Page 12 of Entranced
This was the worst part of the story, the part she hated to reveal. “I had a breakdown. The pressure of not being a good wife, not knowing how to make it better, and my parents and the community’s not-so-quiet condemnation got the better of me. I ended up catatonic on the floor of my bathroom. Bobby took me to a nearby hospital, I think as much to get rid of me as to help me. We didn’t go to doctors much.
“There I got lucky. A social worker took an interest in me and arranged for me to get treatment for depression, which included a lot of hours working with some great therapists. I was able to pull myself together enough to get my GED, while I lived in a battered women’s shelter. I suspected Bobby wouldn’t come looking for me, but it was a safe place to stay and they helped me get into college. That’s how I ended up in this area. I got a scholarship to Goucher College, and they had a program in culture and historical preservation. I think I was attracted to it because what I was taught had been to reject everything outside the compound. I wanted to feel connected, and since I didn’t have family, I chose a connection with history.”
He squeezed her hand and smiled. “That’s an impressive accomplishment given your circumstances. You should be very proud of yourself.”
“I guess, but I still have all that negative bullshit running around in my head. I can’t make it stop!” She could barely contain her frustration, her voice raising in her distress.
“What you have to do is look at how far you’ve come, pat yourself on the back, and then get ready to move forward. I’m here to help you with that. First, I need to know how you came to be interested in BDSM. It seems a far reach from where you came from.”
Teigen hesitated to answer as the waitress came to refill their coffee cups. This was definitely not a conversation she wanted overheard.
“I met Maria in college. She gave me some romance novels that had BDSM in them. She didn’t reveal to me at the time that she was into it. We didn’t talk about it, but when I would return a book to her, she’d offer me another one or she’d recommend a book on Kindle. When we graduated and moved together to D.C. for work, she confessed that her interest wasn’t all theoretical. I was afraid at first to go anywhere with her, but finally I decided to try it. She took me to a few parties with her friends. It was there I met the guy who tied me up and spanked me. He also took me to a club a few times, but I was too uptight to play. Last Saturday was my first time at Black Light.”
“I’m glad you came, Teigen.” He sipped on his coffee a few times before he went on. “Here’s what I think we should do if you’re comfortable with coming to my home. If not we can use one of the semi-private rooms at Black Light, but it may be a bit more difficult for you to block out noise from the dungeon so you can be put under.”
Put under.The phrase was so scary, but for some reason, going to Ellison’s home wasn’t. She’d seen him in action at the reno site, and she didn’t think the Black Light people would allow him to do a demo if he wasn’t fully vetted. The way he treated her during their last scene also reassured her.
“I’ll go to your house.”
“Terrific. I’m busy with a project for the rest of the week. How does Sunday afternoon sound?”
That allowed her a few days to convince herself to really be open to the hypnosis. “Good.”
“Give me your phone and I’ll put in my address and number. I’ll expect you at one.”
Once he’d accomplished the task, she rose to leave. Now that they’d decided she’d let him hypnotize her, she needed some space to come to terms with what she’d agreed to.
He got up with her. “Wait while I pay the bill, and I’ll walk you to your car.”
“That’s okay. I’m just down the block.”
She turned to go when she heard the voice of authority. “Teigen. Wait.”
He wasn’t going to let her go easily. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. He was going to push her even on the simple things, and she wasn’t sure she could deal with that. One more person telling her what to do.
This is what you need. Calm down and listen to him.Looking back at him, she asked, “What?”
He approached her, his expression stern, his voice low. “Wait for me as I told you to. If you can’t follow the simplest commands, we won’t be able to work together.”
“Sorry.” Flushed with embarrassment, she dutifully remained in the café while he paid the bill then followed him outside.
At her car, he took her by the shoulders, forcing her to look directly at him. “This will be a Dom/sub relationship. I will take care of you and help you as best I can. You have to trust me—and more importantly—you have to obey me. It’s the only way this is going to work. I want you to think about whether that is something you not only want but something you can do. If you can’t, text me to tell me you’re not coming. I won’t be offended. If you decide you can, I’ll see you at one on Sunday.”
He kissed her on the forehead and helped her into her car. He was still standing there when she drove away.
Five days to decide. It wasn’t going to be easy. Even on the ride home, every time she thought yes, her heart started racing and she contradicted herself.Uuuuugggghhhh!
* * *
Ellison’s housewas exactly as she expected it to be: old, regal, and huge. The updates, even from the outside, were subtle but effective. Oversized windows with black wrought-iron frames, a squared-off entryway, and a fixed casement window over the door blended seamlessly with the red brick Georgian mansion. Teigen parked in the driveway. Before she could knock, Ellison opened the front door.
“Welcome. You’re right on time. Good girl.”
Warmth infused her at his praise. She was hungry for approval, something that caused her embarrassment because it had usually been given with a hidden agenda, but in this context it worked for her. Maybe a Dom/sub relationship was just what she needed.
The house was as lovely inside as it was out. High ceilings and a modified open floor plan with an eclectic mix of furniture paid homage to the history of the house while keeping it modern and updated.
Her admiration only increased as she followed him through the rooms. “It’s perfect, Ellison.”