Bound to You (12 page)

‘So, here’s what’s going to happen now. We’re going to take a cab back to the flat.’

I glanced down at my phone, double-checking that I’d given Gina the address just in case Sapphire was the one I needed to be afraid of.

‘When we get there, he’ll give us the fake leather pants he’s brought for me – he’s a leather fetishist, you see, albeit a tight-fisted one, so they’re Topshop fakes. Then I’ll change in front of him as I verbally humiliate him. All you have to do is sit there and watch. We’ll be done in about forty minutes, I’d say. Feel free to pitch in but there’s no obligation to actually say, and certainly not to
do
, anything at all.’

As we waited, I realised that my heart was pounding. The feeling was a cross between being on the way to meet your first boyfriend, and being sent to the headmistress’s office for your first serious school-rules transgression. At once both terribly exciting, and excitingly terrible.

When the cab arrived, the Ham scuttled towards and then away from the vehicle, an apologetic crab gingerly pincering the door handle. I noticed then how shallow his breathing had become. Sapphire stepped up into the cab, one slim leg after another disappearing into the back. I hesitated, dared for a moment to look directly at him. His eyes were watering. I got in too.

Inside the cab, the Ham’s language became even more ingratiating. ‘Goddesses, I’ve brought you these.’ Out of his briefcase he brought a handful of high-end fashion magazines. ‘I thought you would like to read them on the way to my
punishment.’
He whispered the last word so as to conceal our intentions from the driver. The fact that he was kneeling on the cab floor did ever so slightly give him away.

Ten minutes later and we had reached the ‘office’. It was a grubby white terraced house split into flats, with no garden and no drive, the kind of non-descript property London is full of. Suddenly I realised I had no idea at all what to expect. Would we be entering a cosy living room? A decadent boudoir? A fully kitted-out dungeon? God, I really had just gone along with this without thinking it through properly, hadn’t I? Gina, at least, knew where I was, but who knew what was actually going to happen once I was on the other side of this door?

Sapphire’s right hand swept in and out of the pocket of her leather jacket, placed the key deftly in the lock, turning it soundlessly as she touched a red-tipped finger to her lips, urging silence. Did that mean there were other people living in the building?

The Ham, who had only moments ago been struggling with our bags and the cab fare, was now close behind me, breathing wine-clotted breath into my hair in a fug of paranoia and lust. It urged me across the threshold, and a moment later I was blinking in the plum light cast by a pale white bulb closeted in a red paper lantern. Thick black drapes framed what must be the windows, and there was a faint smell of mildew, uriney jasmine and something else that I couldn’t place.

On one end of the mantelpiece stood a statue of the many-armed Hindu goddess of destruction, Kali. For some reason, the statue comforted me, gave me faith that this really was a thinking woman’s endeavor, that this wasn’t just about servicing sexist men and their sexual whims.

Then I started to take in the rest of the room. Mounted next to Kali’s head were crops, whips, canes, flagellators, chains, a horse brush, hairbrushes, and rubber hair-band-like rings. Across the hearth hung smaller straps, some plain leather, some supporting coloured balls, and one with an oversized fake penis projecting from its centre. The strap was as narrow as a neckbrace, and I imagined Sapphire armoured up to the hilt in it.

In the right-hand corner, attached to the wall, was some kind of strange, X-shaped restraining frame, and what looked like a dirtier version of the horse I’d never quite managed to vault over in school gymnastics, its leather skin split like a lip. Next to it was a bookcase on which was displayed an array of ladies’ shoes. Although limited to black and red, here was footwear for all occupations: PVC stilettos and low-heeled leather courts, policewoman’s lace-ups and embroidered oriental pumps. Slingbacks, kitten heels, brogues, platforms and perspex stripper heels. Even wellingtons. Above them, spare shoelaces suffocated brass hooks.

‘So, how do you like my dungeon, Mistress Jade?’ Sapphire asked. She was smiling indulgently, not at me but at the Ham. ‘This is Mistress Jade’s first time at the dungeon, Robert.’ He gave an audible groan. ‘See,’ she laughed. ‘I told you it turns him on.’

The Ham fell to his knees. ‘Please may I kiss Mistress Jade’s feet, Mistress Sapphire? Please. I just want to show her how grateful I am to her for letting a pathetic, ugly, overweight pig like me be in her presence.’

