I’ve been working here for a week.

So far, so good.

Mason is hardly ever here. He comes in at night, usually after I’ve gone to bed. I hear him rummaging around for a bit before everything goes quiet. Then, by the time I wake up in the morning, he’s gone. I’d almost think he doesn’t like his own house; it feels as though he’s uncomfortable here, like being in it makes him want to rip his own hair out. I don’t know why, it’s a freaking beautiful house.

I love being here.

I had my two days off yesterday, to which I went and collected some more stuff from my apartment and spent a few nights there, coming over here during the day to tidy a few things up, but it was mostly pretty casual. This morning, I’m back in for my five-day stay and, honestly, I’m relieved. I really do love being here, it’s an escape from reality, without a doubt.

I walk into the house just after seven in the morning.

I don’t see Mason or hear anything as I get to work figuring out what needs to be done during the week. Mason said he’d leave a list, and I find that list on the counter. Picking it up, I read over it. He needs washing done, cleaning, shopping, and he wants some mail posted as well as some letters delivered to some place in town. Right. I can handle that. I glance around the big, empty house and exhale.

I’ll go upstairs and start with his room.

I always start with his room, just in case he comes home and wants to use it.

I move up the stairs and toward the door at the end of the hall. Mason’s room is massive, I’m talking huge, it’s probably the size of my apartment. When I reach the door, I go to turn the handle but realize it’s locked. I wonder if he’s still in there? I knock a few times, wait, then knock some more. Nothing happens. Pursing my lips, I go back downstairs and take the spare set of keys for all the rooms. He showed me where they were when I first started just in case I ever needed them and he wasn’t here.

He must have accidentally locked his room.

I walk back up and use the key to unlock the door. Then I step inside and stop dead in my tracks. My eyes widen, and I stare for what seems like a few really long minutes, blinking at the sight in front of me.

There is a woman tied to his bed. She’s cuffed in a perfect cross, legs and arms outstretched, and she’s butt naked. Everything on display. She’s wearing a ball gag in her mouth, and a mask that covers her eyes. Oh. My. Lord.

I glance around the room, feeling like I’ve just stepped into a BDSM club. I can’t see Mason. Did he leave this poor girl here? Alone? Where the hell is he? Did he go out to get coffee? Breakfast? Or did he simply forget about her? I bite my bottom lip and glance back at the girl, then figure what the hell, she might want to be freed. I’m going to see if she’s okay.

I walk over and say carefully, “Hi there, I’m Saskia. Mason’s maid.”

The girl squirms.

I reach over, trying not to look at her ridiculously perfect body, and pull the mask off her eyes. She stares up at me, wide eyes, mouth still filled with that weird looking ball.

“I’m going to take this gag off. I’m sorry if this is uncomfortable for you, believe me, I feel you, it’s not every day you find a woman tied to a bed in a house you’re cleaning.”

She starts shaking her head as I reach over and unbuckle the ball gag. The moment it leaves her lips, she growls, “Put it back in! Immediately!”

I blink. “Pardon me?”

“Hurry up. If he knows I took it off, I’ll be punished.”

I snort. “Punished ... for what? Talking? You’re kidding, right?”

“Listen here, little girl,” she snaps. “Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean it is wrong. This is our thing. Mine and Mason’s. Now, put the gag back on and get the hell out.”

I cross my arms and stare down at her. “You listen here, lady. I don’t take kindly to orders, especially not from women who are tied to a damned bed. You do know I have the higher power here?”

She scowls at me. “Who the hell are you anyway?”

“I said, I’m his maid.”

“You look like a teenager. Go back and play with your friends and put that back in my mouth.”

I cock a hip and raise my brows. “What happens, exactly, if I don’t?”

She purses her lips like she’s going to lose her mind. I’m still trying to avoid looking at her but, honestly, everything is out there on display. The woman is spectacular, and I suddenly do feel like a teenager in comparison. Why the hell aren’t my boobs that big and round? And my skin so golden and tanned? Damn her. I’m not even going to look at her lady parts, because I bet they’re perfect too.

Is this what Mason is into?

Women who he can dominate and leave tied to his bed while he goes and does whatever the hell he wants?

“You don’t want to know; your little mind couldn’t handle it.”

She’s pissing me off now.

She is throwing around insults, and she’s the one tied to the bed.

