by TJ Hamilton
“Good afternoon Miss Miranda. You’re looking perky again. Mr Tench told me about your terrible news. I am so sorry to hear about your friend.” She places down the potato she was peeling and wipes her hands on her apron before she makes the sign of the cross over her chest, “Are you after something to eat my dear?”
“Yeah I guess. I am actually after Joe. Do you know where he is?” I realise that I am really hungry now after emptying my stomach’s contents in the pot plant at the Agency earlier.
“Yes as a matter of fact I do. He’s just out in the garden in the fire-pit. He’s been waiting for you down there for a little while now. I’m just preparing the rest of your dinner and I’ll bring it out to you out there. Here… take another bottle of vino with you when you go.” She gives me a wink as she hands me the bottle that’s sitting on the kitchen bench. I turn the label around and notice it’s a Penfolds Grange Hermitage. The image of Tom Smythe standing at my front door instantly saturates my thoughts. Why can’t that be Tom waiting for me out beside the fire-pit?
I step out into the garden through the kitchen’s French doors. Directly across from me, a glow rises up from a purpose built square that’s been cut into the ground. I didn’t notice the area last time I was here. It must get covered up in the summer. I see Tench’s head, level with the ground, and recognise that he’s sitting in a square-shaped lounge area that lines the sunken walls, encompassing a bricked fire-pit in the centre. At least twenty large cushions, all in different patterns of varying shades of yellow, adorn the cushioned seating area around the fire. Tench is sprawled across one side of the lounge, and still there is space for another two people next to him. The area is massive yet cosy at the same time. Tench is staring into the fire with a half drunk glass of red wine in his hand. He watches me intently as I walk down the steps opposite him. I smile and point the wine label towards him, to show I have come with more wine. I shouldn’t be happy right now, for more than one reason, but I can’t help feeling a whisper of excitement as I make my way over to him. The look in Tench’s eyes tells me that the Tench from last time is back. The Tench that was soft and sweet.
“Come and bring that sexy ass over here gorgeous.” He sits up and slaps the cushion next to him.
“I’ve come baring gifts.” I skip over the slated floor of the pit and hop up onto the lounge next to him and throw my legs up to warm them. I look up at him and give my best cheeky grin and bat my lashes seductively.
“You are a gift Miranda. How do you feel now? Well rested?” Tench grabs the other glass on the circular bamboo-serving tray next to him, filling it with the remainder of the red wine from his decanter.
He turns back to me and hands me the glass.
“In honour of your friend.” He holds his glass out and I salute to my beautiful friend.
I don’t take my eyes off Tench as I take a sip. The nerve of his suggestion makes my blood boil, especially given the possibility of him knowing something about it. But I remain focused and composed. I have so much at stake right now.
We spend the evening sitting by the fire-pit and eat the meal of Roast lamb that Mrs Oktar prepared us. A million things roll through my mind. Sally’s lifeless body seems to be the main reoccurring theme. Quietly, I plot away the next step towards getting out of the mansion and down to the Bondi outdoor gym to see Tom. I barely listen to what Tench has been saying.
“So you know how Sydney Fashion Week opens in a few days?” Tench interrupts my scheming thoughts.
“No, I don’t really take any notice of that kind of thing Joe, but okay?” I think how someone like Paris would be more suitable to this conversation than I right now. Tench smiles happily at me.
“And that’s what I like about you Miranda. So… some of my clubs are hosting the after parties for the week, and I’ve been invited along to a few of the shows. I’d like to take you… if you wanted to go? We’ll be front row?” I mull over Tench’s offer.
This means he wants to be seen in public with me. It also means that I will no longer have anonymity in this city. Well if I want to get close to Tench, then best I just jump in deep.
“Yeah sure. That sounds like fun. I could do with something like that to take my mind off everything that’s happened.” Tench’s broad smile says exactly how pleased he is that I’ve agreed to go public with him.
“I knew you would come back around to me Miranda.” He says and pulls me to his lap and kisses me deeply.
