Hannah’s gaze flitted to April’s empty cage. She wasn’t sure how she knew—this thing they were desperate for them to witness had something to do with April. A shiver of trepidation ran along her spine.
Oh God. What had they done to April?
She watched as, one by one, the women were released from their cages and leashed. Matthew came to assist Zander as Lucy’s leash was secured to the hooks on the wall, then wandered nonchalantly over to her row of cages, beginning the process anew. It took a few minutes for Matthew to reach Hannah’s cage, his gaze darting to her for a second before it returned to the lock. He signaled with one finger for her to crawl out as the door swung open.
With a deep breath, she pushed a palm out onto the hard tiles of the floor, compelling her body to finally leave the structure which had held her captive for so long.
Matthew leaned down toward her, an ugly smirk etched into his features as he whispered into her left ear, “I do hope we can expect obedience from you, Hannah.”
She turned her head at his words, catching sight of the way his gaze drank in the state of her behind.
“I assume you don’t require another lesson so soon?”
Hannah gulped back the retorts that wanted to rise. Antagonizing Matthew was not going to help her cause, and she needed to remember that.
“No, sir.”
Her gaze fell to the floor when she spoke. Hannah had no desire to make eye contact with the man who so happily lauded power over her.
“Good.” Hannah felt Matthew attach the leash to the leather collar at her neck but didn’t bother to watch the deed. What was the point? “Follow me.”
He stood, striding away and tugging Hannah to join him. She scurried forward on her hands and knees, ignoring the way her body complained about the dirty and unyielding floor.
“Ah, Miss Bowman.” Hannah’s heart skipped at her name, her chin rising to see Fuller looming on the steps.
“I was just bringing Hannah up with the others, Mr. Fuller,” Matthew explained.
“Thank you, Matthew.” Fuller’s voice was a soft purr again, and Hannah clenched at the sound as a memory of her soul-shaking orgasm flashed through her mind. “But I’ll take Hannah up. I want to ensure she gets the best view of our latest surprise.”
Dread bubbled in her tummy at his words. They were undoubtedly a threat if ever she’d heard one.
“Of course.” Matthew moved forward, and in Hannah’s peripheral vision, she saw him put the end of the leash attached to her collar into Fuller’s outstretched palm. “We’ll join you soon.”
Fuller smiled, yanking the chain that separated him from Hannah’s body and bringing her to heel. “On your feet, Hannah.”
Her gaze darted to Fuller’s for the briefest moment, before wearily, she climbed first to her knees, then her feet. Hannah’s limbs were shaky as she stood between the men, the new position doing nothing to ease her sense of unease. From here, she could easily see the line of naked women, huddling against the wall, their bodies restrained by the same type of pet leash attached to her body. Hannah’s eyes fell closed, the image too intense to bear. All these women treated this way. How long had they been held here, in this dark corner of hell?
With a sigh, her gaze flittered back open to find Fuller’s knowing expression. She seemed even more exposed on her feet as though being forced onto all fours like an animal was somehow preferable. That’s what one day with Fuller and Lawes had done to Hannah’s psychology.
“Did you manage to get some rest?”
Fuller’s question drew her attention back to his face. Rest? She’d been forced back into a fucking crate after her dehumanizing treatment last night—how much rest did the guy think she got?
“Yes, sir.” The answer fell from Hannah’s lips unthinkingly. There was no point in countering him. Her energy was better focused in another direction.
The sound of flesh against the hard tiles echoed behind her, and Hannah twisted to see yet another woman being led toward the naked throng by Zander. The look of her tired face furled the knot of tension inside Hannah. That expression, the weary acknowledgment, the acquiescence, was what Hannah feared the most—one day, she might give up the will to fight, one day, she might also wear the same look of resignation.
“Hannah.” His tone was curt, its resonance capturing her focus at once. “Eyes on me, please. We need to take a little walk. Or, more specifically, I do.”
