PainLove - Bk. 02 - Ch. 36-42

Chapter 36

The modifications to Helena's house began to make progress. Marion, Cathy and Kim were frequent visitors calling on Rob and Helena in Oxford. Rob was often in Stoke Goldington to work with the builders. Helena was beginning to feel more comfortable in her relationship with Rob, thinking things were getting back to normal, the upsets fading into the distance.

Some days Rob was away from Oxford for the day was to see a client of his little consultancy. He was finding it easy to sign more projects and work as much as he wished. Helena took little interest in what he was doing unless he planned to go overnight.

One Tuesday morning Marion took Rob aside. "Rob, I spoke with Bridget a few weeks ago, she has a St. Andrew's cross ready for us to pick up and take to Helena's. She'd like us to collect it today, can you help?

"Well, is it all in one piece? That would require me to rent a large van, larger than any car we have."

"No, it comes in segments. I can tell you how to assemble it, it's easy."

"Then we can use my old car."

"Yes, that should be enough. Let's go now, I'll ride along."

Soon Rob and Marion were on their way to Bridget's shop in Northampton. They had nearly an hour in the car, giving them time for light conversation and some silences. Marion decided to take advantage of the opportunity to speak with Rob in private.

"Have you really forgiven me, Rob? For both incidents?"

Eyes still on the road, Rob was silent long enough for Marion to begin to worry how he would answer. Finally, he sighed. "Marion, I must tell you honestly, my earliest experience with you has kept me a little wary of you. I have forgiven you, yes, but I have not forgotten what happened."

"Ah, but don't you see, Rob, if you're watching for transgressions you're bound to find them? That's why I tell you to let go, let it happen, live in just the sensations of the moment."

Rob was again silent before speaking. "I have the impression you influence Helena. She seems to take things farther when you're there with her. It's as though you goad her on. Maybe the two of you feed on each other.

"That night I was chained to the heat pipe, the cuff for my wrist came into your hand entirely too easily. It makes me wonder what really happened."

Rob took her hand and lifted to his lips for a kiss. "I am glad you're to live with us. Outside of the dungeon I'm happy to have you with us."

"Rob, I intend to have your trust again one day."

"Well, I can't tell you how to get my trust, but the fastest way to lose it is to be part of something unpleasant again. Your record is none too good on this point. I can't tell if you're a contributor to my troubles or just unlucky to be there when it happens. Ah! Here's a way to gain my trust: if you see someone else has me in trouble I don't want, speak up in my defense, make it stop."

"Thank you, Rob, for the advice. I'll follow it."

"You've heard the result of Cathy's evaluation, haven't you? That I'm not all that submissive?"

"Yes, Helena told me."

Some time passed before they spoke again.

"Hmm," Rob was really just thinking, he made the noise unintentionally.

"What?"

"Ah, well..." He wasn't sure he wanted to continue. "Talking about whether I was really submissive made me think about the question I asked you earlier: how I am like John and how am I different?"

"Well, as I said, you remind me of him very much."

"But you said he was submissive. Was he truly submissive?"

"Well, it wasn't a lifestyle thing. But come a Friday evening after a difficult week, he would take my hand over dinner and tell me he could really use a good spanking to set his mind right for the weekend."

"Did he crossdress?"

"Well, of course he did, I made him dress quite a bit. It was a regular part of our play."

"Did he prefer to dress, did he come to bed in a nightgown of his own accord?"

"No, it was forced feminization, part of our play."

After further thought, Rob said, "Marion, I don't wish to offend you, but a man who seeks out spankings and has to be forced to crossdress sounds very much the opposite of me, not like me at all.

"This is going to sound quite harsh, dear, but I feel it must be said. When we first met, I was amazed with how quickly you said you were in love with me. I wondered then, I am still wondering, how you came to feel love for me so quickly, at a time you we really didn't know each other and your knew I was still married. I am wondering if it was really me you fell in love with."

"What? How does that work, if not you?"

"Perhaps you were in love with the fantasy me - your fantasy - the one who would be just like John. But I wasn't that person. I wonder if you deal with the real me in real life, but in the dungeon you change to addressing the fantasy me, the one far more submissive, far better experienced and far better prepared to bear your dominant activities than I."

Marion was silent. Part of her wanted to hit him for his impertinence. Part of her was reeling, thinking he was taking away her connection with him. It seemed to her Rob had just pushed her further out of his life.

Rob pulled off the road at a layby. He turned to her, putting his arm around her. "Dear, I love you, I want you to be happy. I say these difficult things to you because a relationship that isn't based on truly seeing the person is doomed to fail. You must understand, you must take to heart, I don't submit because I have some great inner need to submit. I submit because it gets the woman and I horny. We play in a session to build the excitement, so we can have the best sex after. We cannot have sessions based on a misunderstanding."

Marion cried on his shoulder for a few minutes. She searched in her purse, digging out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes. "God, this is so hard!"

"It is hard. I'm trying to make sure we don't make it even worse.

"Cathy taught me the value of open communications. I see I must do just that with you. You see, one of the reasons I'm wary with you is I'm never sure if I'm Rob in the session with you, or if I'm John's replacement. This last time at Cathy's you behaved very differently. You were dealing with me and the session went well."

He switched topics. "Did you ever chain John overnight?"

She answered slowly. "Yes, three or four times."

"I had been wondering if it was Rob or John you chained to the heat pipe. How did it end when John was chained?"

"He begged me for release within a half hour. Made all kinds of promises, how he would do something for me, how he would allow me to go past an agreed limit in a session as soon as he was released. By the time he'd been chained for two hours I had a shopping list of things he would agree to do, hanging out laundry wearing only lingerie or taking my golden gift in his mouth. I would extract a promise then release him. For a few days I would remind him of his promise before making him keep it. The tension during the build up was just wonderful."

Rob saw her eyes had brightened, her face much closer to smiling, as she recalled her experiences. He knew he hand to be gentle, but he still had to take her to the next step. "What did you do when your chained submissive angrily demanded release instead?"

Marion's face fell. She look down at her hands. "Rob, it was me. I chained you, I talked Helena out of releasing you. I told her we just had to wait until you were a blubbering wreck and we'd extract promises from you." She shook her head sadly. "I'm so sorry, Rob!"

He patted her knee. "I ask only you learn from your experience."

Marion nodded, wiping her nose again. Rob pulled the car back onto the road. Not long after their stop they reached Bridget's shop. They pulled into the alley behind the shop, arriving to find Bridget in the wide, double door, used for deliveries. The parts from the cross were already wrapped as a few bundles, easily loaded into Rob's car.

As they were getting ready to leave, Bridget grabbed Rob's elbow. "Rob, come to see me Monday next. I want to show you something, but it's to be a surprise for your friends." She gave Marion a mischievous wink. "So please come alone."

Rob pulled his elbow back out of her firm grip. "Can you be trusted?"

"Never!" Bridget's eyes had an impish gleam.

"I'm not at all sure I'll come alone." He doubted time alone with Bridget would be just business. She'd expressed an interest in a session with him the first time they met. Still, he was curious what Bridget had for him to see. He would talk with Helena first, he decided. "I'll let you know before the end of Thursday."

At the breakfast table Wednesday morning Rob told Helena about Bridget's invitation. "Frankly, Bridget's look was predatory. Something is going on, she makes me uncomfortable."

Marion poured a cup of coffee and sat to join joined them. "Bridget is a friend. She's naturally curious about a man who managed to gather four women around him."

"I didn't gather any women, Helena did."

"Oh no." Helena shook her head. "If it weren't for you, I'm absolutely certain Cathy wouldn't be planning to live with us. And I'm pretty sure about Marion, too!"

"Then I was the enticement. I've done nothing to invite these women."

Marion spoke cautiously. "I think you're right Helena, I love you and I care for you, but if Rob hadn't come back, I'd likely be living on my own again".

"There, you see Rob?" Helena grinned, "You are the heart-breaker. You are the only man Kim wants near her. But what do I know, I'm just your wife-to-be."

Rob looked down and didn't answer. He thought it better to keep his mouth shut. It occurred to him the best thing for him in the future was to avoid arguing with them. Four against one, he would never be in the right.

He wanted to clear his head. At least he now had a built-in reason to get out and think. "I'm going to take the dogs for a walk. We'll be an hour, perhaps more." He kissed Marion and Helen, then went for his coat as he whistled for Nicky and Inca. On his way out the kitchen door he paused. "To be clear, I haven't yet decided if I'm going to Northampton Monday." It was a pleasant day for October and Rob intended to stay out as long as he and the dogs were willing.

