The frustration on his face was evident. Even behind his amused smirk. It would end up badly for me, but pissing him off satisfied me too much. Why should I make it easy? He’d beat me, regardless. I’d take the pain and the punishment as long as I still had the will to antagonise him. He wouldn’t break me without a fight.

He sighed and pulled a pair of scissors from his pocket. “Just remember, you brought this on yourself.”

I flinched back as he grabbed for my arm and cut the cable tie. Then walked away and left me to circle my aching wrists.

“Fuck you, Aaron,” I called as he strolled from the cell.

I wouldn’t roll over like his little pet. Not like last night. A quiver crept down my spine. It wouldn’t happen again. The disgust at my neediness made me want to stand up to him all the more.

He opened an old wooden door on the far wall. It was dark inside, but I could tell it was just a storeroom; not much larger than the cell. When he came out, he had a long bamboo cane in one hand and his other held a firm black strap, its end split into two. My boldness faltered, but I tried to pull it back.

How much more painful can a cane be to a belt?

He closed the door and headed to the other cages, bringing back a short length of chain. The first reaction was that he’d hit me with that, but when he slipped it over his neck, I realised it was to tie me somewhere else. My stomach knotted as he approached. Nerves seeped through my resolve and laced it with cracks. The thoughts of last night were alive in my mind, but the intensity of the pain he inflicted suddenly became all too vivid.

He held the strap and the cane horizontal in both hands, inspecting them as he stopped in front of me. “Y’know, I’ve not needed to use these in a while. Should be fun to get back in the swing of it, so to speak.” He looked up at me with a sly, knowing grin, and his eyes blazed with mischief.

It was obvious he got a twisted pleasure out of hurting me. I wondered what the hell had turned him into such a sick fuck. Was he tortured and beaten as a child? Deprived of love? Forced to do something inhuman against his will?

Join the club, mate.

He threw the whips to the side, took a key out of his pocket, and collected the chain from his neck to his arm. “Now then, princess. Let’s get you into a more comfortable position.”

Reaching for my collar, he held it with one hand and unfastened the padlock with the other. I struggled, but he pulled the metal tight against my trachea. He attached the short chain then stepped back and coaxed me forward.

“Come.”

Being led like a dog didn’t sit well with me. I resisted, put the weight into my heels and leant against the wall.

“Don’t be stubborn, Olivia. You’re no match for me.”

I held despite his warning; I wasn’t going for walkies.

He shook his head and wrapped the end of the chain around one hand. Then grabbed it with the other and yanked. The tug on my neck snapped my head back, but flung me forward. I fell heavy to my hands, yelping as my knees and wrists rattled with the impact.

“I wanted to put you gently into that position, but you like to do things the hard way, don’t you?”

Sitting on my heels, I scowled and rubbed my wrists. He pulled me down with such force, I landed on my chest. My hands had no chance to break my fall.

“Answer me.”

“Yes!” I screamed.

As I tried to get back up, he lowered to a squat, and held the chain to the floor with his foot.

“I didn’t say you could get up.”

He held until I stopped trying. “Things will be easier all round, if you do as you’re told.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

He laughed. “Fine. Have it your way, princess.”

He removed his foot and pulled the chain to a small metal hoop embedded in the centre of the floor. Threaded it through and hoisted it up, dragging me over the ground. The cold stone scraped my chest and grated across my palms as I pushed backwards in vain. Fastening the end of the chain to my collar, he locked it into place and left me with enough slack to raise on to all fours.

“We’ll try this again.”

He strolled to the back of the cell, and I heard the plate scrape against the stone as he picked it up. Then brought it over and placed it in front of me.

“Are you going to eat?”

I growled through gritted teeth. “No.”

I knew I couldn’t keep this up indefinitely, but there was no way I was backing down from this now.

“Okay, Olivia. I’ve given you more than enough chances.”

He stepped beside me and grabbed my jacket, forcing my arms back as he slid it from my shoulders. Lifting me up and tearing it from my body. In only my shirt, I felt the chill of the stone cell and the cold pinch of vulnerability.

He threw it by the bars and walked behind, I watched him pick up the thick black strap. My body tensed as soon as he stepped back, and I scrambled away from him; heading in the opposite direction as far as the chain allowed.

“You can’t run away from me, Olivia. You’re only prolonging the inevitable.”

He took a step towards me, and I moved again; keeping my arse pointed to the far end of the cell.

He dived and grabbed my hair. Pain ripped across my scalp as he dragged me struggling forward. As soon as the chain pulled taut, he hooked the top of my jeans and spun my body back to the original position. Then stepped over my head and straddled me; trapping my waist between his legs. I tried to wriggle free, but he increased the pressure.

“Come now, princess. If you’re bullish enough to challenge me, you should at least have the balls to face the consequences.”

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I knew punishment would come. I knew full well he’d have to put me in my place. It didn’t stop me from acting out. Not that I wanted to make anything easier for him, but if I stood my ground and took the penalty, maybe he’d see I wouldn’t be broken into submission. He could beat me till I bled, but it would do nothing to change my will. Squaring on all fours, I anchored my weight into the floor and prepared myself for the pain.

I heard the swoop of leather. An almighty crack boomed from the walls as the strap bit my arse. The sting shot along my back and down my thighs; growing in force as it set every nerve ending alight. I shrieked as I fell forward, but only dropped to my forearms. His legs kept me in position.

