My apartment was a shit hole in a bad neighborhood. It was all I could afford after my witch of an ex-wife took almost everything from me in the divorce. I'd just wanted out, so she got more than she deserved. It wouldn't have been so bad, except I got downsized right afterward. Now I was stuck in an underpaying job, way below my skill level, with a cast iron bitch for a boss. Some days I wondered if she and my ex were friends.
It was a typical Thursday evening, well after seven o'clock and I had a pile of work in my arms that I'd brought home to finish, courtesy of my lovely boss. I was also carrying two grocery bags of food and a bottle of red wine. The light on the landing was still burnt out (I made a mental note to once again remind the landlord to fix it) so I was having a hard time juggling all the stuff while undoing the locks. I never heard the assailant. A hard object that I assumed was a gun, jammed into my ribs and forced me forward the instant the door unbolted. Off balance, I dropped everything and tumbled into my apartment. The place was small, so I didn't travel far before my knees hit the sofa causing me to collapse over the arm of the worn furniture. My feet were out behind me, my head was pressed into the seat, and my ass stuck up in the air.
"Don't move a fucking muscle," the harsh voice ordered. "And don't even think about making a sound." The weapon dug into my side again. I laid still, bent in half. Bags scraped across the floor, and the door closed behind me. When the deadbolt snapped home I knew that I was in trouble.
"Take what you want," I said hoping that it was just a burglary.
There was a disdainful chuckle. "I will, don't worry."
Because of my relative poverty, I didn't have much, just some used furniture, clothes, books, photos, the usual bachelor stuff. I did have a nice fifty-five-inch flat screen TV and a powerful laptop. Those would be gone I was sure. Even though I couldn't see, I could tell the thug was strong, but on the smaller side. How the guy was going to get my stuff out of the third-floor apartment without me intervening was a mystery.
"Take off your belt and put your hands behind your back." Mystery solved; my wrists were quickly bound. "Open your mouth." Again, I obeyed hoping to delay the kind of ending that I'd read about. A piece of cloth shoved past my lips gagging me. At least it didn't smell bad, I thought. The rag had a pleasant, almost perfume-like, aroma.
I'd lost a lot of weight through the divorce and been going to the local YMCA as often as my job would allow. However, I hadn't bought new clothes to match my trimmer physique. Without a belt, my pants began drooping off my hips and sliding down my rear end.
"Look what we have here," the voice said from behind.
Fear coursed through me. The thug sounded gleeful. My pants were jerked down the rest of the way. The tangle of clothing around my ankles left me even more securely bound.
A hand touched my right butt cheek sending a shiver through me. "Good," the voice said, "but not enough." With another rough yank, my underwear went down too. I was completely naked and exposed below the waist.
The attacker touched me again, stroking over my now bare cheek. I could feel soft leather gloves, a light, almost sensuous caress. "Nice ass," the voice carried a hint of appreciation, maybe even admiration. A finger ran down my crack. I shuddered harder. "You like that, huh?"
In any other circumstance, I probably would have enjoyed it. I'd admitted as much to Diane. She was the one lady friend that I'd made since my divorce. We'd struck up a relationship that had begun over lunch and expanded into dinner dates and late evenings at our favorite bar. She was almost my height, athletic and strong, very attractive by any standard. Her most alluring feature however, was her assertiveness. I love a strong woman, one who knows her mind and isn't afraid to get what she wants. Some might have called her dominant and they would not be totally incorrect. Many could consider me submissive, but I didn't believe that accurately described me either. What I liked was being able to let my guard down and be both emotionally and physically vulnerable to someone I trusted. The freedom to let go and not wear any shred of ego-protective armor, to be truly myself in the company of a sympathetic soul was exhilarating, erotic. I'd shared that with Diane. She was fascinated by my feelings, and had quizzed me extensively about them. Even though she did not share my perspective, she let me know that she approved and supported it. Unfortunately, the voice coming from behind me was not Diane's.
A crack echoed as the gloved hand slapped my butt hard. "I said, you like that, don't you?" Another blow landed on the opposite cheek. "Answer me."
I was speechless. Not only was I stunned by the assault, but the gag made it impossible for me to say anything. I nodded my head vigorously, hoping to mollify my attacker.
"Better." The hand smoothed over my inflamed skin. The touch on my hypersensitive skin felt good. Pleasurable goosebumps flared there and a delightful shiver coursed through me, all against my will. But I was terrified, sure that the invader was going to do something awful to me. Anger welled up past my fear. Despite my vulnerable position, I began thinking of ways I could fight back.