Chapter 22
Grace
I don’t know why I came to the cage. But now that I’m here, I can’t leave.
I slept so well on the bed. It was a deep sleep, full of comfort.
But he was gone when I woke up. The sheets beside me were cold to the touch.
And it left me feeling like I’d been cheated.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me to think there’s more to what this is.
Yesterday ruined me. It destroyed my armor. I don’t recognize the woman I am.
I’ve sat here all day, feeling hurt and abandoned. As if I have a right to feel those things. What did I expect? I’m nothing to him. I’m no one. A piece of property that he was gifted.
My jaw clenches and I refuse to feel any more for him, but the second I hear the thudding of his boots in the hall, I take notice.
My body turns to the door, and I wait for him.
I’m eager for him. I hate it, but I won’t lie to myself.
As much I detest this side of me, I find comfort there. I even enjoy it.
At least I’m in the cage. My lips threaten to curl into a smirk, but I resist. If he wants to leave me, then I can leave him, too.
The door beeps, one of my favorite sounds now, and Gio takes two steps into the room.
I watch his eyes as they move from the bed to the cage.
Anger isn’t present, not like it was last night, but there’s something there.
Or rather, something’s missing. That spark and fire, the heat in his eyes.
Something’s different, and it throws me off balance.
“Grace,” he greets me, walking to the large chair by the table. He sets the tray in his hands down and looks back at me, sagging into the seat. He leans back and waits.
I want to crawl to him. I want to put my head in his lap and comfort him.
I know something is wrong. I just don’t know what.
My heart stills as I wait. Both of us are staring at each other, but neither of us are willing to act.
Finally, he moves forward, resting his elbows on his knees and resting his chin in his hand. “Come to me,” he says softly. My body obeys before I give my conscious consent. I move forward on all fours.
I crawl to him, partly because I want to and partly because I know this is one step closer to my freedom.
Yes. I cling to that reason. I convince myself that if I’m a good girl, he’ll let me go. I’ve gotten good at lying to myself over the years.
I’m not obeying because I want to submit to him, I want to please him. That’s not why.
I’m not hurting for him because something’s wrong. I don’t feel for him. That’s not what this pain in my chest is.
I can tell myself lies all day and night, but the moment I reach him, kneeling on the concrete before him, and he leans down, cupping my cheek in his hand and pressing his lips to mine, my heart swells.
I arch my back and moan into his mouth, my fingers spearing into his hair and pulling him closer to me.
Gio.
He breaks our kiss and sits back in his seat, his eyes never leaving mine. I stay kneeling on the floor, eyes wide and waiting for him. For whatever he wants from me.
“Do you think you can obey me?” he asks.
My eyes narrow, and for a moment I don’t respond. But I swallow my hesitation and nod my consent. He won’t hurt me. I trust him.
He rises and walks over to my cage. He looks back at me as he grabs the door that’s been pressed against the side of the cage this entire time and swings it shut. Closing my cage, with me on the outside. The loud clicking sound ricochets in my head with disbelief.
My heart pounds with anxiety. I back away slowly on my ass until my back hits the wall.
Fear threatens to creep up on me, but Gio doesn’t move.
He raises his hands in the air, and talks in low tones, as if he’s approaching a wounded animal. And maybe that’s just what I am.
“It’s alright, princess. I just need you to know there will be consequences.”
I feel like I can’t breathe.
“You said you wouldn’t take it away.” I can barely get the words out. They’re forced.
“I won’t,” he says softly, “it’s just one hour.” Instinctively, I turn toward the clock. One hour.
“Do you trust me, princess?” he asks.
My chest rises and falls with heavy breaths.
It takes a moment, but I can admit it. I do. I trust him.
“Yes,” I whisper in a shaky voice.
“Come here.” I start to stand, but he adds, “I want you to crawl.”
I debate on whether or not I want to. Not because there are consequences, but because I don’t want to obey. At least for that moment I don’t, but I remember the look in his eyes when he came in here, and I move to him. I crawl, wondering if this will ease whatever troubles he has.
