Mad, Mad World

by J. D. Sloane

  “Do you do that a lot for him?” He asked, tracing her features carefully. “Hmm? Make excuses for why he never cared? Why he never even cared enough to pretend you mattered to him?”

  Alicia opened her mouth to say something and then closed it again as Ronan blinked slowly at her, raising his brows as if he knew what she was going to say before she even spoke.

  “It was your uncle, wasn’t it?” He asked, his voice low and caressing as he reached out and dragged his fingers down the line of her leash, following the trail of it slowly before looking back up at her face. “Your father’s younger brother. The one who liked chasing all the storms.”

  Alicia’s eyes flew open and she twitched backwards as if she’d been startled, her mask of frightened contempt sliding back into place so smoothly it was like watching a trap door disappear into a panel of woodwork.

  “I didn’t fuck him if that’s what you’re asking,” she said meeting his gaze with sudden anger. “I was just a kid.”

  Ronan grabbed her chin in one hand and tipped her head to the side as he looked her over carefully, smothering an unpleasant smile as he raised his brows at her.

  “No,” he said, his voice low and understanding. “You didn’t. But I bet you wanted to, didn’t you? Yes. And he wanted you. Too. That must’ve made things awkward at home. Especially without any calming motherly influence to reign you in.”

  “Fine,” Alicia said, dragging the word out as her face became so vicious and corrupt he paused, momentarily fascinated by the transformation. “Is that what you want to hear, Ronan? That I fucked him? I did. I let him fuck me any way he wanted, whenever he wanted. Do you want to hear how it started? Do you want to hear about the first time he took me down to the lake by our house and…”

  Ronan’s face twisted up into a sudden sneer and he stood up smoothly, snapping her leash between his fist as he jerked her head towards the floor. He brought the whip down on her ass in a sudden violent swing and felt a wild rush of rage-laced hunger as her entire body buckled for a moment, her eyes twirling up at him with hatred as she scrambled away. He whipped her sharply as she tried to break his grip and then whipped her harder as she reached for the clasp, his desire for her taking a sudden violent spike as he saw the slash of his strikes flare into welts.

  “And he wasn’t the only one to leave you, was he?” Ronan said, his voice becoming so low and guttural it was barely recognizable as human speech. “He was just the first man in your life to figure out what you actually were. What about your professor at school, hmm? How long did it take you to seduce him? And Dula? And your station manager? And all of their rich, connected friends?”

  Alicia cried out as the whip landed across her lower back and Ronan felt his face twist with rage as a sudden image of Brooke burned through the front of his mind like a nuclear blast, the pain of it snapping through the thin teether of his self-restraint like razor wire. He watched her expression shift with fear as she grabbed for the leash again and wound the slack around his fist as he dragged her backwards, his cock giving off a low, urgent throb as she slid against his legs. He turned her around as he crouched down to meet her and dug his fingers into her arms as he leaned towards her, his face shifting with so much rage and hunger it had almost rounded the corner back into compassion.

  “You want to know what she was like, hmm?” He asked, leaning towards her until his lips almost brushed her face. “Why she never left?”

  Alicia face twisted with embarrassment as she blinked quickly, her eyes darting over his face as he raised his brows.

  “Or maybe you’d like to hear whether or not I really loved her,” his voice soft and violent. “That’s the question that always seems to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue.”

  Ronan jerked her leash tighter, brushing her hair away from her face as he stroked her face, his dark eyes twirling so wildly they were almost on fire.

  “Go ahead, Alicia. Go ahead and ask. I know you want to. It’s been on the tip of your tongue since the moment we met.”

  Alicia swallowed hard, cringing beneath Ronan’s gaze and then gritted her teeth as she looked up at him, every ounce of artifice and struggle receding from her face like a summer storm.

  “Did you really love her?” Alicia asked, her voice low and hoarse and Ronan tilted his head at her, his expression almost polite.

  “You’ll never know,” he said, his voice low and clipped as he leaned over her, whispering into her ear as he glanced at the ceiling. “Not ever. And you want to know why? Do you?”

