Keep Me: A BDSM Romance by Cate Bellerose

evening of each retreat. All the money made goes to charity. This year we’re planning on donating it to the Kensington Stray Pet Shelter, since they do so much wonderful work.” She grins slyly. “Win a pet to save a pet. Cute, right? I couldn’t pass up the chance to use that line.” She giggles.
    I blink. “Uh, yeah. I guess. Maybe? What’s involved?”
    “Well, every participating slave gets up on the stage, and the audience may bid on her. Or him, of course.” She wipes her forehead, sweat beading there from both the heat and her excitement. “For the rest of the evening, the slave has to serve her Master in whatever way they see fit.”
    “Anything?”
    “Within the slave’s limits, of course! There are safewords. It’s all meant to be for fun.” She wrings her hands excitedly. “Oh please say you’ll do it. You’re so pretty, and after the scene today, you would bring in top dollar!” She stops for a moment. “Oh dear, please take that the right away. We just want to make as much as possible for the charity, of course.”
    I nod. “Of course.”
    “So what do you say. Are you game? Please say you’re game.”
    She looks at me with her big brown eyes wide like an en excited puppy. If you could consider a fairly squat and broad woman in a floral pattern muumuu even close to a puppy. But, speaking of puppies, it does sound like it’s for a good cause. Why not? I glance at Caleb, and he nods in encouragement. “Sure, Susan, I’d love to.”
    “Oh, thank you! I can’t wait!” She turns so she’s facing both of us. “Well, I have a mountain of paperwork to attend to. A host’s work is never done, it seems. I’ll see you two tonight at the party! Bye!”
    She turns and whirls back out like a floral tornado. I’m beginning to think she storms everywhere.
    Caleb humphs. “So, you’re going up on the auction block, huh?”
    “Yeah. I guess so.” I turn to him with a grin. “Are you going to buy me?”
    He scratches his chin with an exaggerated motion. “Well, I’m not sure, to be honest. I mean, you’re pretty and all, but you can be quite a handful.”
    I bow my head, getting into a submissive stance. “I assure Master that I will be on my best behavior tonight.”
    He laughs, a deep bark of a belly laugh. “Well, that doesn’t sound like much fun. Maybe I’ll buy someone else.”
    “What?” I snap up and whack him one on the arm. “Someone other than me?”
    “See what I mean? You’re just going to be trouble. Abusing your Master!” He steps aside before I can smack him again, then throws me a mysterious smile. “We’ll see how tonight goes. You never know. Anyway, I’m going back to my room for a short rest. I’ll see you later.”
    I yell after him, “If you don’t buy me, you’ll regret it.”
    He puts a hand up in the air and waves, but doesn’t even look back. Cocky bastard. Getting a little shuteye doesn’t sound bad, though. Especially if it’s going to be a late night.
    What does a slave wear to an auction, anyway?

Chapter 10
Vivian
    T urns out, a slave doesn’t wear anything at all. Well, I guess underwear, but nothing else. I wasn’t prepared for that. Practically naked except for a collar with a leash, and wrist and ankle cuffs, I have to admit I feel a little uncomfortable up here. But hey, at least I’m not the only one.
    Would be nice if they didn’t put me in the last spot. It’s funny. I can do crazy scenes on the stage and not really think about it, but now that I’m just standing here, and arguably not doing anything nearly as intense, I just can’t find a way to get the butterflies out of my stomach. All I can do is wait and watch the people ahead of me get sold off to the highest bidders.
    The way the bidding’s going, it’s not nearly as exciting as I imagined it might be. Several bids win on the first try. Probably each sub’s dominant buying him or her back, and no one is interested in someone else's property. At least not often.