In Her Chains

He still wore the suit, the tie, the vest properly buttoned. I'm sure he smelled of expensive cologne and Cuban cigars.

"There's no smoking, mate," told him and grabbed the back of a chair.

"I don't see anyone around to complain," he told me and then asked, "does this bother you? I can put it out if you would prefer?"

"Why'd you call me up here, man?"

"Sir," his voice demanded. Now his eyes were locked on mine and he was still as stone. For the first time I noticed how much he filled out that suit and not in the aging gut of a man that drinks too many Budweiser's and smokes Camel cigarettes. No, Gavin Baron was large across the shoulders and had a barrel of a chest, something I had not taken too much notice of when I had seen him and Katie first together, but of course then my concentration had been all on her and what the Hell I was getting myself into.

"What did you just say?" Because I had to heard him wrong.

"You will address me as sir."

He must have seen the burning fire in my eyes that felt like a furnace inside of me.

"The fuck I will! I don't know who you think -- "

"Katherine." Gavin said her name no louder than he had been speaking to me. What had sounded barely more audible than a whisper brought Katie out from a closed door I assumed led to the kitchen. She gracefully swept across the restaurant dining room once more garbed in her red dress. As she crossed to the table her eyes were solely on me. I could see her erect nipples pushing hard against the fabric of her the dress and could only think how wet she must have been between those creamy white thighs and with no clothing to catch that wetness it must have been seeping down the inside of her thighs where I had just teased her with my mouth not a few nights past.

When Katie got to the table she leaned over, showing her ample cleavage, and kissed Gavin Baron on the cheek. Without being told she lifted up the bottom of her dress to the top of her pubic bone. I was right, she was wet. Very wet, and I could smell her enchanting scent from where I stood and more than anything I wanted her to command me to my knees push my tongue up inside of her while she lifted one of her black stilettos onto the table.

Katie did nothing that I imagined and said nothing to me. Holding her dress in her hands she bent over the table and pushed her arms out in a crucifix, while presenting her bare ass to her master.

"Sit."

"I don't have to listen to this -- " he cut me off again.

SLAP!

Too quickly for me to act, Gavin struck Katie's bottom with his palm making the noise of a small firecracker going off.

"Thank you, Master, for teaching me a lesson!" Katie cried out.

"What the fuck?"

SLAP!

"Thank you, Master, for teaching me a lesson!" Katie repeated after the second slap.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" I was yelling. My hand darting out across the table wanting to stop what Gavin was doing but already his hand was ready to move again. I stood frozen breathing heavily. I didn't dare move. Katie had done nothing wrong but she was apologizing and he was slapping her and I was standing there witnessing it all and frozen to do anything for fear that he might hurt her.

As if he read my mind he asked, "Katherine, my pet, did master hurt you?"

"No, Master," she purred.

"Why are you being disciplined?" he asked.

"Because my toy isn't behaving. You should punish me, Master."

He slapped her ass again. Not as hard this time and then began to rub her ass cheeks. His fingers dipped down between her slit and easily pushed inside of her. Katie moaned on the table, pushing her lips to the table's surface as her breathing got more ragged and she approached orgasm. He stopped and she pouted. He took her by the shoulder and guided her to the seat next to him and his hand returned to her thigh and slid up between her legs as she parted them for him.

"Sit," he told me, "Or I'll have to discipline her some more."

I took a seat.

"What's the game, Gavin?"

He shook his head and as soon as he removed his hand from between Katie's thighs she stood and bent over the table and -- SLAP! -- the palm of his hand came down hard on her bare ass. I cringed as she thanked him and could feel my tension burning in my fists.

"Sir!" I yelled. "Jesus Christ, what the hell is going on?"

"Sir," he told me and raised his hand.

"Sir! Yes, sir. I got it."

Katie returned to her seat and his hand returned to her pussy.

"Would you like a drink, Gareth?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I could use a fucking drink," I paused and looked at him before adding, "Sir."

"Well done." Gavin clapped his hands in what appeared to be amusement and nodded to someone I had not noticed by the bar. A bottle of bourbon was brought over and a glass was poured for me. I gulped it down and my glass was refilled.

