Page 13 of His Keepsake

Neither came out.

I’d done worse to uppity asshole Doms, but maybe I should be wary of provoking this one?

Do it, my primeval stupid brain told me.

I opened my mouth.

He switched the belt so the end of it snapped but came nowhere near me. “Let me explain, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. If you want to pee, eat, drink, or see sun now and then, you’ll do what I say. If not, a few days of hunger and suffering, and being forced to do a thousand degrading things will convince you. Your call.”

My mouth had stayed open.

“Tick, tick…”

When he put it that way…I had given permission for anything.

Anything that would not damage me permanently.

Fuck it. This wasn’t a hill I needed to die on.

The belt hung there, an implied threat in his hand. Was he insinuating he’d start with giving me a hard beating if I refused?

I swallowed and met his eyes, all too aware of how exposed I was standing with my hands tied above my head.

“Thank you, Mr. Scott.”

“Tell me why you aren’t afraid of me.”

Did it show that much? Truthfully, though, I was a little afraid. I still wasn’t sure this was Charity’s friend.

“I’ve had worse than that.” I shrugged and studied the belt. “Besides…”

“Besides?”

He wanted it out in the open? I wriggled where I hung, glad I could stand flatfooted. My feet were freezing. “We both know this is consensual nonconsent. You’re Charity’s friend.” I smiled. “I almost wish we weren’t laying all of our cards on the table. I know, I know, I—”

“Who the fuck is Charity?”

My mouth refused to work.

What?

Oh…he was fucking with me.

“Ha ha. Very funny. Charity vetted you or I wouldn’t be here.”

His lip curled but it was hard to tell if it was humor or contempt. “Is that why you didn’t fight very hard? You think this was all arranged, and that I’m a friend of your friend?”

I stared at him. Was he fucking with me, or…?

“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” His pleasant smile didn’t match the malice in his gaze.

“There was a code word you were supposed to know, to make sure you were the right guy,” I said, voice shaking.

“And what was your plan if a stranger abducted you instead? Ah, yes—kicking off your shoes as I threw you into my trunk. Foolproof.” He tsked. “You knew I wasn’t the man you were expecting, even then.”

“You know what the code word is,” I accused, glaring at him.

He chuckled. “Believe whatever you need to.”

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