Bound and Freed Boxed Set (22 page)

John stood up then, finally managing to show Kelly his
scars. He had decided that that was the best way to let her know that he had
childhood issues. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Kelly had frowned and become
very quiet. But not for long. John had an internal snicker over that. His
beautiful sub would never be quiet for long.

"Why didn’t you tell anyone, John?" she asked.
"Couldn’t someone, a teacher, or a counselor have helped you?

John sat back down on the bed next to her, and explained
that his father was a dangerous, and manipulative man, as well as a district
judge. If he had
confided to someone, it wouldn't have
solved anything. It would have only created problems for his confidant, or it
may have even gotten them killed. O
nly three people
outside the family knew this family secret, and if anyone found out there would
be terrible repercussions. He admonished her in the strongest degree to tell no
one, and she promised she would keep hush-hush.

"But, John," she said. "I don’t
understand. How did you get away from him?"

He smiled. "When I was thirteen years old I recorded
what he was doing to me. I made copies, and hid them in safe places. Then I
confronted him. I told him that if anything happened to me or my Aunt Brenda, that
recording would go to the police. He used to threaten me all the time that if I
told anyone that he would kill Brenda. It was an effective threat, because she was
the only one who cared about me. I became afraid to talk to anyone. Unless I'm
working a scene, or with you, talking still makes me nervous."

John ran his hand over her hair, loving the color and the
feel of it.

"Then one day at grade school the indomitable little
Kelly came to my rescue. I am so glad that I broke that jerk's arm, and you
went to the school principle. How would I have found you otherwise? You were
like the sun to me, when I was in the dark. God you were a happy child. So
cheerful, so alive, and so beautiful. I was fascinated. I couldn’t keep away
from you. Didn't you think it odd how I used to follow you around and just
watch you whenever possible?"

"Nope," she said. "I kind of thought of
you like a big brother."

John laughed over that. Sitting side by side, he bumped
shoulders with her. "I felt just like someone from the stone-age who had
discovered fire. Being around you warmed my empty, hungry soul."

"Oh, John," she said in a sympathetic tone. "I
had no idea."

Her eyes filled and John studied her for a moment until a
tear began to trail down her cheek. Awed, he touched it with a finger. She had
shed this tear for him.
Will I ever be able to cry,
he wondered?
But
it doesn't really matter now, because Kelly will cry for me.

John put his arm around her, and pulled her close against
him. "I told my father that the recording would be sent if anything
happened to me, too, so my father and I came to an agreement. Basically I out
blackmailed him, and then moved in with my aunt."

"I lived with Aunt Brenda for the first six years of
my life, did I tell you that? My parents would visit me from time to time, when
I was a child, but not often. I didn't understand who they were. They finally
took me 'home' when I was old enough to not be a problem I guess. I cried to be
away from Brenda, the only mother I had known. And then the beatings started
and the threats…," he swallowed and in the silence of the room the sound
seemed loud. "… and the other things," he finished.

He sighed. "You're getting the short version here,
Kelly. There is so much to tell, but the main thing is – my father is still an
extremely dangerous man."

"While I haven't talked to him in years, we are in a
temporary truce. My father has documented things about me, some of it made up –
some of it not so much. His intention was to make people think that I am
mentally unstable. I suppose he anticipated that if my recording came out he
would convince people that it was fabricated. As he is a prominent man of the
community, he could possibly make it stick. So the truce is uneasy, but it
works."

They left the Basement at five a.m. as the cleaners were
coming in at six. John planned to pick Kelly up at her apartment later that
day. Against all his better judgments and objections, she had finally convinced
him.

John was going to have Sunday dinner at Kelly's parent's
home and meet the entire family.

Sunday afternoon, Kelly and John visited her family.

John drove his silver Mercedes sports car into the
circular driveway, with Kelly in the passenger's seat. He knew exactly where her
childhood home was, of course, having walked by it many times as a child on the
way to and from school.

John hated catching the school bus, so walking had been
the best option. 'Do anything in order to keep away from other people' had been
his motto. With the amount of anger and hate he had inside him as a child, the
walking option was safer for him… and safer for them, too.

The weather was clear, damp, and cool, fairly typical for
April. Mt. Hood,
the highest peak in Oregon at over
11,000 feet could be easily seen as he had left his bungalow.
The mountain was only about fifty miles from Portland, covered in snow, and
shining in sunset tinges of pinks and purple in the late afternoon.

