Forty-three

The hood was pulled roughly from his head and the blindfold was untied.

John tried to open his eyes, but the sunlight was blinding. He squeezed them shut again until they adjusted to the light.

The dew on his body had evaporated sometime earlier as the temperature had risen and the coldness in his bones had been thawed by the warmth of the sun.

The earplugs in his ears were removed, and the sound of life flooded back to him.

Everything sounded so loud; the breeze in the trees, the birds chirping. He even noticed things he’d never heard before, small sounds in the underbrush and movements in the scrub. His mind reached out, desperate to hear everything it could to fill the void of silence of the past few long hours.

“Good morning, my love,” Zoe said, her voice loud in his ear.

He opened his eyes and turned towards her.

She was standing next to him, smiling.

She reached forward and pulled the wadding from his mouth. His stiff jaws slowly closed and John’s tongue ran around his mouth, trying desperately to lick away the remaining vinegar taste.

“Here,” she said as she reached down and picked up a glass of water. “Drink this, it will help.”

John drank slowly, making the water last and letting his tired jaw muscles relax.

“Thanks,” he whispered, his voice sounding hoarse.

He looked around for the first time.

He could see the clay tennis court spread out in front of him. The sunlight reflected from the clay, warming his face and body. He was standing in the gazebo on the tennis court and he looked up at the wooden roof over his head.

His mind flashed back to Saturday night when he had walked out here in the darkness, surveying the area for Fox’s men.

It all looks so different in the light of day, he thought. Bigger. And less threatening.

Glancing to his side, he looked at the large wooden X he was tied to. The frame was painted green and looked almost new. The paint was shining and there were no scratches or scuffs anywhere that John could see. The frame itself was bolted to the wooden railings supporting the roof of the gazebo.

But this wasn’t here Saturday night. I’m sure I would’ve seen it if it were.

John turned back to look out of the gazebo once more. The sets of wooden seats on either side of the gazebo looked old and dusty in the sunlight, and certainly not stable enough to sit on. From the shadows on the ground, he realised the sun was high in the sky. But the day wasn’t hot. The cool breeze was keeping the temperature down, and from what he could see of the skyline, clouds were blowing in on the horizon.

But at least he wasn’t as cold as last night.

Somehow, he seemed to have survived through it all.

He was glad that sleep had finally overtaken him.

Sleep?

Or exhaustion?

He turned to face Zoe.

She was still smiling at him, running her eyes up and down his body.

“You made it,” she said.

“I did?”

She nodded excitedly. “I’m proud of you, Johnny.”

“I’m glad.”

Her hair was in braids once more and she was wearing a checked shirt that looked three sizes too big for her. The top three buttons were undone and John could see the mounds at the top of her breasts. Helen’s gold chain still hung around her neck and glinted in the sun. She was also wearing a pair of black jeans and an old pair of sneakers.

No matter what she wears, she looks sexy, he thought.

He looked down at his body.

His eyes slid over the crusting claw marks on his chest and then fell further.

Down to his cock.

And the gold ring that pierced it.

Her eyes followed his.

“How does it feel?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” was all he could reply as he looked at the ring. He could only see a portion of it as the rest was hidden between his cock and balls.

As if reading his thoughts, Zoe bent down, reached out and turned his cock to the side, showing him the full ring for the first time. It shined golden in the morning light. The ring was about one inch in diameter and it entered his skin just below the head of his cock. The skin looked red and puffy, but he couldn’t feel any pain.

“The swelling will go down,” she said matter-of-factly. “As long as we don’t play with it too much.”

She smiled at him.

“That’s the downside,” she continued. “We can’t use it for a while. At least, you shouldn’t fuck me for a couple of days. But we can do other things to make me cum.”

A couple of days? I can’t be here that long! I have to get out. Now!

“Does it hurt?” she asked.

“No,” his shook his head. “Not really, not much anyway.”

“Good.”

She straightened up to face him again.

