Page 42 of Reclaimed

The truth of those words made me feel uncomfortable. Ray had been willing to try almost everything I’d wanted, or at least what I’d thought I’d wanted. I had fantasised about being shared, but I had no idea how I’d feel about it in reality. When Ray was my Master previously, I would have at least got off on the idea of being with someone else to please him, but now the thought of yet another hostile male degrading and hurting me didn’t seem exciting at all. Things were confusing enough with just Ray.

“I don’t think I could share you now, at least, not yet. I need you to just be mine for a while.” I nodded. “But I would have done. I would have shared you. Even with him.”From the disgust in his voice on that last word I knew we weren’t talking about Mark anymore. I felt a small pang of regret at the idea that I could have had both Ray and David without getting myself into this mess, but I knew David would never have gone for it.

“But Mark won’t fuck you. And he already knows everything, so don’t get any ideas about being able to sweet-talk him.” I was slightly taken aback by the coarse way he spoke, and I could feel there was still a tense undercurrent between us from him mentioning David. But he had confirmed my suspicions. Mark already knew the truth, and I couldn’t imagine someone so stony ever feeling sorry for me. The man I remembered had seemed even more unmovable than Ray and was probably immune to any effect I could have hoped to have on him. Our blissful bubble we’d created over the last few days had well and truly burst.

“Mark may not own you, but he is in charge while I’m gone, so you will behave for him as I would expect you to behave for me, do you understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

“You will obey his commands, you will be respectful, you will cook and serve him food, and you will not even consider begging him to help you.”

I was trembling at the thought of being left alone with this man – a man I barely knew, who may or may not want to do things to me, and who had no qualms about the fact that I was Ray’s captive and that all of this was happening against my will.

“If you disobey, Mark may punish you, should he feel it necessary, and you know I certainly will when I get back, if I hear of anything that would cause me to be disappointed in you.”

“Please don’t go, Master.”

“It is already decided.”

I couldn’t bear the thought of him being away so long after everything we’d shared over the last few days.

“Please don’t leave me behind. I can come with you. I could stay in the car, whatever it is, please—”

“Callie, you are going to earn yourself a punishment before we’ve even finished breakfast if you are not careful.”

I tried to hide my tears from Ray, terrified that he would see them as a sign of continued dissent, but nothing of mine was hidden anymore.

“Come here.”

I abandoned my half-eaten breakfast and went to sit on Ray’s lap.

“You’re trembling. What are you so afraid of?” I couldn’t answer him; there were so many possible scenarios going around in my head.

“Look, I don’t want to leave you, and I’m pleased that you want me to stay, but there’s something I have to deal with. I’ll be back before you know it. And you’ll be safe here.” I nodded as if his words were comforting me, but they weren’t, and Ray knew it. “Is it Mark you’re afraid of?” I nodded slowly, hoping my answer wouldn’t anger him. He sighed. “Callie, I would never let anyone look after you if I didn’t trust them completely, okay? Mark has a set of rules to follow, and so do you. You won’t be around him all the time, and if you behave well, then he has no reason to hurt you.”

“I will behave, I promise.”

“I know you will. I’ve been bragging about you.” I felt a flicker of pride in my chest which I immediately tried to quash. The need to please people was so deeply ingrained in me I even got some sick satisfaction out of being Ray’s prized possession.

“When are you going?”

“This evening.”

“How long will you be?”

“I don’t know for sure. Hopefully, only a night or two. You’ll sleep in your own room until I’m back.”

*

I felt sick with nervousness for the rest of the day, waiting for the dreaded evening. I stayed mostly silent, stuck inside my swirling thoughts. Ray seemed to understand and didn’t push me. He kept me close, and I was grateful for that. Every casual touch helped me believe that he would try to get home to me as quickly as possible. And yet, at the same time, his touch reminded me of his imminent departure, and how I was going to be deprived of his presence and left in the hands of a stranger. The hours went by spitefully fast, and at 4 p.m., Ray took me upstairs to get ready. He came into the shower with me, and I didn’t even try to resist his closeness. In fact, I suddenly craved it, but when he tried to reach between my legs and touch me, I started to get teary again. I was afraid in a way that wasn’t the same as the delicious mix of fear and exhilaration that I was used to experiencing around Ray. This was a deadening kind of anxiety that felt paralyzing, definitely not leaving any room for excitement or arousal.

“Please don’t,” I sobbed and leant against his chest.

“Hey, come on now, little one, enough of that. You need to pull it together now. Mark won’t want to see your tears.”

“Sorry, Master.”

I managed to shut down my emotions as much as possible; it was the only way I was going to get through this. I allowed Ray to finish washing me, and then I got dressed in the outfit he had chosen for me. We were sitting on the bed, Ray brushing my hair, when we heard the knock at the door. I started shaking as I got up from the bed but tried to mentally brace myself. Despite everything that Ray was putting me through, I still wanted him to be proud of me.

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