“I don’t particularly like how you’re speaking to me. I’m not the one, lady, who is tied to a bed. Maybe it’s your mind that’s little. Don’t you have better things to do than to be a man’s little toy?”

She goes red and snaps, “You wouldn’t know what you’re talking about. You probably have missionary sex and that’s it. Maybe you should try it, do you good to learn to shut that mouth.”

I snort. “Get over yourself. I’m going to call Mason and find out what the hell to do with you.”

She shakes her head. “Do not call him. Put the ball back in my mouth and leave the room. Go on with your little day, and you can hear what happens later when he comes home and praises me for being a good girl.”

I laugh. “A good girl, seriously? You’re a grown woman.”

She goes red again.

“And you’re a bratty little maid, now get out.”

“Really,” I mutter as I pull out my phone. “That’s the best you’ve got?”

I dial Mason’s number and put the phone to my ear, waiting for it to ring. It does, three times, before he finally answers. “What?”

“Last time I checked, the greeting was hello. Not what. Didn’t you learn any manners in school?”

He exhales. “What do you want, Saskia?”

Grumpy.

“I just wanted to let you know, I came across your play thing tied to your bed. I have to tell you, she’s not a very nice woman. Whatever punishment you’re giving, it’s clearly not working.”

He growls, low and deep. “What the fuck are you doin’ in my room?”

“Mason,” I say calmly, “I’m your maid. I clean your house. I live in your house. What do you think I was doing in your room? I wasn’t having a party with your clothes.”

He growls again. “The door was fuckin’ locked.”

“Yes. It was. And I thought it was by mistake, so I unlocked it and now I’m getting bad mouthed by Barbie here, because I took this stupid ball out of her mouth.”

“Put the fuckin’ thing back and get out.”

I raise my brows. “You can’t be serious? You’re going to leave her here all day?”

“Yeah, I’m goin’ to leave her there all day.”

“Why?” I gasp. “What if she needs to pee? Or,” I whisper low, “worse...”

“She holds it in. She does as she’s told. Which is somethin’ you should fuckin’ try and learn.”

“Being tied to a bed with a ball gag in your mouth is hardly doing as you’re told. You don’t get much choice.”

“Put it back in and leave her there,” he snaps.

I huff. “Fine, but I swear to god I am not cleaning her pee if she can’t hold it in. Should I give her a drink?”

“No,” he growls.

“Food? Lunch maybe?”

“Fuck me. No.”

“What about if she gets bored, can I turn the television on?”

“I swear to fuck I’m goin’ to come in there and tie you to the fuckin’ bed if you don’t shut that pretty little mouth.”

“You think my mouth is pretty?”

He makes a long, drawn-out, frustrated sound. “Put the ball back. Lock the room. And leave her be.”

“I’m not sure I can do that. I mean, honestly, it has to hurt after a while.”

“You don’t do it, you’ll have no job.”

“Yeesh,” I mutter. “Moody. Fine, I’ll leave her there, but I can’t promise I’m not going to check on her.”

“Saskia,” he warns, voice low and holy fuck, very sexy.

“Yes, Mason?” I say sweetly.

“Do as you’re fuckin’ told.”

“Your fetishes are strange, but okay, I’ll do what you’re asking. I don’t like her anyway, I was only trying to be nice. She’s very mouthy. Remember that for later.”

He makes a groaning sound, partially angry, partially frustrated, mostly exasperated.

“Goodbye,” he mutters.

“Bye, boss!”

I hang up and turn to the girl. “Looks like you’re in for a long, boring day.”

“Just put the ball back in,” she snaps.

“Happily.”

I walk over, pick up the ball, and shove it back in her mouth. She makes a groaning sound.

“What if you get a blocked nose and can’t breathe? You could die ...”

She glares at me.

“Fine, have it your way. But I won’t be held responsible. My fingerprints are on this ball gag now. So, you better keep breathing.”

I tie it up and shove the blindfold back on, then I leave the room and shut the door.

Crazy woman is honestly going to lie there all day waiting for Mason.

The man must have a magic cock, or mouth, or hands, or all of it.

Because damn, that’s a long time to wait.

Oh, well, whatever floats her boat, I suppose.

I must admit, though, I am curious.

Really strangely curious.

~*~*~*~