“Had enough of the X-frame?” she asked.

It took a second or so before John realised she was talking about the wooden X that had held him.

He nodded.

She took a step forward, and began untying the straps around his legs.

John watched her as she undid each buckle around his thigh, knee and ankle on his left leg.

Her braids swung against her shoulders as she jerked each buckle open. Then she dug her fingers between the leather and his leg, and pulled. The leather gave way easily each time and soon his leg was free.

Almost there.

He waited until she had unbuckled his right leg.

She straightened herself up and placed her hands on her hips.

“Can I trust you?” she asked with a tilt of her head.

Play it calm, John thought before replying.

“Of course,” he smiled back.

“Really?” she was unsure.

“You have my word, Zoe,” he replied.

She nodded.

“Good.” she smiled as she leaned forward.

Finally! John thought.

But instead of untying his arms, Zoe reached out past his hip. He turned his head and looked down, following her hand.

He saw the collar and leash as she grabbed them from the gazebo railing.

“Zoe,” he said in a firm voice. “You don’t have to.”

Their eyes locked as she took a step backwards.

“Just to be sure,” she replied.

“But you know you can trust me now, don’t you?” he asked.

She nodded.

“I know. But I promise only the collar and leash. Okay? I really shouldn’t’ve taken the hood off until the end of the scene. But I had to see your face this morning. I’ve missed you so much.” She smiled then. “So I’ll do a deal with you. No more blindfolds, hoods or earplugs if you let me put the collar back on you. Okay?”

It was outrageous, but he accepted.

At least you’ll be able to see and hear things as they happen!

He nodded his head, “Okay.”

Zoe smiled.

“You’re the best, Johnny. You really are.”

She looped the leash around her arm and then reached up with the collar and began buckling it back around his throat.

Now! Kick at her or knee her in the stomach.

And then what? I’m still chained here.

You’ve got to try while your legs are free!

I’m waiting it out. I’ll get my chance.

When?

I don’t know. Soon…

The leather tightened around his throat and bit into his skin. John lifted his chin to relieve the pain and get more comfortable as Zoe finished buckling him in.

“There,” she smiled. “You’re one sexy man in that collar.”

“Thank you,” he replied.

Zoe looked up into his eyes. Without the stiletto heels, Zoe was once again much shorter than John. The sneakers didn’t give her much height, so she stretched up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek.

“Seems a shame to untie you,” she said to him. “It’s such a turn on seeing you tied to the X-frame.”

John stared back at her and smiled.

What can I say?

Play her game…

“It was a turn on being tied here.”

Her face beamed, “Really?”

He nodded.

I can’t believe you said that.

Shut up!

That’s your plan for getting us out of here? To play along with her?

Keep quiet!

Zoe stepped backwards, a bounce in her step now, her face all smiles.

“I knew you’d like it,” she said to him. “You just didn’t know it until you tried it.”

“Thanks for showing me a side to myself I didn’t know I had.”

Zoe giggled, “We’ve all got dark sides, Johnny. It’s just some of us won’t admit it.”

“I feel completely different now,” he said.

She stepped forward again, her eyes looking deep into his.

He was mesmerised once more.

“And there’s so much more we can do,” her voice dropped. “This was the edge for you. But it won’t be now you’ve done it and liked it. You’ll want more. You’ll want to go further. There’s plenty more edges out there.”

More?

You’ve blown it now.

Quiet! It could still work.

“I’ll go anywhere with you guiding me,” he said to her.

The tears formed in the corners of her eyes as her face changed from happiness to sorrow and then back again.

Yes, keep going!

She looked to the ground.

“You mean that?” she asked in a small voice.

“I really do.”

Her eyes met his once more.

“I love you, Johnny,” she said.

“And I love you too,” he replied.

Silence fell between them.

Zoe walked forward and stretched upwards. Taking a small key from her shirt pocket, she unlocked the padlocks that held the chains around his wrists.

After a few seconds, his hands were free.

