Kept in the Dark

Chapter Seven

“You’re late.”

I tried to read the intonation behind the words and work out whether it had been said in an accusatory way.

But the problem with whispers was, it was almost impossible to tell.

I couldn’t read any emotion whatsoever. Maybe there wasn’t any.

Maybe it was just a simple statement of fact and I was overthinking it.

I hadn’t set out to deliberately deceive Georgia.

When I’d told her, I wasn’t going to go there, I’d had every intention of sticking to it.

Tom would be annoyed at the loss of money, but I knew he’d get over it, in time.

More importantly, it would get Georgia, and now my brother, off my back, and I’d…

well, that was the problem, I wasn’t convinced it would stop me thinking about the man behind the mysterious voice.

I had a suspicion it might make me think about him even more.

That it would end up being a major regret.

So, I’d changed my mind. Just not soon enough to be able to get there on time.

I’d already been over ten minutes late by the time I’d reached the gate.

Add on the time it took me to collect the money and get myself upstairs and we were probably talking closer to fifteen.

Unsure of the reception I was likely to receive, I’d opened the door cautiously.

Now there I was, staring into the familiar blackness and trying desperately to detect meaning from two huskily whispered words.

“I know, I’m sorry. I can leave if you want me to. ”

I held my breath while I waited for the response, knowing I’d feel crushed, if all my earlier agonizing and indecision had served only to result in a quick dismissal.

“No. Stay.”

“Okay. I’ll…get undressed then.” I was out of my clothes and taking up my usual position on the bed in record time.

It wasn’t long before I could sense his presence next to me.

It was like we were both trying to make up for lost time.

Expecting to feel his hands on me, I was surprised when he spoke.

“If our arrangement’s going to continue, there’s a new rule. ”

“Sure. Anything.” I cringed. What the hell was I saying? “Well, not anything, obviously. Anything within reason.”

“I need you to wear these.”

Something cold landed on my bare chest, producing an involuntary shiver.

I brought my hands up, trying to make sense of what it could be.

My fingers encircled something smooth and metallic.

They continued their exploration until I worked it out, the feel of the chain between the two circles, giving it away.

“Handcuffs? I don’t know…I…” I stopped to think.

Surely, only a complete idiot would consent to not only being in the dark with a stranger, but also being restrained.

Silence stretched between us while I struggled with the decision.

He spoke first. “If you can’t. Then that’s fine. You can take last week’s money that you left behind, and you can take today’s. But then we’re done.”

The word “done,” reverberated around my head, momentarily overtaking the panic at the thought of being completely vulnerable and unable to escape in the pitch-black room. “I don’t understand why the touching is such a big deal. Maybe, if I understood, then—”

“You don’t need to understand. That was the deal. It’s always been the deal. If you don’t like it, then…the deal ends. They’re just handcuffs. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Was I imagining the note of pleading underlying the barely audible whisper?

One thing was for sure, that was by far the most the man had ever said since I’d been going there.

Maybe we were getting somewhere. Maybe I could still manage to earn his trust and unlock the mystery.

Was I really going to throw all that away over one pair of handcuffs?

“Where’s the key?” I could hear the tremor in my own voice.

“Reach to your right. There’s a nightstand. The key is on top of it.”

I knew there was a nightstand there. On each of my previous visits, I’d heard the drawer open.

It hadn’t taken a genius to work out that was where he kept the condoms and lube.

I reached over and felt around on its surface, pausing for a moment as my fingers brushed something that felt suspiciously like the base of a lamp.

I hesitated, considering whether I should search for the switch.

If I switched it on, I’d be able to see the man’s face; I’d know once and for all who it was.

Temptation warred within me, a rapid-fire possibility of scenarios flashing through my brain.

“Can you feel it?”

My fingers moved away, finally coming into contact with a small metal object. “Yes.” It was decision time. I either walked out, and this strange interlude in my life would be over, or I agreed to wear the handcuffs. “Can I keep hold of the key? It would make me feel better to know where it was.”

The man took a long time to consider the request. I kept my fingers on the key, tracing its smooth, metallic outline in an effort to keep my mind away from the temptation to return to the lamp.

It occurred to me that if he said no and I didn’t agree to the handcuffs, then there was nothing to lose.

It would be coming to an end anyway. I might as well go out with a bang and know who exactly it was that had touched every inch of my body.

“I don’t see why not.”

My fingers curled around the key, maneuvering it into the palm of my hand. “Okay, then.” A shaky exhale of breath followed my agreement and it hadn’t come from me. I knew I’d replay that sound later and probably spend hours trying to analyze its meaning.

“Put one of the handcuffs on.”

With shaking fingers, I slipped my wrist into one of the circles of metal, flinching as the cuff snapped closed with an audible click.

“Put your hands behind your head. Let me know when you have.”

“Okay.” The tremor in my voice was even more pronounced.

I’d agreed to this. I needed to get a grip.

Fingers brushed my face, searching for the right place in the dark.

Another click signaled the other cuff being closed.

My hands were now trapped behind my head until he saw fit to release me.

My heart pounded in my chest and I felt slightly sick.

I was completely at his mercy. I concentrated on the feel of the key against my palm.

I had the key. Worst case scenario, I could make a run for it and get someone else to unlock them.

