JamesRefusing discipline....It catches me squarely on the cheek. It's not a hard blow. In truth, I barely feel it....But that's not the point....Unbelieving, for a moment, I'm on hold, as though trying to process reality....Cold fury freezes through me, I grab her by the wrists, yanking her across the floor to the bedroom. "In there, Madam."I'll knock some fucking sense into you........ How dare you....Abruptly, her resistance melts away. She yanks her wrist from my hand. "Alright, I'll go into the bedroom," she says. Chin held high, "I'll take whatever it is you're going to hand out. But it doesn't change anything. It doesn't change what's in my head."On her face is.... what…?Disgust?Resignation?I'm not sure, but something about her wording cuts through my anger.The cellar........ The life you've led…What is going through your head?.... It's hard to imagine....I'm only seeing your life in reflection........ you're the one who lived
RichardJames' expression is bland as he returns to the office.Fresh shirt........ Tie neatly knotted....Hair washed.... and fresh aftershave....Mmmm....I try to keep my tone neutral. "Everything alright?"His tone as bland as mine, "She's fine."Ah, fuck........ How do I ask?Man to man?.... Dom to Dom…?....?The book of etiquette is strangely silent on this one....Try a different tack...."I was talking with Michael while you were.... occupied.... It's the first time I've really had an opportunity to speak with him. He doesn't normally say very much."He arches a brow. "Don't let that throw you. Michael's no-one's fool, and he'll see through a brick wall if you give him long enough. If he starts talking, it's a good idea to start listening."Yes, you trust him completely........ His judgement and his loyalty...."I'm coming to agree with you. He said something about not trying to cage Charlotte. That I should find her some work to do."
They stand, heads drooping, in a line before their headmaster."I have never seen such a display. All three of you are easily old enough to know better than to behave as though you were in some common bar-room brawl."Limping, holding his ribs with one hand, battered but not bowed, Chad says, "I'm sorry, Mr Kalkowski, but I couldn't not help when Jack started picking on Jenny."The old man surveys the penitents, noting that Jack is the only one bearing serious damage. His lower lip is badly swollen and split and one eye is already closing. Chad has a rip in his shirt and another at his knees. Jennifer appears unscathed, but....Jennifer is not looking at him. His eyes follow hers as they slide across to his walking stick.He sucks in his cheeks, choosing his words. "Jennifer, we do not administer corporal punishment here. However, misdemeanours cannot go unpunished. All three of you will receive extra homework and I will expect it to be done on time. "In addition, Chad, yo
JamesCharlotte swallows hard, and again, then, her voice steadier "And this isn't small trouble. They probably don't want to kill her.… me.... otherwise it would just have been a bullet in the head in a parking lot.... It's more likely they want to learn what she.… I.... know and then sell her on.… me on...."You have got to be kidding me....Gaping at the slender girl, so like my own Elizabeth, stating what are simple facts but which all we men have avoided saying, I lose my words.James, Michael and Will are also staring slack-jawed at her performance…"Jeez, Charlotte," says Michael, his grim belligerence vanished. "You sound cold-blooded when you talk like that." Head high, she stares him down. "It's about survival isn't it." She nods towards me. "Richard was right when he said that you're no good to anyone if you panic. Some things have to be done in cold blood."James, towering over her, says in a cool voice, "Like selling yourself to the highest bidder? Done in c
James"She's up to something," says Michael."Like what?""I don't know. When I try to have it out with her she denies everything and then throws her secret weapon at me.""Secret weapon?""She smiles at me and looks at my cock, and my brain heads south.... Perhaps you could talk to her?""And say what?""I dunno. Tell her she's not to.... whatever… 'C'mon, you're her Dom. She's supposed to obey you.""What exactly am I ordering her to do, Michael?""She intends to escape.""You think? What's she going to do? Knot together the bedsheets and climb down from the penthouse window? Abseil down from the roof garden?""She's clever.""That she is, but she's also locked in and under guard.""She wants to let Stanton use her as bait. ""Well, I'm not going to let that happen. I'm guessing you're not either. And even Richard is against it, for all that it's his wife they have." He still looks unhappy, sceptical. "Michael, what exactly do you think she's going to do?
JamesMichael sits on the couch, feet propped up on the desk where Charlotte is occupied with her work. He's working himself, riffling through a stack of invoices and checking them against his tablet, ticking them off as he goes. I'm sure he'd be more comfortable in his own office at the leisure centre, but right now, he's not letting Charlotte out of his sight and so the couch has morphed into his mobile work-station.Still, she certainly appears happier since she was given work to do....Memo to self: don't let her sit idly......... the devil finds work...."How's the work going, Charlotte?" I ask.Added to her list of documents, she now has aerial photographs of the City....Where the hell did she get those from…?.... Ah, yes.... The marvels of Google Earth........ all spread out on a huge table she commandeered from one of the canteens downstairs. Stooped over a couple of the plans, she's busily annotating more of the yellow notes with information from somethin
Richard"What the hell?" snarls James. "Fucking wilful, infuriating, stupid woman...." Michael breaks in. "Wilful she may be. Infuriating she certainly is. But stupid she's not. She's obviously planned this, so perhaps we should start working around whatever it is she's up to. Let's do what she said and check our e-mails."Rubbing the back of his neck, James nods apologetically. "You're right.…"Michael turns to me. "Richard. Can I get online somewhere?""Let's all go down to my office. We can see things more easily there."As we step out of the elevator, Francis stands, holding up her phone. "I've just had a message from Charlotte…""You and we all. Get hold of a laptop for Michael to use."*****JAMESSuppressing my impulse to scream with rage, I retrieve my laptop from my office next door then join Michael and Richard in his office. Francis appears moments later with her own machine for Michael.Booting up, I drum fingers on the desktop while I wait for my e-m
James"Where is she now?" asks Francis."Well away from the City now, and off the main highways.… no more cameras."As we watch the screens, two of the travelling points stop moving. The remaining five split, three going one way together, the other two travelling separately.Her mobile?I check.My stomach churning, "One of the static signals is the one for her phone. Michael's voice has a panicky edge. "So, they've got her and dumped her mobile?" He closes his eyes for a moment. "The other static one?""No idea."Where do you have the tracers, Jade?I'm going to thrash the living daylights out of you for this...."What was that?" says Michael.Am I talking to myself now?"She's not going to sit down for a fucking week when I catch up with her…""Keep your temper under control," he growls. "It's not helping."I snap back. "Oh, and you're pleased with her?""No, I'm not. When we do get her back, I'll hold your coat. But we all know why she's done this...