While heading toward the bondage wheel, she stopped suddenly, her blood running cold. Her heart began to pound, her lungs constricting at the sight of that curly blond head.
Stop it, she ordered herself. He has no power over you. Not anymore.
The words from her dream the night before returned to her, Adam’s voice echoing in her head. “All you need to do is remember who you are. It’s always been there in your heart, waiting for you to reclaim it, Princess. Take back your name. Take back your power from the coyote.”
Her racing heart slowed, her lungs expanding as she drew in a deep breath. She was Shani, one of the five noble warrior princesses, and no bully boy would ever take that from her again.
She moved closer, trying to determine if it was really him. What she saw didn’t make any sense. The man in question was kneeling on the ground away from Shani, so she couldn’t see his face. He was at the feet of a tall, striking forty-something brunette dressed in a sleek black latex catsuit, a leash in her hand. The leash was attached to the man’s collar, which was all he wore, save for a bright pink leather bondage harness.
Shocked and confused, Shani moved closer, certain she had to be mistaken. Then she saw it. Brandon had a small tattoo on his left shoulder of a pair of metal handcuffs. This man had the identical tattoo. Shani stared, her mouth dry, her heart beating high in her throat.
As if feeling her eyes on him, the man twisted his head back and looked up at her. His unmistakable round blue eyes were ringed in eyeliner, dark mascara on his thick blond lashes. His mouth was smeared with bright pink lipstick.
Shocked, Shani gasped, taking an involuntary step back. She bumped into someone and jumped, gasping reflexively.
“Hey, Princess,” Adam said from behind her as he wrapped his arms comfortingly around her shoulders. “Sorry I startled you.”
Shani remained frozen, unable to tear her eyes away from the confounding sight in front of her.
“Shani?” Adam queried, his voice now tinged with concern. “What is it? Are you okay?”
“Shani?” Brandon echoed—for it was definitely Brandon, as hard as that was for Shani to fathom. His mouth hung open, his eyes wide with surprise. “Is that really you?”
The woman holding his leash gave it a savage jerk, forcing him to whip his head back in her direction. “Stop gawking at your betters, Sissy Brandi,” she said in a stern voice. “I’ll have to punish you for that.”
“Yes, Mistress,” he said at once, hanging his head.
Adam had moved to stand beside Shani, his arm around her shoulders. “What is it? Who is that guy? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“He’s… I… It’s Sir. Brandon. Except it can’t be him… I don’t understand.”
“That’s Brandon Parker? The bastard who terrorized you?” Adam exclaimed, his face creasing with disbelief.
“You’re the one, aren’t you?” the woman said slowly, tilting her head to regard Shani with a critical gaze.
“Sorry?” Shani replied, still trying to make sense of Sir as a sissy boy.
“You’re Shani Youngblood. The one he abused before Rachel. The one who got away.”
“This little prick is Sir?” Adam demanded through clenched teeth. He glanced from Shani back to Brandon. He was fairly vibrating with rage, his hands clenched into fists.
Sir, or rather Brandon—no, Brandi—looked up at Adam with a sad smile of resignation. “I don’t blame you for being angry, Sir,” he said in a small, sad voice. “I deserve whatever you need to do. I won’t stop you.” He lifted his makeup-covered face, as if inviting a blow.
All at once, the rage went out of Adam, his body relaxing, his hands unclenching. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “Shani is right. Hitting you won’t change anything. Violence begets violence.” He took Shani’s hand and she gripped it gratefully, so proud of her man.
Adam looked at Brandi’s Mistress. “This isn’t the guy I was expecting. Apparently, there’s been a… metamorphosis of sorts here. Why don’t we four go find a quiet space to discuss what the hell is going on?” He turned to Shani. “That work for you?”
Chapter 14
Adam led the way to the back room by the office, Shani’s hand in his. She was clearly very shaken up, and obviously as confused as he was. The woman followed them, tugging her crawling sub boy behind her.
They entered the small room where only the night before, Shani and Rylee had lovingly thanked their Doms for the scene. The room contained a loveseat and two chairs grouped around a coffee table. Adam led Shani to the couch and sat down with her. She was trembling, and he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. She reached for his hand, gripping it tightly.
He forced himself to remain calm, for Shani’s sake. As weird as this all was for him, it had to be a hundred times weirder for her. “I guess introductions are in order,” he began, addressing the Domme. “I’m Adam Hawk and you already know this is Shani Youngblood.”
The woman sat in one of the chairs, keeping her sub boy on his knees beside her, his leash coiled loosely in her hand. “I’m Mistress Marlena and this is Sissy Brandi, my slave.” She looked at Shani. “And, yes, he was once Brandon Parker, but he lost the right to use that name. He’s very, very sorry for what he did to you, and to my good friend, Rachel. He is being punished daily for his past sins.” She jerked hard at the guy’s chain. “Isn’t that right, sissy pants?”
“Yes, Mistress,” he replied, his cheeks flushing to a dull red.
“I don’t understand,” Shani said, shaking her head. She looked from Mistress Marlena to the sub boy. “I’ve fantasized over and over about what I would do when I saw you again, but I never imagined it would be like this.”
“Excuse me, Mistress,” Brandi said, his deep, raspy voice at odds with his feminized appearance. “Permission to speak directly to Miss Shani?”
“Granted,” Mistress Marlena said. “Apologize to this poor girl and then tell her what’s happened to you since she got away from you. Tell her about Rachel and about your epiphany.”
“Yes, Mistress. Thank you, Mistress.”
Brandi swallowed hard and then took a deep breath. “First, Shani—I mean Miss Shani,” he corrected quickly at a glare from his Mistress. “I truly am so, so sorry for what I did to you. Mistress Marlena has helped me to understand that I wasn’t being a Master. I was a savage, brutal bastard. I was so terrified of confronting my true nature as a sissy boy that I went totally the other direction. I took advantage of your submissive nature. I thought being a bully made me a man.” His voice cracked. Tears filled his heavily made-up eyes and one spilled down his cheek, tinged gray with running mascara. I’m so, so sorry,” he added in a whisper.
Shani blew out a tremulous breath. “I forgive you,” she said in a low, clear voice.
Adam would never forgive the pathetic son of a bitch for what he’d done, but he admired Shani’s grace in doing so. He fell even more in love with her at that moment.
“Tell her the rest,” Mistress Marlena prodded, giving Brandi’s chain a jerk.