Chapter Sixteen: Draco

Hello, my beautiful readers! Just a note for you all, this is another chapter that may trigger anyone with a history of abuse. Please, tread carefully, and take care of yourselves!

Many thanks, and lots of love to you all. Happy reading.

Draco knelt, completely naked, in the corner of the rented room in the club, his hands in tight, metal handcuffs behind his back. He was wearily watching as Zabini talked to a raven-haired Domme, who's services Zabini had paid for the night. Draco had to work to keep his expression neutral while the two loudly discussed their options about what they were going to do to him – he'd heard it all before and was used to Zabini's bullshit he labelled as foreplay.

'Oh, hang on, the club's new owner is amazing with rope spells. Let me go find him for us!' The Domme left the room, closing the door firmly. Draco kept his eyes on the wood, wishing he could walk out.

'Wish she'd left it open, do you.' Zabini said roughly. Zabini never asked Draco a question, it was always a statement, an assumption that he thought he knew what Draco wanted. Usually, Draco wanted to spit in Zabini's face, but he was yet to assume Draco wanted that. 'Wish she'd left it open so I could fuck your mouth while people walked by and watched your Malfoy mouth full of my dick, don't you.' Zabini stalked towards Draco with his dark eyes.

'If that is what you wish, Lord Blaise, I would do it.' Draco said, keeping his eyes averted from Zabini.

'We're going to string you up, Malfoy. We're going to take turns whipping you and fucking you until you beg us to stop.' Blaise growled at Draco.

Fuck. This.

Draco raised his head, setting his chin stubbornly.

'You've tried to make me fucking beg for nearly five years, Zabini. I doubt you ever will, you're a pathetic Dom.' Draco spat, watching with joy as Zabini's face contorted in rage. Zabini raised his hand, and Draco met his gaze calmly.

'Our new club owner has said he would-' the Domme stopped in her tracks. Zabini's hand had come into contact with Draco's cheek as she'd opened the door, and Draco had crashed to the floor. He lay there, waiting further punishment. Last time he'd talked back he'd gotten a broken nose.

'Lord Blaise?' the Domme asked curiously.

'He needs to be re-trained.' Zabini growled. 'The boy has forgotten his manners. Apologize to me, you little slut.'

Draco caught the Domme's eye and quickly looked away, but he kept his mouth shut. Zabini's face was full of rage, but luckily for Draco, Zabini decided to listen to the Domme.

'Lord Blaise, our new club owner is happy to take him off your hands and re-train him if you wish, for a fee. You'd just need to fill out some paperwork, and you'll have your sub returned to you, trained just how you like!' The Domme said calmly, standing to the side of the door and gesturing for Zabini to follow.

Draco held his breath. He was sure there was no way Zabini would agree, he'd sworn he wanted to break Draco himself, that he wouldn't let anyone else do it.

'How much is the fee?' Zabini asked, finally looking away from Draco and turning his attention to the Domme.

'Ten Galleons per night, fifty-five Galleons for seven nights or one hundred and twenty-five Galleons for fourteen nights.' The Domme said promptly, her eyes not wavering from Zabini's. Zabini turned back to look at Draco, who still glared at him defiantly.

'Deal. Take the misbehaving slut for a week. Will you owl me the paperwork?'

'We will do it first thing in the morning, Lord Blaise.' The Domme promised and took him out into the hallway.

Draco closed his eyes once they were gone, breathing a sigh of relief. No Zabini for a whole week!

'Are you alright, love?' the Domme had come back.

'Yes, thank you, Mistress. I just need some help getting back up.' Draco said, keeping his eyes away from her face.

'Oh, sweetheart, I'm not Mistress right now. You can call me Beth. What's your name?' Beth asked gently as she undid Draco's handcuffs and rubbed his arms.

I don't think anyone's cared for me like this since …

I – I'm Draco.' He said, hesitantly. Beth smiled in encouragement and held out her hand, helping Draco stand.

'Get yourself dressed, Draco, and I'll get you a drink before you come to meet the club owner.' Beth said, walking towards the door.

