by J Marie
“And whose fault is that?” he asked me with a warning glare.
Yours, you ass fuck.
“I know … mine,” I answered.
“That’s right. I imagine that will take a while to heal and will serve as a good reminder for your week of reflection.”
“Yes, I imagine it will,” I agreed begrudgingly.
As I turned to make myself a cup of coffee, Darren reached over his shoulder and pulled a long strand of red hair from his jacket, irritation clear on his face and I smirked a little at that.
“Goddamn, Jaden, you’ve been here a mere couple of days and your hair is already fucking everywhere,” he said, agitated as he dropped the single strand on the ground.
“Oh, sorry,” I said innocently, clutching my coffee mug. “Did you not read the fine print when you acquired me? I shed like a dog.”
That earned me quite the look from Darren and I felt my stomach drop.
“That’s strike one,” Darren said, holding up his index finger. “You don’t want me to get to strike three,” he warned.
Don’t roll your eyes. Don’t roll your eyes.
“Since we’re trying a new method for the next week, you’ll be given a limit of three strikes a day. If I make it to strike three, you’ll have exceeded my tolerance and you will not like what happens next. Are we clear on this?”
“Yes, Darren.” I nodded.
“Good.”
We were silent for a while as I turned to take in the view of the ocean, attempting to ignore the ache between my legs as Darren began to read his newspaper. I sipped on my coffee for a while and continued my appreciation of the view.
“Jaden, I suggest you eat something.” Darren finally spoke, not bothering to lift his eyes from the paper.
I really wasn’t hungry; the ache between my legs successfully suppressed my appetite, but arguing with him was futile. I looked at the array of foods laid out on the silver platters. French toast, pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, sliced fruit, muffins, and bagels had been set out on the table, but none of it appealed to me.
Deciding on the easiest thing for me to digest, I placed a small helping of scrambled eggs on my plate and one slice of bacon. After finishing my plate and my coffee, I looked over at Darren, hoping he was satisfied with my attempt. He didn’t say anything, but he still didn’t look happy. I exhaled a slight sigh of annoyance and went for a small helping of sliced fruit, picking at it and sipping my coffee until it was gone. He seemed satisfied with that.
“So,” he said, putting down his paper and turning to me. “I have a couple of things to take care of today, but I’ll be working from my home office so you can roam the house if you’d like.”
How nice of him to extend my cage.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll just relax today … if that’s okay with you,” I added.
“I suppose, so long as it’s productive for you.”
“Meaning?”
“You know what I mean,” he said, lowering his gaze.
I nodded. I needed to reflect and show him I was willing to submit to him, but all I really wanted to do was soak for hours in that dream bathtub.
“Honestly, all I want to do right now is soak in the bathtub until the sun sets.”
I looked at him, almost pleading with my eyes that he wouldn’t object. The bath would soothe the pain between my legs, and it was something that could take up hours of the day. He nodded and smiled.
“I think that’s the girliest thing you’ve ever said.” He almost laughed.
I shrugged. “Believe it or not, I do have my girly moments from time to time. They’re just rare.”
He gave me a small smug smile. “I can’t wait to experience them.”
I gave him a confused look. Why would he want to experience that?
“I’ll tell you what. Go upstairs and take your bath. When I’m ready, which will be well before sunset,” he said with a slight smirk, “I’ll come and get you and we’ll have a picnic on the beach. How does that sound?”
Him? A picnic? Really? This man, who was dripping power and masculinity, wanted to have a picnic with me on the beach?
“Sure. That actually sounds really nice,” I replied, completely shocked.
“Good, but it comes with a small price,” he said, his eyes glittering with a kind of playfulness I didn’t recognize.
I turned my head to the side, my stomach churning with anticipation. What cruel thing would he subject me to now?
“And what is it going to cost me?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
“I just want my good morning kiss.” He smiled brightly, but his smugness was not far behind.
