Chapter 5

Cas is laughing, Cole is laughing and Katy just sits there in confusion and curiosity. Cas is treating her captor like she would a friend and Katy just can't understand that. Why would Cas be so kind to her torturer? Surely she should hate him. Like Katy resents Richard. Is this some from of Stockholm syndrome? It's certainly something she's never experienced before.

"Okay, why don't you guys start? I'll go park the car and meet you somewhere-"
"We'll be in VS. So just meet us outside at one of the benches-"
"Sure....Katy?"

Katy snaps out of her daydreaming and hurries out of the car behind Cas. Cas just laughs and waves off Cole as he drives off into the vast parking lot. Then looping an arm through her new found friend, she declares a start on their marathon.

Merely ten minutes in and Katy's eyes keep flickering to a bored looking Cole slumped outside on the benches. A bunch of teens are sitting laughing loudly next to him, texting on their phones and generally messing about in their carefree youth.

"Katy!" hisses Cas, holding up yet another article of scanty clothing.
Lace, silk, string. She knows it all already. It was of course, all Richard had allowed her to have around the house. A lacy pair of underwear and bra, was all she was permitted in the house with him there. So when Cas cooed and pawed over the various ones, Katy can't help but feel nothing other than disgust. She simply can't see the appeal in many of them and she especially doesn't like the far too provocative ones, which wrap around her body like a second skin. The cute girly ones, they're not too bad but it seems Cas isn't too fond of them so Katy simply remains quiet.

Much later, Cas is finally done and hands the 3 bags to Cole, before dragging Katy into the next store. Amazingly, Cole says nothing as he hums along to his music and waits around each shop for them to finish.

An hour later and Cas has bought Katy trousers, tops, undergarments, accessories, shoes...everything but skirts and dresses.

"Done yet, Cas?" Cole asks, struggling with the handfuls of bags.
"Nearly. Just dresses and skirts to go," grins Cas calling back to him.
"Cas, I, um, I'd rather not have dresses," mumbles Katy.
"What? Why not? Every girl should have at least one dress," argues Cas.
"Cas, I just-I can't please. I'm not like you."
"Katy, trust me. You in a dress will have Mason drooling," winks Cas.
"Cas. I don't like it. I'm not you. I don't-I can't be...friends with men that harm me. I'm not that forgiving."

Cas spins around and blinks rapidly a few times at Katy.
"Katy, what actually are you talking about? I don't have anybody that harms me!" hisses Cas looking around, to see if anyone has heard them.
"I-I don't understand. Yesterday-he-"
"Yeah...Katy I thought you understood BDSM," whispers Cas.
"I-I do. It's just that...-"

"Right. Changing rooms now,"
"What?Ow-Ah-Cas."

Cas grips Katy's forearm and with clothes in one hand and Katy in another, Cas marches them into the disabled changing room.

"Sit. Now, let's talk," commands Cas. Katy obediently sits on the bench and gazes up at Cas.
"Katy, what happened yesterday...I liked it. Cole wasn't hurting me. He was pleasuring me," says Cas.
"But-you were, screaming. You had your fists clenched. You bargained with him," listed Katy gazing strangely at Cas.
"Honey..."sighs Cas, "You know what, talk to Mason about it-"
"No! No, wait. I'll listen, promise."

"Okay, here's the thing," she breathes, "there's a fine line, between pain and extreme pleasure. A sweet, sweet zap of pure pleasure that sends your toes tingling and body into a blissful frenzy. BDSM is about reaching that line, sometimes pushing it, but definitely reaching it. It's not torture. Only if you cross it, is it considered torture. Katy, I wasn't in pain. I loved it. Can you understand that?"

Katy silently nods trying to imagine that metaphorical line.
"Okay, so Cole; he's my friend. He won't hurt me. He knows what I like, and what I don't.-"
"But he was commanding you."
"Yeah. He was, but I find that hot. You see, men like to think they're in control all the time. Truth is most of the time, it's us women who are controlling them. But in BDSM the Dominant, Cole, is in control, and even though he is, he has the responsibility to look after his submissive. A good Dominant knows his submissive, he knows how far to push her and he knows not to cross that line. But the submissive needs to trust in him and when she doesn't- that's when she uses the safe-word. Look, I don't expect you to get this. A lot of people don't.-"
"No, I-I think I do. I just...this is new...But you and Cole; you two...love each other?"

Cas stifles her giggles and shakes her head, "oh no. No. Cole and I are...'friends'. We don't love each other, at least not in more than a friendly way....He cares about me and I care about him. But we aren't in that sort of mutual monogamous relationship. That's something I...it's one of my issues. Not that we should get into them now because we better start trying on these dresses before the staff think we're defiling the sanctity of this changing room."
Katy smiles in return, not missing the fact that Cas is glossing over her own problems. Looking at Cas, Katy had assumed a girl like her; tall, slim, beautiful and chirpy wouldn't have had any trouble in life but perhaps that was far too presumptuous of her.
One day, if she's around long enough, she will hear her new friend out and offer her the shoulder she's never been offered herself.

