Saving Ash (book #2) Chapter Twenty-nine

Cinder

It’s been three months, and now Christmas break is about to start. Today is the last day of school until next semester. I still haven’t told Ash I love him. Many times, it’s been right on the tip of my tongue. Maybe it’s the only weapon I have left to save my heart.

            I’m in my last class of the day and can’t wait to have two complete weeks off with Ash. Tonight, we are going to pick out a Christmas tree. I can’t even remember the last time I had a real Christmas.

            I feel my cell phone vibrating in my pocket and pull it out to see who’s calling. It’s a number I don’t recognize and tap ignore before placing it back down into my pocket. A second later, I feel a text come in. Pulling it out, I see Sasha has sent me a text.

            Bella is back from Paris if you want to meet her. Not sure how long she’ll be in the city.

            I wrack my brain trying to remember a Bella.

            Hiding my phone under my desk, I press out my response.

            Who?

            Bella Crain…the Dominatrix!!!!

            I suddenly remember. Do I want to meet her? I am curious. Ash and my sex are amazing, and I so enjoyed the role play when I was in control. Maybe this is what Ash needs. Another Dominatrix to get rid of Pippa.

            I look up and see that Mr. Roderick is writing on the board and send back my response.

            Yes! I want to meet her!

            I hit send and place the phone back into my pocket just before Mr. Roderick turns around. Close one.

            “Cinder, semester break does not start for another thirty minutes. Until that time, you are all mine. Put the phone away.”

            “Yes, Mr. Roderick. I’m sorry.”

            He cocks his brow and gives me a grin. What is it about him?

            I turn the phone off and give it a shove down into my pocket. Great, now my mind is at a loss just thinking about meeting this intimidating woman. So, for the rest of class, I do my best to pay attention. But it’s not working.

            The final bell rings, and the sound of chairs scraping the floor and Christmas chatter echo throughout the classroom. Butterflies dance in my belly just thinking about the next two weeks. Scratch that. I hate butterflies now. I get Ash all to myself. Christmas morning and sex by the fireplace. Maybe my gift will be to tell him… I love him.

            I walk to my locker and shove in my books. No homework over break, and I feel confident I did well on all my semester test. Only five more months left of school. And then what? The thought scares me. What will become of Ash and me. He says he loves me. But is it forever? Or only until…

            I don’t want to think about it.

            I pull out my phone as I walk to my driver waiting at the curb. He holds the door open waiting on me.

            “Good afternoon, Miss Cinder. Are you looking forward to semester break?”

            “I am, Stanley. Thank you.”

            I climb in, and he shuts the door. The last month I finally opened up and asked him his name. Stanley is a nice gentleman and has worked for Ash for almost five years. He’s not the quiet type like Hunter.

            Hunter. The things Pippa made him do. I now feel so bad for him. No wonder he hated his sister. I’ve never met her and hate her.

            Snowflakes are falling as the car drives away from the school. Stanley has Christmas music playing in the car. It lifts my spirits even more. I have so many visions of Ash and I together over the holidays. Baking cookies. Watching Hallmark movies. Walking in the park catching snowflakes on our tongues.

            Who am I kidding. I know Ash has changed a lot. But I don’t think those would be the things he would want to do. Or any guy for that.

            I then remember to pull out my phone and turn it back on. I give Sasha a call as soon as the screen comes to life.

            “Hey, Cinder. Sorry for texting during school.”

            “No problem. I almost got away with it,” I laugh.

            “So, you out now for Christmas break?”

            “Yep. I am so ready. So, when can I meet this, Bella?”

            “She called me today as soon as she got in. She wants me to decorate her place for the holidays. Her son will be coming in a few days when his school gets out.”

            “She has a son?”

            “Yes. Why does that surprise you?”

            “Well…I don’t know. I never really think about parents doing this…sort of stuff.”

            I hear laughter on her end. “Oh, you’d be surprised. Best way to keep the sex life alive.”

            “I guess. Still, it seems weird to me.”

            “Well, don’t let it. How do you think you came into this world?”

            “Simple, my egg donor met a sperm donor at a bar. Bam! Nine months later, out I came.”

            She laughs. “Well, that’s one way of putting it. So, can you meet me at my place and I’ll take you with me. I’m heading over to her penthouse soon.”

