Restraint

by Alyssa Clark

  “Never mind me,” he said at last. “I can handle the rest of the Owens case. If you would like to take the rest of the day do so,” He was deflecting all that I just said. “There’s no need to take such extremes,” I couldn’t tell just what got to him the most. Which threat had put the fear of God into him?

  I didn’t care. The only thing I cared about now was getting through the day without bending.

  9

  Angela

  I hated to think this way, but I was beginning to think that getting laid was something I had needed. After I left the hotel room it seemed like I had a sense of clarity that I hadn’t seen since I first met Matt.

  Mr. Clarke.

  I wasn’t going to change the way I viewed him just because we had sex. If I did that, I would be asking for trouble. I was way too busy to entertain any sort of emotional relationship. Plus, he just wasn’t my type.

  Granted, he let me tie him up, and he let me spank him. Still he hadn’t really submitted even though he looked so nice on his knees glaring at me. Being on his knees wasn’t a real submission. I imagine if we were to try a dominant and submissive relationship it would be an uphill battle the entire way. He would fight every step, and I would be forced to punish him so often.

  I closed my eyes and remembered the look of his reddened ass.

  So much for that one night of sex. If I kept thinking like this, I was going to make another mistake by texting him again. Though, I was betting he probably wouldn’t entertain another night with me. That was the idea when I left that morning. I didn’t want him calling me again. I didn’t want the temptation hanging over me.

  So, I went about my business. I paid bills, I confirmed my schedule via email with both Mr. Franklin and Mr. Middleton. I checked over the forums for bits of inspiration, while any ideas I might come up with from the internet would have to be approved by both of my clients I still liked to look. There was no harm in it.

  By the time I had another ‘meeting’ with Mr. Franklin, I still wasn’t able to shake the resentment I had towards him. It didn’t seem like time away from the man would help me in the least. I found that after he undressed, I couldn’t look at him. I sat down in a chair and looked ahead while I tried to center myself for what was necessary.

  I couldn’t push his limit. I couldn’t actively maim him while I punished him. So, I had him kneel beside me and remain silent while I tried to consider the safest route for punishment. Him kneeling beside me could be construed as punishment enough, likely by him. He just didn’t realize just how much he’s tried me since all of this started. There’s a good chance that he didn’t know anything about the interactions I’d had with Matt.

  I took the time to play with my phone, it was an effort to make him feel insignificant. It was part of the punishment that was more psychological than physical. But I didn’t have the patience for it. The infuriating part for all of this was that he didn’t seem to be bothered by just sitting beside me. And I couldn’t really spend the entirety of this meeting like this.

  I just couldn’t decide what to do from here. Mr. Franklin decided for me by gently brushing against my thigh. It looked like he wavered, he had bad knees, and it was something he told me when we first started this arrangement. He took medication for the dwindling cartilage in them. But I was beginning to see all the things and all the ways I had been wrong about him. It could have been deliberate. The brush of his cheek, the sandpaper of facial hair against my skin turned my stomach.

  I trusted him even though he was virtually a stranger and I knew now I shouldn’t have. So, it was probably deliberate. That’s what I decided to accept it as that. I stood and dropped my phone in the chair I was in. He looked up at me without fear, like the consequences of his actions didn’t matter in the least.

  “I can see you aren’t taking this seriously,” I walked to where I had the x taped. “I suppose I should take it seriously,” I tapped my foot before I glared at him. “Stand here with your hands above your head,” as soon as I gave my instructions I went to fetch some rope and something I could use to give him adequate punishment.

  I hesitated at the whip, I had used that on him last time and he had used his safe word. If he used it this time, it would just be skirting around what made me angry with him. I needed to get this settled with myself just as much as I needed to get it settled with him. I decided on a cat of nine tails over anything else.

  I turned back to him to see him watching, anticipation was on his face and I could see his erection from here. It made the contents of my stomach curdle. He wanted this. He wanted me to hurt him.

  At this moment, I no longer wanted to take out my aggression on him. I no longer wanted to see him, but then that would only do more harm than good. The separation would only lead to more frustrations because he wouldn’t respect it like before.

  I put the rope back and snatched up the leather cuffs instead. I didn’t want this to take longer than it needed to. I stalked back to him feeling the disgust choke me like bile rising in my throat. I took his wrists and strapped the leather cuffs on them; I shoved them back up into the air then reached up to find the hook that I used to suspend Mr. Middleton. I had to jump a little bit because even with these damn heels I was still too short to just grab it. I found the metal hoop without any other hitches, and I was able to finally get to where I could wind up the rope that would force him up on his toes.

