Max stood behind her and ran his hands over her trembling body. Her breasts heaved as he cupped them. He enjoyed feeling their weight and the way they blossomed with his touch through the flimsy material. Her nipples puckered beneath his fingertips into the most perfect buds. He leaned in and whispered against her cheek. “I sometimes think that you don’t really see me. I’m here in person, but am I here?” Max stroked her head. “Does my soul really connect with yours? I want you to be totally aware of me. Everything I do should be reflected back at me from your eyes.”
He undid the tie around her waist, and slipped the gown from her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. Ella had the perfect body. He would never tire of appreciating it.
“Now hold out your hands.” She dutifully obliged, watching him bind the soft rope around her wrists through hooded eyes. Usually she would ask what he was going to do, but not this time. Whatever was eating away at her was unhealthy. Once he’d tied her wrists, he attached the bindings to a piece of rope looped through a ring at the apex of the A-frame. He raised her arms until they were high above her head and then secured the rope. Next, using leather straps, he attached her shapely ankles to either side of the frame, so her legs were spread evenly apart. When he was completely satisfied, he stood back and admired his handiwork. Ella was going nowhere. She would just have to listen to what he had to say, whether she liked it or not.
In true theatrical style, he drew the table of punishment implements closer for her inspection. “Take a look at what your Master has in store for you, pet.” He lifted up the flogger and cane, bringing them within inches of her eyes, then placed them back on the table. Next he chose the pear of anguish, holding it close and opening the device in front of her. There was just a hint of nervousness as he studied her eyes. “This is called the pear of anguish, for obvious reasons.” He replaced it on the table. “I’ll leave you to reflect for a while on how you will make a better slave for your Master.”
Max then began strolling from the room. When he reached the glass windows, he flicked the two-way switch, allowing him to see inside the playroom from the courtyard outside. As an added bonus, Ella wouldn’t be able to see out, so surprise would be on his side when he returned. Plus, if she got into difficulty, he wanted to be able to cut her from the frame in as little time as possible. He was smart enough to always have Ella’s safety as his utmost priority. She was the most precious thing in his life.
He settled himself into a chair and scanned his newspaper, occasionally glancing at Ella. By the time five minutes had elapsed, she appeared to be in a trance. It was something she’d learned to do over the past few weeks. When Max returned to the playroom, he stood behind her and stroked his hands over her flawless back and curvy, feminine rump. The way that she responded to his touch left him no doubt that she was the perfect woman. He just had to convince her to let go of her inner turmoil and join him wholeheartedly.
“Have you anything to say, Ella?” he whispered, as he moved his hands down to the apex of her thighs. He slipped his finger inside her moist folds, searching for the piercing, knowing her clit would be stimulated even more. A gasp left her lips as he rotated a finger over the silver bead.
“No, Master. There isn’t anything I need to tell you.” Her sweet, tender voice that he loved so much rose a little higher with each word she spoke.
“Interesting. So where exactly did you go last Wednesday morning?” Max felt a sudden jolt rack through her body. “Yes, that’s right, my pet. I know you didn’t visit your attorney. Care to enlighten me?” When she didn’t answer, Max picked up the flogger from the table and walked in front of her. He raised it up, showing it to her, trailing the leather tresses provocatively across her bare shoulders and breasts. Her wary eyes followed every movement he made. “We cannot have any secrets from each other, my pet. As your punishment for deceiving me, you will receive five lashes. If you continue to withhold the truth from me, I will give you five more, until you come to your senses. Understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
Max moved behind her and lashed her butt five times. Taking care not to break her delicate skin, he aimed for a different spot each time. Her ass cheeks were bright pink by the time he’d finished. Held tightly by the A-frame, her whole body quivered, but she didn’t cry out. He soothed her reddened backside with a hand and leaned in to her ear. “Anything to say?”
“No, Master.”
Whatever Ella was hiding, she was too scared to tell him. He tried a different tack. Standing in front of her, he raised her chin with his finger and thumb, forcing her to meet his gaze. Her beautiful blue eyes, awash with tears, connected with his. His gut clenched as he said the words, “You disappoint me.” Ella could never disappoint him, but he had to try and get through to her. He then strode away, calling over his shoulder. “After you have had time to reflect on your disobedient ways, I will be back to administer further punishment.”
Chapter Twenty-Two