The Scarlet Woman

chp. 4 ~ a dead man

***
Paris

Mr Brennan looked up from his desk and immediately sat up, his eyes wandering hungrily over my entire body.
I tried not to shiver.

"Afternoon, Monsieur Brennan."

He smirked and took his glasses off, putting them on the table. Standing up, he shifted his suit jacket off his shoulders and put it over the chair. I smiled tightly as he came closer to me and pressed his hands into my shoulders, shifting his fingers into my hair and sniffing deeply.
I clenched my trembling hands and let him drag his nose across my neck.

"I see you cleaned yourself before coming here, to rid the scent of other men like I asked."

"Of course-"

He clicked his tongue and roughly tugged on my hair. I winced slightly and he slowly smiled, sliding a hand into the small of my back.

"From now on, talk only when permitted."

He pulled harder on my hair, dragging my neck back and I gripped onto his shirt to keep me standing.

"How about..." he whispered against my neck and flicked it with his tongue, "we play with something dangerous, hm?"

"Y-yes-"

"Master."

I inwardly rolled my eyes as I let out a convincing whimper.

"Master."

I suddenly felt the sharp tip of a knife drag lightly across my throat and I gulped, trying not to move.

"Eh, not really feeling that today."

I heard the sound of it being thrown onto the floor and opened my eyes, secretly relieved.

He stepped back and eyed me ravenously, his eyes continuing to roam all over me.

"Take your clothes off."

"Of cour-yes, Master."

He nodded approvingly as I began pulling of my clothes, feeling the crisp autumn air hit my skin, and he went to his desk, pulling out a gift box from one of the drawers.

"A gift, for an obedient whore such as yourself. Oh, you can leave that on, but the bra comes off."

I unclasped my bra and let it drop onto the floor, the cold air hitting my skin hard. Mr Brennan took my clothes and held up a sheer silk lingerie nightgown for me to wear instead, one a husband would buy for his wife.

I tried not to gag as I held the red cloth in my hands.

"I think you'd make the perfect mistress, my pretty little whore."

I smiled seductively at him, wishing so badly that I could have a glass of something strong enough to drown out what this Mr Brennan was going to do to me.

I breathed in slowly, pushing my disgust far away, and began to pull the gown over my head.

"Stop."

I stopped immediately, a strange dread crawling into my gut at his tone as I held the gown just above my chest.

"Master?"

His jaw flexed and unflexed repeatedly as his expression grew wild.

"I thought you said you'd rid yourself the marks of other men."

I frowned, noting the panic that was beginning to crawl up my spine.

"I have, Master. I did everything you asked. I showered twice, I bought new clothes, wore the perfume you gave me and-"