“Would you like to start doing work outside?” Rodrigo asks as he finishes tying his shoes. I stop, setting down the cloth that I'm using to dust the living room table, shocked.

“You mean it, Master?” I ask, my heart catching. “You want me to leave the house without you?”

Rodrigo nods, patting the cushion on the couch next to him, smiling. He smiles more now, and as I greet nearly close to three months since I came to his house, I'm finding myself looking forward to that smile more and more. It's not his seductive smile, or the smile he gives me while we're training together. It's his smile, the one that says that he's actually pleased and happy with me. I get up and settle down next to him, where he puts a warm, protective arm around me. “You've been here a while, yes?”

“Yes Master. About two and a half months.”

Rodrigo nods, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “And you've shown yourself to be trustworthy. You've earned it, and you said that you wanted to have a chance to make a little garden, right? So, yesterday when I was out I stopped by a farming supply shop and talked to the owner. I didn't buy anything, but I want to discuss that with you. If you want, maybe we'll go get the supplies this afternoon. Go, get your outdoor shoes, and I'll meet you outside.”

Rodrigo gives me a kiss on the temple and pats my butt as I go, thrilling me as much as the promise of a trip outside the walls of the villa. I hurry back to my room, changing my socks and grabbing my outdoor shoes which are very useful when the rains come through. I hurry to the stairs and sit down, putting them as Rodrigo watches with a bemused expression as he stands in the middle of the parking area between the warehouse and the house, the sun shining down on his jet black hair and broad shoulders like an entertained demigod. “Saving yourself some work for later?”

I laugh, nodding. “Of course. I might enjoy keeping you happy, but that doesn't mean I like doing the mopping more than I have to!”

I hurry down the steps to meet Rodrigo in the courtyard, where he and I walk. “I wanted you outside for another reason,” he says as we go around the walled area. “In addition to working outside, I wanted to ask you if you're willing to accept more privileges.”

“With new responsibilities?” I ask, and Rodrigo nods. “I'm interested, Master.”

Rodrigo grins, and reaches into his pocket, taking out an inch wide metal choker, either in steel or silver I'm not sure. It looks like wire mesh, but it's decorated, the holes in the mesh bunching together in places to form designs. He pulls it through, and I can see one of the decorations, it's his initials. “This... I've had this for a few years now. The person I was with at the time, I thought she was strong enough to accept this. She wasn't. It's the first big step for me, Jessica. I've called you my slave, I've called you my pet. But this.... this is truly real to me, play time is in some ways over. If you accept this, there's a promise of a bond that's going to form between us. And a promise that you have to make me.”

“What's that, Master?” I ask, and Rodrigo takes my hand.

“Jessica, if you accept this, it marks you as mine, totally and fully to the whole world. This collar, it doesn't come off except when I remove it to wash your neck. And no matter what the order, no matter what I request you to do, you promise to do it. No restrictions on any order I give you.”

“Including your promises not to lend me out or have me become a whore or a killer?” I ask nervously, and Rodrigo nods.

“You've trusted me with your body, now you have to trust me with your dignity,” Rodrigo says. “If you do, here's what you get in return. Total and complete freedom to move within the walls of the villa, and the ability to go outside the walls as long as I escort you until you have learned enough Italian so that you don't stick out like a tourist. I will take you at your word on this.”

I blink, a million thoughts running through my brain all at the same time. The fact is, since my scourging, I've never been happier, or more confused, in my entire life. Each day is a focused haze, waking up with only the thought of serving my Master on my mind, seeing what I can do to make him smile, to please him... and yes, to feel his almost divine cock somewhere on my body. To feel him fucking me, to see the pleasure on his face as he comes and to feel the release as he lets me come too. He's a good Master, always letting me come too, sometimes more often than he does even. The outside world is just sort of some sort of secondary, almost imaginary world. Politics, religion, prime time television, even my now abandoned doctorate... it just doesn't matter as much as Rodrigo. It's nothing like what I thought my life would be like when I got on the plane in Newark to start my 'European adventure,' but... but I'm happy.

