THROAT, A PROMISE
CHAPTER 5
ADJUSTMENTS AND AN ARRIVAL
“Ellis, come into my study, please,” William said as soon as he walked in the front door, striding past the kneeling slaves in the foyer. He didn"t even greet Harte, which made the younger slave droop all over.
Following quickly, Ellis closed the stuffy door behind himself as William sat and then immediately knelt beside his desk chair.
William looked tired and a little angry. Ellis tried to go through everything that had happened that day, fighting to remember if he"d done something wrong.
“Do you enjoy being here?”
Ellis looked up in shock and then ducked his head again. “Yes, Sir.”
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AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE
“Why do I get the feeling that you say what you think I want to hear and not your own thoughts?”
That was a rather tricky question because he was asking Ellis to explain why William felt a certain way, and that was impossible.
“I"m sorry, Sir,” was the only thing he could really say.
William sighed. “You know, when I first brought Harte home, I thought things were going to be incredibly difficult. His past as a slave is… troubled. But if nothing else, I could always count on him to be truthful.”
Ellis"s shoulder twitched a little with the effort not to speak.
He"d never lied to the master.
But William seemed to hear him loud and clear without words.
“There"s a difference between lying and not telling the truth, Ellis.
I appreciate that you don"t lie to me. It"s something I demand because I need to be able to take care of you properly. It comes so easily to Harte, who doesn"t really have any internal censorship.
He says whatever he feels and that makes life very easy for me.
But with you I feel like I"m constantly guessing.” Nodding slowly, Ellis said, “I think I understand, Sir. I"ll try to be better.”
“It"s not a matter of better . In many ways, you"re a better slave than Harte. You"re very obedient and you"ve never spoken back.
But you"re not a better slave for me , do you understand?” Ellis opened his mouth but opted for another nod instead.
“I know you want to say something. Let this be the beginning of better communication between us, yes? Tell me what you"re thinking.”
“Sir, I… It isn"t my place to—”
“I"m making it your place. Speak freely.” Freely. What a joke. “With all due respect, Sir, if you train me 91
AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE
to be like Harte so I can be good for you, my next master will probably just beat it out of me. Most masters don"t like that free behaviour. Sir.” Ellis"s head was down, his posture submissive, but his words were biting, and he immediately wished they were back inside him, mostly because he hadn"t even realised he thought that way.
William was quiet for a long time. “You"re right, of course.
I"ve been expecting you to adapt to me when really I should be helping you adapt for your next master.” He sighed and touched Ellis"s cheek softly, but Ellis was thinking too much to react.
Would William pawn him off on just any master now? Would William think him inadaptable?
“Ellis, most masters would expect you to offer your body freely for their use, would they not?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“And am I not your master… for the time being?” Ellis looked up at William through his lashes. “Yes, Sir.”
“Then you will be treated like a slave. Tend to me.” Ellis went still for a moment. He, of course, knew what William was asking—no, demanding. He wanted to be a good slave. Had it been any other master, he would have made himself more available from the start, but besides that one night, William had never made any demands on him or implied in any way that he might want Ellis. He had Harte.
But evidently he had Ellis as well. And Ellis wanted to be good. If he was good for William, William would tell any potential masters that, and then a good one would take him in. He hoped.
His hands were shaking only slightly when they opened
CHAPTER 5
ADJUSTMENTS AND AN ARRIVAL
“Ellis, come into my study, please,” William said as soon as he walked in the front door, striding past the kneeling slaves in the foyer. He didn"t even greet Harte, which made the younger slave droop all over.
Following quickly, Ellis closed the stuffy door behind himself as William sat and then immediately knelt beside his desk chair.
William looked tired and a little angry. Ellis tried to go through everything that had happened that day, fighting to remember if he"d done something wrong.
“Do you enjoy being here?”
Ellis looked up in shock and then ducked his head again. “Yes, Sir.”
90
AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE
“Why do I get the feeling that you say what you think I want to hear and not your own thoughts?”
That was a rather tricky question because he was asking Ellis to explain why William felt a certain way, and that was impossible.
“I"m sorry, Sir,” was the only thing he could really say.
William sighed. “You know, when I first brought Harte home, I thought things were going to be incredibly difficult. His past as a slave is… troubled. But if nothing else, I could always count on him to be truthful.”
Ellis"s shoulder twitched a little with the effort not to speak.
He"d never lied to the master.
But William seemed to hear him loud and clear without words.
“There"s a difference between lying and not telling the truth, Ellis.
I appreciate that you don"t lie to me. It"s something I demand because I need to be able to take care of you properly. It comes so easily to Harte, who doesn"t really have any internal censorship.
He says whatever he feels and that makes life very easy for me.
But with you I feel like I"m constantly guessing.” Nodding slowly, Ellis said, “I think I understand, Sir. I"ll try to be better.”
“It"s not a matter of better . In many ways, you"re a better slave than Harte. You"re very obedient and you"ve never spoken back.
But you"re not a better slave for me , do you understand?” Ellis opened his mouth but opted for another nod instead.
“I know you want to say something. Let this be the beginning of better communication between us, yes? Tell me what you"re thinking.”
“Sir, I… It isn"t my place to—”
“I"m making it your place. Speak freely.” Freely. What a joke. “With all due respect, Sir, if you train me 91
AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE
to be like Harte so I can be good for you, my next master will probably just beat it out of me. Most masters don"t like that free behaviour. Sir.” Ellis"s head was down, his posture submissive, but his words were biting, and he immediately wished they were back inside him, mostly because he hadn"t even realised he thought that way.
William was quiet for a long time. “You"re right, of course.
I"ve been expecting you to adapt to me when really I should be helping you adapt for your next master.” He sighed and touched Ellis"s cheek softly, but Ellis was thinking too much to react.
Would William pawn him off on just any master now? Would William think him inadaptable?
“Ellis, most masters would expect you to offer your body freely for their use, would they not?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“And am I not your master… for the time being?” Ellis looked up at William through his lashes. “Yes, Sir.”
“Then you will be treated like a slave. Tend to me.” Ellis went still for a moment. He, of course, knew what William was asking—no, demanding. He wanted to be a good slave. Had it been any other master, he would have made himself more available from the start, but besides that one night, William had never made any demands on him or implied in any way that he might want Ellis. He had Harte.
But evidently he had Ellis as well. And Ellis wanted to be good. If he was good for William, William would tell any potential masters that, and then a good one would take him in. He hoped.
His hands were shaking only slightly when they opened
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