Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

LIZZIE

T onight, Richard was hosting a masquerade ball in my honor. Well, not so much in my honor as with me as the centerpiece. He said I hadn't earned the right to enter on his arm once more as his girlfriend yet, so instead I would be displayed in my cage as his pet.

I think that's what I wanted… to be his girlfriend again… but I wasn't really sure.

For the past week I hadn't been able to think clearly. Everything was becoming a blur. I'd been kept mostly in my cage with no access to a phone. I wasn't even really sure what day it was anymore. It was as if nothing existed for me but Richard. School, my flat in London, the play, even Jane seemed like a distant memory.

My life now was a spinning top; a swirl of colors, spinning faster and faster. One color for pain. One color for love, another for desire. Faster and faster it spun. There was no time to think, only to feel the sickening rush of the spinning top.

Each day Richard punished me to show me how much he loved me.

Each day he reminded me that his protection and his rules were what kept me safe and should make me feel adored and desired.

Round and round went the top. Spinning ever faster.

Every day a little death.

Wrapping my arms around myself, I remembered back to that first day in my cage. After we bathed together, I thought Richard had forgiven me. Like the time in the garden or in the restaurant, this was just an elaborate sex thrill game and he would move on.

I was badly mistaken.

Once he had gently dried us both off, his gaze became hard and uncompromising. It was as if something had triggered him again. As if he had allowed himself to briefly forget I had lied to him and once more that memory crashed down on him.

Grabbing me by the arm, he dragged me back to the cage and locked me in there completely naked. It felt like hours before he returned. Opening the cage door, he tossed in another brightly colored form-fitting body suit before stepping inside. Grateful, I quickly scrambled into it, realizing that unlike the sheer gold netting covering my breasts and bottom of the costume before, this one was completely cut out, ending just below my breasts and having a large cutout that began at my upper inner thighs and stretched back over my ass.

Even with the cage's high dome and wide base, it was nothing compared to Richard's muscled bulk and height. He seemed to overpower the entire space.

"Bend over," he commanded coldly.

Looking up, I realized he had a large swath of peacock feathers in his hand.

"It's time for my little bird to get her feathers."

My eyes widened when I realized the feathers were attached to a large metal butt plug.

Covering my ass with my hands, I backed away. "Richard. You can't. I'm still sore. Please."

"Bend. Over." His face was a dark, unreadable mask. Devoid of any soft emotion.

Tears streaked down my cheeks as I begged. "I'll be a good little bird. I promise. Please!"

Seizing me by my hair, Richard tossed me face-first onto my cushion "nest." Lowering to his knees behind me, his fingers dug painfully into my ass cheeks, prying them open.

The metal felt cold as my asshole clenched painfully tight in response.

Richard spanked my already sore ass several times till I obeyed and unclenched.

Even with his ruthless fucking opening me up only hours earlier, it was still a struggle to accept the butt plug. Sharp pains had me crying out and helplessly kicking my legs as the wide bulbous tip was forced into my fear-tightened hole. It was a strange relief when my body closed around the narrow handle.

Richard dragged me to my feet. "Let's see you walk. Pretend you're on the stage, strutting around, displaying yourself like you did with that man during your audition."

He was there.

I should have known. How could I have been so stupid? It was Richard. Richard was the surprise investor for the play. Yet, that didn't make sense. Why would he finance the very play I lied to him about? If Richard was involved there was no way I would have gotten the lead. He would have told the director not to cast me. Nothing made sense anymore.

The sudden agony of having the heavy feathers pulling down on the plug in my ass obliterated all further thought. Richard had to catch me as my knees buckled and I staggered backward.

"Oh, God! It hurts. I can't. Please take it out," I cried as I reached back to feel the feathers behind me.

Richard slapped at my hand.

"Strut," he growled.

The confines of the cage became a watery blur as I awkwardly walked to the end, then returned to Richard. Every step was filled with humiliating pain as the feathers swayed between my legs and the metal plug pressed heavily down on my bottom hole.

Placing a finger under my chin, Richard lifted my face to his. "Don't you dare remove that plug. It's in there to remind you of the pain and punishment that comes from even the smallest betrayal. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Richard. I'll be good."

"You better, because I'll be watching. You'd be smart to remember that, Elizabeth. I'm always watching."

With that final threat, he turned and left the cage, locking me in.

After that, every day became more of the same. Sometimes he fucked my ass, other times my pussy. Sometimes he used his belt, other times his hand to punish my ass but always there was a metal plug with a brightly colored tail of feathers to match my bodysuit.

The worst was when he made me climb onto the swing. Gravity pulled on the tail as the swing swayed back and forth. The pain was so terrible, I would have fallen off my perch if Richard hadn't caught me in time.

A tightness in my chest eased as I hoped tonight would end the torment.

Tonight, I would show him what a pretty, obedient little bird I could be.

