Chapter 2

It’s not too soon after my former master leaves that Kjersten returns to her duties. And it only takes another minute for the vultures to begin circling. Some of the single guys are already making their way over to chat me up, most of them hoping to replace the man who just left.

They promise that they know how to treat a girl right, but for me it’s only so much déjà vu. I hide my face in my hands and try to block it all from my mind. The room is spinning, and I have never felt so alone.

I hadn’t really planned much past getting away from him. I don’t know what I was expecting, that Kjersten was some sort of noble knight, here to slay my demons and break the curse. Stupid. It’s just a job for her. She’s done it and now she’s gone.

“Sorry boys, she’s with me tonight,” I hear, and allow myself a slight smile. Kjersten’s come to my rescue yet again. She wraps her arm around my shoulder. “I’m sorry Maidali, I never would have left you had I known.”

“You’re here now.” I shiver. I move my hands from my face, but I still can’t look her in the eye. “Thank you. — Thank you.”

“Come on, let’s get you something to drink.” She glances over her shoulder. “Dave, can you take over?” The big man nods and steps forward, and I shuffle off toward the kitchen with Kjersten’s arm around me.

She guides me to a table and sets a glass of juice in front of me. I take a sip, but I don’t sit down.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry. I’m not very good at this.” She frowns. “Let me get a first aid kit.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse.” My hand shakes slightly as I take another sip of juice.

“Can I call someone? Get you a cab?”

I tell her that there is no one to call, and that’s the point at which the tears begin to flow again. I confess my entire story standing there in the kitchen. As Kjersten holds me in her arms, she says nothing — offering no advice, no admonishments — just wipes my nose and lets me continue pouring my heart out.

“Thank you for listening,” I say. “Sorry to unload on you like that.”

“You’re coming home with me,” she says. It’s not a question, just a plain fact laid out before me. I nod. I have chosen my champion well.

I wake to sunlight streaming through the windows of a strange bedroom, and the smell of bacon in the air. I notice I’m still wearing my red dress as I slip out of the covers. I peek through the doorway, my shoulders tight, but I feel the tension easing as I spy Kjersten standing alone.

She’s wearing a blue terrycloth robe over gray sweats and a University of Chicago t-shirt. Her eyes are outlined by dark-framed glasses and her hair is looking a bit disheveled. She’s holding a spatula.

“Hi,” she says, a bit too cheery for the early hour. “Hungry?”

I nod, then turn to look at the rumpled sheets of the double bed I just crawled out of. “Did we?”

“No.” She runs her hand through her hair, moving aside the few stray clumps of blonde that hide her face. “Are you disappointed?”

I study her face for a moment and I am struck by her natural beauty — her bright eyes, shy smile, and the cute little freckles that bridge her nose. Even fresh out of bed she’s gorgeous. Am I disappointed? I feel my cheeks warming, but I don’t answer. I give her a smile instead.

“Don’t worry, I slept on the couch.” She gestures to the living area and the blanket that is still strewn over the cushions, before ducking back into the kitchen. “I hope you’re not a vegetarian, I didn’t really think about that.”

“Good, good. Have a seat.” She pulls out a stool at the breakfast bar for me. “I’m not very good at this. It’s usually my roommate bringing the hotties home.”

I feel a grin cross my lips as I lower myself gingerly to take a seat. My butt’s a little tender, but the pain is manageable.

“Not that I’m saying you’re hot.” Kjersten turns and hurries off to the kitchen. When she returns, she’s carrying two plates, and she seems to be no less flustered as she sets them down. “I — I mean you are, but …” She ducks back in the kitchen. “Coffee or juice?”

“Coffee please …” I decide to try it on for size. “Mistress?”

“Oh no,” she says, carrying two steaming mugs. “I don’t work at the club. I mean I do, but it’s more of an internship. I — I’m just an observer. I don’t know how to describe it.”

“Well, you certainly carry yourself like a domme. Thank goodness for that.” I lean over and kiss her on the cheek.

Kjersten springs to her feet and practically sprints to the other room. “I’m sorry, you must be chilly.” She comes back with a light blanket that she wraps around my shoulders.

She starts to sit back down, but when I move my hand toward her arm, she’s on her feet again. “Do you want ketchup for your eggs? Hot sauce?”

“No. Thank you.” I’m finally able to rest my hand on her forearm. “I don’t bite. Promise.”

The muscles in her arm relax a little. “Sorry. Like I said, it’s usually my roommate bringing the cute girls home.”

I take another bite of eggs and lean my head against her shoulder. Surprisingly, she does not run off. I try for some conversation. “So,” I say, “tell me about your internship. How did you decide to take a job at the club?”

“Oh, it’s more of a research position,” she says between bites of bacon. “I’m working on a doctorate in sociology and I decided to do my dissertation on kinky behavior. Everything else has already been done ten times over, but this is a chance at something new.” She goes on, explaining the details as we eat our breakfast.

I nod occasionally, but mostly I just listen. I only understand about half of what she’s saying, but it’s fascinating to me, partly because Kjersten is so animated when she talks about it.

