Mad, Mad World

by J. D. Sloane

  “Sit up,” he said, reaching for the other wine glass as he made a quick gesture with one hand. “I want to see you. Hands above you. Knees apart.”

  He filled the other wine glass with water as he saw Alicia hesitate and then paused as she raised her hands above her, watching him with something like fear as she spread her knees until they touched both corners of the cage. Ronan looked over her hungrily for a moment, his eyes sweeping over her thin, girlish body with a deliberate kind of restraint and then picked up his phone and rolled the lens down the front of her body, lingering on her open cunt as he curled his finger towards him.

  “Closer,” he said. “Right up against the cage. That’s a good girl. Now smile for the camera. That’s right. Just like that.”

  Ronan put his camera down and then rubbed his hands together as he glanced in Alicia’s direction, his face once more a smooth unreadable blank.

  “Would you like to come out of there for a while, hmm? Have something to drink?”

  Alicia looked at him quickly and he felt that jolt of desire again as she dropped her arms, pulling her knees together as if suddenly embarrassed.

  “Yes,” she said, without quite meeting his eyes.

  Ronan raised his brows and scratched his chin lightly before sitting back in his chair.

  “Nine seventy-three,” he said, watching her startle slightly as she reached for the lock. She scrolled through it briskly one dial at a time and then yanked on it hard with both hands, her eyes snapping towards him with sudden accusation as the bar slid forward without yielding. Ronan gave her an unpleasant smile and then reached for his wine glass, swirling it in his hand as she tried to bury her sudden expression of hatred.

  “Whoops. Must’ve been thinking of someone else. Try three seventy-nine.”

  Alicia scrolled through the numbers more slowly this time and then pulled the lock apart, her shoulders sagging slightly as it tumbled to the floor.

  “There we go. See? Nothing to worry about at all. Now open the door.”

  Alicia pushed the door open and Ronan picked up his camera again and clucked his tongue as she started to stand up, rolling the lens over her naked body slowly for a moment as she looked up at him with her hands on the floor.

  “Crawl to me,” he said, zooming in her face as she looked up at him sharply, her mouth quivering with a rush of angry outrage. “On your hands and knees. That’s a good girl. Do it slowly.”

  He felt his excitement escalate wildly as Alicia tipped her eyes up towards him, the outright dislike in her face unravelling his off-handed restraint in all the wrong directions. He watched her small, well-shaped breasts as she moved, something vaguely feline in the way she approached, the long metal chain dragging between her knees as she crawled closer.

  “That’s it,” he said tipping the camera lower. “Nice and close. Look up at me. That’s right. You’re sorry for what you did, aren’t you?”

  Alicia paused, the annoyed hesitation in her face filling him with a sudden desire to chain her face down to the floor and whip her into submission and he shifted in his chair, dropping the camera as he glanced at her curiously over his hand.

  “Or are you, Alicia?” He asked snapping the viewfinder back up to his eye with a casual turn of his wrist. “I’d hate to think you’d made it all this way just to end up right back where you started.”

  “Yes,” she said finally, curling her body inward as she knelt between his open legs, her eyes shifting to the wine glass next to his foot and back again. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

  “That’s nice. Now. Sit up with your hands on your knees. Spread them apart. A little farther. Better. Now say, ‘I’m sorry, Ronan.’”

  Ronan watched her face change as she spread her knees farther apart and he felt his cock throb against his thigh as he saw her lick her lips slightly, inching her hips forward until he could make out the smooth red valley of her cunt. He drummed his fingers against his thigh as Alicia looked up at him and felt a strange jolt of surprise as she met his gaze, her eyes dropping to his cock as if she couldn’t quite help herself.

  “I’m sorry, Ronan,” she said, her clear, sweet voice almost remorseful.

  “That’s nice, Alicia,” he said, tipping the camera down further. “Very convincing. And if I were anyone else I’d almost believe you. Now hand me the leash.”