The common sardonic saying by Portlander's was, 'If you
can see the mountain, it's going to rain.' That and, 'If you can’t see the
mountain, it's raining already.' John could tell it was most certainly going to
rain later as it often did, particularly during spring.

Kelly patted his arm. "You seem tense," she
said. "Just relax and be yourself. They're going to love you."

John parked near the front of the white, two story
Classic Revival mansion, beside the two tall pillars that stood on either side
of the front door. He switched off his car, and turned toward her.

"I hope we aren't making a mistake, Kelly. I've told
you I'm just not good around people. Isn’t this a little fast?" he asked
again. "Don't you think it is too soon to meet your family?"

"Nope," she said in her naturally positive
manner. "I don't care. We'll work it out, John. You're very important to
me. My family will get used to you, and you'll get used to them, too. We have
to start sometime, and I don’t see any benefit in waiting. What for? 'Don’t put
off until tomorrow' and all that. It'll work out."

"You aren't going to tell them we're engaged, right?"

She laughed. "No, that would be a little too much. I
don’t want to scare them to death, but I do want to show them my ring."

Kelly held out her right hand, and
smiled happily at the daisy ring that she wore next to her little finger. At
great expense, John had designed that ring, and had the jeweler make it and
deliver it within five days.
Pink sapphires and diamonds
were set in gold, all resulting in a graceful, circular bouquet of pink and
white daisies. John couldn't have expected a better reaction to his gift.

An unfamiliar array of emotion washed
over him whenever Kelly admired that ring; pride, joy, and pleasure at her
obvious delight. It was particularly pleasing because
he
had made her
happy.

I always want her to be
happy,
John thought. Kelly was a naturally cheerful
sort of soul anyway, so making her even happier was the easiest thing in the
world.

John felt that familiar tightening sensation in his
chest, which he was beginning to associate with his heart. It seemed that as
André Chevalier had assured him, John did have a heart after all. Being with
Kelly had allowed him to discover it. Right now his heart was coming to life,
and it was unreservedly centered on her.

"Find someone, John," André Chevalier had said,
"and love them so hard that it hurts." Well, John had done just that.
Thinking of Kelly and seeing her happy caused that clearly recognizable and
exquisitely painful ache in his chest.

"I'm really glad you like that ring, Kelly," he
said. "And I'm pleased that you don’t intend to tell them we're engaged.
You need to know me much better before you decide to become engaged to me
anyway."

When Kelly tried to interrupt, John said, "No,
listen to me. It's just like jumping to conclusions about that file, Kelly. You
don’t have sufficient information. You don’t know me well enough. I understand
that we feel the same right now - we equally want to spend every minute
together. We are both crazy in love, but that may wear off, Kelly. Not in my
case - never in my case, but it might in yours."

Kelly was glowering, and she looked so insulted and
mutinous that John wanted to laugh.

John had laughed and smiled more with Kelly than he had
in his entire life. She was such an angry, furry, soft little kitten sometimes.
Yet she still seemed, so often, to get her own way. He hid a smile and thought,
except in bed.
By God he was in charge of her there, and didn’t she just
love being ordered around and utterly dominated during sex?

Yet there was nothing John wouldn’t do for Kelly Flynn.

For a start, he really hadn’t wanted to come to this
family dinner, and somehow here he was. How had Kelly done it? Manipulating him
into doing something he so completely hated even the idea of? He would have to
be careful or she would Top him like Donna often seemed to Top Colin – when
they weren't having sex anyway. Colin dominated Donna completely during a
scene, but outside of the bedroom? Not so much.

John sighed. "Living with me, and being with me
Kelly…." He took the keys out of his car and popped them in the pocket of
his black leather jacket. "Well, the reality may be harder than you could
have ever expected. My beautiful girl," he said touching her face with the
tips of his fingers. "Don't get trapped by me, Kelly, not until you know
what you're getting into."

"Okay, John," she said unhappily.

John just stared at her. She was so, so, pretty, with
that long orange hair that he loved to fist with both hands. A vision of her on
her knees came to him, a memory of her beautiful mouth wrapped around his cock.
John was stiff right now, but he was used to that. His mindless cock was often
hard. But now at least the damn thing had good reason. Who wouldn't find Kelly
the most gorgeous girl ever? But she was a little annoyed with him, and she
looked so damn cute, especially when provoked.

Feeling an urgent need to make her understand, and to
make her smile John leaned over, cupped her face, and gave her a light kiss on
the lips.