With Rob outside Helena could tell Marion about a phone call that morning from Bridget. "Rob doesn't know, but I'm to be there. I'll come in the back entrance of the shop. I trust Bridget, but for some reason I think she has a trick to play on Rob. She didn't give me many details, but she told me to wear a sexy outfit, a domme outfit."

Marion smiled. "So, she does have a surprise in mind." She paused. "Is this safe for her? You know how Rob can be about surprises. Does she understand what he can be like?"

Helena sighed and nodded her head. "I don't know what Bridget is up to, but she has no idea how Rob can be. I told her to be very, very careful. I'll reminder her when I get the details. I won't let her proceed unless I'm absolutely convinced he can handle whatever she has planned. If not, I'll must tell her no game is to happen."

Marion agreed. "Don't let her drag you into something that might end in another tiff."

"Absolutely, not unless I can predict the consequences. I have a sense, though, of what Bridget has in mind. Rob should enjoy it and I expect Bridget and I to enjoy it as well."

"I think I told you, she was my mentor as I began with John, quite a good teacher. She's quite popular amongst submissives. Not only is she well-respected for her skill, she's known for setting a good tone and managing the pace well. "

Helena had another thought. "How was it with Rob when you went out to Cathy's funhouse? It was just the two of you, alone together. What kind of progress did you make?"

"I could have cried in gratitude. Rob finally surrendered to me, I was able to give him pleasure and pain without making compromises."

Helena sighed and moved back to the subject at hand. "Well, I have no idea what Bridget is up to, but you can be assured it's more game than sales pitch. Nothing to do for it, she has some little event planned. I must find out what it is as soon as possible."

Chapter 37

When Rob arrived at Bridget's shop Monday morning, it looked like it wasn't open. Recalling it looked dark when he'd arrived with Marion, he wasn't put off. He rang the bell at the front door. He could hear Bridget's footsteps almost immediately. She opened the door. "Welcome Rob, I'm glad you could make it. Come, I have something to show you upstairs."

She led him up the stair to the first floor, then went through the door behind the curtain to the stair up to the second floor, the room with all the S&M gear. At the back of the display room she opened a door, admitting them to another large room holding little.

Immediately Rob recognized the device suspended from the ceiling, it was a frame quite like the one Cathy had in her attic. "I've seen something like this."

"This one's a big larger, and less conventional. I expect your mistresses will be quite satisfied when they have you bound to the frame." He could see Bridget watching him closely for a reaction, he chose not to give her one. "The cuffs are well in from the frame, you cannot touch the frame once you're secured. Here you see footrests on each side. You can see you're already up off the floor when being secured. There are harnesses and support bars for more support when the orientation is changed. The frame is suspended, it can be used to give you a feeling of floating in space, especially when blindfolded. I can tip you face-down or face-up, even upside down. Using a rail on the ceiling, I can even move the frame across the room."

Rob liked what he saw, it would create possibilities to hang someone horizontally or even upside down. "And I imagine you asked me here to try it?" Rob thought he already knew the answer.

"Yes. Anyone who goes into bondage on this frame is in for a unique experience." She pointed to the pulleys. "I can control all the motions here by pulling at ropes. I suggest you spend a bit more for an electric system so you can control all the motion from a switch box."

Rob was looking at the rail, it disappeared behind a heavy drape off to the left. "What's behind the curtain?"

"Just folding tables and chairs. I use this room to host the occasional BDSM party. Mainly I use this room to show unique items like this to my customers in proper style."

She waited for Rob to say more, but he just looked at her. She spoke in a soft voice. "Do you want to do a session with me, Rob, a little bondage, a little S&M? I'm asking again because you intrigue me, you have since we first met. You're not a normal sub, I understand that. I'd like to explore what it means. Rob, there are men who beg me for a session, paying quite a large fee. In this case, it is I, asking you for the privilege."

Rob's expression didn't change as he looked at her. "The short answer is you must have permission from Helena before you even ask me. I will do nothing without Helena's advance knowledge and consent.

"I must tell you, even after Helena my answer is still likely to be no. I don't really know you. If I've learned anything so far, it's to be particularly careful when the mistress is so eager."

This shocked Bridget. "You clearly don't know how to respect a mistress."

"No, I do not." He gave her a dark look. "You've heard what happened to Iris?"

"Yes, some madman gave her a beating and she disappeared from the scene." Suddenly Bridget seemed to realize something. She took a step back from Rob. "It was you? Why?"

"People who mistreat me come to regret their actions, sooner or later."

"I don't think I want to do a session with you!"

"Let's agree on no session, then."

"Tell me, I'm curious. What does it take to have a session you would like?"

"Don't surprise me with things we didn't discuss. Heed my safeword. Understand my limits and keep with them. I can go to a certain point but I can't take someone trying to move beyond my limits."

Bridget looked surprised. "I don't understand. A good Mistress will never do things which haven't been discussed in advance."

"I've met women who seem to think limits are simply a challenge, something to overcome. The limits I made plain weren't honored.

"Then there was Iris, willing to kidnap me and beat me just to please an audience. When I got my strength back, I gave back to her what she did to me." He gave her a cold smile. "I don't control my anger well after an unpleasant surprise."

Bridget sighed. "Rob, your point is quite clear. Let's keep our relationship professional. Today I'm a saleswoman, I'd like you to try this device, considering buying it."

"You understand it's not my money. It's not entirely my decision."

"So, Rob, let's test it properly. I dressed for the occasion, especially for your benefit." She reached for the knot on her wrap dress and it fell to the floor. She wore a leather corset with attached suspenders clipped to stockings, open breasted. Her breasts were full and heavy. She wore no knickers. Rob liked what he saw, under different circumstances it would have made him horny.

He knew he couldn't let her influence him. "Bridget, your change of clothing only serves to convince me you won't secure me to this frame without someone else here. Get dressed."

Quickly recovering from her surprise, she took a step toward him in challenge. "You will undress. Now!"

"You overestimate my interest in Helena's new playroom. Good day." He turned to go.

She immediately called him back. "Wait!" By the time he turned around, she was putting her dress back on. "Help me with the belt?"

He tied the belt for her, resisting the urge to tie a knot difficult to untie.

Bridget chose to be more business-like but pursued her plan. "Test the fit, please?" She paused for a signal he was willing. "You know you must undress, Rob. It's the only way to experience it."

Rob knew she was right and slowly began to undress. He saw there was a chair standing in just the right place to receive his clothes, taking it as evidence she had planned fully. It was more embarrassing than usual, he barely knew her. Expecting something like this was to happen, he'd worn stockings and a suspender belt under his trousers as he did quite often. This earned an "ah!" when it was revealed to Bridget.

Bridget saw he was getting hard and gave him a grin. "I see I have some influence on you."

Rob blushed. "I admit you know how to gain my attention. But this context isn't right."

"Rob, you make me hot. Maybe it's the way you respond to me, defiant, even hostile. You're off limits to me, you even scare me." Her hand passed down the front of her skirt. "My body is betraying me, it's exciting to deal with you."

She stepped right up to him, both hands enveloping his dick, stroking. Despite the immediate response evident to her fingers, Rob pushed her hands away. "You must stop. What you want requires Helena's permission first. Only then you can speak to me."

With a sigh Bridget stepped back. "I understand. One day I shall have her permission. Then I shall have you."

This agitated Rob. "I am not a toy to pass around! It isn't Helena's choice, it is mine. If you don't have my consent, then you don't have me. Helena can say no, I'll always follow her word. However, Helena cannot say yes; don't let Helena tell you otherwise. She can only tell me she doesn't object.

"I thought a woman had to fall in love first before they would fuck someone. Isn't that why it's called making love?"

"I'm just very attracted to you. Maybe it's because you seem vulnerable in your woman's clothes, yet still male."

"Maybe it's because you're like those Mistresses who see an independent spirit. You feel challenged to try to dominate that person, one way or another, just another notch on the handle of their paddle."

Bridget just smiled in response to his harsh words. "Could be. After all, you've been conquered by three mistresses so far, Marion, Helena and Cathy. Perhaps you aren't as independent as you say you are."

"Your count is in error." Rob was ready to leave, he stepped back toward the chair with his clothes.

