The Master Read online

  Perhaps, but she would have to prove herself to be completely rid of Price’s power over her before he could do so. He knew that another episode like the one he’d just experienced would surely spell the end for him and Serena.

  He cracked open one eye and gazed sidelong at her. Her eyes closed and her lips slightly parted, she slept.

  How beautiful she was and how angelic and pure in sleep. He wanted to pull her into his arms right there and protect her from anything and everything that could harm her.

  But the harm was already done, and he was no longer sure he had the strength to remedy the situation.

  He leaned back once more and devised the plan he hoped would sort everything out. If he was to have a future with her and if she were to have any future at all, he had to ensure his plan worked.

  While Serena slept, he pulled out his laptop and proceeded to send out a message to all the invited guests.

  Chapter 7

  Serena

  Serena awoke to find Sebastian writing furiously on his laptop. The moment she sat up to see what he was doing, he turned to her with a secretive smile.

  “What are you up to?” she asked.

  “Fixing Price once and for all. I’m also hoping to alter this reputation of yours. I’m going to make sure everything Price did with you in front of the music industry’s elite is forgotten.”

  “Not to brag or anything, but the shows Price and I put on are pretty unforgettable. How do you plan on making them forget?”

  “Well, maybe they won’t actually forget what they saw, but I’ll make sure they never talk about it or use it against you in any way.”

  She glanced at the computer screen. “So what is that? You’re sending out emails?”

  He nodded. “To every guest invited to Price’s yacht… and then some.”

  “How did you manage to get his guest list?”

  “I didn’t, but I took a good guess. So far I haven’t missed. I’ve received a response for every email I’ve sent out, all confirming they received the initial invitation and are delighted with the changes I’ve made.”

  “First of all, aren’t they receiving the emails with your username on it? And secondly, what changes?”

  He smiled his secretive smile again. “First off, I created an account with a username that is close enough to the one Price uses. People who receive the emails won’t really notice the difference… at least no one has yet.

  “As for the change… tomorrow night’s party is to be a masquerade ball.”

  Serena giggled and shook her head in confusion. “Why? What’s the point?”

  “The point is I want to be there.”

  Her lips parted in disbelief as his scheme started to take shape. “Sebastian, have you lost your mind? You can’t be at Price’s party. Think of what the papers would say if they ever got wind of this.”

  “They won't, because no one will know I’m there. That’s the whole point of the masquerade.”

  “But every single one of those guests expects to see something… to see a show… a show with me and Price. How are you going to explain that Price isn’t there?”

  “I won’t, because I will be Price.”

  His plan was just getting crazier by the minute. “Please tell me you're joking.”

  “Why? I’ll be in costume… I was thinking something along the lines of a Musketeer.”

  “And me?” She had to admit she was intrigued by the idea.

  He arched his brow in conspiracy. “My damsel in distress.”

  “Fair enough. So people won’t recognize you on sight, but the moment you open your mouth, people will realize it’s not Price.”

  “If it pleases milady, me thinks we need to do a wee bit of shopping once this plane hits the ground.”

  Serena couldn’t help but laugh out loud at his outlandish cockney accent, but she wasn’t quite convinced it would trick those who knew Price so well. “How about if I just tell them you have laryngitis?”

  “Why, I think me accent is just fine, if I do say so meself.”

  “And where do you propose we find such costumes on such short notice.”

  “Fear not, my fair maiden. All is taken care of.”

  ***

  The time for the charade had finally arrived. Sebastian’s costume included swashbuckling boots, an impressive sword and a large brimmed hat adorned with a large white plume atop his long curled wig.

  Serena, in a costume resembling a young and demure Marie Antoinette, was stunning in an elegant green silk gown that billowed over miles of crinoline. As a personal touch, Sebastian had offered her the gift of a beautiful emerald hairpin as well as a pair of exquisite emerald earrings.

  To complete their masquerade, they each had a mask; Serena’s of ostrich feathers and Sebastian’s in black leather.

  In addition to his Musketeer costume and Serena’s ball gown, Sebastian arranged for a horse and carriage to bring them out to Price’s impressive yacht.

  “No license plate to be trace,” he explained.

  “You’ve thought of everything.”

  “Any advice you can give me before we start this charade?”

  “Okay. It’s important you remember this,” Serena said. “Price has a staff of five on board the yacht. Wyman, the bartender, Faulkner at the door, Maxime and Powell who serve drinks, and Keegan, who keeps an eye on everything to make sure no one gets out of hand.”

  “Wyman, Faulkner, Maxime, Powell and Keegan… got it.”

  “Price rarely talks to Maxime and Powell. To him they’re just lowly waiters and of little importance to him. Wyman, he’ll occasionally go see to have a drink or bottle of champagne brought to a particular guest. As we enter, give a curt nod to Faulkner and a sound pat on the shoulder. Nothing more. I’ll lower my mask momentarily, just enough to show him who I am, and he’ll automatically assume you’re Price.”

  Sebastian nodded.

  “As for Keegan, he expects a nod from Price every once in a while, just to let him know everything’s good.”

