Bound: A Caged Novella Read online

  She nodded slowly, relieved that I had read between the lines. “Yes.”

  My hands were shaking as I dropped to the floor in front of her. She appeared nervous but I shook my head. “It’s okay. I’m glad you told me. Don’t ever be ashamed of who you are, Jeanie.”

  Turning around, I reached behind me and lifted my t-shirt over my head. Her gasp was loud but even from my position in front of her, it was the sound of her heavy breaths that pumped my cock with more blood.

  A shiver rolled over me when, very faintly, the touch of Jeanie’s fingers traced along a few deep welts on my back. “Are these by choice?”

  “Some,” I answered honestly. She needed to know that her desires weren’t horrific, or outlandish, and that sometimes even the more darkest parts of our needs weren’t all that unorthodox. “Some were put there before I even understood what was happening.”

  Turning around, I gave her a soft smile. I wasn’t sure where this whole gentle side of me came from, but Jeanie was so skittish that I impulsively allowed my instincts to rule my behaviour around her. “What I’m saying is, I had a life of torture and abuse, as you’ve likely read about. But I still chose to take and give pain as pleasure. I turned something that haunted me, into something that filled me with a sense of purpose and rapture.”

  “I don’t know why I get off on it, but…”

  “But nothing. Whoever told you it was wrong, was just uneducated, or just too closed off to the world that they couldn’t ever comprehend something they are never willing to acknowledge.”

  “But it isn’t…” Once again, she didn’t finish her sentence with words, just shook her head.

  Growing frustrated, I took her hand and pulled her out of the chair. She didn’t fight me when I led her through the house, but she did hesitate when I took the key to the basement out of my pocket and unlocked the door.

  “Anderson?”

  “Trust me.”

  She gulped when I brushed a strand of hair from her face and nipped her chin, directing her gaze to mine so she could see the sincerity in my eyes.

  “Please.”

  Taking a deep breath, she nodded.

  And then followed me down the stairs.

  Ten

  Jeanie

  The wooden stairs creaked on the way down and I couldn’t help but feel I was walking into the middle of a horror movie. I’d expected, the deeper we descended, to be overwhelmed by a smell of dampness, and death. However, the subtle scent of vanilla and wood calmed the tornado that raged in my stomach.

  Stepping from the last step, I looked around the large room. A bed sat to one edge, and a large rug, that I presumed to be Red’s, lay in front of it, just like the rug in my room, and the one beside Anderson’s bed – yes, I’d been snooping earlier. For some reason, it was the softness of the pale cream duvet that drew my attention to it. It didn’t match the rest of the room. Harsh colours, striking wooden equipment, and bleak, black leather decorated the rest of the room. Yet, the side of the room that housed the bed was much softer. The spread of delicate cream painted the wall the bed sat against, a very faint unusual pattern running throughout what would otherwise be a plan and drab shade. The rug was the exact same colour, and a pretty soft pink throw lay over the bottom of the bed. In the pit of my stomach, I knew exactly why this part of the room was different. It was a shrine.

  I could sense Anderson’s anxiety when I walked straight to that corner, my disregard for the ‘toys’ and ‘tools’ confusing him. His disquiet grew louder, almost deafening, when I ran the tips of my fingers along the length of the bed.

  “Why is the bed special?”

  My question seemed to turn his worry to sadness, and for a moment I regretted my question. Except, I was never a tactful person.

  “Is this special to your wife?”

  Still he remained silent and I turned back to the bed. It was then, running my eyes over the space, that the pattern in the wall caught my attention. Leaning closer to focus, bewilderment turned my tact into rudeness. “Are these… shopping lists?”

  Covering the entire wall were very light, almost unreadable, lists of food items. Hundreds of lines of groceries, appearing to be handwritten, bordered the entirety of the bed.

  “They were Kloe’s lists. When she died, I found hundreds of scraps of papers with her lists on. I transferred them onto the wall.”

