Standing in the hotel corridor outside room 724, Alan forced Pauline’s ring onto his little finger. Why did she do that, taking her ring off and handing it to him? It wasn’t like a gift, done with any ceremony. She barely looked at him, as if she was expecting him to take out the dirty crockery.

What did she mean? Did she want him to think she was never coming home? He hadn’t expected Agri to be so aggressively possessive, and then Pauline had given him her ring. What did she mean?

Standing outside the door, Agri’s last words were still buzzing in his head.

“Phone in sick for her tomorrow, I’m going to fuck her arse so hard she won’t be able to walk... Oh, and book a late checkout.”

The corridor felt like some kind of limbo, red walls with a purple carpet, a version of hell. The night was never meant to be like this. Why did he let Agri push him out, why did Pauline go along with it?

They were supposed to be in this together, that’s what she’d said over and over when they drove to the hotel. If they were in it together, how come she’d taken off her ring and let Agri stay the night. She’d changed the rules; changed them so late in the day that there had been no time to argue.

The room was booked all night, and he’d thought he was staying. He’d brought night things, his toothbrush was in the bathroom, but he was being sent home, no toothbrush, no shaving gear, hell even his slippers were in the room. Would she remember them in the morning?

“I thought he was supposed to leave,” he mumbled to himself. “Why am I leaving?” he said to the mirror by the lift but got no answer.

By the time he’d made it to the ground floor, his mind was made up. He was going home and if necessary he would grow a beard. He walked straight past the reception desk, half expecting someone to call out and say ‘does your wife want a late checkout?’ but no one made a sound.

The drive home took ten minutes. No time at all in the middle of the night; not like the trip over that took forever in the traffic. Pauline said they were in it together, but then she’d gone on at him about not being late. He’d wanted to tell her to shut up. Why shouldn’t she be late? Wasn’t that the woman’s prerogative? Was that a clue? Was she already under Agri’s spell? How could she be? They’d never met before...

Agri got everything for free. Alan had booked the room, bought her new clothes, driven her to the hotel, paid for the meal and the bar... and what had he gotten out of it? Watching her get fucked once. Watching her feel uptight and embarrassed while Agri pushed him around and made fun of him.

He felt like a wallflower, sitting there, forced to be silent, with Pauline saying nothing. Damn it, she didn’t even really look at him. That was never the plan.

Had she set him up or was it Agri’s idea... or were they in it together? Had she really betrayed him; did she plan it all along?

By the time he’d arrived home, he was furious with himself. Why had he let her do this? He hadn’t agreed to this. No humiliation, he’d said. He’d read those kinds of stories and he’d said no to it. Said no in all of their conversations. He’d recorded everything, could print out the emails, playback the video chat. He had proof — but what good was that?

He’d let them throw him out.

What if she’d been talking to Agri behind his back and plotting something different; bypassing all his precautions, his planning, his proofs.

Enjoyment, that was the plan. Risqué not risky, a good time, a wild night of fun for her, not an expensive humiliation for him.

What had Agri been thinking? Why ask him to fix a late checkout on his way out of the hotel? What was he supposed to say? Talk to the reception, say his wife would need to stay late and then walk out of the front door. How was that supposed to look? More cunning humiliation.

Not doing that had felt good. He had recovered a tiny bit of control, not that Agri or Pauline would know until the morning, but Alan knew, and that was a small victory.

More whiskey than he’d usually drink failed to get rid of the anger. It reminded him of Agri’s expensive taste at the bar, not something he wanted to remember. It was eleven-thirty by the time Alan had given up on alcohol as a solution. It was a clear moonlit night, so, crazy as it might seem, Alan went for a run. It’ll be a full moon tomorrow, he thought, as he jogged along the street. Bloody, fucking, romantic — ha bloody ha. It took a few miles of empty pavements to sweat out the anger and get to sleep before one.

He woke early enough that he still had time to phone the hotel, but thinking how to explain why he was making an outside call to ask for a late checkout was too much.

What the hell — what was the worst that could happen? A cleaner might turn up in the room while the two of them were asleep, or fucking like rabbits. Good, Pauline would have to make up her own excuses. It was her idea, or Agri’s, or both; what the hell, their problem.

He thought about phoning her office but didn’t, because the same logic bore in on him; her problem. If she couldn’t plan ahead or manage her time, then why should he bail her out. Of course, if it was actual police bail, then he would stump up.