"I asked you here tonight because I have a proposal for you. One that I think may intrigue you. Katherine told me of your little peepshow in the closet the night I came home." Gavin looked at me as if waiting for me to confirm what he already knew. When I said nothing he continued, "Now and then I too like to indulge in a more voyeuristic approach to our relationship. This is something that Katherine and I have found entertaining and sexually fulfilling for the both of us over the course of our relationship. It is a bit different than peeping out of a closet door. Instead of having to hide in the tight confines of a closet you would be invited to be our guest at this private event."

"Guest, sir?" I cringed at the sound of my own voice.

"Katherine is quite fond of you, Gareth, and I do like to make her happy. It gives me great pleasure to see her happy and satisfied. So I am extending the invitation to you...first."

I looked at Katie, but she was no help, still in the thralls of ecstasy. We hadn't talked much about being monogamous I knew that was going to be difficult with her and Gavin Baron having their thing, but I didn't know that there was anyone else.

I think Gavin could see the surprise on my face and a smirk spread across his face.

"I accept."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Very interesting, Gareth. This could come to be a very interesting evening. You will not see Katherine again until next Friday evening. A car will be sent for you -- "

"I'll ride," I said.

Gavin continued as if I had never spoken at all, "the car will pick you up promptly at eight pm at your residence. Please don't make my driver wait. You will be brought to my residence."

"Is that it?"

"Sir."

"Is that it, sir?" I begrudgingly asked.

"No. I would prefer that you wore a suit or at least a dress shirt and tie," those eyes looking at me like I was so much less than him, just a piece on the board of a game that he was the sole player, "This is a rather exclusive event. A throwback to Roman times as it were."

I stood up, pushed my seat in like a gentleman, my eyes never wavering from Gavin's. "I'll see you then." I turned from him and Katie without giving her a second glance, I could see from my peripheral that she was still in the thralls of his touch. "Sir."

I stepped out of the arena and Terrence was standing around talking to some of the other fighters and coaches that hadn't left yet for the evening.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Just take me home, coach." I was tired and I didn't feel like talking. He could see this on my face and said nothing more. We walked to his car in silence and drove back to my apartment the same way.

CHAPTER TWELVE

When Terrence dropped me off at the corner of my apartment building it was just after one am. I had my bag slung over my shoulder, my body ached and all I wanted was to slide into my bag and go to sleep for the next couple of days.

The street was loud as the bars were just closing and my place was in a stone's throw of at least a handful of bars, not to mention city parking lots. Two blocks over on the street corner is where Harry sits and peddles for change. Harry's a hell of an alcoholic and I don't even know his real name. I named him Harry because of how damn shaggy the son-of-a-bitch is. I used to pass him every day on my way to work or the gym and ignore him. Harry for the most part keeps to himself and doesn't bother anyone. It was a month or so back that I had a bag full of food from the store and was eating away when I came up on Harry and couldn't just pass the guy while chowing down that much food, so instead I sat down next to the son-of-a-bitch and gave him half my days meal. He wasn't drunk the first time I met and was very quiet, on the days that Harry has been drunk he's talked my damn ear off while we've shared a meal together. I've listened to all his stories of how Nam was and how America was when he got home. He's cried while telling me about his children he hasn't seen in longer than I've been alive. Harry isn't a friend, I've given up on those, but yeah I kinda like the son-of-a-bitch.

And on this night, this confusing night where I had walked out of the cage a winner and into another cage and come out unsure of if I was winning or losing, a group of local college guys were surrounding Harry and yelling at him. I was already moving toward the group before I knew I was. My broken and tired body heading over to help this man that had shared his life with me while I shared my meals.

"Hey!" I yelled, "leave him alone!"

"Fuck off," one of the fraternity boys yelled to me without even turning around to see me. They felt safe together in their little pack, the seven of them. God knows what these boys were capable of if they were this cocky all together. The amount of victims as notches on their collective belts.

Not tonight.

Not Harry.

"Here I've got something for you."

"Do it, Zach."

"Piss on him," the other laughed.

I ran straight at him. Zach. Before he even had his cock in his hand he was hitting the ground and my foot was slamming into one of his buddies as I back kicked him in the stomach. One of the others came at me and I threw him down before I punched another square in the nose feeling the cartilage crush beneath my knuckles.

