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Though I was only half way through my English muffin, I took that as my cue to leave. I followed Reggie out the door like a dutiful pup, a far cry from the outrageous goad I was the previous night. I suspected that his guests were all waiting for the fireworks to begin again.
“Sit down,” he motioned to the leather sofa, and so I sat feeling much like the nervous newbie I’d been weeks before. In an unusual move, he sat across from me on a leather footstool, the same one over which I’d been violated during my initiation. He leaned forward resting his arms on his thighs. His entire disposition was much warmer than the cold detachment I was accustomed to. I was taken off guard by this. The shift in demeanor was a stroke of mastery, for it renewed my sexual longing, renewed and strengthened the bond of desire between us – not what I expected.
“It’s become apparent to me, Alex, that for both our needs, you need to stay to complete what we’ve begun.” A feeling of relief washed through me hearing this verdict, although at the same time I could feel a slew of questions start to cram their way into my brain. “I trust you understand, more than ever, how much this is a game of choice. And if you so choose, we’ll continue to conquer your fantasies. And if not—”
“I do want to continue,” I jumped in before he was finished.
He stared at me, and as if seeing my sincerity he nodded.
“I wonder though, will you punish me for last night?” I could feel a chill running through my body, the question had plagued me since the idea of staying had been considered the night before.
“I never punish in circumstances such as these. Our agreement remains the same. You follow my instructions as you previously agreed to, and you can stay. You’ve violated that agreement once. I’d suggest you pay close attention to your compliance. I’ll not forgive you again.”
The authority of command that was his gift was never so apparent to me, yet something had changed. I hadn’t really understood how much this drama really was my creation, my choice. Previously, that had all been rather vague in my mind, something I was doing at Will’s recommendation. But the agreement was clear to me now when it hadn’t sunk in before. I swore to myself that I’d play by his rules. I’d subject myself to Reggie’s domination, knowing that I could refuse him at any point – without the theatrics. But I wouldn’t refuse him. I wouldn’t balk or fight, make a public scene of my displeasure or attempt to cast Reggie in a negative light. I was wiser and this was a new game.
“I’m finished defying you,” I told him. “If nothing else, I think last night made me honest with myself.”
“I hope so.” He stood up and moved around behind me and sat down at his desk. The cold wind blew, the detachment followed. And my sexual longing for him had never been so high. Never had I wanted anything more than I wanted him now – regardless of what that would mean.
I turned around on the sofa so I could look at him. “I’ve been wondering about something, Reggie—”
“What is that?”
“You rode the stallion last night—”
“I took out my rage on him since I wouldn’t take it out on you.” There was no emotion, no passion in his voice as he confessed the truth.
“Why would you compromise your favorite animal?”
He mulled the question for a moment. “You don’t deserve to know the answer, but you’ll be forced to understand soon enough. A lesser animal wouldn’t have been as worthy a trade.”
It was hard for me to hear, knowing how much Reggie prized the horse, and under ordinary circumstances would never have done anything to hurt him. But I understood that had he unleashed his fury on me last night, he and I might have greatly regretted the night even more than we already did.
“But, Alex, lest your sense of justice be offended, you’ll have your opportunity to pay for last night’s escapade.”
He dialed the house phone. “Gus, I want you at the house with my leather strap.”
I froze for a moment as a new fear swept through me. I waited, knowing exactly what would take place, and realizing full well that at some basic level he was right; I craved the justice and looked forward to the pain.
It took no more than ten minutes for Gus to arrive in the den. His dusty jeans and rugged shirt, scraggly beard and rough hands emphasized his primitive features and primitive passion. Doubled in his hand was a leather strap that would likely extend several feet in length when it was uncurled. I’d seen it before at the stable. Now, as he held the handle and leather looped in his large fist, the sight of it intrigued me – even though it set off a maelstrom of emotion, everything from panic and near hysteria to arousal and desire. I couldn’t imagine the strap was used for anything other than taming a wild beast, though I doubted that Reggie would ever allow it used on one of his horses. The only other purpose—and that instantly came to mind—was for punishment.
I feared the pain that a whipping would inflict on my body, but I wanted to feel that rough sting. I wanted the fire and the heat that followed. I wanted it to be more than I could bear. My crimes demanded that. I wanted Reggie there to see it. Despite his consistent – and rather silly in my opinion – claim that this was not punishment, I knew he would watch with satisfaction. I only wished that he’d do the deed himself, but that wasn’t Reggie’s style. He wouldn’t dirty his hands with the task, but he would order it done. Always the perfect administrator pulling the strings as his puppet world danced around him.
“You want to do this?” he asked Gus, as if there were any question about his answer.
“Yes, sir,” Gus answered grimly.
“Then tie her to the beam.”
Gus strode to the far side of the room, and pushed aside the five foot curtain hanging against the wall, unveiling a rope and hook device that slid into the room on a cleverly hidden rail. He unfastened the device and lowered the hook to an appropriate height as Reggie joined him.
“Alex,” he nodded me forward.
I rose to my feet with my legs trembling, and fear grabbing me in the belly so fiercely that I don’t know how I stayed upright. Standing between the two men, my body heat rose as their forceful energy closed in around me. I think that alone kept me on my feet.
Gus grabbed my hands and fixed a handcuff around each wrist, then he raised them high above my head where they attached to the dangling hook. Reggie moved to the side of the room where he pulled the ropes tight and watched closely as my arms extended into the air until my feet nearly left the ground.
“I want her backside bared,” Gus said.
