His name was Aaron, well at least that is what he told me to call him as he was making sure my hands were firmly handcuffed to the bedstead above my head.
I swore at him and he laughed, a gentle laugh, his vivid blue eyes taking in my discomfort and anger.
"I'm sorry about this," he said in what I can only describe as an easy going voice, "But you were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"I'm a police officer," I spat out at him, "We can be were we want to!"
"True," he said nodding his head, "But you got in the way, you're lucky you didn't get killed."
I yanked on the handcuffs, feeling the biting cold metal bite against my flesh, his eyes flashed, was it anger or concern, I wasn't sure but I didn't care at that moment, I was frustrated, angry and humiliated. I yanked on the cuffs again, and he suddenly grabbed hold of my chin and held it tightly in his strong slender fingers.
"Stop that," he said sharply with surprising concern in his voice, "You'll hurt yourself."
"Fuck you!" my teeth were clenched as I spoke.
He slapped my face, a hard slap that took me by surprise.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and then I was even more angry for showing weakness and I tried to knee him in the groin, he was too fast though, he grabbed suddenly pinned me on the bed, using his knee in my chest, winding me and he pressed his face so close to mine I could smell the mint on his breath, feel the smoothness of his face next to mine.
"Behave yourself," he said calmly, "Or I will have to hurt you more than I want too."
"You are hurting me!" I snarled at him and more tears blurred my eyes.
His question took me by surprise, it was so sudden and unexpected I answered him.
He sighed deeply, "I'm sorry about that, what's your name?"
"Paul," I said and he nodded his head.
"Okay Paul, here's the deal, you will only be here for 48 hours, I have a little more work to do before I move on, I will let you go when I am finished."
"Yeah, right," I said and I felt him increase his grip on my chin, his knee press harder into my chest, making me gasp.
"You won't be hurt, not by me."
"I've seen your face!" I spat out.
"So?" he said and he looked amused, he shifted his weight from my chest and sat on the bed, he let go of my chin and I contemplated trying to kick him again but he said in an even voice.
"Don't do anything silly Paul."
I was stupid enough to ignore his gentle warning, my own fault really, I was in no position to take him on, my hands were well and truly tied, I had no idea where we were, I had been blind folded from the moment he had knocked me senseless, and I certainly couldn't remember the journey because he had trussed me up like a chicken and laid me on the floor of the car and then covered me up with several blankets.
When I tried to kick him again, he jerked me onto my side, making me cry out in pain as the metal cuffs bit into my wrists and he said.
"Okay, behave like a child, get treated like one."
I didn't know what he meant until I felt his hands on my trousers belt and with one flick it was open.
I screamed out a protest but to no avail, down went my trousers and my boxer shorts to my knees, and I was shrieking in pain as his hand landed on my exposed bare butt, not once but several times.
God, it hurt, he really slapped me hard and he was strong and he put a lot of power into each slap on my behind, I tried to jerk away from him but I only had the wall next to me and there was nowhere to go.
After the sixth slap he stopped, and said.
"Want to misbehave some more?"
He was giving me a chance to pull my horns in but I didn't, not right then, I called him every name I could think of whilst trying to climb up the wall to get away from him.
I couldn't see him as I was now facing the wall but I could feel him as he was holding me down on the bed.
"Okay," he said pleasantly, and he resumed putting his hand to my butt, harder than before I might add if that was possible.
I lost count of the blows to my behind but eventually I wasn't screaming out my fury any more, I was crying, tears and snot running down my face and I had to beg him to stop slapping me.
So much for being a brave and stoic cop, I was blubbing like an eight year old.
He did stop and he said to my back.
"Will you behave now?"
"Yes" I gasped out, "Yes!" I felt sick, and my behind hurt so much I didn't know what to do with myself.
He let go of me and seconds later I realized he had left the room.
My bare butt was exposed to the world but I couldn't' pull up my pants and even if I could have I wouldn't have because it hurt to much.
I sobbed and sobbed for what seemed an age. My tears were tears of pain, humiliation, anger and total helplessness.
Right then I could only wish I hadn't stopped Aaron for his faulty brake light, hadn't asked to see in the trunk of his car, because it had sealed my fate, when I saw the boxes with the gold ingots in them I knew I was onto something big but I made a mistake, I took my eyes off Aaron and he disarmed me, just like that, got my gun off me and used my own handcuffs on me.
He did it all with the air of a professional, he was a professional actually, an ex-solider with skills I could only dream about.
Now I was his prisoner and I was frightened. All my bravado was for show, I had no idea what he was going to do with me, his promises meant nothing, he could say what he wanted and do what he wanted.
He came back into the room an hour or so later.
"I've got you some supper," he said. My head was buried in the pillow of the bed.
I didn't answer and he sighed.
"Are you going to be silly again Paul?" he said, "Just say so but remember your butt won't like it."
"I'm not hungry," my words were stiff and muffled.
"You might not be, but you are going to eat."
He reached to roll me onto my back and I let out a wail of pain.
He went still and then his hand was on my head and he rubbed it gently and he said softly.
"Oh my I really hurt you didn't I?"
"No shit Sherlock!" I heard myself gasp out and I closed my eyes tightly because I didn't want to look at him and also because I was embarrassed because my pants were still around my knees.
"You bought it on yourself," he said and he left me alone, I hoped he'd not come back so soon but he returned after about ten minutes and sat on the bed and leaned over me.
"Open your eyes Paul, I need you to drink this."
He spoke firmly and gripped my chin, I refused to open my eyes but I felt some cold and hard press against my mouth.
"It's a painkiller," he said, "In liquid form, come on drink it, it's either that or you suffer."
I wasn't brave enough to suffer so I drank, the cold sour tasting liquid.
He ruffled my hair when I finished the drink and said.
"Good boy!"
"I'm not a kid!"
He laughed, "You are to me, how old are you, 20, 21? I'm 42, I was in army fatigues when you were still in diapers!"
"Leave me alone," I said churlishly and I rolled my head back into the pillow, my arms hurt, I hurt and I was helpless.
"Can't do that," his voice was soft, "But I'm willing to compromise, I will uncuff one of your hands so you can lie on the bed more comfortably, however if you try and do anything silly, I won't use my hand on your behind, I'll use a belt this, understand?"
I understood all right, and I knew he meant it.
I nodded my head.
"Good," he said and he did as he said he would.