            “Sure. I’ll have my driver take me to your place.”

            “Listen to you. Your driver,” she teases.

            “Shut up. How’s your master?” I tease back.

            “Master Victor is more than wonderful.”

            “I bet. I’ll see you soon.”

            “Great. Bye,” she says, and we end our call. I tell Stanley to drop me off at Sasha’s.

***

Sasha is still dressing when I get to her apartment. She’s running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I’ve never seen her so nervous.

            “Chill out. Why are you being so weird?”

            “I’m not. Am I?” she asks, changing her clothes again.

            “Ahh, yeah!”

            “I can’t help it. This woman makes me so nervous when I’m around her. I want everything to be perfect.”

            “Why? You are perfect, Sasha.”

            She stops and looks at me. “Awe, come here. You’re so sweet,” she says, and gives me a hug.

            “Okay, but please don’t tell anyone. I do have my reputation to protect,” I laugh. “Now you got me wondering if what I am wearing is enough. I mean, I did just leave class. You look like you are going out for cocktails or something.”

            She looks over at my attire, skinny jeans, a white sweater, and boots. “You look cute, Cinder. But Bella is one of my biggest clients. She gives recommendations to those of her caliber. And I sooo want to work in Paris. To put that on my resume…”

            “Okay, okay, I get it.”

            She finally decides on a red dress and pairs it with her white coat. To me, she’s to die for. “You look wonderful, Sasha.”

            “Are you sure?”

            “OMG! Who are you? Does your master make you this nervous?”

            “Trust me, she is more of a Dom then Victor ever will be. And I never said that,” she says, pretending to be zipping her mouth shut.

            “Okay, whatever. Now let’s go.”

            We leave her apartment and head to the garage where Sasha keeps her little Mercedes. I should probably drive, due to how nervous she is. But I have no idea where this woman lives.

            “Are you sure you’re okay to drive?” I tease.

            “Yes. Just spray it off,” she says, fake spraying herself with whatever.

            We drive across the city to another part I have never been. On the very ritzy side and pull up next to the Central Park Tower. My head gets a kink just trying to look all the way up. (Holy mother of…) She pulls into a parking garage that is gated. A security guard stops us, and Sasha rolls down her window.

            “Hello, I’m Sasha West. I have an appointment with Miss Crain?” Sasha sounds more like she’s asking then telling.

            “Yes, Miss West. Miss Crain is expecting you. May I ask what your guest’s name is?”

            Sasha looks over at me and I shrug. Maybe I am not to be here.

            “This is Cinder McIntire. She…works with me,” Sasha lies.

            “Just give me a second to call Miss Crain,” he says, and steps aside.

            “OMG, Sasha. Didn’t you think to tell her before bringing me?”

            “Well, no. But I’m sure it will be fine. Besides, she is acquainted with Victor. Which I hate by the way.”

            The man comes back and says we are free to drive on inside. “Thank you,” Sasha says, and circles around until she finds a spot. We exit the car and head to the elevator. I watch Sasha’s finger tremble trying to push the button.

            “Oh, for Pete’s sake. Let me handle it,” I say. The doors open, and I ask which floor. 

            “Ninety-eight.”

            “What? You got to be kidding me. I’d be afraid of airplanes crashing into my home. This is crazy,” I say.

            “Just wait until you see it.”

            “What the hell does this woman do for a living? And I thought Ash was rich.”

            “She’s a real-estate tycoon. I’m sure this is probably her small getaway place.”

            I hit the button and hope I don’t get a nosebleed once we get to the top. And please, don’t let the entire place be glass windows. I’d rather not see a plane coming right at me.

            What seemed like forever, we finally reach the top, and I feel dizzy from the altitude. I take Sasha’s hand when the elevator doors open. I see only one door and can only assume this is the place.

            “Shall I ring the doorbell? Since your finger is about to fall off,” I tease.

            “I’m fine. Just, follow my lead,” she says, and presses the doorbell. I’m totally dying now to meet this woman.

            The door opens, and a man dressed as a butler opens the door.

            “Hello. I’m Sasha…”

            “Yes, Miss West. Ms. Crain is expecting you. Please come in.,” he says, displaying his hand for our entry. He shuts the door and walks us over to a table where wine has been poured into glasses. “Please, have a glass while Ms. Crain prepares herself.”