Sapphire smirked. ‘No, you may not. Mistress Jade is just here to watch. If you are exceptionally well behaved, I may – I stress MAY – let you kiss mine. But first go to the bathroom and wash. I don’t want your filthy piggy self despoiling my lovely office.’

He nodded rabidly, and backed away, head hung in prostration.

When he was safely in the bathroom, Sapphire turned to me. ‘You OK?’ My heart was thumping a little less ferociously now. This was like being part of some surreal university play where the emotions are so overheightened it leaves you wanting to laugh at every glib action.

‘Yes, I’m fine,’ I replied.

‘OK, good. Now, why don’t you sit over there on that throne.’ The ‘throne’ was one of those seventies-style high-backed wicker chairs with a rich damask cover thrown over it, situated at the back of the room. ‘I’m going to walk around him a bit and then sit here while I tease him.’ She gestured to another giant armchair, with a slightly stained seat cover, nearer to the door.

‘I know this all seems far more ridiculous than sublime so don’t worry about laughing at him, will you? If you want to laugh, just let it out! The more humiliated he feels, the more it turns him on. And the more he’s turned on, the more likelihood of him coming back.’

I really couldn’t understand how two women laughing at you could get you off. But I wanted to find out.

There was a timid knock on the bottom of the door.

‘Enter!’ commanded Sapphire.

Butting the door open with his head, the Ham crawled in on his hands and knees. I giggled involuntarily. He really did look utterly ridiculous. As soon as he saw me laughing he looked into my eyes longingly.

‘A-a-a-a!’ Sapphire clapped her hands. ‘Did I say you could look at her? Did I?’

He hung his head in shame and shivered.

‘No, Mistress, you didn’t.’

‘No, that’s right, I didn’t.’ Then she softened. ‘Aww, my poor little pig-toy. You’re just so weak when there’s someone else around, aren’t you? You can’t help but show off.’ She cooed at him like he really was a scrabbling animal.

He looked up at her like she’d just called him the most handsome man on earth. This was bizarre.

‘Now, Robert, I want you to crawl to my feet and bring me your tribute.’

His tribute? What was that? Out of his back pocket, Robert produced a crisp white envelope folded once over, and put it in his mouth. Ah! Our money.

‘Now, I want you to present it to me in the way I like.’

Robert rose up on his knees for a moment and began to undo the buttons at the neck of his polo shirt, before pulling it up and over his head awkwardly, so as to avoid dropping the envelope clutched between his teeth. Then he fumbled with his belt and struggled with the zip of his jeans, before yanking them down past his rotund white stomach. With his jeans about his knees, I could now see that he was wearing white Calvin Klein briefs. For some reason that made me laugh again.

Sapphire turned around to face me and smiled gleefully.

‘See, she’s laughing at you, Robert. She thinks the sight of you in your try-too-hard underwear is funny. And I—’ she bent down and pushed her face right up before his ‘—happen to agree,’ and let out of peal of nasty laughter, before knocking him sideways with her knee.

The Ham groaned as if Sapphire had just slid her hand into his briefs.

‘Get back into position. But before you do, take these jeans off. And your shoes and socks. And those pathetic pants of yours.’

The Ham scrambled to free himself of his remaining clothes. I felt embarrassed for him and, for a moment, wondered where to look. But my curiosity drew my eyes back to him.

He looked right at me again. He still had the envelope in his mouth. As I glanced at his pasty body, I could tell that he saw the look of mild contempt upon my face. I could also tell that he had a violent erection because of it.

‘What did I say?’ Sapphire hissed at him. ‘You do NOT look at her. She doesn’t want to see you! And she certainly doesn’t want to see THAT.’ Sapphire pointed at his penis, and swooped down towards him. He cowered in fright, dropping the envelope. Sapphire spun around to face me, shaking her head like a she-lion. She was pretty terrifying.

‘I give up,’ she said, still with her back to him and went to sit in her chair. She closed her eyes, thrust her chin and chest up towards the ceiling as she arched back into the chair and kicked one long, slim leg up into it, drawing attention to the crotch of her tight black jeans. Then taking a deep dramatic breath, she opened her eyes again in wide accusation. Her red hair seemed to burn in the purplish light.

Meanwhile, the Ham had frantically crammed the envelope back in his mouth. He kept his eyes fixed on the floor now, body quivering. His cock was even harder.

‘Bring me that tribute. This charade has already gone on too long. And where are my leather leggings?’

