frustration and fury
pricking her eyes. Once again she made the bed, taking meticulous care with the
hospital corners, praying this time she had gotten it right.
“Better,” Ellis said to Mia’s relief, though his tone was
grudging.
They went through the same thing in his bedroom and
bathroom. Though he didn’t force her to remake the bed, he did have issue with
the toilet. He took a Q-Tip from the cupboard and, lifting the seat, ran the
swab along the rim of the bowl. He held it up for her to see. “Does that look
clean to you?” His voice was menacing. Though Mia had been careful to run the
brush under the rim, she saw that the tip of cotton swab had a smear of rust on
it,
“I’m sorry,” she whispered faintly. “I thought I had—”
“Silence!” Ellis boomed. “Answer the question that is asked
and then shut your mouth, you hear me?”
“Yes, Sir,” Mia whispered again, her body going rigid with
fear as he took a step toward her. Before she could react, he grabbed the chain
around her throat, using it to jerk her down to her knees in front of the
toilet. She felt a strong hand on the back of her neck as he pushed her face
forward until her nose touched the water in the bowl. She closed her eyes and
held her breath, waiting for him to plunge her head into the water.
Instead he just held her there for several long seconds, his
fingers digging into the back of her neck. Finally he let her go and she sat
back, water dripping from her nose, her heart pounding as she gasped for breath.
“I’ll hold your head under next time. Don’t let it happen
again.” He reached for her leash and gave it a jerk, tugging her to her feet.
He dropped the leash and moved toward the sinks. He reached into a drawer and
pulled some things out. When he turned to face her, she saw he was holding a
pair of scissors and what looked like a trimming tool, the kind barbers used to
clean up the backs of men’s necks after a haircut.
He’d already waxed her pubic hair away, so what…?
Mia felt her blood run cold as she realized what he must
have in mind. Your hair is a mess…We’ll have to do something about that. She took a step back, her hand going automatically to her hair, her beautiful
long hair.
“No.” The word left her lips before she could stop it.
Ellis frowned, lifting the scissors and pointing them at her
like a weapon. “Did I hear the word no , M? Didn’t we have this
discussion already?”
Mia tried to swallow but it felt as if there was a lump in
her throat. “Please,” she begged, taking another step back as she stared at the
pointy scissors in his hand.
Ellis moved forward. “That’s better,” he replied,
deliberately misunderstanding her, she was sure. “Yes, it will please me to do
exactly as I like. Don’t forget that, M. You are my possession, to do with as I
will.” He lowered his arm. “Now get over here.”
While Mia stood trembling in front of the mirror, Ellis went
to the large linen closet and pulled out a folding stool, which he opened and
positioned beside her. “Sit.” He pointed to the stool, tugging at her leash.
Having no choice, Mia obeyed. Ellis cuffed her wrists behind her back with a
clip he had in his shorts pocket. He set the trimmer on the counter and moved
behind her, lifting a swath of hair in one hand, the scissors in the other.
“It’s time for a haircut, M. If you know what’s good for
you, you won’t move a muscle or make a sound. Once I’ve cut off your hair, I’m
going to shave your scalp. Make sure you stay very still so I don’t nick the
skin. I would hate to draw blood without meaning to, but if it happens”—he
shrugged, his eyes glittering—“it will be entirely your fault, and you’ll be
punished for damaging my property.”
The thought of those pointy scissors piercing her scalp and
drawing her blood was more than Mia, nearly starved with hunger and wiped out
with fear, could tolerate. A whirring sound whistled in her ears,
pricking her eyes. Once again she made the bed, taking meticulous care with the
hospital corners, praying this time she had gotten it right.
“Better,” Ellis said to Mia’s relief, though his tone was
grudging.
They went through the same thing in his bedroom and
bathroom. Though he didn’t force her to remake the bed, he did have issue with
the toilet. He took a Q-Tip from the cupboard and, lifting the seat, ran the
swab along the rim of the bowl. He held it up for her to see. “Does that look
clean to you?” His voice was menacing. Though Mia had been careful to run the
brush under the rim, she saw that the tip of cotton swab had a smear of rust on
it,
“I’m sorry,” she whispered faintly. “I thought I had—”
“Silence!” Ellis boomed. “Answer the question that is asked
and then shut your mouth, you hear me?”
“Yes, Sir,” Mia whispered again, her body going rigid with
fear as he took a step toward her. Before she could react, he grabbed the chain
around her throat, using it to jerk her down to her knees in front of the
toilet. She felt a strong hand on the back of her neck as he pushed her face
forward until her nose touched the water in the bowl. She closed her eyes and
held her breath, waiting for him to plunge her head into the water.
Instead he just held her there for several long seconds, his
fingers digging into the back of her neck. Finally he let her go and she sat
back, water dripping from her nose, her heart pounding as she gasped for breath.
“I’ll hold your head under next time. Don’t let it happen
again.” He reached for her leash and gave it a jerk, tugging her to her feet.
He dropped the leash and moved toward the sinks. He reached into a drawer and
pulled some things out. When he turned to face her, she saw he was holding a
pair of scissors and what looked like a trimming tool, the kind barbers used to
clean up the backs of men’s necks after a haircut.
He’d already waxed her pubic hair away, so what…?
Mia felt her blood run cold as she realized what he must
have in mind. Your hair is a mess…We’ll have to do something about that. She took a step back, her hand going automatically to her hair, her beautiful
long hair.
“No.” The word left her lips before she could stop it.
Ellis frowned, lifting the scissors and pointing them at her
like a weapon. “Did I hear the word no , M? Didn’t we have this
discussion already?”
Mia tried to swallow but it felt as if there was a lump in
her throat. “Please,” she begged, taking another step back as she stared at the
pointy scissors in his hand.
Ellis moved forward. “That’s better,” he replied,
deliberately misunderstanding her, she was sure. “Yes, it will please me to do
exactly as I like. Don’t forget that, M. You are my possession, to do with as I
will.” He lowered his arm. “Now get over here.”
While Mia stood trembling in front of the mirror, Ellis went
to the large linen closet and pulled out a folding stool, which he opened and
positioned beside her. “Sit.” He pointed to the stool, tugging at her leash.
Having no choice, Mia obeyed. Ellis cuffed her wrists behind her back with a
clip he had in his shorts pocket. He set the trimmer on the counter and moved
behind her, lifting a swath of hair in one hand, the scissors in the other.
“It’s time for a haircut, M. If you know what’s good for
you, you won’t move a muscle or make a sound. Once I’ve cut off your hair, I’m
going to shave your scalp. Make sure you stay very still so I don’t nick the
skin. I would hate to draw blood without meaning to, but if it happens”—he
shrugged, his eyes glittering—“it will be entirely your fault, and you’ll be
punished for damaging my property.”
The thought of those pointy scissors piercing her scalp and
drawing her blood was more than Mia, nearly starved with hunger and wiped out
with fear, could tolerate. A whirring sound whistled in her ears,
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