Without conscious thought, her feet jolted forward, eagerness rendering her movement ungraceful. Ordinarily, she would have slowed to regain her composure, but here, she knew that didn’t matter. She wanted him to know her real self. Not the fake one she allowed others to see.
The other chair remained pushed in at the table, making her hesitate. Bewildered, she looked at him for a clue to tell her what to do.
“Come to me, my sweet,” Rafael said, again lifting his hand to her. As Mia approached, his fingers wrapped around her waist and gently pulled her to stand between his legs. “Good morning, Mia,” he greeted her warmly.
She stood rock still, suddenly painfully aware of her nudity. Feeling her body heating, she knew she was blushing as her hands attempted to lift to cover herself. Her movements shackled by the restraints around her waist, Mia hunched her shoulders to shield herself from his eyes.
“Never hide from me, Mia. Stand up straight. Present yourself to me,” he commanded. Those dark eyes held hers, not allowing her to look away or refuse. He smiled as her shoulders eased back, the movement lifting her small breasts. “Very good, my sweet.”
She could almost feel his eyes touching her as they glided from her face to her long neck over her breasts, torso, that sparse patch of silky hair that he had touched last night, and down her slender legs to the pink toenails decorated with white flowers for the beach vacation that she had planned. Rotating as the controlling hands at her waist turned her body, Mia tried not to shiver as she felt those dark eyes tracing over her back, hips, and legs.
Smack! A sharp swat to her right buttock rang out in the quiet room. His fingers looped into the leather band at her waist to halt her instinctive bolt forward as she gasped at the blooming pain. When she stilled, one finger traced the smarting area on her bottom. In her mind, Mia could see him caressing the border of a red handprint on her tender skin. She shivered.
“Your skin marks beautifully, my sweet. Just as I had expected. I will look forward to seeing your skin crisscrossed with the signs of our passion,” Rafael murmured as he turned her around to face him once again.
His long, masculine fingers easily unfastened the restraints. Had she been watching closely, Mia would have seen that his large, signet ring served as the key for the small locks. She was, however, distracted from his actions.
The young woman tried to memorize everything about Rafael. His dark hair was peppered with silver. Mia had already known that he was older. Fit with no extra padding, Rafael could have passed for a younger man without those silvery accents that hinted at his life experience. She liked that he did not hide the truth behind coloring carefully applied from a bottle. His handsome face drew her away from thoughts of age.
Devastatingly good looking, Rafael’s features were perfectly formed. Her blue eyes traced the firm line of his lips. Now relaxed as his fingers unfastened the final locks of the restraints, Mia suspected that the shape of his mouth would reveal his inner state—as would those dark eyes that captivated her. She could see the inner fire and passion that he held banked inside those mesmerizing orbs. Inhaling with delight, she smiled at the scent of sandalwood that had heralded his appearance each time.
“You are pleased this morning?” Rafael asked with curiosity.
“Is it morning?” she asked, trying to cover her reaction. Someone held captive shouldn’t smile, should they?’
“It is time for breakfast,” he answered without truly answering. Standing, his toned body forced Mia to stumble back a few steps as he moved to pull her chair out for her. “Sit. Eat. You will need your energy.”
Ravenous, she dropped into her seat. Mia picked up her fork and shoveled the first bite of the deliciously golden French toast into her mouth. He had prepared it just as she liked it with powdered sugar dusted on top instead of sticky syrup that overwhelmed the flavor. Only when she had eaten the first piece did Mia notice that he was not eating with her.
Self-consciously, she set her fork down on her plate. “Aren’t you hungry?” she asked, dragging her blue eyes from the remaining two pieces of toast on her plate.
“Eat, my sweet. You need to have the energy necessary to face the day.” His voice was light, but she sensed something underneath.
Mia wanted to ask him what was coming, but one look at his handsome face revealed that she was not to ask. Quickly, she ate the remaining pieces of French toast on her plate. Sitting back, she patted her stomach. The feel of her own bare skin reminded her with a jolt she was naked in front of a fully clothed man.
Steeling herself not to cover her exposed flesh, Mia tried to remember what he was teaching her to do and not to do. Her eyes met his, and she watched him smile slightly. She knew that he had been watching her as she struggled mentally to behave as he desired.
“Very good, my sweet. You are learning. Now it is time for you to return to your mat. This will be your last free meal in my home. You will earn the right to sit at my table from now on,” he warned.
“What…” she began to ask, only stopping when his hand came up to signal her to stop.
“Your mat,” he repeated, pointing to the spotlighted mattress on the floor.
Standing, Mia walked a few steps away before turning to look back at the table. The area was now all shadowed by the enveloping darkness. Mia shivered. Suddenly, the entire area felt abandoned. The charismatic Rafael Montalvo was gone. Unable to stop herself, Mia ran to the familiar mattress and sat quickly on top of it just as the light blinked out, leaving her again in total darkness.
6
Darkness and silence surrounded her. Idle for the first time in years, Mia craved the mindless escape that her cellphone or tablet would give her. Here, isolated from everything, she had no distractions from her thoughts. No fake friends to try to impress with her latest meal. Nothing.
