Withering Ivy: Chapter Nine (Patreon)

Ms. Winslet was modest in her wealth. Other than her acres of land she called home she didn't seem to spend money to look better than anyone else. The hotel she booked for us was a suite yet not overly tacky. A small kitchenette and living room were separated by one wall that led to the bedroom. I didn't want to go in there however, I stayed curled up on the couch until Tobby offered to play a game of cards. He was competitive but he was also kind. His manners showed themselves as he seemed to only want me to feel accompanied.

As the clock ticked forward however he excused himself. He didn't want to be caught slacking by the boss so the two of them went to their spot outside in the hallway. It left me time to search around and let my curiosity fill my overwhelmed mind. I wondered if there was a chance to escape, but the window that I opened to let the breeze in was guarded by bars. And even so, the distance between me and the ground was enough to make me feel queasy.

The breeze was nice, however. It brushed my hair back and gave me a comforting coolness that lacked in the room. The night that came was dark and brisk as the fast-moving clouds covered up any strangling stars. Even when I had the chance to see the sky I was torn away from the privilege of seeing them sparkle. I sat crisscrossed on the window seal hoping the clouds would hear my pleas but they must have been too busy to hear.

Instead, I was gifted with the sound of the door opening. From the sound of the heels, I knew it to be Ms. Winslet. I could smell her perfume from a mile away. I breathed it in and felt my heartbeat flutter even though that's the last thing I wanted it to do. "What do you see?" She asked. The sound of her coat being thrown to the side made me straighten my posture as I stared out at London.

"A lot of bird shit," I whispered never giving her the satisfaction of turning around to meet her eyes. I could feel her getting closer, her presence making my hair stand up as she stood only a few inches from behind me. Her white blouse burst at the seams as she breathed in making her chest inflate. "It's pretty though...the city I mean." I quickly added.

She hummed. "The night has a way of making everything seem more charming. Maybe because it's hiding the flaws." I didn't say anything else because I didn't want to talk to her, she knew that though. She stared down at the back of my head before taking a deep breath. "You are the most infuriating little thing I've ever had the privilege of experiencing."

Turning to face her I showed my surprise but she only let her eyes search me. There were barely any lights on in the hotel room but what dim casting there was on my face she enjoyed it. I turned back around to watch the cars pass beneath us, "Just because you call me your pet doesn't mean I'm a dog. I'm not going to respond to treats and a smile." I crossed my arms to show my determination.

"You mean you don't want to be my bitch?"

"Stop the act, Amelia."

She took a deep breath in. "Why do you suppose my joking is an act?"

"Because you don't act this way with Grace."

"You aren't Grace." She grabbed the back of my neck causing me to gasp before she pulled me against her chest, my head now able to look up at her as she smirked. "And it's Ms. Winslet to you."

Pushing her away I felt my heart speed up as I decided for some ungodly reason today I wasn't going to just be the submissive pet I so casually slipped into being. I had questions, I had concerns, and I had feelings. "If I'm so infuriating just let me go." I stepped up to her and held my breath as I tried my best to know where I was going with any of what spewed out of my mouth. "Do everyone a favor including yourself and let me go. Because I will never respect someone who doesn't stand up for what's right."

She must have thought my words to be funny because she laughed and removed her own hands from her hips. She went to the tray that had the hotel's welcome card in front of the booze that she wanted. "Excuse my laugh, it's just very entertaining to see you speak so highly of things you simply don't know about." Pouring the liquid into the glass after she carefully put a few pieces of ice and took a sip and threw her head back. "You're allowed one question." Her eyes stared at the ceiling before they flashed over to me. I had never really noticed how blue they were, maybe it was her anger that brought out the hue.

"One question?" I repeated. She sent me a small nod and I licked my lips. "Do you actually care about me?" That question surprised not her but me as well. I could have asked anything and my heart ached to know if I had made even a small dent in the woman's heart. The woman I knew nothing about, the woman that was my captor. She put her drink down before answering, her body leaning on the desk as she took more time than I to speak. Her shoulder-length hair fell over her facial features as she stretched her back and rolled her neck. "You must not," I whispered becoming anxious over her silence. "It's alright if you don't I just don't understand why someone who keeps me in a collar doesn't drop me off-"

"P.R.A.H is what they're called." Amelia looked up after interrupting me, her reflection in the mirror in front of her staring over at me. "Pets rescued and homed is what it stands for." Her lip curved upwards at the corner. "My grandfather started it decades ago with a few of his oil buddies. Too much money and no idea how to spend it I suppose. Men and women from around the world able to find someone to accompany them and their...fetishes. I'm sure you can decipher the awful things that went on. My father decided to make a profit out of it, pretty soon it grew to be..." She paused and took a drink. "Bigger than expected."