"I said get away from him." I stood in front of Harry with both my fists clenched and raised. I was surrounded by seven fraternity boys that were all larger than me. They must have been on the football team.

This just wasn't my night.

By the time the melee was over Harry was fine and on his feet. The first I had ever seen the man stand. I had always known he had to because he would have to walk to the liquor store to get his booze, but I had never seen how tall the son-of-a-bitch was.

"Thank you," he said to me.

I nodded and started back toward my apartment. The fraternity boys were limping off, two groups each helping one of their friends.

There was blood all over me. I didn't know yet how much of it was mine and how much theirs. All I knew was that my apartment suddenly looked very far away and as I walked down the sidewalk I could see the droplets of blood that grew at my feet. I stumbled once and caught myself, the second time i landed on my knees hard enough to make my teeth grit.

I heard something, a car maybe or a horn, I wasn't exactly sure. But then there was someone next to me and I was lashing out as they yelled at me 'easy!'. I think because it was a woman's voice that I relaxed and didn't feel threatened. Never in my life had I raised my hand to a woman and that quieted my defenses.

As I was helped back to my feet I saw the person under my arm. Ivy had slung my arm over her head and was struggling to help carry me down the sidewalk to my apartment.

CHAPTER 13

I collapsed on the floor of my apartment as soon as we pushed the door open.

"You need to get up," Ivy said trying to help me.

"I'm just going to stay right here."

"You need to get cleaned up, some of these cuts look bad. What the hell were you thinking, Gareth?"

"I wasn't. Clearly."

"Get up."

It was a struggle but with her help I was able to put one foot underneath me and get back to my feet. I guided Ivy toward the bathroom and once there I collapsed again, resting my head on the toilet bowl cover.

"I think I'm just going to sleep right here," I told her and closed my eyes.

Ivy was standing over me, I could feel her eyes drilling into the back of my head.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm just supposed to leave you here?"

"Yep."

"All bloody and broken?"

"More bloody than broken. I'll be fine, Ivy, go home."

I heard her footsteps stomping away on the hardwood floor. Maybe now I could get some rest. I pulled down the toilet paper roll and stuck it under my head as a pillow and did my best to ignore the blood pooling on top of the toilet seat.

It wasn't long before I heard the footsteps return.

"I brought ice. I read on Google you need to take an ice bath, so I brought ice. I have ibuprophen too. Take your clothes off."

"What?"

She stepped over me had turned the tub on and I heard the ice splashing down into it.

"What, you think I haven't seen a dick before?" she scolded, "fine, be a pussy then and take a bath with your pants on."

I grumbled, but was too tired to fight and too sore to be of any use to myself. As soon as I began to struggle with my clothes Ivy stepped in and started to help me undress. She was leaning into me with her ash brown hair hanging in over her chest. I could smelled the bar on her, the lingering smoke, but beneath that there was a hint of a fragrance that reminded me of a spring garden. The swell of her breasts bumped against me beneath the green sweater she wore. For a tiny moment our foreheads pressed together as she curled her fingers under my shirt and then lifted it off my body. Ivy held me by the arm as she guided me into the cold water of the tub.

"I think there is a bottle of whiskey in the cupboard above the stove. Would you mind?"

"No," she said.

"Hey, Ivy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

She half-smiled, "I'll be right back."

Ivy came back a moment later carrying two glasses and the bottle of Jack Daniel's. The glasses clinked with the ice as she put them on the edge of the tub and sat down facing me. She poured us each a glass and then set the bottle down.

"To good deeds," she said raising her glass.

"May they not get you killed."

We laughed and threw back our first glass of the night.

I asked her how she had happened to be there and she told me that she had the night off from the club and was picking up a bartending shift for a friend. It was supposed to be her first weekend off in almost seven months and she was going to go up north and visit her grandmother in the nursing home, but her friend had a sick kid and she couldn't say no.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked as she leaned over the tub and filled herself another glass.

"I suppose."

"You and Katie, what's the deal?"

I looked away from her like a shy school boy who had got caught doing something he shouldn't have, "I don't know."