He smiled for the first time in hours when that thought crossed his mind; though even in his most distressed and vengeful moments, he couldn’t imagine that she would be arrested. Embarrassed maybe, but banged up, not likely.

Over breakfast he found himself looking at his phone every other minute. No missed calls, no texts, no pictures. More screwing him over. She said she would call and text. He was supposed to be part of this.

Was she leaving him? Awful thought. For a few seconds, he felt sick — no, she’d have taken a bigger suitcase. She always planned ahead, she’d have found some excuse, needing different clothes for work, something or other. She would have taken a bigger suitcase if she was leaving.

But... shit... there’s always a but. He would be at work. She could come home and pack and be gone before he got home. Shit.

Somewhere in the middle of washing up after breakfast, her ring almost slipped off his finger. It nearly went down the plughole. The idea brought him up short with visions of having to dismantle the plumbing. Would she be upset if he lost her ring?

She would be — she would be seriously pissed off, even if she was planning to leave him. The thought filled him with dismay. Those storytellers were right, moments like that did make you feel as if your stomach was sinking. What should he do with the ring? Where could he make sure it was safe?

Safe? Safety, safe deposit box. Why not? The house was tidy, he’d washed up, made the bed, he could call at the bank on the way to work. Unlike Pauline, he had expected to be late, told them at work on Friday that he would be in at eleven on Monday. Of course, by the time he got home in the evening, the bank would be closed. Good — he’d find out what she thought about losing the ring while actually it would totally safe.

When he got to the bank another thought crossed his mind, why not get a new box instead of their shared one? They’d give him a new key, one that Pauline wouldn’t have, so he could drag it out. He’d have some leverage. Did he want that? Was he that mad with Pauline, or was it all Agri’s fault? He bought a new box.

When he got to work, the thought occurred that she might be so annoyed about the ring that she’d leave him. If she did... It didn’t bear thinking about, but if he let her keep charging down this hot-wife road without paying any attention to him... He needed to find out. Did he have the bottle to find out? Or was he really the wimp Agri made him out to be?

Definitely he needed to find out, and the ring game, as he was starting to call it in his mind; the ring game, was a great way to do exactly that. Keeping the ring safe gave him cover — it showed he thought it was important, or it could show that he was upset, annoyed, mad with her even.

A new safe deposit box gave him options, and as he’d paid for it at the bank, he’d felt a surge of power. He didn’t have to bully her, or Agri, but now he had options, he could exert some leverage.

He spent that day at work getting very little done, but fortunately, there were no crises. Despite schooling himself not to, he did check his phone every half hour, but there were no messages, no missed calls. He checked ‘Find my iPhone’ to see where her phone was. He was reassured to see that she made it home by lunchtime and hadn’t moved. She could be packing, of course, but best not to think about that.

He feigned a headache and left early, drove home carefully, knowing that he was beginning to feel a little anxious, having no idea what awaited him. She might be mad at him. He had no idea what had happened at the hotel, and who knew if her work had phoned wondering where she was. He checked the position of her phone every few minutes — she could be at home packing. Should he have changed the locks? No, not until he was sure.

He looked twice at every junction, kept below the speed limit, didn’t even play the radio all the way home. If there was going to be some sort of bust-up when he got home, the last thing he needed was a bent fender or some mad motorist winding him up before he even made it to the house.

If Pauline was home and mad at him, that could be a good thing. They would get it all out in the open. There was only one thing that he feared. “Just don’t let Agri’s car be on the drive...”

As he turned into their road, he realised that he’d said it out loud. Well, if Agri was there he’d do something. He could drive past and call the cops, say there was an intruder, and he was worried about his wife’s safety. That would put the cat among the pigeons.

There was no car on the drive. Good. He made up his mind to tell Pauline that if he ever came home to find Agri’s car there, or anyone else’s for that matter, then he would call the cops. His home was his home; obviously it was Pauline’s home as well, but if she started screwing at home without asking him, then there would be trouble.

As he turned onto the drive, he felt good. He’d made a decision. There was a line he could draw. As he stepped out of the car and headed for the front door, he felt an inch taller. Agri could have come by cab... No, he wouldn’t, he was too proud of his wheels for that, too proud, too pumped up and arrogant. The only way that guy would come to their house in a different vehicle was if Alan ordered a limo for him. Not going to happen.

