Stalking Amber Ch. 04

For a confused moment Fred watched Brad mouthing at him. Then he left, shaking his head.

***********

Sitting on the settee with her arms about her legs, Amber sulkily rested her chin on the top of one knee, fantasising about all the creative ways she could murder Brad, starting with his cock.

As the door opened to reveal Brad, she didn't bother speaking, but glared at him with a seething hatred. After leaving her, he'd changed from the black suit to a vibrant navy one, with a crisp white shirt beneath. His brown hair was ruffled and the shirt was unbuttoned to expose a length of smooth, hard chest.

Grudgingly acknowledging Brad looked stunningly handsome, Amber noted he wasn't his usual cocky, playful self. Imagining the things that could ruin his day almost made her smile, but she was too angry to do anything but watch him stonily.

"Are you ready to go back to the bedroom?' he inquired. His tone was mild, but his eyes were different. The blue warmth was gone, replaced with the same hardness that normally surfaced whenever Amber taunted him about Fred.

Amber nodded, and Brad held out his hands. Ignoring his reach, she quickly stood, gasping when he immediately lifted her up and over his shoulder. In his hold, she wriggled angrily, but it was halfhearted - more a resentful protest of being man-handled.

Amber didn't want to push her luck again. In Brad's absence she'd resolved to bide her time for the perfect moment. The next time she'd try to escape, there would be a clear shot at guaranteed freedom.

These thoughts repeatedly refreshed in her mind as Brad briskly carried her back to the guest-room, tossing her onto the large bed. She grit her teeth as he located the chain and clasped it about her ankle.

"You said one day that wouldn't be necessary." she complained, petulantly kicking out her newly chained leg.

"That's true," he replied flatly, leaning back against a bedpost and crossing his arms in his usual stance.

"When?" Amber probed, trying to sound more curious than argumentative.

"I'll know," he said shortly. Raising his chin, he surveyed her face. Admiring her features, some of his usual warmth brightened his eyes. "Given your behaviour today I wouldn't bother bringing it up for a long while. I'm not taking any chances with you. Ever."

Amber considered a thousand nasty retorts, but bit her tongue. If she had a sentence to complete before he'd trust her, she may as well start sooner rather than later.

"Well, it's been a long day," Amber sighed impatiently, her tone reflecting more that it'd been the worst day of her life.

Edging off the bed, she scowled as the chain loudly clapped against the shiny floorboards. When he didn't respond she hovered awkwardly, before gesturing to the bathroom.

"I want to clean up," she mumbled, looking away as Brad grinned his understanding.

"Go for it, I'll wait."

"You have to unchain me," she ground out, for the thousandth time not believing she was having such a bizarre conversation.

"You've managed with the chain in the past," he teased, and as she opened her mouth angrily he relented.

"Fine, but I'll be right here. If you take too long, or give me reason to think you're up to something, I'll come in and get you," he warned, and by the look in his eyes it was very clear what that would involve.

Bending to unlock her ankle, he chuckled when her foot jerked with the temptation to kick him in the face.

"Wise decision, baby," he smiled.

Straightening, he wistfully looked down at her, wishing he could run a hand through her soft, pale hair without evoking a tantrum. He wanted to touch her, hold her. Feel her tantalising body close to his, caress her smooth, bare skin. Flick her rosy nipples with his thumbs...

Brad sharply shook his head to halt the erotic flow of his thoughts, and at the sudden movement Amber looked up at him nervously.

"Now, there isn't anything I haven't seen before," he said, a little breathlessly. "So don't freak out if I peek to make sure you're not getting up to mischief. Other than that, I'll be a gentleman and give you privacy," he promised.

Folding his arms front and back across his body, he bent slightly in a mock bow.

Amber's eyes flared at 'gentleman' and the teasing bow, but she thought better of responding. Without a backward glance, she flounced into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Stepping into the bathtub, she jumped when the door handle turned and opened an inch. Brad's voice floated in from the other side.

"The door stays open," he said firmly.

Amber pulled a face at the door but got on with it. Determined not to give Brad an excuse to peek, she wasted no time shedding her clothes. Sighing with bitter relief as the warm water gushed from the extendable shower-head, she thoroughly washed Brad's sweat and cum from her body.

