Free Submit by Marina Anderson

Chapter One
    Grace looked at the dark red leather outfit he was holding in his right hand, noticed the rings and straps and felt her flesh tighten with a mixture of fear and anticipation.
    “It’s only a body harness, plus one small extra,” said David. Looking at his right hand she saw that he was holding what looked like a matching leather cap. “I don’t think I want to do this now,” she said nervously. “Not with tonight’s trial coming up.”
    “I thought I’d already made it clear that everything that happens here this weekend is part of the trial,” he said impatiently. “You should be grateful. I’ve chosen something that will help you tonight.”
    Grace wasn’t certain that she believed him, but had no choice other than to obey or leave. As she had no intention of leaving, she walked slowly toward him, remembering to keep her head up high, and with a few deft movements he soon had the body harness on her.
    The leather rings encased her breasts, and the strap that was attached to the leather collar ran from the back of her neck down her body, then came up between her thighs where it divided. The division left a gap over her sex lips, then closed again so that it was like an open crotched bikini bottom. Leather straps also supported the cheeks of her bottom, and more straps shaped like a triangle joined a metal ring in the middle of her stomach.
    After studying her thoughtfully, David tightened the strap between her legs until she felt it pressing hard against her vulva. Her breath snagged in her throat as tingles of pleasure throbbed beneath the strap, and he nodded to himself. “That’s better,” he murmured. “Now for the hood.”
    Standing in front of him, silent and unblinking, Grace tried to stop herself from shaking as he pulled what at first seemed like a tight-fitting red leather cap over her head, releasing a few tendrils of hair so that they fell to her shoulders, making her jump nervously. Next he pulled hard on the leather and when it covered her face she began to panic. Terrified, she moved back, hitting herself against the foot of the bed.
    “Keep still, Grace,” said David sharply, and instinctively she obeyed him. “That’s a good girl,” he murmured, his voice now gentle as he pushed the edges of the hood back into place. His change in tone confused her, and it was a moment or two before she realized that now her eyes and nose were free again, but the lower half of her face was totally covered except for a gap over her mouth.
    The leather was tight, and she was more afraid than she’d ever been, but she didn’t know why. Although her ears were covered, she could still hear David’s muffled voice, and she was able to see and speak. It was the pressure, and the realization that this, combined with the body harness, had taken away her sense of self. It was as if she, Grace, no longer existed. Instead she was simply a helpless plaything, for David to use as he liked.
    She wondered how she’d ever let it come to this. How she, Grace, a well-respected theater director who’d been in the
Sunday Times
list of most promising new directors the year before, had allowed herself to be in this position. Tears of humiliation and disbelief filled her eyes.
    “What’s the matter?” asked David quietly. “If you want this to stop now, all you have to do is say so. That one word will end it all. Say ‘stop’ and it’s over, Grace. You must choose to do this yourself.”
    “For us,” she replied, struggling to regain her composure. “This is for us.”
    “But the choice is yours. Now, do you want to stop?”
    Grace shook her head.
    “You have to say it.”
    Her tongue moved over her dry lips. She hadn’t come this far to be defeated now. “I don’t want to stop,” she said clearly.
    “Excellent. Walk around the room for me. I want to watch your body as you move.”
    She did as he’d commanded, feeling the metal-rimmed leather rings encasing her breasts as they moved, while