Fuller lurched forward then, swooping for her hips and flinging Hannah’s body over his shoulder. She went with a yelp, the gesture reflexive in the circumstances, and even before she could get her bearings, they were moving. Fuller climbed the steps, bringing them out into the lighter foyer. Hannah wasn’t privy to much in the way of a view, cast as she was over his shoulder, but she recognized the change immediately. The air up here was sweeter to breathe, the atmosphere less wretched.
“Down now.” He manhandled Hannah’s body back onto her feet and signaled for her to lower to the floor. Her head spun with the sudden transition, and it took a moment for Hannah to realize his meaning. Then with a heavy heart, she complied and fell back to her knees.
“Now, follow me.” Fuller offered her a cursory glance before he strode away. Hannah eyed the movement for a fraction of a second before the tightening metal tugged at her neck, compelling her to do as he asked.
He turned left, and she frantically crawled after him. Hannah recognized this length of corridor. It was the one she ran down in a panic on her first night—the one which led to the pillory room. She gasped, images of her multiple punishments flitting through her head as Fuller pulled her onward. If this is where the elusive surprise was, things really weren’t looking good. She already knew first hand the types of activities that went on in the room at the end of this hallway.
“I’m sure you know where you are by now.” He stopped just outside the door, his gaze intense.
“Yes, Mr. Fuller.” Hannah only met his eyes for a moment, the smirking intensity in them too excruciating to maintain.
He smiled. “I wanted to bring you up here before the others for a reason.” Fuller paused, and even though every fiber of her body wanted to resist, Hannah was compelled to meet those brooding, blue eyes.
“As the other patient who attempted to escape yesterday, it’s important to Mr. Lawes and me that you fully understand April’s penance.”
A wave of nausea tumbled in Hannah’s belly. Oh, crap—April. What had they done to April? It was a curious response to the plight of a woman she barely knew, but it was instinctive. Whoever this April was, it had been her heroism that had given Hannah her chance to flee, and even though her attempt had been thwarted, she knew she would never forget it.
“The other girls will come to see it for themselves, but I suspect it will mean more to you, Hannah. In your brief time here, you have both enthralled and disappointed us. Just like April, you are both beguiling and disheartening.” Fuller lowered to his haunches, reaching for her face and capturing her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “And just like April, you will learn to obey.”
Seven
April
April hadn’t immediately been clear about Lawes’ intention, but her gut warned caution. This was something new, and knowing the two twisted men who ran this sordid show, it would be something intolerable. Something that would stretch even April’s boundaries, and after who knew how many weeks of playing their sick little games, that was truly saying something. She knew it wouldn’t be unbearable—it couldn’t be. April had to tolerate it and bear it—and she would. She was already resolved to the fact.
If she ever wanted to get out of this place, she’d have to endure whatever Lawes and Fuller threw at her. And there was no doubt, April was getting out.
This wasn’t where her story ended.
No fucking way.
After their impromptu chat, Lawes and Zander had lifted her clear of the rug, and holding her aloft like some sort of heavy piece of furniture, they marched April f
rom the comparative warmth of the office, across the foyer, and down the dark corridor toward the pillory room, known colloquially by the women as the throne room. The grandiose nature of the environment was lost on her. She no longer saw the cleanliness, the bay windows, and high ceilings.
The only thing this place represented was hours of pain and humbling misery, and despite the brutal reality that April had, at times, enjoyed their attention, her yearning to be free was stronger than ever. Having made it past the door to the basement yesterday and tasted the comparatively sweeter air of the main building again, and seen the entrance with her own eyes, her predicament was all the worst. The bondage seemed harder to manage, the manhandling more difficult to swallow. She’d been so close—so close—though apparently, not as close as Hannah.
That thought had carried April into the pillory room, and when they’d entered, that’s where she’d expected to find herself—locked back in the cruel confines of the pillory’s wooden structure. It was a surprise when the binds at her ankles were released, and she was righted before a large metal contraption—something new—just as she’d been promised.
