“Me, Mr. Lawes?”
“Yes, you.” Lawes sounded impatient. “Do you think April should be permitted the release she is clearly so desperate for? Speak now, or Matthew will be pleased to gag you instead.”
Lucy gulped, her face blanching. “Yes, I think she should, sir.”
Her gaze darted to April’s, her eyes conveying her regret as their eyes locked. Not regret at her decision, April assumed, but apologies about a dozen other things—the way they had ended up here, they way Lucy had backed out of any potential uprising since that first time they had shown initiative and been punished, the way she consistently opted for the easy ride, the path of least resistance, knowing how much that chided April.
Lawes chuckled again. “As I suspected. Seven votes for the orgasm and twelve against. Next—let’s hear from each of you.”
April hung there, her fingers flexing and her toes curling as she dangled in the harness, listening as each of the other women were forced to endure the same treatment as they cast their verdicts. She was relieved to hear none of them wished to deny her the chance to have pleasure, and when they finally reached Hannah, who was chained in front of the others, the odds were in her favor.
“And now for our newest recruit.” Lawes grinned at the prospect of Hannah. “What’s your view, Hannah. Do you agree with the female vote so far?”
Hannah lifted her face to address him and fleetingly, April saw something familiar in her gaze. Something which reminded her of herself—a knowing sense of defiance burning in her wide eyes.
“Yes, Mr. Lawes.” Hannah’s voice was firm. “I agree. April should be allowed.”
“Should she?” Lawes shook his head like he was trying to stop himself from laughing harder. “So, where does that leave us, then? Sixteen votes in favor of the pleasure and twelve against.”
“Looks as though the casting vote falls to you, Mr. Lawes.”
Fuller’s tone was knowing, and at that moment, April had no doubt, this had been the plan all along—to toy with her, making her believe she had a chance of winning, then at the last minute, snatch it away from her. Her heart fell at the realization. April had come to know Lawes only too well over the course of her incarceration and had an idea he was the most sadistic of them all. If her only hope rested on Lawes’ shoulders, there was little doubt—she would be caged later with no relief, only a burning need she’d be unable to satisfy. The last time the men here had teased and taunted her in a similar way, they’d chained her wrists to the bars of her cage, so there had been no way to garner the gratification she’d so shamefully yearned for. They were beyond cruel.
“Indeed, it does.” Lawes’ green eyes flashed at April. “So, let me think. What should we do? Offer naughty little April her chance to reach the stars, or punish her further by leaving her bound, wet, and denied?”
Sixteen
Hannah
Hannah’s throat dried at Lawes’ words. She knew from experience the threat that resided in them. This was what he got off on—power. The power to take and capture, the power to burgeon and deny—highs Lawes clearly lived for—and it was that certainty that caused the rising anxiety in Hannah. Not for herself, but for April. Hannah could sense how badly April needed this release. She was certain everyone in the room could tell, the tension and need practically rolling from her body in palpable waves—precisely the sort of situation Lawes would revel in. Having already garnered his own pleasure, he was now in the position to deprive April of hers.
Hannah’s belly furled at the injustice.
“It’s your call.” Fuller wandered closer to April’s dangling form, one hand caressing at the obvious strain in her shoulders.
Goodness knew how long she’d been strung up in those harnesses—too long for limbs as slender as April’s. Fuller glanced in Hannah’s direction, his blue eyes smoldering when he took in her face, and as if he read her mind, he continued.
“Just make your decision, old friend. It is time everyone got on with the day.”
Lawes inhaled. “You’re right. It’s time I made my choice, and for some reason, I’m feeling lenient.”
Hope bubbled inside Hannah, and she imagined the power of the emotion which must have risen in April. Was he really going to relent and allow her the orgasm, or was this just like everything in this place—another sick and twisted game the women could never win?
“Tell us what you have in mind for Ms. Page.” Fuller’s attention shifted to Lawes. “I’m sure we’re all dying to know.”
There was a chortle from the back of the room, and Hannah knew without having to look that it came from Matthew or Zander.
