When I'd fully gathered my wits, I set my hand on her shoulder.
“Tired?” I asked.
She nodded, but didn't make a verbal answer.
I got up and began pulling on my underwear and pants. She didn't move at all as I finished dressing. She was facing away, so I walked around into her field of vision. Her eyes were still glassy; her gaze still vacant.
“I'll be back tomorrow night. Will you be … available?”
She nodded slowly.
“Good.” I adjusted my cuffs. “Goodnight.”
I had the strangest impulse to kiss her cheek, but easily dismissed it.
Sentimentality was not one of my former traits, and it wasn't about to become one now.
I left the room and closed the door behind me.
At the end of the hall, I could hear two people fucking in the room we'd been in yesterday. I laughed. This place was great—so convenient.
I let myself into the lounge. Only a few couples were left. The rest had either gone into the rooms or gone home.
Drake was sitting at the far side of the room having a drink and an animated conversation with Julia. She was smiling and looked more relaxed than I had seen her in a long time. It was obvious they hadn't slept together, which, for some reason, relieved me.
I went up to their table. “We're going, Julia.”
“Where's Chastity?” Drake asked.
“She's asleep.” I grinned. “Guess I tuckered her out.”
“You were in there for quite a while,” Drake said, checking his watch. “Sleeping huh? Hm.” He stood up. “Excuse me, Julia.” He gazed at me with heat in his eyes. “Doe.”
“Goodnight, Master Drake.” I saluted him flippantly as we headed for the exit.
As close to giddy as I'd ever been, I offered Julia my arm as we went up the stairs.
“I take it you had fun,” Julia mumbled.
“I did. She's amazing,” I gushed.
“How much longer is this going to go on?” she asked as we reached the top landing.
I gave her a stern look. “As long as I want it to.”
“Not forever, though, right?”
I swept the tip of my thumb over the edge of my bottom lip as I considered her question. “Maybe.”
“And you expect me to keep coming back?” Her eyes were misting over.
“I don't just expect you to—” I said, narrowing my eyes at her. “I order you to.”
(Drake)
“Drake? Did you hear me?” Margot snapped her fingers in front of my eyes.
I blinked. “I'm sorry. God, I'm sorry. What were you saying?”
“That's the fourth time you've spaced out during this conversation.” She stood on the other side of my desk staring daggers at me. She popped a hand on her round hip.
“I'm sorry.” I sunk back in my chair.
“I was saying: Jerome asked for a raise.” She sighed. “Where are you? You've been spacing out all day.”
“It's Chastity—” I began.
My words caused her look of irritation to melt into one of concern. “What's wrong?”
“She's just sick. She won't be in for a while.”
“Was the doctor's news that bad?”
“No. The doctor said she's fine. She's just … stressed out.” I feigned a smile. “Jerome can have a fifty-cent raise, as long as he shows up on time. He's been late a few times this week.”
She pursed her lips. “Don't change the subject. Now that we're on it, I'll tell you what I think. I don't like how disturbed you are about Chastity.” She stepped forward and rested her hand on mine. “I've known you since before you met her, and you've invested way too much in that girl. She hasn't done the same for you.” She tsked.
“You're right, Margot. I know you're right.” I shook my head. “I gave her my heart, and she didn't want it.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I'm not in love with her anymore, but … I am devoted to her in a way.”
“You still care about her—more than you should. You let her live with you, rent free. You give her a job. You provide for her. I'm sure you do other things for her, too.” She raised an eyebrow. “She's using you.”
“Probably.” I rested my cheek on my hand. “But I'm letting her, because I know she's alone. She doesn't have anybody else except me.”
“I'm sure if it wasn't you, it'd be someone else.”
“Wow!” I exclaimed, running my fingers through my hair.
Her cheeks flushed at my agitation. “Well! I've never been one to mince words. You're worth a hell of a lot and I think she's been taking you for a ride for years. I think that's the way she works. She worms into the part of your heart that loves the deepest and the part of your brain that would normally tell you to run, but by the time you realize it, it's too late.”
I grinned. “I'm sure I'm full of holes.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, all I did was come in here to talk about the raise. I'm going to go close up and go home.”
“Goodnight,” I said. “And, Margot,” I called out to her as she opened the door. She stopped and turned. “Thanks for caring so much about me.”
“I promised your mother I would.” She smiled. “Don't stay here too late.”
I chuckled. “You know how rough it is at the end of month. I have to balance the books and all that fun stuff. I'll get home sometime before midnight.”
I went into my drawer for the past month's credit card reports and noticed the Michael Kors bag sitting on top of the stack of manila folders.
It'd been a few days, but the vision of her face hadn't faded. Emily: the pretty, but insecure young woman I'd met in a bookstore. She'd been anxiety ridden when I'd met her for the second time. The day before, I'd made her blush. There had been something beautifully innocent about how flustered she became around me. If I was honest with myself, I liked making her uncomfortable, if for no other reason than I liked seeing her see-saw through emotions. She was fun to play with in that way.
How should I get her purse back to her?