  My mouth suddenly dried at the enormity of the grief in his voice. I didn’t turn when I felt him behind me, I didn’t want to spoil his moment of honesty and openness.

  “She made a lot of lists.” I rolled my eyes at my thoughtlessness. It was obviously a big thing to Anderson, and I didn’t mean to make it all feel insignificant.

  “Kloe was… She had issues. Mainly with an innate fear of being hungry.”

  “Okay,” I whispered softly, gently nodding my head. “We all have ways of dealing with things.” Finally turning around, I hid my emotions when I saw the raw devastation on his face as his eyes roamed over the wall. “What you did here is both heart-breaking and beautiful.”

  “Maybe it’s punishment.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  His eyes refused to meet mine. I couldn’t help myself; slowly reaching out, I took his hand and linked my fingers through his. “Anderson?”

  Finally, his eyes lowered to mine. “I… I held Kloe captive down here.”

  His disclosure should have scared the crap out of me, but it didn’t, it flummoxed me. “Why did you lock her down here?”

  “It’s too long a story to explain now.”

  I nodded, understanding his reluctance to share something so important until he was ready to, and it was understandably a delicate subject for him. However, I had a feeling that one day he would share it with me, I felt it in the core of my bones.

  “So.” Changing the subject quickly, I turned away from the bed and, at last, looked around the rest of the room.

  The X-frame secured to one wall caught my attention and I couldn’t help but smile as I walked over to it. “My favourite.” Once again, my inability to keep my thoughts in my head brought a blush to my cheeks, but Anderson didn’t even flinch.

  “Mine too.”

  “So, do you receive or give?” I’d never really considered giving pain. Andy had been very dominant, and the idea of me being assertive over him was absurd to me.

  “Both.” His gaze dropped to mine and his hard stare made me shiver with excitement. “However, the only person whom I allow my pain is Robbie.”

  He never failed to stun my thoughts, my mind practically stuttering with astonishment. “You’re bi-sexual?”

  He nodded. “Yes.”

  From his blunt answers, and the way he watched my reactions closely, it was clear he was expecting to shock me, but he didn’t. I was just surprised by his honesty.

  Along one wall were different whips, canes, blades and floggers, and my fingers impulsively reached for the old schoolmaster’s cane. Anderson, this time, appeared surprised. “You like the cane?”

  “Very much.”

  Reaching over my shoulder from where he stood behind me, he took a long thin cane wrapped in leather from its hook. My belly flipped with both nerves and excitement, and the lump that formed in my throat made me squirm when I noisily swallowed it down.

  “This is one of my favourites. It’s very harsh. The sting is very intense,” he divulged quietly.

  I ran my fingers along the length of it. He watched me, then looked back to my face. He was silent but his stare told me so much. The atmosphere between us crackled, the oxygen in the air incinerated by the scorch simmering in us both.

  “I think me and Clyde would be best of friends.” His brow creased in confusion and I giggled. “Sorry, I name all my toys.”

  His look went from disbelief to humorous. “Clyde,” he repeated with a smirk. “Suits him.”

  I grinned, nodding. “Yes, it does.”

  My grin turned to a gasp when he leaned into me and brought his m
outh to my ear. “You want to get better acquainted with Clyde, Jeanie?”

  A shudder ripped through me and I closed my eyes to try and steady myself. The warmth of his breath over my cheek spread heat throughout my body. I hadn’t been with anyone since Andy had left me, and a shiver of nervousness made my heartbeat stutter. But that only added to the excitement charging through my veins.

  “I want to give you this, Jeanie. I want to watch the rush of ecstasy make your beautiful body flush just for me.”

  “Oh God.”

  “I want to consume your pain, feast on it. I want to sink so far inside you that your pain will become mine, your pleasure the very thing that stops the beat of my heart.”

  I spun around, unable to take any more of his words. His mouth crashed over mine, his teeth catching the edge of my lip and filling my taste buds with the tang of blood. One of his large hands slid behind my head and I groaned when he took a handful of my hair and pulled my head further back.