  Ronan’s eyes jetted over her face with sudden interest as she bit her lower lip and then dragged the leash from between her legs, her hand shaking slightly as she handed it to him. He coiled it around his palm with a careless turn of his wrist and then shoved the camera into a plastic stand on the lower arm of his chair, rolling his fingers towards her until she leaned forward.

  “Would you like some water?” He asked, cupping her face in one hand as he looked her over seriously for a moment.

  Alicia looked up at him, her gold eyes enormous and swallowed hard as he touched her lips, the way she shifted beneath his touch making his cock give off a low, urgent throb.

  “Yes.”

  Ronan raised his brows as he turned her face up towards him.

  “Yes, what?” He asked, leaning forward until their faces were less than a hand’s length away.

  “Yes, please,” Alicia said, her face becoming sullen.

  Ronan smirked and picked up the wine glass, setting it down between his knees. He jerked her leash sharply as she reached for the glass and shook his head in sudden annoyance as she snapped her face up to look at him.

  “Ah, ah,” he said, his dark eyes dipping with a violent sort of good humor as he curled her leash tighter. “No hands. Try that again and I won’t let you drink anything at all. Not for hours. Do we understand each other Holly?”

  Alicia shot him a look of helpless rage as he raised his brows at her, making an impatient gesture with one hand and then leaned forward to watch as she pressed her hands against the floor, leaning forward to lick from the glass as she rolled her eyes up to meet him. He tilted his head at her, yanking her closer when she came up for air and then cleared his throat as she came to the lowest point she could reach without picking it up, her eyes darting up to meet him as she brushed her fingers across her lips.

  Ronan leaned forward and grabbed the cup between his fingers and then dangled it below her lips, his wide dark eyes so magnetic she froze beneath their glare.

  “Still thirsty?” He asked slowly, swirling the water around in his hand and Alicia’s brow furrowed as her face filled with pain.

  “Yes.”

  “Come here,” he said, tipping the glass toward her, his face so gentle it was almost compassionate. “Come here. That’s it.”

  Alicia parted her lips, her eyes widening with worry and then swallowed as Ronan raised the glass, his face curling up with a violent sort of hunger as she leaned forward for another drink. She tilted her head back as the water touched her lips and then gasped as Ronan yanked the glass away from her, pouring it on the tile floor in front of her as he held her eyes.

  “Go ahead,” he said, his face shifting with violence beneath his mask of bored half-interest. “Hands and knees, Alicia. That’s a good girl.”

  Alicia looked up at him, her face quivering with anger and Ronan whistled lightly and tipped his boot towards the shallow puddle of water between his knees.

  “No,” she said, sitting back suddenly as he yanked her leash tight. Ronan’s felt his pulse escalate suddenly as she grabbed the leash with one hand and leaned forward calmly as he kicked the camera stand with the heel of his boot, turning the lens in her direction.

  “I’m not asking,” he said, yanking the leash hard enough to make her gag for air. “And I would really reconsider my position if I were you. After all, who knows the how long it will take me to come back after tonight? Want to find out what you’ll be willing to lick up then?”

  Ronan saw the terror flash through Alicia’s face, his threat cracking her reserve of strength close to the fault line and wound his hand around the chain,
dragging her close enough to kiss her.

  “Hands and knees, Alicia,” he said, tipping her under the chin with his fingers as her expression shifted quickly between angry humiliation and outright terror. “Do it now.”

  Alicia’s face twitched with panic as Ronan glanced at the floor and he felt his cock pulse with sudden urgency as she backed up and flattened her palms against the tile, looking up at him once before she closed her eyes and licked the floor. Ronan brushed his hands down the front of his pants as he saw her struggle to bury the wave of humiliation that crossed her face beneath something slightly more submissive and shifted his foot to one side as she crawled closer, letting her hard nipples brush the floor as she looked up at him.

  He watched her carefully as she licked the floor between his legs, wondering again what kind of games her boyfriend had convinced her to play and where her breaking point might be and then reached his hand beside him as she rested her hands on her knees, her body so tense he could make out the gentle tremor of her lips as he picked up the whip. He saw Alicia’s eyes fly open as he tightened his grip on her leash and then swung the whip in front of her in a slow, careless arc, looking it over with raised brows as she followed it with her eyes.