"You're the best person in the whole world, Kelly
Flynn. If you do end up staying with me I swear that I'll spend my entire life
just trying to be worthy of you."

At that, Kelly's demeanor changed. John was pleased to
see that yielding, soft, absolutely female smile back on her face – not to
mention the heartfelt devotion in her eyes. Why did she care for him? John
still didn’t understand it.

His chest tightened, and it hurt once again.

It was that sweet yet terrible ache of painful pleasure,
just from witnessing Kelly's heartfelt expression of love.

Kelly's mind was echoing with John's words,
You're the
best person in the whole world, Kelly Flynn. If you do end up staying with me I
swear that I'll spend my entire life just trying to be worthy of you.

Wow. John Taylor took her breath away.

They both walked inside, and for once her mother wasn't
nearby. John shrugged off his jacket and helped Kelly with her coat, and Kelly
put them in the closet. Kelly checked her watch, knowing everyone would have
already sat down.

Decisions, decisions: To be late, which would annoy her
mother? Or to make John suffer pre-dinner chats? Kelly had decided to be late,
because John could settle down and become comfortable over dinner when everyone
was eating.

Kelly had seen her mother's face peeking out the window
as they drove in, no doubt checking out John's car. Mom would have decided that
John might be okay if he could afford a Mercedes.

Dressed in a simple yet elegant green sheath dress with
high heels and with an orange and yellow scarf decorously hiding the hickies around
her neck, Kelly led John into the dining room, holding his hand.

"Hey everyone, sorry we're late," she said,
offering no explanation.

The formal dining room was designed in a traditional
style, decorated in olive and white with a sparkling chandelier over the table.
Rich dark wood floors covered the area, broken up by a white carpet square. On
the carpet sat a solid oak dining table with carved legs and matching white
seating.

Another leaf had been put into the dining room table, and
two chairs were empty. Kelly hid a cringe. She and John were placed directly
across from her mother. Kelly had John sit down next to Richard, because her
brother would be nice to him in any case. Her father was between Richard and
her mom, at the head of the table. The rest of the family, Maria, Katrina and
Jamie, were seated in their normal spots.

Richard stood up and Kelly was pleased to see how warmly
he shook John's hand.

"Nice to see you again, John," he said.
"I'm so glad you were there to help Kelly in that elevator. I hate to
think of what would have happened if you weren't there."

"What elevator?" Kelly's mom asked.

"Just a minute, mom, let me introduce John to
everyone," Kelly interrupted still standing up. "Everyone, this is my
boyfriend, John, and you all have to be really nice to him or I swear to God I
won’t speak to any of you ever again."

The family laughed, and introductions were made, with
some good-natured teasing of Kelly. She sat down, hiding her physical
discomfort. Jesus, John gave a great spanking, but her backside was a little
sore – both inside and out. She glanced over at John, to give him raised
eyebrows and a sardonic expression about her sore butt, hoping to make him
laugh, but for once he wasn't noticing her.

John was looking extremely uncomfortable. Kelly supposed
it didn’t really show to anyone else but her. To everyone else, he just looked
remote, impassive, and ridiculously handsome.

Shit, he was amazingly hot in that crisp white, open
necked Egyptian cotton shirt, with his charcoal colored Armani trousers and
dark Berluti shoes. John had told her André Chevalier had gone shopping with
him, and taught him how to enjoy quality clothes. There was no doubt about it –
John was a fast learner. In everything apparently, except on how to deal with
his anxiety over social situations.

Kelly observed her mom sizing John up: Expensive car,
expensive clothes, and that
TAG Heuer watch. Kelly had
spent some time dressing John, making him look rich, but not snobby, or like a
yuppie douche. It was an art, but she had managed it. Dressing John up had been
as arousing as watching him undress, so they of course enjoyed lots of sex
during the extremely erotic and pleasant interlude.

Kelly's mind flashed back and the memory of John's touch
rippled through her.

They honestly had no time for sex, because they had to
get ready to go to the family dinner. Yet John still managed to bind her hands,
put her over his knees and give her a savage, mind-blowing, and erotic
spanking. He hadn't let her climax and Kelly had wondered if anyone had ever
died from not climaxing. It had been a serious question, because she wasn't
sure if she could survive being on the knife edge of orgasm for as long as she
had been.

Unfortunately, John liked her there.

