Believe Me Ch. 01

He let the shirt fall and continued, "I had your phone taken specifically so you would have no communication with anyone. And that transmission failure with your hand-me-down car? Your acceptance to a distant school that you hadn't even applied to and, let's be honest, did you really think your grades were good enough to get you in to one of the best colleges in Florida all by yourself and with a scholarship, no less? You think these things were all coincidence?" He was practically beaming with pride, "I've taken great precautions to make sure that you are untraceable."

I felt numb. I felt as if everything I had experienced in the last year had been a lie. Worse yet, I felt violated.

"Now then..." He grabbed me by the chin and squeezed lightly, "I'm going to untie you. If you try to run, I will hurt you. Do you believe me?"

"I do..." I squeaked, and it was the truth.

He gave me a little shake, "You aren't stupid. What did you forget?"

"I do... sir..." I sobbed. He released his hold and I pressed my chin to my shoulder in an attempt to sooth myself.

Gabriel rose to untie me and I watched him wearily. When my wrists were free, I rubbed at the red marks that the rope had left on them and moved to stand up.

"Now, you already know the rule about what to call me, so lets go over something else." He retrieved a long, thin stick from some corner of the room and came back to stand in front of me. "If we are ever in the same room, upon your entering or mine, you will bow to me. Fully. On your knees, on the floor, until I tell you to stand."

I had been kneeling for what felt like hours already so I stayed standing now and Gabriel sighed and added, "That means you should be kneeling now."

"I..." Whatever I had planned to say, I knew instantly that it was the wrong answer. He lashed out with the stick, too fast for me to react or try to block it. It didn't hurt so much, where he hit me in the stomach, but took the wind from me and had the desired effect of dropping me to my knees, where I gasped to reclaim the breath that had just been knocked out of me.

"Very good," He continued, as if nothing had transpired. He slowly started to circle me and I was immediately reminded of a shark that was ready to feed. "I suppose this would be a good time for the next rule. If I punish you, you will thank me for it."

I was still doubled over on the floor, reeling from the blow he had dealt a moment ago. Even if I wanted to answer him-and I didn't-I hardly had the ability to process his order yet. He slapped me in the stomach again, this time the stick hitting that backs of my knuckles where I held myself. My hands stung and I yelped in pain and whimpered out something that I hoped sounded like, "Thank you, sir..."

It must have been good enough for him, because he grinned devilishly and continued to circle me. "When you bow, you need to be aware of your posture." He crouched down, suddenly pressing my forehead to the chilly concrete floor. "This is how you will kneel. If some part of your face isn't touching the ground, you aren't doing it right. This is going to help you to learn your place, at my feet and as far beneath me as you can be." Gabriel stood straight, but used the stick to push against my back and sides until I was just in the position he wanted me in. I didn't dare move a muscle.

"If I give you a command, you will do it immediately, without hesitation or complaint. I don't have the time to argue with you about what I tell you to do, so I won't bother. I will discipline you, instead." He had come around me full circle and now stood before me again. I stared forward at his shiny dress shoes. "It's important to me that you understand that you are mine and you belong to me now. As part of this fact, you will no longer be referred to as Jessica, or Jess. I will call you girl or pet or slave or whore or whatever I want until you earn the right to have a name. Am I understood?"

I tilted my head back to glare up at him through the hair that hung in front of my face. As much as I could look up, anyway, while still keeping my chin touching the floor. All I could think was 'fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!' Through gritted teeth I breathed, "Yes, sir."

He crouched down in front of me suddenly, causing me to jump. "Don't look so peeved," he said, tousling my hair, "I'm going to break you and then you'll love me."