The Finest Line

by Catherine Taylor

  “Interesting friends Mairead,” he commented dryly.

  Mairead glanced at him. “Kylie is my best friend.”

  The look he gave her was pure disdain. “Don’t be expecting it to be one of your bridesmaids. I’ll provide them for you.”

  The hatred she felt for him at that moment was only surpassed by her discomfit with his next comment.

  “And James, the chauffeur, interesting fellow, why do I get that strangest feeling that...” He looked at Mairead. “That he owes me five thousand dollars.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  It was well after midnight as Mairead sat on the bed while Mark continued to berate her. She watched as he paced the room until he came snarling back at her. “I know you fucked him. Just admit it.”

  She yawned and shook her head, “And for the fucking thousandth time I tell you I didn’t.”

  “You’re a fucking lying slut,” Mark was looming over her and it was only becoming a matter of time before he lashed out.

  Mairead had no idea how long she could keep her denial going. It was hard to gauge whether telling him the truth would provide any relief or earn her a hiding but she had no desire to find out.

  All she wanted to do was sleep. Her body had never known such exhaustion.

  Mark yelled at her again. “I’m going to fucking hurt you badly if you don’t tell me the truth. I’m sick of your fucking lies.”

  Glaring at Mark, she rose from the bed and padded across to the built in wardrobe. Sliding the door open she looked at the contents, rifled through and discovered the cane. Taking it out, she returned and threw it upon the bed before removing her clothes.

  Mark watched incredulously as she took off her bra and lowered her briefs to the base of her buttocks. Bending over the bed, she rested her head into her arms and cried quietly, “Do whatever you have to do.”

  He picked up the cane and ran it through his fingers as he stared down at her prostrate form and the welts of his last attack. Shaking his head, he grinned and his anger subdued, “I still don’t believe you.”

  “Well that’s too bad,” Mairead yawned again. “Just hurry up and do it so I can get some fucking sleep.”

  He ran the cane gently over her body and smiled when he saw her brace. “I thought we had made a deal.”

  Mairead sighed, “I’m tired Mark and I ate too much and I feel like shit. Right now I wouldn’t care if you beat me to death.”

  He tossed the cane and reached down and put her briefs back in place. “You’re a remarkable woman Mairead.” He lay down next to her and rolled her onto her side, his eyes wandering over her breasts and face. He grinned as he wiped some of her tears away, “You’re a liar, but still remarkable.”

  Mairead looked at him and yawned again. “Can I sleep now?”

  He nodded and helped her get into bed.

  James was not mentioned again throughout the next morning, much to her relief and her joy was complete when Mark announced that he would be out for at least half the day.

  “I’ll be back after lunch,” He told her. “And then I shall take you shopping for a dress for the party. Would you like that?”

  Mairead smiled. “I’d like that very much.”

  When he was gone, Mairead whirled around the lounge room, wallowing in her solitude. Whatever cream he had used had helped her wounds considerably. The lines had mostly faded and there was some bruising but the pain had become tolerable.

  After making coffee, she walked about the penthouse appreciating the art on the walls and the views from the balcony. In the lounge she discovered the digital audio system and Mark’s play list of classical music and opera.

  “Wow, really boring Mark,” But she pushed the play button anyway and turned the volume up. Music was music. She continued her exploration while she half listened to an orchestra play the introduction to Offenbach’s Barcarolle. The piece was nearly complete when she turned and looked toward the speaker.

  “Did I just like that?” Mairead wandered over to the system and was about to hit the repeat button when she had another idea. Hurrying to the bedroom she discarded her robe and found her aerobics bra and shorts in her suitcase neatly folded by Kylie.

  In the lounge she stretched for a few minutes before returning to the music system and pushing ‘repeat.’ She closed her eyes as the orchestra began to play and let the sound encompass her.

  From there her body moved to the music and she embraced her need to imitate the beauty. Her toes pointed so much further and her muscles worked so much harder to personify the grace. She was aware of every part of her body and its movement.

  It was as if she was competing with the powerful magnificence of the soprano’s voice only to feel that she had failed miserably as the song concluded.

  Sitting on the floor, she frowned at the audio system. “I move like a fucking elephant.” Annoyed she got up and began the music again and worked the routine. Several repeats later she lay on the floor exhausted.

  Mairead grinned as she wondered what the soprano was singing about and decided that it was an ode from the singer telling her that she would never be half as good at dancing as she was at singing.

  “Yeah we’ll see bitch,” Mairead told her as she jumped up and headed for the bathroom and a much needed shower.

  Back in the bedroom she threw open her luggage. It was wonderful to have her things back and go through some of her outfits. She smiled sadly as she held up her favourite sexy dress and remembered the look on James’ face when he had first seen her in it. It all seemed so long ago.

