House of Red Lace Bondage

It was an ordinary house, situated in an average suburban neighborhood. The residents were nice. Most of the properties in the area were middle or upper-middle class, with freshly cut lawns and well-tended flowerbeds. Plenty of minivans and sedans parked in the driveways and along the tree-lined streets. Average. Unassuming. Like they'd all conformed to some unspoken rule of propriety. The kind of place you'd see on a family tv show.

But there were secrets here too. Some of these residents had private ways of having fun. Some smoked pot late at night. A few of the couples were swingers. And others had darker, kinkier secrets...

***

Althea was on her knees. She wore a black leather halter top and panties, a collar around her neck, and her hands were bound together. She looked slightly ill at ease. She tried to remain calm but the nerves were getting to her.

Her youthfulness attracted welcome attention. There was an elegance about her. Her face was pretty, her body lean and toned. Who wouldn't be turned-on by her? The setting didn't require anyone to hide their interest. Or their desire.

There were other women too. They were similarly bound and displayed. They were all being looked over, admired, assessed. Waiting to be bought. They were all gorgeous, and she suspected that they were probably better than her at sex. In short, competition was fierce.

So far, no offers had been made for Althea yet. But of course, the night had only just begun. It was her first time there. The large room resembled a fancy art gallery. Clean, new, with well-dressed patrons looking for objects of beauty on which to spend their money. The commodity on offer here was unusual and certainly taboo; submissive women.

Althea was certainly ready for it. She had been for a while. She desired it. Finally standing there alone was different than she had expected. Being objectified in this manner was humiliating. She felt like a piece of meat on display. She wondered how models survived it.

Confusingly, she was also aroused. She was naturally somewhat-shy and being admired in her scantily-clad, aroused state was both excruciating and exciting. She would never have known these other women or patrons otherwise. It was like living a double life; the life of her dreams and fantasies.

She'd been on display for just over an hour, but it felt like an eternity. Finally a man approached. His expression revealed that this was certainly not his first time. He was a stern looking man in his late 40's. He had a commanding presence. Althea figured that he was a banker, an investor, or some type of influential businessman.

He came to stand in front of her. He didn't say a word as he looked at the card which had all of Althea's relevant information:

Name: Althea

Age: 25

Height: 5'7

Weight: 120-ish

Gender Preferences: Men and Women

Fetishes: She enjoys bondage, submission, and being treated like a kitten

Specialties: Eager to please, a great mouth for sucking, and a tender body to fuck

Level of professional experience: None. Would you like to be her first?

He studied the information like a hedge fund manager looking to purchase a thousand shares of stock. His face remained businesslike, stern. He thought long and hard before finally looking up and making eye contact.

"You're new," he said after a few seconds of contemplation.

"I am."

She tried to hide her nervousness. She silently repeated to herself that this was a necessary part of the process. This was a new experience that would lead her to a new world. Although she had experimented a little with past boyfriends, she had never done anything like this, or felt anything like this. It was never so organized and intentional, never with people this experienced.

And this was a man who clearly was experienced, who knew what he was doing.

"I'm James," he said, extending his hand.

She had to bend over awkwardly to take his outstretched hand in her bound ones.

"I'm Althea."

"Beautiful name. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You too," she answered with a nervous smile. "So, are you interested?"

"I might be. You're gorgeous. You seem like a nice girl. And I like that you're new."

"Why is that? Do you have a thing for new girls?"

The comment was meant to be flirty, but once said, sounded more like an accusation. She breathed a sigh of relief when he simply smiled up at her. Clearly he hadn't taken offense.

"Something like that," he said. "I like to work with submissive women who want to be trained. Build them up from scratch. Create a beautiful experience that's mutually shared."

Althea nodded. "I'm not as new as I look. I've done things. Never professionally though."

"I don't claim to be a professional at this. I'm just a normal guy who knows what he wants. I'm a happily married man, and that has obviously limited my experiences with other women."

"Oh."

