Chapter 63
CHAPTER 63
NORTH CAROLINA
B ryson watched El leave the building with Eric. Tension melting from his chest with each of their retreating steps.
Back in the ballroom, the guests were being ushered into the back garden, and staff were swarming the area. The layout changing for this evening’s dinner.
And the entertainment.
He tried to stay calm. The evening’s entertainment included him and his brothers performing. Adria hadn’t revealed what they would do, and the suspense was driving him crazy. Additionally, the thought of a hundred pairs of eyes watching him made his stomach churn.
Wanting to tell Kaydon that Elena had left, Bryson made his way back to the party. On his way, a clean-cut kid blocked his path, fixing him with an icy stare.
Bryson took a step back.
The kid’s hands curled into fists at the sides of his expensive suit. Bryson didn’t miss the slight shake as he approached.
“You’re one of Adria’s charges?” the suit asked.
The accusatory tone confused Bryson.
“You three were a disgrace at the preview,” he said, his nose crinkling, like he found even talking about it disgusting.
Who the fuck was this kid?
The boy appraised him with auburn eyes, before shaking his head.
“Do I know you?” Bryson asked.
“Adria is my Mistress. I’m just happy your time is up, so she can stop wasting her time with you and be with me.”
Bryson went still. Stunned.
My Mistress.
He looked at him, closer this time.
Early twenties at most. A submissive. One from Adria’s past?
A seed of doubt appeared, but Bryson brushed it aside.
Seeds only grew if you watered them.
Adria was their Mistress. Bryson had never been more sure of anything in his life.
And looking this kid up and down, he didn’t look sure. Instead, Bryson thought he looked like someone had just killed his dog.
Bryson said, “I don’t know who you are?—”
“Cole,” the kid said, sniffling.
“I don’t know who you are, Cole ,” Bryson said, invading Cole’s space. “Why do I not know who you are, Cole ?” Bryson continued, voice low and threatening.
Cole stepped back, confusion on his face.
Bryson said, “Because I’ve been with Adria a year, and she has never mentioned you.”
Cole’s face twisted in pain.
“Now if you want to have a more intimate conversation about who Adria is to you,” Bryson stepped closer still, “we can go somewhere more private.”
Cole’s eyes bounced as he glanced between Bryson and the exit .
“Otherwise,” Bryson said, “get the fuck out of my way.”
Indecision played on Cole’s face before he sighed and allowed Bryson to move past.
“You don’t deserve her,” Cole’s voice said behind him.
“I know.”
When the stage was set, Bryson positioned himself beside his brothers. Nerves settling in, Bryson found it difficult to hold still.
His body tingled, remembering the last time he and Adria had performed. But, this time his brothers vibrated next to him. Stage fright was an understatement. Adria had made it perfectly clear what she expected this evening. Complete and total obedience, and Bryson was dead set on giving it to her. Seth and Kaydon would have their own struggles no doubt, but he needed to ensure she understood that what he had said this morning was not bullshit.
If that meant embarrassing himself in front of one hundred people, then so be it.
People filed back into the hall, ready for their dinner and their show. For once, Bryson had no issue keeping his eyes on the floor.
He felt Adria before he could see her. Her energy, as always, was impossible to ignore. Even his brothers shifted beside him. It felt like she spent ten minutes just standing there, lording over them.
No one spoke, including the guests. The room descended into silence, anticipation heavy. Bryson could guess the question many of them had.
How was she going to top the previous performance ?
Truthfully, Bryson had wondered the same thing. The thought both thrilled and terrified him.
A crack of a bullwhip split the silence, and Seth jumped beside him. Bryson’s heart galloped harder, and he stole a glance at Kaydon, whose face had broken into a wide grin.
Let’s go.
The whip cracks continued behind them. Bryson reminded his body what his mind already knew. They were not in danger, but his inner dialogue did little to dissuade his flesh, especially when the fall of the whip made contact with his right shoulder blade. The sting cut into him and caused his teeth to clamp together and his lips to tighten.
Adria hadn’t chosen her weapon by accident. It was the same one Crest had used against Kaydon. Except Adria was giving them a small taste of what Kaydon had endured. But to the onlookers, she was showing who the real Domme was. She was showing them how she could do it better and with less force.
Bryson glowed with pride under her hand. Cunning and smart but she didn’t need to be cruel to gain power. No, she had gained her status by being herself.
“On your backs,” Adria’s voice boomed behind them.
All three of them lay flat on the floor, the skylight towering over them. Bryson watched the last bit of sunlight receding into the shadows on the ceiling.
Adria’s painted lips came into view. Whip in hand, she radiated power.
She swung her hand back, and the belly of the whip moved over her shoulder. Bryson braced for the impact he knew was coming. His eyes wanted to shut, but he stayed focused on her face. Locked onto her eyes.
