Lisa Ch. 03: Learning

"Bring her here Josh. Has she had breakfast yet?"

"Not yet," Josh replied, leading Jessica to the table by the arm. "We were going to work out before eating."

"I said good morning to you earlier Jessica, and your response was less than satisfactory. You've been told that you are expected to give us each a morning kiss and say good morning, I have yet to see you do that."

Jessica stood motionless, as if she hadn't heard a word. Jessica closed her eyes. Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

Angus, who had been slouching, pulled himself up in his seat. Riley stared hard at Jessica, his teeth clenching tighter and tighter. His face grew red.

"Morning kisses," Josh whispered to Jessica.

Jessica turned to Josh. He had dirty blonde hair, and brown eyes. As with the other men his body was bulging muscle. She felt the hard muscle as she laid her hand on his forearm for support. She forced her eyes up and looked at his thin, hard lips. He had stubble on his chin, just a light smattering of hair. She knew he would shave it off soon. The one thing she was thankful for with Josh was that unlike Angus with his sandpaper skin, Josh kept his face fairly smooth. At least his nightly assaults on her didn't add stubble burn to her suffering.

"Good morning," she muttered and tried to force her eyes to his. But Josh was leaning in to her lips already. Despite how hard his lips looked, when they landed on hers, they were soft, searching. For a moment she was afraid he'd slide his tongue into her mouth too. Instead, he abruptly moved away. Jessica looked down at his chest, it was heaving. In a moment he cleared his throat,

"Now the others ..." he said and nudged her toward the kitchen table.

Jessica flicked her eyes up quickly and to her relief she saw Scott and Jim sitting just to her left. She went to Scott. He had brown hair and deep dark brown eyes. He, like the others, seemed larger than life, even sitting in a chair. They prided themselves on staying in shape, and through Scott's t-shirt and jeans, muscles bulged. She stopped in front of him. He'd shaven that morning, his face had a chiseled yet smooth look.

Knowing how he looked, how he felt, in detail was the reason Jessica was terrified of Riley and Angus. She realized now that these new rules, their strange demands of her, brought her too far into their personal space. And that allowed Riley and Angus, particularly Angus, to terrify her in a far more personal way. Odd as it seemed, it was even worse than when he raped her.

Scott was looking intently at her when she peered up at him from her lowered brow. There seemed to be an urgency to his expression that caused Jessica to hesitate. She dropped her eyes. She felt his firm grip on her forearm.

"Jessica," he said in a low voice. Something wasn't right, Scott usually saved that tone for the bedroom, when they were alone. Despite herself, she looked up. His lips formed a silent word, "Kiss". Jessica leaned into him, felt his chest like a brick wall beneath her hand, and kissed him on the lips. "Good morning," she muttered.

"Now Jim," he whispered into her ear when she stood in his embrace. She never thought there'd be a time when she'd actually feel safer in Scott's arms then standing on her own. But, here it was.

At least she was going to go to Jim, and Jim still felt safe. She pushed away from Scott and moved to his left.

Jim had blonde hair, blue eyes. He was the youngest of the men but despite his youthful exterior, he was just as solidly built. He didn't carry himself in the same way that the others did. Always clean shaven and more often then not, non-threatening, Jim was easy to willingly go to.

Jessica kissed him on his lips and said good morning. Riley was to Jimmy's left and Jessica felt rooted to the spot.

Riley had been drinking his coffee and watching Jessica as she made her way from Scott to Jim.

"Go on," Jim urged, and pushed Jessica toward Riley. She took a step toward Riley, and paused. When her eyes moved to the floor Riley felt anger rising. He could take the most ill-tempered, high strung dog, and within hours have it obeying his every command instantly, but Jessica he'd had for years and she still couldn't follow one simple instruction.

All she had to do was go over and kiss him on the lips, say good morning and move on. How fucking hard could that be?

Jim had noticed Riley's reaction.

"Jess," he whispered behind her, "get over there!" and he gave her a push toward Riley. The push got her closer, but again she stopped.

"Well," Riley said his voice low, but so hostile that as far as Jessica was concerned he may as well have been yelling. "It appears that someone can't live up to her end of the bargain. Perhaps we should start removing privileges ... like freedom from the leash ..."