Kissing Tench makes me feel sick to my stomach, but I must keep up this charade. I take the glass of wine from his hand and push him gently backwards so that he’s lying down on the long wall-hugging lounge. I rip my knitted dress up over my head and toss it on the other lounge next to us. Now standing in front of Tench with only my underwear on. The heat of the fire-pit is trapped enough in the sunken cut-out, so I’m thankfully not too cold. Tench’s cheeky smirk is almost as I remembered it from last time. I don’t bother unbuttoning his shirt, deciding to rip it apart instead. His eyes widen with amusement as the buttons fly in every direction. The fire’s light catches the dragon tattoo on his chest. It dances in the flickering light as his chest expands and contracts with his heavy breathing. I climb on top of him and lick around his nipples. They taste salty and harden under my tongue’s touch. I slide my body down his and unbutton his pants to pull them down. I can feel his hard erection under his cotton boxer shorts. I rub my entire body all over him, the friction warming us both up to boiling point. I lean back and run my hands all over the front of Tench, feeling his enticingly strong body. Freeing his erection from his boxers, I lick around the top of it. I look up at Tench as I roll my tongue around the end of his penis and see that he is smirking down at me. I lean up and rub my breast over it for added effect. The heat from his full penis warms my sensitive nipples and they stand to attention. Tench throws his head back and moans with delight. I quickly lean up the length of his torso and kiss his exposed neck. He lifts his head back up and drives his tongue into my mouth, tenderly rolling it around and around. He grabs the back of my hair roughly and forces our kiss to deepen. Oh no you don’t Tench… settle down now! I push my head back enough to release myself from his grip and make my way back down his hard torso towards his full manhood. I’m in control now Tench. I plunge my mouth over his erection and drive it deep into the back of my throat, the action causes me to gag a little. I bring my mouth back up his pulsing shaft and lower it again, with a little less force than last time. I feel his hips rise up to drive himself into my mouth as I move up and down his hardening erection. His thrust becomes faster and I can feel him swelling inside my mouth. I reach around the back of my underwear and grab the wrapped condom. I pull my mouth back off of his length and take a moment to remove the condom from the wrapper… ok I can see where this is a killjoy… but it’s my job. I remind myself. I smile sweetly at Tench before I roll the condom over his solid penis with my mouth. Tench takes me in his arms and I slide on over him. My mind escapes me while I enjoy the moment of a man being inside of me. Tench runs his hands all over me and I feel his pulsing deep inside me as he meets my rocking motion with his hips. The fire beside us casts dancing shadows across his face and obscures his features enough that I can just imagine it being someone else under me right now. But his body, his strong, hard body… is distinctly Tench. I will never get tired of that wonderful, broad chest. I close my eyes and run my hands all over his body. He grips my hands with just the right amount of strength, and I start to climb into a state of passion. I drop my left leg over the edge of the lounge to give myself better leverage, and really start to drive myself faster and faster with a flick of my hips. The cold air brushes past my nipples, finally sending me over the edge. I throw myself backwards and let out a moan as I feel my body explode with a burning pleasure. Only when I slow the rocking motion, do I notice that Tench too has reached his climax. I smile to myself, pleased with the fact that I can overcome such adversity of the day’s events, yet still perform when needed. I lean back into the
lounge and sigh a sigh of self-satisfaction. I’ll do anything it takes Sally.
CHAPTER 18
As soon as I wake I know what I need to do. I get dressed into my white silk Gucci t-shirt and tiny black Lululemon shorts- that are packed specifically for impressing a client with my fitness regime if needed- and I tie up my Nike 5.0 running shoes. Tench is working early in his office. My current heightened senses ensured that, unlike other mornings, I wake to Tench getting out of bed. I hear Tench’s voice from within his office. I wait for a pause in his conversation and take my opportunity to knock. A perturbed “Yes” answers my knocking so I only slightly poke my head around the door. Tench is leaning across this desk and looking in my direction with a scowl fixed upon his face. Once noticing it’s me, he smiles broadly. Toni is standing next to the desk and smiles also.
“Morning Miss Miranda.” Toni says.
“You look like you’re ready to hit the gym down stairs?” Tench says with a grin.
He walks around the desk towards me and holds his arms out to welcome me into an embrace. I smile sweetly and give him a longing kiss. I figure Toni’s presence means nothing to me anymore.
“Well… I was actually thinking I might go for a run outdoors… like down to the out door gym at Bondi and back again?” I see Tench’s face screw up a little at the thought of me leaving his compound, “Seeing as I’ll be attending some fashion shows with you, I best be hitting the pavement so that I look my best.” I search for the answer I want in his eyes.
“There is a treadmill and everything you would need downstairs you know?” Tench’s is still not convinced.
“Have you seen my clumsy ass on a treadmill?” I laugh, “Plus, I love exercising outdoors. You can have Toni and your whole security team follow me if you want? I really need to give my legs a good work out. I’m going to be staring at beautiful women all night, so I’ll need to feel good about myself!”
Tench grabs my butt and pulls me to him. I can feel his semi-erect penis against me,
“Miranda. Trust me. You are fucking sexy as it is. I can think of other ways to give you a work out.” He lightly bounces his groin against mine in a pumping motion and laughs.
“Joe I’m serious.” I pull back so that I’m looking him in the eye and I bat my lashes at him.
“Very well then. But you will be taking Toni with you.” He looks over at Toni who looks very unimpressed with having to babysit me.
“I hope you don’t expect me to run down to Bondi too boss?” Toni asks with a nervous laugh.
“Of course not Toni. Take Pete with you and follow her down in the Range Rover. She made need a lift back.” He jokes and pulls me to him again, still gripping me around my rear end with both hands.
I look over at the time on the clock on Tench’s desk and note that it’s almost the time that Tom said he’d be at the outdoor gym.
“Right. Well I had better get going straight away then if I want to be back in time for lunch with you.”
“We’ll have to give lunch a miss today gorgeous. I’m heading out until this afternoon.” Oh that’s a shame! I think sarcastically to myself. I find it both amusing and interesting that Tench doesn’t even hint about what he’s doing or where he’s going.
“Are you sure you don’t need me with you boss?” Toni asks, hinting about something that I’m obviously not supposed to know about.
