My Blind Fiancée

Ava had many questions, and Mateo wasn’t responding; she could only sense his labored breathing. He seemed nervous; she didn’t want to pressure him, but she had the right to know, especially since he had taken her there.

“Mateo, please say something.”

“Ava, I wouldn’t want to lie to you, but it’s complicated.”

“I’m not foolish, and even though it’s the first time I’ve gone out to a club at night, I know that something more than usual happens there.”

“Do you consider me a fool, someone who lacks the intelligence to understand? ” Mateo could hear the irritation in her voice, and he wanted to avoid that at all costs.

“I don’t think that, Ava. It’s just that these are things you don’t know about yet – you’re inexperienced in this regard.”

“Then, if I don’t know about them, show me.” She said firmly.

Mateo felt uncomfortable and nervous. He didn’t want to go into details, but if he didn’t answer her questions credibly, she would keep pressing. The girl was demanding answers.

“It’s a bondage club.”

“Bondage? What’s that?” She had never heard that word before.

“Bondage is an erotic practice involving restraint,” he blurted out. If he was already on this path, it was better to tell the truth. Ava covered her mouth with her hands upon hearing this.

“People with different preferences go to that club.”

“Different? How different?”

“The people who go there have a taste for relationships that aren’t conventional. It’s Romantic Bondage – you could say it’s the softer side. We call it the vanilla side of bondage.”

“I don’t understand. Vanilla?”

“That’s what we call conventional, normal relationships.”

At this point, Ava’s deep blue eyes were even wider, and she was making strange expressions with her mouth, trying to understand what all of this meant.

“Sadomasochism?” Mateo was surprised to hear her utter that word.

“How do you know about that?” he asked, bewildered.

“I must have read or heard about it somewhere,” she said, shrugging casually, though he could see her blushing.

“It’s not sadomasochism; that’s something different. In Romantic Bondage, a person is restrained with their full consent, but without causing them pain. On the contrary, it’s pleasure they feel.”

“What’s romantic about that?”

Mateo fell silent, feeling embarrassed. At this point, Ava might have thought he was some kind of pervert or something. He tried to explain things in the best way possible, so she could understand. He had a terrible headache; he had made a huge mistake taking her to that place, and now he had to face the consequences.

He was sweating profusely. He was a man with nerves of steel; he had faced his greatest business rivals without showing a hint of nervousness. If he didn’t answer correctly, he might lose Ava forever, and he wasn’t willing to let that happen.

“Do you practice it?” He hesitated whether he should answer truthfully, but he had to. It was better for her to find out who he truly was.

“I have.” Though she couldn’t see it, he lowered his head to fix his gaze on the floor. He felt ashamed; it was as if his judgment day had arrived.

“So this is what you meant when you said you wanted me to see your world. And I also understand the name of that place. Believe me, I’m not judging you-I’m not one to do so. But personally, I’m not prepared for this.”

Mateo was frozen upon hearing her response, but after all, he had earned it. He let out a deep sigh before continuing to speak. He was losing her, that much was clear. So, everything depended on what he would say next to try and explain.

“I know you must be thinking that I’m a pervert or something like that, and I understand. I’d also understand if you rejected me.”

“I don’t know what to think right now, I won’t lie to you. When I met you, I formed an image of you, but I was wrong. You’re very different from what I had thought. I can’t lie to you-finding out all of this has shocked me.”

“Just listen to me, please. This is just a game for me. For many, it’s a lifestyle. We use ropes to caress, embrace, and convey sensations. It’s as if they’re an extension of our bodies. In this game, the dominant one respects what their ropes touch, but we always, always base it on respect.”

“I can’t believe that you talk about respect while doing that.” She was trying her best not to sound as agitated as she felt.

“I don’t tie to cause pain, Ava. I’m not a sadomasochist. I do it simply to immobilize. It’s vanilla sex, but with restraints. In BDSM, the dominant controls; here, it’s shared.”

There was a resigned expression on Mateo’s face, even though she couldn’t see it. He was saying everything he needed to say. It was better that she found out once and for all.

She listened, analyzing each word. She didn’t know if he was crazy or had unusual tastes. Internally, she was conflicted between distancing herself from him and trying to understand him. She needed to know his reasons, and she wasn’t going to remain in doubt. She needed a valid reason for him to do this.

“I’d like to know why you do it.”

“Perhaps you think there’s something wrong with me, don’t you? Or that I’m messed up, that my behavior isn’t correct.” A bitter smile appeared on his face at that thought.

“I’m really sorry; it’s just that I simply don’t understand. No matter how hard I try, I can’t.”

“When my father and grandmother died, something inside me died with them. I was ten years old – old enough to understand what was happening. I locked myself in my mind and my studies. I wanted them to be proud of me wherever they were. My grandfather is a retired military man, so he wanted to make me into an upright man. He always demanded too much from me. He sent me to a military school; he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. Up until that point, I obeyed, but after graduating, I became a rebel, a complete disaster. I went from one party to another, hurting many girls because I just had fun with them. I was a scoundrel, I admit it. My grandfather felt that his efforts to make me a good man were in vain. What he didn’t realize was that his attempts to correct me only made things worse; they were cruel. After a while, I met Akiro. Since then, we became good friends, and I felt understood. He’s like a brother to me. When he noticed my personality issues, he invited me to join the extreme sports group – the guys you met. I started going to their practices, and for the first time, I felt accepted. But I still felt like something was missing. I wasn’t satisfied.”

Ava listened attentively, not missing a detail. She could hear in his voice that it was difficult for him to talk about his past.

“Akiro invited me to a club he belonged to. Ima had invited him; she was a member there. From the first time they met, they were inseparable. That’s where I met Morgana. She’s the woman who tied you up at the club. She showed me what it’s like to have unrestricted and commitment-free sex. That’s how I got into Romantic Bondage. It just became a way for me to feel liberated. I learned to have control over my emotions. For me, it’s a game, but it’s safe, sensible, and consensual. There are rules here, and those who enter have to abide by them. It can’t go beyond that. Partners change periodically to avoid developing feelings.”

Ava was taken aback by everything she was hearing. She never thought a man like him would have so many demons.

“Akiro and Ima have decided to build a life together. That’s very rare. Generally, this is taken as just a pastime, but maybe it’s a bit more than that. When pressures and routines become overwhelming, it becomes an escape to release those pressures. Akiro bought the club a few years ago. He’s opened others in various cities. He manages them well. They’re very exclusive. Integrity of the clients is maintained within. They’re investigated before entering; they mustn’t have criminal records, and they must have a high social status – they must indeed have it to afford such an expensive membership. With one membership, you can access any club within the country, and he’s even considering expanding to other countries.”

Mateo was distressed, and at that moment, he just wanted to know what the girl was thinking about him. It was the first time he felt so embarrassed, fearing that she might have formed a terrible image of him after hearing him. He waited patiently for her to say something.

Ava had listened carefully to everything he had said, but one question was lingering in her mind.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.