A Harrowing Experience

Jill’s flight back home departed the day after her last final. Aaron made a valiant attempt to talk her into spending winter break with his family, but she insisted she had to go home to see her own. The last night they spent together, he told her he was going to take her somewhere special.

He picked her up Friday evening around nine and drove her to a seedy-looking part of downtown Tampa. He pulled up in front of an establishment called Jacob’s Den. He led her inside to a room with hardwood floors, pool tables, a bar along the far wall, and televisions mounted on the walls. Patrons sat at wooden tables, drinking beer and either cheering or jeering the athletes on TV. Aaron led her to a back door which led to a dark hall that led to a room lit only in red, ambient lighting. The space was occupied by people, obviously paired off in couples. Some were tied to various apparatus, enduring beatings of different kinds by their partners.

Jill, suddenly trepidatious, began resisting Aaron’s lead. He forcibly pulled her along regardless. He brought her to a wooden cross with leather cords. Their purpose of binding one to the structure was plain for Jill to see. Aaron removed his shirt, tossing it to the floor.

“Aaron, what is this?” she asked, not even trying to hide her nervousness.

“This is something you will do for me,” he directed, more than explained. His voice was hard and low. “You insisted you wanted to do anything to please me—this is how you will please me. Remove your clothes.”

“No, Aaron,” she shook her head defiantly. “I’m not doing this.”

“This is not up for discussion or negotiation; remove your clothing, Jillian.” Aaron yanked her over to the cross. “I did things your way over Thanksgiving, now it’s time for you to return the favor.”

“Aaron, please,” she pleaded, “if you love me …”

“Love you?” Aaron scoffed, “When did I ever say I loved you?” He began removing her clothing. He then pushed her back against the cross and tied her wrists to its arms. He began pinching her nipples between his thumb and fingers. Jill cried out as he pinched her hard.

“Quiet!” he ordered, “I will give you something to cry out over.”

“Aaron, please!” she pleaded pitifully. “I don’t like this!”

“You’re not supposed to like it. No one likes being punished.”

“Why are you punishing me?”

“You know why.”

“No, I don’t.”

Aaron shook his head as he reached for one of the leather straps hanging on the wall beside her. The first lash cut across her chest leaving a stinging red mark on her skin. She cried out, straining against the bonds holding her. They cut into her wrists. The next lash cut across her stomach, leaving another screaming red line. He raised his arm to deliver yet another punishing blow when his wrist was caught by a hand much larger and firmer than his own.
“ENOUGH!”

Jill opened her eyes to see a tall, russet-skinned man holding Aaron’s right wrist in his hand the way a parent would a petulant child. His jet-black hair hung to his shoulders; his brown eyes blazed with anger. He tightened his grip on Aaron’s wrist, forcing him to drop the leather strap. He turned those hot, brown eyes on Jill.

“What is your safe word?” he asked in a gentler tone.

“Safe word?” Jill choked between sobs. The man threw Aaron back into the waiting arms of two other men, probably bouncers, dressed in black t-shirts, jeans, and boots.

“You are banned from this establishment,” he said. He turned to the bouncers. “I want him out of here, now!”

The two men drug Aaron out through the same door by which he and Jill entered. The remaining man turned his eyes back to the poor weeping girl, still tied to the cross. They were not angry this time. Rather, they were warm and full of pity. He untied the leather bonds on her wrists, sucking in a breath when he saw the red bands they had left behind. He scooped her into his arms, carrying her deeper into the room. He carried her through a door into a well-lit office, closing the door behind him. Setting her on an overstuffed couch, he draped a blanket around her. Jill clutched the blanket to cover herself. She kept her eyes low, trying her best to control her sobs.

“Wait here,” her rescuer instructed, “I’ll gather your clothes.” When she was alone, she allowed things to sink in. She broke down in tears and cried until she didn’t think she could cry any more. She convinced herself she had set herself up for this. She should have told Aaron to go to hell the first time he had hurt her. She had told herself many times she would never be anyone’s victim. Yet, now, here she was, sitting naked in the office of the owner of a fetish club which promoted violent sexual expression. God, I am stupid! Just then, the office door opened and the man returned, carrying her clothes. He set them on the couch beside her and turned his back to give her some semblance of privacy to dress.

She slowly, numbly got back into them. The marks on her chest and belly burned as she moved. Somehow, Aaron hadn’t actually broken skin, but they felt worse than cat scratches.

“Have you been to anything like my club before?” the man asked, still not looking at her.

“No, are you … Jacob?”

“I am. What is your name?”

