Pick your battles.
Even as the warning sunk in, she loathed herself for giving in so easily. He waited until she’d pressed her thighs together, then grabbed her bound wrists and backed her out. Water continued to sheet off her hair, making it impossible for her to see what he was doing. After what felt like an eternity, she shook her hair out of her eyes and looked behind her.
His erection tented his wet shorts.
“
The more excited a man is,” he said as he cupped himself, “the more you’ve always liked it. You figure you have him right where you want him. The power’s in your hands. Well guess what, not anymore.”
Several times now he’d hinted at the reason behind her capture, and she no longer wondered if he’d taken her to feed his own warped desires.
“
Have you ever fucked a washcloth?” he asked. “That might be interesting, but it’s going to have to wait. You want to know why?”
Despising both of them, she nodded.
“
Because lesson number two is coming up.”
Chapter Eight
She’d thought he’d take her into the bedroom and rape her. Instead, he’d ordered her out of the shower. In a fog, she’d started to walk past him when he pulled the washcloth out from between her legs, leaving suds to dribble down the insides of her thighs. After attaching the chain to her collar, he’d pulled her, still dripping, into what had probably once been a second bedroom and dropped the chain.
A dungeon. A cage.
Bars marred the view from the single window. The
bed
consisted of a single mattress and a frame with metal rings welded to the head and footboards. A couple of times Norman had paid her to pretend to be his sex slave—something his wife refused to have anything to do with. The first time he’d approached her with his kink, she’d turned him down, but he’d persisted. Realizing she could turn things to her advantage, she’d insisted on proper compensation in exchange for playing his game. Truth was, she’d been looking forward to the experience, but Norman’s imagination and courage hadn’t gone beyond padded cuffs. He’d spread-eagled her on his bed when his wife was out of town, leaving her with so much freedom of movement she couldn’t get into the scene.
Norman couldn’t possibly be behind what was happening now, could he? The pussycat would never want Reno to beat her.
But if not Norman, who?
She’d barely noticed the night stands on either side of the bed, but as Reno started toward the one on the left, she knew she didn’t want to see what they contained. One corner of the room was taken up with something resembling a saw horse. Cuffs attached to the four legs near the floor left her with no doubt of its use. Hating doing it, she nevertheless pictured herself cuffed to the restraint with her ass high and head low. A heavy, floor-to-ceiling metal X dominated another corner. More cuffs and chains were affixed to the ends of the X, perfect for restraining a captive—her. A large half barrel that reminded her of pictures Medieval torture racks took up a third corner. She’d fight being stretched over it on her back, but in the end Reno would have her where he wanted her with her limbs immobilized and breasts and belly exposed for whatever sick punishment he had in mind.
Whimpering, she whirled and ran for the door. The chain slapped against her legs.
“
What good do you think that’s going to do you?” Reno asked. “In case you’ve forgotten, your hands are useless.”
Groaning, she pressed her shoulder against the unyielding door.
“
Don’t chicken out on me. Given what a ball buster you are, I figured you’d have the guts to face your lessons head on.”
A few hours ago she would have given him a thorough tongue lashing and called 911. Now with her arms useless and her body beaten, she had no choice but to turn around. He’d opened the nightstand drawer and was placing its contents on the bed.
“
No. Oh damn, no.”
He indicated a metal and leather device that, once inserted, would keep the wearer’s mouth open. “Is this what you’re objecting to? I think you’d appreciate its practicality and built-in safety measures.” He stuck several fingers through the opening in the metal O. “A man can get his cock through this and down a bitch’s throat without having to worry about being bitten.”
She’d fight like a wildcat if he came near her with the damn thing—fight and lose.
“
Maybe that doesn’t bother you given how easily you can be persuaded to suck cock.”
Taking Platt’s thick but short cock into her mouth had been the primary way she’d rewarded him for paying for her breasts enlargement. She didn’t enjoy giving head as much as straight sex but what the hell. Now—
“
Okay so I haven’t sold you on this?” He looked confused, not that she believed him. “Hmm. What else can I offer for your consideration?” He idly showed her several whips, handcuffs, and a one-piece rubber arm binder. “Am I getting warm?”
