The Win

by Emma York

  TEN

  ETHAN

  I didn’t see Jason Fry when I got to Birmingham. Lucky for him. I filled in the gaps based on what Alice told me on the drive back. He had arranged for her to be driven north and put in the cage in the club. Then he’d left her there, hoping she’d be so scared or weakened by her experience that she’d agree to stay with him. It was like threatening to kill yourself when someone breaks up with you, it’s not going to be the basis for a solid relationship after that. The chance has gone.

  The chance had gone for him. As soon as he grabbed her in the car park, the chance was gone. That was even if I hadn’t been looking out for her.

  I felt as if I’d let her down, but the plan had gone exactly how he’d wanted. What part did William Lawson play?

  I thought about it as I drove back to London. He owned the club. He had put the red token into circulation. Off the back of that, the company had tanked. But I felt Jason’s hands on that too. Did he pay William to do it?

  Time for that later, I thought, as I glanced across at Alice. She was asleep on the seat next to mine. She looked beautiful. There were marks on her wrists from where she’d been bound. He would pay for those marks soon enough and not in the way he might expect. I had something far more cutting than a simple punch up.

  Roy had talked me through the idea as I’d driven north. I had him on speaker and the more he talked, the more the plan came together until by the time I got to the club, I only needed proof it was him. That came from Alice, telling me what he’d done, what he’d threatened to do to her. The bastard.

  Seeing her in that cage, locked in by him, that had flicked a switch in my mind. I wouldn’t rest until I had revenge. He was going to pay the ultimate price.

  Alice didn’t wake up until we were home. Home. My home. Our home. It was where she belonged. Where she should stay, forever, where I could keep her safe.

  I felt guilty enough for leaving but the bait had been dangled well, what better way to get me out of the house than to shove financial ruin in front of me? It had worked. I was out. She was taken. A clever way of doing it too. Have someone dress up as a police officer.

  I’d already checked in with Pippa after rescuing Alice. It wasn’t a proper officer who’d turned up, just someone Jason had presumably hired for the evening.

  Poor Alice, thinking it might have been me setting up an elaborate roleplay. As if I would hurt her without her consent. Never.

  “Are we here?” she asked as she shuffled upright in her seat. “Are we home?”

  “Yes,” I replied, turning off the engine. “We’re home.”

  I took her hand once we were out of the car, leading her up the steps and into the house. Only when we were in bed together did she speak again.

  “You said he did more than just take me,” she said, her voice quiet as I wrapped around her, warming her with my body heat. “What else did he do?”

  “I got a red token in my name.”

  “What’s a red token?”

  “It’s the ultimate punishment for a club member. It ruins their life.”

  “Is your life ruined?"

  “Not this time. Not now I have you back. I don't care about anything else.”

  “What do we do now?”

  “Now, I keep pressing myself against you until you’re warm. Then we sleep. Then I go to work.”

  “I was hoping there might be something else in between warm and work.”

  “Like what?”

  She pushed her hips back against me. “Like you take those boxers off and warm me properly.”

  A minute later, we were both naked. I was surprised. “I didn’t think you’d want to,” I said as I stiffened against her, the warmth of her ass making my cock tingle with need.

  “Neither did I,” she whispered. “Maybe I just need distracting.”

  “That I can do,” I said, reaching around her and playing with her nipples, stroking and tugging at them as she sighed into the pillow.

  Her hips were continuing to rock back against me and I manoeuvred myself downwards a little, allowing my cock to slide between her legs. It found her clit and I felt something moving, realising a second later it was her hand. She was stroking herself while playing with my cock, pressing it to her folds, teasing me as much as herself.

  I reached down, finding her entrance while kissing her neck at the same time. “I’m glad you’re back,” I whispered. “So I can do this.” Then I thrust into her.

  She groaned deeply, pushing herself down onto my shaft until I was buried inside her. “I need this,” she said. “I need you. Fuck me, please.”

  I did as she asked, sliding back and forth in place, gradually easing her onto her front and impaling her on my length. My knees were either side of her thighs and looking down, I could see myself gliding in and out, my shaft coated in her wetness.

  Her hand was still under her, playing with her clit as I picked up speed, starting to slam back and forth, my breath becoming ragged.

  “Fuck me,” she said. “Give it to me. Come in me. I want to feel it inside me.”

  Her words faded away as she climaxed out of nowhere. Her whole body went rigid for a second before her legs started to shake. She let out a high pitched cry of delight and the sound tipped me over the edge.

  As her pussy contracted around my cock, I came, spurting deep inside her. I fell onto her body, crushing her under me as our breathing slowly returned to normal.

  She was asleep almost at once. I climbed out of bed a few minutes later and picked up my phone.

  Roy had told me he would be ready to go by the time I got back. I rang him and said, “Do it,” then hung up. Then I waited. Rowena rang me at eleven. Alice was still asleep upstairs. I took the call in the study, watching my computer monitor, seeing the figures as they shifted and changed in front of me.

  “Did you do this?” she asked.

  “Do what?” I replied, innocence personified.