“I’m home,” he said, lifting his voice a little, trying to sound upbeat.

“I’m in the bath.”

“Do you want a drink?”

“I’ve got one.”

Alan made tea for himself, thick, almost chewy, builder’s tea. Clutching a mug, he set off upstairs.

“Can I come in?” as he said it, he knew it was a mistake.

“Of course you can, it’s your house.”

He stood awkwardly, leaning against the wall, clutching his mug of tea. She lay back in the water, her breasts protruding through the suds. Alan could see the hickey’s on both breasts. How many more were invisible, under the water, he wondered.

“Are you okay?” he said.

“Did you think I wouldn’t be?”

“He said he was going to be so rough you wouldn’t be able to walk.”

“I think he said those things to wind you up.”

“He succeeded... I mean,” he sighed. “What could I do? If I’d made like he was joking and took no notice... If I acted like I thought he wasn’t serious, then he might overdo it to get back at me. He might hurt you... I’d be devastated... One way or another I had no choice, I had to believe him.”

Alan let his back slide down the wall, ending up sitting on the floor, facing the bath with his back to the wall. “He knew I was on a hiding to nothing... How rough was he? I worried about you most of the night.”

“Most?”

He resisted the temptation to say ‘when I wasn’t mad at you.’

“I did get a little sleep. Did he hurt you?”

“I don’t know, I mean that was a first time?”

Alan took a deep breath. “If I said I wanted to fuck you back there tonight, what would you say?”

“No way.” The words had left her lips before she thought. “Well no,” she said, trying to cover her tracks, “I mean I’d rather you didn’t.”

“Yeah, I get it. He was rough, so rough you’re scared of my little dick.” His voice fell as he said the words. His head dropped, looking at the floor and not even glancing up when she spoke.

“Don’t say that, Alan. You’re not small.”

“That’s not what he says.”

“Alan, look at me.”

He leant back against the wall, struggling to lift his head, acting like it weighed a ton. Their eyes met.

“I wouldn’t put you in that cock cage if you had a dick so small that no woman would want it.”

“I took it off.”

“What?”

“I used the emergency key when I got home.”

“I was looking forward to taking it off.”

“Then you shouldn’t have let him laugh at it.”

“Sorry. I can’t help that he’s got a monster.”

“You encouraged him.”

“I didn’t.”

“Sorry, my mistake. You made no attempt to discourage him. It amounted to the same. He’s a selfish bastard that knows he can hurt me because I love you and...”

The sentence stopped in mid-air, but she’d seen a glimpse of the anger and hurt.

“Could you dry me? Please?”

Alan forced himself upright and picked a big towel from the heated rack. As the soap suds fell away, he saw more of the marks. He held up the towel, catching his breath and as she turned and he saw even more.

As he wrapped the towel around her she whispered in his ear. “You were going to say something else?”

“Nothing.”

“Alan it’s not nothing. You stopped yourself saying something else.”

“You didn’t defend me. You let him laugh at me and just gave me your ring. You might as well have said fuck off home Alan, you’re not wanted.”

“That’s not why I gave you the ring.”

“Really?”

“I gave it you because I was ashamed. I needed to defy him a little, to show him he couldn’t have the married me. I wanted you to have something...”

Her voice faded. He could see the change. He could tell now that she knew it didn’t work. The damage was done. She should have explained when she gave Alan the ring but that would have upset Agri, showing that she was defying him and she’d chickened out, allowing Agri to out-manoeuvre them both. Allowing all the pain to land on Alan.

“Can I have the ring back now, Alan?”

“No.” The sound was so quiet she almost didn’t hear.

“No?”

“I haven’t got it.”

“What?”

“Don’t panic.” There was something in his voice, a lift, a hint that he was taking back control. “I almost lost it when I was washing up. I had it on my little finger and it started to fall off. I saw the plug hole and panicked a bit.”  The words tumbled out of him so fast she almost couldn’t follow.

“I took it to the bank, it’s in a safe deposit box.” There was a triumphant edge to his voice, still tinged with a touch of panic. Pauline could see that he was walking a mental tightrope, but he was walking it.

Pauline held him close, not letting him move. She felt his breathing slow down, kissed him, pushed his head back to make eye contact and kissed him again.

“You had a terrible time, didn’t you. Much worse than I ever imagined,” she said.