Jessica sprung forward as if on a catapult and landed in Riley's embrace. She was not going to lose the little freedom she had.

"I thought that might get your attention." Riley said. "For the last time. When you come in a room, you immediately make eye contact, go to each of us, and greet us with a kiss. I don't know what we have to do to get this simple thing drilled into your head, but I'm not reminding you again. Look at me!"

Jessica raised her eyes and tried to maintain contact with Riley's. Riley had black hair and steely black eyes. His face was always so hard set that it looked like it was nothing but an etching in stone. That was the most she'd heard him say to her in a very long time.

She never really knew what he wanted from her. It seemed like there was some secret agenda he had and she was supposed to magically know how to meet it.

On one hand, he wanted her to stay within the confines of some very vigorous rules. If she so much as batted her eye when she wasn't supposed to, he, or Angus, was all over her. But then, at the same time Jessica felt as though he was looking for some sort of spontaneity from her. She didn't know how she was expected to figure these things out, but then, she never had the desire to try.

Her primary goal was to make things as difficult for the men as she could. She had to admit that in the past few months she had been less inclined to be difficult for Scott, Jim or Josh. But Riley and Angus, with their overbearing and cruel ways, still stirred the rebellious feelings within her.

There was that ... and there was also the fact that both Riley and Angus scared the crap out of her. As she tried to maintain eye contact with Riley she grappled to use a trick she'd taught herself months earlier. The key to her success at getting off the leash. She had to reach deep down inside herself, and force a calmness to spread over her. Moments later she felt a fog setting in.

"And the other thing?" Riley asked puckering his lips.

If all Riley wanted was a kiss, what was the big deal, she wondered. There were worse things he could be asking of her.

Jessica leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. She could see a smirk replace his puckered lips. She felt anger beginning to rise but she focused on smothering it. She pushed all thoughts from her mind, all knowledge of who she was, who Riley was, what the situation was, were gone. She felt her muscles begin to relax.

He was still not fully satisfied with the eye contact, or the kiss. But he became aware of something that was in keeping with the comparison to his dog training. The more afraid the dogs were of him, the more obedient they were, but some had problems not in the obedience but in the execution of a command. It was hard to 'come' with their tails between their legs, and their asses and heads to the ground. This could be the case for Jessica, it would explain a lot.

"G ... good morning," Jessica managed. Oh yeah, he saw it now. He'd have to make it less terrifying for her to go to him. Maybe then the obedience would pick up.

Ever since they'd turned their attention from using Jessica as a vehicle for revenge to molding her into an obedient, and willing participant, the men had changed the language they used.

It was six months since they officially decided to drop any talk of payback for the evil of her parents, yet Riley had a hard time changing the script he used. Consequently, he tried to say as little as possible to her.

He and Angus had discussed this, since Angus had the same problem. That meant that the times he did speak to her were usually times when he was administering discipline.

Riley supposed it was difficult to willingly and obediently go to someone who never seemed to bother with you unless you did something wrong. He'd have to change that. Angus would have to change that.

Neither one of them were easily adaptable.

"I believe Angus is waiting," Riley said when Jessica hadn't moved.

She turned to Angus, tried to look him in the eye also, and moved to him.

Angus had strawberry blonde hair. More strawberry then blonde, but it was often hard to tell since he wore his favorite, grease stained, Harley baseball cap, back to front about 99.9% of the time.

It always accompanied his overalls, which were also covered in automotive grease. Angus scent was forever mixed with the pungent smell of gasoline and oil. Even at his cleanest there seemed to be the lingering smell of grease monkey on him.

The slightest whiff of Angus caused fear to grip Jessica. She fought hard to control her calm, but when she raised her eyes momentarily, the look on Angus' face made her begin to shake.

His eyes which in their natural state were hazel, transformed to an eerie color of grey. His chin, always covered in strawberry blonde stubble was clenched. He stared at her as if he intended to eat her whole. It was the same look he had whenever he had his nights with her. She wrapped her arms around herself and could already feel the pain he would inflict on her. She dropped her eyes.