I gave him a look to let him know I didn’t trust him. His impression of a good morning kiss might be very different compared to my impression of a good morning kiss. But whatever, a kiss was a kiss, and he was going to get what he wanted anyway.
“Fine,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him as I began to rise uncomfortably from my chair. I could handle one fucking kiss. It wouldn’t kill me.
Instead, Darren got up and reached for my hand, helping me into his embrace. I looked up into his ocean eyes with slight fear growing in my belly. But what I found when I looked up was not what I expected. I saw something—something I didn’t recognize. It wasn’t excitement, or rage, or lust. It was soft and warm like he was really looking at me with something other than possessiveness. He was looking at me as if he adored me, as if I was something more than just his prisoner. Like a treasure, a precious treasure he wanted to keep hidden away from the world lest someone steal me away from him.
I felt the fear in my stomach boil to a simmering warmth as his fingers traced along my hairline, tucking my stray strands behind my ear. His hand then lingered against my cheek, and I found my hand curling over his wrist, letting him know I was there.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered to me and gently placed his lips on mine.
His kiss was soft and sensual, unlike anything I had ever experienced with him. He was gentle in his touch, but firm enough for me to really feel him. Heat flared in my tummy as he cradled the back of my neck in his other hand, our lips moving as one as we deepened our kiss. When he finally released me, I felt dazed and confused, but I immediately shook it off as he stared down at me, a bright smile on his lips.
I gave him a small, timid smile back, not wanting to like what he just did, but I appreciated his tenderness. He then kissed me on my forehead and gently scooped me up into his arms. I gasped at his abrasiveness but had to force myself not to fight him.
“Allow me.” He grinned and carried me back into the house, up the stairs, and to my bathroom. By the time we got to the tub, he wasn’t even winded and that was a long way to carry me.
God, I envied his strength. All my life I wished I could be strong, and I was, but it would never compare to the strength of a man, especially this one. I hated my body for its stupid limitations, but I reminded myself that speed or strength had nothing on the power of a semi-automatic.
Setting me down on the edge of the tub, he ran the water and then pulled out some Epsom salt from one of my cabinets and poured it into the filling tub. Holy shit? Who was this man? Certainly not the same man who had beat the shit out of my cervix last night with his dick because he had severe jealousy issues. He seemed like he actually cared.
After pouring in the salt, the tub was full, and he pushed a button to start the jets. My excitement was hard to contain. He even lit the surrounding candles by the bay window next to the tub and the air immediately bloomed with the scent of lavender. Wow.
“Do you need anything else?” he turned and asked me.
I could feel myself getting whiplash at his sudden acts of kindness.
“I should be fine. Thank you.”
“Good. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
He then leaned down, kissed my forehead, and left the bathroom, actually closing the door behind him. What in the fuck just happened? I had gone from violent rape t
o soothing bubble bath? I was really going to have to learn to anticipate his shit. It was just so hot and cold.
I didn’t wait another second as I stripped down, clipped my hair up, and slowly plunged myself into the soothing warmth of the bath. The jets felt amazing on my sore muscles as they massaged the tension right out of them, so it didn’t take long for my body to slip into a coma of ultimate comfort.
After about a half an hour, I felt the magic of the Epsom salt working as the throbbing in my cervix finally subsided. It wasn’t gone, but it was much more bearable. This bathtub was my new best friend. As I soaked, I tried not to think about anything; I forced myself into a state of numbness so I wouldn’t have to dwell on the pain I was trying to bury. I needed to curb my anger, shelf my pride, and focus on reflection.
I was a captive now, and there was no changing that. Not yet, at least. I needed to let it all go and replace it with the will to please a monster. I hoped that if I could make Darren happy, he’d return the favor. But I would also have to let him.
I stared out the bay window beside the tub overlooking the beautiful ocean blue. I remembered a time not so long ago when I’d find my happy place on a beach with clear blue water and seagulls in the sky. And here it was right in front of me, except it wasn’t my happy place. It was my own personal Hell.