“Partly my fault,” he said, standing a little straighter. “It was a bad idea to put that stuff about no humiliation into the emails. I think it told him I was vulnerable, made me look weak. That turned out to be something he couldn’t resist.”

“But you’re not weak. You have a Karate belt. You’re my tough guy, you always have been.”

“I’m not sure I should say this—”

“But you’re going to anyway?”

“I think Agri lacks something, I don’t know what exactly. He was confident enough with you I guess but seemed to need to bully me. He couldn’t share what he was doing to you, with me. He got more fun out of me having none. It’s classic bully behaviour.”

“Mmmm, maybe; I liked being dominated. You’re too nice, you won’t do that.”

She chuckled. “You know what it is don’t you,” she laughed again. “He doesn’t have to be considerate because he doesn’t have to put up with me every day. It doesn’t matter if he annoys me because I only wanted him for one thing. I couldn’t live with him.” She stepped back, put her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to stand straight and look at her.

“Sorry love,” he said. “I should have hung it around my neck or something. I don’t want to spoil your treat. I’ll get your ring back tomorrow.”

“It’s okay,” she said. "Maybe it’s not a bad thing, the ring, I mean maybe I should have to earn it back."

She kissed him again. “Why don’t you use the bath, the water’s still hot. I’ll see you downstairs, you need food and someone being nice to you.”

“Sorry about this morning.”

“What about this morning?”

“I didn’t book you a late checkout or call your work.”

“It’s okay. I woke up early and had breakfast, I couldn’t face breakfast with him, so I cancelled the early checkout and phoned work myself.”

“Oh.”

“Does that make you feel better?”

“There was one other thing before you tell me what a great night you had. I was scared when I drove home that I’d find his car here. I made up my mind that if it was, then I’d call the cops... Just so you know.”

“That’s my man. Damn right. If I was going to do that, with him, or anyone else, I’d make sure you knew and gave you a chance to say no. If I screw that up, you should call the cops.”

When he got downstairs, he found that Pauline had been home long enough to make a roast. She turned to look at him as he came into the room, the first time she’d seen him in a good light; barefoot, unshaven and wearing his bathrobe.

“Are you alright?” The concern in her voice surprised him. “Did you shave this morning?”

“No.”

“Why the bare feet?”

He stood up straighter and forced himself to look at her.

“I thought I’d grow a beard.”

“What?”

“It seemed like a good idea.”

“And the barefoot guru look?”

He laughed. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m obviously being obtuse.”

“Alan, please. What’s going on?”

“Where is my shaving kit? Where are my slippers?”

There was a stunned silence, his words seemed to hang in the air.

“Oh, God.”

Alan laughed. “I think I may have to work on this, my acting out to make a point clearly needs some work.”

“They’re at the hotel aren’t they?” she said.

He said nothing and waited.

“Because you were supposed to be staying the night. Oh, God. I really screwed up, didn’t I?”

“Certainly some learning points there I think.” He pushed his hair back and started to smile. “So, moving along; when you got home, how come you didn’t bathe and then cook?”

Pauline was still too stunned to respond, still looking aghast and on the point of tears.

“Let me guess,” he said. “You were so exhausted and pummelled that you thought once you got in the bath you’d never get out?”

She stood, looking at the floor for a second before she summoned the energy to look at him and caught the twinkle in his eye.  She let out a long breath. “I thought you might like to find me in the bath.”

“Thank you,” he said, smiling. “Sorry. I should have been more appreciative.”

“Don’t apologise. Until now I hadn’t got close to realising that we beat the shit out of you.”

“Can you and I eat and not talk? I think I need some energy or I’ll start going downhill.”

“You and I?”

“You just said ‘we’, meaning you and Agri... sorry... I’m being too sensitive. This reconnection business is more tricky than I thought.”

Pauline put the plates on the table and started slicing the roast beef. Twice she looked up at him, her face an agony of indecision.

“That’s what they call a Freudian slip isn’t it, letting out something subconscious. Shit, I wish... God, I don’t know what I wish. This wasn’t supposed to hurt you. It was supposed to be like... Like... I don’t know, like going to the movies, like having an ice cream. A treat; and back to normal afterwards.”  She took a deep breath, put down the carving knife and tried to meet his gaze. “Was it deliberate, not calling work, or were you so sad you forgot?”

“Sad... yes, and mad. I thought I was being played.”

“So you played back?”