"Please, correct my thinking. I do want to understand." Bridget was not put off.

"Before calling me conquered, you should ask Marion how I took her attempt at conquest. I play when I'm in the mood, which is less often than you imagine. This is just a little kink, it isn't my lifestyle. Any so-called mistress who thinks me a conquest, thinks she has a lasting impact, does not understand me at all."

"I can take it or leave it alone, said the drunk."

"What drunk can go weeks, months, without his next time?"

"Fair enough. Look, let's get to business. Would you please step here." Bridget pointed at the footrest.

Rob did as she asked and Bridget cuffed his wrists, but not very tightly. "In a few moments I'll really secure you, this is just for the length adjustment."

She directed Rob to raise his arms. Stepping up on a stool, she attached the cuffs to ropes and pulled, stretching his arms as wide as possible and above his head, tying them off. She repeated with his ankles. Rob recognized the style of belt she lifted next, rings stitched onto it. She snugging it around his waist. Ropes went to the rings, then to the frame. Finally two large cuffs went around his thighs; ropes on each cuff went both left and right and tied to the frame. Rob tested his bindings, he was hardly able to move at this point.

"Rob, if you get a cramp or you think your blood isn't flowing right, tell me, please. I imagine you understand."

"I will. I'm good so far." Rob knew he was entirely helpless. He was thinking about how he had surrendered himself completely into her control, but physically he was fine.

She stepped up on the stool, this time before him. "I'm going to add one more thing. It could make you uneasy, but it's all part of the demonstration. I want to give you a complete demonstration of what can be done. Close your eyes, please." After checking Rob had followed her command, she fastened a blindfold very tightly around his eyes. Rob couldn't see a thing, he tried to open his eyes, but with her years of experience Bridget knew how to blindfold somebody. He gave up trying to see; he decided he had no choice but to settle in and experience her demonstration.

Rob felt he was being lifted. It was silent, it must have been easy for Bridget to pull on the ropes. For an instant he had the sensation he was falling. He almost called out for a stop, but decided she was trying to spook him into doing just that. Rob heard the sound of the curtain sliding aside and felt he was moving. He didn't know it was Helena moving the curtain, nor that she had been there, behind the curtain, the entire time.

Chapter 38

Rob felt himself tilted to a face-up position, none of his weight on his feet. He was moved, more slowly. There were a few quiet clunks.

Then he felt the soft satin sheets in his back. Rob was now lying on a bed, still in bondage and unable to move.

"How did you like your little trip?" Bridget stayed near the bed as Helena silently climbed on the bed and started to stroke Rob's cock.

Thinking he was alone with her, Rob assumed it was Bridget caressing his now throbbing cock. "Hey! Don't do that, Bridget! You must not; I promised Helena. Phone her, ask for her permission. Don't do this to me." Still again he was being shown he needed the ability to decide for himself when he got an erection.

Helena slipped over his hips and settled, guiding him into her. She started to ride him.

"No, no, Bridget, you can't do that. I must keep my promise!" Rob was getting angry, but the stimulation and the situation were difficult to ignore.

A second person climbed on the bed, legs on either side of his head, thighs holding his head firmly.

"Who is this, what are you doing to me?" His words were stopped by a wet cunt pressing over his mouth. He quickly decided to try to avoid giving her pleasure. A hand removed the blindfold and he looked at the laughing face of Bridget, holding his face between her thighs. Apparently she had taken her dress back off as soon as he was blindfolded.

Someone else, then, was fucking him. Rob tried to look, but Bridget had full control over his head. The mystery didn't last; soon enough he recognized the sounds of Helena taking pleasure.

Relieved, he now did his best to give Bridget pleasure. Obviously Helena and Bridget had planned this little trick. At this point he had little choice but to play along. He began to flick his tongue back and forth. His mouth added gentle suction. Bridget couldn't hold back, she came quickly, quivering and groaning. She said something but with his ears between her thighs he couldn't hear her. Based on her movements he could tell her climax was strong and lasted a long time. Helena also had climaxed with a wave of ecstasy. As Rob came he forgot to lick Bridget but she made clear to him by pulling his hair he had to continue for her. At the end he had no more energy left and both women climbed off of him and started releasing him.

Freed, Rob felt stiff and tired. He looked at the frame fitting exactly over the bed posts, keeping it secure in place. It was very original, but also practical with many possibilities.

"So this is was what you wanted to demonstrate, the frame I knew from having been on Cathy's but the matching bed is a combination has many possibilities." He could see it was quite well made. "You really fooled me, as if it were you who fucking me, Bridget. There as nothing I could have done to stop you."

Bridget gave him a respectful look. "I appreciate your loyalty to Helena, it's less common than you think." She turned to Helena. "He's a sweet fellow. I expect you're proud of him."

"I know." Helena put her arm around Rob's shoulder, kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Rob. I'm sorry we played this little trick on you. You did try to refuse Bridget but with this setup you couldn't resist anyway. You had no way to anticipate you'd be lying on a bed at the end of the trip." She laughed and kissed him again.

Rob recognized the demonstration had shown him how he could be compromised. "You know I don't like your tricks."

Bridget wanted to make sure the fault lay with her. "Rob, this was my idea. My first idea was to fuck you myself, but I'd already heard you make plain where you stood and I respect that. I asked Helena to help me do the next best thing, make you think I was fucking you. I hope you don't mind."

Rob realized no harm had been done. Bridget had listened to his concerns and respected his limits, even while making him believe otherwise. "Sure, I won't complain. You really did fool me. I had no idea it was you, Helena, until I could hear you."

"What do you think Rob?" Helena asked, taking his hand. "Do you think we can use it?"

"I think the combination is great. When you're tied to the frame, you don't know what will happen, too many options. You may end up in bed or it may just be a flogger. I like the idea, yes. Can we order the two together, Bridget?"

"I thought you would like it. I can order a set like this for you, it would take a few months to be ready. If you wish, I can send this to you and order another for the store."

Rob turned to Helena. "Does anything else come to mind, since we're here?"

"What about a bench, instead of over my lap we strap you down on the bench to be spanked."

He remembered the bench in Marion's basement. "Mm. Another vicious device, I don't know. I think I'm more vanilla than you ladies are."

Bridget snorted at his apparent fear. "Don't be a sissy, Rob! There isn't much difference, on Helena's lap you can feel the same pain, you don't mind her hand."

"I am not a sissy!" Rob took a step toward her, agitated. "Anyone who uses that word with me will have a big problem." His words ended in a growl. Even wearing only stockings and suspender belt, he was suddenly intimidating, not submissive at all.

Bridget tried to defuse the situation. "What a temper you have! I didn't mean it seriously, just making a point. I used the wrong word, I apologize. I think I couldn't possibly be your Mistress."

"Do you think I'm bothered by that? I'm wishing for fewer, not more." In the moment, he didn't care what Helena might hear him say.

"Don't count on it, I like coloring your bum far too much." Helena gave him a wicked smile. "I find the role of Mistress quite satisfying. Plenty of men would love to stand in your shoes Rob.

"Or should I say pumps?" Helena mocked him. Bridget laughed at her words.

Rob turned his back and stepped away without speaking. Quickly and efficiently he dressed himself. With a cold look he looked at Bridget as if he saw her for the first time. He slowly let his eyes gaze over her outfit, deciding on deliberately offensive words. "Mistress. Hah! In your dreams. Bitch, more like." He gave Helena a cold look, she was clearly shocked at what he'd said.

Leaving the room, down the stair, and Rob was quickly letting himself out of the building. Helena had traveled to the store on her own, she could see to her own return. Every time it was the same old song and he was pretty much fed up with it. They conspired to make him look quite the fool. This time he responded with the same disrespect they had shown him.

Bridget looked to Helena. "What just happened?"

"I think it's because you used the word sissy."

Bridget looked confused. "He's anything but a sissy!"

"I know, I know. With Cathy's help, we've learned he's oversensitive about the word."

Rob had just finished the discussions with the builder when Helena arrived at her estate. He went outside to meet her as she stomped across the gravel of the car park. She looked very angry; her skirt flowed and revealed flashes of her lovely legs, but she wasn't here to seduce him.

"Why did you leave us like that? Wasn't it fun? We planned a nice surprise. It was innocent enough. Yes, you were the victim of our joke, but I wouldn't really call you a victim of anything. You went completely beyond the pale. You really offended Bridget and I insist you apologize to her!" Helena's nostrils flared, her mouth had a grim line and her eyes shot fire. It struck Rob that she was beautiful in this state.