Hearing that he was married was strangely disappointing. She tried not to let her feelings show. She had always been against infidelity. She also knew that most kinksters were heavily against cheating. But she quickly reminded herself that this was business. And at least he had been truthful about his marriage.

"Don't worry," he reassured, sensing her distress. "My wife knows."

"Does she?"

Althea almost couldn't hide her surprise at his responding so accurately to her unspoken thoughts.

He gave a reassuring nod. "She approves. We've experimented with a few things over the years. We love each other dearly. We're not exactly swingers, but we're open-minded."

Althea was happy to hear this. A married couple? A loving married couple? New experiences and open minds? Yes please! Please pick me. Please pick me. Please pick me.. She wouldn't beg aloud; the sophisticated surroundings demanded more of her. But she was keen. Very keen.

"That's amazing," she said instead. "Your wife is a lucky one."

"I'm the lucky one. I do everything I can to please her."

This was even more intriguing. "So you two share in the lifestyle? You're the dom, she's the sub. And you're looking for a third person?"

"Something like that. We're looking for a third person to join us, yes. But she's not always my sub. We're usually equal. But when we experiment, she does prefer to submit."

"Any acts in particular?"

"Ropes, bondage. You know, being restrained. Those sound like your fetishes too. Correct?"

Althea beamed. "They certainly sound familiar."

"Then it's settled."

"What is?"

He smiled, "You'll see."

With that, he winked and walked away. She couldn't tear her eyes off his retreating back as he casually strolled past the other guests and submissives, seemingly able to effortlessly resist the temptation of the other women.

Althea paid close attention to him as he moved away from her. She wanted to make sure he wasn't considering any other women. She could feel the start of some strange and certainly irrational jealousy: she wanted him. She felt certain that if he didn't buy her, she would pull out of the experience, and wouldn't be returning. For some inexplicable reason, and despite the brevity of their exchange, he had made her feel at ease for the first time that evening.

She only felt at ease when she saw him pointing at her as he spoke to one of the madames in charge.

***

The setting was completely different today. Instead of being scantily clad and accessorized with leather and ropes, she was wearing a cotton dress, dress shoes, and a white button-up blouse. Instead of a hall full of submissives waiting to be purchased by dominants, she was in a lecture hall packed with other students.

All she could think about was James having purchased her. What that entailed, how he would treat her, and what the dynamics would be with his wife. The full sum of money she would be receiving was helpful, but not her primary motivation. She had entered into this agreement for the experience and the chance to fulfill some of her kinkier fantasies.

"Althea," the professor peered at her from the lectern.

She snapped out of her daydream. "Yes?"

"It's been awhile since I've heard from you. You're up."

She felt her cheeks turning flush and she tried to flip through the book hoping to create the impression that she had been paying attention.

"Sorry, which case?"

The professor stated the case and Althea did her best to participate. She had already loaded the online case briefs for that day on her laptop, but she was still woefully unprepared, which reflected in her poor answers.

"Did you read the case, Althea?" the professor asked. "If the answer is no, just say so. Spare us all the pain."

"No," she answered, blushing and mortified.

The professor addressed the fellow students. "Anyone else?"

Another student raised his hand and proceeded to expertly recite the facts. Normally Althea would be prepared for class. She prided herself on her work ethic, but just not today.

After the lecture, Althea made her way downtown to a particular store. It sold sophisticated and tasteful lingerie, and other such products.

James had given her a cash advance immediately after purchasing her. The money was specifically to ensure that she looked the way he preferred. She was determined to meet his expectations.

She browsed through the expensive pieces of material and finally had a selection to try on. She had selected items she instinctively knew James would want her to wear. Tiny black articles of lingerie. Sheer gossamer bras and panties.

Each piece changed her appearance. Gone was the loving daughter to her parents. Gone was the best friend to her sister. Gone was the law student.

The expensive lingerie and undergarments made her into something new. She gazed into the mirror and liked what she saw. This was the adult grown-up version of Althea. This was her pushing the boundaries. Maybe she'd enjoy this ride. Maybe not. But she had to give it a try. And with a man like James guiding her, she felt certain she was in safe hands.