“Yeah. I thought Agri was pushing it. We didn’t, well I mean, I didn’t agree to him spending the night, so why should I be making the excuses?” Alan paused for a second. “Did you talk to him last week, I mean did you set it up to bounce me out, or was it all him?”

Pauline placed a slice of beef on Alan’s plate, looked up, caught his eye, and offered another slice. She got no reaction. She hesitated, put another slice on his plate and took one for herself. Alan served himself two roast potatoes and then a third before he put three on her plate, still saying nothing. The sprouts and carrots got the same treatment.

“You’re putting me on the spot,” she said.

Alan said nothing and began to pour gravy.

“You really want to know?” she said. “I mean, can’t we just call it a day and get over it?”

Alan put the gravy down, put his knife and fork back on the table.

“We could,” he said, but there was something in his voice.

“But?” she said.

“We might get past it, but maybe not over it. We’d be breaking the promises we made to each other. We said we’d both be open, no secrets, whatever happened. We said we’d learn from it. We did say that, didn’t we?”

“What if I said I was sorry?”

“That would help...”

“But?”

“Eat,” he said. “Eat something, have a glass of wine, the food looks delicious, we’ll both feel better if we eat.”

“You think I’m chickening?”

“It’s beef, not chicken.”

She nodded, half-smiled, breathed out, smiled a little more, appreciating the humour. She stabbed her fork into the meat. Alan did the same, took a mouthful, put his fork down and picked up his wine glass. He held it towards her in a toast.

“Remember I love you...” he said, “whatever happens, remember that.”

“Is that a threat? The 'whatever happens' bit?”

“It’s a fact...Look, I know it feels like I’m putting you on the spot, but you put yourself there. I don’t know whether you and Agri cooked this up between you, or if you just gave in on the night. I can see how that could happen, his skin against yours, his cock touching your pussy. Anyone could be under a bit of a spell in the circumstances. The thing is, I don’t know if the wedding ring trick was thought up beforehand, or if it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I’m beginning to get it together, but I still don’t know whether I’m coming or going. I have all the questions, and you are the one who has the answers.”

Alan took a sip of wine, put the glass down and cut a roast potato in half.

“You can blame it all on him if you like; in which case, I guess you won’t be seeing him again.”

“Why not?” Too fast, the words shot out, and she knew that as soon as she’d said it. Alan grinned.

“So you do want to see him, again.” The word — again — came down hard, sounding like a stone being dropped in place, no rising tone, no sign of a question.

“You tie me in knots,” she said. “You always could... it’s one of the many reasons why I married you. I know that sounds daft; it’s a different kind of domination, more subtle than Agri’s version, more solid too,” she looked up caught his eye, and grinned, “more confident too… usually.”

“The way I see it,” he said, trying to hold the line, “if you did plot it together, but you blame it all on him, then there is a possibility that I will complain to him. I could say that he went back on what he said in our previous, very careful, very cautious conversations. The conversations that I was involved in, the ones I recorded, but perhaps there were others that he knows about and I don’t. If I do complain to him then he will know that you lied to me about the other conversations. He would know that you were prepared to go behind my back. Knowing that would give him a new edge, and who knows where that might lead.”

“Unless it’s not true,” she said. "If I didn't cheat."

“In which case, I would be a fool to risk you seeing him again. He would know that he'd gotten away with his bullying and that we both caved in. I would live in constant fear of what trick he might pull the next time. If, on the other hand, you did collude, then I would do better to keep quiet and wait for you to cheat. If you go behind my back, I’m in a stronger position.”

That made her stop for a second. He said nothing, waited.

“A stronger position?”

“Do I have to spell it out?”

“No,” she said. “No, I get it. If I cheat, then I’d be cheating and you'll find out that I'm a cheat, and nothing will ever be the same again… If we did cook it up between us…How would you feel?”

Alan munched through his carrots, savoured the beef and seemed lost in thought. Pauline kept eating, glad she only taken a second slice of beef, trying hard to concentrate, trying not to panic, waiting for Alan.

“I suppose,” he said eventually, “More than anything else I would want to know why. I would want to know what you expect of me, what you expect our marriage to become... That’s probably putting too much on it. Maybe I’d want to know if you were going to keep doing stuff like that... Or there again, maybe I need to toughen up.”

“I didn’t ask what you would do, I asked how you would feel? Actually I wish I hadn’t because what you might say scares me.”