She was also re-kindling his anger over the scene he'd just left. Helena saw his face grow angry, then subside as he took a deep breath before speaking. "She had fun at my expense. I owe her nothing. I'm sure you bought some rubbish from her and she made her profit. Likely I made her day." He had to stop, get his anger back down under control. "Do not think I will ever again entertain her." He'd intended to stay cool, but it wasn't working. He wanted to get away from her before he might say things he would regret.

He paused, his mind flooding with angry things he would not say before continuing more calmly. "Let me tell you this, this is the last time someone takes my dick for their own use. I'm going to find out how to just stop getting hard every time. And next time someone I don't know sits on my face, I'm not going to lick, I'm going to bite. I should have done it today.

"The two things I say to you most often are consent in advance and only in the playroom. The third thing I say frequently is no surprises. This morning you surprised me with something, outside the playroom and without my consent. In fact you heard me telling you to stop." He leaned close to her, his voice quiet but full of emotion. "If you want my trust, support me when I am trying to stop a situation like that."

He called his dogs and went to his car.

Helena went to Marion's house, describing the mornings events. "He thinks Bridget made him a fool. She was there as a Mistress, you understand. Despite this, Rob took pains to offend her. She was disturbed by the experience, nobody she considers a submissive has ever treated her like that before."

"Helena, I don't think Bridget is the only person he thinks made a fool of him."

"I know, I know. I was there, I was involved so I am also to blame. He said as much."

"Did he say you should come to his defense when he wants out of a scene?"

"How did you know?"

"He said that's how I could earn his trust back." Marion felt the need to say something in Rob's defense. "I did warn Bridget, don't make a mistake with him. I said he had limits and a short fuse."

"It was pretty innocent."

Marion looked thoughtful. "I wonder if having three Mistresses scares him. I think I'd be scared. No vanilla women close to him. So many of us, around him constantly, seeing everything he does, every day, contriving punishments to deal out. For all he knows we compare notes and conspire against him. Experiences like this morning would reinforce any fear. I'm afraid we haven't heard the last of this, Helena! He's much better a controlling his temper, but he still gets angry over things that surprise us."

Chapter 39

Helena and Marion went to Cathy's house to discuss Rob's reaction to Bridget's little prank. Once again, Cathy was angry with Helena. "How many times must I tell you, don't just start something with him! When he isn't in the mood for games you must get him in the mood, not just start your scenario. It isn't as though he doesn't tell you. Helena, I thought you were smarter than that. The moment Bridget invited him, you should have intervened.

"Marion, you share in the blame as well. You were there when she invited him, you read her intentions, but you did nothing to keep this mess from happening. You should have simply said it would not be possible. I am so bloody tired of telling him to start trusting when the two of you keep betraying his trust. Now, you're starting all over again, no, worse: you're starting from a deficit."

Helena was getting tears in her eyes. "But it was harmless!"

"If it was any other man I might agree, but not with his history. You know his rules about that, Helena, you agreed to his terms! We were just on our way to bring him back, I thought his session with Marion at my place really boosted his trust, but now..." Cathy sighed, shaking her head in disbelief, the waste and stupidity of it all.

"What now, Cathy?"

"It's obvious we can't invite him here tonight. We can all go to him or I can go alone. It's up to you, Helena," Cathy replied. "Aren't you both sleeping in Oxford these days?"

Helena still was sobbing. Her make-up ruined, she looked at Cathy. "Do anything necessary to make him forgive us, ask him to come see the builder again tomorrow so he has time think it over. If he doesn't want us at his place I shall cancel the renovation."

Cathy nodded. "I can live with that." She opened her diary and checked her appointments. "Lucky for all of us my earliest appointment tomorrow is in the afternoon. Perhaps I'll visit Bridget as well. I'd like to tell her what I think of her."

"No, don't make it worse, Rob insulted her as he left, and her dressed as his Mistress."

"Good, that will teach her. Look, this is not surprising, but here's the lesson for all of us. I know Bridget, she's a good mistress with a real submissive. But none of the assumptions one would make about submissives apply to Rob. You got exactly the outcome you should expect every time any mistress just starts a session without talking to him first. That is why you two must be vigilant, keep him out of exactly what you both brought him into this morning.

"Okay, I'm off. With luck, I'll phone you tonight." Saying goodbye, Cathy hugged Helena and Marion. "Cheer up, I'll get this fixed. I must convince him you aren't to blame."

As she drove to Oxford, she wasn't so sure about getting it fixed with Rob. What if he wouldn't let her in?

It was dark by the time she arrived in Oxford. Rob's curtains were closed, soft light showing through gaps. Cathy sighed, climbed the stair to his entry door and pushed the bell. She heard his dogs barking, even before she pushed the bell, they guarded him very well.

The door opened and Rob stood in front of her. His face shifted instantly from neutral to defiant as soon as he saw her. "What do you want?" His tone of voice suggested he was working at keeping from sounding angry.

"I heard something happened to you. I want to hear your view of it. I haven't done anything to upset you. You can at least speak to me."

Reluctantly, Rob opened the door and stepped back to admit her.

"Do you want something to drink?" Courtesy won over his anger.

"I'd love an Irish coffee." Cathy was pleased with this opening.

Rob knew she was strict about driving after drinking. "Then you intend to stay the night with me?"

"If you allow me to." Cathy tried a mischievous line. "I didn't bring any clothing, but I'm sure you have something for me to wear."

Rob looked at her for a few seconds before answering. "That won't be a problem. But are you willing to stay? I'm not going to be good company."

"Come on dear; don't be so harsh with one of your lovers. I heard what you went through. Helena simply misjudged the situation."

"I disagree. She knew what Bridget wanted to do, they both enjoyed their little joke. I was reduced to just a sex toy again. Why is everybody so determined to make a fool out of me? These days, especially, I'm getting further away from the right mood and they pile on even more in response. Helena should see that. She should have known better, yes, but her response at the end was to mock me about it!" Rob went to the kitchen to make the Irish coffee.

When he came back, two mugs in hand, Cathy had made herself comfortable on the couch. She stretched out her legs, emphasizing the shoes she was wearing. Rob could see some white lace from her slip. Her pencil skirt was riding up a bit, something he suspected she had done on purpose. She of all women knew how he liked seeing a bit of lingerie. Today, however, he was not in a state for her mind games to have any effect.

In the kitchen, he'd decided what to say. "Just to be clear, you can't deliver an apology from Helena. An apology is only convincing when she is looking me in the eye. Another thing I've told her quite clearly and, I should add, recently."

Cathy saw the mixed emotions on his face. "Rob, please try to set the whole thing aside. Helena has given you so much. Forgive her. Be glad we still can laugh about things. Sometimes you take it all too seriously. I don't take it very seriously in any case." She gestured to her cup. "Thank you, I need this."

She gave Rob her most innocent smile.

Rob couldn't see she wasn't so sure of herself. She knew only too well what had seemed almost harmless to Helena and Marion had clearly made a bigger impact on Rob. She was a too good a psychiatrist to wave it away, on the contrary she knew just how fine a line she had to walk. With the distraction of her lace slip, she was trying to change his mood, lighten things up. She started just chatting about anything.

Soon they were sipping their coffee and talking as if nothing had happened. Cathy managed to get him to tell his version of the story, pleased he stayed calm as he told her. Part of her method was to laugh when the story was funny, give him sympathy when the story showed he was genuinely wronged. In some places she trusted her instincts on how to respond. He seemed more comfortable with the story, with some distance and a sympathetic listener. She told him he'd handled his anger well in the situation, but admonished him not to over-react to "sissy" when a person who doesn't know him uses it.

"Rob, one thing, I promised Helena to let her know, I don't think she'll sleep tonight if we leave her feeling terrible." Cathy paused, hesitating. "I think she'll be happiest if she can sleep with you tonight."

Rob was feeling more agreeable. "Okay, let her come. Ah - I almost forgot, we're to meet with the builder again tomorrow."

"That is for tomorrow." Cathy dialed Helena on her mobile.

When Marion and Helena joined them, Rob could see Helena had been crying. He greeted the two of them politely, but without warmth, then retreated to the kitchen to make more Irish coffee.

