Into the Wolf's Mouth Ch. 01-04

"Enough," I say out loud. "There's no sense in wallowing in self-pity. It's time to find a way out of here, away from this lunatic." Even if he is gorgeous as sin and fucks like a demon.

************

After dragging myself out of my bed, I start making a mental list. I know nothing about where I am really. I got lost and wound up outside his door, so that doesn't help me. From the balcony, I can see the whole city, but it doesn't tell me a lot considering I'm not familiar with this city at all. I wouldn't know where to go, even if I could get out of here without getting caught.

Out on the balcony, I sip my coffee and contemplate my next move. How can I get out of here safely? Or hell, even with some bruises and blood. I just want out so I can get as far away from here as possible. He said he has people stationed at every possible exit from the building. Is that true? There's got to be some way to get out of here unnoticed. I consider all my options carefully.

I could call the cops. Okay, but tell them what exactly? That you were kidnapped by some psycho who wants you to fall in love with him? That you're in some fancy house but don't have the slightest clue where? With a sigh, I cross that off the list. That will never work.

Maybe I could charm one of the people he has guarding me. If I could get in good with them, make friends, maybe they would be inclined to look the other way for a second so I could escape. Yeah, that'll never work. This guy is apparently important and these people aren't going to willingly risk pissing him off. I can't blame them for that. I open the front door, finding a huge wall of a man right outside it. He glares at me but doesn't say a word.

"Hi," I squeak out. "Not exactly who I was hoping to find outside the door. Um.. ya know, never mind." I slip back inside and close the door quietly. Definitely not the guy to ask about running away from the boss man. That guy is solid stone. Fuck.

Reopening the door, I decide to try for a conversation with this guy. "So... What's your name?" I start.

He groans, but replies, "Jeff."

"Okay, Jeff. How did a guy like you end up outside this door, guarding a girl like me?" I ponder.

"Boss's orders, ma'am," he says shortly.

"No need for that ma'am shit. You can call me Lily," I say, trying to lighten the gloomy mood a bit. Maybe we can be semi-friendly at least. Having someone to talk to a bit would certainly help the time pass quicker.

"No thanks. I was instructed to only call you by ma'am. Straight from the boss. I'm not about to disobey. The last guy that did ended up with a broken jaw and no job," he responds, turning back to face the hall.

"Fine," I roll my eyes at him. "I guess I'm going to go find something more fun to do since somebody is a party pooper." When he doesn't respond other than a snicker, I close the door and head back for the balcony.

-4-

I must have fallen asleep in my chair outside because the next thing I know, Sean is moving my hair out of my face gently, sending chills up my spine. I jump and nearly turn the chair over backwards. Full on belly laughs ensue from Sean, incapable of holding them in. "Damn, I wasn't trying to scare you," he says between laughs.

I glare at him, wondering how long I've been out. I feel so well rested and semi-content. Almost like the feeling after a day out on the beach, full of sand and sun. If you forget the part where I'm being held captive against my will, it's a really cozy feeling.

Later that night, Sean and I go over the contract with a fine-tooth comb. He makes sure to emphasize certain details, touching on every part of the contract and making sure I understand before moving forward. There are a few nonnegotiable rules.

1. No other sexual partners for either party. No exceptions.

2. I will be referred to as "sir" only while a scene is going on. You will not refer to anyone else as "sir". You can refer to me as something else outside of a scene.

3. Consent is key on both sides. You agree to be open and honest while communicating your needs, desires, and feelings.

4. You agree to use your safeword, _____________, any time you are not feeling comfortable, safe, or secure.

5. You agree to not speak to anyone about our arrangement unless it is discussed with me prior.

I stare down at it as if will become easier to digest if I concentrate a bit harder. Eventually, my eyes start to swim and I'm forced to look away. Sean is still sitting in front of me, patiently waiting for my response.

"Okay, so IF, and I'm going to stress that, I agree to this insane contract, how long does this last? There's got to be an end date eventually," I say, dreading the answer. It feels like there's a bowling ball planted in my stomach.

"Yes, there will be an end to this contract. It will end six months from today's date. Should you decide you do not wish to continue, you will have the option to leave. If you do wish to continue at that point, we will draw up a new contract. A permanent one," he explains, locking his gaze with mine on the last part. When I nod, he breaks eye contact, giving me a small sense of relief. At least there's a light at the end of the tunnel, I guess.

Reaching for the pen on the table, I scrawl my name across the line before I have time to change my mind and hand him the pen and paper. With the tiniest of smirks, he quickly signs his line, sealing the deal and marking down the date.

"I will get this hung up in the training room. It will stay there until the six months are up, that way there is no altering it on either side," he eyes me carefully, foiling a plan I didn't even know was going on in my brain.

Rolling my eyes for the millionth time today, I stand and half laugh, "It's only six months. No need to alter it, but I'll be counting the days until this is over and I can leave this damn place." I close the door behind me and head for my room. I'm exhausted. Discussing the contract took way more time and effort than I realized. My clock reads 2:07AM in big red font. Yawning, I crawl under the covers, already half asleep.