“Oh... right, how I’d feel? Feelings, yeah. Confused mostly, scared, desperate, betrayed.” He stopped for a second, looking at her face. “Am I overreacting?”

“No,” she said. “No, you’re being very honest.” Tears followed her words. “I was stupid,” she said. Putting her cutlery on the table. “I let him talk me into it. Not the ring, the extra time... the staying the night, the bullying and pushing you around. He said cuckolds like that, said he’d done it before, said he knew what he was doing.”

Alan nodded. “I was naïve I guess. He lied to us in his emails and the video chat. I have it all recorded. He must have thought we were suckers, easily played.” He shrugged his shoulders. “How good was he? I know his cock was big, but you didn’t look comfortable. Was that because I was there? I know you didn’t dare look at me. That’s right, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said, eyes downcast. “Sorry.”

“Was he better when I was out of the way? You didn’t text, and he didn’t send the pictures he promised. I was cut out of everything all night... and the next day. You could have been hurt or you could have left me. I didn’t know a thing until I checked where your phone was at lunchtime.” He looked up, checking to see if she was still crying. More tears poured out.

Alan got up, moved around the table and began to massage her shoulders. His fingers dug into the tense muscles.

“Is it me that's making you tense?”

“I should have kept in touch,” she said. “I don’t know why I didn’t. I did everything wrong.” She half-turned towards him. “Actually I know why I didn’t. He wouldn’t let me while I was there, and when he’d gone, I felt guilty. I was a mess this morning, that’s why I forgot your things. I didn’t feel better until I got home and cooked for you.”

“Did you have a good time? Forget about me, forget about him. It was your night. Did you have a good time? Don’t say what you think I want to hear, just tell me straight. Did you have a good time?”

“You mean was he a better fuck than you?”

“I should hope he was...” Alan laughed. “That’s a given isn’t it, I mean if he wasn’t, then what would be the point. That’s why we recruited him.”

“So what are you asking?”

“I... hell, I don’t know... was it worth it? He hurt me, I don’t know if he hurt you, he’s marked you all over the place, and we’re having a bad time now because he lied to us and he’s gotten between us. Was it worth it? Is it something I’ve got to get used to? Is it something you’ll keep wanting? Something you have to have?”

Alan looked up, Pauline still seemed to be close to tears.

“Forget it, love,” he said. “I’m upsetting you, it’s my problem. When you’re ready to talk about it... I mean I can’t... If you want to see him again I can’t stop you.”

“Do I get my ring back?”

Alan looked up quickly. Not giving her the ring, using it as leverage, had seemed like a good idea this morning, but she was making it real. Someone like Agri would use a thing like that, wouldn’t he? Did that mean he should?

“Will it be a problem for you tomorrow? At work, I mean? Will people gossip?”

“I guess, some of them might; maybe not gossip, but they might ask. They’ll notice for sure.”

“Sorry. I should have put it with your jewellery. When it almost fell in the drain, I was overwhelmed with the need to keep it safe.”

Pauline wiped her eyes. “Stop apologising, Alan. It’s my fault. I gave it to you without talking to you about it. I read somewhere that some bulls like to spunk all over the wife’s ring and take pictures to show who’s boss. I couldn’t let him do that. If the girls at work do gossip and think the worst of me tomorrow, that's my problem, it’s down to me. I’m glad you did it.”

After another wipe, she looked up. “It’s not very late, could we go for a walk? It’s not raining or anything. I’d like to walk like we used to.”

“We’d better dress,” Alan said, “unless you want to be especially daring.”

Pauline threw off her robe and pulled Alan’s off. “Coats only,” she said. “I’d like to be daring with you.”

They took it slowly, down the street, hand in hand, saying nothing. There was a moment when she started to speak but he turned to her, holding his hand up. She stopped, smiled, squeezed his hand, and they turned the next corner.

Suburbia is not the most romantic setting for a late-night walk, but there were trees along the road and moonlight shining through them. In the smaller roads where the cars had brought their commuters home and were safely garaged out of sight, the expensive houses were set further back from the road. The night was warm, and the only sound was the rustle of leaves and the regular tap of their footsteps.

Pauline slowed down and forced Alan to stop. She made him face her, kissed him, pulling him close, wrapping him in a tight hug.

“What did I do?” he said.

“Nothing, just being you. I want to tell you a secret.”

“Okay.”

“It’s about Agri. Is that alright?”

There was something in her voice, mischievous, teasing, but not sounding unkind.