Mia’s mind raced. Would anyone notice her disappearance? Would anyone care?
She stretched out on the mattress with her hands pressed against her full stomach. No one would sound the alarm. Her plane ticket would go unused, and the airline would fill her empty seat with one of the hopeful, standby passengers. At work, her empty cubicle wouldn’t alarm anyone. If anyone even noticed that she was missing, her request taped to her office chair asking others not to steal it while she was on vacation would delay questions about her whereabouts. Without close family or even friends, she realized that she could be gone for a long time before anyone noticed.
What a sad life I have, she whispered into the darkness as she realized that no one would really care if she didn’t show back up. Her fingers caressed her slightly swollen belly. He’d fed her. Even held captive here in the darkness, Rafael Montalvo had already acknowledged her existence more than those who saw her every day.
Quiet, sad tears rolled over her cheeks to land in the soft padding of the mattress below her. Her life lacked sparks, excitement… love. Mia’s eyes closed, exhausted by the soul-searching that had consumed her thoughts.
The man who watched noted her breath evening out as the enticing, young woman he had found online escaped into sleep. He smiled behind the bank of monitors showing her activities clearly even in the dark. Upon finding her, his money had designed this set up carefully. She had no idea of the extent of his plans. Mia was simply perfect.
7
The sound of something grating across the floor woke Mia from a deep sleep. She scrambled to her knees on the mattress, trying desperately to see through the darkness. The rasping sound continued. From the sound alone, she could tell that it was large and heavy.
When it stopped, Mia called out, “Rafael? Is that you?”
Silence answered her question. Several long moments followed as she hovered in place, unsure about what to do. A sudden burst of light drew her attention to a padded bench. Torn between her curiosity and her sudden unease, Mia rose to her feet but remained poised by her mat. Seconds passed before she took one tentative step forward.
As her bare foot touched the ground, Rafael appeare
d next to the bench. “Come, my sweet,” he commanded. There was no other description of his tone. His voice was definite and demanding.
As if drawn to him by an invisible rope, Mia took small steps toward him. Many times, she almost turned to flee back to the refuge her mattress offered, but his eyes held hers, not allowing her to run away. Finally, she stepped into the circle of light.
“Very good, my sweet. You are learning well,” his voice complimented as Rafael extended a hand to her.
Unable to resist, Mia placed her hand upon his warm palm. Allowing herself to be drawn forward, she yielded to the pressure his left hand placed on her shoulder, and she knelt on the padded lower platform. The young woman looked over her shoulder at the man leaning over her now to ask, “What is this?” Her voice trembled with fright.
“This is where you let go of your past and begin again,” he answered quietly. Rafael’s hand left hers to join the other on her shoulder. His strength pressed her firmly onto the padded bench that stretched in two sections before her, only allowing her breasts to hang freely in the empty space between the supports. Once in position, he quickly secured her with a thick leather restraint around her waist.
“Rafael, I don’t like this. I’m scared! Let me go, please?” Mia begged.
The handsome man moved with a quiet grace to stand at the front of the device. “Give me your hands, my sweet,” he requested as if she hadn’t spoken.
To her horror, she followed his directions and reached her hands forward to him. Quickly, he wrapped restraints around her wrists, tethering them below her head. Mia’s eyes focused on the special curved pad in front of her. Her neck stiffened as his hand began to press her head down onto that support. Carefully he adjusted its position before one heavy hand threaded through her tangled brown hair to hold her forehead down to the mat as he tightened the last restraint, a web of strips cupping the back of her head.
She struggled on the bench, unable to keep herself from testing the strength of the bonds that held her in position. Mia’s pleas for him to release her echoed unanswered in the silent room. Her breath came in pants as she exhausted her energy.
When she finally went limp in this position, his hands caressed over her head, shoulders and back to cup her bottom. His touch drew her attention to the heat that had built between her thighs. Mia’s eyes closed as she realized that her body was aroused by the bonds, just like she had responded when pinned against the bars. Pressing back toward his hands, she silently urged him to touch her more intimately.
Rafael’s deep voice answered her this time. “I know my sweet. I know what you crave.” His hands lifted from her bottom.
Mia felt his body heat step away. Unable to turn her head to see what was happening anywhere but for the small space under the curved, resting pad, the young woman held her breath as she tried to hear what was happening. A faint rustling came from behind her body before a flare of pain burst over her.
“What’s that?” she asked in a panicked voice. It felt as if it had taken a hundred little bites out of her skin. His warm hand soothing over her skin calmed her slightly. There was no stickiness or fluid. She wasn’t bleeding.
“Your skin marks beautifully, my sweet. Embrace the pain,” he recommended.
Again and again, the strips of the flogger lashed against her skin. Mia writhed against the leather, her movements limited severely by the restraints. Her breasts only were allowed to move freely in response to the blows. Tears dropped from her eyes to land on the concrete floor below her. The pain began to blur together as the steady rain of blows streamed over her skin.