He sneaked a hand up to the envelope, temporarily removed it from his mouth. ‘They’re waiting for you in the bathroom, Mistress. I thought you would want to change in private.’

Sapphire stared right through him, then turned to me. ‘Mistress Jade – before I slap this man’s face until it matches the colour of his balls, would you be so kind as to fetch the leggings for me?’

I nodded and got up out of my throne awkwardly, taking care to give the Ham a wide berth as I squeezed past him to retrieve the leggings. When I came back into the room he had crawled to rest by Sapphire’s feet and she held the envelope in her elegant fingers. She patted him on the head. ‘Good piggy. Ah, Mistress Jade, thank you,’ she said as I passed her the leggings.

She held them up to the light and scrutinised them.

‘Do you like them, Goddess?’ the Ham asked overenthusiastically.

‘No,’ she snapped. ‘They’re awful. Terribly unflattering.’

‘But you have a wonderful figure, Goddess,’ came the Ham’s reply.

‘Shut up. When I want your opinion on my figure, I’ll ask for it. Did I ask for it?’

The Ham said nothing. She slapped him across the face with the back of her hand. He whimpered with arousal.

‘I asked you if I’d asked for it, you impudent slug.’

I let out a half-gasp, half-laugh. Impudent slug. That was a good one.

‘No, Mistress, no, Madam, no, Goddess, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have spoken out of turn.’

He buried his face into the carpet at her feet.

‘Well, anyway, I’m going to put these disgusting things on. Back away.’

He shuffled back along the carpet towards the door. I caught him sneak a glance at me. Sapphire had bent down to undo the zips of her high-heeled boots and didn’t see it this time. Should I report him for it? Maybe not. I didn’t want to get too involved. I already felt far more involved than I’d anticipated I would do. So sitting and staring wasn’t actually entirely passive. But it was certainly more psychologically intriguing than I had bet on it being.

Sapphire placed her boots to one side and sat up.

‘Right, now, are you going to watch me while I put these on? Since you’ve paid so much money for the privilege?’

Wow. She’d actually just mentioned the money outright. Wasn’t that a little crass?

He crawled hurriedly towards her.

‘Yes, Goddess, oh, please, Goddess, it’s such an honour to bring you your tribute.’

She picked up the leatherette leggings and held them up to examine them once more then placed them on the arm of the chair. Then she began to unbutton her jeans, fingers inching down along the fly teasingly. The Ham was mesmerised. She snapped her fingers at him.

‘Look at my face, you fool. Don’t stare at my snatch.’

‘No, Madam, of course not, Madam.’ He looked up adoringly into her eyes.

‘That’s better.’

Sapphire arched up out of the chair and inched the fabric of her jeans down around her bottom, stopping them halfway around her hips to reveal a hint of black lace. Her skin was even whiter than mine. Hang on a minute, what should I be doing? Was I allowed to look? I decided to flit my eyes between the two of them, as if watching a game of tennis. I guess I’d learn this way just exactly what actions turned the clients on.

Sapphire sat there for a moment, stroked the edge of her knickers, then said to the Ham, ‘Don’t even think about what you can never have. You’re not, are you?’

‘Of course not,’ he whispered thickly. ‘But Mistress,’ he asked her, ‘may I, can I . . . can I touch myself?’

Sapphire sighed. ‘What do you think, Mistress Jade? Do you think Robert should be allowed to touch himself?’

I looked at the floor. It was too much. She was asking me? I had no idea what the right answer was. I forced myself to meet her gaze. Thankfully she could see that I was uncomfortable. ‘Robert, I think you might make Mistress Jade uncomfortable if you do that.’

His face fell.

‘And besides,’ she said, smiling wickedly, ‘I think it’s good for you to go home frustrated sometimes – don’t you?’

Robert clearly didn’t but he knew what the correct answer was. ‘Of course, Mistress Sapphire, whatever you and Mistress Jade wish.’

‘Well, since I’m so benevolent, how about a compromise. You can touch yourself. But no cumming. And let’s shift around so Mistress Jade doesn’t have to see this.’

She got up out of her chair, jeans still slung down around her hips and swiveled her chair. Then she directed him so that he had his back to me. The strip resumed.

Sapphire continued to ease her jeans down around her small, pert bottom. Then she stood up and rapidly pulled them down to her ankles, her slim white legs gleaming as she stepped out of them.