BOUND TO HIM

Leather Jacket

As he drove us away from the park I blindly tried to clean myself up as he had previously commanded. I must not have been successful because Brandon pulled in at a 24hr gas station.
"You need to go inside and take care of yourself. I won't have you embarrass me looking like that."
His words were cruel but entirely accurate. I was embarrassing and looked dreadful. The door chimed to alert the cashier of my presence. The look on her face further confirmed my horrid appearance. I dropped my head and walked briskly to the ladies room. I used the restroom and when I approached the mirror I jumped a step back at my own reflection. She looked awful, simply frightening. My once olive complexion was flush and splotchy. My cheeks that were once rosy due to my delicate application of blush now had white imprints of large long fingers. I started from the top and looked up and down at my black and blue body. I'm reminded of a scene from a popular vampire movie. In the scene the star actress is examining her body while remembering the lush details of her first sexual experience. She was covered in bruises and her vampire lover was the one to point it all out. He was ashamed of the pain he caused her. I used to be bothered by that scene because my real life version was such a painful memory. I was once jealous of such passion and love and felt that it was my own fault for never having such peace. As the years have slowly crept by, I've been able to let go of the small reminders of my past or "triggers" as the experts call it.
I pulled some paper towels from the dispenser and ran cool water to dampen them. I rubbed under my eyes to clean away the smeared mascara and the trails of my salty tears. I went back out to the store area but stopped before reaching the exit. I halted as I heard the cashier call for my attention.
"Honey are you ok? Did someone hurt you? Do you want me to call the cops?"
It was kind of a relief to have someone acknowledge my pain. I wanted to rush over to her and hide myself there while we waited for the officers. I parted my lips to respond to her concerns when a stern familiar voice interrupted.
"She's fine, aren't you beautiful?"
I didn't notice Brandon at first. While responding to the clerk, he swoopped up behind me grabbed my arm and forced me to make a quick exit. He rushed me back to the truck and threw me up on the seat.
"Don't you ever start to answer someone like that. I told you that what I do to you is nobody's business. If you think about involving anyone else then you better make damn sure you're willing to attend their funeral. Do you understand me? I will kill anyone that gets in between us and I will make you watch as I do."
He terrified me when he would threaten to harm anyone besides me. I couldn't stand the thought of someone else suffering because of my mistakes.
I sat in silence for the duration of the trip fearing that any words spoken would be the wrong ones and the punishment would be severe. The party was at a house this time but it was still over crowded with drunken young adults. The ambience was typical of any party. Music, food, and drinks were all easily accessible via the kitchen. The only difference is that the house belonged to the host, so we didn't fear the early arrival of vacationing parents. Brandon was 4 years my senior. When we first met, I revelled over the notion of having drawn the attention of an older man. In my mind I thought it would show my maturity and like all teens I couldn't wait to be an adult.
The house was small so the party overflowed into the backyard near the firepit. It's a common trait among most southerners to have pyromancy flowing through their veins. That mixed with college football. He guided me thru the house and straight outside where he perched me on an empty lawn chair. We didn't stop to enjoy the refreshments nor did he introduce me to anyone. This really hurt my feelings. I had endured an hour of beatings to be able to meet his friends but he didn't allow me to meet a single soul. He leaned down close to my ear to whisper my newest instructions before jutting off back inside the house.
"Stay here beautiful. I'm going to talk business with my boys and I expect you to not move. I will be watching you, and you know you better behave."
His tone dropped an octave with the word "behave". I didn't know it at the time but other people's actions were also considered my fault and therefore punishable by his wrath.
He finally left me alone. I sat there staring deeply into the fire watching the embers dance in the night air. I pondered my future. How long would my body hold up to such brutal assaults? Would he ever let me go or would I die never knowing what true happiness was? Oh God what if he gets me pregnant, how could I love a child conceived with the sperm of a monster. That made me nauseous and the sickness grew worse at the thought that he might hurt our child as well. I had to stop thinking about my future I was about to start crying again and I knew he would not approve.
Forcing my attention elsewhere I began to look at all the other partyers. There were couples snuggled up close to each other and singles trying to snuggle with anyone the least bit interested. I had to laugh at their blissfulness otherwise I would have cried. The theatrics were so amusing that I nearly jumped out of my skin when a young man appeared at my side.
"I'm sorry darling. I didn't mean to startle you."
The soft voice belonged to a young man. I lifted my gaze to find a tall slender built fella with emerald green eyes. He couldn't have been more than 20 years old wearing holey blue jeans and a simple grey tshirt under his leather jacket. He was attractive and his smile was warm and inviting.
"I'm fine, I was just crowd watching."
I answered timidly.
"Well did you discover anyone interesting?"
He asked interested.
"No."
I quickly answered as I scanned the crowd looking for my warden. I didn't see him but I got goosebumps from the feeling of his eyes watching me.
"Are you cold beautiful?" Asked the stranger.
That word irked me and it felt like a knife stabbing me in my soul. I couldn't help but to respond harshly.
"Don't call me that! I hate that word."
