Birdcage

Hey everyone!

Can't thank you enough for your kind words. Comments, favourites and votes really make my day so please do if you have the time.

Just a reminder that these chapters don't particularly work as stand-alone stories, so please navigate back to chapter 1 to get the most out of it :)

Apologies also as this isn't a 'sex heavy' chapter. There will be lots more good stuff to come don't worry.

Happy fapping,

G

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Music I listened to writing this chapter...despite the fact that nobody cares :D

Ashnikko feat. Grimes, Cry

Crystal Castles, Alice Practice

Crystal Castles, Air War

Allie X, Bitch

Kelsey Lu, I'm Not In Love

Jazmin Bean, Saccharine

Florence + The Machine, Various Storms & Saints

Chapter 4. The Whipping Post

Joni had been taken, towel still wrapped around her damp skin, to one of the punishment rooms. She recognised it instantly, with the same stained concrete floor and utilitarian grey walls as she had seen before. Bare save for several steel tool cabinets and lockers. This one also boasted a series of dark metal pipes attached in various strange configurations, littering the floor randomly. It reminded Joni of shrunken down climbing frames.

Her attacker had also joined her, and they were both knelt side by side, arms cuffed behind their backs and knees biting into the gritty floor. Joni hoped that her towel was secured tightly enough.

"You will both have the opportunity to explain yourselves. But I want to first remind you that we do not tolerate this behaviour here." The statuesque black woman spoke. Joni had heard the guard refer to her as '2' along the walk, and pondered for a moment if the numbers corresponded to seniority among the heads.

Three guards filed in behind them; two dressed in the standard black t-shirt and black cargo pants, but one stood besides '2' in an ill-fitted black suit. Joni inferred that he must be a personal bodyguard of some kind, as he clearly outranked the others.

"Verity my dear, would you care to..." She spoke gently to the blonde besides Joni, but was interrupted by the sharp slam of the metal door opening again.

"I'm sure it was a mistake that I was not informed of this incident, but luckily I was passing and saw you stealing away one of my slaves without permission. Ed outside has gotten me up to speed." 4 wspoke politely but sternly, and took his place at her side.

"I...apologies...the...the guard I asked to speak to you, he must have..." She stumbled over her words as she tried to regain composure.

"Nevermind. I'm here now. Continue." He gave a perfunctory smile before looking back towards Joni.

"They were found brawling in the showers. I was just asking my Verity what happened."

Verity lifted her chin smugly.

"Well I was just showering, and she started on me! I think she's jealous but she just started attacking me! I don't even know her!" She fluttered her eyelashes dramatically up at the two heads.

"Thank god the guards came when they did!"

"Is this how it happened slave?" 4 looked down at Joni and crossed his arms over his chest. He wore a loose fitting white t-shirt and jeans, and Joni was shocked to see him dressed so casually. It was obvious that been caught unawares. He even sported a dark shadow of stubble around his jaw.

"No. She attacked me." Joni stated firmly, forcing her eyes down to the floor again.

"It does seem that my slave is the only one with any real damage?" He mused, eyeing the deep gash across the top of her breast. The blood had congealed now, but it stung and bled anew whenever the coarse towel rubbed against it.

"Well you can't blame Verity for being able to defend herself! There were two witnesses I believe. They back up her story." 2 huffed at him, growing impatient.

"Hm. I don't see a resolution. You will punish yours as you see fit, and I will punish mine." He moved towards Joni purposefully.

"You are lucky she didn't injure Verity more. If she had lost me money I would have flayed her myself."

4 nodded and hoisted Joni up to standing, leading her back out of the door and down the hallway.

"...I'm telling the truth." Joni whispered as they walked. Eyes forward.

"Don't speak unless I speak to you...but I'm aware. I saw it on the cameras for myself. 2 has a fondness for her...but I am yet to understand why" Joni pictured him watching her in the shower block, naked under the spray of the water. Her cheeks warmed lightly.

She was surprised to find him pulling her to a stop outside a room she recognised. He knocked sharply on the door and waited. It was only a moment before Doctor J swung the door open to the clinic room. He was wearing a dark red jumper and chinos, and Joni noted that like 4 he had also been caught off the clock.

"Jack, I apologise that it's late but would you take a look at this for me?" He pointed at Joni's chest and nudged her forwards slightly.