It would be awkward to get through two closed doors in this position, but possible, surely?

Then I stopped thinking about escape, stopped thinking about anything really, except how good the mouth wrapped around my cock felt.

It seemed like he wanted to pick up from exactly where we’d left off before I’d fucked everything up and touched him.

I moaned, my cock immediately forgetting how stressed I was about the handcuffs and hardening instantly under the stimulation of his lips and tongue.

He sucked harder and I gave myself up to pure sensation, managing to ignore the cold bite of the handcuffs against my skin.

“Fuck my mouth, Danny.”

I was there to do as I was told, right? So, if he insisted, who was I to argue?

My hips bucked up, finding a perfect rhythm as he used his mouth and tongue expertly.

I gasped, “Going to come, Jay. If you don’t want me to, you need to—” It was too late.

I came with a shout. He took me deep into the back of his throat, his mouth remaining there, licking up every drop of cum while my cock slowly softened.

I slowly came back to earth, my wrists hurting where I’d inadvertently pulled against the handcuffs.

Was he going to fuck me? That wouldn’t feel great after I’d already come, but I could hardly complain.

It wasn’t until the mattress squeaked and I felt knees pressing against my shoulders that I understood his intention.

He wanted me to return the favor. He moved further over me and I knew any moment I’d feel the press of his cock against my lips.

“Wait, wait!” Panic gripped me. Handcuffed, on my back, and in the dark, I would literally have no control.

I couldn’t push him off, wouldn’t even be able to communicate if I couldn’t breathe.

And he wouldn’t be able to see. He’d have no way of knowing if I was in distress. “Sorry. I don’t think I can.”

The man stayed still. He didn’t press forward. But, he didn’t back off either. I waited, concentrating on trying to maneuver my wrists into a more comfortable position to alleviate the pain from the handcuffs. I knew at the very least I’d have bruises to show for them later.

“I’ll be careful.”

I contemplated the man’s words. He’d done nothing in any of my previous visits to make me believe he wouldn’t be.

But still, I wasn’t used to being that reckless.

Georgia was right, I was pretty vanilla.

I’d always been fairly unadventurous in bed.

The irony of ending up having sex for money wasn’t completely lost on me.

Yet there I was, considering putting myself completely at his mercy.

I had to admit though that underlying the anxiety, there was something slightly arousing about the element of danger. “I need you to promise that.”

There was no hesitation before he spoke. “I promise.”

“Okay, then.”

To his credit, he moved over me fairly slowly, clearly announcing his intent with every subtle shift.

It was another few seconds before I felt the press of his cock against my lips.

I opened my mouth, taking him in. He pressed deeper than I expected, and I pulled back with a jerk of my head, the metal of the handcuffs chafing with the sudden movement.

He immediately withdrew. “Sorry. I’ll go slower.”

I made an effort to calm myself, curling my tongue around the head of his cock when it slid back between my lips.

That time when he pressed deeper I was ready, relaxing my throat and letting him fuck my mouth as I concentrated on breathing through my nose.

Unused to the unnatural position forced by the handcuffs, my arms were starting to ache.

He thrust harder, his breath coming in gasps.

He was obviously close. Would he come in my mouth?

Did I want him to? I didn’t have to wait long for the answer.

He pulled away with a groan and I felt the hot splash of cum on my chest.

Rather than feeling relieved, I felt cheated.

I lay there listening, the only sound his breathing as it slowly returned to normal.

For once, he hadn’t left the bed straight away.

I supposed, there was still the small matter of the handcuffs to deal with.

I noticed though, that he’d moved far enough away that there was no longer any contact between us.

The silence stretched for another minute before he broke it.

“Is the key in your left or right hand?”

“Left.”

“Open your hand.”

I did as he asked, making sure my palm was flat so the key remained balanced.

His fingers worked their way over my chest, locating my shoulder and from there following the path to my hand.

Fingers plucked the key from the center of my palm, but there was no immediate move to unlock the handcuffs.

I startled as something dry and soft touched my chest, relaxing when I realized it was just a tissue.

Well, at least I wouldn’t have to get dressed covered in cum. That was always a bonus.

Apparently satisfied he’d cleaned me up adequately.

Or as satisfied as you could possibly be when it’s done by touch alone, he moved on to dealing with the handcuffs.

Unsurprisingly, it took a while. I stayed silent, closing my eyes and feeling like I could fall asleep, while he searched for the lock, struggling to locate and maneuver the key into what I could only assume was a tiny lock.

How it was even possible in the dark, I had no idea. Had he practiced it earlier?

Finally, there was a click and the cuffs were pulled away, closely followed by his usual rapid departure from the bed. With difficulty, I eased my arms back to a more natural position, the muscles protesting as blood flow slowly returned.

“You need to leave.”

I rolled my eyes. If nothing else, he was bloody predictable. “Give me a minute. My arms are sore. I can barely move them at the minute, never mind get dressed.”

There was no response. I eased my legs over the side of the bed, gently rubbing at the sore skin on my wrists.

Those were the moments I needed to remember more, if I was ever going to break free of the strange compulsion to keep coming here.

The moments where he couldn’t wait to get rid of me.

It was another minute before I felt able to move across the room and collect my clothes.

There wasn’t another word spoken by either of us.