'Mistr – um, Beth?' Draco said, a little uncomfortable.

'What is it, sweetheart?' Beth paused at the door. Draco bit his lower lip with his head bowed.

'Lord Blaise didn't allow me to wear clothes here.'

Draco kept his head bowed and worried about the silence. He jumped when he felt a soft, lush cloak wrapping around him. He looked at Beth in alarm, but she smiled gently.

'You're safe here, Draco. We'll look after you.'

Draco hadn't cried in front of anyone for five years, but he leant on Beth's shoulder and wept in relief.

'Feeling better, Draco?' Beth asked, a couple of hours later. Draco nodded gratefully. Beth had fed and watered Draco then run him a bath full of vanilla scented bubbles in her own quarters at the back of the club. She'd disappeared while Draco had been eating - to find him a set of clothes, but she hadn't been gone long enough for Draco to worry.

'When you're ready, I'll introduce you to the Master. I've told him about you, and he wants to talk to you. We're going to do everything we can to keep you away from Blaise, Draco. He obviously wasn't looking after you.'

'Really?' Draco could hardly believe it.

'Of course. No one should ever be abused like that.' Beth frowned angrily.

Even with her angry frown, she's rather cute with her nose crinkling like that.

Her eyes are a gorgeous shade of green … although, a bit lighter than I would usually go for.

Her hair is so long and so thick, it's as dark as the night's sky!

She even has the same stubborn set to her chin as …

'I think I'm ready.' Draco said, standing. He didn't miss Beth's eyes scrutinizing his body as he stepped out the bath, and he turned for her.

'Do I pass inspection?' he asked. Beth smiled and waved her wand to dry and warm him, before handing him a pile of clean clothes she'd managed to find for him.

'You look quite healthy on the outside, yes.' She said, waiting patiently while he dressed himself. She'd found him a pair of navy dress trousers and a matching light blue button-down shirt. She eyed him critically and helped him to roll up his sleeves top his elbows. Once done, he touched one hand to the freshly rolled sleeve and smiled shyly at her under his lashes.

Her hand fluttered over her chest. 'Oh, my.'

'Are you ok?' Draco asked, concerned, but she laughed him off.

'Oh, Draco. You're like an innocent seventeen-year-old.'

'Trust me, I was not innocent at seventeen.' Draco smiled, but shook his head.

Don't think about it. Don't think about him.

Beth looked at him curiously, but then turned and lead him down the hallway when he didn't say anything more.

'Our new Master has only owned the club for a week, and he's already made so many positive changes! He's put a sub protection rule into place, where any sub being mistreated is immediately taken into his care. He's changed our uniforms so we can choose them, to suit our personalities more. He says he wants to change the interior of the club too, but that means he'll lose Muggle patrons for a month so that they don't suspect anything.' Beth talked happily as she led Draco through the club, up the sweeping staircase near the front doors and to a door about halfway down the second-floor hall.

'This is his suite, where he plays. He might be in the middle of a scene right now, just wait here while I check, OK?' she asked. When Draco nodded a little nervously, she patted his cheek soothingly.

'You're safe here, Draco. I escorted Blaise off the premises myself and made him promise he wouldn't return for a week. We'll have the Masters' support by then to banish him for good, and we'll keep you under our protection.'

She smiled gently and disappeared through the door. Draco fidgeted in his borrowed clothes. They fit perfectly, but Zabini had recently taken to not allowing Draco to wear clothes anywhere, and the feel of fabric against his skin was strange.

He wondered who this Master of the club was. From what Beth had been saying, the Master sounded like an intelligent businessman. Maybe if Draco really was able to escape Zabini, he could ask to work for him?

Maybe, if I do break free of Zabini, I could go looking for…

Draco shook his head, stopping his own thoughts as Beth opened the door and gestured for him to come through.

'Keep your head down, though, Draco. They're in a scene. We're going to wait for them inside.' She whispered before he followed her through. Draco nodded and lowered his eyes to Beth's shoes, following her to a side wall and standing next to her with his hands folded in front of him.