"Of course! Come in, come in." He ushered them into the room and gestured Joni towards the large white dentists chair in the centre. She jerked back against 4's arm, her eyes looking up at him pleading. The images of her last visit to the chair flashed violently. Michaels cruel smile vivid in her mind. 4 pulled at her elbow firmly and pushed her down to take a seat.

He took a step back, and waited, looking expectantly at the doctor.

"Ok, let's see." Doctor J smiled warmly at Joni and loosened the towel an inch to see the full length of the scratch. He was carefully to keep her covered as he pulled gently at the skin, wiping with a small wet piece of gauze as he went.

"It's not too bad, the blood makes it look worse than it is. What was it?"

"Nails." 4 spoke over Joni's shoulder.

"Ah...I've never liked those long claws they sport these days. Never found it very attractive." He mumbled.

"I'll pop some cream on, and a dressing, but it should heal nicely." His information was for 4's benefit, not Joni's.

Joni sat quietly, watching as the doctor fastidiously worked, not daring to look back at 4, who tapped his foot rhythmically behind her.

"How does that feel dear?" He pressed the last corner of adhesive down and sat back in his chair.

"Fine...thank you." Joni smiled. She sensed an awkwardness in the Doctor, a remorse, but she wanted to reach out and console him. She felt no malice for him leaving her with Michael. What choice did he have? If 4 hadn't been tapping behind, reminding her of his presence, she thought she would have leaned forward to hug Doctor J. He had a warmth that felt out of place here.

After the clinic, 4 had led them back towards his office, Joni starting to shiver in her towel. Her mind was racing with possibilities. He had said he would punish her 'how he saw fit', and that description worried Joni more than anything. When they entered the office, he slumped into his chair and gestured for Joni to sit across from him.

"Quickly. Why did the fight occur?"

"She...seemed to think I was trying to sleep with you. To get ahead somehow. She said I thought I was better than her...I don't know. She saw us at the club...with the drinks."

4 swore under his breath and shook his head, exasperated.

"It's late. I'm tired and I've had a long day as I'm sure you have too." He raked his hands through his chocolate locks, tousling up his usually perfect style. He looked much younger than Joni had seen before. His mask slipping and the human peeking from out under it.

"The punishment will take place tomorrow. I will deal with it personally as I have told 2 I would. She will want to be present." He stifled a yawn and then knitted his brows together, as if trying to find forgotten words.

"Oh yes...and your customer. He has asked to buy the sole rights to you whilst you are here. This isn't your permanent sale, this is just in the interim." He knitted his fingers together as Joni had seen him do before and rested them on his chest, leaning back languidly into his armchair.

Joni too was scrambled with exhaustion, and her brain tripped over the words. In that moment she craved the white knight. Desperate to curl up in his warm safe little bubble, with his large soft hands wrapped around her.

"What...what does that mean?"

"It means he will continue to pay for your services as he has been doing. You will remain a virgin however and we expect in the near future you will be sold." His icy glare met hers for a moment before he looked towards his desk.

Joni watched his tired eyes scan the papers before him. He seemed to be frazzled tonight, and offered up more information than he may have usually. Joni thought to gently take advantage of that.

"My customer...you know him?" She readjusted her towel, careful to avoid her bandage.

"Yes, I do...How do you feel about this situation?" Joni was surprised at the question. She was quite used to her opinions being irrelevant since coming to the Fort.

"I'm fine with that...he treats me better than I expected."

4 huffed, his mouth still downturned.

"Don't get too used to that. They won't all treat you well."

A thought came to Joni, and she paused to consider asking him.

"Do you...do you see what happens in the rooms?"

He stopped dead in what he was doing and looked up, shuffling his chair closer to the desk.

"Why do you ask?" His eyes were alight with some emotion Joni couldn't pin.

Joni didn't know. Did she want him to see? Want him to watch her ravaged by her stranger? Did she want him to know how much she enjoyed it? That she begged him to stay when they were done? Did she want jealousy?

"I...I don't know. Sorry. I...just wanted to know. You said you saw the fight earlier. Does someone watch...every time?"

"Someone is always watching. Yes. It's for both the customers safety and yours. We have a large surveillance team. They would intervene if for example you attacked a client or they went further than they had paid for. You are always watched...so please don't get any ideas. You're about 10,000 miles from civilisation." He paused for a moment and Joni let the words sink in. He knew she had wanted to escape. Had he heard the conversation with Marnie? She looked sheepishly down at her feet.