I want to ask him. But I don’t know if he’ll answer. As I sit on the floor next to him he reaches down and moves my legs so that I’m kneeling. He backs away, appraising me. It pisses me off.
“When you come to me, you’ll sit like this.” I look down at my body, and then back up to him. The cage is to my left, and it’s closed. I bite my tongue. If it were open, it would be a different story. For a moment I consider how he’d punish me. What he’d do.
Would it be worth it to disobey?
“Now lie back and grab your knees so I can see you.” He walks a few feet away and turns to face me, arms crossed, waiting for me to obey.
Yeah, it’s fucking worth it.
“No.” My voice is strong, and Gio immediately reaches for me. His hand is out like he’s going to grab my throat and I shrink back, fear crippling the strength I have.
But he doesn’t grab my throat at all. He picks me up by the waist and quickly walks to the bed, throwing me over his lap.
I don’t even have time to react as he throws one of his legs over mine and immediately slaps a hand down on my ass. Smack!
My back arches as I scream out from the blistering pain, but he holds my shoulders down, forcing my upper body into the bed and continues the blows.
Again and again he spanks me. Each time in a slightly different spot, and they burn with pain. It radiates from my ass outward. Fuck, it hurts! My brows pinch, and I try to get away. But I can’t.
Finally, it’s over, but the cold air only makes it hurt worse. I try to move away, but he keeps me still.
Gio massages my sore ass and says in a low voice, “Stop running from it.”
I wince from the pain and wriggle away, but he only holds me tighter.
“You want this,” he says, moving his hand to my pussy. He shoves his thick fingers inside of me without hesitation and my body bucks in response, but he pumps them in and out, stroking my front wall and sending a heated bolt of desire through my body.
He pulls them away before I can climb toward my release, leaving me wanting. I’m surprised at how wet I am and how easily he pressed his fingers inside of me.
Bastard!
“Suck,” he says, putting his fingers in front of my face. I could do it, and a part of me wants to. I want to get lost in this moment. My breathing comes in frantic. I just need to obey.
“Do it, princess. Don’t overthink this.” He leans down, whispering in my ear. “What we have is perfect. Enjoy this with me.”
His words are my undoing. Just the acknowledgment that something is here between us makes me shed the last of my inhibitions. I take his fingers into my mouth and lick them clean, tasting my arousal. I moan while sucking on his fingers.
“Good girl,” he says, kneading my ass. I wince from the sudden pain, and he chuckles.
“Now,” he moves from the bed, leaving me alone on top of the sheets. “Get on your back and pull your knees up.”
My heart slows, and I swallow my pride.
Is it wrong to give in when I want it? I shift on the bed, and a hint of pain from the spanking makes me suck in a sharp breath.
“On your back, princess.” He waits while I make my decision and finally lie on my back for him.
I grab under my knees and lift them so he can see all of me. I watch his eyes heat, and it erases any trace of shame I have. He wants me.
I hide my smirk as he falls to his knees by the bed, so he’s eye level with my pussy. He takes a languid lick and I moan, leaning slightly to the left.
His hand comes down hard on my inner thigh with a loud smack!
My body jolts and I quickly move away from him, but he drags me back to the same spot, holding me down.
“Don’t move,” he warns me. His eyes pierce into mine, daring me to talk back, daring me to move, but I obey.
Partly because of the shock.
He waits until I’m in the same position and then runs his finger down my pussy and up to my throbbing clit, circling it once. The pleasure makes me want to move, but I stay still.
“You’re so perfect, princess,” he says moving away from me and leaving me on edge. He takes a step back and looks me over appraisingly. My cheeks heat, and I feel a small sense of anxiety now that the heated look is gone from his eyes.
“Kneel,” he says and I quickly move and sit in the position he wants. His large hand wraps around my thigh and moves my legs slightly apart.