Each blow to her back and bottom began to transport her to a place where pain and pleasure blended together. All thoughts were erased from Mia’s mind as the points of pain ruled her senses. Her mind began to float inside her head. The impact of the flogger swept her body into a trancelike enjoyment of the sensations. She could think of nothing else but the sting of the flogger and the caress of his warm hand on her skin.
Mia was unaware of when the flogging stopped. She could only concentrate on the feel of his smooth hand, worshipping her punished skin with silky caresses. His fingers touched her everywhere, pulling soft moans of enjoyment from her open mouth. Rafael’s gentle tug on her hair, his fingers tightly rolling her nipples, the massaging contact on her back all flowed together with the stinging pain.
“Please, Rafael,” she begged, repeatedly, not even knowing what she was asking him for.
“Shhh, my sweet. I will take care of you,” he promised as one hand drifted over the curve of her bottom to trace her slick outer lips.
Had she been able to see his face, Mia would have blushed at the heat and desire etched into his handsome features. Tightly bound in place, her mind swam with pleasure as his fingers delved into her intimate folds. The young woman moaned at his touch. It did not take long for his skillful caresses to launch her into a massive orgasm.
Struggling to survive the pleasure that cascaded over her, Mia was unaware that his adoring touches to her body also heralded her release from her bonds. Unwilling to leave this bench that had brought her gratification unlike any she’d ever felt, her fingers clung to the padded rests as he lifted her away. Only when cradled against his muscular body did she willingly leave its sensual support. Looping her arms around his neck, Mia clung to Rafael.
“You did well, my sweet. I will look forward to bringing you pain and pleasure again,” he complimented her warmly. When Mia offered her lips to Rafael, he simply traced the outline of her pink mouth. “Soon, my sweet,” he promised.
8
Mia didn’t know how long Rafael held her in his arms, making her drink water and speaking softly to her. When she began to emerge from the subspace that the flogging had transported her to, the older man smoothed a soothing cream over the reddened flesh on her back and buttocks before carrying her to the sanctuary of her mat. His footsteps were sure as he walked from the circle of light that spotlighted the padded bench into the darkness.
Mia protested leaving his arms when he laid her softly on the padding.
The small sounds continued as he walked away and only ceased when he returned to wrap her in a soft blanket. Then, wrapped in comfort and warmth, she succumbed to the exhaustion that flooded her body and mind. Falling fast asleep, Mia missed seeing the light blink out of existence as darkness surrounded her once again.
9
Rubbing her cheek against the soft material, the corners of Mia’s mouth curved in response to the scent of sandalwood that clung to the fabric. Her eyes blinked open to see the familiar blackness around her. Shifting slightly under the blanket, she groaned as she felt the stiffness that had spread across her back.
“Aaah!” she moaned as she pushed herself up to sit. Propping herself against the concrete wall, she sighed in relief as the smooth, cool surface soothed her abused skin.
Closing her eyes, she replayed her last encounter with Rafael.
The pain of the flogging now blunted in her memory, she focused on his hands caressing her as she wantonly begged for his touch. Blushing as she remembered her pleas, Mia knew she had never wanted a release as much as after the flogging.
But not by just anyone’s touch. She had wanted Rafael’s fingers to stroke her.
She shook her head, trying to understand how she could react so differently with Rafael than with the three other men she had been intimate with. They had not brought her the pleasure that she could create with her own fingers. She had simply faked orgasms when their touch left her unexcited.
Gazing out into the darkness, her mind tried to solve the puzzle of whether she was frigid or whether they were terrible lovers. The easy answer was that they did not have the experience that she needed. She searched for the real answer, but her mind skittered away from the truth.
With a shake of her head to stop her whirling thoughts, Mia pushed herself to the edge of the mattress and stood. She needed to do something. Pacing forward to explore, Mia counted her steps. A
t forty-two, her searching fingers brushed the iron bars. After a short mental debate, she turned to her left and followed the iron bars.
By the third turn of the bars, Mia was completely disoriented. Trailing her right hand against the bars as she walked to stay close to the barrier, she stopped in disbelief as her left shoulder touched a bar as well—another turn in the line of bars. Confused, she had expected to find herself in a square or rectangular area. Again, she turned to keep her right hand against the bars and took a step forward.
WHACK! Her forehead struck a horizontal bar. Only able to step back a few inches into the corner, Mia cried out in pain. Tears welled in her eyes as her fingers tentatively pressed against the tender spot and felt it beginning to swell. Her right hand struck out angrily at the bar she knew hadn’t been there just a few seconds ago. Crying out in pain once again, she cradled her right hand to her breasts and tentatively held her left hand out. Now, there were three iron rods stretched in front of her face.
Beginning to panic, she bent her legs to duck under the barrier only to gasp in pain as her kneecaps struck more of the unyielding metal poles. Mia pressed her shin forward to discover an irregular arrangement of horizontal bars that prevented her from freeing herself from below. She was penned in a small triangular space.
Unable to turn around or move, she began desperately calling for Rafael. “What is this? Can you help me out? I don’t understand. Why am I trapped here? Please, let me out.”
Leave Me Breathless: The Black Rose Collection Page 81