Then maybe, if I were very good and pleased him… he'd let me out of my cage.

And this terrible game would end.

"You look beautiful."

I turned at the sound of his dark voice.

Having been allowed to shower and get ready in his master bedroom suite, I felt almost human again. After getting out of the shower, I found a large white box on the bed. Opening the lid, I couldn't believe the elaborate gown nestled in gold tissue paper.

The fabric was a brilliantly rich emerald green cut in a way that would hug my every curve. A deep-V bodice would show off my breasts. The back was cut exceptionally low, ending just above my ass. There was a delicately beaded gold overlay in a feather pattern. If you looked closely, small diamonds and emeralds were woven into the pattern giving the overlay a luxurious sparkle.

It fit perfectly, of course.

"I come bearing gifts."

"Richard, I've told you many times. I don't need any more gifts from you."

"Yes, my love, but these are special for tonight."

Grasping me by the shoulders, he turned me around so I faced the large, brass-framed oval mirror set in one corner of the bedroom. After stepping away to open a red velvet box, he returned, standing so close, I could feel his heat on my exposed back.

Reaching his arms high, he enveloped me in his embrace as he wrapped a heavy necklace around my neck.

My mouth dropped open. There were no words.

Countless pear-cut diamonds radiated from a single emerald-cut band. The magnificent necklace cascaded down over my collarbone to end in a taper with a startlingly big Asscher-cut, canary yellow diamond. The bright yellow diamond itself took up the entire center of my palm.

"Close to two hundred carats of white diamonds," murmured Richard as he kissed the top of my shoulder. "The yellow diamond is one of the largest in the world at over seventy-five carats."

"It must be worth millions," I breathed as my fingers tentatively stroked the cold weight of the necklace. It felt like a chain-metal mantle around my neck.

Richard chuckled as he ran the backs of his knuckles down the exposed skin of my back, causing me to close my eyes as desire flared hot and strong. "Fifteen million to be exact."

Shocked, I turned in his arms. "Fifteen million! Are you insane? You can't give me a necklace worth fifteen million, Richard!" Reaching up, I desperately felt for the clasp, my fingers getting tangled in my hair.

Wrapping his hands around my wrists, he pulled my arms down and held my tiny fists within his own, pressing them against his heart. "Have you not realized yet, there is nothing I wouldn't give you? Nothing I wouldn't do to keep you by my side?"

"Your money and jewels are not keeping me by your side, please tell me you know that?" I pleaded fervently.

Richard took a step forward, pinning me against the mirror. His hard cock pressed into my stomach. "I think I have a pretty good idea of what keeps you around." His voice was a seductive purr.

Reaching down, I ran my hand over his shaft, pressing down with the edge of my palm just how he liked it.

"Don't you start, my little minx. Guests are already arriving."

Pushing my bottom lip out, I pouted prettily for him. As excited as I was for this party, I was nervous about being put on display and would have rather just had him to myself tonight.

Taking a step back, Richard adjusted his cock in his slacks and flung his arms out wide. "You haven't commented on how I look," he said teasingly.

He knew of course he looked handsome as hell. He was dressed in a Ralph Lauren tuxedo with a black dress shirt and bow tie.

"You look as handsome as the devil."

Pulling on one of my curls, he said darkly before turning to pick up the second red velvet box he had brought in, "The devil has nothing on me."

Wrapping my arms around my middle, I forced myself to banish the chill that swept over my body at the truth of his words.

Not tonight. Leave thoughts like that for tomorrow and maybe not even then. It did no good to question our relationship. Questions only led to pain… physical pain. It was much better to just force myself to be happy living within the confines of his world and his rules. After all, he had made it clear, it was the only way I could have him.

I would rather a life under his control, playing his games, than a life without him.

Focusing on the moment, I realized Richard was holding my mask for the masquerade. It was made of gold in the shape of a bird's beak. The beak itself was covered in more yellow diamonds.

Turning, I held half of my hair up so he could secure it by tying off the long black velvet ribbon, before letting my curled locks drop and sway halfway down my back.

Gazing into the mirror, I took in my strange, exotic bird appearance. All that was missing was my feathered tail. Which, with unimagined relief, I realized would not be possible with this dress. Thankfully there was no hole cut out for him to insert the hated plug with feathers.

Richard appeared behind me. An unrelenting dark shadow.

On his shoulders he had placed a glorious cape of feathers that swept the floor. The glossy black feathers glowed with flashes of iridescent cobalt blue, royal purple, and gold in the shifting light. He had a matching face mask except his was platinum with black diamonds. The mask highlighted his strong jaw and the muscled cords of his neck.

He looked like a large, dangerous raven.

Sweeping one caped arm around my shoulders and my front, he enclosed me within the dark confines of his costume.

Leaning down, his beak mask brushed my own as he whispered into my ear, "Remember, my love. There is nothing I wouldn't do to keep you."