“April can have her climax,” Lawes declared his verdict as an edict. “But only as I see fit.”
Now it was Fuller’s turn to laugh. “Of course,” he sniggered. “And how is that, Mr. Lawes?”
Lawes turned toward Hannah and the others as if he needed affirmation from his audience. Hannah’s apprehension spiked at the idea that was exactly how he saw them—this was only a performance, it meant nothing more, the latest in a long line of perverse ways to get his kicks. She and the other leashed women were the audience, forced to play along and give him the encouragement he seemed so desperate to achieve.
“Allow me to show you.”
He stalked in the direction of the punishment closet, and Hannah struggled for breath. Whatever he was looking for in there was unlikely to be good news for April, and everyone in the place knew it. April’s eyes flickered open at his departure, and briefly, her gaze met Hannah’s.
Hang in there. Hannah offered her a sympathetic stare before April’s eyes slid closed again, and mentally, she chastised herself for her poor choice of words. Hang in there—what was that, some kind of sick joke? April had no bloody choice but to hang there. That was the worst part of this whole ordeal.
Hannah’s thoughts were splintered by Lawes’ return, her gaze landing on the long, black implements in his right hand. Her breath caught at the look of the ominous things. The handles looked sturdy enough, but she could only guess at the purpose of the black tresses that hung below them, and based on what she knew about the men, she had a good idea what Lawes might have in mind.
“April.” Lawes moved back toward the passive woman’s face, crouching down and presenting the unnamed item. “You have my permission to come, so long as you abide by my rules.”
Hannah could just make out April’s mouth opening, the sound of her gasp audible.
“What rules, sir?”
“I’m pleased you asked.” Lawes was practically gleeful. “Your pleasure will be peaked by the falls of the floggers wielded by Mr. Fuller and me.”
Her eyes blinked at the news. Evidently, April was so desperate to come, even this news wasn’t half as perturbing as it should have been, but it wasn’t lost on Hannah. She eyed the black implements again—the so-called floggers. How on earth was Lawes going to use those to induce desire? She could already imagine how cruel their kiss would be against April’s vulnerable flesh. It just didn’t seem possible there could be anything pleasurable about them. Even as that thought resonated, Hannah knew it was folly. Hadn’t it been Lawes himself who had ratcheted hedonistic desire in Hannah in the awful pillory, and Fuller who brought her to a shameful climax in the same place only yesterday after her failed escape attempt? She knew only too well how easily these men could twist reality in the minds of a frantic captive.
It was all too easy.
“Do you understand?”
“Y-yes, sir,” April stammered.
“Good. And to ensure we have your full attention and cooperation, I have a few additional items.”
Lawes placed the black floggers on the blanket below him and reached into his jacket pocket. It wasn’t immediately obvious what he produced, but once he dangled the latest item from the end of its strap, the reality dawned on Hannah. It was a ball gag like the one Fuller had forced into her mouth when she’d been strapped into that terrible cupboard.
&nbs
p; “Something to help keep you quiet.”
“Perfect!” Fuller grinned at his friend’s choice. “And how about something else for these luscious tits?” Fuller leaned toward April and tugged the nipple clamp already in place, the sound of the humiliating little bell echoing around them.
“I’m way ahead of you,” Lawes replied once again, reaching into his pocket to reveal a small metal chain which he threw in Fuller’s direction. “Be my guest.”
April panted as Fuller collected the newest addition. At first, Hannah wasn’t certain what the thing was for, but watching Fuller pick it up and attach the chain to the evil-looking clamps already in place, it became clear. The metal hung between them, another visual symbol of her powerlessness, adding a greater intensity to the pressure applied.
“Are you ready, April?” Fuller’s voice was husky with excitement as his fingers hovered over the length of chain hanging from her breasts.
“Mr. Fuller…” Her voice was strained, but Hannah couldn’t tell if it was the building trepidation or desire which tormented April.
“I’m going to take that as a yes.” Fuller flashed Hannah a wicked smile before he leaned in April’s direction.