  I went back to him, and I didn’t give him any warning, much like that last time. I struck with as much force that had him gasping. I wanted this done because it wouldn’t satisfy me anymore. So I didn’t wait for him to adjust or prepare for the next strike. I hit him until my arm hurt, I kept going thinking I would hear him call out his safe word.

  I wanted him to say it. I wanted to push him until he screamed it.

  But my shoulders started to ache now. I didn’t have the drive to keep it up. I dropped the cat of nine tails and prowled around him to determine if there was anything else I could do. His dick was flaccid, and I felt satisfied with knowing at least there was some bit of pleasure he wouldn’t be finding here today.

  His face was pale, and it was obvious just how hard he was biting his lip to keep quiet. I could see traces of blood. Maybe he finally realized what he’s done? I wasn’t going to hold my breath. I went to release the pulley that had him strung up, I turned to watch as he crumpled to the floor. I didn’t go to him, I didn’t fawn over him like I might have before. I wanted him to feel my displeasure. I wanted him to know just how I felt without words.

  Unfortunately, I still had to care for the damage I inflicted. I couldn’t be so callous that I could leave him there on the floor. I went to get the cooling creme and lotion, it was something I wasn’t keen on doing, but it had to be done. Beating him and not providing any sort of aftercare would likely make it difficult for him to continue with his day.

  It might create questions.

  There was one thing I didn’t want here, I didn’t want to affect his relationship with his wife. As much as I enjoyed his money, and I used it as a means to further myself, I wasn’t going to replace his wife. I made that clear to him from the beginning. I even tried to suggest that he get his wife to replace me. It was one of the main reasons that I limited any actual sexual contact with him. I didn’t get as familiar with Mr. Franklin as I had with Mr. Clarke. I didn’t want him in the same way.

  I walked to him and knelt beside him, giving plenty of birth so he wouldn’t be able to rest against me. I carefully smoothed the creme onto the welts I had left. I didn’t feel bad about them. I knew he hurt. I wanted him to regret his choices as I had to deal with the consequences of them. Once I was done, making sure that I had all the angry red marks fully covered, I loosened the leather cuffs then pulled them off. Now that he was free to move on his own I stood and stepped away.

  “Get dressed,” I sounded nonchalant. Making it as if I wasn’t concerned about the state I left him in. “And I will see you at our next meeting,” I didn�
�t bother to help him up, I didn’t intend to help him dress. I wasn’t going to take that time with him. If the distance of the original punishment didn’t help things sink in, hopefully this would.

  I heard a whimper as I moved towards the bathroom, for some reason I felt relieved that he was bothered by the coldness I was showing him. I washed my hands, and I waited there, breathing in deeply as I gave him plenty of time to get dressed. It left me milling around the bathroom, I didn’t want to give any sort of idea that I would be there to help him.

  I heard the door to the closet opened and I moved into the doorway, I watched him dress slowly. He moved like he hurt and normally this would concern me, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. I wasn’t normally one to hold grudges, but it felt like he had ruined the good thing that I had going here.

  Now I was questioning myself and everything that had been working just fine for the last year. All because he had to put a coworker in his place.

  Mr. Franklin gathered himself up, straightened his tie and walked to the door that led to my playroom. He turned back to give me a look, and I could see just what this did to him. He looked hurt, emotionally. As if I had broken his heart, I was sure I didn’t. While he had attachments to me, I doubted love was involved in any way.

  I held my ground, I didn’t move towards him. I just met his gaze with a cold an expression as I could muster. He walked out of my playroom and I suddenly felt so much better. I went to follow him so I could lock up so I could clean up. While I didn’t have much to clean up I still preferred to have the front door locked just in case.

  I took my time cleaning my cat of nine tails, going as far to oil up the leather after disinfecting it. As I worked the oil into the braided handle, I began questioning why I did this. I thought about changing out of the lingerie back into street clothes, I could go home and see about trying to reconnect with friends. Maybe give mom a call. I couldn’t really go into what was wrong with them, but maybe just being around them and hearing about their normal lives would make me feel better.

  I glanced at my phone, it sat innocently where I left it in the chair. I picked it up with the thoughts of how I would broach a normal conversation as I opened it up and thumbed up my text messages only to get sidetracked. What opened was the thread of text messages that I had had with Matt. I should have questioned it, wondered why this particular thread was opened. Instead, I noticed the new message down at the bottom and let that distract me from all the things I should be paying attention to.

  ‘I need to see you again.’

  Damn my heart for speeding up at the sight of it.

  10

  Matt

  I caved. I was going to go back to my usual routine and ignore everything that happened. It seemed like the best idea to go with the farce. The only problem was that she was in my dreams. They weren’t necessarily sexual in the way I enjoyed them, they were often strange and sometimes violent. It wouldn’t matter, three out of the four days I woke up a sticky mess.