  “Got it.”

  The carriage stopped and Sebastian helped Serena down.

  “Think we’re fashionably late enough?”

  “Price usually arrives half an hour after the time set in his invitations. Says it helps build anticipation for his arrival.”

  “How humble of him.”

  “Now, as far as the guests are concerned, Price usually doesn’t mingle too much before a show. He might engage in conversation with a particularly interesting guest or two, and by interesting I mean the guy has tons of money and doesn’t know what to do with it. Other than that, he usually waited until the end of the night to dig his spikes in and make some sort of deal or whatever.”

  With Serena’s arm hooked into his, they approached the yacht and Sebastian let out an impressed whistle.

  “Hell, this is his yacht? I’ve seen cruise ships that were smaller.”

  “And the interior is just as impressive.”

  Just before they reached Faulkner, Sebastian stopped and turned to Serena.

  “What is it, Sebastian? Are you getting cold feet?”

  “No. Now that you’ve given me all your directives, I’ll give you only two. Whatever happens, follow my lead.”

  “Okay. What else?”

  “From now on, you call me Price. As much as I hate hearing the sound of his name, especially on your lips, I’ll grin and bear it tonight.”

  “I have a better idea. How about I call you Aramis instead? He was always my favorite Musketeer.”

  “Aramis it is.”

  Serena nodded, took a deep breath and braced herself for the night to come. Although it was to be the same guests as she’d seen so many times before, tonight was going to be vastly different from the rest.

  “Now,” Sebastian said. “How do I look?”

  “Delicious,” she purred. “Can you wear that later tonight when we’re alone?”

  “If you’d like.”

  “Like? I’d love. You
in those sexy tight pants… and that mask? There’s something devilishly dark and mysterious about you right now and I would like nothing more than to be ravished by you.”

  “Stop it,” he whispered. “If you continue talking like that I’ll have an unmistakable bulge in these tight pants.

  She giggled. “No problem. Price always walks around with a hard on in his pants.”

  A tense silence lingered at the mention of Price and his cock. Serena knew it would take a long while before the incident stopped smarting, but for now, she still couldn’t believe she’d let herself fall into such a distasteful position. She’d done many things since meeting Price, and had often questioned many of them, but to be sandwiched between two men – two men who disliked each other – she simply couldn’t fathom the frame of mind that allowed such a thing.

  Sebastian was right; Price had a hold on her even she had underestimated. She was like Pavlov’s dog; all Price had to do was wag his cock in front of her and she’d jump at the chance to suck him until he spilled his orgasm all over her.

  For all her attempts to break free of him, she had to seriously question whether she was truly in love with Price. Was it more than just the control he had over her, or was there veritable affection?

  She gazed sidelong at Sebastian. Even behind the mask, he was as attractive and appealing as a man could be. So tall and strong, he could arouse her with a blink of an eye, with a wicked grin or with the back of his fingers brushing along her skin.

  And he was such a good man, such a delightful and passionate lover and such a devoted friend. He had everything she wanted; everything she needed.

  Then why did she constantly return to Price? It made no sense.

  She had to make up for what she’d done to him. She had to find a way to make him forget what he saw of her with Price.

  Biting her lip she thought of the plane ride and how she’d tried to seduce him. After she’d awakened to discover his plan, he’d lost his cheery cockney accent and had become so quiet and so reserved. It was almost as if he weren’t there at all.

  She’d leaned into him and had tried to kiss him, but he’d pulled away. His tight grin was filled with regret, but he nonetheless pulled away. She’d persisted, running her hand over the gentle swell in his pants. Soon the gentle swell was a rock hard erection that begged for release.

  Sebastian leaned back and surrendered as she pulled his erection into her mouth and gently sucked on him, bringing him to the brink of an orgasm only to slow down the pace and let him regain control. Repeatedly, she brought him to the edge, closer and closer, but the moment she felt the telltale pounding that announced his oncoming orgasm, she pulled away.

  “You’re going to kill me.”

  “I know you can take it,” she whispered into his cock. Her lips brushed along the tip and as Sebastian pulled in a long strangled breath, she licked his length, pleased to see another drop of pre-ejaculation semen ooze from the tip.

  “No, I can’t.” His fists grabbed each armrest and his legs were stretched out in front of him, stiff with anticipation. He tilted up his hips, but didn’t go so far as to push her head into him.

  She took it as a sign he wasn’t quite ready. For all his requests to relieve him of the tension of that pent up orgasm, she knew he wanted more. She stood, pulled up the skirt of her dress and dropped her panties to the floor.

  “What are you doing?” he asked with a shaky breath.

  She turned her back to him and bent over, giving him a view of all she had to offer him.

  He groaned deep in his throat and reached out to touch her, but resisted and gripped the armrest once more.

  Swaying her hips from side to side, she slowly lowered herself over him. She reached between her legs to get a hold of him and guide him into the soft, moist folds of skin that were sure to give him the mile high orgasm he so desired.

  For an excruciating moment, she held the tip of his cock within her moistened folds, waiting for him to beg for the rest of her heated sex.