“
Let me go!”
“
Or what?” His look reminded her of her father’s expression when, as an adolescent, she’d tried to guilt him into buying her something. “I hold the trump card. Now—“ Wrapping his fingers around a multi-tailed whip, he snapped it. “I strongly, and I do mean strongly, suggest you get your naked and worthless ass over here. Otherwise you’re going to wish I’d stuck with the crop.”
She couldn’t walk over to him! No way in hell would she let him win this easily!
“
Last chance.” The whip again whistled. “Over here and on your knees. Now!”
“
Go to hell!”
She didn’t remember saying the words and barely recognized her voice. One thing she had no doubt of, she’d said exactly what he wanted to hear.
No cougar had been more sure of himself than Reno obviously was as he stalked toward her. He acted as if he had all the time in the world.
Stand your ground! Don’t give in!
With her back pressed against the door and the knob grinding into her spine, she became lost between fight or flight. Then he lifted his arm, and she bolted. The whip struck her in the side. The sharp pain took her back to the morning’s nightmare, compromising her ability to think.
“
Run bitch.” His arm again uplifted, he stalked after her. ”See if you can climb the walls or squeeze through the bars.”
Fear took her to the opposite end of the room. Trapped, she again faced her tormentor.
“
What do you think? Ready to surrender or shall we keep this up? Either way I’m going to enjoy it.” He indicated his erection.
If she surrendered—sank to her knees before him—he’d undoubtedly whip her but if she continued to resist, she’d go down with her head high.
“
Go to hell.”
“
Great decision, bitch. I couldn’t be more pleased.” The whip snaked out and slashed her breasts. “Tag, I’m it. I’m always it.”
She took off running again, her flight made awkward because of her trapped arms and the chain tangling around her legs. She tried to put the sawhorse between herself and her attacker only to realize she’d trapped herself.
Grinning, he came around one side of the sawhorse. She bolted for the other side, turning her back to him. He laid down lines of fire on her buttocks. Screaming, she frantically looked around. There wasn’t anywhere to go, no way to defend herself. Panting and confused, she stood in the middle of the room.
“
Too late. You blew it.”
Don’t kill me. Please.
He obviously had no intention of doing so, not that it mattered as he herded her in what felt like endless circles. She compared herself to a mustang caught in a corral with a cowboy on her tail, a deer frantically looking for freedom as a cougar raked its flanks. Reno struck her back, buttocks, legs, and shoulders, and when she presented him with her front, he turned the whip loose on her breasts and belly. Unlike the crop’s ability to bruise, this beast’s many fingers seared her. Red welts blossomed everywhere.
Out of breath and terrified, she backed herself into the one corner that didn’t contain any bondage items. He watched with the whip at his side. Unlike her, he didn’t look as if the exertion had taken anything out of him.
“
I can’t…” It took all her strength not to collapse.
“
What can’t you do?”
Confused by his compassionate tone, she studied him. Moments ago she’d sensed a killer in him, but that had been replaced by something else. Was it possible her cared what happened to her? Maybe he was playing with what was left of her mind.
“
What can’t you do, slut?”
Exist this way.
“Run anymore.”
“
Besides, trying doesn’t do you any good. I’m going to give you some time to think about where things are headed from here. Then I’ll be back for another lesson.”
Chapter Nine
No more lessons. I won’t survive them.
Cheri lifted her head only to let it fall. The collar branded her neck, and it barely mattered that he’d unsnapped the chain. Reno had released her wrists but only after looping rope around her elbows and pulling them so close they nearly touched. That done, he’d slipped a hook through the elbow tie and attached the hook to a chain looped through a ring in the ceiling. As his final act, he’d pulled on the chain and forced her arms high before securing the chain to the wall.