  Raw need clawed at me and I grabbed my top and pulled it over my head. He took one of my nipples between his lips and I clung on to his shoulders for support. Instead of biting, or sucking hard, like I expected, he surprised me with the very delicate touch of his tongue. Sensation after sensation rolled over me with every gentle stroke of his tongue. It was as if he was worshipping me, dedicating himself to my breasts and driving me higher and higher with each precise but incredible touch.

  My fingers tore at his hair and I held on as my body gave in to the need. “Anderson.”

  We were suddenly moving, my body walking backwards as Anderson directed me towards the X-frame. My teeth chattered with pure need, my veins electrified with excitement when he slowly turned me around.

  Instinctively I stepped into the frame, taking a stance I had done so many times before. My body prepared itself for the lick of pain it knew was coming. My muscles relaxed as Anderson strapped me to the frame.

  “Are you sure?” he asked before binding the last cuff around my wrist.

  “Absolutely! Hurry up.”

  He chuckled, snapping the last restraint into place and securing me.

  Cold air hit my bottom when he yanked down my pyjama pants, baring my naked arse for Clyde to kiss.

  Clyde’s kiss was so very passionate and raw. His adoration to my skin was mind-blowing, every caress drenching me with endorphins. Anderson matched every one of my groans with a grunt, every jerk of my body with another strike of leather, and every trickle of blood with a worship of his tongue.

  Grabbing my hair, he yanked my head back and crushed my mouth with his. His tongue found mine, giving me a taste of my own blood.

  “Jesus, Anderson. Please.” I didn’t care that I begged, I was beyond shame. Need devoured embarrassment, and the tightness in my body urged for relief.

  Without a word, Anderson slid his hard cock right inside me. Grateful for the restraints, my body sagged in pleasure, the fill of him soothing every ache inside me.

  “Fuck,” he groaned in my ear when my pussy completely sheathed him tightly.

  Very slowly he started to move, his thickness massaging every inch of me as his heavy breaths and faint groans in my ear urged the lust even deeper.

  He drove me higher and higher until the hum in my ears became a vibration in my bones and everything but the feel of Anderson inside me evaporated. We were lost to each other, united by the pleasure and the pain. I could feel his soul inside me when my body gave in and exploded in ecstasy.

  He followed me over, his long moan of gratification jolting another hit of pleasure to roll over me.

  Resting his forehead on my shoulder, his body clung to mine for support and his heavy pants matched mine.

  “Told you me and Clyde would get along.”

  I could feel his smile on my shoulder as he slid his hand down my body and cupped my bottom. The sting made me hiss. “You both danced very nicely together. I need to tend to the welts.”

  I nodded and blew out a breath when he slipped out of me, and made my way over to the bed.

  “NO!”

  I jumped back in alarm, the harsh tone of his voice, for the first time ever, unnerving me. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” I shook my head, apologising.

  Closing his eyes for a second, he seemed to compose himself, and drew in a heavy breath. “No, I’m sorry. I, uhh, just not there. Okay?”

  “Of course.” I nodded jerkily, shame now making me swipe my pyjamas up and hurry to get back in them. “It’s okay. I can tend to the… to my bottom.”

  He looked contrite, grimacing when I hurried from the basement and back up the stairs.

  It was stupid of me. I’d never been subtle but I found myself being more and more unguarded with Anderson. What had just occurred between us gave me a false sense of ease, and I hadn’t thought about what I was doing. The chemistry between us was just that, chemistry. Nothing more, nothing less.

  Yet, I couldn’t help but feel a little hurt as I smeared my backside with cream and climbed into bed. Why take me down there if it was a place devoted to his wife? The voice in my head wouldn’t quieten, telling me Anderson hadn’t even realised he had been with me down there, that in his mind he was actually in the moment with a ghost.

  A ghost that would never leave.

  Eleven

  Anderson

  “Are you serious?”

  The look on Robbie’s face when I told him about Jeanie told me exactly what he thought without his need to voice it. His eyes were wide with incredulity and he stared at me like he thought I’d lost my mind. However, his next words were unexpected.