  “Don’t tell me you’re not watching the news.”

  “Why, what’s happening?” I loaded up a new Internet window.

  “Fry Enterprises has gone under.”

  “Has it really, how unexpected.” The business news presenter looked shocked. Failed within hours, out of nowhere. I smiled as I watched.

  Rowena continued. “And apparently Powers stock has gone through the roof.”

  “Well isn’t that interesting.”

  “You did this, didn’t you?”

  “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Just tell me Alice is all right.”

  “She’s fine. Everything is going to be fine.” I felt like laughing, I was so happy.

  “Where was she?”

  “Tied up.”

  “Then I guess I’ll see her at work tonight.”

  “I guess you will.”

  I hung up, my smile broadening as I rang Roy again. “I owe you one hell of a bonus,” I said. “It bloody worked.”

  “Did you have any doubts?”

  “But using his own programme against him. I can’t believe it worked.”

  “I guess I’m getting paid at the end of the month then.”

  “Yes, you are. I can’t thank you enough, Roy. You’ve worked miracles.”

  “I have one more miracle for you, just in time for Christmas.”

  “What?”

  “I have a white token.”

  ELEVEN

  ALICE

  “What’s a white token?”

  I had never seen Ethan so excited. He was like a kid on Christmas Day, bouncing around the bedroom. “A white token,” he said, as if he didn’t really believe his own words. “A white token.”

  “Yes,” I said, rubbing my eyes as I sat up in bed. “But what is it?”

  He’d come bursting in and woken me up about a minute earlier but I’d yet to get any sense out of him.

  My first thought when I woke up and heard the door opening was that I was back in the cage. I had thought I’d be able
to just stop thinking about it once it was over but I realised it was going to take more time than I thought.

  I looked up at Ethan, so happy, so giddy with excitement. “Sit here,” I said, holding out my hand. “And tell me everything.”

  “I had an IT guy digging into what happened at the company. He was able to isolate the programme that caused the problem and then reverse its effects back towards its source.”

  “Which was?”

  “Fry Enterprises. That's where it originated from, Jason Fry's personal empire. They went bust. We’re back in business. It’s like a Christmas miracle.”

  “Hang on. Wait a minute. What about the people that work there?”

  “We bought them out. Without them as rivals, our stock went through the roof. None of them lost their jobs. Well, except maybe one.”

  “So Jason’s bust and you have your fortune back?”

  “Our fortune, Alice. It’s both of ours.”

  I couldn’t take that in. That was too big, like trying to look at the sun. I concentrated on other things. Let my subconscious work on that.

  “But you still haven’t told me what a white token is.”

  “There are only a couple of them in circulation and no one knows where.”

  “But what are they?”

  “You know how university professors can get tenure? A guaranteed job for life.”

  “Sure, but-”

  “A white token is like tenure to the club. Guaranteed membership that can’t be taken off you.”

  “And your IT guy just had one of those for you to use? Why not use it on himself?”

  “He didn’t just have it. He said he fell asleep about four in the morning, sat at the computer in the office. When he woke up, there was an envelope and it was in there with a note.”

  “What did the note say?”

  “That the money in the envelope was for him and the token was to be passed onto me.”

  “But who left the envelope?”

  “No idea. Whoever it was disabled the security cameras first. But I’ve a pretty good idea.”

  “Who?”

  “The man who issued the red token, who set all this up. The owner of Club Darkness.”

  “Who is he?”

  “I get the feeling you’ll be meeting him pretty soon. Now how about some breakfast? I'm starving.”

  He bounced around the kitchen like he’d bounced around the bedroom. He only calmed down when we were sat eating. “A white token,” he said. “And I never thought I’d see the inside of the club again.”

  “You sound like you love it more than me.”

  “It’s not like that. You know I love-” He fell silent.

  “What?”

  “You know I love you.”

  “You love me?”

  He nodded. “It’s weird. It’s like I’ve known you all my life, like you were out there, missing, and now I’ve found you again. And I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

  “You’re happy to be dating a barmaid then?”

  “I’m in a relationship with the most perfect woman in the country.”

  “What about other countries?”

  “Well there’s a girl in Germany who’s pretty hot.”

  "I heard about her. Little tavern in Bullshitasberg." I threw a piece of toast at him as he laughed.

  We went to the club together that night. I never thought it would happen again. The car park gave me the shivers as we walked through it, remembering what had happened last time I was here, Jason grabbing me, Ethan breaking his nose. It seemed like a very long time ago. Could I carry on working here? Ethan had said his fortune was mine after all.

  But I didn’t want to just take his money. I wanted to be able to look after myself, not depend on him. But I suppose I was already depending on him, and him on me.

  The doorman stopped us in our tracks. “You know your membership was revoked, Ethan, I’m sorry.”

  Ethan reached into his pocket and pulled out the white token. The doorman blinked, looked from it to him and then to me. Then he stepped aside, nodding slightly with a wry smile on his face. “Never thought I’d see one of those again.”

  We headed inside. Rowena was at the far side of the main room and she saw us enter. “You,” she said, pointing at Ethan. “How did you get in here?”