"You own the organization that took me away from my home?" I whispered.

Her reflection smiled at me. "I don't own anything. My dad is still alive and well. He helped me get you as a gift. A motive to stay quiet I might as well point out." Walking to the window where I once stood she crossed her free arm and watched the lights of London. "You can imagine with such a large scale operation they are very committed to making sure their illegal activities stay hidden." Her head turned towards me slightly. "This is where I explain how much I care for you."

Sitting on the edge of the couch's futon, I waited. "Any rejected pet that does not meet the requirements of its master is returned to the organization. And that is not somewhere you want to be flower."

I furrowed my brows. "So you keeping me on a leash is what's keeping me safe?" As I looked up I saw papers held out in front of me. "What is this?"

"Proof of my ownership over you." After giving the papers to me she went to the chair in the corner and sat down. Her legs crossed before she could bring the glass back up to her lips. "Whether you like it or not I own you. And if I let you walk out of that door I would be tearing apart that contract. And if I don't own you then I can't protect you from them." She leaned forward as she watched my reaction as I scanned the words proving what she was saying was real. "I have nothing to do with that organization other than you. But I can't exactly speak up about something like that without risking everyone I care about being killed so you understand?"

I nodded slowly and folded back up the papers. She took them from me with a sigh and put them back into the inside pocket of her jacket that hung beside her. There was silence for a minute as she leaned back in her chair and finished off her drink. "I know that's a lot all at once I apologize. So to put it in simplistic words...yes, I do yearn to keep you safe." She chewed the remainder of her ice as I stood up and end to the ottoman in front of her chair and sat down.

"Thank you."

She tilted her head curiously but waited.

"For someone who stays away from that world, you seem to really enjoy keeping those rules for me." My eyes peeled up and her smile grew.

"Keen observation." Putting her glass down she wiped her hands off on her pants before leaning up to be closer to me. Her elbows leaned on her knees but she kept her head down. "If I'm being perfectly honest Ivy...I suffer from a lot of guilt when I look at you."

Taken back I scrunched my face.

"I am no hero staying away from that corrupted world because I do indulge from time to time and by indulge I mean agree to get you." She looked up at me, our faces now closer than they had ever been. "The thought of what these men do to these poor girls makes me sick and yet every time I pass you by and I see that collar with my name on it I-" she paused and leaned away. "I would be lying if I said I didn't like it. And the lifestyle of you being my so-called pet." Standing up and walking behind me I froze feeling her fingers brush the back of my neck.

I felt the weight of the collar leave my neck as it fell into my lap. I immediately went to cover the now bare spot with my hands as I turned to the woman who already moved to the kitchen where she had brought food for the both of us. "Now that you know my reasons you can leave if that is still your wish." She sat at the island and started unpacking the containers while I still sat surprised. I brought the collar up to examine it and stood up slowly. I should have been thinking about what that organization would do to me if they knew I left, but instead, all I could think about was never seeing her again or Grace.

These people that I was supposed to hate were the only people I wanted to be around and the thought of leaving them was...heartbreaking. Everything in my heart and mind directed me back to her instead of the door. I pulled at the cuff of her shirt and turned around as she took the collar from me and clipped it back on. She brushed my hair back into place and made me face her, I thought I would see that playful smirk she usually wore but instead her serious face searched my eyes as she stood up and held onto the back of my head with her hand. Her other arm reached around my waist to bring me close to her as she let our lips touch.

I'm sure I wasn't a good kisser, but she didn't seem to mind as she let her own lips take control and lead me to what they were supposed to be doing. The taste of the dessert she was supposed to save for later still lingered as she broke away from me. "You want to be mine Ivy?" She whispered, her thumb caressing the spot her warm lips had left to become cold. I stared up at her and nodded knowing that was all the answer I had to give. "Go get your leash." She commanded letting me go.

I did what I was told as she put the food back up and waited for her instructions. My heart fluttered as she pointed to the bed and smiled. "What am I doing?" I asked myself as I sat down at the edge of the bed watching Ms. Winslet open the door of the suite to let Tobby and Jonathan go. Once she did she clicked the lock and started taking off her watch as her eyes met mine. Our eye contact never broke as she began to unbutton her shirt.