“Like this.” His hard voice forces my eyes to his. “Remember that.” I hold his gaze and nod once.
“I want to train you,” he says softly. “Would you like that?”
I speak before I can think, “Yes.” My eyes widen at my confession.
“Good,” he says with a small smile, and the look he had when he first came in shows itself again as he sits on the bed next to me.
I start to move, but then stop myself. I need to be still.
He chuckles and places his large hand on my thigh. “Training is over for today, princess.” There’s a sadness in his voice, and I don’t like it. “Tomorrow we’ll start again. Not today.”
I slowly move, not understanding Gio’s motivation. Something’s changed between us, but more than that, something’s wrong. I know it in the core of my very being.
“Are you alright?” I ask him. I can’t help it. I don’t like that something's bothering him.
He tilts his head and considers my words before nodding once. “Everything will be fine.”
“What’s wrong?” The only thing I gathered from that response is that something is not fine. And I want to know what.
He runs a hand down his face and then pulls me into his lap. I love the feel of being this close to him. I find myself melting into him. The comfort is something I’ve never had before, and I don’t want to lose it.
“I’m supposed to do something that I don’t want to do,” he finally says.
“Don’t do it then,” I say simply.
He outright laughs at my response, leaning against the wall and pinching the bridge of his nose. “If only it was that easy, my princess.”
I lean against him and listen to the steady sound of his heart.
The memory of everything that’s happened flashes in front of me as I stare at the cage on the other side of the room. I look at the clock, and the hour is up.
I don’t want to tell him though. I’m not ready to go back. But I don’t have to, do I?
I frown, realizing my initial thought was that I should be in there. In a cage. I shouldn’t be. I shouldn’t even be in this fucking room.
I look up at Gio and wonder what he’s thinking. I wonder what his plans are for me, but I can’t ask. All the time I’ve been here, I’ve never asked. I know I’m a gift. I know he wants me.
Maybe this thing between us is real. Maybe he feels what I feel. I’ll never know if I don’t ask. But my blood runs cold. What if it’s not the same for him? What if I’m mistaken?
“Gio,” I gather the courage to ask, my breathing quickening with the fear of what his answer will be. “I don’t want to stay in this room anymore.” I can’t look at him as I ask. But the lack of an immediate answer makes my eyes rise to his piercing blue gaze.
He watches me for a moment, and my heart clenches. Something’s wrong with me to think that he’d care what I want. But I did. I thought… I don’t know what I was thinking. Just before I move to pull away from him and search for the woman I used to be, he pulls me closer into his chest.
“This won’t be forever, princess.” He whispers his words. I don’t resist, but there are so many unanswered questions, so much more that I need to know.
“If I’m good--” I start to ask, but he presses a finger to my lips, silencing me.
“You’re perfect. And I promise,” his eyes pierce so far into me, I’m mesmerized by his gaze. “Soon, everything will be different. I promise you.”
His words are vague, but I trust him. I lean into his touch and press my lips against his. This is all I need right now.
Emotions overwhelm me, my body heating with a mix of anxiety and something more, something that’s sinful and dangerous. Something vulnerable and raw.
Gio breaks our kiss, and I feel lightheaded and breathless.
“Come sit on your throne, princess,” he groans, lifting me as though I weigh nothing and spreading my thighs apart as he lies on the bed and lowers my pussy onto his face.
His tongue laps at my sex as I grip onto his hair and nearly collapse forward from the sudden intense pleasure.
He doesn’t let up. Licking and sucking and making my body shudder in utter pleasure, he's relentless.
I throw my head back and moan his name, “Gio.”
He groans into my pussy and sucks at my clit, forcing a scream from my throat. Yes! I grind my cunt into his face, wanting more and being so close, so soon.
“Cum for me, princess,” he whispers, lifting me off of him before spearing his tongue into my opening.
All form of common sense and survival leave me.
He’s broken me down and made me something I never thought I’d be. I’m a slave to our desires.
I am only his.