  “How’s that?” He asked, tipped her below the chin with the flat narrow flap of the whip, the studded edges brushing her skin as he turned her face up towards him. “All better?”

  Alicia’s lips sighed open as she watched him, her expression suddenly so attentive and present he felt a quick rage-laced rush of lust towards her as he dragged the tip down her body.

  “I’ll be honest, Alicia. I’m not usually much for all the fancy toys. But there’s something about this one that just feels right. You know?”

  He watched her expression carefully as he slid it between her open legs and then rolled the whip slowly as he dragged it across her clit.

  “Tell me about the club, Alicia,” He said, his voice slow and careless as he saw her body quake. “Tell me what you liked doing there.”

  Alicia closed her eyes as he rubbed her clit slowly and he tugged at the whip until her eyes fluttered open, her fingers digging into the narrow curve of her thighs as he watched her tip her hips forward, holding his gaze as she shifted her body closer.

  “I liked being watched,” she said, her voice losing some of its snide, defensive edge as he tilted his head curiously at her. “There were rooms for that. Rooms where that’s all people did.”

  “Hmm,” Ronan said, the edges of his lips curling up in a small smile as he pulled the whip away from her slowly, watching her eyes follow it in a quick, hungry arc. “I could tell. It’s hard to fake that sort of thing. Even after months of conditioning.”

  Ronan watched her body twitch towards him in light agitation and rolled the whip in front of her lips, brushing it against them gently as she closed her eyes. He leaned over her slightly as he tapped the tip against her lips again and then tugged at the slack of the chain slowly, watching her eyes as he pressed it between her lips. Alicia parted her lips, her eyes widening as he spread his legs wider and closed her eyes as she began to suck it gently, her face flushing as a low noise escaped the back of his throat.

  Ronan dragged the whip in and out of her mouth, watching the veil of hard cheerfulness fall away from her face like a flutter of leaves and pulled it away slowly as he jerked her leash closer, her hands fluttering into his lap as her knees slid against the floor.

  “And what didn’t you like, Alicia?” He asked, setting the whip across his knee as she wet her lips. “Anything you wouldn’t do? Even for the right. Price?”

  Alicia blinked as if she’d been slapped and he gave her a handsome grin as he leaned closer, whispering against her cheek as he watched her nipples harden.

  “Is that what those marks on your neck were?” he asked, his voice low and teasing. “Hmm? Is this the sort of game you’re used to winning?”

  Alicia’s looked up at him as he raised his brows at her and he rolled his jaw in light contempt as he let her leash go all at once, watching her body jerk backwards as he picked up the whip. He whistled under his breath as he stood up in front of her and felt a quick, violent tug of hunger as she looked up at him from the floor, her eyes running to his cock almost of their own volition. Ronan stepped past her, raising his brows in light amusement as her expression darkened with disappointment and followed her eyes towards the door as he slapped the whip against his leg.

  “Feel free to exit stage left whenever you want, Alicia. No one says this has to be easy. I wouldn’t expect to get too far though. God only knows the kind of men you’ll encounter on the way down.”

  She jerked her head towards him as he set down the whip and then unbuttoned his shirt casually, his expression almost friendly beneath the bright twirling malice of his eyes.

  “You think you’re the first man to ever chain me up, Ronan?” Alicia said, her eyes darting over his body quickly as he stripped down to his boxers. “I’ve got news for you. You’re not even the first one to do it this month.”

  Ronan turned his head at her sharply as she glanced away, the low note of contempt in her voice exciting him in a thousand ugly ways and crossed the room to her in three steps as she looked up at him quickly, curling her body away from him as he reached behind her back.

  “No, Alicia,” He said rolling her leash around his fist as he jerked her sharply towards the center of the room. “I already know you’re a whore. I don’t actually mind that at all. What I mind is you pretending to be anything else.”