“I have a question, Master. What about my room? Is that still a safe space?”

Rodrigo shakes his head. “No, Jessica. If you take this, if I give this to you, this means total, complete submission. The only safe area you will have is in your safe word within our training room. With complete submission has to come complete trust. I won't make that mistake again.”

Part of me wonders what he means, but then I realize... it doesn't fucking matter. What matters is the collar, and what Rodrigo is trusting me with. I nod, pulling my hair up and exposing my throat. “I'm yours, Master. I swear it before any and all if you want me to.”

I can feel a slight tremor in Rodrigo's hands as he puts the collar around my neck, and the click as the lock attaches. It's not heavy, but still the weight of it is strangely lightening to my heart and in a fit of giddiness, I put my arms around Rodrigo's neck and kiss him softly. His hands rest on my hips for a moment before pulling me to him, and I melt into the power of his charisma. “On your knees.”

I get down, expecting to have to swallow his cock, but instead Master pulls his cock out, stroking it in front of my face, pausing only to let me lick the tip. His eyes are dark and stormy with emotion as his cock grows harder to its full magnificent length, and I look up at him with utter devotion in my eyes. My Master, the man who will protect and take care of me, and all I have to do is submit to him.

“Open your mouth,” he says, and I open wide, just as the first blast of his seed shoots out, Master splattering my face with his precious gift. One spurt hits me in the eye which stings like the fucking devil, but then the next creamy blessing hits my tongue and my body is alive with the feeling of his release. He covers my face with his seed, dragging the tip of his cock down both of my cheeks and across my forehead to spread it around. I feel reborn, and while maybe it's sacrilegious, I'm still blessed either way. I swallow, once again no longer the woman I was even when I woke up this morning, but somehow stronger. I gently nuzzle and suck his cock clean before putting him away, tugging his underwear up before kissing the cottony bulge and then closing his pants.

“Thank you Master,” I whisper as he gestures for me to get up. I go to wipe my face, but Master stops me, shaking his head, and I understand. I was just marked, I'm Rodrigo Camponini's property, and I'm to wear his sign and seal until he tells me not to. My hand falls away, and I put my hands behind my back, my only frustration being the heat burning inside my body and wanting release too. “So what now, Master?”

“Now,” Rodrigo says, looking at the collar on my neck with approval, “now we select where your patch of garden's going to be, and then we go to the farm supply store. I didn't buy a pickup truck because I want to be some rhinestone country boy. I bought it to be able to do real work.”

I'm quiet for the whole trip to the supply store, looking around at the rolling, beautiful terrain that surrounds me. In the distance I see a castle, and I feel my breath taken away as I consider the rural paradise that I'm in. A lake glitters to the right of us, and I wonder if some day Rodrigo and I might go to that lake for a swim, or to enjoy a picnic. The naughtier side of me wonders if he'd like to fuck me right there on the side of the lake, or even in the water. While I've never been an exhibitionist before, the idea of showing the whole world, or at least whoever the hell wants to watch, that Rodrigo is my Master and that I belong to him makes me even hornier than I already am.

The supply store is laid out like any other small home and garden shop I've ever seen, just with less selection crammed into one quarter the space. The best part though is listening to the the chattering, the few customers talking with the shop owner in loud, boisterous Italian that I've missed. It's both fun and painful, I've forgotten just how loud other people are.

Rodrigo and I select the tools I need, which isn't much. A pick to break up the soil in our selected spot, a shovel to help turn it, some hand tools, and some fertilizer, just in case. Over the past few days Rodrigo's asked me to figure out how to do compost, and we can use gray water too, water on Sicily is precious as spring starts and the summer heat's just around the corner.

“I liked your idea for potatoes, but I had another idea too,” Rodrigo says as he puts a tray of cuttings in our cart. “Artichokes and nopal cactus are popular around here, and my nearest neighbor has honeybees. If we plant some flowers for him, he'll give us a couple of jars come harvest time. That'll give you time to experiment, make mistakes, and then next planting and growing season come fall, you'll be able to really do some miracles.”