As I soaked, thoughts of Darren’s random change in attitude refused to leave me. Yes, he would hurt me when I stepped out of line, that much was clear. He was not above hitting me, so I needed to be mindful of that if I wanted my face to remain unscathed. But when I was deserving, when I gave in to him, he would reward me … and I was experiencing that reward right now. The kiss this morning gave me a glimpse of how he could be as long as I obeyed him. Somehow, he was capable of showing me tenderness, but only if I earned it. He was just so demanding; his expectations of my obedience too high for me to ever possibly reach, and I had a feeling he knew this.
I had an underlying feeling that the monster in Darren wouldn’t always slumber. It would want out of its cage; it would want to take its fury out on me, and Darren needed me to be strong enough to take it. That was the point in all this. I could see that now. He wanted my obedience, but he still wanted my defiance so he could punish me and feed the beast until it was good and full. I would have to figure out a strategy to keep his beast at bay all the while giving him exactly what he needed to keep myself from harm’s way. If he felt he could lose control and really hurt me, I would have to learn to predict and manage his urges before they consumed us both.
About an hour later, I could feel the water starting to cool down and I realized my fingertips now looked like raisins. Rising from the bath, my body felt ten times better as I reached for the towel and dried myself off.
Wrapping the towel around my body, I opened the bathroom door to find Darren sitting on my bed. His elbows rested on his knees as he looked up at me from his seated position and smiled.
“Feeling better?” he asked me.
“Yes, thank you,” I replied a little surprised to find him waiting for me in my room as I walked out to him.
I noticed he had changed into black swimming trunks and a white t-shirt. A Barbie pink bikini laid next to him on the bed. Ew. He must have noticed my disgust at the color of the bathing suit because he turned to look at it confused.
“You really hate pink that much, huh?” he said turning back to me.
“What gave it away?” I asked sarcastically.
“The fact that you look like someone just told you you’re short.”
Now, I scowled, twisting my lips into a grimace as I glared at him.
“I thought I had fulfilled my pink requirements with this morning’s ensemble.”
Darren chuckled. “No such thing.”
“You have to know by now that I am not a girly girl. I like to ride motorcycles and shoot guns, get tattoos, climb trees, and play sports, and I really don’t mind getting a little dirt under my usually short-clipped fingernails. That’s just who I am, and no amount of clothing, manicures, or an obscene amount of pink is going to change that.”
Wow, I really hoped I hadn’t overstepped a boundary there. But again, he wanted honesty. He turned his head and pursed his lips, considering his words as well as mine.
“Jaden,” he said softly, “if I were to take a pistol and put a pretty pink bow on it, does that make it any less of a pistol?”
“Depends on where you wrapped the bow,” I replied, narrowing my eyes.
He gave me a dangerous look. I knew that wasn’t the answer he wanted, but tough shit.
“Let’s say it’s on the grip,” he answered, though clearly not happy with me.
“Then no, I suppose not,” I said.
“Exactly. I know you’re not a girly girl, however, that doesn’t mean I don’t like to see you dress like one. Whether you like it or not, you’re a young lady, and as such, you need to meet specific standards to successfully please me. Just think of yourself as the pistol with the pretty pink bow on it.”
“Pistols with bows around the grip are still dangerous.” I smirked.
“Only when they’re loaded, which is why your bow is tied firmly around the trigger.” He winked.
How right he was. Give me any kind of ammunition and he was dead in a heartbeat, but take it away, and I was nothing more than a blunt object.
“Touché,” I finally admitted.
“Mmhmm.” He nodded slightly. “Now, put this on so we can go out and enjoy our picnic.”
I took the two-piece bikini and headed for the closet to change.
“Jaden, where do you think you’re going?”