After that he had tied her up with his expensive neck
ties, naked, spread-eagled on her stomach, to his four post bed. John had
wanted to fuck her ass for the first time. Utterly submissive to John's wishes,
frantic and desperate to climax, Kelly was up for anything.

"Do you think we have both gone a bit crazy,
John?" she had asked him once she was at his mercy once more, his willing
sex slave. "I mean, here we are having sex, when honestly, we should be
getting ready and going off to Sunday dinner. You know I'm crazy in love with
you. And I've heard that love is supposed to make you do irrational things."

Sitting beside her, John had been running his hand along
her heated, tender buttocks, making admiring comments about his red handprints,
nibbling, licking and kissing. John's hands were an odd combination of rough
and gentle, as he pinched and squeezed and caressed. Jeez, he really liked her
ass.

"Ah, my beautiful girl," he had murmured with
his mouth against her skin, "You're a fairly rational woman – as far as
women go," he had replied calmly.

Kelly had given him an indignant gasp, and then giggled.
"Was that a joke? That was a joke, right? I'd hit you if I weren't tied
up," she threatened.

"Why do you think I tied you?" he had replied
with a smirk.

Jesus, Kelly loved it when John was playful.
In
the end, John had gotten her so worked up, and Kelly had been so horny she
couldn't see straight.
The massive vaginal,
clitoral and anal orgasm he had given her had blown her mind. Wow. Just fucking
wow.

Finding the right clothes and getting all dressed up had
taken two hours. Kelly felt her body heat with the thought. God damn but the
man was soooo sexy, and amazing in bed. For the first time she had experienced anal
sex and it had been fantastic. John was the ultimate lover, aware of
everything. The man knew exactly how to turn her on, and keep her turned on, no
matter what he did to her.

What a distraction. John Taylor rocked her world. And
being in love was the most wonderful experience. Kelly couldn’t possibly be any
happier than she was right now. If John could learn how to deal with her
family, everything would be perfect.

They sat down and dinner was served. Kelly knew her
mother had gone all out, bringing in a cook and servant for the special
occasion. Kelly never brought boyfriends home. She had dated plenty, but there
was never that click of real possibility with anyone. Today, Kelly had called
and told her dad that she felt John was 'the one' for her. Dad would certainly
have passed that tidbit on.

It was a big pork dinner, with applesauce, and baked
vegetables. Once everyone was served and eating, the inquisition began.

"Well, John, I understand from our son, Richard,
that you both went to school together until year eight?"

"Yes."

Kelly watched as her mother waited a beat, but when no further
information was forthcoming her mother said, "And your father is the
Honorable Frank Taylor, a district court judge?"

"Yes."

Another pause, and again John remained silent. "And
he and your mother live up on Hillside Crescent?" her mom asked.

"Yes."

Kelly's mother seemed to have accepted John's
closed-mouth reserve. There was no gap now as she continued to ply him with
questions. "What does your mother do?"

"We are estranged. I haven't seen either parent
since I was thirteen years old."

"Oh." Kelly could see the wheels turning in her
mother's mind as she decided whether or not to pursue
that
ticklish
question. Eventually her mother said, "So how did you and Kelly
meet?"

"Marguerite, let the man eat," Kelly's father
said.

Kelly noticed that John wasn't eating, but he was making
a show of appearing to. Jesus he was nervous, or at least he certainly wasn't
acting himself.

Kelly decided to take some of the heat. She began a
fictitious story of how they met, explaining that they had run into each other
across the road from the Plaza. That was one of the places she did her Speed
Dating job. John had recognized Kelly from grade school, when she had accidentally
dropped her keys and he had picked them up.

Kelly had quite an imagination and could really tell a
story, so she embellished and carried on for some time. Then she explained how
they had been trapped in an elevator together, and her Dad in particular warmed
to him for 'saving my little girl's life.'

"What work do you do, John?" Kelly's mother
persisted with her examination.

"I'm a student. I've finished a psychology degree,
and am now studying t
he philosophy of religion
and ethics."

"But how do you support yourself?"

"I invented a phone app when I was seventeen. It
made me rich." This little nugget was a momentary conversation stopper.

"What app?" Maria asked.

"Violent Vipers."

"Seriously?" Jamie said. "That's my
favorite!"

This was all news to Kelly, and she smiled at John. So.
That is how he was able to get the financing to start the Basement. Kelly was
studying John closely and noticed that he was looking rather grey, or green.
Holy shit. What was wrong with him?

Kelly jumped to her feet, because there was no question
in her mind.

John was going to faint.