  Alicia’s eyes widened as Ronan stood up quickly and then grabbed her by the back of the collar, shoving her face down against the ground as he planted his knee into the small of her back. She cried out as he whipped her sharply, his self-control fraying close to the breaking point as she tried to break his grip and tossed the whip aside as he leaned over her, digging his fingers into her chin.

  “Because it’s none of your fucking business, that’s why,” he said against her neck, his voice low and savage. “You’ll never hear anything about it. Nothing at all. Because you’re not her. And nothing I feel about her has anything to do with you.”

  Ronan felt the last shred of his self-control snap as a sudden rush of embarrassed pain flashed through her expression and let her go all at once as he stood up behind her, eating up the slack of her leash with a curt roll of one hand.

  “Turn around, Alicia,” he said, his voice low and careless as he gave her leash a sharp tug. “There you go. Just like that. Let the chain do most of the work.”

  He felt his hunger for her take a sudden, violent spike as Alicia turned to face him, the lost, frantic look in her eyes making her look younger than she was and held her at arm’s length as he slid his boxers down, pulling his cock out with one hand. He rolled her chain around his fist slowly, dragging her towards him until she was kneeling at his feet and then jerked her head backwards, a low noise escaping his throat as Alicia opened her mouth instantly.

  “That’s right, Alicia,” Ronan said as he gave her a little slack, her eyes fluttering shut as he dragged his thick cock across her lips. “Just like that. Show me how much you want it.”

  Ronan held the leash above her head, watching her fight against it as she dragged her tongue around the tip and felt a wild pulse of hunger race through him as she closed her lips around the head of his cock, sucking on him gently he watched her nipples harden. He tilted his head to watch her as he leaned away slightly, the leash going taut as he slid out of her mouth and moaned under his breath as her doll-like eyes fluttered open, her expression sweet and hungry as she tried to drag him back between her lips.

  Ronan pulled the leash towards him as she balanced her hands on her knees, guiding his cock back into her mouth with a shove of one hand and then ran his hand behind her neck as she sucked it with a shameless kind of hunger, forcing himself into the front of her mouth. He pumped his cock in and out of her mouth deeply as Alicia rolled her eyes up to meet him and held her leash tightly as he felt her gag, watching the greedy schoolgirl look on her face twist into something darker..

  Ronan dragged his cock out of her mouth and jerked her face up to meet him, twitching his fingers over her lips as his dark eyes dipped and twirled.

  “Now tell me what you are,” he said, his voice low and vicious.

  Alicia swallowed hard, her eyes darting to his swollen cock as if she couldn’t quite help herself.

  “I’m a whore,” she said, her voice clipped and tight.

  “That’s right, Alicia,” he said, his voice almost compassionate as he let the slack out with a slow roll of his hand. “That’s exactly what you are. But don’t worry. I don’t mind. You never have to pretend with me. There’s so much fun we can have together. I know some places that are just perfect for a girl like you.”

  Ronan jerked her leash, his dark eyes hard and bright and nodded towards the ground as Alicia swallowed hard.

  “Now get on your back, Alicia. That’
s it. Just like that.”

  Ronan felt his excitement take a sudden, violent leap forward as he unwound the slack from his hand, watching Alicia close her eyes as she slid to her back. He leaned over her on the floor, his hard cock sliding over her face as he shoved her legs apart and closed his eyes as he ran his hand into her open cunt, rubbing her with a wave of quick, thoughtless hunger as he shoved his fingers inside her.

  Ronan’s face twitched as he penetrated her deeply with his fingers, so desperate to fuck her now he could barely stand the feathery sigh of her breath as she quivered beneath him, and then sat back on his knees as he heard her moan, sliding his hand against her cheek as she rolled her eyes up to meet him.

  “Open your mouth,” Ronan said, stroking her cheek with his fingertips as she parted her lips, her gold eyes wide and fascinated.