One hour in the shop and the bill was more than $300. She left the store with her sexy purchases. She felt odd walking down the street with her laptop and casebooks in her smart leather bag over her one shoulder, and a shiny black bag in which her naughty mid-day purchases were concealed.

Unlike most girls her age, she knew what she was doing, and what she wanted in life. And this was what she wanted now. It was her little secret.

The rest of the night went as usual. She lived alone in a tiny one bedroom apartment. She prepared a light dinner of pasta and salad.

At home, she was always totally relaxed. That meant sweatpants, bare feet, a loose t-shirt with no bra, no makeup, and her hair messy as can be. Before bed she played with her phone and replied to a bunch of texts and emails from her friends and family. After washing up, she lay in bed reading a few chapters of a new crime thriller. Severed by Simon Kernick. Just before midnight she put the book down, feeling sleepy and slightly horny. She turned off the lights and crawled under the covers.

Under the covers she slipped her hand into her panties. Late night masturbation usually ended in one of two ways. She'd bring herself to an orgasm, then fall asleep. Or she'd fall asleep with her hand still in her panties, fingers on her clit, with the job left unfinished.

Tonight was the latter. She had already cum earlier that evening. An extra orgasm before bed would have been nice, but it wasn't necessary.

The last thing she thought of before dozing off was James. She thought of being his plaything. She thought of being his Kitten. She wondered about his wife. She had no doubt he would have chosen a gorgeous wife. But what would her personality be like? The wife could be a total bitch, or a real sweetheart, or anything in between....

She fantasized about doing all sorts of dirty things to James. But he will in all likelihood be doing those dirty things to her. Those things and probably others she could not even imagine.

***

Given what he was paying for her, she could not insult him by looking anything less than spectacular. Althea was not a girl to disappoint. In this case, James was her buyer; her owner for as long as it lasted.

Since being sold to James, Althea had been spending a considerable amount of time figuring out the perfect outfit - shoes - hairstyle - makeup combination for their arrangement. It was the kind of thing a girl had to get right - no, perfect - especially in her situation. There was no room for error.

She put as much thought into their first 'date' as she would have put into her wedding day. And why wouldn't she? This would be a major event in her young life. Her appearance could make or break this fantasy. Open new doors or close them. God, how she wanted the doors to open. How she wanted this experience to be everything she had hoped for.

The look she settled on was sophisticated-sexy. How could it be anything else? She decided to leave her hair down so she wouldn't look as serious as she did while studying. It hung in a silky sheath down her back. Red lipstick, because James had told her how erotic he found crimson lips. A touch of mascara and eyeshadow to bring out the color of her eyes. She brushed her high cheekbones with a fine layer of blush to heighten them even more. And finally, black nail polish on her fingernails and toes, just because...

The sleek black dress she chose showcased her lean frame, displayed her upper back and shoulders, and showed-off her shapely legs. It contoured to her body, but still left enough to the imagination. Underneath she wore a sheer black bra and panty set. She was confident that her efforts would drive James -and hopefully his wife- wild. She completed the look with a soft cashmere coat.

After the final touch-ups, she was ready. It was almost evening and it was time to go. As a broke law student who didn't own a car, James had arranged for a driver to come and pick her up.

Before leaving her apartment, she took her purse, along with an elegant overnight bag containing the lingerie and other garments she had purchased. She wanted to be prepared in case the look she had put together didn't satisfy her owners. She had always loved being treated like a doll anyway; having someone pick out her clothes and decide how she should look - being controlled to this extent has always turned her on.

She hopped into the waiting car and was soon on her way to the suburbs. She tried to calm her nerves with deep breaths. She had been a city girl all her life, so going out to the suburbs was always a nice change of pace.

She was a little surprised when they reached the street where James lived. She had figured him to be a city person as well, not someone who lived in a quiet area, away from all the action. But he was a lot older than her, and perhaps he was planning to retire.

Getting out, she made an attempt to tip the driver but was told firmly that everything had already been paid for. She thanked him and stepped out of the car.