“Okay M.... Rodrigo,” I say, stopping myself. “Uh, we didn't talk about that before we left home.”

Rodrigo grins and nods. “No... but you did perfectly. Come on, let's get checked out, get this stuff home.”

The clerk is a young woman, maybe about my age, and when she recognizes the shine of Rodrigo's dried seed on my face, she blushes, looking at Rodrigo for a second before looking back at me with envy in her eyes. If only she were strong enough to handle my Master. It's with only a little bit of haughtiness that I lift my chin, showing off my collar, and Rodrigo laughs softly as he puts an arm around my shoulder to whisper in my ear. “You're bragging, Jessica.”

“I know,” I whisper back. “Why shouldn't I?”

Rodrigo gives me a warm look before we load our stuff up and drive back to the villa, pulling through the gate and parking the truck. “Okay, let's get this unloaded before we get dinner started.”

I get out, picking up some of the tools and taking them over to the area that we picked out, it gets morning sunshine and evening shade, setting them down in the packed dirt. Just as I do I feel Rodrigo grab me from behind and pull me to him, his lips hot and burning on my neck as he kisses my neck before turning me around and kissing me full on the lips. He picks me up and carries me over to the bed of his truck, setting me down on the tailgate and kissing my neck again. “You're so fucking hot being proud of your collar,” he growls in between kisses, his hands rough and delicious on my ass. “I want you to call it out.”

“I'm Rodrigo Camponini's,” I call as he pulls on my jeans. He gets them unbuttoned, tugging them down before smacking my ass hard. I yelp, and he smacks me again.

“I thought you were fucking proud? Say it like you mean it!” he says, tugging my panties down. “Who's your Master?”

“RODRIGO CAMPONINI IS MY MASTER!” I call out, loud and proud as he bends me over. The afternoon light is warm, and a thrill goes through me. This isn't giving him a quick blowjob in the courtyard, this is full on fucking, my ass and pussy exposed to the air even if we are still semi-private, and I love it. I gather my breath, and call out my heart's deep happiness. “I'M HIS SLAVE, AND I'M HAPPY! PLEASE FUCK ME MASTER!”

Master hums happily and drives his magnificent cock into my sopping wet cunt, which has been hot and almost oozing since he coated me before we left to go shopping. He's fast, but not as hard or as harsh as before, and when he reaches underneath me to stroke my breasts the sensation is softer, but just as electrifying. It's scarier than when he pounds me or calls me his pet, because in his strokes, in the way that I feel him time himself so that he's bringing me pleasure as well as him, I feel something else too.

This is more than sexual devotion. When he's like this, I feel like I'm more than just his fuck slave, more than a servant who is proud to have a sexy, handsome Master who enjoys my body. I feel more than just the pleasure of exploration of pain and pleasure from the training room... this is something different. It's more frightening though, but at the same time more deeply wanted. I feel whispers of it when he laughs at my jokes, or when he gives me a look as we're cooking or doing other things around the house. I feel it when he gives me little presents, and right now, as he not only fucks me but does something more, I feel it more, growing deep inside me.

“Master... please, oh fuck please, I can't take much more,” I beg, the fear growing inside me as he keeps driving himself into me, my nerves on fire from the pleasure. “Please Rodrigo... oh fuck....”

“Just a little longer,” he promises, and I can feel him speed up. I hold on as best I can, pushing back into him and trying to urge him along with my body, even as the last of the barriers inside me, the ones where I've locked the last little bit of the old me, are battered by his cock and what he's doing to me.

I can't help it, Master pushes me over the edge and I come, my pussy clamping around him and milking his cock. Master shudders, coming again and driving me into the tailgate of his truck, the metal biting into my hips and adding just enough pain to let me retreat from the more frightening things being done inside me. I ride out my orgasm, enjoying the feeling as Master holds me close, our hips pressed together and my jeans around my knees. When he pulls out, he turns me around, looking deep into my eyes.