“Jill,” she answered timidly. “Do you own many places like this?”

“No.” Jacob peaked over his shoulder, turning when he saw she was decent. He smiled at her USF t-shirt. “You’re a student?”

“A grad student,” she clarified, lowering her eyes.

“You should be proud of that.” He sat beside her on the couch. “Being a graduate student demonstrates a lot of commitment.”

“I’m not feeling very proud, right now. I …”

“You were tricked into something you didn’t understand,” Jacob finished. “It happens to everyone at some point in their life. That doesn’t make you any less intelligent.”

“I knew what he was capable of, but this, I …”
“Sssh,” he soothed, raising a large finger to her lips. “What he did to you has nothing to do with the spirit of what my club promotes. The dominant/submissive relationship is intended to be a relationship of trust and respect. Apparently, your … companion doesn’t understand the rules any better than you do. What’s more likely is that he understands them all too well, and chooses to ignore them, preferring to take advantage of others’ ignorance.” Jacob got up and pulled a bottle of water out of the mini-fridge next to the sofa. He handed it to her. “Drink this; I’ll drive you home.”

She opened the bottle, satisfied that it wasn’t tampered with. She gulped the water at first, slowed her pace as her nerves calmed. Jacob pulled a t-shirt on and tucked it into his blue jeans. He then pulled on a pair of socks and sneakers. A knock on the door made Jill jump.

“Come in,” Jacob acknowledged.

A blue-eyed blonde with straight hair entered the office, wearing only a terrycloth robe. She kept her eyes downcast as she addressed Jacob.

“I’m ready for you, Alpha,” she spoke softly.

“Wait for me by your designated place, Ann,” he instructed. “I just have to take this young lady home, you will have my full attention.”

“Yes sir, Alpha.” Ann bent forward and backed out of the office, pulling the door closed as she left.

“Ann is my submissive,” he pointed out, taking advantage of a potential opportunity to set things right with Jill’s impressions of his establishment, and the nature of the fetish it promoted. He knew there was considerable damage done by Aaron, and felt a strong compulsion to do as much as he was able to reverse that damage.

“Are you going to hurt her?” she asked without thinking.

“No, I like to torment my submissive, or Sub, as we refer to them, with pleasure.”

“I can take a cab,” Jill offered, not wanting to trouble Jacob any more than she already had.

“Nonsense, I’ve taken on the responsibility of keeping you safe, and I intend to see that you are safely inside your home and your door is locked.”

“Who will watch over the others?”

“My head of security will do that. He notified me when he saw what was happening to you.”

“I see.”

Jill got shakily to her feet and Jacob guided her out through the sports bar to the parking lot. He led her to a pickup truck with rims almost as tall as she. He helped guide her foot onto the running board beneath the floorboard of the cab, to help her climb in. He walked around and climbed into the driver’s seat. He drove her back to the apartment complex.

“So, why does Ann call you Alpha?” Jill asked, trying to make conversation. She didn’t want the ride to be silent and awkward.

“It’s my pseudo name when I assume the role of dominant,” Jacob explained. “I insist that all of my clientele have fake names to protect their identities.”

“What’s your day job?” Jill inquired.
“I’m a professor at the university. I teach in the business school. What’s your field of study?”

“Psychology.”

“May I recommend a course for you?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Dr. Lancing’s Psychology and Sexuality course might be helpful. You’re a grad student, but you can still audit his 300-level class.”

“You’re not the first to suggest that course, or that professor, but it’s too late for Spring, I suppose.”

“Don’t worry about that,” said Jacob. “Dr. Lancing and I are close friends, I’ll get you in. Just make sure you submit a drop-add slip with the Registrar’s office.”

Jacob parked his hopped-up truck and assisted Jill down to the ground. He walked her inside and waited with her for the elevator. She glanced around nervously, looking for Aaron. When the elevator arrived, it was empty.

Jacob guided her inside. “What floor?”

“Two.”

Jacob pushed the button and the elevator took them to the second floor. When the doors opened, Jill took a moment to scan the hall before stepping out. He walked with her to her door. She unlocked it and pushed it open.

“Thank you,” she said, looking up into his eyes.

“You’re welcome,” he said. “You take care of yourself, now.”


The next morning, Jill was on a plane to Pennsylvania. She left thoughts of Aaron and the previous semester in Florida. The marks on her chest and belly were almost gone by the end of winter break. She tried to stay home, but her mother insisted on her finishing what she started. So, on the last day of winter break, she took the plane ride back to Florida and prepared for her next semester at USF.