Nerves fluttered in her stomach as she approached the front door, not knowing if the experience would begin right away, or if they would go slowly.

James must have heard the car's arrival. He opened the door before she'd even had a chance to knock. He looked amazing. Just as she had remembered. Dressed semi-casually, he had clearly just started to wind down from a busy day at the office.

There was a slight awkwardness now that they were finally face to face again. Should she shake his hand? Hug him? Or just smile up at him mysteriously?

"Welcome," he said, extending his hand much as he'd done at their first meeting.

They shook hands.

"Thanks for having me."

"Let me carry that for you."

Althea clutched at the overnight bag. "No, please, I'm fine. It's light. I can manage. Really."

"Very well. Right this way."

She stepped over the threshold into James's home, and into her new reality. She removed her shoes and walked barefoot across the laminated wooden floors. She placed her coat on a nearby rack.

James let his eyes run over her. "Beautiful."

His eyes slowly roamed over her, admiring her appearance and acknowledging the care she had taken with her hair, make-up, and outfit. That he approved was abundantly clear.

"Thank you," she blushed from the high scrutiny.

James gave a brief tour of the home, all the while making small talk. The house seemed so unlike him, Althea thought. James was a modern man who worked in finance and had a decidedly kinky private life. She had expected his home to be modern too.

On her way here she had already observed that all the houses in the neighborhood were built recently. James's was a mixture of old and new. It was filled with the latest gadgets - a flat screen tv, the latest computer in the study, and plenty of fancy gadgets all over, many of which Althea had never seen before.

At the same time there were plenty of antique furniture and decor pieces distributed tastefully throughout the house. The furniture looked like it came from antique stores in England, and in her view looked decidedly uncomfortable.

The dining table and chairs made the biggest impression on her though. It was a wooden table, hand-crafted, and looked at least a hundred years old. She couldn't imagine any shop in the city or suburbs selling anything of its nature. In its center, there was a small, red-laced tablecloth.

She just had to ask about it, and James smiled.

"It was a gift. The table and the chairs."

"Some gift," she answered, like who would ever want that as a gift?

"Ordinarily, I would agree with you. This wooden table is a piece of shit. The seats aren't much better. My wife and I never feel comfortable sitting on it."

"Then why not toss it out?"

"There's history behind it," he explained. "Would you believe that a member of a royal family in Europe had been tamed on this table?"

Althea raised her eyebrows. "Tamed? Anyone I might have heard of?"

"Not likely. It was one of the more obscure royal families. A princess used to be tied on this table by her lover. She was tied on top, spread-eagled, while he ate his meals, drank his wine, with a clear view of the royal pussy displayed in front of him."

"Oh my," she nodded, amused by the story. "Sounds quite risque for a royal. Is this a true story?"

"I've seen a few black and white photographs. Unfortunately the pictures didn't come with the table. If they had, I'd have displayed them all around my house," he joked.

Their comfortable banter continued as they slowly made their way around the average-sized home. They stopped once to consider a framed photograph of James and his wife.

She's pretty, Althea thought. She also looked like a corporate type. Smart, capable, fearless. She looked like the kind of woman who was kind-hearted, but wouldn't take shit from anyone. Althea had a million questions, but didn't want to appear nosey. She wondered what a successful professional woman like James's wife would look like in bondage. It was an enticing, and somewhat distracting thought.

"Her name is Katherine," James said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Your better half. She's very pretty."

"I know. She's also the love of my life."

"I have to be honest," Althea said. "I think this whole husband/wife thing is an incredibly arousing thought."

"Long-time fantasy of yours?"

"Not really. Actually, it had never crossed my mind until you told me that you were married, and that she would be involved in this. I felt something. Something exhilarating. Thrilling."

"Welcome to our world. We're not exactly swingers. We're not exactly dominants. I don't claim to be the best at this, nor do I claim to have any magical powers. We don't do this all the time. The only thing I can assure you is that I'll try my best to please you, if you promise to do the same in return."