A slash cut the air and the bite struck again, harder than the last. I thought the belt was bad. It was nothing compared to the agony that ripped across my skin from this.

All I could do was cry out. The more I tried to move, the firmer he held me in place. Another strike and another. They came in quick succession. Each one building upon the pain of the last without any reprieve. The fire raged through my flesh, throbbing as if it were the pulse in my veins.

The strikes stopped, and he released me from the vice grip of his legs. I sank down and placed my forehead to my arms. The whipping may have ceased, but the pain hadn’t. I realised there was another pulsation to match. One which emanated from between my legs. The warmth spread as I focused on the sensation. I tensed to stop it, but it only highlighted the slickness.

I couldn’t believe I was turned on. What kind of person gets aroused by something like this?

Last night was a fluke. A mix of strong emotions and running adrenaline. There was no way I’d enjoy being whipped. I wasn’t a masochist.

But then, here I was, wet with pleasure as the sting of my beating seared my skin.

His footsteps approached, and he crouched by my head. A sharp pressure burnt my scalp as he pulled me up by my hair. “Still with me, princess?”

I glared at him through the corner of my eye. “Did you expect me to go somewhere?”

A half-smiled curled on his lips. “Not physically.”

“I can assure you, I’m still here.”

“Are you ready to eat?”

“Surprisingly, no. I’ve lost my appetite.”

He sighed. “Okay.”

Releasing my hair, he stood and stalked behind me. Lifting up my hips to put me back on all fours. “It’s a good job we’re just warming up.”

Relaxing the tension in my body, I prepared for another barrage of pain. This time, I would stay firm and take whatever he dealt. I figured fighting it was only making the pain worse.

The blow came down hard, reigniting the burning. I gasped with the force. My body willed me to move away from the impact, but I pushed the weight into my knees and leaned back for the next one.

It came again, and I embraced the pain. Owned it as it seared through my body. The warmth between my legs grew to a heated throbbing. I no longer tried to stop it. Rather, I allowed it to take over.

The next strike bit my skin and a low rumble escaped from my throat. He hit me again, and I moaned louder still, dropping to my forearms to sink into the calmness that engulfed me.

He walked around, crouched in front and lifted my chin. I tried to regain my composure as he inspected my face, but I could feel my eyelids were heavy. He knew.

A smile rose on his lips as he placed the strap on the floor and cupped my chin in his hands. His thumbs grazed over my cheekbones sending tiny sparks through my face that collected at my lips. I pulled my head from his hands and off to the side. I didn’t want to see him.

“Ready to eat?”

I shook my head. “No.”

It was no longer about the damn food. It wasn’t about pissing him off either. I wanted him to carry on.

“Are you sure? We’re going to the next level.”

I nodded. “Yes.”

Grabbing the strap from the floor, he stood and walked over to the side of the cell. The scratchy, hollow sound of bamboo scraped against the stone before his footsteps stalked behind. I had no idea how much more this would hurt, but I was sure it would be a considerable amount. It didn’t matter, I wanted to feel it. On bated breath, I braced for the impact. It didn’t come.

He placed his hands on the small of my back. The unexpected touch made me flinch. He pushed my shirt upwards, trailing his heavy, cold fingers across my warm skin. I gasped as the tender sensations sent a whole new type of pleasure through my body. One that was soft and intimate; one that longed for him to touch me further.

His fingers traced my spine and circled my waist, gliding around to my stomach. My muscles clenched, sending surges through my core. He unbuttoned my jeans and unzipped the fly. I should’ve been petrified about what would happen, but I wasn’t.

Edging along the waistband, he eased down my jeans; taking longer than necessary as his fingers grazed my hot, sensitive cheeks. I was wet, but I didn’t realise how much until the cold air chilled my thong.

A finger traced the slickness, and I gasped loud at the sudden burst of pleasure. A low groan followed which practically begged him to do it again.

He laughed. “Aren’t you full of surprises?”

I sighed as I realised he wasn’t. A hand came down sharp on my right cheek, and the sting awoke the burning. It wasn’t as hard as the strap, but now the smack was on bare flesh, it increased the intensity.

I collected my breath and answered. “Yes.”

The air shifted as he moved away from me. I was alone, naked without him near.

“This is really going to hurt, princess.”

A swift cut of air pierced through the cell. The bite seared a thin line across my cheeks like the flesh was ripped away with wire.

Howling, I hugged my head and tensed. Another swipe tore into my arse and my vision clouded with static. The pain was overwhelming. It was too much, I couldn’t take it.

I gasped as another strike slashed. My scream caught in my throat and I choked on my breath. Falling to the floor, I struggled to regain my breathing as the burning slashes throbbed in three distinct, agonising lines.

“No,” I coughed out. “No more.”

His footsteps padded towards the front of the cell. He picked up the plate and placed it by my head. There was no amusement in his expression. There was no gloating. He simply stared and waited for my response.

I raised back up on to my forearms and tore off a small piece of cold toast. Then placed it in my mouth and chewed.

I should’ve felt defeated, but this didn’t feel like a win-or-lose situation. There was only so far he’d let me resist, and I’d put up as much fight as he’d allowed. I swallowed and laid on the floor, hugging my arms into my chest.

He held up the cane for me to see. “Don’t make me use this again.”

I shook my head. “I won’t.”