9
Valerie had laughed at John's feeble attempts to fight back by pulling on the leash with his collar. She was stronger than Ashley, having two kids does that to you, and she merely guided him where she wanted him to go.
Once in the SUV they were headed down the road. He again rode in the back seat like a dog. Valerie had brought a large traveling cage with her just in case he got out of hand. The ride in the SUV was much more enjoyable for John. Besides the extra room, the windows were tinted so that nobody could see him in his collar.
"Tell me again, John, why it is you never proposed to Ashley?"
"To be brief," he said looking out at the cars they were passing, "I'm a dog."
"You know? That's what she said. That you were an honest to God dog. And that you were never going to be anything other than that."
John hung his head and lowered his voice in shame. "That's what I have been trying to tell her all of these years."
"Me too!" Valerie said. She made exaggerated movements with her red tipped finger around her head.. "Guys like you never change."
"Fetishes and fantasies..." she said from the front seat as she sped down the highway faster than anyone else. "You're a confused little puppy. A freak. A freak of nature. Guys like you should be locked up like this."
John just stared out the window.
"How much longer did you expect her to wait for you to grow up? Huh?" she asked.
"Look, Valerie, I really don't want to talk about this right now."
"I told you to sit in the middle of the seat so that I can see you!"
John scooted back to the left. In the mirror he could see Valerie's lovely brown eyes peering at him.
"Did you want me to lock that ball gag back on your head?" she asked.
"No."
"No, WHAT?"
"No, Ma'am."
"Well then, if you don't want to talk I think that ball gag should go right back in your mouth. Then you have a reason to be hushed."
"Look, Valerie," John said, "I know exactly what you think of me. I do love your sister, and never would have gotten involved with her if I knew this dog/slave thing was going to dominate my thoughts over the years. I've fought it over the years but there it is always at the forefront of my mind. I'm a dog/slave. That's obvious by my chained condition. I admit I'm completely at your mercy. But I have had a rough three days. Nothing has gone as planned. And now I am being hauled ten hours away from being set free of these chains."