  Ronan looked down on her with half-lidded eyes as he pressed his wet fingers inside her mouth and felt his cock pulse painfully as she sucked at them hungrily, her pouty mouth red and swollen as she arched her neck up to meet him.

  “That’s it,” he said his voice low and rough as he rolled the chain against her neck. “Don’t be shy. Show Daddy what you’re good at.”

  He pumped his fingers between her lips slowly, watching her twitch her tongue between them as she let out a low moan and then slid them out of her mouth as he jerked her leash tighter, stroking his cock quickly as his eyes fluttered shut.

  Ronan leaned above her as he watched her body quake, pumping his cock against her lips as he jerked her leash sharply and watched her eyes flutter as she opened her mouth wider, her face soft and open as her nails scraped the tile.

  “That’s a good girl, Alicia,” he said, his voice flat and savage as he pumped himself quickly, dragging the head of his cock against her flushed red lips. “Just like that, just like that…”

  Ronan coiled the chain tighter, watched her wince beneath the tension with a pulse of wild, rage-laced hunger and then bit back a strangled moan as Alicia dragged her tongue beneath the head of his cock, holding her mouth open he came across lips.

  Alicia let out a long, shuddering sigh as she felt Ronan come against her and felt her body quake to a quick second orgasm as she moaned against the head of his cock. She felt Ronan raise his head, his eyes sweeping over her and then leaned back on his heels as he released the slack slowly, his fingers touching the side of her neck before he dropped the chain and stepped away from her. Alicia brushed her fingers across her lips self-consciously, suddenly all too aware of the fact that she was naked and collared in the middle of cold tile floor and turned her head as Ronan rolled his neck to one side, his broad shoulders twitching slightly as he turned away from her.

  Alicia brushed her hair behind her ears as Ronan walked behind her and she watched his shadow arc across the wall as he bent over to tap the top of his camera, her gold eyes widening as he noticed her staring. He raised his brows, some expression too quick and convoluted for her to decipher running behind the shifting black current of his eyes and then glanced at his phone as he picked up the plate of food.

  “Here,” he said, his voice low and restless as he brought it over to her. “Eat something.”

  Alicia felt her stomach curl with hunger as she took the plate and tried to catch his eyes as she picked up a piece of what looked like turkey, chewing on it slowly as Ronan dialed out.

  “I don’t care about that,” Ronan said briskly, his shoulders stiffening with annoyance as he paced towards the windows. “No. I already listed those priorities for you. Don’t call me again unless you have something.”

  He glanced at his watch as Alicia watched him over her shoulder and then picked up what looked like a plastic pudding cup as she looked around for a spoon.

  “And that’s twelve and counting, Jaxson. Let’s hope those contacts of yours come through.”

  Ronan hung up his phone, glancing over his shoulder as Alicia dropped her eyes and then looked up at him again as he picked up the leash, coiling the chain around his hand casually as he approached her. He crouched down in front of her as his dark eyes twirled with a dim sort of humor and she held her breath as he reached for the collar around her neck, snapping the chain off with one quick movement of his fingers before casting the leash aside.

  God, he is so good-looking, she thought, hating herself a little for the way her body responded to him whether she wanted it to or not. Why can’t he just be an average looking sociopath and uncomplicate my life a little? Ronan caught a little of her mood and raised her brows as his blond hair shifted across his face, sliding his fingers beneath her chin so gently she flinched.

  “You know, I meant that,” he said slowly, leaning towards her as her eyes dropped to his mouth with a sudden pang of terrible, undefined want. “You don’t have to pretend to be anything with me, Alicia. You can just be exactly what you are.”

  Alicia looked up at him, feeling her heart fly into her throat as he looked her lips over carefully for a moment and wrapped her hand around his wrist as she held his eyes.

  “Neither do you,” Alicia said, her voice catching in her throat as Ronan sat back on his heels and then grinned at her, uncoiling her fingers with a calm sort of amusement.

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” he said, his dark eyes leaping with a vicious sort of good humor as he stood up. “I really am.”

  “There’s…no spoon for this,” Alicia said, holding the plastic cup up as Ronan cracked his knuckles.