  Like I was a fucking teenager again.

  So, I caved.

  I picked up my phone and I sent her a text message. There was a sense of relief that came with reaching out. It was enough for me to finish up the paperwork that was involved in the Owen’s settlement. Honestly, it was something a secretary or a paralegal could do, but I was still fresh meat in the office, and I figured it would be best to do it myself.

  It was half an hour before I heard my door open. When no one spoke up, I looked to see Allen Franklin taking up the entrance to my tiny office. My pen paused, and I just looked at him, waiting for him to say what he wanted from me. He just glowered at me, like I had done something to him.

  What the fuck did I do to him? Irritated, I put the pen down and sat back. “Did you need something?”

  I waited for him to respond, but his face merely darkened. He turned and left my door, leaving me confused. Something must have happened between him and Angela, though I couldn’t imagine what that would have been. I also didn't want to. The idea of her having sex with him twisted something up in my chest that made it hard to breathe.

  I doubt if I asked her she’d give me a straight answer either.

  I eyed my phone, it had been quiet since I sent the message her way. Though it had only been about an hour at most. I was beginning to regret sending it now. The lack of attention I was getting made me feel vulnerable in a way I didn’t like. It felt like I was giving power to her by feeling this way. I didn’t like giving her power at all, the idea of submitting just for the sake of a hint of affection was madness.

  People did this regularly. People paid her for this treatment, I told myself. Hell, I’d done it at least twice, and here I was willing to do it again for--for what? Just because I saw her again didn’t necessarily mean I would get to fuck her again.

  It was a damn shame that you couldn’t unsend text messages.

  I reeled in the thoughts that had run away with me and went back to work. I didn’t get far. It was maybe thirty, forty-five more minutes of monotonous paperwork before my phone lit up. I glanced at it, expecting it to be something unimportant.

  ‘When can you get here?’ was on the lit up screen. By the moment I could comprehend who it was the phone’s screen went black.

  She finally got back to me. I should give her a taste of her own medicine. I should make her wait. It would help me save face since I reached out to her first.

  I didn’t make fifteen minutes before I picked up my phone and started to give her an answer. Only, I didn’t know how much time I had. I looked at the clock, it was after three. I had two hours before it was professional to leave. I looked back down at what I was charged to do versus what I wanted.

  This was a bad decision. But I didn’t care. “Fuck it,” was the best way I could put it. I sent her a message in return, knowing that if she didn’t specify an alternate location she was at her ‘office.’

  ‘I’m on my way.’

  I clocked out on the computer, the smart thing would be to stay on the clock and just keep the lights on in my office. But I had a feeling Franklin would come back into glare at me again. I could get in trouble either way, but I’d prefer a write up due to leaving early versus being fired for riding the clock.

  I was salary, with bonuses for lucrative wins, but working hours were still monitored. Wentworth, the man that started the firm, was adamant about watching the clock. He didn’t want you on it if you weren’t working, regardless of your position in the chain of command.

  I made an effort to get out of the office without being seen. My absence wouldn’t be noticed until Franklin decided to pull his shit again. I found my car in the garage, and I sped out of there. Anticipation urged me to go faster. The only issue was traffic laws, getting pulled over would eat into my time to see her. Getting pulled over might even prevent this from happening.

  It took a frustratingly long twenty minutes to get to her office; another ten to find a spot to park. I was so keyed up that I barely had it in me to restrain my want. It didn’t help that she was seated in her ‘lobby’ wearing a silky robe and heels that had dangerous spikes on them.

  This want was mutual, I saw that when I opened the door and stepped in. Her eyes darkened, and she sat forward just enough for that robe to fall open so I could see the curve of her breasts. The only thing that kept me at the door was the memory of waking up alone.

  Did I really want to repeat that?

  “Do you disappear when we’re done here, too?” Anger was burning through my lust faster than I was prepared for. I wasn’t mesmerized by what she presented now. My stomach twisted with rejection. She had used me then, I wasn’t going to let her use me now.

  “Is that what you wanted to see me for?” Her brows went up, and she seemed to drop the sultry air she had before. “You contacted me, to see me. Are you really going to waste my time for your hurt feelings?”

  Waste her time? Really?

  Why did I fucking come out here for?

  I
didn’t have an answer. I didn’t bother stifling the disgust I felt, I turned and went right back out the door. Fuck it, I wasn’t going to get tangled up in it.

  I didn’t even manage to get out the door before my jacket was tugged backward. I felt her fix between my shoulder blades and I was amazed by just how quick she was ... especially in heels.

  “Why are you trying to make this something it’s not?” Her voice was hard, and she gave my jacket a tug, wanting to pull me back inside.