  She considered putting it on and decided that it would sicken her if Mark looked at her in the same way. Clean jeans and shirt it would be. As she rummaged through for socks she found Joshua’s android still sitting at the bottom of her case.

  She stared at it for a long time before picking it up in her trembling hand. Her thumb pushed the power button and there was no response. A further search unearthed the charger for her phone.

  Scanning the room she saw a power socket in the wall. Still in just her underwear she padded across and knelt on the floor next to it. A flick of a switch and a connection completed, Mairead watched the digital circles of the charging indicator.

  The phone lit up as soon as she turned it on and her own face and that of Josh’s laughed back at her. His display picture was a moment they had shared with their faces cheek to cheek and their mouths wide with happiness.

  Josh was really good looking. She had told him that sometime but when? Probably only minutes before he died, Mairead thought as she breathed out slowly, tears running unchecked.

  Why couldn’t she remember more? She found his files and was startled by the number of pictures of her. Some she remembered him taking but so many more she didn’t. He had captured her in full party mode, laughing and wild but he had also stolen some moments that surprised her.

  One particular picture was of her sitting at the pool’s edge, that ever reminded moment when she had thrown her phone away. The close up portrait was of her head in her arms, rested on bended knees and looking out at nothing, sadness filling her face.

  There were video files and Mairead looked at the last one created. Her finger poised ready to tap the file into action but she withdrew it quickly as she remembered his words, “It was an honour Mairead. You’re beautiful, funny ...and a little bit wild.”

  The tears were flowing faster when she tapped the file. She gasped as she looked upon her sickly ashen face, glistening with tears and snot. Her eyes were swollen and red and her hair was a tangled mess. Josh was right next to her and his eyes were also red but his grin was beaming.

  He spoke, “Right, say that again. I’m getting that on video.”

  The video shuddered and Mairead remembered that she had taken his device from him to say, “Joshua Mason. Would you do the honour of being my boyfriend?” Her half smile in the video was exchanged for an expression of sickliness, emphasised by her saying “I feel sick” as the camera dropped away. Josh’s b
ody blackened the view for a second and he was saying, “I’ll get you some water.”

  Seagulls could be heard but the only footage being shot was of the sky and the long flat silver rail of the top of the balcony wall. The rail she had apparently walked along and encouraged Josh to do the same. Its width was narrow and Mairead couldn’t believe she had survived it herself, given her condition.

  Her thoughts darkened. If she had only fallen first, Josh may still have lived. He had so much more right to life than she did. Her sobbing became audible as she watched the video. The scene remained unchanged for the next couple of minutes and then stopped as the video ended.

  Her grief found its full potential and she cried long and hard. When she finally had nothing left, she remained on the floor leaning against the wall and staring at nothing until her focus went to the wardrobe.

  Slowly she got up and approached it, sliding the door open slowly. The cane was lying on the base but her attention was diverted to several belts hanging on one side.

  She ran her fingers along each of them and selected a wide black leather one, taking it from its hook. Walking to the dresser mirror, she looked at herself grimly, and removed her bra.

  Taking the belt, she doubled it and with full force she swung it around her body until the belt struck her back. The impact made her gasp and stumble and it took a moment for her to gain composure before she did it again.

  Five times she flogged herself until she was trembling uncontrollably and had to lean on the dresser. Slowly she turned and looked with disgusted satisfaction upon the red lines before tossing the belt aside. She waited to see if the pain in her heart was overcome but the slightest thought of Josh assaulted every emotion. Her mind tortured her.

  Mark returned mid afternoon and found Mairead in t-shirt and undies, listening to his music. He smiled but remained quiet as he sat down next to her but startled when she moved closer to him.

  His face was confounded as she straddled his legs to face him, and his mouth tentatively welcomed her kiss. As her tongue began to push between his lips he opened and accepted her passion, drawing his arms around her and holding her closely.

  He watched as she removed her t-shirt and leaned back to allow a full view of her breasts. His hand moved over them, his fingers pulling on her hardening nipples before bringing them to his hungry mouth.

  As he sucked and licked one, the other received the attention of his fingers as he listened to the escalation of her breathing. Mairead slipped the jacket from his shoulders as he tended her and her fingers found and loosened his tie.

  Mark sat up to allow her to undo his shirt and helped her to remove it. A guttural moan escaped him when his own nipples received the attention of her mouth. Mairead moved her legs between his so that her body could slide downwards, bringing her tongue down across his stomach.

  Still licking she took hold of the waistbands of his trousers and boxers as he undid his fly. Sliding them down to mid calf, her mouth sought out his hardened penis and she licked the length of the shaft.