Something had shifted between them. Suddenly John had some control in the game. He could feel it.

Yes… I’m getting there…

Slowly, John lowered his arms, working his sore shoulder joints and rubbing them hard to kick-start the circulation again.

He looked at the stitches in his left arm. They continued to hold even though the wound still looked red and puffy. John was beginning to grow confident that they actually would hold his wound together, just as Zoe had said.

“Thank you,” he said as Zoe stepped away from him.

“No problem. You earned the privilege,” she replied.

John stood in the gazebo, looking our across the tennis court.

“Nice day,” he said.

“They’re expecting rain later,” she replied.

The weather? You’re talking about the fucking weather?

Leave this to me!

Get out while you still can!

I’ll play this my way, as always.

Yeah, as always…

“Hungry?” she asked.

John thought about her question. His stomach wasn’t complaining like it had been, but he wasn’t going to take a chance on refusing food.

“I sure could use a bite to eat,” he smiled at her.

She nodded, “So could I! Ready to go?”

“Yep.”

She unwound the leash from her arm and reached out with its tip.

John stretched his arm, holding his palm out to her.

She froze, unsure of what he was doing. Her head tilted to one side, and her brow furrowed.

Then she smiled and handed him the end of the leash.

Another step closer to freedom.

She’s trusting me now…

John took the cold slip of leather and reached up to his collar. Finding the hook, he fed the leash through. He then tied it off for her.

“How’s that?” he asked, showing her his handiwork.

She checked the knot. “You’re learning,” she replied. “I’d use a running loop knot, instead of that bow knot, but it’ll do for now.”

“I still have much to learn, it seems,” he replied.

She smiled at him.

“Don’t worry. The knots are very important. But I’ll teach you.”

“I’d like that.”

She smiled, turned away from him and walked from the gazebo. John watched her go, waiting for the leash to lengthen and grow tight. When he felt it tug on the collar, he followed her lead and walked forward across the gazebo and down the steps onto the tennis court.

He followed her at a distance, watching her braids swing in the air as she turned her head from side to side, looking around her.

What’s she looking for?

The sun shined and warmed his whole body now. The numbness and cold from last night had completely evaporated from him. Although the constant dull pain from his injuries remained.

But playing her game was starting to pay off. Soon she would make a mistake and John would be free.

Soon they were on the paved path heading back towards the church. John looked down at the pavers and concentrated as he felt them under his bare feet.

Was this the way we came last night? It feels like it. But the pathway is too short. It took much longer to get to the gazebo, I’m sure of it. Even though I had the hood on. We must’ve gone a different way. But why?

The path rose up a slight incline.

I don’t remember walking down a decline last night. We couldn’t’ve come this way! It’s not possible!

John turned his head, looking for any sign of another path nearby that he may have missed Saturday night in the dark. But he couldn’t see one. He slowed down as he did so, and paid for his lapse of concentration by a sharp tug on the leash.

He stumbled forward and continued walking. His eyes fixed on Zoe’s back as she pulled him along. He watched her arse jiggle from side to side as she walked and that brought back memories of how she looked naked, how she felt yesterday as her wet hot flaps covered his face.

Soon, they reached the clearing and John could see the side of the church in the sunlight for the first time. It looked older than he expected, more weathered. Moss and vines covered much of the stonework, but had been pruned from around the windows. The roof was rusting in places.

He was relieved to see the church again as he knew that it housed his best chance of escape.

Zoe tugged once more on the leash and they began to walk around the side of the church.

The sunlight continued to shine and the rays reflected off the stained-glass windows, blinding John as he walked past them.

He looked up into the sky to find the sun overhead.

Probably around midday.

Half of Tuesday gone already.

He wondered if anyone had missed him. He wondered if there was a panic at work.

There would be.

I hope so.

Someone must be panicking.

And what about Helen? People will wonder where she is when she doesn’t arrive for work again too.

Yes! That’s right.