Fuck, I was hoping he would let me get away with this one, but I knew it was a long shot. I really didn’t want to change in front of him, but it really wasn’t worth the fight. Begrudgingly, I went over to the table, put the two-piece down, and dropped my towel while pretending he wasn’t there. I quickly slipped the top and bottoms on as fast as I could and laid the towel over the chair.
Satisfied, he got up from the bed and reached out his hand, waiting for me to take it. When I did, he headed for the door, but then I stopped, remembering something extremely important.
“Wait, I’m going to need sunscreen. Otherwise, I’ll burn up in about five minutes.”
It was no secret that fair-skinned people needed to douse themselves in sunscreen if they wanted to escape the strong rays of the sun unscathed. There was never a single summer I didn’t get the worst sunburn of my life.
“That sounds like an excellent idea.” He grinned.
Oh joy, I just gave him the perfect reason to put his hands all over me. Good job, Jaden.
We headed out into the hall, me still wincing the entire time, and he grabbed a bottle of sunscreen from a nearby locked closet. We then made our way down to the beach. My steps still held a slight discomfort, but nothing I couldn’t deal with. The pain would be gone by tomorrow. Hopefully.
As we got down to the white sandy beach, I could see the rather large blanket that had been spread out just a few feet from the shore. A beach umbrella was sticking out from the sand and laying at an angle, providing plenty of shade for my wimpy-ass skin. There was also a basket on the corner of the blanket that I was sure contained our lunch.
We sat down and I tucked myself under the shade of the umbrella and asked Darren for the sunscreen. Even though the sun could be a cruel bitch when it came to my skin, I still loved basking in it.
“Lay on your stomach,” Darren ordered me.
Damn it.
I rolled over onto my stomach, finding the sand to be pretty comfortable as I sank into it on top of the blanket. Darren moved my hair out of the way, and slowly pulled the string of my bikini top open. Fucking asshole.
Straddling my hips, he squeezed some sunscreen onto his hands and started rubbing it on my back. It was cold at first, but the warmth of his hands shadowed that within seconds. He made good work of the lotion as he practically massaged my back, getting in deep and ma
king sure he didn’t leave a single square inch uncovered. It actually felt really nice, and I moaned a little in response. I could practically hear him smile as his skilled hands continued to ease the tension that had taken residence in the muscles of my back and shoulders. Hot baths and Jacuzzi jets were nice, but they never compared to the hands of a man.
When Darren was done, he pushed himself down to my legs and very gently spread them, as if he was afraid of startling me. But he had, and I immediately turned my head to see what he was doing.
“Relax,” he said. “I just don’t want to leave a single square inch of you unprotected.”
Protected. Pfft. What the fuck does he know about protection?
If he wanted me protected, he should let me go, but I suppose it was a good sign that he had some concern for my well-being.
I relaxed a little and let him finish rubbing the sunscreen into my skin. When he was done, to my surprise, he retied the back of my bikini and nudged me with his hands to turn me on to my back. He finished what was left of my legs, going extra slow, and he actually looked like he was enjoying himself.
When he got to v of my thighs, I grew nervous again, worried he might take advantage of his position, but he didn’t. Squeezing more lotion into his hands, he rubbed it over the slight bulges of my abs, up the sides of my rib cage, and finally ended at my hips. His hands ran under the ties of the bathing suit and I couldn’t help but hold my breath. Again, he bypassed my anxiety and went back up to my ribs. And then he went for my chest; though I had to give him props for trying to be as respectful as possible, it was still strange to see. Once he had my chest and arms done, he moved away from me so I could sit up.
“There, all done,” he said, smiling with satisfaction as if he had done a good job.
Maybe he was having a reflection week of his own?
“Thank you,” I said, wiping some of the contents of the leftover lotion onto my face.
“Thirsty?” he asked me.
“Yes,” I said, hoping he had some whiskey in that basket. I doubted it, though.
What he pulled out instead were two champagne glasses and a bottle of champagne. He popped the cork and poured us both a glass, handing me one.