  “About fucking time!”

  “What?”

  “I’ve been worried about you, man. You’ve become more and more reclusive, and fucking miserable with it. I was worried you’d never find another woman.”

  “It’s not a matter of ‘finding another woman’! Jesus, Robbie!”

  He scowled at me and huffed. “I know that! I’m not saying you should fall in love, or even forget Kloe. She’s an important part of your life, and Sam’s. But you can’t commit yourself to a memory for the rest of your life, Anderson.”

  “I’m not trying to!”

  Robbie shot up out of the chair when Jeanie hesitantly walked into the kitchen. Her eyes widened on Robbie and she blushed when he hurried over to her and stuck out his hand. “Hey. Robbie. Pleased to meet you, Jeanie.”

  Rolling my eyes, I swallowed the groan and poured Jeanie a mug of coffee.

  She took it from me with a shy smile.

  “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, hiding her eyes from me, and took a gulp of coffee. It was then that I noticed her uniform. “Surely you’re not going in to work?”

  Appearing confused, she bit into her lip and gawped at me. “Uhh, yes. Why do you look surprised?”

  Scoffing, I shook my head in astonishment. “Perhaps because there’s some cunt out there trying to kill you!”

  “Oh, he’s not trying to kill me, just scare me.”

  Jesus Fucking Christ!

  She gasped when I grabbed the tops of her arms, and spoke very slowly. “Oh, believe me, Jeanie. He is definitely trying to kill you.”

  Her pale face turned white as if this nugget of information was fresh news and she stumbled into a chair. “No, Anderson. I really don’t think…”

  “Well you need to fucking think!”

  She blinked at the raise in my voice, and reared back.

  “What the fuck, Anderson,” Robbie growled. “You’re scaring the shit out of her. Have you never heard of tact?”

  “Oh, don’t worry, neither has Jeanie!”

  Every word that burst from me seemed to offend her but I couldn’t stop them, the terror at her gullibility turning every one of my emotions to rage, hopefully enough to scare the truth into her.

  Trying to bate my anger when I saw the fear in her eyes, I blew out a long breath, and dropped to my haunches in front of her. Her hands shook when I took them in mine, but I
made her look at me. “Jeanie, you need to understand. Yes, I’m scaring the shit out of you right now. But fuck me, someone needs to! Frank Kingston will only leave you alone when he holds your dead body in his arms. Do you understand? The grief has sent him fucking cuckoo.”

  Being blunt was cruel, but the only way for Jeanie to accept just how fucking dangerous this lunatic was. She was such a gentle soul that she refused to see the bad in anyone, that much was evident, and even though I hadn’t known her long, she was such an easy character to read.

  “I have to work, Anderson,” she whispered, her voice shaking with emotion. “I have to.”

  Groaning, I squeezed my eyes closed and nodded. “It’s a good job you’re Sam’s nurse, and I can keep my eye on you during your shift.”

  “I don’t need looking after, Anderson!”

  “Really, you do.”

  Her eyes hardened on me, but, wisely, she bit her tongue, and gulped down the rest of her drink.

  Robbie was grinning at me when Jeanie left the room to fetch her bag.

  “What?”

  Slowly, he shook his head but the twinkle in his eye and the wide smile on his face said it all.

  Arsehole!

  ***

  “Daddy!”

  The breath in my lungs left in a sudden rush, making my head swim, when Sam bounced up and down on the bed with excitement. The nurse sat beside him turned and grinned at me in greeting.

  “Daddy!”

  “Oh my God!”

  His tiny body felt like heaven in my arms when he flung himself at me and I caught him. His wide blue eyes full of love and happiness made my throat hurt with emotion.

  “Are you feeling better, cookie?”

  He nodded wildly. “All better.”

  “Well hello there, handsome.” Jeanie grinned widely as she knelt on the floor beside me and Sam. “I’m very glad you’re up and feeling better.”