  Ethan held out his palm. She looked down at it. “I think we should sit down and have a chat.” She looked happier than Ethan at the sight of the white token.

  We sat together in a corner booth, me and Ethan on one side holding hands, Rowena on the other.

  “So where did you get that?” she asked, turning the token over in her hands.

  “I can’t reveal my sources,” Ethan replied. “We’re good here?”

  “Definitely,” Rowena replied. “You’ve obeyed the rules for once, maybe you’re growing up.”

  “If I am, it’s thanks to her.”

  “What about you?” Rowena asked, her attention turning to me. “You’re supposed to be behind the bar tonight.”

  “About that,” I began, looking firmly across at her. “I was thinking of maybe quitting, seeing if I can get painting again.”

  “You want to quit? I don’t think you fully understand what the white token means.”

  “What?” Ethan asked. “It means membership, right?”

  “There’s a bit more to it than that but we can talk about that another time. For now, enjoy yourselves. I’m guessing I’ll be behind the bar tonight, seeing as my staff are up and leaving me.”

  “Oi!” a voice screamed from across the room. We all turned to see the doorman struggling with Jason Fry who was fighting to get past him and reach us. “Ethan Powers, you son of a bitch!”

  “Jason,” Rowena said. “You know the rules. No violence on company property.”

  “All right,” Jason said, holding his hands up. “All right.”

  The doorman backed away slowly, walking him as he walked across to us.

  “No violence?” Jason asked, pointing at Ethan, “but he’s allowed to waltz back in here like nothing happened. I won the auction, don’t forget that.”

  “Calm down,” Rowena said. “Or go home.”

  Just looking at him made my skin crawl. The last time I’d seen him was when I was locked in the cage at his say so. I wanted to claw his eyes out but I stayed still. I was learning the rules of the club. Instead I gripped Ethan’s hand ever tighter.

  “You ruined me,” Jason said.

  “I had nothing to do with it,” Ethan replied. “Maybe someone out there doesn’t like you.”

  “I’ll get you for this,” Jason said, lunging for him.

  The doorman saw it happening, grabbing Jason before he could do any damage, dragging him backwards.

  “Get him out of here,” Rowena said. “He knows the rules.”

  I watched him go, screaming and hurling abuse at us the entire time.

  “Does he get a red token?” Ethan asked.

  “I don’t think he needs one,” Rowena replied. “But as you know, that’s not my decision to make.”

  TWELVE

  ETHAN

  It was a hell of a night. It was the first time I’d been on the floor with Alice by my side. I hadn’t had her company at the club since the auction. I showed her some of the playrooms, watching the excitement mix with apprehension when she saw what was going on in there.

  I was so glad to be back in the club, where I belonged. With her by my side it was like my life was complete. And the night had only just begun.

  Jason was long gone by the time I took Alice home. I had a feeling he might come back to bite me yet but Rowena had hinted that things were in hand and I trusted her so I resolved to just focus on Alice and let fate take its course.

  When we got home, I was going to talk to her but the moment we were inside, she let her dress slip to the floor and just stood there, completely naked. Then she sank to her knees and assumed the position without being told.

  “Abou
t the club,” she said. “I think I’d like to play in some of those rooms you showed me.”

  I took her there in the hallway. We didn’t even make it to the bedroom. I stripped out of my clothes while she watched, thinking of all the things we would do at the club next time we were there. Once I had kicked off the last of my suit, I stroked my cock whilst walking towards her. “Do you want this?” I asked.

  She nodded eagerly, her tongue sticking out ready for it. I shoved myself into her mouth, loving the wet warmth of her tongue gliding over my shaft, making me want to come before I’d barely begun.

  I thrust slowly back and forth, marvelling at how submissive she was already becoming. She really was the perfect woman.

  I kept going until I was on the edge of climaxing but I managed to stop myself from doing it at the last second. I wanted so much more from the evening.

  I lifted her to her feet, shoving her back against the wall and kissing her, plunging my tongue into her mouth, my cock pressed against her as she squirmed in place.

  “Sit on my face,” I said, sinking to the floor and pulling her onto me. The light faded as the beautiful sight of her glistening wet pussy filled my eyeline. It came closer and I got a hint of her sweet scent before she enveloped my mouth.

  I pushed my tongue up into her and as I did so, she leaned down, sucking my cock once again, making me moan up into her. I couldn’t last long like this but I managed to bring her close to orgasm, my finger dipping into her ass as I flicked my tongue over her clit.

  “Bend over that table,” I said, pushing her back to her feet.

  She obeyed at once, even with her climax so close. She didn’t complain, just got up and bent over, pointing her cute ass back at me.

  I stood behind her, lubing her ass with her own juices, dipping a finger into it, feeling the tightness and knowing what I was about to do. Then I plunged my cock into her pussy, driving deep, grinding my hips against hers. She was leaning over the table against the wall, her hands gripping the edges as I drove into her again and again.

  “I’m going to take your ass,” I said, sliding slowly out of her. “Are you ready?”