"But to answer your question...yes. I have seen you in 622." He almost whispered, his eyes blazing with an unexpected fire.

Joni's cheeks flamed also. She could feel the crimson creeping up her chest and neck. He had seen her. She pictured him sat in his office, Joni's writhing form on the monitor in front of him, her white knight's head pressed between her slick thighs. She suddenly felt naked, her skin prickling under his gaze. She pulled the towel tighter around her and caught her lower lip between her teeth. He let the tension rise gradually, sitting back in his chair in silence, the only noise being Joni's gasping breaths. When she thought she might expire, he stood, and walked purposefully around to her side of the desk. She held her breath as she saw his feet come into view in front of her, and flinched as she felt his warm lips at her ear. He uttered one word that sent desire racing down Joni's veins.

"Don't".

The next day was Joni's first day working at the club. She'd had barely 3 hours sleep when she had been pulled from her bed and thrown through the showers. After being dolled up in her 'uniform' and several layers of makeup, she was deposited outside of the club and instructed to 'get started'. Her uniform consisted of a tight black vinyl dress that barely skimmed the bottom of her underwear, however the neckline was cut high on her chest, so as to cover her bandage. She teetered in on matching black vinyl platforms, confident that she'd fall at least once.

A women named Trixie had introduced herself as the manager and showed her the ropes, including a rough tour of the bar and an explanation of the ordering system. It ended with her pointing out two large tables cordoned off with red velvet ropes. These would be the 'VIP' areas and Joni was under strict instruction to serve them 'above all others' and 'in any way they desired'.

She gathered up all of the patience she had left, donned a fake smile, and watched as the first few customers filed in.

The evening went about as Joni had expected. She served drinks to tables of rowdy young men and endured the gropes as she passed. She mopped up sticky spilt beer and feigned laughter at their crude jokes. These were usually the tables front and centre, circling the dancers poles, and they were the least of Joni's concerns. She feared going over to the tables at the back much more. The tables fenced off by velvet ropes. The men at those tables were far scarier than the boys who slapped her arse and called her 'baby'. The men at the back pulled her into their laps and whispered things into her ear that made her want to retch. Her plastic smile was failing her by the end, and she lost track of the amount of times she'd laughed it off and told them she'd 'be right back' as she escaped back to the bar.

She'd served creeps when she'd worked at the restaurant, but at least there she was able to go and get a manager to back her up, or just outright ask them to leave. Here she was quite sure that her manager would be on the creeps side.

By midnight her ankles ached from the skyscraper heels, and she idly wished that the clock would chime and make her 'glass slippers' disappear. She had snuck off to the far end of the bar, and was leant against it trying to rest her feet when she heard his voice.

"Gin gimlet please."

An handsome older man with silvery hair stood on the other side of the bar, resting his elbow casually. He wore a dark and slim fitting suit and had an air of confidence. She looked over to see the rest of the bar empty; bartenders wiping glasses and waiting for orders.

"Oh...I'm not a bartender sorry. I'll put your order in and someone will make that for you right now." Joni apologised and turned towards the till.

"I can tell you the recipe." His eyes were mischievous and his smiled infectious. Joni found herself smirking back at him.

"Umm..." She looked around trying to spot Trixie amongst the crowd.

"Come on now. It's easy. Grab that glass there. And a shaker. It's 2 ingredients! Easy." He chuckled and moved to sit on one of the bar stools, leaning forwards to point Joni towards the shelves.

Trixie's words rang out in her mind 'serve them in any way they desire', and she lifted one of the steel shakers onto the bar top.

"And the jigger...the little measure there." He pointed.

"Great. Now gin, that one there with the blue label, right behind you. And that lime cordial, the green bottle at the bottom." He smiled as she gathered up what she needed. Politely correcting her when she grabbed the wrong bottle.

"2 ounces of each in there, and ice...see I told you it was easy. What's your name?"

Joni hadn't been given another name, like she knew some of the others had. No 'scarlet' or 'Lexi' or 'Candi'. She had begun to fear she already had a strippers name.

"Joni, Sir."

"Well it's lovely to meet you Joni. I'm William. Ok, put that in there...and stir that up." He reached out, taking Joni's hand in his, and showed her how to stir the cocktail. His hands were large and warm, and Joni noted his glittering watch face as it slipped out from behind his cuff. In the back of her mind she wondered...was it her white knight? He had a warm familiarity, and had clearly picked Joni out of the long bar of beautiful waitresses...she couldn't be sure.