With Lawes obstructing her view, it was difficult to see what Fuller did next, but the shriek of pain from April sent the butterflies in Hannah’s belly flying for safety. It had hurt, whatever it was, and by the sounds of it, the pain had been intense. Hannah gulped at that realization. April was so strong and resilient. If she was struggling to cope with the intensity of whatever was happening, it didn’t bode well—for April, Hannah, or any of the others.
“Perfect.” It was Lawes who cast the final verdict. “That is perfect.”
Lawes shifted out of the way so the rest of them could see April’s torment, and for the first time, Hannah was able to see what caused the new hurt. Fuller had pulled at the metal, tugging at both clover clamps simultaneously and drawing her afflicted nipples forward.
“And now for the gag.” Lawes inched toward April, the ball gag already prepared in his hand. With little fight in her now, he slipped the thing into position with no resistance. A moment later, he was securing the strap behind the tangle of her dark hair. Reaching for one of the floggers, Lawes offered it to Fuller.
“You take one, and together, we flog Ms. Page into ecstasy.”
“I’ve said it before Mr. Lawes.” Fuller’s lips curled as he accepted the challenge, his hand releasing the metal chain. “I love the way your filthy mind works.”
Lawes chuckled as he climbed to his feet, the other flogger in his hand.
“It’s why we’re such a good team, old friend. Now, let’s finish this session. I’ll spin April slowly and flog her beautiful cunt as she passes me here. You can do the same as she spins toward you. Together, I know we can achieve our goal.”
Hannah crouched where she was leashed, her limbs tired and uncomfortable, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered now was April’s fate. Behind her, she could feel the weight of everyone else’s stare as they sat, mesmerized by April’s predicament. As Lawes sent April’s body into another rotation, Hannah watched both men ready their floggers. Lawes began, taking the first aim. Hannah held her breath as the falls of the flogger connected with the helpless flesh between April’s legs, and her skin goosed at the cry muffled behind the ball gag. There was barely time for anyone to contemplate whether the response was pleasure or pain, though. Her body spun in Fuller’s direction only a few seconds later, where it was met with yet another swat of a flogger.
April shrieked louder, her shoulders wriggling under the weight of the strain, a deed which seemed to unsettle the cruel clamps, sending the chain between them jiggling and the bells ringing as she spun back toward Lawes.
“That’s it.” The words came as the flogger struck April again. “Suck up the pain, April. Use it.” Fuller grinned, his hand already poised and ready to take aim for the second time. “Dance for us, April.” He flogged her pussy again, his smile widening at her frantic reaction. “Dance in the harness. Make those nipple clamps bite harder.”
April moaned, her cry raspier than before as though the pain—as terrible as it evidently was—began to morph into something else. Something which could tip the balance into the hedonism they all sought.
The flogging continued, both men taking turns, providing blow after blow to April’s exposed slit. Hannah lost count after sixteen strikes, her focus shifting to April’s face and the altering expression there. Clearly, there was still suffering, but it was also evident, April could sense her climax looming, her jaw tightening with each swat as though she could tell how much closer that strike had brought her. She wasn’t struggling in the bondage now or trying to resist the flogging. She was lost to it all, eyes closed as she tried to reconcile the competing sensations wracking her body. April needed the impact of the floggers’ tresses to connect with her desperate clit. She needed the flogging to help her crescendo. She needed it to dull out of the bleak reality of her existence and offer her this one, sweet moment of release.
“I think she’s close, Mr. Lawes.” Fuller glanced toward Hannah as he spoke, winking at her.
“Very,” Lawes agreed as he flogged April again. “And look how badly she needs our floggers, Mr. Fuller.”
Fuller laughed as he swatted her again, the groan that escaped the ball gag, making Hannah’s nipples bead in response. April was really close, and Hannah guessed it would only take another couple of strikes to push her right over the precipice.
“What’s that, April?” Lawes’ tone was sardonic. “More?”
“With pleasure.” Fuller took aim, delivering an especially heavy blow, which caused April to scream.