“Go on,” he said, flat, not questioning, doing his best to stay calm.

“I could never imagine doing this with him. Never in a million years.”

Alan smiled.

“This is real,” she said, opening her coat. “Fucking him, being fucked by him last night was unreal.”

“Like watching a movie?”

“Yeah, more like a scary fairground ride. Not real. Thank you for letting me do it. I’m sorry it was so tough on you. I got carried away.”

“It was something I knew I couldn’t give you. After we talked about it, back when we first did, I knew it was something I wanted you to have.”

“You did give it to me, you did it for me, at great personal cost. My night with Agri would not have happened without you setting it up. If I’d met him in a bar or somewhere, I’d have ignored him. You made it happen, without what you did, he’s nobody. That’s why I’ll always be with you and not with him.”

“You could have organised it yourself.”

“No, darling. I did talk to Agri behind your back after you set it up, you guessed that right. He wanted me to cheat on you, to meet without you knowing, but I refused to meet him unless you were there. I couldn’t do it without you.”

“Where did he get that weird name?”

“It’s short for Agricola, his mother did ancient Roman stuff at college. He’s been trying to live it down ever since...” Pauline started giggling. “Alan I just told you that I went behind your back and you want to know the derivation of his name? What’s got into you?” After more giggles she collapsed against him, clutching him for support.

“You regretted it,” he said. “That’s what counts. It’s okay, we’re okay, and every time I see Mister Agricola Jones I’ll have a quiet chuckle. I’d love to meet his mum.”

“Seriously?”

“Why not? Can’t you imagine me saying ‘I’ve wanted to meet the mother of the guy that’s screwing my wife’. That would be an unforgettable moment, wouldn’t you say?”  

“You’re feeling better?”

“Yeah, I’m getting there.”

They walked a little further, taking a turn towards home, with the moon behind them throwing their closely entwined shadows ahead of them. They played games, making the shadows dance and hugged each other.

As they neared home Pauline stopped Alan for a second.

“How much stamina do you have?”

“You want to go running or something?”

“I want you to fuck me, I want you in all three holes before I sleep.”

“Won’t that hurt? I thought you’d be ... um... well... Agri said you’d be in no condition.”

“Oh I’ll probably scream, but I want you to do it. I want you to reclaim every inch of every hole.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Alan, listen to me. I want it, I want to give it to you, and you deserve it. You’ve paid the price and much, much more. I know Agri probably thinks he’s hammered me so hard that I won’t go near you for a week. That’s what he wants to think. I don’t want him to spend his days next week thinking gloating about what he did to us. I am glad I fucked him, I mean we both agreed to that, didn’t we, but neither of us agreed to him taking me away from you. He’s not part of our marriage. I don’t want him to have any part of that.”

“I’m not sure I can cope with you screaming.”

“Start with my mouth and when you’ve filled that, work your way down from front to back and if I scream then gag me. I want to be possessed.”

“Where am I going to get a gag from at this time of night?”

“I have one,” she laughed and then kissed him. “We can have the last laugh, Agri told me to buy a gag, because I might make a lot of noise at the hotel.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Crazy in love with you.”

Alan took his time, allowing Pauline to suck him for a while, figuring that she would know for sure if he came in her mouth. If he could only come once then it had to be there. Pauline lay on the bed naked, her head overhanging the edge. Alan looked down on her, hickeys on both breast and another on her shaven pussy. Agri had made him shave her, insisting that he wanted her that way. That beautiful mound was now defaced by Agri’s teeth marks. Why did the bastard have to do that? Was he so insecure that he had to mark her, make it look like he had taken possession?

“I wish he hadn’t done that,” he said, kissing the hickey.

“It was actually fun,” she giggled, “and that was the idea.”

“You never let me do that.”

The giggles stopped. Pauline pushed herself on her elbows. “No,” she said, “I never did, shit, I wish I had. You can do it now, you can do it anytime.”

“I’ll never be first.”

She reached out and took his hand. “Sorry. I didn't think. Does it matter?”

“It would have been nice.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe I should have insisted.”

“Like Agri?”

“It seems like that works.”

“It works for a one-night stand, but not for a marriage. Tie me to the bed. Agri wanted to do that, and I refused him. Tie me to the bed and fuck me.”

Alan looked at her, thought for a second, paused, ran to the wardrobe to grab two belts. A minute later her arms were tied to the bed head, spread and stretched.