Helen! Oh, my poor Helen.

How could that bastard just kill you like that? I swear to you, Helen. I’ll avenge you if it’s the last thing I do. I owe you that much.

Zoe stopped at the front door of the church.

John walked the few feet between them and then stopped by her side. He looked over at the Jeep. It was facing down the driveway and away from the church. Its mud guards and tyres were covered in dust and dirt.

Zoe opened the church door, turned to smile at John, and then stepped inside.

John followed.

It was cooler inside and it took John’s eyes a few seconds to adjust to the darkness. As he walked to the centre of the main room, he turned his head around, surveying everything as quickly as possible.

It all looked the same as yesterday. The cutlery was still spread on the kitchenette counter, the glass he had drunk from was there too, and the phone.

The phone!

The ropes still hung limp around the large wooden table and the metal chair sat nearby with the handcuffs draped across one of the arms. He looked across past the wooden railing dividing the main room and the bedroom. Neither of the beds had been slept in.

Zoe turned to face him.

“I’ve got to leave you now, Johnny,” she said.

“What?”

“Not for long,” she replied, pulling on the leash and dragging him towards the wooden table.

No, not that again!

“Why?”

“You’re hungry, and I’ve got to get you some food,” she replied as she reached the table, turned around and jumped up to sit on it. “I went down to the store at Hepburn Lakes earlier, but it wasn’t open.”

Here’s your chance!

She looked at him with a strange expression. John almost believed she had heard his thought.

“Why do people in these country places insist on having totally weird shopping hours?”

John shrugged his shoulders, “No idea.”

“So, if I head back now, they should be open,” she continued. “And I’ll get us both some food. But that means I have to leave you here.”

John’s eyes dropped to the ground. “I wish you wouldn’t,” he said in a soft voice.

Zoe nodded, “I know, I know. But it won’t be long. Twenty minutes, half an hour at the most.”

Damn it, here’s your chance!

John raised his head and met her eyes, “You promise?”

She smiled back a wicked smile and bit her bottom lip, “I promise.”

John nodded, “Okay. I am slightly hungry anyway.”

Zoe giggled as she slid off the table and walked towards him. She reached out and touched his cheek lightly, and then turned around and slapped her hand on the table.

“You better climb up,” she said.

John took a step backwards.

Zoe jerked on the leash.

“Climb up, I said,” she ordered.

John looked into her eyes.

“Please, Zoe,” he begged. “Not the table again.”

“I said,” she continued slowly. “Up on the table.”

“But I was on that yesterday and I’ve been standing all night. I’m exhausted. My legs and feet are killing me.”

“So?”

“Couldn’t I lie down, even for a few minutes, on one of the beds? Please?”

Zoe turned her head and looked over at the beds.

She’s thinking about it!

“Please?” he asked again. “If you’re only gone for twenty minutes, that could be twenty minutes I can use to relax and rest. Then, when you get back we can start again.”

She turned to face him, her eyes cutting through him as her smile grew.

“You promise?” she asked.

John nodded.

“I’ll have to tie you up still. Probably to the bed and the railing.”

“I know.”

“And I’ll only be gone twenty minutes.”

“I understand.”

“You promise to be here when I get back?” she asked, worry creeping onto her face now.

He nodded.

“Promise?” she asked again.

“Zoe, where am I going to go?” he stepped towards her. “You’ll have the Jeep. I’m not going anywhere because there’s nowhere to go. I want to stay here. I’ll be here when you get back, I promise.”

“Really?”

“Really! I want to be here when you get back. And we can do anything you like.”

She smiled at him then.

“Anything?”

“Anything!” he smiled.

You’re mad!

Shut up, I know what I’m doing.

“Okay,” she said.

John sighed deeply.

She tugged on his leash and walked towards the beds.

John smiled and followed her.

This is my best chance.

So don’t blow it.

I won’t.

You better not.

Trust me, nothing can go wrong. Nothing!

But John was dead wrong.