  “Serena,” he hissed.

  She swayed from side to side, the motion tugging lightly at his tip of his cock.

  He leaned his hips up, but she pulled away just enough to keep him from entering her more.

  “Serena.”

  “What do you want, Sebastian?”

  “Fuck me.”

  “Do you like my ass?”

  “Yes, and I want your ass to sit on me, completely on me.”

  She dipped down an inch.

  “Fuck me.”

  She settled down another inch.

  “Fuck me,” he screamed. “Ah, woman. Fuck me.”

  Swaying her hips from side to side, she rode all the way down on him and pulled her, bringing a ferocious cry from Sebastian. Quickening the pace, she still swayed from side to side, slapping her ass to his belly with each sway.

  “Oh Baby,” he cried out as he gripped her ass and pounded out his orgasm. “Serena!”

  Now, as Serena looked ahead at Faulkner at the door of the yacht, she wondered if Sebastian had any intention of putting on the show Price had planned. Granted, she knew it wouldn’t be a good idea, she was still intrigued and aroused by the idea.

  Then again, she knew her ordeal with Price was already pushing him away. How much more of this could he stand before he simply gave up on her entirely? He was a loving and patient man, but even he had his limits and she feared he was closing them.

  For a gut wrenching moment, she considered the possibility of losing him. It would kill her to know she’d lost such a good man because of someone like Price. But if everything that had happened proved to be too much for him, would he ever be able to put it all behind him – behind them.

  She put the thoughts aside as they walked on and she pulled her chin up to pull off this charade as best as she could.

  Passing by Faulkner went off without a hitch, but when Sebastian turned to head left instead of right, Serena had to gently guide him.

  “Maybe you should just follow me.”

  Sebastian took on the role of the amorous Musketeer nipping at the heels of his fair maiden, while Serena curtsied and bowed to the guests. Most were fully costumed, though a few limited the gesture to a simple mask and feathered cap.

  All gazed into her plunging neckline. The tight bodice of her dress pushed her breasts up until she was certain they’d pop right out.

  The high powered men nodded and bowed to Sebastian, their eyes gleaming with envy. With unabashed curiosity, they gazed down at his tight breeches seeking the ever familiar bulge that announced a great show to come.

  Price’s cock was the envy of many. Serena suspected many model cocks made for the adult toy marketplace from one of Price’s companies was molded from his. Of respectable length, it was its girth that was impressive and astounding, and they loved to watch Serena take him in, all in.

  Chapter 8

  On entering the main ballroom of the yacht, Serena realized just how busy Sebastian had been on the flight over. Not only were they and the guest dressed for a 17th century ball, the room had been decorated with dozens of candles and yards of strategically placed lengths of dark fabric that added to the mystery and mystic of the night.

  A stringed quartet was set up in the recessed alcove, bringing a romantic flavor to the unexpected night

  “You thought of everything, didn’t you?” she asked Sebastian.

  He nodded. “You told me Price always went all out at these things. I couldn’t just ask everyone to be in costume and not take care of the atmosphere here.”

  He shook a few guests’ hands, nodded, patted a few backs and nodded some more.

  “How am I doing?” He leaned in close to Serena.

  “Very convincing, Aramis.”

  “Let’s get the show started.

  Maxime passed by with a platter of hors d’oeuvres, and Sebastian picked up an oyster topped cracker and set it on her pushed up breasts.

  “Anyone hungry for a bite?”

  A
n eager guest plunged into her breasts, picking up the cracker while ensuring his tongue dipped down under her dress to tease a nipple.

  The men soon lined up for a taste of her bosom.

  While it was very much in keeping with the sort of thing Price would do, Serena was nonetheless shocked to see it coming from Sebastian.

  As the rich and powerful men grew increasingly aroused by the display, Sebastian upped the game by pressing a long and slender carrot stick between her breasts.

  “No hands, and no teeth… who can pull the carrot out of the lovely maiden’s pleasing bosom?”

  Mr. Baxter, a tall and heavyset man with a thick and bushy mustache pushed aside the other eager men and came up before Serena. His eyes told of his hunger and brazenly ravished her right there. Before diving in, he licked his lips and contemplated her breasts.

  When he pulled away with the carrot stick in his mouth, the men patted his back and congratulated him, as if his task had been of monumental importance.

  “What time is the real show?” a guest called out.

  Sebastian simply held his hand up in a silent request for patience.

  Is he really going to go through with this? Serena wondered.

  “I have an idea,” Sebastian said, pulling Serena away into the corridor. “Seeing how this is a masquerade ball, it is already something different from what Price usually does, right?”

  “Right.”

  “So, if I continue to do a few things differently, no one will question it, right?”

  She hesitated. “I guess, but I think there’s a limit to how different you can make things.”

  “So long as everything revolves around sex, we should have no problem, right?”

  She nodded. “Yes, that’s probably true. What do you have in mind?”

  “A raffle of sorts.”

  Serena didn’t like the sound of that. While Price allowed the men to touch her, the limits were set and never crossed. Could Sebastian be so upset by all that had happened lately that he’d cross that line?