"That's great. Now use the strainer...there. And just in that glass." He sat back now, confident that Joni didn't need any more instruction. She placed the frosty drink in front of him, on a small black napkin as she had been shown.

"You try. It's your handiwork." He lifted the drink back towards her.

Joni paused for a moment, looking to the other end of the bar again. But he held the glass steadfast and smiled. She took it from him and took a small sip. It was sweet and sharp, but most of all it was strong, and Joni cringed as she handed it back. The alcohol burned up the back of her throat.

"Not for you?" William laughed heartily, taking the drink from her and taking a large swig.

"Its good...I just couldn't drink many." Joni giggled along with him, wiping the corner of her mouth. As she looked up at him she saw a familiar frame approaching over his shoulder.

"Oh no? And what would happen if you had too many?" He flirted openly now. One eyebrow pulling up suggestively.

"Haven't seen you in here for a while Bill."

"Ah! My good man. I was just speaking to young Joni here. Is she one of yours? I'm in the market for someone just like her." He winked towards Joni and like a switch, any interest in him was gone. She felt like produce again, like a commodity. She watched 4 and waited for his response.

"She is, but unfortunately she's not available currently. I have someone I think you'll be interested in though, why don't you follow me."

He waved outwards in an 'after you' gesture towards the older man.

"It was a pleasure Joni." He picked up his drink from the bar and bowed dramatically, before being led away and over to one of the booths.

Joni looked away from the booth, so as to keep 4 out of her eye-line, and cleaned up after herself, rinsing the equipment up and stacking it carefully. When she turned back towards the bar, 4 was sitting at it, in the same place William had been.

"Oh! Sorry. You surprised me...shit sorry. The no speaking rule. Sorry." She babbled on as he watched her impassively.

"Customers prefer an informal atmosphere, so within these walls you can address me." He flicked up his watch as Joni had seen him do before, and eyed its face for a moment.

"Bill isn't your type, I wouldn't pursue that." He raked a hand through his dark hair and looked towards the other end of the bar.

"I...I wasn't pursuing!...I just..."

"He exclusively enjoys pegging...that's not to say that can't be enjoyed, it just seems it may be a little out of your comfort zone."

Joni nodded back, hoping that she seemed knowledgeable. She thought that she would ask Marnie later what it was.

"...It means he likes to get fucked in the arse. In plain terms."

Joni balked at him, always surprised by his use of such crude language, when his language the rest of the time was fairly prim and proper.

"It's not something you've shown interest in before, so I'm making an assumption."

"...how would you?..."

"We monitor your internet usage before pick-up."

Joni for the first time was unsurprised. Of course they would monitor her internet. They seemed to know everything else about her life. She tried to think back quickly to her porn habits in the months previous, hoping there wasn't anything too obscure or incriminating. Maybe the odd bit of tentacle porn out of morbid curiosity, but generally her tastes had been vanilla.

She looked back up at 4 and wondered desperately what he was thinking, his mask was back on from the night before and she had difficulty reading him. He checked something on his phone and barked at Joni without looking up.

"There's a small incident which means there won't be someone to chaperone you. You'll need to go down one floor, take a left and you'll eventually get to 62B. I'll meet you there when I'm finished here."

"...what?"

His eyes flashed up at her.

"Your punishment...off you go."

Joni's heart jumped and she launched herself out from behind the bar and headed towards the exit, trying to recite his instructions back to herself. She dare not go back and ask him to repeat it. In all honesty she'd forgotten the punishment. Or maybe she'd just hoped he had.

She'd never been allowed to move about the building without supervision, and she felt unsettled. She assumed they would be watching on the cameras...but surely there were blindspots. Her heart raced in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Reaching the stairwell she took one floor down, looked around and went down one more. She thought to herself that she could feign stupidity if they caught her. Say she was lost. She wasn't expecting to walk out of the front door then and there, but it wouldn't hurt her chances to get a better idea of the layout of the maze of hallways. The floor down she was quite sure she'd be on before, 'maybe the auction room' she mused. Unlike before though the dark corridors were bustling now, and she had a hard time shouldering past the crowds as she moved on. She wouldn't have much time. She turned one corner and then another. She walked on and on, trying to figure out a key, or a plan to this place. Some way of mapping it out.