feel like putting your clothes back on?”
I shook my head.
“Answer me, goddamn it.”
“No,” I said quickly.
He walked away from me, went back to the sofa, sat down and looked at me.
“Stand up straight. Unclench your hands. Look at me and listen.”
I obeyed, my pulse pounding loud in my ears. I tried to relax, tried not to look scared.
“I want you to feel exposed, so if that’s how you feel, we’re off to a good start. You won’t wear clothes in this room. This is a room where I own you. When we’re in the confines of this room, you belong to me. If that’s not something you can agree with, you’re free to leave at any time. But I have to warn you, and I’m completely serious about this, if you ever leave this room before I’m finished with you, then you and I are done. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“As you see the walls are upholstered, and this is the basement of the house. It’s completely soundproof, so you can be as loud or as quiet as you like. I don’t really care if you scream or grit your teeth in silence. But I don’t use gags.”
I didn’t know what that meant, although he said it like it was important. I just stood silently, taking it all in.
“What you’ll need to remember and think of always, is that in this room, you exist for my use. You won’t have much cause to talk, but if I ask you a question, you’ll answer respectfully, using proper address. Do you know what proper address is?”
“Um...no.”
“ Um is not proper address,” he frowned. “Shrugs, grunts, and headshakes are not proper address. Yes, sir or Yes, Matthew will suffice in the vast majority of situations. You will avoid using the word no , of course. You’ll do whatever I ask the moment I ask it of you and you won’t balk. If I don’t tell you what to do, you’ll stand or kneel and wait until I do. Do you understand?”
“Yes...sir.” The word sir felt strange on my lips. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d addressed any man as ‘sir,’ but it felt more appropriate than calling him Matthew at that point. We were no longer equals, not now. He went on in his cool, authoritative voice.
“If you don’t please me for whatever reason, you’ll be punished and it will hurt very much. Even if you please me, sometimes you’ll be punished because I’ll enjoy watching you endure it. But I’ll never injure you and I won’t draw blood. Same thing when I fuck you, the same rules apply. It won’t always feel good, but I won’t injure you and I’ll never draw blood. Do you understand?”
Again, I whispered “Yes, sir.”
“We’ll use a safe word in the beginning, and that word will be ‘mercy.’ ‘Mercy’ makes it end. But I warn you, don’t dare use it unless you’re desperate. If I catch you using it when you don’t really need to, whatever punishment you were getting, I’ll visit it on you ten times worse. I don’t tolerate lying well, as I’ve told you, to include the misuse of safe words. Lying and hiding sends me into a fury. You won’t ever do either. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“After our sessions I’ll expect you to sleep over. If you’re not to sleep over, I’ll have Davis drive you home. When we leave this room, our scenes will be over but your body will still be mine to use. The rules relax, but you’ll remain my submissive, and when I want you to take my cock, you will. And this will be our agreement, Lucy, until one or the other of us decides to terminate it.”
I took a deep breath. To terminate it. God.
He stood up and crossed to the armoire.
“But punishments will usually only take place down here. I’ve already shown you many of the things I’ll use to discipline you. As I’ve said, I can do whatever I want to you, and I will. You’re permitted to feel all the pleasure you wish, whenever you wish, but you may only come with my permission. Do you know why?”
He looked at me. I swallowed the um that came to my lips and thought
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