"And who is this Marcus?"

"My name is Paula, and I'm..."

"You were not whom I was speaking to." Mercedes told her. "Here, you speak when spoken to and only when spoken to, is that understood?"

The woman stared hard at her and reaching out, Mercedes grabbed the leash from Marcus's hand and yanked down hard on it. The blonde gasped and staggered forwards, directly in front of Mercedes, who moving quickly, grabbed a handful of her long blonde hair and twisted it in her grip.

"I asked if that was understood."

"Yes."

"Yes Mistress."

"Y... yes Mistress."

"Your reply reeks of insincerity, just as your entire demeanor stinks of pride and privilege. That is a smell I can do without."

Looking over at Marcus she took a moment to take in his tall dark muscular form and briefly wondered about using him for her video. It was Friday and her video was due by midnight. No, she couldn't reward him again and she would need to allow him to do too much to satisfy the group.

"Marcus, tell me something."

"What is it Mistress?"

"Why is this proud whore clothed?"

"Well..." he looked at her, trying to gauge whether or not he was truly in trouble. "The rules my Mistress has provided state that there is to be no public humiliation."

"That's true." She stared into Paula's eyes, "We're going to break that rule however, remove her robe."

"I will not be stripped in front of all of these..."

"Then you will turn and go." Mercedes told her shifting her grip until she had her hand behind Paula's head and had pulled her face to hers. "You make no demands here. You have come here to find pleasure in submission and that starts here and now. So either allow your clothes to be removed or turn and leave like the rich fraud I sense you to be."

Paula stared at her and Mercedes could see her face begin to flush. She also noticed Paula's breathing had started to pick up. Her chest was heaving and her eyes had widened, there was a look in them that had not been there a moment ago. Mercedes nodded to herself, Paula would truly enjoy her session; she just had to overcome her initial pride.

"Raise your hands above your head." Mercedes said softly, releasing her hair, but still holding the leash.

Paula licked her lips, then slowly raised her arms over her head. Mercedes gave Marcus a nod and stepping behind her, he reached around to grab the tie of the robe.

"Wait." Mercedes said, and then raised her voice. "I would like everyone in this corridor to please step over here. It seems we have a woman here who is quite proud and I would like an audience for her losing that pride."

As the dozen clients and employees came over to form a circle around them, Mercedes looked to her left and spotted Shelia her top female. "Shelia, fetch me your dowel."

There were several murmurs and Mercedes could sense an air of excitement building. She turned back to Paula who was still holding her arms over her head and she noted with satisfaction her hands were shaking. She felt something brush against her hand and looked down to see Sheila had returned and was pushing a three foot black dowel into her hand. Mercedes nodded then bringing the dowel up held it over her head and began twirling it around with her fingers.

She spun it faster and dropping it down, began to weave it in an intricate pattern in front and alongside her. Like a cheerleader with a baton, Mercedes made a show of twirling the dowel around. She enjoyed the sound of the thin wood hissing through the air and with a flourish whipped it out and just past Paula's ear. She cried out and there was the sound of muffled laughter from around her.

"Take her robe off." It was time for the lesson to begin.