This life is all cloak and daggers. What seemed exciting at the start only now seems frustrating. How am I going to ever get used to the constant unknown? Is Tench ever going to reveal anything to me, or am I always going to be kept in the dark about his life? I must stick it out though.
I forget how much further Tench’s house is to Bondi than my own, not to mention the heartbreaking hills along the way. By the time I’m at the beachfront I am drenched in sweat. Tom had better be there. I look at my heart-rate monitor on my wrist for the time. Yep, it’s right on the prearranged time, so he should be there. But after our last goodbye, I start to worry that he may not be. I did tell him I didn’t want to see him again. Why did I do that? Oh please be there Tom. The perfect thing about the outdoor gym is the closest car parks are about fifty metres away. Far enough away that Toni won’t hear me talking to anyone from the car. As I run closer, I can see Tom on the pull up bar. My heart skips a beat when I recognise him. He drops down from the pull up bar and waves to me. Oh no Tom. Don’t be so freaken happy to see me. I snatch a glance at the black Range Rover that is cruising slowly behind me and wave, then I point towards the gym. I see Toni sitting forward in his seat and looking like he’s about to jump out at any minute. You have blown it Tom. What was I thinking coming down here? My heart is now racing and I’m short of breath. Tom is walking straight for me with a big grin on his face. I put my head down and walk as quick as I can to the gym area to meet him before he gets closer to me. I anticipate Toni will jump out straight away and grab me, so I’ve got to make it quick. I go over in my head what I need to say to Tom and quick. As Tom approaches me, I close my eyes and hold my breath. Here goes.
Tom walks straight past me and continues walking without even stopping. What is he doing? I don’t dare turn around to see though, and make my way straight to the gym equipment and start stretching. My eyes wildly search for the Range Rover. It’s parked on the opposite side of the road and I can see Toni is still watching me like a hawk. I wave, and Toni smiles and waves back. Tom is not far away from the gym, talking to a man on the footpath where I just was. The man is looking at his watch. Tom slaps him on the side of the arm and casually walks back over to the gym equipment. He puts his headphones in his ears and makes his way towards me. Well-played Tom. That was quick thinking. I take my time and think how I can explain things to him. I’m standing at the parallel bars stretching my legs. I turn around and face the beach… and away from the Range Rover. I see Tom in the corner of my eye on the push-up bars.
“Is that his car?” He says without looking at me.
“Yes it is.” I answer.
“And I’m guessing you’re not supposed to be talking to me right now.” Tom continues doing his push-ups.
“You’re on the ball today Tom.” He keeps his head down and laughs as he continues the last of his push-ups. I lean under one of the parallel bars and start pulling myself up and down slowly,
“I need you to get a message to my friend Charlie. You’ll find him down at the Opera House. Just ask for Charlie Manetti.”
“Is everything alright?” Tom is now sitting on the push-up equipment and facing the beach, resting in between his sets of push-ups.
“Not really.” I finish my set and quickly look around to see if anyone else is nearby on the equipment. There’s only a group of people doing some boxing together,
“My friend Sally. Something bad has happened to her. I think my client has something to do with it. I want to try and get information from him, but I don’t know how. Charlie will know what to do. Get him to come down here with you tomorrow. I can talk to him like this.”
I start my pull-ups again and Tom is also in the middle of his push-ups. We still don’t look at each other. I want to look into his gorgeous blue eyes so desperately, but don’t want to blow my cover. I wonder what Tom is making of all of this. I can’t see his face properly to tell,
“I know this must be a lot for you to take on Tom. But I need help. My friend wanted me to know something about this guy… and I need to know what.”
“Have you spoken to the police about this?” Tom finishes his last set of push-ups and starts stretching a little further away from me.
“No. No one can know this Tom. I’m trusting you with…”
“Yeah ok. I get it. I will find Charlie. Manetti right? Please… just be careful. I’m really worried about you. You may be playing with fire. Does Charlie know who this guys is?”
“Yes. He does.” I lie on the ground beside the bar, and start doing crunches.
“I’ll see you here tomorrow morning Miranda.”
With that, Tom starts jogging along the beachfront and away from the outdoor gym. I continue with my mini circuit for the next half hour.
The next morning, once again, I convince Tench to let me run down to Bondi.
“You’re very serious about this whole effort to look good.” He says as he slaps me on the butt.
What an asshole!
“All for you Joe.” I smile at him sweetly and make my way out the door with Toni hot on my tail.
When I’m finally at the gym, I don’t see Charlie with Tom. Damn it! That woman Liz is with Tom instead. What the hell is she doing here? I guess it is a good cover. Another women will soften the suspicion. Nice work again Tom. I watch Toni park the Range Rover across the road again. This time, looking far less interested in my movements. I make my way over to where Tom and Liz are taking it in turns throwing a medicine ball at each other and squatting with the ball once they’ve caught it. I make my way to the push-up area next to them and start my first set in my mini circuit.
“Morning Tom.” It takes every inch of my willpower not to look at his handsome face.
“Hi Miranda. I hope you don’t mind, but I brought Liz down because it is easier for me to talk to you with her.” He says in between squats.
“I guessed as much.” I’m puffed from running, but still manage to talk in between each push-up.
