“You disappoint me.” His fingers are on my cheeks, wiping my tears. “I was going to take you, sweet bird, I was going to take you and love you, but you have not been good for me.”
“I’ve been trying so hard,” I say, and I have. I have tried so hard.
He shakes his head. “You held back, Magpie, I know you did. Don’t lie to your master, tell me you held back.”
A sob, a desperate sob. “I’m sorry, Master, Vincent. I held back.”
“One final chance,” he says. “For our guests, pretty bird. You have disappointed them.”
“Thank you! I won’t hold back!” And I’m smiling, grateful.
He lowers me onto the bed, and this time I won’t fail. I’m hungry, begging, forcing myself onto fat cocks before they can even position me. I lick and I suck, and I grind and I moan and I beg, and I give everything. Everything. Every. Fucking. Thing.
I give everything until I’m a twitchy used mess, in a slippery pool of filth. My hair is slick and my lips are crusty, my asshole is on fire and my pussy is too sore to touch.
And then it’s over. There is no more.
Vincent approaches and my heart soars to see he is smiling. He takes off my cuffs and kisses my forehead and I could burst with relief and joy.
“That’s my good girl,” he says. “Wasn’t that beautiful?”
I’m nodding, beaming, delirious and full of love.
“Yes, Vincent, Master, it was beautiful. Thank you.”
He holds me tight and it feels so nice.
“I’m so proud, sweet bird. So very proud.” He forces my eyes to his. “Do you know what this means?”
I shake my head, I have no idea what it means.
“It means that all of our lovely guests have already agreed to come back next week. All of them, Magpie, what a perfect treasure you are.” His eyes search mine. “That’s good, isn’t it? Isn’t that wonderful?”
And I nod. I smile. I daren’t let him see my tears, in case he takes his love away.
“You’re a lucky girl, Magpie, so lucky.”
“Yes, Master, I am lucky.”
Bodies gripped me, but there was no pain here. They twirled and danced with me, shifting to the beat. My heart was racing, thumping, head spinning, but there was no pain. These masks weren’t twisted and hostile, they were welcoming, holding out hands for a twirl, for a passing hug. I slammed into muscle at the top of the dancefloor and started backwards. Masque gripped my arms, stopped me from falling.
“Steady there,” he smiled. “You nearly went ass over tit.”
I balanced myself against him, and his scent was so familiar from times of old. “Thank you, si –” I almost called him sir, “sorry.”
“No apology necessary.” I could feel his eyes on mine through the hollows of the mask. “Are you alright, Faye? You seem a bit out of it?”
“I’m having fun,” I said. “I just lost my balance.” I let out a breath. “I’m fine,” I said, and I meant it. “Venetian masks can be a little disorienting for me.”
“Enough of them here,” he laughed. “It’s quite an affair, you should be proud.”
A shiver ran through me at his words. “Thank you. It was a team effort.”
He leaned in close as the track reached its crescendo. “No Andy?”
“He’s busy. In the office.”
“Shame, he should be out here.”
Yes, he should. I didn’t voice it. “I hope he’ll be joining us later,” I said, and Masque nodded, pointing over by the bar.
“Talk of the fucking devil,” he laughed. “He’s right over there.”
***
Chapter Twenty One
Andy
Topaz smiled as she slid over a whisky, and her eyes spoke too much. Way too much.
“Is she upset with me?” I asked. “Clearly she is.”
“She’s upset,” she said. “She worked hard on this.”
“I can tell.” I took a sip. “Tell me, Topaz. In two years have you ever seen the place like this? This… alive?”
She shook her head. “No, Mr Morgan. Not in my recollection. We have heavy nights, and quieter nights but this night… this is something else.”
Bloody masks were everywhere, and it made it hard to see what the hell was going on on the dancefloor. Some groups had broken off alone, indulging in kinky filth games brought about by Topaz’s cards, but the main thrum was packed thick with revelling dancers. I could just about make out Raven and Cara amongst it, and a few seconds later I spotted Masque at the back, tall enough to see over the rest of the bodies. He was pointing at me, and I raised my glass, only for my breath to catch as I saw Faye alongside him.