“Start at the top?” he said and kissed her forehead. It didn’t take long before he was enjoying Pauline working her mouth with almost theatrical enthusiasm. He began to imagine marking that mound himself, his initials maybe, or some design, something original. It didn’t have to be recognisable, or maybe it did. If he had a coat of arms, like some medieval knight, or a logo, a brand? Something he could register, copyright, or whatever it was that you did. A legal mark on his pussy.

Holding that thought was enough, he came in her mouth, not violently, but he knew why they call it relief. He pulled out, leaving some cum in her mouth and more splattered on her lips, chin and neck. He caught sight of the ball gag on the bedside table. Her eyes were closed, so he reached out for it and caught her by surprise, pushing it into place before she could react. It took another second to have it clipped tight. Her lips fitted neatly around the ball, with a dribble of cum on her lower lip and chin.

With Pauline naked, bound and gagged, Alan started to pay attention to her breasts, using his lips and tongue to arouse a reaction. As his lips worked his hands found their way down to play with her pussy. Enjoying her hardening nipples, he let his mind run to how he could decorate the mound under his hand.

The thoughts and the nipples were enough to get him going again. He eased himself down the bed and started work on her labia, partly out of curiosity, partly to make sure of his arousal. How much damage had Agri done? Did he need to be careful?

There was some swelling and redness, hard to tell if it would hurt to touch. First, make her come, he thought, then take her while she’s high. He slowly pushed her legs apart. One day I’ll have to get some rope, he thought, or those leather strap things. There is something deeply satisfying about giving good oral sex. It takes time and concentration and most of all being the kind of person that gets off on other people’s pleasure.

‘Not too fast’ he told himself, ‘gently does it’. As he felt her tension rising, he increased the pace, homing in on the places where he had the best effect. It took six minutes before she came, and by then his own arousal felt good enough to risk it.

He allowed a minute for her to wind down a little before he tried an entry. A careful test with his fingers found enough juice, and he slid his cock into her. All the anxiety of the last day dropped into history, washed away by a profound feeling that he was where he needed to be. The euphoria almost overwhelmed him, feeling so good he thought he might float away.

He held her tight, trying to melt their bodies together as he kept his thrusts deep and gentle. He had no idea what Agri had been like, Pauline had still not said. Alan’s best guess was that he was dominant and aggressive, and more than likely, more interested in his own satisfaction than hers.

Slowly Alan relaxed.

“I love you,” he said. “I know you can’t answer. I hope that was good for you, it sure as hell was for me.”

He eased himself off her. “I’m going to find a condom,” he said. “I think you’re going to need a lot of lube.”

He got up and headed for the bathroom, returning with his hands full to find Pauline shaking her head.

“You want to stop?”

A vigorous head shake said no “No?”

Nodding said yes.

“No condom?”

Another yes.

Alan looked at the tubes in his hand. He had this, possibly crazy idea, of using numbing cream along with the lube, in case she found it painful, but without the condom, they’d both end up numb.

The hell with it, he’d do it anyway. At the bottom of the bed and out of her sight he plastered her anus with both creams, slipped on a condom, plastered that with more of the same, lifted her legs over his shoulders and slid into her.

No extra foreplay this time, he went at it hard, the nearest thing to a revenge fuck that he could think of. Despite her ravaging the previous night she still felt tight. That made all the difference, giving him enough additional stimulation to get his tired cock over the line. This time he didn’t care what it did for her, this was for him and he had one more thing to do as soon as he’d come, or at least, soon after.

He slid out of her, pulled the condom off and squeezed the cum out of it to plaster it very visibly around both holes. Then he grabbed his phone. He put a blindfold over her eyes and took three shots, a full-length picture of Pauline bound and gagged flat out on the bed, blindfolded, looking exhausted. The second was a close up of her face showing cum leaking past the gag and the third showing her other two ravaged and cum leaking holes.

He took the gag out of her mouth and untied her.

"Where did you get that stamina?"

"Blame Agri for making me mad."

“What are you going to do with those pictures?”

“I thought I’d send them to Agri.”

“Can I see?”

He paged through the pictures for her. “What do you think?”

“He’ll be jealous.”

Pauline pulled grabbed the phone, found A in the contacts, giggled, and hit send.

"Is that how you're going to treat all your bulls in future?"

"Any that hurt my husband, damn right. Every time."