            “Thank you,” we say, and I do not hesitate to grab up a glass. Sasha darts her eyes at me. I give her the gesture of ‘what?’

            I look around the place and holy moly. There are no words to explain the place. If sex were a house, this is it. Red and black leather furniture. Black naked statues that all look to be young men. A statue of a woman dressed in SM holding a chain to another statue of a young man on all fours. He is collared. I then see whips set in a frame. I wonder what’s so special about those whips. Does she keep trophies?

            “Wow, this place is…”

            “Yep, what did I tell you?”

            “And this decorating was…your idea?”

            “I only tried to match the furniture and walls to her…decor. Pretty crazy, huh?”

            “Crazy doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

            I walk over to one of the statues and study it. The look on the young man’s face looks lost yet familiar. I wonder if they are replicas of real people.

            “Hello, Sasha darling,” a voice says walking in. I turn and find a woman who hardly looks real. Her hair looks like black silk that comes to her waist. Her face is too, too perfect. Creamy without a blemish. Her eyes are done in heavy liner with green eyeshadow. Her lips are blood red. I can’t stop looking at her. It’s like AI gorgeous.

            When I’m able to turn my gaze from her face, I see that she is wearing black lace over nude. Everything is visible. Her perfect breasts with red raspberry nipples. Her toned waist with a red jewel inside her navel. Her smooth, pink mound sporting some sort of clit jewelry. Are you serious? I try to make it past her crotch and come to her shoes. Black shiny boots with the tallest, spikiest heels I have ever seen.

            “And you must be her little friend, Cinder? Now aren’t you just a darling. What I would love to do to you,” she says, gently letting the back of her hand move down my cheek.

            “Ah, yes. Hello,” my voice cracks.

            “Bella,” Sasha says like suddenly they are old sorority sisters and goes to hug her. What the hell happened to the Sasha ten minutes ago?

            “I see Victor is taking good care of you,” she says, and goes to pour herself some wine.

            “Yes, he is.”

            “Bella, I swear, you get more striking every time I see you.”

            “Thank you, darling. I do my best. But there’s only so much science can do.” She takes a sip of her wine.

            “So, shall we get started?”

            “Why so fast? Let’s catch up a bit before business. Please, take a seat,” she suggests with her hand to the red leather couch. Sasha and I walk over and take a seat.

            “If you don’t mind, I have a new pet I’m training. I’ll be right back,” she says, and turns to walk out of the room. I watch an ass you could bounce a quarter from.

            “Now, don’t be surprised when she comes back,” Sasha says.

            “How could I be any more surprised. I mean, she knows we can see her tits, pussy, and ass, right?”

            Sasha almost sprays her wine from her mouth. She chokes, and I pat her back.

            “Sorry, but I was being serious.”

            “I know. And so is she. Take a look at these pictures on the wall. They are all her in many forms of sex fashion.”

            I glance around at the many photos of pornography and stop when I come to one. “OMG, is that what I think it is?”

            “Yep. And she’s very proud of it,” Sasha says.

            It’s a picture of her wearing a strap-on fucking a man. He looks to be in pain. Her hand is pulling on the studded collar he is wearing around his neck.

            “Ok, so please tell me that man signed up for this?”

            “Of course. You’d be surprised how many men like being dominated.”

            Ash did.

            “Sorry to have kept you,” Bella says, walking in with a man clipped to a leash who is naked.

            Do I look? Or pretend he’s just part of the furniture.

            “Ladies, this is my new pet. He’s not quite trained, and I need to keep him close. Feel free to pet him, he won’t bite. She takes a seat and yanks the leash to make the man sit beside her feet. “Bad boy,” she says, and smacks his face.

            My eyes go wide. I could never do that to Ash.

            She then pets him and then opens her legs. He instantly puts her face in her crotch. “That’s a good boy. You stay right there until we are done.” She leans back and closes her eyes. The man is nuzzling her crotch. “Mmm, that’s it, right there,” she says like we’re not in the room.

“Ladies, please enjoy yourself, I will share if you want.”

            “No, that’s okay,” I spout out.

            Bella arches her brow at me and smiles. “That’s fine,” she says, and we all listen as she gets herself off before we can discuss business.

***

Saving Ash© 2024 Gina A. Jones rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.