I supposed I could mail it, but I was sure it was full of credit cards and other things a hard-up mailman might swipe. I wondered if I should take it to her myself. I didn't have her number, so there was no chance of calling her to come pick it up. Hell, I didn't even know what her last name was.
She'd been so upset when I'd introduced her to Chastity. I couldn't possibly have guessed she would react that way. After all, we'd only just met.
She couldn't have been dumb enough to form some kind of attachment to me, could she? I laughed and shook my head. Nah. She has to be smarter than that.
I pulled out the folder I needed and shut the drawer with a huff. Mailing it is, I thought.
Hours passed as I worked on the end-of-month accounts. Everything balanced out, which made me a very happy business owner.
By the time I checked my watch, it was almost midnight. Downstairs was closed tonight, but it'd be open again in full force tomorrow.
As I gathered my laptop and coat, I heard a knock at the back door. Curious, I checked the security camera feed.
Doe …
Trying to keep my anger in check, I dropped my things and went for the source of the knock.
I almost tore the door off its hinges. “What do you want?”
“Where's your guard?”
“Get the fuck out of here and don't come back,” I said through gritted teeth.
“I'm sorry, Master Drake, but I have a date with your slave.” He tried to push past me and I shoved him—almost off his feet—much to Julia's alarm. She detached herself from his arm and stepped away.
“You don't have a date with anybody,” I sneered.
“What the hell are you talking about!?” Doe said, brushing himself off. “She and I have an arrangement.”
“I'm the owner here, and after what you did to her last night, you won't be seeing her ever again if I have anything to say about it.”
“What I did? We fucked. That was it,” he said indignant
ly.
“You dominated her,” I pointed out.
“Yes? And?”
“You didn't warm her up. You didn't perform aftercare. You didn't make sure she was calm and relaxed and grounded before you left her alone.”
“Do what? Warm her up?” He grinned. “She seemed warm to me.”
I fought hard not to punch him in the face. “You don't know what the fuck you're doing, do you?”
“Oh, I know what I'm doing—better than you do!” Doe straightened his collar.
My resistance failed and I drove my fist into his cheek. He fell backward onto the pavement.
“Stop it!” Julia screamed, dropping beside him.
“Get off me!” Doe pushed her aside.
“How many times have you fucked her like that?” I pointed to Julia. “How many times have you put her into a submissive trance and not helped her out of it?” I growled. “Do you treat all the women you meet like shit? Do you treat your wife like that?”
“Look, Drake, I have no fucking idea what you're talking about. I use women the way they want to be used, then get rid of them when they don't please me anymore. I don't know what this aftercare is.”
“No. Of course you don't.” I scoffed. “You're just a child with a whip. You treat everybody in this world like cattle. You mate with them like they're dumb animals and you send them to slaughter. Well, not this time. I won't let Chastity become her.”
Julia's eyes glistened with tears. “Stop talking about me like I'm not standing here! You're just as bad as him!” She covered her face. “I can't do this anymore. I can't …” She walked away from us, fading into the darkness of the empty parking lot.
I looked down on Doe as he got onto his knees and attempted to stand. “If you come back, you'll get worse than that bruise. Now, get off my property.” I slammed the door in his face.
Keys
(Jack)
I seethed all the way back to Julia's townhouse. That prick had hit me! I couldn't believe it. I'd been so bewildered by his reason for lashing out that I hadn't been able to strike back, though the bastard deserved it.
Julia stared out the window, not uttering a word. She'd said she couldn't do this anymore, whatever that meant. I had a feeling she'd tell me¸ sooner or later.
We rolled to a stop in front of her building.
After a moment's silence, she licked her lips and wiped her eyes. “I don't want to see you anymore.”
“Excuse me?” I was already angry. She was taking a big risk.
“You heard me.” She talked big but refused to look at me.
“You're hilarious,” I sneered.
“I'm serious.” She snapped her eyes onto mine. “Drake was right, I can't count how many times you've left me panting on my bedroom floor, alone, stuck in a trance for hours. You're heartless. You're a user.”
“—And you're used up.”
She inhaled sharply. “You're right. You've used me. Ruined me.”
I stared at her with incredulity. “You loved every minute of it.”
Her eyes dropped to her lap, where her hands wrung. “I didn't. The minutes you looked at her the way I wished you'd look at me; the minutes you spent with her; the minute you decided I was worth so little to you … I hated those minutes. Every second of those was agony.”
I rolled my eyes and gripped the steering wheel. “Don't get all dramatic. I can't stand drama.”
“You made this drama, Jack. You did this. I love you, you stupid bastard. I love you, but you've thrown me away so many times.”
“And I'll keep doing it.”
“Which is why I'm telling you this right now,” she sobbed. “I don't want to see you again. Never again. If I see you on the street, I'll pretend I don't see you. If you ever speak to me again, I'll walk the other way. Don't call. Don't text. Don't come over here.”
“You can't keep me away from my own property.”
“I'll be out by the end of the week,” she murmured. “I would hope you'd leave me alone, but you're right; I can't stop you.”
