When I awoke, I was nude, sitting down in front on the St Andrew's cross in my husband's torture chamber. My jaw hurt, and it felt like my bottom lip was swollen. Each of my arms was secured by leather straps to the lower section of the wooden cross. My feet were propped up with a black leather ottoman, in such a way that my knees nearly touched my ears. Cuffs held my ankles in place, and the ottoman had carabiners and chains, so that I couldn't shift my position. With my ass pressed against the ominous foot rest and my feet secured by steel, I knew there wasn't an escape possible, not yet. My heart thumped a rabid tempo as I watched my husband.
Christian strode back and forth in his favored ripped jeans while his cellphone rested on the ottoman between my feet. It was on speakerphone, and I could hear that bitch talking to him.
When he noticed I had awakened, he said, "She's ready to listen to you, Elena."
Like Hell I was. "Christian, you better untie me now. This is only making matters worse." My anger started to boil. Not sure what was worse; being in this room without my consent or the Elena was in on this fucked up scene.
Her voice rang out. "Ana, listen to me. You may have this crazy notion that you're his equal. You are not. Without him, you are a nobody. Christian was the same way when he was first being trained. I've told him before, the correct punishment is motivation for good behavior. Obviously he has a soft spot for you, Ana, else he would have utilized the same punishment I used on him. Now, you've given him no choice but to correct your behavior."
"Elena, I just want you to know you can drop dead and go to Hell at any time. Oh, and fuck you for abusing a troubled kid. Piece of shit pedophile."
She gasped. "Christian, ten strokes. If she cries out, add two more for every noise."
The knot in my throat grew and I couldn't swallow to save my life. Christian, however, heaved a deep sigh and fetched a riding crop from the wall. From a drawer of his toy box, he pulled out a ball-gag. Without a word, he strode my way. He laid the crop upon my shins and buckled the gag around my head. The bright red ball forced my mouth wide open and would stifle all sound. I suppose he was being kind in his own way, to keep from adding more blows to my punishment.
His manicured fingertips stroked the crop's handle before picking it up and teasing a line from my knee to my nethers. "Okay, Elena. I'm ready."
"Ana, this is for your own good. Remember that. One!"
With that, Christian swung the crop card and slapped bottom of my feet. Blistering pain snaked up my legs and tears blurred my vision. With the gag in place, the squeal of pain got lost in red rubber.
Elena seemed disappointed I made no noise despite the loud thwack! of the crop against bared skin. "Harder this time, Christian. Pain is purification of the soul. Two!"
Again and again, through ten strokes of pain and muffled cries, my husband obeyed that bitch's mandates that he be the master of me. When the last blow landed, Elena spoke. "There. You survived. Christian?"
"Yes?" His voice seemed leaden. He looked disturbed, but maybe that was just my hope rearing its ugly head.
"So, are you on board for my new salon idea?"
"Sure, I'll have Ros fax over the paperwork."
"Good. Now go and get some rest, you two. Sweet dreams." With that, a little click and the phone line went dead.
I never thought I could hate someone so much. Despite the beating Christian just gave me, I hated Elena more. If she hadn't done what she did to him, this room, the beating- all of it wouldn't exist.
Christian bent down and removed the gag. I worked my jaw and held back my raging emotions. "Why?"
"Why? Ana, you are my wife. I can't let you leave. I'll have no one."
"You've forced me to have no one but you in my life."
"I don't know any other way to be. Sorry, Ana. I want you happy. I don't want to ever bastinado you again. I hated it when it was done to me, but Elena was convinced it'd help you see reason."
"It's not reasonable to hit someone who has a differing opinion than you. You know that, right?" I tried being gentle in my phrasing, rather than snarling the words in my heart.
"Ana. You said you'd give me until after the vacation you're planning. Please, give me that long. I want to change. I don't want you to leave, I want us to have a happy ever after of our own."
Tears flowed anew from my eyes. "How can I be happy when you punch me, tie me up, then beat me?"
"Don't put it like that! It was correction. You need to be taught. Once you understand how you're supposed to act, it'll be much better, I promise."
"You tell me that you'll change, yet here you are saying that I need to change and adapt to your wants. I want equality. And to be let go. Please, untie me from this thing."
He shook his head. "No. Not yet. But soon."
Christian turned to replace his torture implements to their resting places. "You're in a time out right now, Ana. In one hour I will be back and we will talk. I know you don't like Elena, but she knows more about marriage than I do."
"You know, my mom's been married four times, so that would qualify her as more of an expert than Elena, wouldn't you say?"
"Yeah, well your mom wouldn't understand me and my needs. Silence now. One hour. No longer. Any noise and you'll get the crop again."
I swallowed hard. My husband made for the door and opened it. Turning to me, he said, "Remember Ana, who is the master of his universe. It's not you." Over his shoulder, I could see Taylor as he walked past. His eyes met mine and they rounded in horror. His mouth opened into a little O before snapping shut. Before Christian finished speaking, Taylor gave me a short nod, and turned around to briskly walk away before my husband noticed him. I didn't care I was naked and the bottoms of my feet ached horriblebly. If Taylor refused to help me after witnessing my helplessness, then I'd find a way myself. I know I can't wholly trust him, but he cannot simply turn a blind eye to this shit. I heaved a deep sigh and hoped.
I hated this room almost as much as I hate Elena. And Christian. I used to think there was hope for him, but now... The only hope I have is getting out alive.