************

I wake suddenly, feeling like something is just.... off. Clawing my way from sleep back to consciousness, I stretch and start to scoot up toward the headboard. I freeze when I feel something underneath my comforter, down close to my feet. My blood turns to ice and my breath catches in my chest. I've never been one to be scared of the dark, but there's something in my room. In my bed. Under my cover. As quietly as possible, I pull one leg from my bed, reaching for the floor.

I scream as something touches my leg. An iron clad grip takes hold of my calf, keeping me in bed. I use the other foot to kick out at whatever has me confined. I make contact and immediately pull my leg back to kick out again.

"Ow!" he yells, grasping my leg tighter. "What the fuck was that for?!"

"What the fuck, Sean?! Oh my god I'm going to murder you! You scared the absolute hell out of me!" I scream, not even attempting to dial down the venom. When my breathing calms slightly, I glance over at the clock. 2:48AM. I had only been asleep for a little bit.

"You didn't think we were going to just go to sleep after discussing the contract, did you? It's lesson time, babe."

When I protest, he quickly cuts me off with a hand clasped over my mouth. "Hush. It's time. The contract is done. You agreed to being my toy for six months. In exchange, you'll earn your freedom, but for now, you will put in the work to become an amazing submissive. I will be back to take you to the training room in 10 minutes. I expect you to be ready when I return," he says, sliding out from under the covers and moving toward the door. He glances back at me with a grin only the devil himself could rival before slipping through the door and out of sight.

When he is gone, I grab the book from the nightstand and hurl it at the door, silently cursing his very existence. It lands about halfway between the bed and the door with a thud, further pissing me off. I absolutely hate this man, even if he is hot as hell. When these six months are over, I'm going to take him down. His entire being will crumble around me. For now, I force myself up, though it feels like chains weigh me down in an attempt to keep me here where it's at least semi-safe.

Making my way to the bathroom, I suddenly feel the panic setting in. It feels like ropes are squeezing my chest, constricting my lungs. Before I can make it to the counter, my skin is breaking out in a cold sweat.

When we went over the contract, it didn't seem so bad. I didn't really feel like there was any choice and the terms weren't all that intense on paper. In that training room, however, he could do damn near anything to me and I have no room to complain. I agreed to do what he asked. To be used however he sees fit at the time.

My stomach rolls and I'm not sure if I'm going to throw up or pass out from the panic building in my body. I feel like I'm going to explode from it. It's like a beast trying to claw its way out of my body with no regard for the damage it will leave behind. I can't breathe so I slide along the wall, down to the floor, pulling my knees to my chest and leaning my head as far into them as I can. Taking deep breaths, I focus on calming myself down but it doesn't seem to do any good. I'm too far over the edge already.

"Lily?" he calls from the doorway. "Are you ready to go?"

When I don't answer, I hear him padding lightly across the floor, apparently still barefoot. I don't look up as he makes his way into the bathroom to find me crumpled up in a ball on the floor. A small gasp escapes his lips when he finds me.

In record time, he slides down beside me and pulls me into his chest, eyes frantically searching my tear-soaked face. "Baby," he starts, running his hands through my hair as my entire world shatters. He does his best to soothe me as sobs wrack my shoulders and tears roll down my cheeks in rivers. For whatever reason, I let him hold me. Let him take a bit of the burden this time. It's too much for me to bear alone and he seems to know that without even speaking. "We can talk about it whenever you are ready. Take your time. I'm not going anywhere," he soothes, smoothing my hair as he speaks.

As time passes, my shoulders start to relax and the tension bleeds out from my body slowly. The all too familiar numbness begins to creep in, pulling me from the anxiety and back into darkness. With one last sniffle and swipe at my cheek, I pull away from him just far enough to see his face. I'm not sure what I expected to find there, but patience and concern was not it. His eyes seem troubled, but he holds back from making any comments, patiently waiting for me to speak first.

With just a hint of a smile, I joke, "So about that lesson?" He cracks a bit of a smile at that but slowly shakes his head, gently wiping a tear from my cheek with the pad of his thumb.

"No, ma'am. There will be nothing of the sort tonight. That can wait. I need you to be okay mentally before we can begin anything." There's no bitterness or hint of upset in his voice. Just patience. "What we will do here is just as much mental as it is physical. If your mind isn't in it, your body won't be in it either. Not really. You won't get the full experience, and I could never handle the guilt of that," he continues. "This is intended to be freeing for you. A place where you can be yourself and experience things you never thought possible. A safe place for your deepest and darkest desires. Where nothing is out of reach."

When I just nod to show my understanding, he stands before scooping me up like a child and carrying me back to my bed. Once I'm tucked in, he places a gentle kiss on my forehead and leaves the room. I notice that it's now 4:16AM. Yawning, I snuggle down into the bed, but within a few minutes, I'm tossing the covers back and clambering out again.

I find myself running down the hallway, almost desperate to find him. "Sean?" I call out when I make it to the living room. He's not in the living room or kitchen, so I head down the hallway toward the other rooms. I check his bedroom and office but find nothing.