She waited, as if she was willing him to move. Wanting him to dissent. When he didn’t, she turned to her audience .
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have a unique treat for you this evening,” Adria said.
“We have a stable boy who can not only submit but also Top. How many of you have wanted to try the opposite side of the sash? Or watch someone else put in the work, while you enjoy only the rewards.”
Adria paced along the stage.
“Bryson Winters, would you stand up?”
Adria’s arm pulled back in a grand gesture. Bryson moved, realization dawning on him.
When he was standing, she stepped aside. Giving him the floor.
Frozen in place, he stood on the stage, staring out at the sea of people. The awkward silence stretching in front of him.
He waited for Adria to give further instruction. But she made no more acknowledgement of the situation. Instead, she moved deeper into the crowd, standing next to Dianne.
Bryson’s limbs were stiff and heavy. He tried not to focus on the people watching him, the urge to run settling over him like a shining, bright lightbulb.
A tap on the shoulder drew his attention. Eric held a medium-sized duffle bag.
“Courtesy of Mistress Federov,” Eric said, handing the bag to him and walking away.
Bryson unzipped the duffle, aware of the uneasy silence that had filled the hall. His eyes scanned the contents. The bag seemed empty. Bryson shuffled his hand into the fabric, knowing there had to be something inside. His fingers wrapped around a small cylinder first, and after he felt a tiny swath of fabric. Bringing the items into the light, he glanced up at Adria.
She nodded to him, and that was all the permission he needed. He felt warm under her gaze and knew in that moment that he could do this. He wasn’t going to let her down.
When Bryson threw the red lace underwear in front of Kaydon and Seth, he was no longer nervous. He was an instrument of Adria. If these people wanted a show, he would give them a show they would never forget.
Kaydon raised an eyebrow, and Seth turned a glorious shade of pink.
“Put them on,” Bryson said. His tone left no room for arguments.
A rush of adrenaline hit him when the two put on the female panties Adria had provided. No questions, no hesitation.
The pair stood awkwardly in front of him, and Bryson moved to each of them, giving their new underwear a firm tug.
The fabric pulled between their legs and into their ass cracks; as Bryson forced the fabric to ride unnaturally high.
He then pulled out the supplied lipstick.
Taking his time, he painted the deep red on Seth’s lips, only to move and sloppily place it on Kaydon as well.
The red smeared across Kaydon’s face. And Bryson grabbed his chin forcefully. “We’ll have to find something useful for you to do with that whore mouth of yours.”
Kaydon’s pupils dilated, but his eyes narrowed. He would need more of a push if he was going to be pliable.
“Kneel,” he said to Kaydon.
Kaydon stayed where he was, staring at Bryson.
The two watched each other wordlessly.
Bryson gave him a lopsided smirk.
I got you .
When Kaydon knelt, Bryson didn’t feel like he had won. He felt honored that Kaydon had trusted him enough to let go.
Bryson moved in and kissed the side of Kaydon’s neck, whispering into his ear, “You can do this. Just remember, right before it goes black is the hardest.”
When he saw Kaydon’s confused expression, he almost laughed.
Moving behind him, Bryson snaked his arm across Kaydon’s neck. Bending at the elbow he hooked his arm in.
Kaydon was in a chokehold before he knew what was happening.
Bryson pulled his kneeling body backwards, keeping him off balance.
The blood choke didn’t require a restriction of air. It only required pressure on the carotid arteries. Kaydon’s body was frozen with surprise for the first ten seconds. But after that his limbs went into struggle mode, his body fighting.
Bryson whispered words of encouragement into his ear. Kaydon shook under his grasp, but he held onto enough control that he didn’t punch or strike out at Bryson.
When his body fell heavily into his arms, Bryson let go, laying Kaydon’s limp body on the floor.
Seth’s pretty fucking mouth was hanging open. His red flush matching his—lipstick-filled—lips.
“He better wake up happy,” Bryson said to Seth.
Seth got the hint and moved quickly. He peeled the red lace to the side and took Kaydon into his mouth.
When Kaydon started to come back to consciousness, Bryson sat on his chest, making sure his face was the first he saw.
“Such a good fucking whore, look how well you are doing,” he said to Kaydon .
Kaydon was barely conscious when Bryson grabbed him again.
He didn’t press hard, but he put his hand on Kaydon’s mouth, restricting his air this time. Leaning down to his ear, he whispered, “I think I want you to come while you’re unconscious. Have you come down Seth’s throat while you’re lifeless on this fucking floor?”
Bryson bit into Kaydon’s neck, marking him.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Kaydon moaned when he bit him.
Bryson stood and grabbed a hold of the underwear Seth wore.
He pulled until the wedgie lodged itself so far up Seth’s ass crack that Seth squirmed in pain under him.
“Keep servicing your brother,” Bryson said firmly.