  “Must’ve forgotten it,” he said walking over to the cage as he cracked open the door. “I’m sure you’ll be able to think of something, Alicia. You’ll certainly have plenty of time to reason it out. Now come on. Chop, chop. I don’t have all night.”

  Alicia felt her stomach leap into her throat as Ronan stood in front of the open cage and tapped at the bars, raising his brows at her politely as her face twisted with horror.

  “I am not…” she said her voice cracking as she felt her entire body clench with rage. “You fucking sick, twisted…”

  She scrambled to her feet as she saw Ronan break into a run and tried to swing around and hit him as he grabbed her by the collar, locking his arm across her chest like a dull thud of an anvil. She screamed at the top of her lungs as he swung her off the floor easily and then planted her in front of the cage, forcing her head down with one hand as he pushed her body inside with a smooth shove of his foot.

  “Get your fucking hands off!” Alicia yelled, diving for the lock as Ronan held it closed with the heel of his boot and then shook another combination lock in front of the door triumphantly before snapping it on the latch with one hand.

  Alicia dropped away from the door as her entire body began to shiver and looked up at him in disbelief as he picked up her plastic pudding cup, tapping as the foil top significantly before setting it face down on the top of the bars.

  “Like I said, Alicia. I’m sure you’ll find a way to get what you want eventually. You just have to start thinking more creatively.”

  “You motherfucker,” she said, her voice sounding flat and frightened to her own ears as she shook the door sharply.

  “Oh, what’s the matter, Holly?” Ronan said as he crouched down to watch her, his dark eyes darting over her expression with an open violent glee. “I thought we were having a moment.”

  “Our last moment, you crazy fuck. If you think I’m just going to take this like one of your stupid, low-rent prostitute girlfriends…”

  Ronan shook his head, his eyes closing and cocked his neck lightly to one side as he curled his fingers around her cage, fixing her with a sudden twirling stare.

  “You need a muzzle,” he said, his voice so relaxed it was almost friendly. “I’m going to put that on the list.”

  He stood up and whistled lightly as he tapped the top of her cage with his knuckles and then walked over and grabbed the bottle of wine, dangling it by the neck as he headed for the door.

  “You can’t just leave me in here!”
Alicia yelled, slapping her hand against the bars. “Hey! Hey!”

  Alicia kicked at the front of her cage violently and then looked up as she saw that Ronan was looking at her from the doorway, his pale face illuminated in the bright light from the hallway.

  “Let me out of here, Ronan,” she said, her voice losing some of its bite as she noticed the look on his face, his wild eyes sweeping over her as if he was trying to remember one good reason he should let her keep breathing. She swallowed hard as he crouched back down in front of her cage, his sudden calm demeanor terrifying her more than his anger had.

  “And where would you go, Holly?” He asked, his gravelly voice so smooth and reasonable it rolled over her body like a caress. “Hmm? You can’t go back. Not to the life you had.”

  Alicia felt her pulse escalate wildly as he tipped his head towards her, smothering a sneer as he met her eyes through the bars.

  “You think you’d do well on the streets? Let me tell you how it would go. You’d look for someone like me, someone who could protect you, but you wouldn’t find them. Men like me are- very well insulated. It’s difficult to make those connections, no matter who you are. So you’d settle for someone in the organization, someone who might enjoy a girl like you. A girl without options.”

  He slid to the side as Alicia dropped her gaze and slammed the top of the cage, his face going electric with a sudden focused rage.

  “But. What you’d figure out pretty quickly is that men who work for someone like me aren’t nearly as inclined to treat you well. And so you’d move on. Lower and lower and lower. Being passed around like a party favor from one low life to the next. And finally, eventually, one of them would turn you out. And you couldn’t say no, could you? No. Not unless you want to spend the rest of your life in prison. Where a whole new set of horrors await you.”

  Ronan leaned forward until his lips were almost touching the bars and met her eyes through the bars, his dark eyes twirling so wildly she felt a brief sensation of drowning.