Amber's enjoyment was somewhat spoiled by his cheerful whistling from the other room. But at least she knew where he was, considering his tendency to sneak up on her. The opportunity to clean herself in private was such a basic luxury, but nonetheless one she'd taken for granted her whole life.

Tightly wrapped in a soft, yellow bathrobe, Amber jerked the door open to find Brad sitting on the bed patiently waiting for her. He'd made himself more comfortable by removing his blazer and fully unbuttoning his shirt. It gaped open, giving Amber an eyeful of his wide, bare chest and abs. Thankfully, he was still wearing pants.

Not wanting to wear the soiled clothes from earlier, Amber was naked beneath the gown, and she gripped the front of the robe together tightly. She certainly wasn't going to get dressed in front of Brad.

"Look at me," he demanded, his voice slightly quivered. Taking in her wet hair and downcast eyes, right down to her little bare feet, Brad's face glowed with adoration.

Amber reluctantly raised her eyes to his, narrowing them in disbelief at the jubilance on his face. His romantic infatuation was so insulting. It was going to be extremely difficult to feign acceptance of him. She would have been more understanding if he was a cold rapist. The temptation to stick around and kill him properly was a growing competitor with her desire to escape.

Brad shifted, gently patting the bed beside him. "Come here," he softly ordered, watching her face as she sulkily approached the bed and sat by him, significantly further than he'd indicated.

"I was going to play a little joke and pull you across my knee," he grinned. "But I know how you'd react to that surprise."

Amber's scowl validated his prediction, and Brad comfortably shifted to lean against one of the end bedposts so he could face her.

"So, I'll be clear and upfront," he continued lightly, forming a thoughtful steeple with his hands and pressing them against his mouth as he considered how to proceed. "I am going to ask you to lie over my knee," he tentatively admitted. "But it won't be sexual, though lets not kid ourselves that I won't enjoy it."

"Why?" Amber exclaimed angrily, snatching a pillow and clutching it to her chest like a barrier.

"Because I got carried away earlier," Brad replied shortly, frowning at the prospect he'd hurt her. "And I want to apply a little lotion that will help with the pain."

"I'd rather live with the pain," Amber said acidly.

"Amber," Brad quietly warned. "I'm trying to make you feel like less of a prisoner."

At his words Amber's lovely features tightened with emotional restraint, but crumpled as she broke down. Brad's gesture was nothing more than a reminder that she was in fact a prisoner, without any inkling of how long her sentence would be. She had no liberties. She could do nothing without either a chain on her ankle, or Brad by her side.

And with Brad's company came an inevitable sexual abuse. His last comment, designed to pacify her with compromise, was nothing more than an affronting reminder of everything he'd taken from her. Living nightmare aside, Amber had never been so emotionally and physically exhausted in her life. She would have given her right arm to see Fred in her weak moment, for him to make her laugh.

Watching her burst into tears, Brads jaw dropped in dismay. He expected her to shout at him, not start a crying jag. A snide voice in his mind reminded him it was what he wanted after all; he wanted to defeat her. But the victory felt unexpectedly hollow. Amber's misery was an unflattering reminder that she wanted to be free of him.

Quickly crossing the bed, he ignored her resistance and gathered her into a hug. Still heavily sobbing, Amber could only feebly push against his arms, crushing her against his warm chest. Though she wanted nothing more than to see Brad rot in jail, the embrace was protective, his cologne sweet-smelling, and the smooth, heat of his bare skin was a nurturing comfort.

Shutting her eyes, Amber began to relax, imagining that she was home and it was Fred holding her. Brad soothed her for a while, stroking her hair and occasionally leaning down to brush his lips across her temple, until she'd stopped crying and her breathing steadied.

"It won't be this hard forever, baby, I promise," he whispered, burying his face in her hair and inhaling deeply. Though he was sorry to see her cry, he was unable to suppress a chuckle as his words were met with a watery growl.

"Now, where were we?" he teased gently, giving her petite frame a last kindly squeeze before reluctantly releasing her. Changing position, he moved to swing his feet to the floor and lightly patted his thighs.

"Over my knee, come on," he insisted, his eyes widened with convincing sincerity. "I wasn't lying before, it's not sexual."

Amber hesitated, knowing she didn't really have a choice. Slowly, she moved forward and shyly paused by his side.

"Over my knee," Brad repeated.

