Chapter Four - Show Me

Tori’s POV

I couldn’t get to sleep that night, even though I’d already picked out the outfit I was going to take: a black corset with burnt orange bows. Was this a test of my sensibilities, or something more sinister? I really hoped not to have to participate.

Wondering if Naomi would be attending, as well, I dozed, only to be woken by Ellie, who was stumbling about in the dark. I knew we had agreed to save on electricity, but this was ridiculous.

Then I began to wonder if it was even her. If only I had a baseball bat to hand.

The mini crisis set my adrenaline flowing but it was a false alarm as I found out when the thumps and bangs ceased and she came into my bedroom by mistake, instead of returning to hers after a bathroom visit.

I switched the light on.

“We must stop meeting like this,” I said.

Because it had happened before.

“Sorry, Tor,” she mumbled. “I was hoping not to disturb you.”

“Was it as bad as you were expecting?”

She nodded. I saw the smear of what looked like toothpaste on her cheek but decided not to mention it. Meeting her sister, who was the world champion at moaning, always did this to her.

“Val’s been a bigger bitch than usual,” she said. “Mom just can’t see it.”

“I’m here for you, hun,” I whispered. “Want some cocoa?”

She nodded and we ended up sitting and talking until it was time for me to hop in the shower. As I had hoped, her shift wasn’t due to start until later and she would be driving me to town.

I didn’t mention the corset. Ellie would only tease me about it.

I’d opted for a pants suit just to make a point, yet aIso took a pair of lace-topped stockings with me. Fortunately my tote bag was big enough to hold everything discreetly. I mean, what if he’d been joking and it somehow got lost in translation?

Wondering if I would be watching or participating had me on edge the whole way. She caught hold of my hand as I was about to get out of the car.

“Promise me you won’t let him get to you,” she said.

Too late for that.

Naomi opened up, as usual. This time, she wasn’t alone.

“Morning, Victoria,” she said. “This is Travis, our Delta.”

He grinned, showing his impressive canines. “You must be the new number cruncher. The pleasure’s all mine.”

Was he flirting with me? His dark blue shirt showed off his chiselled abs and I noticed a small lizard tat on the side of his neck.

“Behave.” The Gamma tutted. “Whatever would Melanie say?”

“Gotta run now, but I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other later.”

Did he mean – ? I decided not to overthink it.

He was careful not to touch me as he left the premises. Given that I’d expected him to brush against me on purpose I supposed that was something.

“Come on up, Tori. You’ll be based in Calvin’s office today. Well, for some of it anyway.” She must have seen my face. “Don’t look so scared. He’ll ease you in gently.”

“Pardon?”

“I put that very badly, didn’t I? He wants you to be honest with him regarding if he’s paying people too much. Seeing them in action is a good way to start.”

So why hadn’t she disclosed that last night? It would have saved me from worrying.

It sounded like a way too convenient excuse to see me in lingerie, or was I being tested?

“Why me?” I asked.

“Fresh pair of eyes. And, just to warn you, the sessions tend to run over. You could still be here after six.”

Would it be dark by then? I found I couldn’t think straight.

“Are we on for lunch?”

“That’s a lovely idea, but you may not get a break.”

“Surely he’s not intending to starve me?” I joked as we reached Alpha Calvin’s office.

The door was flung wide even before I’d finished my sentence.

“Now where would you get hold of a notion like that, Miss Culpepper?” he asked, arching a brow.

I wasn’t sure if that was his sense of humour or not. And why was he being so formal?

Attempting to laugh it off I said, “Don’t mind me. I could do with losing a few pounds.”

It was a mistake. He took the opportunity to appraise me fully and I felt uncomfortable not to mention unworthy.

“You need to eat at least three proper meals a day. No making do with yogurt pots at noon. And it’s vital to keep hydrated, as all my subs know.”

“But I’m not – I didn’t sign up for that.”

“Interesting. She knows what the word means, Naomi. Been doing a bit of extra-curricular research, have we, Vicky?”

I swallowed, fighting to say it, even if it ended with my dismissal.

“Please don’t call me that, Mr Phillips. I hate it.”

Suddenly my bag felt too heavy and I set it down on the carpet runner.

“Not a fan of symmetry,” he commented, reaching down and taking possession of it. Apart from obsessive compulsive disorder he was such a control freak. “Do we have a problem, Tori?”

“No, sir,” I told him.

“Did you bring the appropriate gear?”

That was when it dawned on me. Would I be able to fasten the corset by myself? I hadn’t laced it fully at home. It was a different matter when someone was threatening to hurt you if you didn’t hurry, but that was hardly the case here.

Deciding to be totally honest with him, I admitted, “I didn’t disobey your request but I’m beginning to think I made a poor choice.”

“Show me,” he said, gazing at my blouse and giving an unmistakable gesture.

The sign language of dominants must be universal.

“I’m not actually wearing it, Alpha.” Silently, he handed me the bag. “It’s a corset,” I blurted, “and I’d need assistance.”

“I can help with that.”

The smirk was so typical of his kind.

“On this occasion I’d prefer to go with something in-house,” I said.

“Fine. But I get to choose. Eye candy in lieu of bonuses for my trainers. How does that sound?”

“From a financial or a personal point of view?”

Calvin threw back his head and laughed. His amusement was genuine and in no way sinister. A tiny part of me wondered what it would be like to be controlled by this man, to submit to him totally and willingly.

In a parallel universe, maybe. I forced myself to focus.

“Show me.”

With a glance at Naomi, I unzipped my tote and took out the opaque carrier bag from a famous department store.

“It’s not from Juju’s,” I told them, hastily. “Just a local boutique.”

I fumbled with the bag, regretting choosing that as well. It had been a snug fit, much as the corset itself might have been on me.

When I finally held it up, I couldn’t bear to look at him for long.

“Did you bring stockings?”

I fished them out, too, convinced I must be beet red by now.

“Good girl,” Calvin said, testing the quality of the fabric between his thumb and index finger.

“Are you okay, dear? You seem a bit flushed.”

“All this is new to me,” I lied.

And all at once I had an overwhelming urge to throw up.