"I'm waiting!" he said. In that second Jessica decided that it was better to take what he planned to mete out now, then what he'd mete out if she made him angrier. With Angus, these kinds of subtleties made a difference.

She leaned in and kissed his lips. Angus grabbed her by her arms and held her there.

"Hmmm," he said, "not very convincing. Try again."

Jessica leant in to his lips again and this time Angus locked his lips to hers. As he began to move away from her, Angus nipped her lower lip with his teeth. Tugging a little, he let go. "Now that's a kiss," he said and released her.

Jessica stood motionless, unsure what to do next.

Riley watched the exchange, and the more he thought about it, the more he was sure he'd struck upon something significant. Maybe it was time to sweeten the pot again. After all, removing the leash and letting her read books had worked wonders.

"Come here Jessica," he said. Jessica wasted no time returning to him. Angus was always looking for some intimate act from Jessica. Were it Jim, Josh or Scott, it wouldn't be so hard, but with Angus and Riley, distance made her feel safe. And given the choice between Angus or Riley, she'd pick Riley any time. She was trembling when he pulled her onto his lap.

"You know guys," he said, "I was thinking that maybe it's time to let Jessica outside a little. Maybe she could, I don't know, watch Scott work with the horses? Is that something that you'd like?" he asked.

Jessica forgot to breathe. Had she heard him correctly? He was going to let her out of the house that had imprisoned her for years? Not once since she'd been brought to their home, did she set foot outside the front door.

She could feel Riley's hands tightening on her arms. He was going to change his mind! She forced herself to nod. And when his hands didn't relax, she nodded harder.

"Well then, in order to get that, and keep your other privileges, you're going to have to really work on eye contact, kisses, and verbal responses. You know what we want Jessica, do it, and you'll keep these freedoms, and maybe earn more. Understand?"

Horses ... The word ricocheted through her mind.

The constant behavioral landmines that she had to avoid with the men required her undivided attention, but despite that, she was bored a good part of the time. A change, any positive change, she'd embrace, even if it meant summoning all her courage to look into Riley's angry, hateful, eyes.

She also felt for the first time like she had a very clear idea of what he wanted. Eye contact, kiss, verbal response. She could do that.

Jessica sat up and looked at Riley. "Yes, I understand Riley." She said. It was the first perfect answer he'd gotten from her, ever.

"Anyone object?" he asked the others.

Angus had planned on objecting strongly ... what was this trend they seemed to be following where Jessica was gaining more and more freedom yet giving nothing in return.

But Jessica's response to Riley had surprised him. Though he knew he'd end up regretting it, he shook his head in response to Riley.

The others did too.

"Well, there you go." Riley said. "Maybe you should say thank you. It looks like this may be your lucky day."

Jessica's eye contact had wavered momentarily, but she brought her eyes back to Riley's. "Thank you Riley." She said.

She turned to Angus. Those grey eyes were hard to lock on to. They were strange on their own, strange color, strange criss-cross of light and dark patches of gray across the pupil, but there was always some kind of emotion behind them that Jessica couldn't quite decipher. Was it anger? Hatred? Impatience? It always seemed to intensify just before he did something frightening, like bite her lower lip. Jessica couldn't remember a time when she looked in those eyes and saw anything different.

Her eyes kept slipping away but she managed to bring them back for a few seconds at a time , "Thank you Angus," she managed to say, clearly for a change. She thanked each of the men in the same way.

Scott couldn't figure out how Riley'd come up with this, but he was pleased. Jessica would love spending time with the horses, and he'd love spending the time with her.

She'd often asked about the horses. She'd never set foot near the animals in the years she'd been with the men, yet she knew their names, ages, colors. Any time the horses would come up in conversation, she had a million questions for him.

"Alright, let's get you fed then," Scott said to Jessica, and suddenly he had an idea.

They'd had nothing but trouble getting her to eat properly. He remembered with distaste how early on, Jessica had tried to go on a hunger strike. He had personally forced food down her throat, and when they applied a steady course of coercion she had given it up.

But ever since, she made a point of eating the bare minimum. Every meal involved some sort of fight over eating.

"Maybe we should add eating properly to the list of expectations for helping with the horses." He said.