“Mr. Lawes and I spent a lot of time erecting this for you, April.” Fuller threw her an amused stare as Lawes’ arms snaked around her middle.
“Yes, we did,” he assured her. “And this rigging is expensive, too.”
Rigging? It wasn’t a word she’d heard before, yet every fiber of her realized it wouldn’t be used for anything pleasant. April twisted her head to catch Lawes’ green gaze before her focus returned to the metal structure. It was huge, reaching high above her head, secured to the ceiling and wall by a number of unsightly brackets.
“But only the best for our patients, Ms. Page.” Fuller chuckled, his blue eyes sparkling as he continued. “Only the best for you, April.”
“What are you going to do with me?” She swallowed at the strength in her voice. Despite her racing pulse and drying throat, her tone rang with defiance, and the resonance emboldened her.
Whatever these sick fucks had in mind, they wouldn’t break April. She couldn’t be cowered.
“Wait and see, beautiful,” Lawes whispered into her right ear, his hands rising north to fondle her breasts while his hard body pressed against her bound wrists. “It’s something special, though. Something spectacular…”
Nostrils flaring in disgust, April turned away from his leering smirk. Sure, she couldn’t prevent his wandering hands—she couldn’t stop Lawes from exploring her pebbling nipples, any more than she could remove the bondage and kick him in the nuts—but she wasn’t going to let the asshole know how much he affected her. She had no intention of giving any of them the satisfaction.
“Let’s get her into place.” Fuller’s words broke the growing tension, and her gaze landed on his smiling face. “Come over here, April, and don’t even think about doing something stupid. Your ankles might be free, but the rest of you isn’t. You can’t overpower us, and you can’t outrun us.”
She gulped down the indignation that rose at the truth of Fuller’s words, just as Lawes’ hand shifted, pushing her gently toward the blue-eyed giant. April stumbled to where Fuller stood, her neck craning to take in the full extent of the metal contraption now overhead. Fuller reached for her shoulders, smirking as he gazed down at her bound and vulnerable form.
“Mr. Lawes is correct,” he murmured. “This is going to be spectacular. Matthew, the blanket, please?”
April tried to turn at that, but Fuller’s hands held her firmly in place. The small breeze at her ankles was enough to indicate the said blanket had indeed been placed on the cold floor behind her.
“Zander, the harness?” Lawes’ voice came from behind her, sending her belly twisting into knots.
After all this time, April knew all about the damn harnesses. She’d been forced into the things more times than she cared to recall, everything from the basic straps to the full pony ensemble with bit gag and reins. Her pussy clenched at the memory. For every inch of degradation, the leather straps had also invoked hot, primal arousal. She had no idea how or why, but being treated in such a base and demeaning way had set her on fire, and the thought alone sent electricity shooting up her spine.
“Here you are, Mr. Lawes.” Zander appeared in her peripheral vision, his arms full of the black leather April was only too familiar with.
She swallowed back the angst, disgust, and paralyzing hedonism that rose as both men set to work, wrapping her body in the appropriate binds. Her wrists were released temporarily to allow the leather up and around her arms, then the straps were pulled down over her chest before her breasts were eased into the triangular space revealed by the leather. Once Fuller was satisfied with the effect, the straps were fastened at her back and her wrists rebound behind her. Similar straps were wrapped around each thigh, the leather rising to her hips like a pair of pants with no discernible middle. Based on what April could sense, the buckles were fastened in the small of her back, just beneath her fingers, then behind each thigh before a final set of harnesses were attached to her ankles.
The process was a humiliating myriad of sensations. At one point, there were at least three large hands on her body, each tugging and slapping as the harnesses were put in place and secured. Lawes was still at her rear with Zander and Matthew on either side of her body. Worse still was Fuller, who did nothing to assist with the process, yet his gaze still continued to tunnel into April as she stood there, powerless to resist the erotic attention. She inhaled as Zander rose from her left ankle, yelping as a fresh swat landed on her ass.