She didn’t know how long she’d been standing here like a creature waiting for slaughter. Except for her elbows she was free, all but naked. Only the collar remained. Pain rested on every inch of her, more in her straining shoulders than where he’d beaten her. She was alone and yet she wasn’t.
Too tired to try to shake her hair out of her eyes, she kept herself turned so the camera installed in a corner of the ceiling couldn’t lock on her face. The damnable thing swept slowly up and down as if caressing her helpless form. Was Reno watching her, waiting for her to start begging?
Maybe images of her were being sent somewhere so whoever was responsible for her being here could watch.
When she’d first noticed the camera she hadn’t been able to dismiss her hurting body long enough to concentrate on it. However, she had nothing to do but take in the too-small space where she’d been imprisoned.
Imprisoned but not broken.
At least not yet.
Fighting exhaustion, she faced the camera. “I know you’re watching, laughing at me. Are you proud of yourself? You’ve accomplished what you set out to do. Now what? Will you say you’ve won when I’m dead?”
The question took too much out of her, and she once more sagged. Waited. She wasn’t used to feeling sorry for herself. Always before she’d known how to work a situation and people to her advantage.
The door opened, sending ice to her heart. She had to clench her teeth to keep from whimpering as Reno, Damek, and the woman walked in. Reno was still shirtless, and his shorts had dried. He had a hard-on. Damek was dressed all in black while the woman, like her, wore nothing except for a collar. Her hands were tied in front, and she was gagged. Cheri wondered whether fear or hopelessness kept her from removing the black ball jammed in her mouth.
“
You know what you’re supposed to do.” Damek shoved the woman toward the bed. “And what’ll happen if you don’t obey.”
The redhead appeared to be in her twenties, but the way she moved reminded Cheri of someone much older. When their gazes briefly met, Cheri knew she was looking at a defeated soul. The other woman plodded over to the bed. She returned with two ornate silver objects connected to a maybe two-foot long silver chain.
Nipple clamps! Like the ones Norman had tried to get her to put on.
Undone, Cheri pushed back until the strain in her shoulders stopped her. Silently cursing her world and everything in it, she struggled to accept the inevitable.
“
Do it, slave. It isn’t as if you don’t know how the things work—or feel.”
I’m sorry,
the other woman’s eyes said. What looked like devil’s teeth touched Cheri’s left nipple.
“
No!” Cheri spun away. “Oh please, no!”
Unintelligible sounds let Cheri know the other captive was trying to speak.
“
Rein the filly in,” Damek said. “It’s about time she learned her lesson.”
“
I know my job,” Reno shot back. He grabbed her hair and forcing her back around.
The redhead was still trying to make herself understood, but Cheri couldn’t concentrate. Her eyes watered and a little urine dribbled out of her. The clamp’s teeth again hovered over her nipple.
“
No, no, no.”
Pain latched onto her nipple, and she screamed. More urine escaped.
Damek chuckled. “Gotta work on her bladder control. One down, one to come.”
Terrified of being caught unprepared again, she stared as cruel silver locked onto her right nipple. She screamed. The chain dangled between her breasts. Trying to draw away from her breasts served no purpose, but she couldn’t stop herself. Ropes and a collar were nothing compared to the small, cruel monsters attached to her.
“
Why?” she managed. “Why are you doing this to me?”
Grabbing the redhead’s hands, Damek hauled her out of the room. Now it was only Reno and her—helpless captive and cruel owner.
Owner? No!
“
You asked why the
jewelry
?” Looking stern, Reno hooked his forefinger over the chain and drew it toward him. “Fortunately I’ve decided it’s time for a bit of an explanation. Otherwise I’d let you spend the rest of the day pondering the question.”
Was he saying the nipple clamps would stay in place indefinitely? She couldn’t stand it. She also knew begging would fall on deaf ears.
He used the chain to turn her so she again faced the camera. “This is a live feed. There’s another in the bathroom as well as the one that kept an eye on you when you were outside.”
Damn it! Someone could have watched her being tortured in real time. Now she understood why the other woman had looked so defeated. The enemy followed them everywhere.