"That's brilliant!" Riley replied wondering why he hadn't thought of it himself. "If you want to go help Scott with the horses, you have to eat your breakfast, all of it. Jessica ..." Riley prompted when she had sat staring at her feet. "I"m talking to you. Look at me."

Jessica forced herself to look up. "Do you understand what I just told you. Scott's going to give you some eggs, bacon, and toast. You're going to eat it all, or no horses today, got it?"

Jessica nodded. Disappointment caused Riley's frustration level to rise. Screw the horses, screw sweetening the pot! If she couldn't abide by some simple rules ...

"Yes," Jessica replied, loud and clear. Riley paused and smiled. Maybe this would work after all.

He gathered her in his arms and pulled her to him.

As usual, Jessica was initially as stiff as a board, but then in record time, Riley felt her relax. Maybe this was going to be his lucky day.

Jimmy cleared his throat. It'd been a strange morning so far. In the past it could take a good year from when Riley offered a bribe, and Jessica truly earned it, this morning it took two seconds. What would be next? Flying pigs and snowballs in hell?

"Where do you want this?" Scott asked Riley showing him Jessica's breakfast plate.

"Right here will do," Riley said indicating the spot in front of him.

Riley pushed her up to a sitting position, facing the table.

Jessica sat looking at the plate, the men sat looking at her.

Scott had given her a regular portion size, but for Jessica it would probably be too much. They were lucky if they got half a toast into her on a good day. If they could get her to eat at least some of it, Riley decided, that would be an indication that there were real changes going on with her.

It would be something measurable.

A minute stretched in two. Jimmy shuffled restlessly in his seat. Riley and Angus had expressions on their faces that he knew all too well.

If Jessica didn't comply, and soon, it would be the end to any freedom she'd expected that day, and the beginning of a day of misery.

For her, and for him. He'd feel sorry for her, wish he could help her, but in some distant part of himself he still had some of his own reservations that he needed addressed.

If nothing else, Riley and Angus would ensure that Jessica knew her place and more than likely would not chance acting on any plans she had. He'd been taken by surprise on a few of the stunts she'd pulled on the other men, and so he knew he could never be one hundred percent sure of her intentions.

This was getting unbearable. Jessica had gone from looking at the plate to staring at her lap.

Riley had his hand on her thighs. Jimmy could see Riley's knuckles turning white as he applied more and more pressure. The more he squeezed the lower Jessica's head sank.

Jimmy slid over into the seat Scott had vacated, picked up the fork on Jessica's plate, scooped some eggs up and held them in front of Jessica.

"Jessica ..." he said in a quiet, yet urgent voice. Jessica looked up at him, surprised to hear him so close. She had a bewildered look on her face. He waved the fork before her. She nodded slightly and opened her mouth. Jim shoveled the egg into her mouth. He followed it almost immediately with another forkful. He continued this way, until half the plate was empty.

No one had moved, no one had said a word. Jessica worked hard to keep up with the constant stream of food , but finally she refused to open her mouth. He wiggled the fork before her again. She shook her head.

"I can't Jimmy," she said in a whisper, "I'm too full." Her eyes fell to her lap.

Jimmy looked at Riley.

Well, Jimmy'd had to feed her, but she'd eaten. That was a start. They'd let her get a taste of freedom today, and then once she was hooked, he'd insist she eat by herself, and a greater amount At least he knew now that Jessica was finally ready to respond to some enticements.

Angus had been watching Jessica, and he felt the same old frustration. She never did exactly what was asked of her, and never fast enough. As far as he was concerned, she should've immediately picked-up the fork and ate all the food on her own. And then, as usual she directed her verbal response to Jim and only loud enough for him to hear it.

"Good job Jim, but you already have the privilege of going outside, seeing the horses." Angus said, the frustration evident in his tone. "Jessica is supposed to eat her breakfast, and Jessica is supposed to speak-up loud and clear. In my mind she hasn't earned the right to go out with Scott ..." Jessica sat up straight, and turned in Angus' direction.

"I'm sorry, "she said, trying to keep her eyes on his face, "but I can't eat any more, I'm full."

Her eyes slipped back to her lap.

Angus was caught off guard. After years with little or no advancement, it was hard to believe that it was real.