  The glans bulged from his foreskin and she used only her lips to massage it until her tongue pushed into the opening. Her mouth encompassed the head and slowly moved down until it was deep in her throat.

  Her hand took hold of the shaft and worked simultaneously with her mouth as her head moved up and down on it, slowly at first but gathering momentum.

  Mark put his hand behind her head and grasped a handful of hair. Moving his hips he synchronized at her pace pushing in deeper and watching intently as he fucked her greedy mouth.

  When his semen filled her throat he let go to allow her to get rid of it but she stayed and he felt the pressure as she swallowed, until her lips slid to the end and gently released.

  Slightly trembling and breathing deeply, Mark looked down at Mairead. She met his gaze with a small smile and simply said, “I’m going to have a shower and then can we go shopping?”

  Mark nodded affirmatively and watched as she walked away. He wondered what time if any, would be best to ask her about the dark lineal bruising across the entire width of her lower back.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Lying face down along the couch, Mairead watched Mark flick through the channels on his flat panel screen. She was naked from the waist up and three small blue icepacks rested in the curve of her lower back.

  She whined, “Are we going to dinner soon?”

  “I want to see the news,” Mark’s tone was uncompromising. “You just lie there and keep that ice on your back, fucking sick bitch.”

  His verbal attack made her laugh. “Oh you’re allowed to welt my arse but I’m not allowed to have an accident.”

  “Accident my arse,” He snarled. “I know what bruising from a belt looks like Mairead. I’m just beginning to realise that there are some layers to you woman, and I haven’t even tapped the surface.”

  A grin spread across her face. “Well you did learn today that I don’t wear black.”

  Her comment received an angry glare. “A five hundred dollar dress and you rip it up. You think I’ve got money to burn?”

  “Well don’t try and make me wear something I wouldn’t be buried in.” Mairead replied sweetly and giggled. “I don’t know whose face looked worse, yours or the salesgirl.”

  “You’re a fucking spoilt bitch Mairead.” He failed to maintain his anger and sighed. “She looked a lot happier after she rang up a fifteen hundred dollar sale.”

  “And you looked happier when you saw my choice,” Mairead gloated.

  Mark smiled, “I was. Now shut the fuck up and let me watch the news.”

  Mairead looked critically at the woman on the screen who introduced herself as Anne. She was attractive but dressed in an outfit a generation too old for her and looking more serious than the stories she was relating. Occupying her thoughts with what she would have for dinner, she half listened while Anne droned on about the economy in Europe and some election in Greece. Mark increased the volume as the next story begun.

  “Emergency Services were called to a Khandallah residence early today when fire tore through the lower level of the two storey estate. Neighbours reported hearing an explosion and rushed out to find the first storey engulfed in flames.”

  Footage of the story came up on screen and Mairead sat up, her heart beginning to thump against her chest as she recognised James’ house or what remained of the front facade. Her trembling lip was the only part of her body that moved as she waited for the report to continue.

  “It took fire fighters several hours to get the blaze under control and police are describing the fire as suspicious.”

  Mairead prayed silently as Anne continued. “The owner of the premises is yet to be located and has not contacted authorities. Neighbours are unsure whether the sole occupant was home at the time and the specialist unit have only now been able to enter the area.”

  Mark switched the screen off. “Doom and gloom as per usual,” He smiled at Mairead. “We can go to dinner now.”

  Somehow she managed to stand up. “I’ll get dressed.” She could hardly whisper the words and barely managed to walk to the bedroom and shut the door.

  Sitting on her bed and taking her phone from the bedside cabinet, she called James, whispering “Please, please answer the phone.”

  A dial tone lasted a few seconds before switching to an automated voicemail. She dialled again, her agony filling her face as she continued her desperate plea. Several repetitions gave her no peace.

  Her voice was overcome by a deep uncontrollable moan escaping from deep within her. Burying her face into the pillow she muffled her anguished scream. Her crying wracked her body and she had no control left.

  After several minutes when the worst of her grief had been spent, Mairead became aware of Mark’s presence. She didn’t look at him and made no attempt to hide her crying.

  “You’re not the only one who can throw a tantrum Mairead,” He spoke quietly. “As far as I am aware, he wasn’t home but I can’t guarante
e it.”

  His voice turned her torment to fury and her tears stopped. “If he’s dead, then all deals are off, and you might as well kill me too, because there is nothing that will stop me from killing you.”

  “Then I’d better be as concerned for his welfare as you are,” Mark replied. “I quite like life, and I’d rather be with you than without you and if that means that he’s somewhere out there alive in the world then so be it. I just need a little reassurance from you that you’re not going to go running to him.”

  Mairead sat up and glared. “I made you a promise and I was keeping it. Why couldn’t you just fucking trust me?”