Free The Training of Toby (Masters of the Mansion Book 2) by Suzanne Steele

disposal to not only discipline him, but to also solidify the fact he was her property and make sure he obeyed her in all things. She relished making it known in a public setting that he belonged to her, and he loved every minute of it. Being Rene Murphy’s property filled a void in his soul that no one else had ever, or could ever, fill.
     

Mistress Diamond
    Mistress Diamond circled Toby as he kneeled at her feet in a pose she had directed. He sat on his haunches with his knees spread apart, his palms were open and faced upward towards the ceiling, and his back was ramrod straight.
    “That’s very good, my little pet. Now, get up and follow me over here to the wall. I’m going to show you some standing positions.”
    She noted that Toby watched her closely as she pulled a piece of chalk from her pocket and led him to the wall where she drew a circle. “This is a favorite of Master Richard’s; he subjects all of his slaves to it. Okay, come here and place your nose in the circle. Very good,” she encouraged him. She continued, “Now, fold your arms behind you, bent at the elbow with your hands resting on the opposite arm. Very good, now here is where it gets hard. Raise up on the balls of your feet.” She chuckled as he almost toppled over. He regained his balance, tried again, and, this time, succeeded for a couple of seconds.
    “Okay, now let’s try this. You’re going to stand here with one foot a little behind the other on the balls of your feet. Interlock your fingers behind your head. This is known as the slave position. That’s it. You’re such a good boy.”
    She took a moment to study him before she spoke again. “These poses not only teach you obedience, they also teach you things like grace and balance. Grace isn’t a trait limited to only female slaves. Every slave should exude an air of grace and elegance; it brings honor to his or her owner.”
    “Yes it does, doesn’t it?” she heard Master William speak from the doorway. She hadn’t even noticed him enter the room but, then again, she’d learned to accept his stealth and ability to stalk unnoticed years ago. She never knew when he was going to enter a room uninvited or jump around a corner and pin her to the wall. One thing she did know, after years of being with her Master, was that he was always watching, waiting, and listening. Stalking was as much a part of his personality as any of the other odd attributes he possessed.
    She noted Toby’s cringe when he recognized Master William’s voice and was about to dismiss him but Master William beat her to it. “You may go now, Toby.” Though he addressed Toby, his eyes were locked on her. She could feel them as much as she could see them.
    She nodded when Toby looked to her for permission to leave. Though Master William was her Master, Toby looked to his owner for direction, as he should. She was grateful for the fact that he was looking to her for guidance, but she was concerned that his dislike for her Master was becoming too obvious. She knew her Master well enough to know that if he picked up on it, his sadistic nature would insist he torment Toby. Despite suffering from it himself, he viewed jealousy as a weakness and her Master loved nothing more than to find a person’s weakness and exploit it. It’s just who he was.
    Mistress Diamond stroked Toby’s cheek and spoke, “Go and practice what I’ve taught you today in your room.”
    She watched him walk away and could tell that he was resisting the urge to give the man who interrupted his training a dirty look. It was like Master William always interrupted any time she spent with her pet and she knew Toby resented it. Toby went out of his way to be in her presence and Master William went out his way to prevent it. The fact that they were at odds with one another was already evident. It was a constant struggle between the two of them but it was a struggle she knew Toby could never win.
    “You’re too gentle with him,” he