Awkwardly lying down across his lap, Amber closed her eyes, praying Brad hadn't lied. Feeling cool air on her buttocks as the robe lifted to expose her, she gasped and sought to crawl away.

"Amber! Enough!" Brad said sharply, circling her waist with his arm to keep her down. "Quit wriggling!"

"You- you promised-!" she cried shrilly, starting to panic.

"Hold still!" he thundered, beginning to lose his temper. "If I was going to have my way with you, I'd be there already! So, relax!"

As she stilled, Brad waited a few seconds to ensure she wasn't going to bolt. Then he slowly released her waist and removed a small tub of lotion from his suit pants. Unscrewing the lid, he scooped out a significant amount of mixture.

Rubbing it between his palms, he gazed intently down at Amber's ass. It was quite red from earlier, but the colour did compliment her perfect, rounded shape. Inevitably, however, bruising would surface within hours.

Fortunately Amber couldn't see the lust in his wide eyes, or the way his chest trembled as he struggled to contain his arousal. Fighting his feelings, Brad dutifully spread the moisture across Amber's taut, reddened buttocks in a circular motion, feeling her tense beneath his touch as he gently attended to the sore area.

"See, baby? Not so bad, is it?" Brad tried to reassure her.

Taking deep, controlled breaths, his hands travelled more intimately, lightly squeezing as he fondled her curved flesh. God, she had an amazing ass. Sensually moving his palms over her soft skin, bringing his fingers together in a loose pinch with each stroke, Brad shook his head as his thoughts began to wander, and his cock thickened.

Unable to stop himself, Brad slid both hands over her buttocks and slowly spread her cheeks, gazing down at her cute little asshole and pussy, slightly pink from the earlier fucking. Holding his breath for fear she'd hear him panting, Brad longingly licked his lips as he stared down at Amber's nudity as though hypnotised.

"Mine," a voice whispered in his mind. "All mine."

"Are you done?" Amber snapped at his hesitation, restlessly shifting with impatience. Noticing he'd paused, she didn't trust his sex-drive. Though the ointment eased the burn, something told her that if she stayed quiet he would continue forever, inevitably leading to something else.

"Yes," Brad breathed, still savouring the feel of her. Though he continued his caresses to the last moment, he didn't stop her from quickly crawling off his lap and out of reach.

Scrambling to the other side of the bed, Amber hurriedly covered her nakedness from his warm gaze. Seemingly unaffected by touching her, Brad stood and stretched his large arms upwards. Careful to face the wall, he silently willed his erection to go down, hoping it wasn't too obvious.

Brad and Amber both struggled with conflicting agendas. From Brad's perspective, he needed to convince Amber to accept him, and frequent abuse wasn't the way. Then again, she needed to be taught a lesson, and teaching those lessons was incredibly satisfying. But it was also taking a step back from her falling in love with him. The real challenge was that dominance aside, she was physically irresistible.

Amber knew she was no physical match for Brad, and given he was working under the assumption that one day she will accept him, her cooperation would eventually lower his guard. Consistently fighting Brad would only serve to keep him on high alert. But at the same time, the temptation to aggravate him at every turn was overwhelming, she really didn't know how long she could hold out.

It was as if they both had uncontrollable personality traits they inevitably succumbed to, despite having an important end goal in sight. For Amber, it was her temper. For Brad, his lust. For both of them, it was a matter of implementing crucial discipline for an ultimate cause, and both accepted within that it would take time to achieve.

Sitting back against the pillows Amber wrapped her arms around her knees and warily watched Brad walk over to the desk and pull over a chair, straddling it. She could tell he was still a little moody, but evidently not enough to leave her company.

"I feel like I've known you my whole life, Amber," he murmured, restlessly running his hands over the back of the chair.

"It's certainly feels like a lifetime," she tartly replied, before she could bite her tongue.

Brad evidently found her sass entertaining, because when she looked up he was watching her intently, his eyes warmed with amused affection.

"What if I never tell anyone?" Amber sought to take advantage of his improved mood. "We can go our separate ways and forget this ever happened."

Rather than taking a pleading tone, she deliberately phrased it like a suggestion, as though it would benefit both of them. A spontaneous 'bright idea'. In response, Brad's eyes turned cold.

"Forget it," he said bluntly, irritatedly turning his head to crack his neck, as though to discard the thought. "You're mine. The sooner you accept that fact, the easier it'll be for both of us."