“That’s much better.” Lawes’ voice vibrated past her ear again, and fleetingly, April squeezed her eyes closed.
“Okay, April.” Fuller’s hard tone caused her chin to lift in response. “You can step back onto the cover now and lower to your belly. We want you just as you were in the office.”
She gritted her teeth, tensing her jaw in mutiny while Fuller directed her body backward. For all the world, April was a tower of burgeoning insubordination. She might have no choice but to cede to their will, but the fire burning in her eyes would let them know, the very first chance she had, she’d be off again. She’d flee faster than ice in a great thaw. She wouldn’t stand for their shit. Or at least, that’s what she hoped Fuller saw as he positioned her where he wanted her, his finger signaling for her to drop to the floor.
With a sigh, she obeyed, lowering gingerly to her knees before landing on her backside. It was no easy feat with the unforgiving straps secured around her body, made all the harder without the use of her hands.
“Need a little help?” Lawes was laughing as he closed the distance between them, his arms shifting April forward and forcing her body face-first onto the brown, checked blanket.
Before she even had a chance to adjust to her new surroundings, the binds were back at her ankles, her limbs bound together first, then attached to the ropes at her wrists and hair. Within a few moments, she was trussed up just as she had been in the office—exposed, harnessed, and utterly helpless.
“Let’s get this show on the road.” Fuller clapped his hands together, his tone excited. “I can’t wait to see how she looks.”
And that was all the warning April got. The next thing she knew, the four men descended on her, their hands on her body again, pulling at the straps and pawing the curve of her ass, yet simultaneously, there were other sensations—noises, sounds April didn’t recognize. She twisted to the right and left to see what was happening around her. Matthew was crouched by her face, blocking most of her view, but as he reached forward to take something from one of the others, the sight of the metal structure came back into view. What had Lawes called it—rigging?
That word resonated as April strained to take in the hard lines of the construction. Something was different. Not just the unyielding lines, but something new—more black straps appeared to have been attached to the metal, hanging down toward her body. Her brow knitted at the perplexing imagery as another powerfu
l blow on her bottom stole her breath. April bit back a yelp at the sting of his palm.
“Face down.” Lawes’ voice was stern.
Yes, it had hurt, but she didn’t want the fucker to know that. With a heavy heart, she permitted her body to be rolled flat again, pressing her face against the coarse blanket while the hands at her body went back to work, numerous tugs and yanks from the harnesses at her flesh. April swore she could hear the sound of metal locks being fitted, a noise similar to the one she recognized from whenever a leash was attached to the collar which now permanently adorned her neck.
She pulled in an impatient breath. What on earth was happening? Of course, it wasn’t the first time they had wanted to harness her, but the experience had never been so consuming before, and usually, one of them could manage the task alone. This was different.
Unsettling.
What was with the rigging? Her belly furled with anxiety, knowing she would find the answers to her unspoken questions soon enough, yet perceptively knowing the current ignorance was the preferred course of action.
The pieces of the riddle seemed to fall into place. The unusual straps and the additional harness at her hips, the way they’d constructed this so-called rigging, and the fact she was trussed up on the hideous brown blanket—all at once the reasoning was obvious.
They wanted to suspend her—truss her up like a piece of meat! April gasped as the realization dawned. Oh God, that was the logic of the numerous brackets, the reason why the thing needed to be so strong and secure. It was made to bear the weight of a grown woman—a grown, bound woman, powerless to stop the ignominious display she was to create. Once she was there, who knew what they would do to her? Who knew what wicked ways they’d find to torment her exposed and helpless body? Who knew how long they would leave her literally hanging?
“I think that’s it.” Fuller’s tone was practically gleeful. “It’s time I collected Hannah, but first, let’s get Ms. Page in the air.”
Countered: A Dark Suspenseful Gothic Romance (The Rule of Lawes Series Book 2) Page 4