“Hold her shoulders,” Lawes ordered. Captivated, Hannah watched as Fuller complied, holding April in position so her ass was on display to Lawes. “Allow me to finish the job.”
Lawes swatted her pussy, over and over in a relentless drive to topple April, and while Hannah could no longer see her face to assess his success, the exhausted moan that left April’s lips was verdict enough.
She had finally found release.
Seventeen
April
Hours passed, time bleeding into a meaningless existence. The intensity of the high Lawes’ flogger had achieved was so great, April had slipped into an exhausted slumber soon after. It was sometime later that day when the darkness greeted them again, April found herself awake in the cage. She reached out in the gloom, her fingers tracing the lines of metal that held her hostage that night and every night. She swallowed and sighed, the sound audible as it slipped between the bars.
“Are you awake?”
April turned her head. The voice had been faint, for good reason, yet she was sure it came from across the room, the cage opposite perhaps—Hannah’s cage.
“Yes.”
Her reply was louder than intended, and she cringed at the sound.
She suspected the others had crashed out in their cages by now, and she had no wish to wake them or the sleeping giant who resided just out of earshot.
“Who’s there?” This time April ensured her tone was softer. “Hannah?”
“Yes, it’s me.” A pause. “Are you okay? What they put you through earlier. It was… awful.”
April’s eyes fluttered shut at Hannah’s assessment. It had been awful—terrible, actually. Even in the darkness, she could still trace the lines the harnesses had made on her skin.
“I’m fine.” She was fine. She had to be fine. “Thanks, though.”
It was unusual for any of them to overtly show concern for another. Of course, deep down, April knew they were worried. They all wanted to survive, yet the others were too intimidated to speak after lights out, and there was precious other opportunity to converse.
“I just wanted to say, I’m sorry.” Hannah sounded hesitant, and April’s brows furrowed at her words.
“Sorry for what?”
“It’s just, I misjudged you, is all. When I first
came here, I thought you were a bit of a bitch, but I know different now. You’re tough , April. Stoic.”
April laughed, in spite of herself, the sound echoing around the inside of the cage. She could never bring herself to think of the thing as her cage. It wasn’t her cage.
April would never belong in a cage.
“Thanks,” she said dryly. “I think.”
Hannah chuckled softly. “I mean it. I know we’re all scared and tired, but I appreciate the way you try to resist them. And the way you tried to get away.” There was genuine reverence in her voice.
“What else can I do?” April whispered the question across the gloom, separating them. “I won’t give up. I won’t let them win.”
She heard Hannah inhale. “Neither will I.”
A veil of silence fell over them, Hannah’s words reverberating in April’s head.
“I’m glad.” It had been too long since anyone else among the group had shown any grit. The others were good at compliance, and April understood why, but their reasoning made the situation no less frustrating to tolerate. “Sometimes, I need a friend in this struggle. Sometimes, it’s hard to counter them all alone.”
She gulped at her own honesty, wondering if any of the others were listening and would take offense at the admission. Leaning back against the bars, April sighed again. If they were upset, what could she do about it? She was only speaking the truth.
“I can be that friend.”
April couldn’t see Hannah in the gloom, but in her mind’s eye, she imagined her reaching forward and grasping at the bars—the same way April was—and the image buoyed her. Maybe Hannah was right. Maybe she could become an ally—someone April could rely on. She pulled in a deep breath at the thought. In the face of so much adversity, she was prepared to let her usual cynicism slide and believe in the idea.
“You’re on.” April pressed her face toward the bars. She wanted to ensure Hannah got the message. “We can bring the bastards down together.”
“Sounds good to me.” There was conviction in Hannah’s voice. “I’m not sitting in a cage, waiting to die. I want out of this place.” Her voice was louder now, and even though that sent a warning alarm wailing in April’s mind, she was stirred by Hannah’s passion and agreed. She wholeheartedly agreed with her sentiment.
Countered: A Dark Suspenseful Gothic Romance (The Rule of Lawes Series Book 2) Page 9