"Why me?" Amber asked, repeating her desperate question from their first night together.

"I love everything about you, Amber. I love you," Brad murmured.

"You don't love me," she snarled, insulted. "What you're doing isn't love. You're getting what you want, at my expense. You love yourself more than me."

"Fine," Brad shrugged his broad shoulders. "I can admit I'm a selfish bastard. My desire for you overrides your wishes. But that doesn't mean I'm not crazy about you, Amber. It doesn't mean you can't be happy with me. I have a lot to offer."

Rubbing his jaw, he gazed ahead. "It was your appearance at first. When I laid eyes on you, I couldn't breathe. It felt like I'd taken a punch to the chest. Then...it was more than that. The way I feel about you its like...it's magnetic." He clicked his tongue thoughtfully. "I tried to forget about you, but I couldn't. I wasn't sure if it was just sex. But the more time I spend with you...when we kiss..."

Remembering how he'd ambushed her, he closed his eyes as he recalled that blissful moment. When he opened them, he smiled as Amber's eyes widened with incredulous outrage. God, he loved her. Just being around her set all his senses humming pleasurably.

But, Brad was still irked. He'd come home empty-handed. The objective was to make Amber give up on her boyfriend, and have no choice but to turn to him for comfort. Perhaps in her grief she'd accept him as a distraction.

At least if she realised Fred wasn't waiting for her, she might be less stubborn in resisting his advances. Most aggravating of all was that Brad wasted time with a man whom he despised, when he could have been with Amber. The outcome was a total failure.

"I don't accept, but I understand," Amber muttered, interrupting his thoughts.

Deliberately averting her eyes from his curious stare, Amber knew if she agreed too readily, he wouldn't believe her. But the sooner she could convince him she'll cooperate, the sooner he'd give her more freedom. Ultimately at some point she'd have to willingly be intimate with him, and after what had already passed between them, that would be torture.

Even worse, she'd faked interest in him before. After trying to seduce him for a second chance to punch him in the nuts, it was going to take a lot of buttering up before he'd trust her.

"If you promise not to drug me again, or use that...that lubricant," she continued, finally returning his stare, "I won't fight you." If was going to have sex with him, she didn't want any pleasure from it. She could look forward to throwing it all in his face - that she faked every bit of enjoyment, and how much he repulsed her.

"Oh, you won't?" Brad questioned mildly, raising his eyebrows with cynical interest.

Of course he didn't believe her for a second. Amber was stuck, and she knew it. Brad was well-aware at that stage she absolutely despised him. But he wasn't one to turn down an opportunity to cash in on her resolve to outsmart him.

"Well, why not start now?" he smiled, and Amber froze as he stood to his full height and shrugged out of his white shirt. Now half-naked, his hands went to the belt of his pants but paused.

"Maybe I should let you do this?" he murmured huskily, letting his hands drop to his sides and his blue eyes suggestively lowered from her aghast face down to his belt.

'Fuck!' Amber thought in dismay, not expecting him to immediately call her bluff. Looking at his tall, half-naked physique, he seemed somehow larger and more intimidating than usual.

Amber felt a little satsifaction when she spotted the claw marks down Brad's arms from earlier, before he'd restrained her wrists. But inevitably she raised her eyes to his smug gaze, and she knew she was caught.

"Come on, baby," he encouraged, slowly approaching the bed. "Show me what you can do." Practically panting with lust, the edge of his mouth curled into a sexy half-smile.

Brad eyes glowed with triumph, knowing Amber had backed herself into a corner. She was going to willingly pleasure him, all in a futile attempt to defeat him. And Brad was going to take full advantage of her reckless ambition. The situation was increasingly erotic.

"God, I want to touch you," he confessed breathlessly, "but you have to touch me first, baby." At her panicked silence, he brushed his hand over his groin, feeling his cock straining against his pants for release.

"I'm not a concubine!" Amber snapped, shrinking away as he moved closer. "I'm not a sex toy. If you want more from me, you have to make some effort."

Brad paused, a little taken aback. He anticipated either compliance or abuse, but certainly not reason. And Amber had outsmarted him by making a valid point, one he'd been making to himself since trying to figure out how to make her accept him. Easily calling her bluff, he hadn't expected her to call his. The difference was, he wasn't bluffing.