Chapter 25: Sarah’s Decision

I cuffed Sarah’s hands before her and led her upstairs, naked and shivering. I didn’t look at her. The sorrow in her eyes was more than I could bear.

Jane stood waiting by the open box. It was padded generously, and well ventilated, designed to hold a captive female securely while ensuring her safety during shipping. There were plenty of eyebolt hooks for securing a girl in tight bondage within.

“Kneel,” I commanded Sarah. She obeyed at once, falling gracefully like autumn’s last leaf, keeping her eyes downcast. She was trembling.

“Oh, Jack, she is a treasure!” Jane gushed.

“Quiet,” I commanded, my voice a growl. To my surprise, Jane complied. That was something, anyway. She blinked twice and took a step back.

I knelt next to Sarah and removed her gag. She licked her lips tentatively but didn’t speak. I could no longer avoid the moment I’d dreaded for long; I had to look at her. As gently as I could manage, as gently as I have ever touched a woman, I reached down and lifted her chin until her gaze met mine. Her eyes were still wet with her tears.

“Sarah,” I began, “in a moment I am going to ask you a question. I command you to answer me truthfully. You have my permission to speak freely. Nod once if you understand me.”

Sarah nodded once.

“I have told you from the beginning that I am not to be your true Master. I have always been honest with you. Isn’t that so?”

“Yes, Sir.” Sarah’s voice was barely a whisper.

“My partner Jane and I provide a very special ... service. To a very select group of carefully screened, and very wealthy clients. But also to beautiful and strong women like you, Sarah. Women who long for a different lifestyle, who dream of something other than what mundane society says they should. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Tell me.”

“S ... submissive women. Women who ... who want to be slaves. Sir. Who are slaves. Deep in their hearts. Women who have always been slaves. Women like Alice.” She swallowed. “Women like me.” She looked up at me then. “Like you’ve always known I was.”

I nodded. “Beauty to the beast, yes?”

Jane rolled her eyes. “For God’s sake, Jack darling. Get on with it.”

“Quiet!” Once again, Jane obeyed, and I found myself wishing I’d taken a more commanding tone with her years ago. Our years of partnership might have been so much easier. I turned back to Sarah, lovely, naked, bound and kneeling.

“Now then, Sarah. As I was saying, Jane and I provide a very special service. Our algorithms match Master and servant precisely. Like Alice with her Master. You remember how happy they were, don’t you?”

Sarah nodded and looked down again.

“We have found the perfect Master for you, Sarah. The man who can make you truly happy, happier than you have ever believed you could be. We plan to deliver you to him. Today.”

“God knows he’s paid a pretty penny for you,” Jane said.

I turned and glared at her. “Do not speak again!” Jane backed up another step. Her eyes were wide and her lower lip was trembling. She licked it nervously. Something in my voice seemed to have struck a chord with her.

I turned my attention back to Sarah, kneeling, beautiful, bound Sarah, naked and trembling. “But we are not barbarians. We can give you the life you’ve longed for Sarah. We can make you happy.

“Listen to me carefully. I am going to give you the choice we offer all our girls. We must have your consent. So tell me. Do you want this life we’ve found for you?”

Sarah took a deep breath. She did not look up. She did not answer.

“Sarah. Did you hear my question?”

She spoke at last. “H ... have many girls refused you?”

I smiled. “Let us say that we do our work very carefully, and very, very well. Those we have worked with ... Masters and slaves alike ... are happy. So choose. Now. Would you like the happiest life you’ve longed for, secretly, for so long? Or would you like to return to your own life, the one you left behind, and wonder what you’ve lost? Will you choose bliss, or will you wonder for the rest of your days what might have been?”