I thrust the tip of my tongue into the pit of my sore cheek. “So this is how you want to end it? All these years of being my faithful slave, and you want to end it now, like this?”
“Yes.”
“Where will you go?” I asked.
“Somewhere else.” Her breathing slowed. “It's none of your business now.”
She hated me, not just part of me, but all of me. I could tell, though, that she still loved me. I was confused as to how those two strong emotions could exist in the same place all at once. Women.
I sighed, turned off the car, and pulled my keys out of the ignition.
If she really, truly wanted to go, I couldn't stop her.
I slid the key to her chastity belt off my key ring, and gingerly placed it on her thigh. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”
She covered the small key with her hand. “I won't.”
With that, she was gone from my life. It was time, I thought. I'd been too blinded by my desire for Chastity to see the end looming in the near distance. It'd come, though.
Good riddance, I thought as she disappeared behind her front door. I was tired of you anyway.
Still … I didn't like something that belonged to me being taken away.
Even if I was the cause of it.
(Hours Later)
I woke up alone in my office. I'd collapsed in my clothes like some kind of drunk. I could have used a few drinks after what Drake, and then Julia, had put me through.
There was only one reason why Julia's departure from my life had meant so much to me.
She was the only way I could get to Chastity. She was my currency.
Of course, Drake was going to make that impossible for me.
I had to think of another solution to my problem. Who else could I use? Maybe someone from Craigslist?
No. Too risky.
I remembered taking out the ad for Emily. I rolled onto my back. Could it work again? I wondered.
Emily would know.
Damned Emily. She was in the way, yet she was absolutely vital to my life.
I sat up and stretched, then removed my blazer. It still smelled like pavement and blood. That asshole had loosened a molar when he punched me. That would be unpleasant to fix.
Even though Drake had effectively banished me from the swinger's club, I wasn't worried.
There were ways of getting to Chastity that wouldn't have to involve Drake or the club. I just had to hire a detective to find out where she lived or shopped. As soon as I got that information, we could meet “by accident” somewhere. I knew if I could just talk to her, I could convince her that I was sorry for … making her sick? Was that what Drake had said?
It occurred to me that it might not work. She was too smart. She'd know I'd done something underhanded to get her information. That would turn her off more than anything.
Surely, if I showed up at the club again, Drake would throw me out just like before. Even if he didn't, I couldn't get Chastity without a trade.
Then it occurred to me … Emily.
Emily could be my trade.
It was a long shot. There was a lot of shit I'd kept secret from her. I'd have to come clean about the club and about Chastity—and probably about Julia, too.
She wouldn't take it well.
She might want a divorce.
Shit.
What would make her stay?
I thought about it as I showered, but nothing came to me.
As I put on a clean suit, I thought I heard the baby crying.
The baby.
(Emily)
The ring sparkled and flashed as I stared down at it. Its presence on my hand was larger than life.
Jack had given me a gift yesterday, but it hadn't been the ring, or the clothes, or the shoes. It'd been the time he'd spent with me and the baby. I cherished that much more than any fifty-thousand-dollar ring.
Unfortunately, he said he had things to do
at the office after dinner. Dante took us both home and Jack was off again in his Porsche.
Frustrated couldn't begin to describe how I felt. I'd wanted to cuddle up to him, feel his body in bed next to mine. Instead, I barely slept at all.
There were a lot of questions turning in my mind, like why Jack spent so much time at his office in the late hours, and why he returned home so late.
Was there really that much he couldn't do at home? At least if he was in his home office, I could sit and read a book quietly nearby. This way, I couldn't even see him. Nobody could.
Jack hadn't come home until late last night. I'd heard him open and close the door, but he hadn't come to bed. My guess was that he'd slept in his office to keep from disturbing me.
But I was entirely disturbed.
This campaign was really eating away at our marriage. We were both crumbling under the pressure. Relief for either of us would have to wait. Election was still a few months away.
I sighed. It couldn't come soon enough.
My mind floated between thoughts, but was distracted by the sound of crying.
Donna appeared in the doorway to the library with Katherine in her arms. “See? Here's mama. Don't cry.”
“Aw, what's wrong, baby?” I reached out my arms and Donna passed her to me.
“I can't tell. Her diaper's dry as a bone and she just ate a half-hour ago. I tried almost every toy she's got, but she's still not happy. I can't tell what she wants.” Donna sat in the chair beside mine.
“Poor baby.” I cuddled her close to me and she calmed down. “Shh. Shh. See? Everything's fine. I'm sorry I haven't come in to see you today yet.” I rocked her. “When I went in earlier, she was asleep,” I said as an aside to Donna.
She nodded. “She seems irritable lately.”
“Maybe she's cutting teeth.” I lifted her head and opened her mouth. “Yeah, see? Two coming in at the front. Her gums must be hurting.” The baby shook her head back and forth, her face reddening at the agitation.
“Would you mind going down to the kitchen and getting me a piece of ice inside a sandwich bag?” I asked.
“Sure. I'll be right back.” Donna hopped up and down the hall. “Oh. Good morning, Mr. Duncan.”
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