"Finally, done?" teases Cole. Cas just laughs as Katy tries to figure him out.
On the outside, he looks carefree-the easy going, adorable smile on his handsome rounded face; blonde hair; normal. The kind of man, a girlfriend's mother would love; who they'd coo and 'aw' over. But yesterday...she saw a side of him, she'd never have thought he'd have. But Cas likes it. She actually likes it. Katy just can't understand it. Why would Cas like having him plough into her? Tear her from the inside with his fingers? Why would he like it? It used to be a question she'd thought again and again with Richard, only to then recognise it's a pointless question.

"Katy! Come on! Cole's going to put the stuff away, let's go get a table," calls Cas, snapping Katy yet again out of her thoughts.
"Right, sorry," she mumbles following Cas into a casual fast-food restaurant.

Ordering up, Cole comes just in time as the food arrives. While Katy silently eats, Cas and Cole are lost in their conversation. Feeling devious, and a little bit saintly, Cas excuses herself, to use the restroom, tactically leaving Cas and Katy by themselves. While Katy had been zoned out, Cas had quietly explained things to Cole. It'll be good to hear it from Cole himself to reassure Katy that Cole is not a bad guy here.

"Katy," starts Cole.
"Yes?"
"You're not scared of me, are you? You know I would never hurt Cas, right? Or you-" he quickly adds.
Katy dumbly nods a nod that's short and a little hesitant.
"She likes-"
"She said."
"Right, er-yeah. So you don't have to be afraid of me...Or Cas. She's perfectly safe with me.... With everyone at the club. We have rules and stuff to ensure all our safety. And if anyone wants out-they can."
Katy licks her dry lips and inhales sharply. They're preaching to her. Over doing it with the whole 'you're safe with us' act. It makes her all the more suspicious of them. All of them.

"You don't trust us, do you?"
Katy shrugs, "can you blame me? I know how I looked that first day. I know I'm here with nothing and please don't misunderstand me, I am extremely grateful for all your help. But you can't blame me for wondering why Mr. Carter and any of you would want me to stay. I'm not exactly an asset."
"I would disagree. I think you have a lot of potential Katy. And as for wanting you to stay. Let's just say, Mason is not as tough as he likes to portray."

Katy draws in a sharp breath.
"Regardless, I was held captive for 3 years by a man who called himself my husband. I'm not going to allow myself to be held captive by another man who doesn't hold even that title," snips Katy, shutting Cole up instantly.

Cas comes back to total, deathly silence, figuring the talk she'd planned for them didn't go too well. Yikes. She hopes things will smooth other...eventually.

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Mason glances at the clock on the wall once again. He's been restless for hours now. There's just all this nervous energy built up in him for some reason. Well...he has a good idea why. But he also knows it's irrational. Katy is perfectly safe with Cas and Cole.
Nonetheless, his brothers had picked up on his unsettled mood all throughout the online conference and along with that had come a private lecture by Adrian, his eldest brother. Forgetting that, he tried concentrating on his work. Pay-checks are due soon and he needs to sort out the finances-the worst part of his job by far.
Only ten minutes in and his phone buzzed with a text. Seeing it as Cole's he immediately responded, but all the content did was cause him to close his eyes and rub his temples. Looks like things didn't go too well.

As soon as Katy is back, Mason gives her time to relax before taking a deep breath and knocking on her door.

"Katy-" he calls slipping through, when he receives no answer.

"Why won't you let me go?!" cries Katy.
She's so tired of all this. Tired of constantly wondering and worrying what he wants from her, of Richard reaching her and how she's going to make it out of all this mess.

Mason's heart clenches at those words as he flinches from that harsh blow. At least, though, if she can yell at him, she's less intimidated by him.

"Is it so horrible being here?" he calmly asks.
Katy drops her head.
"No. No, I'm sorry. It's...comfortable," replies Katy quietly, remembering her place.
"Little Doe. Look at me...please," softly asks Mason, tilting her head to meet his and smiling lightly.

"You're running. You're not safe, but I'll protect you Katy. I won't betray you, I promise. No one, no one will hurt you here. I can absolutely assure you that. Do you believe me?"

She gazes at his sincere deep blue eyes. His face remains steady, his eyes unwavering. She can't explain it, as much as her brain screamed at her not to ever trust men like him, something in her assures her she can, that she should take the chance on him. And risk it because somehow, for some reason, it would be worth it.

"I-I think so-"
"I need a definite answer Katy. And I know, you know that answer. Tell me."
"Yes," she whispers definitively.
Mason's lips curl upwards into an angelic smile.
"Katy, this is just an idea. Tell me if you don't want to, if you don't like it. But I think we should have some fun."
Katy's face drops, "f-fun?"

"Yeah, fun. Not that kind! Just..you know, family G-rated type fun. There's a carnival not far from here, that's in town for a few nights. Tonight's their last night, and if you'd like we could go. I was thinking of it just being us two but if you'd like Cas can come along too. It's up to you, no pressure. So what do you think?"

From having read Cole's worrying text about the information she'd accidently slipped out, Mason can pretty much insinuate Katy's opinion on men-not that he'd blame her, especially judging from the condition he'd seen her in yesterday. And he figures the best way to help her open up to him would be to hopefully have her see him as a friend and then...maybe more. But slowly he will win over his mate.

"So Katy?"
"I think...I think, I'd like to go to the carnival with you, thank you Mason," Katy shyly replies, her plump lips stretching lightly at the hints of a small smile.