  He dragged Alicia into the center of the room as she made a light gagging noise and then leaned over her as she grabbed the slack, her face filling with so much fury that he grinned.

  “What’s the matter?” He asked, his voice low and violent as he jerked her closer. “Nothing to say? Prefer to play the innocent little starlet some more? Go ahead. I’m enjoying the performance.”

  Alicia jerked it back and he grinned broadly as the chain barely twitched, his shoulders rolling slightly as she gritted her teeth.

  “I’m not a whore,” she said, her voice clipped and violent and Ronan dragged her closer, nodding slightly as he cocked his head at her.

  “Well that’s your story anyway,” he said, looking her over carefully before he dropped the leash on the floor. “Although I’m not sure the men in your life would agree. What do you think, Holly? Is there even one professional reference on your resume that doesn’t need a qualifier?”

  Ronan picked up the whip as Alicia looked up at him with a panicked rush of rage and felt his face twist with anger as she bolted towards the door, his hand snaking out like a piston as he lunged for her leash in one smooth motion.

  “Ah, ah,” he said, his voice low and violent as he grabbed the handle of the leash and jerked her backwards wildly, slicing the whip across her back as she let out a low scream of surprise. “I know, I know. It’s hard to confront the truth about yourself, isn’t it? You’d be the surprised what some people are willing to do to avoid acknowledging the perimeters of their own character.”

  He slapped the whip across her back again, bringing his arm up a third time as his rage began to drive his excitement into a quick, violent frenzy and then dropped his arm as Alicia let out a low gasp, the sharp outline of welts making a low X above her lower back. He dragged her into the middle of the room viciously, whistling under his breath as she gagged against her collar and then held out his arm as he dropped the coil of slack between her knees, tapping her on the cheek lightly with the end of his whip.

  “I wouldn’t suggest you try that again, Alicia. But that’s all that they are. Simply suggestions. Like I said before, we can play this game any way that you want, but I can’t promise you’ll enjoy every one.”

  Ronan paced around her slowly as Alicia dug her fingers beneath the lip of her collar and brushed his whip against his thigh casually enough for her to notice, her gold eyes narrowing as she watched him from beneath her short red
hair. He whistled under his breath quietly as he paced around behind her and swept the flat side of the whip down her spine as he passed by, watching her back arch with sudden hungry fascination.

  “Tell me why your father threw you out,” he said, his low voice smooth and careless.

  Alicia flinched slightly and rolled her eyes up towards him as he tilted his head at her.

  “He didn’t kick me out,” she said quickly, and Ronan smirked and tapped his whip beneath her chin as he leaned over, his dark eyes twirling down at her like a rush of oncoming headlights.

  “Maybe not in any way you could point to,” he said as he watched her brows furrow. “But he did want you gone, didn’t he? And why was that I wonder?”

  “He didn’t want me to leave,” Alicia said jerking her chin away from him as he raised his brows and then stood back up, pacing around her slowly again as she followed him with her eyes. “I went away to school. He was sad when I left. He didn’t want me to move so far away…”

  Alicia broke off and looked at Ronan sharply as his eyes lit up with something like empathy, that strange dancing light receding slightly as she pressed her lips together.

  “Yes,” Ronan said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye as he paced around behind her, his dark eyes sweeping over her naked body rapidly as she brushed her hair away from her eyes. “And he missed you so much that he’s been out to see you what- twice since then? Once? Never at all? That doesn’t sound too fatherly to me.”

  Alicia’s eyes widened, and she swallowed hard, a quick flutter of pain running through her eyes as she blinked rapidly for a moment.

  “It isn’t like we’re rich or anything,” she said finally, her voice dropping as he watched her hands flutter against her thighs. “I used scholarships to pay for school. It’s expensive to fly out here. And we’re both busy. It’s difficult to find time…”

  Ronan crouched down in front of her, his dark eyes looking over her face with the first genuine flash of compassion he had ever shown her and rested his whip across his knees as she stopped talking, her lips quivering slightly as he leaned towards her.