“So that’s my project in a nutshell,” she says finally. “I’m sorry, I didn’t give you much of a chance to talk, did I?”

“Not much to tell beyond what I told you last night.” I sigh. “I was a student here too, once upon a time. But I dropped out and now I’m undocumented. I don’t want to get you in any trouble, so after breakfast I’ll just go.”

“Maidali,” she says. “Pretty name by the way. Maidali, Chicago is a sanctuary city. Did you know that? You’re not going to get me in any trouble. And you really shouldn’t be leaving here dressed like you are. Let me raid my roommate’s closet. She’s more your size.”

“Thank you.” And while she’s gone, I snag the last piece of bacon. Then out of guilt, I decide I should wash up the breakfast dishes.

Kjersten comes back with sweat pants and a University of Chicago t-shirt that’s almost an exact match of hers, but closer to my size. “Oh, you didn’t have to clean up.” She frowns. “I was going to do that.”

“Not a problem. It’s something I’m good at.” I feel a smile crossing my lips, but I’m staring at the floor. “Could I ask you a favor?”

“Would you cut my hair?”

“Um, OK,” she says. “OK, but you’ll need to wash it first.”

I’m standing in Kjersten’s bathroom as she rummages through the closet. She pulls forth a big white bathtowel and sets it on the sink before starting the shower. “Be careful,” she says. “The plumbing is messed up, so hot and cold are reversed. Don’t want you scalded.”

She is smiling as she looks at me, and she’s beautiful, like in my dreams.

I look into her eyes and rest my hands on her hips. She shies away a little at my bold touch. I’m no sociologist, but I’m pretty sure I’ve been reading all the signs right this morning. “You want to join me?”

“What makes you think I’d want to do that?” she says.

“I saw the way you acted around the guys at the club last night. You didn’t take any crap off any of them. But this morning you couldn’t stop tripping over yourself just making me breakfast.” I slide my hands around Kjersten’s waist and sneak them up under her shirt a bit.

She pulls back a little, but doesn’t stop me.

“So I put two and two together and decided that you don’t really care how the guys see you, because you’re not interested in them. But with me it’s different. It’s like you want me to like you.” I move my hands up a little more. Her skin is warm and inviting.

I continue my explorations of Kjersten’s tummy. Her abdominals are absolutely amazing and I find myself feeling a little jealous as I trace over them with my fingertips. “I’m sure I’m not the prettiest girl you’ve ever brought home, but I promise I know how to make you feel good.”

I don’t meet her eyes. I can’t. I know exactly where this is going. I can tell by the tone of her voice, and I know what she’s going to say next.

“I don’t usually …” she starts to explain. “I mean — well — just ’cause I made you breakfast …”

She’s letting me down easy. I don’t know why I was expecting anything different. It was stupid of me to think I even stood a chance with her. Kjersten’s way out of my league, but at least she’s being polite about the rejection.

“I mean I’d love to, but,” she says, “I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything. I bought you here so you’d be safe, not so that I could take advantage of you.”

I lift my head, not really believing what I just heard from this blonde goddess standing in front of me. “Believe me Kjersten, I don’t think it’ll be any hardship for me.”

She grins. “But you are right about one thing, you’re not really all that pretty.” She pauses, hand rubbing her chin, looking me up and down. “You’re more of a gorgeous, I think. I mean honestly, I can’t believe you’re still here.”

“You make good coffee.”

“Wow, thanks. You sure know how to make a girl feel special,” she says, frowning. But there’s a twinkle in her eye, and the corners of her mouth are already starting to turn upward.

I smile. “That’s not what I …” But I don’t get a chance to finish. Kjersten’s lips are already on mine. I feel her hand cupping my ass. She gives me a squeeze and I wince.

“Oh, sorry,” she says, releasing me from her embrace. “I forgot.”

“It’s alright.” I pull her back in.

She places her hand a bit higher. I wince again. Kjersten tries another re-positioning and that too is followed by another grimace. Finally her hands drop until they meet mine. She takes my fingers in her grasp. “Maidali, can I see?”

I stand stock still as Kjersten moves her hands to the hem of my dress and begins to lift. I keep my eyes glued to the floor and hold my breath. I am too ashamed to meet her gaze, ashamed of how weak she will think I must be to let someone do what he did to me.

First to be exposed is the reminder bruise on my thigh, the one that’s purple with the yellowish-green border. I hear Kjersten suck in a breath as she lays eyes on it. Her hands inch my dress higher and more of my skin is exposed. I know most of it is covered in varying shades of purple, yellow, and green.

He always did it where it would be hidden by clothing, even something as skimpy as the dress I am wearing since last night. Now that the veil is being stripped away and I’m exposed, I am afraid of Kjersten’s judgment.

I squeeze my eyes shut so I won’t have to see the look of horror on her face, the same disgusted look I see each morning when I look in the mirror. As I feel my dress being lifted over my head, a single hot tear escapes and begins running down the side of my nose. I shiver.