Marion came to him in the kitchen. She kissed him on his cheek. "Count to ten next time. You've given us a terrible day once again."

Rob turned and silently looked at her. Marion grew uncomfortable when his sad expression didn't change. He was unaware Cathy stood in the kitchen door, just behind him. Finally, he broke his silence. "Count to twenty before you decide to play a trick on me. My day was no better than yours. Showing me a fool did not help."

They went back to the living room. Cathy was speaking softly to Helena. They both looked up at him when he served them their drinks.

"Please, Rob, kiss me." Helena's voice was barely a whisper.

Rob sat beside her on the couch, Cathy having risen and moved to a chair to make room. He took Helena in his arms. "Don't put me into a situation like that, especially not with a stranger." He kissed her.

Marion then sat herself on his other side to collect a kiss.

Cathy held out her arms. "Don't I deserve a kiss as well?"

Rob stood up, then gave her a long kiss, then another for Marion, then Helena again. "This evening I'm going to get drunk. Sorry ladies, but I'm not in the mood for fucking." From their reactions he saw they didn't mind. He poured four glasses of whiskey and distributed them.

Rob didn't intend to get drunk. It was a convenient way to tell them he would not be available. Still a form of punishment for them, he thought to himself. It was a way to follow the advice Michelle had just given him.

Chapter 40

Once Cathy thought everyone had relaxed a bit, she caught Helena's eye and the two of them spent a few minutes in the kitchen. When they came back, Helena looked unhappy, Cathy disappointed. The conversation continued. Rob noticed Helena ignoring Cathy making an occasional gesture to her.

After fifteen minutes of inconsequential conversation accompanied by subtle, but dramatic signals, Cathy said, "Helena, I mis-spoke when I first got here, I told Rob I had an apology to deliver from you. I remember, though, he shared his views with you about an effective apology just a month or so ago. Since he hasn't received an apology yet, wouldn't that be a good way to end the evening?"

The shock on Helena's face was unmistakable. She was not accustomed to being put on the spot like this. Sharp words for Cathy formed in her mind, but she quickly saw Cathy was truly telling her the right thing to do. It wasn't Cathy's intent to embarrass her, it was to help recover her relationship with the man she intended to spend her life with.

She turned to Rob. Now her face looked serious, but he had seen her brief flash of anger. "Rob," she said. "I'm -- I'm not good at apologies even when I've prepared carefully. This is quite impromptu." She flashed another look at Cathy. "So I'm just going to say what is in my heart and hope it meets your high standards."

Rob reach out, taking her hand to offer support. Behind her neutral face, Cathy was celebrating his gesture.

"My idea of fun isn't necessarily yours." Helena paused looking him right in the eye for the first time since she began. She held his gaze as she continued. "Rob, your limits are simple, easy to remember and I must say reasonable. The problem is I am not in the habit of thinking about what others want. This is a serious weakness. You have shown me many times how much I hurt others - hurt you - when I think only about myself. It makes me wonder how many people I've hurt who haven't had the courage to tell me, as you have.

"I made a very poor choice today. I can see I've hurt your pride. For that I am sorry. For most submissives it would have been a bit scary, but a happy ending would have made it right. Rob, you aren't like most submissives, you're truly not submissive at all. It was wrong to violate your limits, our little scene was already wrong at the start. For this reason it stayed wrong all the way past the end. We didn't help a bit by ribbing you afterward.

"Rob, I made a mistake, it was entirely my mistake and there is no excuse for the mistake. I was wrong, I - I was just wrong. I am very sorry I let your limits be violated at Bridget's. I regret, deeply regret, agreeing to her plan. I didn't stop and think about what you like and want. 'Sounds like fun,' I thought, and agreed. When you reminded me I'd crossed your limits, I compounded my error by mocking you, hurting your feelings even more, instead of acknowledging you have rights which were not honored.

"Rob, I would like you please to help me, keep reminding me, keep making me think about others instead of myself. I'm an old dog, it will take time and effort to teach me the new trick, but I am determined to make the change. I should be much more successful if you help me.

"You are making me become a better person and for that I am so grateful."

They sat in silence, looking into each other's eyes for the longest time. Marion was nervous for what might come next, Cathy pleased to see their relationship had advanced to the point they communicated with each other without speaking.

Robs hand tightened around Helena's and pulled her closer. He gave her a tender kiss, then another. "Helena, I am sorry I took what should have been a fun little scene too seriously. I too should lighten up."

Marion cleared her throat. "Rob, I must apologize for my role. I know Bridget better than anyone else in our circle, I should have spoken up. I didn't do the one thing you made clear I should do for you, keep you out of this kind of trouble."

Rob held up his hand. "Truth be told, Marion, the expression on your face at the time she first mentioned the idea warned me Bridget was up to something. I should have taken the warning, it was plain to see. I should have replied right then I wouldn't come to her place alone. But she was describing new equipment and I was intrigued by the prospect of surprising Helena. So, no apology is needed, the fault is also mine."

He turned to Helena. "And, my dear, I think you should buy the whole kit, the frame, the electric lift and the bed."

Helena said she would talk to Bridget and settle the details, "as well as apologizing for helping her make trouble for herself, for it is I who owes her an apology."

When they went to bed, Marion and Helena were the first to go. Cathy and Rob continued talking until the dogs got restless.

"You had something for me to wear to bed, you said earlier," Cathy said.

"I must walk Nicky and Inca, their last round," Rob answered, not replying to Cathy's question. Cathy decided to go along for an evening walk and then go to bed as well. Rob took Inca's leash and Cathy took Nicky's. Walking in the cold night air, Rob took Cathy's hand. They felt very close, walking like this and they were regretful when they had to turn to go home.

Once back in the warmth of the living room Cathy turned to him. "So, you don't want make love to me?"

"No, I said I'll be getting drunk." She stopped his words with a kiss, pushing her tongue into his mouth. Rob unbuttoned her blouse, she unzipped and slipped out of her skirt. She was beautiful in her narrow white lace slip and she knew it. Slowly she let her slip fell from her shoulders. It glided down to become a soft pile of lace and satin. Rob unfastened her bra then she dropped her knickers. They quickly stripped him and sat together, naked, on the couch.

"Let me blow you." Cathy bent down. She ran with her tongue along his shaft, feeling his body tremble from lust. She took him into her mouth. He caressed her hair, one hand cupped her accessible breast.

He lifted her head, pulling her up until their mouths met for another long kiss. She swung over his lap, guided him to her entrance and pushed down. In a slow cadence they moved their bodies, holding each other tight and looking in each others' eyes. Rob kissed her and she eagerly responded by pushing in her tongue into his mouth, their tongues in a twirling dance. All this time Cathy rose up and down, taking him from deep in to nearly out. With each downward thrust he felt her enclosing him, warm and tight. He didn't think he'd last much longer but didn't want it to end so quickly. When Cathy rose up again, he guided her off him.

Cathy put her knees on the floor and lay her chest on the couch. He took her from behind, doggy-style. With long, slow thrusts he fucked her, cupping her breasts. Cathy could only moan, her breath ragged. Rob felt her orgasm and he felt the heat in his balls and then ejaculated in a series of spurts. Breathing heavily they both felt relieved, things were okay between them. Rob made himself comfortable on the couch and Cathy lay on top of him, her legs between his legs and her head resting on his chest. His hands softly caressed her back and hair. They resting there, silent, enjoying each other's warm body.

Cathy stirred as she began to feel the chill on her back. "Shall we go to bed?"

"Yes, before we get too cold," Rob replied. They went to an unoccupied bedroom. He stepped into the room were Marion and Helena were already asleep to fetch nightgowns for Cathy and himself.

He was surprised how quickly she fell asleep. He lay awake for some time, thinking about the lows and highs of this strange day.

As usual Rob was the earliest out of bed since he had to walk his dogs. He liked going out early, the only people he saw were those who had to go to their jobs or other dog-owners. He didn't wake Cathy, she still was fast asleep. He had looked in at Marion and Helena, they were also still asleep, Helena with one arm over Marion.

He took the dogs out and started to walk. The cool air cleared his head and when he finished his round with the dogs he went home again. Entering his flat he saw Helena setting the table. They kissed each other.

Marion and Cathy came in to join them at the breakfast table. Cathy's smile showed her very much in love with him, Marion and Helena noticed and protested. "I knew it, you've been fucking! Clever girl, you managed to persuade him?"