Finally, I open the door to the room with the easels and paints and find him sitting on a stool, studying his latest creation. From what I can see, it's the same woman, but this time, she is in a dark forest, surrounded by trees and fallen leaves. She has on a light billowy dress, blowing out around her as she looks toward something unseen ahead of her.

It seems he didn't notice when I opened the door so I walk as quietly as I can over to him. Watching him work is amazing. I've never watched someone paint before but I'm completely mesmerized by it. Or maybe I'm just mesmerized by him. Who really knows at this point?

I wrap my arms around his neck, splaying my hands across his broad chest, smiling when I feel him jump at the unexpected touch.

"Shit! You scared me," he laughs, turning away from the painting. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I see that," I laugh. "I wasn't trying to scare you. I was enjoying watching you paint though. These canvases are absolutely breathtaking." My eyes roam the room but my hands never leave his body.

"Of course they are," he replies, sounding arrogant. This causes me to roll my eyes, but there's a smile playing on my lips as well. "That's because they're all of you." The words fall from his lips and land heavily in the pit of my stomach.

"Excuse me?" I remove my hands from his chest now, allowing him to turn toward me.

"I've been painting this exact woman for years now. She first came to me in my dreams about four years ago. I never saw her face, only from behind her. I watched her dance through fields of flowers. Swim in the bluest of water. Roam through forests. I never knew who she was, just that she was the most beautiful person I had ever laid eyes on. More importantly, that for whatever reason, this dream woman felt like home." He pauses, letting his words sink in farther. "I knew I had to paint her, these dreams. After four years, I thought this would be as close as I ever got. Then I saw you in that diner. Your hair was falling around your shoulders, catching the light in a way I had only seen in dreams. Instantly, I knew you were the dream woman. When you ran out of the diner, I followed to try and find you but you were already gone. I thought I had missed my chance." He holds my gaze, unwavering now. I can't move or speak at this point, so I wait for him to go on as patiently as I can manage.

"When you were outside my door that night, I knew what I had to do. I had been looking into you, trying to figure out a way to get in contact, even though I had no clue how I could go about convincing you to give me the time of day," he chuckles, the sound like music to my ears. I hadn't realized how much I enjoyed that sound until right now. "Anyway, I knew I had to have you. At least for a little while. So, I had my guys grab you," he shrugs, as if all of this should make total sense to me now.

"Wait.... What?" is all I can manage. My thoughts are going a million miles an hour, none of them entirely coherent. This fucker kidnapped me because he thinks I'm his DREAM girl? That is seriously deranged. But also kinda sweet if you really think about it. "What the actual fuck?" I keep my eyes locked on his, waiting for him to tell me this was all some joke and he's really just a sex addicted lunatic who kidnaps and tortures girls for fun.

"I'm sure you don't believe me, but that's the truth of it. You're welcome to ask any of the guards here. Every one of them tried to talk me out of it. Negative repercussions or whatever," he says as he waves his hand, as if that's all just crazy talk. He even rolls his eyes for a little more drama.

"Maybe because it's against the law and absolutely psychotic?!" I nearly yell back at him. "How in the actual fuck do I get myself into shit like this?" Closing my eyes and taking a grounding breath, I do my best to continue. "You're being serious about this? You think I'm some woman who started visiting you in your dreams.... So you kidnapped me in an effort to what? Make me fall in love with you? Keep me here forever, even if this isn't what I want?" My hands are on my hips now, as I wait for his justification.

"It does sound psychotic when you put it like that," he shrugs. "I don't have anything solid to stand on here. I'm fully aware of that. I just knew that I had to try. I can give you things you never imagined. Anything you'll ever want in life can be yours. I just want you. Or at least to have the opportunity to have you."

"Oh my god," I start, turning away from him now. "This is insane."

"Tell me you aren't even the slightest bit intrigued. Tell me you don't want to experience the things I've offered you. Tell me you want to go and I'll rip that contract to shreds and you will be free to leave this place, no consequences. I want you to be here because you want to be here, Lily."

"You won't give me the things that I want. I want freedom. I want to be able to come and go as I please, not be locked up inside this place day in and day out. I want to be able to live my life," I start, feeling the tears burn the back of my throat. Turning back to him, I find a war raging behind his eyes. "Fuck. Come to bed with me? I don't want to sleep alone, and I definitely don't want to continue this conversation right now," I reason, holding out my hand as an offering.

Hesitating, he questions, "Will you at least consider it? Consider staying? Give me a few days and see how you feel after that. If you still don't want to stay, you'll be free to go. I can't promise I won't chase after you or try to change your mind, but I won't keep you here against your will."

Closing my eyes, I will myself to speak the words out loud. Pushing them past the lump in my throat feels like razor blades slicing me open. I know I shouldn't be agreeing to this, just like I shouldn't have asked him to come to bed with me. "I will consider it," I finally get out. "Now, come to bed please," I say, dropping my hand and heading for the door.

After a moment's hesitation, I hear him grunt as he stands, following a few paces behind me.