"I didn't mean to offend you. Here please put my jacket around you the night air will cause you to catch a cold." He replied.
He took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. It was warm and smelled of masculine cologne. I was chilled and therefore wasn't thinking clearly. It was less than a minute before my simple pleasure was ripped from my body.
"Take your shit and get away from my woman!"
The monster was back. His eyes were dark and I knew a storm was brewing within him. He stood squared to the stranger with his chest puffed out. His fists were tight and I wasn't sure that he would hit me in front of so many witnesses. The stranger seemed confused but not willing to back away.
"Hey man, it's not a big deal it's just a jacket to keep her warm."
The stranger broke the silence and their stare down.
"She doesn't need anything from you. She's mine and I'm the one taking care of her." Brandon spoke his retaliation.
They both spoke as if I was not sitting right there in the middle. It felt like we were living in the past. The age of gentlemen and ladies who went on courtships and shared tea in the parlor. Two men fighting for one woman's affection.
The stranger still holding his ground, spoke with firm assuredness.
"Well if she is yours as you claim, then why leave her alone, without suitable clothing? You're nothing more than an asshole!"
I barely had time to process this poor guy's mistake before the monster reacted. Brandon drew his right arm back like a bow with an arrow. A rapid release landed a full fist blow to the poor stranger's face. There was a loud crack and I can only assume it was his jaw breaking. I had withstood many blows from my devil, but none were as forceful as this one. Oddly it comforted me to see that he was holding back a little when he beat me. Strange thought to say the least but true all the same. With a thud this poor guy hit the ground. I peered down to his face that was mere inches from my feet. I tried to convey an apology with my eyes. I was sorry for causing this outcome. Regardless of what the devil said later that night, I honestly had not expected the stranger to talk to me nor offer me his jacket.
Brandon pulled me out of the chair and we stormed off to his truck. With perfect timing he spun me around to meet his fist with my stomach. I fell over with the sharp pain pulsing through my body. Then he pulled back his foot similar to what he had done earlier with his arm. His boot struck just below my breasts and this time I knew exactly what the cracking noise meant. Broken ribs are like a broken spirit. Neither can be mended easily, and both make breathing in life giving air more than an involuntary act. My soul shattered once more as he continued to kick me. I laid there on the cold ground. My mouth gaped open rasping to breathe air. It wasn't until I started to spit up blood that his attack let up. He threw me back inside his truck and we left the party. I couldn't help whimpering in excruciating pain. He would shoot me a look and I knew I only had the driving time to put myself back together. He was waiting to pounce on me again. This was to become a pattern for the duration of our relationship.
He pulled up beside my car and I knew that I shouldn't try to exit without his permission. It seemed like an eternity passed before he spoke.
"I'm sorry beautiful."
Shock flooded my face.
" I want you to know that I don't enjoy hurting you."
Liar! I thought to myself. He continued as if he had read my mind.
"I know you probably don't believe me, but I really don't like seeing you hurt."
"Then why do you hit me?"
I said bravely.
"Because beautiful you need to learn respect. You are my everything, and I will not share you with anyone."
"I didn't ask that man to give me his jacket." I was gaining back my spitefulness.
"Yes you did sweetheart. The moment you chose to wear your whore outfit, you let all the men make you their prey. You begged for every dick to notice you. What I did earlier was for your own protection. I fucked you so hard and good that all the other men would see that you couldn't be satisfied by them. You should be grateful that I take such good care of you."
His words made my pain turn to rage. How could he be so sadistic? I couldn't suppress my anger any longer. I always fought back from then on. It may have worsen the abuse he dealt me but I would never allow myself to lose my pride. He couldn't take that from me.
"Asshole!" I screamed at him and prepared myself for the consequence. On cue he yanked my hair pulling me flat across the seat. He tied my hands to the steering wheel as he had done before. I stepped into the dark room to watch the monster lose control. He snatched my panties off and I readied myself to feel the stretch of my pussy from his filthy cock. But this time it was his finger poking and prodding inside me. This change in his routine caused me to let out a giggle. I don't know why that was my response, this was clearly not a proper reaction. It's like laughing at a funeral. He didn't find it humorous and assumed I was teasing him.
"Do you think I'm being funny?" He said with a growl. "Let's hear you laugh at this bitch."
He took his hand and held it at my face. Then he rubbed my juices across my lips. He backed away and balled his hand into a fist, he drew back and then punched his fist up my uterus. My room couldn't block me from this new torture. My whole female system was attacked and bruised. He always managed to show me that his cruelty knew no bounds. His arm became bloody after the third punch to my insides. Satisfied with the blood sacrifice he cut my wrists free and put me in my car. He drove off but I couldn't drive at that moment. I sat in my car and cried for hours. My entire body ached and I couldn't try to press the brake to put the car in reverse. My punched out vagina caused my legs to feel like noodles. So I set there and thought. I cursed myself for my outfit choice. I cursed myself for allowing a man to talk to me, and I cursed my self for not holding in my stupid giggle. The most important thing I learned that night is that it's all my fault. If I had made better choices he wouldn't have had to teach me right from wrong.