"Yes you do," she persisted.

"It's complicated."

"It always is with Katie."

"What do you mean?" I asked, not sure I really wanted to know what she knew.

"Just these games she plays. Her and Baron."

"You know about her and Gavin Baron?" I asked sitting up so fast that water splashed over the side of the tub.

"You're kidding right? Gareth, everyone knows," she said, "it isn't like this is an uncommon thing. Rich guys like to spread their money around. Baron likes to spend his money on Katie."

"It's -- it's more complicated than that."

"It doesn't have to be."

Ivy leaned over the tub and our lips touched. I closed my eyes and inhaled her scent as we began to kiss. Her hand dipped into the frigid water of the tub and her fingers glanced over my abdomen. I reached a wet hand up to her green shirt and touched her warm skin. I traced the line of her waistband, dipping a finger inside and feeling the lacy top of her panties. My thumb played with the button of her jeans, circling it, feeling where it me the fabric and could come unleashed. Ivy moaned against me, and I was just about to unclasp the button when I pulled away.

"I can't," I said out of breath. I stood from the tub and found that I was hard and quickly reached for a towel. "I can't, I'm sorry. I know it's complicated and messed up."

"Then why are you doing it?" she asked. She didn't sound upset or mad, just -- disappointed.

"Because, I am. I don't know. Maybe because I'm just as messed up."

Ivy's bare feet treaded in the wake of my wet footsteps. She had to stand on tip toe to kiss me. I didn't pull away but I didn't need to, her kiss did not linger. Her hand pressed to my naked chest above my heart, "She'll hurt you."

CHAPTER 14

A silver Audi A8 pulled onto my street and slowed to the curb. A tall man in a suit fitted much finer than my own got out of the car and walked pass me to open the rear door. He never made eye contact and didn't say a word. I thanked him -- mostly out of instinct -- and got in the backseat that was all leather. There was a bottle of cold water in one of the cup holders, other than that the car was empty besides the two of us. On the radio there was a hockey game playing. Not what I expected at all. I assumed Gavin Baron would have his driver put on some Mozart or Beethoven, something that you would expect from the rich. I leaned back in my seat and adjusted the tie around my neck while I looked out the window at the passing city. We drove across the highway and where one city bled away to tree-lines soon another city crept from the forest and we were driving over a large bridge and I knew that it wasn't long until we would be climbing up that exclusive driveway to the guarded gate and arrive at the residence.

When the car stopped I waited for the driver to let me out. The door opened and I could see the dim glow of lights inside the house and the heavy dark red door with the number sixteen on the front of it. So here I was again.

The driver cleared his throat.

I took his hint and got out of the car. He returned to the car and drove off leaving me alone in front of the house. I suppose there was still plenty of time for me to leave. If I had wanted to leave that was. I didn't.

I was curious.

So I went to the door.

And knocked.

Katie answered the door and I was struck by instant arousal. She was wearing a black corset with garters and nylon stockings. She wasn't wearing any panties and I could see that her pussy had been recently waxed and was smooth and already her lips were parted the slightest and there was a glimmer of arousal.

Without saying anything Katie fell into my arms and kissed me deeply. Her tongue exploring my mouth as my arms wrapped around her bare ass cheeks and pulled her against me. Already I was getting hard and I'm sure she could feel this as she pressed her pussy against my growing erection. Katie lifted a leg that wrapped around my waist and my hand began to explore her bareness.

Snap!

Something stung my hand and it pulled away. I released Katie and naturally stepped in front of her ready to confront whatever had caused the sharp sting of pain.

"That will be enough of that." Gavin Baron stood in front of me in his three piece suit wearing a mask that looked fitted for his face and made out of silk. He looked handsome and intimidating compared to my knockoff just-off-the-rack suit. "Katherine I told you not to touch."

"Yes, sir," she said.

"Please go entertain our guests while I have a word with Gareth. You will be punished for not listening later, young lady."

Katie sauntered off and both mine and Gavin's eyes were on her.

"What's with the theatrics?" I asked Gavin, "sir."

"Hmm, well done. It's good that you know your place, son."

I think he expected me to say something but I remained quiet.