"Yes, we women have our little tricks." Cathy gave Rob a wink.

Rob repeated his position on the subject. "One woman I can handle, but three are too much for an old man."

"Pff, old man." Marion pushed back against his claims. "If you haven't been drinking, you manage to have a second hard-on within ten minutes."

"Yes, but a third time takes more time, if you get it at all. I must be well rested, I must have not been drinking and I must be in the mood. It won't work again the next day. Have pity for me, Mistress."

"Now I'm your Mistress? Only when it suits you." Marion made her mock accusation with a broad smile.

"I must go, within a few hours I have my first patient and I have yet to prepare." Cathy kissed them all goodbye. "I'll be here for dinner."

Rob remembered the appointment. "Helena, can you speak with the builder? I think there are but a few questions left to be answered."

"Of course, Rob, it's just a formality. I'm mainly interested in the time it will take to get the work done."

Marion couldn't contain her excitement any longer. "So you did mean it when you just called me your Mistress?"

"I suspect the word means a great deal more to you than it does to me. I said the word because you like to hear me say it. Don't read more into it."

Rob kissed Helena's and Marion's hands in turn. "If you really want to play Mistress with me, we can do that. However - and this applies to both of you." He squeezed Marion's hand much more firmly than Helena's. "Marion, just light S&M, don't push me, no stretching limits, nothing of the sort. You should know by now what will be okay."

Helena and Marion were amazed he finally accepted their dominance of him.

"Listen, I have an important point to make. My flat has no playroom so a game here might take place anywhere. For this reason, it's especially important a game here takes place only when we all agree to play. So no unexpected happenings, no surprises. If I say no, even if I just say I don't feel like it, you may not call me a killjoy."

"What happened Rob? Why are you changing your mind?" Helena's question made Rob wonder if she had listened to what he'd said after, the part he thought more important.

"The last time with Marion, at Cathy's, was good. If what we did there is S&M then I like it, not too much pain and in small doses. Look, I'm making boundaries and I want you both to keep your promises. I give you both my final warning, if you go too far, this is my home and I'll kick you all out. I can accept an accident, but I no longer believe you can pass my limits accidentally. If you want to try something new, talk it over with me before you start. Absolutely no surprises during a session. You must talk with me first so we can decide whether it can be on the S&M menu. And!" He held up a finger to emphasize the point. "Not too much all together!"

"Of course, Rob." Helena heard him that time, her voice was conciliatory. "Marion and I have learned our lesson. No more surprises, never. You can count on us. I do not want to lose you."

Marion joined in. "Neither will I. Don't you dare to leave Helena, because it would feel you were leaving me and I can't handle such a shock. I'd get into a depression again and I don't know what I might do. You have a responsibility towards us."

It seemed to Rob that Marion's response had moved too quickly into scolding him again. He paused before speaking. "Marion, how is this not extortion? No matter what you do, if I leave you because of what you do, I am at fault and you're the innocent victim?" His voice became stern. "Never forget you have a responsibility to me, each of you individually and all of you collectively. I would say the responsibility, should I leave, will be yours far more than mine."

Marion took his face in her hands and kissed him. "So never leave us, dear man of ours. Just forgive our little escapades, you are no saint yourself. We can have a good life together." She turned to Helena. "Don't you agree?"

"Yes. Rob, we all love you very much, why do you treat us so harshly? We make mistakes, we quarrel with you now and then, but that's a poor reason to threaten leaving us. I found you, Rob, I simply won't let you go." Helena stepped beside Marion and kissed him.

Standing there, looking to Marion and Helena in turn, Rob felt they could be his family. Suddenly he felt guilty about using such harsh language. "I'm sorry, in your company I do feel safe. I shouldn't have threatened you like that, that was excessive. I'll give you both another point on the trust tally." The tension broken, they laughed.

Chapter 41

The sound of the key in the lock had Nicky and Inca storming to the door to greet Helena and Marion late in the afternoon. Rob had dinner underway and was sitting on the couch using his computer.

Helena's kissed Rob. "It's really cozy here Rob. Sometimes that big house is useful, but I think, most days, I prefer your flat." She sat in his lap and put her arms around his neck. "I'm glad to be home, with you." She kissed him again.

Marion sat beside Rob. "Don't I get a kiss too?" Rob leaned over to give Marion a tender kiss, Helena still on his lap.

Helena smiled. "We're almost normal people, living like this."

"I agree, let's just live as normal people do, it will keep us healthy and happy." Rob was a little sarcastic. "I have all I want, two loving wives soon enough, two more girlfriends, two dogs. You don't mind, Helena, a second wife? No doubt you'll find more girlfriends for me, too."

Helena looked at him sternly. "I can't decide if I should kiss you or slap you."

Marion's contribution was simple. "Spank him."

Rob moved to safer ground. "I'm ready to cook as soon as Cathy is here. What plans have we for this lovely November weekend?"

Helena looked mischievous. "I hope to do a lot of kinky stuff."

"Like what?"

"Let's go shopping, to the mall. We'll all buy some new clothes, the kinkier, the better. What do you think, Marion?"

"Ha! You needn't ask, you know I love it. Shall we see if Kim can join us? Wouldn't it be fun again, Rob, you and four women. We'll buy you new lingerie, be sure of it. I'm telling you now I plan to tease you. I'll tell the shopkeeper it's for you. If she can handle it, we'll want to see you trying things on in the shop. You can stay at home of course leaving you with no influence over what we buy for you to wear. If I were you, I'd come along."

"That could be fun." Rob blushed, but he was willing. "I wonder how many women buy lingerie for their husbands; maybe more than we realize. In addition to shopping, I'd like to take a long walk, if the weather is warm enough, is that okay with you?"

"If the weather is good, I'll come along," Helena offered.

The dogs ran to the door, they'd heard something suggesting a new arrival. Kim embraced Rob for a kiss then joined the others. Rob handed Kim a whiskey. Cathy arrived a few minutes later and received her glass of whiskey. Now they were complete.

Helena told Kim and Cathy about their plans for the weekend.

Kim was not planning so far in advance. "And tonight?"

"Tonight we rape Rob." Marion was joking, but also gauging his reaction.

"Whatever. You do as you like, but when I am out of steam, I am out of steam. Then you'll only have each other to play with."

He noticed Helena and Cathy in a quiet conversation of their own. He expected they were up to something, he would soon find out.

Kim moved over to sit beside him. "Tonight, are you going to fuck me? Say yes!"

"I expect I can, yes, but it isn't yet clear how my dance card will be filled. You know I have a limited amount of energy." He kissed her, quietly adding his latest thought. "There might be something special being cooked up for tonight." He nodded to Helena, now speaking with Marion. "There they are, thick as thieves, saying things they don't want me to hear. You might want to involve yourself in their little plan." He rose unhurriedly, noting Helena and Marion stopped talking and turned to look at him. "I'll go get dinner ready."

In the kitchen, Helena was quickly beside him. "Rob, be nice to all of us tonight, you wanted to do some kinky games. You can protest if something is happening that you don't like. Still, you can behave. Do you promise?"

"I promise I shall immediately protest if I don't like what's going on. I have no idea what you're up to, but I promise I'll safe-word immediately."

"It isn't an S&M game! I don't agree, you'll have no need for a safe-word tonight. You want kinky too, don't spoil it." She gave him her most alluring smile.

Rob laughed. "Oh, you know I'll fall for that smile!" He had to remind her he had a commitment. "You know I have at least one promise to fulfill."

"Yes, you must fuck Kim. I expect she's been thinking about you all week. I must be mad to allow it! Well, I want you this evening and Marion does too, so be ready for a long night." She repeated her seductive smile.

As Rob cooked, he could hear the women talking and laughing; clearly they were having a good time. He called Nicky and Inca and fed them. They each took a good look at him before tucking in. It seemed they sensed his mood, he was feeling uneasy about these surprises being. What was going to happen? He set the table and called everyone for the meal.

The women talked to each other, Rob felt ignored. Not once during dinner did one of them speak to him. He didn't think what they were doing was an accident, it seemed intentional. He had no intention of giving them the pleasure to see him get angry. Here they go again, he thought. He decided to keep a low profile and let the evening take its course.

When the meal was finished, the four ladies all went back to the living room. Rob cleared away, noticing none of the ladies seemed to give any thought to helping. He realized he had been doing most of the work to host every evening. He brought everything back to the kitchen and did the washing-up. He soon brought a tray to where they were seated and offered them all a cup of coffee. They thanked him, but gave no further attention to him. He didn't pour a cup for himself, instead taking Nicky and Inca out for a walk.

