on the passenger seat was
a single, long-stemmed red rose, a small box, and a note. Picking up the rose,
she accidentally pricked her thumb on a thorn. Mesmerized as a droplet of blood
sprang forth, she inhaled from the fragrant bloom of the identical hue.
    Licking at the blood to stem the
flow, Missy opened the box. She was unaware of the involuntary gasp that escaped
her. Instead of the keys she expected to find, she discovered a beautiful
silver choker with a tiny circlet pendant. The filament was so delicate that it
appeared as hardly more than a shimmer against her throat. The equally elegant
pendant rested perfectly within the notch where her collar bones met.
    She couldn't stop touching it or
looking at herself in the rear-view mirror. She paid no mind to the late hour or
the repercussions she would suffer as a result. Her wide grin was as brilliant as
that of the iridescent chain. She managed to drag her eyes away from it, but
only to read the enclosed note from her Master.
    Master? Struck
dumb by the word she chose to describe him, Missy focused wholly on the
missive. Her hand trembled as she reached for it. “Good morning, little one. I trust you slept well, if not long. I
appreciate your entrusting me with your address and phone number, not to
mention your luscious mind and body. Given time, you shall come to realize that
I am worthy of such trust. And given trust, you will come to surrender
considerably more to me. In fact you shall surrender heart, mind, body and
soul. In turn, I shall never forsake such precious gifts. The keys are under
your seat, my lovely - which I imagine is still burning with memories of me.”
    It was signed simply “James.”
Missy quite literally panted like a bitch in heat as she read, then re-read his
words. Luckily, her choice of underwear was made of much sturdier stuff than the flimsy ones of