Buying the Virgin novel Chapter 60

I hold him to me, stroking his hair. “It’ll be alright, Master. We’ll work it out…. And I never thanked you, and Michael, for saving me from those thugs.”

And now, Michael is here, on the other side of the bed, trying to hold me too.

“How long have you been there?” my Master asks.

“All the time. I saw you come in; sat outside to eavesdrop.” His tone is unapologetic. “I heard every word.”

Both are trying to hold me at once. Caught in the middle between them, “Hey, take it easy guys. I’m feeling fragile.”

*****

“You never told me what happened to those two you rescued me from.”

“They got away,” says my Master. “Although one has, I’m pretty sure, a broken arm. I heard the crack. And the other will probably be limping for some time to come, after what I saw Michael doing to him.”

“Was it bad?”

“Not really,” shrugs Michael. “They were happy enough to try assault and rape on a girl alone, but not nearly so brave when James and I evened up the odds. They ran, and we didn’t really chase because of you.” He looks down and away. “Jeez, Charlotte, when I saw your head crash into that wall and you went down, I thought….”

“So did I,” says my Master. “Anyway, we contacted the police and got you to a hospital. Then, we went back to clear out your room and bring everything back here for the moment. The hospital was not happy about releasing you to us. They only agreed when I paid to have one of their doctors here on standby….. Although they didn’t phrase it like that. I had to make rather a large donation to their ‘New Wing’ fund…”

“Here? A doctor on standby, here? That must have cost a fortune…”

He gazes at me, levelly. “And you think I would begrudge the money?”

*****

“I’d like to get up today.”

I am still a bit wobbly, but sitting outside, just watching the sea, feels good. Michael sits with me, saying nothing, holding my hand. I see him glance down, fingering the empty spot where, previously, I wore the two rings.

He looks away again, staring out to sea.

*****

Inside the house, I find the rings, just where I left them on the mantle some weeks ago. I can’t yet bring myself to wear them, but don’t want to ignore them. So, I compromise.

Fishing out a small locket from my belongings, I slide it off its chain, slipping on the matching rings instead, gleaming bright, in red and white and gold. Hanging the chain around my neck, I tuck it under my clothes.

*****

As I stand, staring out of the window, over the endless sea, my Master stands behind me, head resting on mine, one arm around my waist.

“Master, do you realise what today is?”

“Mmm… No. What is today?”

“It’s exactly a year ago, that you bought me.”

“Is it? Yes, so it is.” He leans in, kissing my neck, but makes no other move.

“Master, do you know what I want?