It was quite late, the streets were almost deserted and it was cold, rainy and dark. He didn't like these dark months, the only good thing about the winter months coming on were the sales in the clothing shops, formal dresses, nice lingerie, other appealing clothes.

He decided to walk through the nearby shopping district and do some window-shopping. He noticed a small figure walking behind him. He suddenly turned back. The woman, he could clearly see it was indeed a woman, didn't have the chance to turn. She continued to pass him by, but he spoke to her. "You're here to guard me?"

She gave him a faint smile. "I was told it will upset you to notice me."

Rob shrugged. "You know who I am, then." A little chill nagged at his neck. "It's cold; would you like to have a cup of coffee with me? I could use a bit of warming before going back. What's your name, by the way? No reason to remain strangers."

"Sylvia and yes, some coffee would be quite nice." Her handshake was firm, stronger than some men's handshakes.

Together they walked to a nearby pub and Rob ordered two coffees at the bar. They sat silent for a few moments. She was a dark-haired woman, dressed discreetly in black jeans and a dark-blue pull-over. She had draped her wet black coat on the chair beside her.

"I thought I wasn't being watched any more?"

She shrugged. "I'm here because Helena is here."

Clearly she enjoyed the warmth of this room. She had her hands placed around the warm cup. On an impulse, Rob took his hands from around his cup and covered hers, to warm hers. "I'm sorry I walk with my dogs in weather like this. It's just something a dog owner does, bad weather or good. Usually I like it, but when it's wet and windy, like now, it's tough. But you get used to it."

She looked at him with dark brown eyes; some drops of rain still on her face. "It's all part of the job. Normally I don't mind, but as you say, there are times when it's less pleasant."

"When does your shift end?" Rob asked.

Sylvia smiled, then started to laugh. Clearly she had an inkling of his situation; she'd seen four women arrive this afternoon.

Rob joined her, recognizing his gaffe. "Sorry, I'm just interested in how your team operates."

"We are ten people, sometimes more if the occasion warrants. We keep an eye on Helena as well as whoever she's with, around the clock. We each have six hour shifts. My shift ends at eleven, Neil will take my place."

"What's it like, the overnight shift?"

"Dreadfully boring."

Soon they were talking as if they had known each other for years. Rob learned she was divorced, had no children and had trained at sports schools. For example, she had a black-belt in Jiu Jitsu. After fifteen minutes or so of chatting they parted.

Rob wanted to give her a chance for a break. "I'm going straight back, I won't be out again until the morning, you can relax here in the warmth if you want." He saw she followed him at a discrete distance as he hurried home.

As soon as Rob opened his door, he heard the women giggling. They were all together, two sharing the shower in the enlarged bathroom and two drying themselves. Still cold from walking out in the cold drizzle, Rob decided to join the shower. They paid little attention to him; one after another they left the bathroom. Soon, he was left alone under the hot shower.

He dried with a towel. He shaved; he knew they preferred him with no beard. When he went into the large bedroom he saw Helena and Marion entangled kissing each other. They took no notice of him. He spoke to them, said their names; they didn't respond. When he stepped into the bedroom where Cathy and Kim were kissing and fumbling, they were also too busy to see him.

He was totally ignored, they didn't react when he spoke. He went to the living room and read a book.

Suddenly he understood when Marion had said, they would to rape him. And Helena said it would be kinky, but not S&M. It was not a physical rape, it was a mind-fuck, denying not just sex, practically denying his existence. It was a simple thing to do, yet he felt he'd never in his life been more humiliated. His blood pressure quickly rose at the thought of being treated like this in his own place. They treated him like dirt, that's what the laughter was about, they had planned this, that's why they so quickly disappeared from the bathroom when he entered. They wanted him to have no time with any of them.

His first impulse was the shut off the heat to the entire flat, but he dismissed it as too harsh.

He calmed as he planned how he could respond. If they wanted a mind-fuck he'd pay them back in kind.

Chapter 42

Rob woke to his early alarm with much to prepare. He slipped into his bedroom without waking Helena or Marion, taking from his wardrobe everything required to dress as a maid. He chose the least sexy, most utilitarian uniform he had, even flat shoes. In the pale light of early morning he took the dogs for a walk. As soon as he returned he dressed in the maid uniform. He prepared to make any of several forms of breakfast. He rearranged the table so there were only four chairs and four places set. Then he stood in the kitchen, waiting.

Marion came in first, yawning, wearing a robe over a nightgown. "Good morning, Ma'am, how may I serve you?" Rob asked formally, with a curtsy.

Marion came over to him with a smile and a tried to kiss him. Rob held out his hand before she could get close, fending off her attempt to embrace him. "Please, Ma'am, that would not be appropriate. Would you like tea or coffee? Eggs? Toast?"

Marion decided to play along. "I'll have tea with lemon and toast with jam, please." She seated herself and waited to be served. He surprised her by serving tea, with two slices of lemon on a small plate beside her teacup, in just a few minutes. He counted himself lucky he'd included two lemons in his purchases a few days before.

"Thank you," Marion said.

"My pleasure, Ma'am."

Rob produced the morning newspaper. Marion sipped her tea and started to read.

A few minutes later, Cathy came. Rob greeted her in the same way, complete with curtsy. "Good morning, Ma'am, how may I serve you?" She stopped and gave Rob a long look, trying to decide what he was up to.

"Just go with it," Marion advised.

Cathy took a seat and asked for coffee, a soft-boiled egg and toast. Rob had the water already simmering, he served her coffee from the French press, her egg and toast were served in just a few minutes.

Marion was enjoying it a bit too well. She gave imperious commands. "More tea, please." Rob scurried to serve her.

Kim came in, Rob rushed to hold her chair out for her be seated, avoiding a kiss from her. She asked for tea and scrambled eggs. He curtsied and went to care for her needs.

Helena came in last. She came straight to Rob, but he fended her off by handing her a cup of coffee, guiding her to her seat, asking with another curtsy what she wanted for breakfast.

There had been low murmurs as they breakfasted. Apparently Cathy won the honor, as they finished eating she called out to him. "Rob."

Rob set down what he was cleaning at the sink, turned and made another curtsy. "Yes, Ma'am?"

Cathy rolled her eyes. "Rob, what we did last night was intended to make you angry, another test. Did it make you angry?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

She frowned. "I take it we are witnessing, how did you put it, a man handling his anger in a way that doesn't hurt anyone?"

"Indeed it is, Ma'am."

"For God's sake, are you going to drop this maid game at some point?"

"Yes, Ma'am, at some point. However, you may not like Rob when he reappears." He didn't give her a chance to follow, up, he turned back to the sink and continued washing up. He made sure each lady had her tea or coffee cup refilled, then left the room. Before he was at the door of his bedroom, he heard them talking in low voices.

He dropped the maid uniform on the bed, quickly putting on jeans and a pullover. He fetched the cane he had used on Iris, he brought it with him back to the kitchen, setting it against the wall just outside the door to the kitchen, easy at hand but not where they could see it. He stood in the doorway, waiting until they all had turned to look at him.

"Ladies, did you enjoy being served breakfast by an attentive maid this morning?" They murmured or nodded they had enjoyed the service.

"Did you enjoy me treating you so coldly?"

"No!" Helena said emphatically. "Now come over here and give me a hug and a kiss."

Looking her straight in the eye, he leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms.

"You should obey your mistress at all times!" Marion scolded.

He shifted his gaze to look Marion in the eye silently, his face looked a little sad. Then he addressed the table of women. "Things must change around here. To be precise, four things must change: you four.

"You came to my home, you moved in here to live with me. Within a few hours you showed me two things. First, it appears none of you give much thought to helping with the domestic chores. Second, despite discussing my limits, again, last night you carried out what I consider a scene, without discussing it with me in advance. Not one word was spoken. Cathy, don't interrupt me to tell me it was for my education. No matter what you you intended, what I experienced was a scene. I am simply reporting to you honestly what I experienced and my feelings about my experience.

"Marion, stop telling me I must obey my mistresses. Never again make claims about accepting what they do to me. I have had too much of this bloody mistress crap! I have no mistress, get it through your head! You are girlfriends and I assure you I have for some time been giving thought to how to have fewer girlfriends.

