The next few days were exasperating for both of them. Neither was willing to back down and the result was typically verbal battering, generally followed by either a spanking or him simply forcibly holding her in place while she screamed and bitched.
Jon knew he should be firmer and hit harder--but he also was constantly aware of his promise not to harm her. He personally felt that promise extended beyond just physical safety to encompassing emotional safety. Frankly, despite her semblance of holding it together regardless of circumstances, he recognized her emotional state was highly volatile and he sensed it wouldn't take much to push her over the edge into complete despair.
The girl had slipped into a state of completely focusing on survival by holding her ground. It wasn't rational and she knew that. But being sold to a stranger as a sex slave wasn't particularly rational either. She knew she couldn't win, but strongly felt she couldn't afford to lose. Not this time, after already losing so much. This time she had to fight harder. Maybe doing so would finally give her a way out of her own personal hell.
----
It didn't take much to get her wound up. This time he'd simply grabbed her when she attempted to push past him rather than politely requesting permission to walk out of the room. She never politely asked for anything, but that hadn't stopped him from continuing to demand that she do do.
"Leave me alone!"
He reached again for her, more determined this time, pinning her against the wall momentarily. She screamed at him and twisted around, slapping him hard in the face with an open palm. The fact that she's actually gotten a good hit in startled both of them. Finally he had reached the point where he was entirely too frustrated to continue the endless cycle of tension between the two of them. He was ready for a break.
"Well now pet, that can certainly be arranged, though it may take a bit of work."
While he had retained a good collection of his toys and training tools, he had done away with a formal dungeon long before moving into his current residence. But any individual familiar with basic children's fantasy literature would easily be aware of the impressive versatility of the storage areas under stairs.
He trussed her up suitably, using his belt to bind her legs together before firmly wrapping a simple necktie around her wrists, and another around her elbows just for good measure. She objected, quite loudly, to this process.
Fortunately, his supply of gags was reasonably accessible. He wondered, briefly, why he hadn't resorted to using one sooner. She swore and spit, jerking her head from side to side, but her resistance was utterly pitiful. It barely took effort for him to slip the ball gag in her mouth and secure it soundly around her head.
Once she was rendered incapable of any significant movement he gathered a few necessary tools, tossing them into a bucket retrieved from under the sink. Satisfied with his selections, he tossed the girl over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, hauling her down the stairs and depositing her on the bottom step. Then he went to work.
He wasn't particularly certain why his under stair storage space locked from the inside, but it took no time at all to flip the handle to ensure that it could be securely bolted from the outside instead. His camping gear was conveniently tucked away in a corner of the small storage area. He retrieved and unfolded a simple mat and foam mattress, tossing in a blanket and pillow snagged from the basement couch.
He finished up by positioning the bucket over a neatly folded tarp in the corner along with a half-empty box of Kleenex, leaving little ambiguity as to its intended use. When that was all said and done he deposited the wriggling package on the mattress, ignoring her muffled protests as he unbound her wrists and arms, leaving her capable of ultimately freeing herself fully. He flipped on the light--no need to make things more complicated than they have to be--before firmly shutting the door and twisting the latch.
----
At first the girl put up quite a fuss, yelling baseless threats and pounding on the door. He simply commanded Alexa to increase the volume on his preferred music selection to drowned out the racket. After a couple hours she must have given up, because the pounding stopped and the screaming dropped to an occasion shriek of frustration. He had no qualms about leaving her through the night, after all a mattress was a privilege more than many pets were granted.
In the morning he went about his usual routine pleasantly undisturbed for the first time in several days. Waiting until well after breakfast to attend to his pet, he threw a few protein bars and apples in a ziplock bag and grabbed a couple water bottles. She stirred and began her caterwauling when she heard his footprints on the stairs. He simply blocked the door with his body as he opened it, tossed the care package in her general direction, and left again.
That evening he gathered another bag of food and more water. This time, after tossing the food inside, he stepped in himself, neatly blocking the opening of the door long enough to grab the bucket, which she had made suitable use of. He dumped the contents, rinsed it and returned it to its place, all the while acting as though the occupant of the small space was not even present. She had asked to be left alone, who was he to ignore such a request?
---
At first when he came to deliver food and empty the bucket she screamed at him. By the end of the second day she'd been reduced to begging. He left her a third day, just for good measure.
She simply slipped backwards when the door opened, prepared to grab at the bag of food. Instead, he opened the door completely and stood in front of her.
"Are you ready to behave yourself now? I can give you more time to consider your options if you'd like."
She stiffened and gritted her teeth, her body language screaming obstinance. But internally she was relieved; not particularly about being let out of the room, though that certainly appealed. No, in reality she was simply desperate to even receive the tiniest bit of acknowledgment. Finally, she nodded determinedly.
"From here on out I am laying down the ground rules and they will be followed or you will be punished. Actually punished, not just a few swats over my knee. Understand?"
She considered him dubiously.
"Maybe I should know the rules I am agreeing to follow before promising not to break them?"
He considered simply closing the door and walking away again, but it wasn't an unreasonable request and it had been notably made without the use of profanity or shrieking.
"I will keep them simple. You will treat me respectfully, including both your behaviors and your words. No more fit throwing and swearing. If I give you directions you will follow them. If you are confused or distressed you may politely ask permission to speak freely. I will grant it, or not, and you will abide by my decision. When you do speak to me directly you will address me properly as sir or master, I don't particularly care which. Is that clear enough?"
She responded, reluctantly, but respectfully as demanded.
"Yes sir"
-----
He allowed her to walk behind him up the stairs and through the opulent living area towards an equally elaborate staircase. At the top there were several closed doors. He turned left and opened a door into his study. The room smelled of leather and cleaner, dark toned wood paneling lined the walls. The hardwood floor was polished meticulously. The top of the grandiose desk was organized obsessively, with not even a paper clip out of place.
He sat down in the leather executive chair and made himself comfortable before pointing at the floor next to the chair.
"Sit."
