AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 16
Klaus
I sat on one of the weather-proof steel benches near the jetty and watched the catamaran cruise into the bay. As it backed to get everything squared away and the off-ramps lined up, the muted rumble of the big engines sounded like a predator warning away other beasts. Once the ropes were dropped over the bollards, the tourists surged out. Soon I was surrounded by a crowd. Mostly these were young families out for a day on the island. Kids screamed and ran about in their bright shorts, tops or dresses. Many people had snorkels and flippers, or ice boxes chock full of holiday gear. The seagulls were having fun pouncing on the potato fries thrown aside by giggling children.
And I was the outsider. I was a sadist. In my basement, I had a mostly naked woman who I beat regularly.
I remembered this disjointed feeling from the last time, from every time, I ventured out. My two shopping bags lay next to my feet. Milk, eggs, orange juice and various other items, including another selection of clothes that could be tossed when I tired of them, or mutilated to my heart’s content. And there was some string to tie up the nipples of the woman I’d left in the room.
Was I fucking insane?
I had a good job, great income, an honest reputation – not bad for a taxation accountant. Two and a half more weeks and my locum – the accountant who was filling in for me – was off to Europe. I had to go back to work then.
I knew why I didn’t let Jodie talk, still. It wasn’t for the wonderful reason she’d discovered. It was partly because I was afraid of what she might tell me if face to face and allowed to say whatever she wished. Partly too, because I got off on the power dynamic.
This way that I just took from her whatever I wanted was wrong, morally, ethically, even logically. But I didn’t want to stop when the time was over.
Maybe she’d agree to this continuing?
I’d figured out one of the local kinksters on Fetlife was a close friend from the kayaking club I used to be in. His pic, if you knew him well, was a dead giveaway. Only on Fetlife his name was Moghul. He was a Dom, and a font of information. Not all of it was useable. If I told him what we were truly doing, I think he would have been horrified. Jodie and I had something different happening. Something better.
I stared out across the beach. Seagulls were squawking indignantly as a small boy chased them. He ran in circles giggling insanely. His mother sat cross-legged on a towel nearby, smiling at his antics. She had a pile of seashells by her foot and the usual colorful plastic toys and shovel.
We’d strolled along this beach once, Jodie and I. The island only had so many beaches. She’d collected shells too, but when it had been time to get on the ferry, instead of dropping the shells, or taking them with us, she’d gifted the lot to a little girl in a blue dress and floppy hat. As she’d carefully tipped them into the girl’s chubby hand, then picked up a couple that had fallen onto the sand, I’d grinned. It had made me wonder about Jodie, about whether she would ever be a mother, and if I could ever be a father.
I guess I’d been hoping it would be us, together, but it was so long ago I couldn’t remember that part. Maybe I’d blocked it out.
I stood, picked up the bags, and headed for the jeep. Like every time I was out, I was growing nervous about leaving her alone. I might have loved hurting her, but I didn’t want her trapped in the house while it burned. Or…
I halted, struck by a ridiculous thought. What if an intruder broke in and assaulted her?
I’d kill him.
Crazy. To care and yet to want to hurt.
I still hadn’t figured out where I fitted in this whole scenario. Was I turning into the bad guy? Beneath all her protests, Jodie liked what I did. I was certain of that.
But I did have to ask her about this continuing, didn’t I?
Yeah, I did. Determination went kerthunk as it landed in the front of my mind. As long as her answer was yes.
Yep, I was insane. Knew it.
But I’d ask her. Because it was the right thing to do.
* * * *
Before I went down to the basement room, I sat in the living room to hear Jodie’s latest monologue. If she ever made a film, if I let her, these were what she’d have to use as the backbone. Not the footage of us having crazy sex. Or of me beating her until she screamed.
Her last words made me rewind the film, turn up the volume, and lean in.
She was kneeling as always, perfect position, but looking at the floor, then she looked up directly at the camera. Her light blue eyes were wide, unblinking.
“I’ve lost track of time, Klaus. I need to know how much longer before our time is up. I want to talk about us, about weaning ourselves away from…” She gestured vaguely. “From all this. You know we have to? Yes?”
Hell. I sat back, paused the film, and stared at her in freeze frame.
What could I do?