"Helena, don't protest you told me in advance no safe-word would be necessary. I didn't believe you and nothing I experienced changed my thinking. Here is a safe-word for you: Helena, what you did last night was cruel." She didn't react. "I said cruel."

He paused, giving her time to respond. She didn't understand the full meaning of what he had said, it was obvious. Rob had the impression Cathy remembered what the word signals. She was was looking to Helena with concern, but apparently decided against speaking up.

"Helena, that was a test; you have failed. You should remember I recently gave you a new safe-word, 'cruel,' prompted by your cruelty to me before you left on your holidays. Because you have failed to respond according to my conditions, I have no choice but to pursue a more severe response to last night's adventure." He brought his cane out from behind the doorframe, seeing the ladies recognized what he had in his hand. "My response involves this and the number six. But my response will be more than just a caning.

"Ladies, in just a few hours last evening you have made yourselves unwelcome here. I give you all 20 minutes to leave this house. Take your belongings with you. If you want a relationship with me in the future, be here at nine o'clock Saturday morning next. Don't call me before then. In the course of next Saturday, Helena, you'll receive six blows from the cane, each of the others get five. If you don't appear, then you can simply forget me, as I will forget you."

Rob said to the other ladies, "If Helena isn't here Saturday next, then the rest of you have no reason to be here yourselves. Without Helena, none of you matter.

"The caning I shall give you won't be out of love, it won't be for play. I intend to be harsh. I promise you, I intend you will have trouble sitting the next day. If any of you three don't show up, you can simply forget me, I'll have nothing further to do with you. It will be a relief to have fewer women to deal with. The choice is yours: you can have subservience, which comes with cold distance as I demonstrated this morning, or you can have Rob. You must choose, you can't switch back and forth.

"Helena, I raised the idea of a written contract, I recall giving you four pages of suggestions a few weeks ago. We won't sleep together, we'll not play a game, we will have no session, we won't be intimate in any way until the agreement is signed.

"Ladies, if you aren't out in twenty minutes, starting now, I'll throw you out."

Cathy tried to defuse the situation. "One moment, Rob. This is entirely my doing. We had such a good day yesterday, I wanted to do a little test. I thought you could handle it. We were teasing you a bit, it's true. I told Helena and Marion to be together, Kim and I would do the same. I intended there to be no room for you. Instead of getting angry, you just could have joined in what we were doing. You still have much to learn. You require more guidance, likely not from me."

Helena pleaded. "Rob, dear, it was a joke, we wanted to make you horny for today."

"Nineteen minutes," Rob answered. He understood what Cathy had said, he just wasn't interested in giving it thought in that moment. He knew she had organized it. She tested him, fine: he would now test her resolve, what would she do to keep a relationship with him.

"Rob please, you can't do this." Suddenly Marion was very much afraid. "If Helena isn't coming back, I can't come anymore? You know what I've said!" Marion now was in tears.

"Don't hide behind Helena, don't let Cathy take the blame as the organizer. Each of you could have refused to participate. Marion, you said you'd keep me out of these situations. Yesterday, just yesterday, you claimed I had a responsibility to you. I replied by reminding you of the individual and collective responsibility you ladies bear to me.

"Any one of you could have brought us to a different outcome.

"Say what you want, I'm not taking this as you imagined. It was a lesson for me, fine. I am responding with a lesson for you. I am taking the experience exactly as you could have predicted. You might have foreseen how I'd take a prank like this; now you're upset to get what you should have expected. I really don't care anymore, to be honest. I am ready to move on, as you should be. And now, goodbye, outside with you all, take your clothes and leave. Bugger off! Eighteen minutes are left. I'll happily throw you out without your clothes, I'm sure Helena's security people outside will help you."

With nothing further to say, the women rushed off to dress and collect their belongings. None of them dared to look him in the eye as they quickly left his door. He heard their cars start and soon it was silent in the flat.

Rob searched the entire flat, looking for clothes they'd forgotten. He threw everything he found in a plastic bag and placed it outside the door. Taking the dogs for a long walk, he noticed Neil, in his car, was following. After he returned to his place, he loaded the dogs into the car and drove to a flea market he knew of, on the edge of town. There he found exactly what he wanted: three old, rusty spades.

When he returned, it was just getting dark. He dropped the three spades under the stair up to his flat. He noticed the plastic bag was gone. He saw a car parked across the street. He put the dogs into the flat, then he strode towards the driver, carrying one of his spades. He tapped on the window. "Tell Haft to call me!" He turned on his heel and went back to his flat.

By the time he was back inside, his mobile was ringing. It was Michael Haft. "Michael, quite some time ago you made a commitment to me that I wouldn't see your surveillance people. I would prefer you simply take them off, but if you won't do so then at least have the courtesy to not flaunt them at me." Rob disconnected without letting Helena's security manager say a word.

Walking the dogs to the park in the morning, he saw a man he didn't know sitting in a car just up his street. Once he was back in his flat, he called the police to complain there was a strange man sitting in a car on the street. He was pleased to glance out his window fifteen minutes later to see the man, out of his car, speaking with two policemen.

In the afternoon he took the dogs out on a different route and walked past another man in quite a similar car. He stopped to chat with a woman taking groceries out of her car. "Has that guy been there a while? Just seems odd he'd be sitting in his car." He'd planted a seed and he hoped the woman would call the police.

Apparently she had called. An hour later Rob's mobile rang, it was Haft calling. "Rob, seriously, you're going too far. You must let me do my job."

"Actually, Michael, I have no reason to let you do a thing. If you can't just stay away, at least put some effort into staying out of my sight."

Haft apparently chose just the opposite approach. In the evening the surveillance car was parked directly in front of Rob's house. After Rob put the dogs back in his flat, he went back outside, picked up a spade and went to the car.

He rapped on the window. "I told Haft to keep you out of my sight!" he said angrily. The man apologized and said he was just doing his job. Rob walked to the front of the car, lifted his spade and broke out both headlight in rapid succession. He turned his back and walked back to the stair to his door, hoping the man would pursue him.

His mobile range almost immediately, Haft again. "Rob, what you just did is against the law!"

"Report me to the police."

"My man can't even drive the car, it's dark and he has no headlights."

"A shame, isn't it?"

"Can we reach some accommodation here?"

"Of course we can: you stay out of my sight and there will be no issues. Next time it will be a windscreen; I have more spades."

In the morning, Rob felt a bit less angry, about everything. There was a car service repairing the headlights, but there was no one in the car. His dogs were cheerful, they wanted to play, the weather had cleared up and he felt relieved, too. Instead of the park, he drove them over to the wood where he could let them run with more freedom, no one around. In the parking area he saw Michelle's car once again. His anger with the ladies rose again.

After they'd met the first time, he'd thought it was odd a woman would respond so calmly to his tales of BDSM. He had searched for her name on the internet. He wasn't certain but he did find a mistress who looked like her on a local S&M site. He followed up by asking Helena's security organization to check; they confirmed his suspicions: Michelle was an active mistress in the region. He could trust Michelle no more than his four girlfriends.

He walked past the creek and let the dogs go. He heard the voice of a woman calling his name. He glanced over his should and saw Michelle gesturing to him, but didn't slow. When she caught up with him, she was out of breath. "Why didn't you wait for me?"

"I'm not convinced I want to speak with you. I can't set aside the notion our first meeting was not accidental, that you came here because you wanted to meet me. I am becoming more and more suspicious about women who manage to bump into me. Something about you I couldn't put my finger on the last time we met, but then I recalled our conversation. You didn't blink or flinch when I mentioned Mistresses. I think you're in the scene as well. No - I must confess - I know you are!"

It was as if he had hit her, her eyes widened. "So you found out about me?"

"Do you take me for a fool? Helena has a security organization, one of their roles is background checking people. Of course I found out about you. You are the successor to Iris in that S/M club. Don't even think about giving me a spanking or whatever you want to do, I won't stand for it."

"What a temper you have!" She belied her strong words by taking a step back. "I can see now why Iris took an interest in you."

"And, I must add, I've just had still another unpleasant event, in fact two in rapid succession. I followed your advice, I said no. I just threw Helena and her crew out of my flat, all of them." Rob turned and stalked away. He'd heard all he needed. Michelle admitted not only she was a Mistress, but it seemed her interest in him was no different than Iris. He would be fully ready for her - and not in a submissive way at all.