Wicked Beloved
captured
her mouth with his.
    At first she started, her hands flying to
his chest, but she didn’t push him away. He kept kissing her,
chaste, soft kisses, while running his thumb along her jaw, along
her cheek, encouraging her to open more to him. She surrendered
with a tiny willing sigh.
    His hands moved to cover hers, still pressed
against his chest, while his tongue flicked inside her mouth.
Caressing her with incessant little strokes that hinted at
connection rather than satisfied, he provoked her response, waiting
until her tongue brushed his with increasing enthusiasm before he
pulled back. She leaned forward, her mouth chasing his kiss. This
time when he caught her chin, she looked up into his eyes.
    “ I promised you I would
not hurt you. So hitting you would never be okay. Have you got
that?”
    Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears, but
she smiled. “Yes, Master.”
    “ Now please put my couch
back together.”
    * * *
    By mid-morning, Lagi showed up at the door.
Dzer-Jin sent his pet down to the corner shop for snacks, more as
an excuse to get her out of the way than for any need of
comestibles. He knew Lagi had come for the gossip on his break with
I’eke, and would probably have his own bloody advice on how to deal
with his pet’s misconduct. Those descriptions she didn’t need to
hear.
    Slouched on the couch, Lagi swigged from the
flagon of frothy sloe Dzer-Jin handed him. “I’eke told me how your
slave acted toward her. How do you do that? Break ’em yet keep ’em
so fiery? This gets out, everyone’s gonna to want you to train all
their females. Is she wild in bed?”
    Dzer-Jin paced behind the couch where Lagi
couldn’t see him. “I wouldn’t know.”
    “ What do you use? Cane?
Razor?”
    “ Nothing like
that.”
    “ Wait, go back, what do
you mean you don’t know?” Lagi swiveled on the cushion to face him,
eyes widened in surprise. “You haven’t bedded her yet?”
    He shrugged, hoping he appeared more
detached than he felt. “She was injured.”
    His friend frowned. “Surface stuff.
Certainly nothing to get in the way of a good rutting.”
    “ Leave it alone,
Lagi.”
    “ What’s her purpose if
you’re not fucking her?”
    “ Leave it.”
    Lagi ignored the warning growl in his tone.
“I’m just saying. You feed her and clothe her and give her shelter.
You should get something in return.”
    “ Don’t worry about
me—”
    “ But you should get something —”
    “ I do,” Dzer-Jin snapped
before realizing that was not the way to end this
conversation.
    “ What? What do you get?”
Disbelief dripped from Lagi’s tone and he raised an
eyebrow.
    Dzer-Jin strode around to the front of the
couch and flopped onto the cushions beside Lagi. He tried to
contain his irritation, as it would be more appropriately directed
at himself than at his friend. What did he get, indeed? He liked
having her around. But companionship wasn’t a valid answer. You
could pick up a companion anywhere, you didn’t have to buy one, let
alone bring her home. Although her thoughts were unique. That was
something.
    “ Tellurians provide
fascinating conversation,” he offered.
    “ They can provide a lot
more than that,” Lagi scoffed. “And she should be.”
    “ I don’t wish to rush her.
Her former master didn’t handle her right. I want her to come to me
when she’s ready.”
    “ You want more than her
compliance,” said Lagi slowly, narrowing his eyes. “You want an
attachment.”
    Dzer-Jin glanced away, debating how to
answer Lagi and at the same time realizing his failure to
immediately deny the allegation was tantamount to an admission of
guilt. “Yes,” he murmured, then turned to his friend with a fierce
snarl. “And if you tell anyone, I swear I’ll kill you. Very
slowly.”
    Lagi laughed. “Hey, don’t worry about me.
You want an attachment, that’s fine. I approve of all kinky
stuff.”
    * * *
    When she returned from the shop, proud of
how well she’d managed on her own,

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