“Are you okay, Jessica?” he asks, his voice rough and tender at the same time. “You've never called me Rodrigo while we have sex before.”

“Yes Master,” I whisper, swallowing and trying to hide the nervousness his eyes are causing inside me. “I guess... I guess today's meant a lot to me too. I'm sorry I screwed up.”

Rodrigo lifts his hand and lays it on my cheek, then lifts his fingers before tapping them lightly on my cheekbone. “There. Your punishment, you just got slapped. Let's get you fixed up, and get the rest of this stuff unloaded. You paid me a very high honor today, Jessica. The collar, but what you called out... thank you.”

“Thank you, Master,” I sniff, on the verge of crying again. “Please excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom.”

Rodrigo nods, and I flee, going inside to the toilet, where I can sit down, and finally let a few of the fear driven tears inside me loose. The question I have as I cry is... what exactly am I afraid of?

I don't know, and that makes me cry all the harder.

* * *

The sun is warmer today, and sweat trickles between my breasts as I lift the pick again. Maybe I've been doing workouts like Larissa showed me, and maybe Master and I have been having more sex than a hutch full of fertile rabbits, but my back and shoulders haven't been lifting gardening tools, and they ache. Still, I only have a little more work to do to finish the plot, and then I'll take a rest.

It feels great being outside, and I have to admit, the trust that Rodrigo's given me is powerful. Sure, not having any 'safe spaces' is scary, but no more scary than the rest of the world. Actually when I think about it, I do have a safe space. Within these walls, I'm in a whole separate, private world that keeps me safe.

I hear the gate to the villa open, and I turn, feeling unexpected surprise. Rodrigo isn't supposed to be home for another hour or two, and while I wanted to have the dirt finished by the time he got home for a late lunch, I'm still happy to see him.

What comes through the gate though isn't Rodrigo's truck, but a white SUV. The man who gets out is swarthy, and as soon as I see him I remember him from the slave pens. Surprised, I step out into the middle of the courtyard, my pick still in my hands. Did I just think that I was safe within these walls? What a delusion. “Leon.”

“Your owner should teach you some manners, including not teaching you my name,” the Algerian says, unbuttoning his jacket. “Where is he?”

“Rodrigo is at The Farm,” I reply, icy terror going through me when I see the pistol on Leon's hip underneath his gun. “Why not try looking for him there?”

Leon shakes his head, tucking the tail of his jacket behind his holster and clearly displaying it, but at least he doesn't take it out. Still, I hold my pathetic little gardening tool in front of me, like that would stop Leon if he wanted to put three rounds in my chest. What frightens me more is the way he looks me up and down, like a piece of meat, but not in a good way. “The message I come to deliver is not for The Farm. Tell your owner that The Sultan knows what sort of things Rodrigo's been saying about him. Tell him... tell him that The Sultan isn't happy. And as for you, if I were you I'd get ready to change houses. Kahled and I still owe you a fucking for what was done to us.”

“You try and touch me, you better have that pistol out and pressed against my chest,” I threaten, sounding stronger than I feel. On the inside I'm terrified, I know I'm helpless. “And you better pray I don't put this pick up your ass and show you what fucking really feels like.”

“Smart mouth American bitch. Just for that, when you suck my cock, you'll be doing it with no teeth in your head,” Leon says, but he backs away. “Remember, tell Rodrigo that The Sultan knows. He fucks with The Sultan again, and he will regret it.”

Leon gets into the SUV, driving over to the gate and hitting a remote control. The gate opens, shocking me even more as Leon drives out, the gate closing behind him. I drop my pick, utter terror gripping my heart, and run inside the house to lock the door behind me before retreating to my first room downstairs, there's no windows and I can close the door behind me. My old mattress is still there, and I cower behind it, trying not to cry as the waking nightmare overwhelms me.