The Inheritance

He howled, "You ignorant bastard! You mother fucking son of a bitch! You can't do this!"

I calmly said, "Yes I can and I have. Now as the interim board chairman I'm putting a hold on any other board business until we can have a full stockholder's meeting and elect a new board. I vote my forty-seven percent and Audrey's five percent in favor of suspension of further board meetings until a board election is held." I looked at the secretary recording the board meeting. "Ms...? "

She looked back at me. "Simmons, Brenda Simmons."

"Thank you. Ms Simmons please have these minutes type up and distributed to the board members by close of business today. Let's set up a full stockholder's meeting and board election for a month from now so we can get on with the business of the corporation." I looked around the room. "Any other business?" I got no response from the stunned board members so I adjourned the meeting.

As I left the board room Audrey was waiting for me. I whispered, "Go with Ms Simmons and ensure that the minutes are accurate. She has them on tape."

Ms Simmons exited the boardroom and Audrey fell in step with her. I went to find Uncle Roger's office.

Walking back to her office Brenda confided in Audrey. "Wow so old man Dumas gave you five percent of the company. I thought Mr Williams was going to burst a blood vessel when Mr Frederick pulled out your proxy and trumped him. I'd watch out, he's a sneaky bastard. I know I work for him and I know I'm supposed to be loyal but ... there are things I just can't stomach."

"Don't worry Brenda. Ryan is so much like his uncle it's scary."

"So why are you here?"

"Ryan didn't know if he could trust you or not so I'm supposed to make sure the transcript of the board meeting is accurate and complete. Please don't hold it against him he's really a great guy."

"Jesus honey, he sure converted you in a hurry. You were really hung up on Mr. Dumas."

"Brenda, Ryan is so much like Mr. Dumas it's otherworldly. It makes me believe in reincarnation or transferring of consciousness to another body. When I picked him up at the airport I'd been on the go for thirty-six hours. I tried to give him a briefing on the papers Mr. Dumas left for him before I had to pick up the rest of his cousins at the airport and get them settled. What would Sherwin have done?"

"You know. He'd have made you brief him and keep going. He'd make the cousins wait if necessary. Why what did Mr. Frederick do?"

"He put me to bed. That is he ordered me to go to take a shower and go to bed. When he woke me three hours later he had a chef's salad and glass of lemonade ready for me to eat."

"And then you briefed him?"

"No I had to get to the airport. I was wearing those damn five inch heels, Sherwin demanded. After I finally got back after getting all the cousins settled he sat me on the couch and gave me a foot rub. I was in heaven and then I found out that he had Anthony prepare one of my favorite meals for a late supper. After supper he ordered me to bed again. We didn't go over that packet together until this morning."

"Jesus that sounds just like Mr. Dumas!"

"Exactly! He realized how hard I was trying and he made things better for me, easier and doable. He caught me crying over Mr. Dumas last night and he comforted me. I felt so much better this morning. It's a little scary how much like Mr. Dumas he is."

I shortly found the executive offices and walked into Uncle Roger's front office.

The secretary said, "I'm sorry sir but Mr. Dumas is not available. If you'll leave your name and a phone number he'll contact you as soon as possible."

I looked at the name tag on her desk. "Ursula, my uncle died two days ago. He'll never be in again. I'm Ryan Frederick. I inherited his shares in the company. Would you please call Brenda Simmons and verify that I have the right to access my uncle's office."

She looked up at me with her mouth half open. "Yes sir. Please wait a minute." She got on the phone and talked for about two minutes. She described me and my clothes and then hung up. She stood and said, "Sir if you'll come this way. I'm sorry sir I didn't recognize you." She escorted me to his office door.

"No reason you should. My guess is that you're not my uncle's regular secretary. You've been posted here strictly to keep people out of my uncle's office. You're doing a very nice job."

She almost curtsied. "Thank you sir. I'm really new here. I've only been here two months."

"Well you're doing a good job. Thank you. Who's your supervisor?"

"Mr. Redding sir. Down in the typing pool."

I said, "Thank you." and closed the door. I looked around. The office was plush but not overpoweringly so. There were two intimate settings for small conferences, a large teak desk and a very comfortable executive chair. I spent a good deal of time looking at the pictures on the walls. I spent somewhat less time going thru the desk. I assumed that if Audrey was working here then any important papers were in a safe at the end of each day and whenever Roger was out of the office. As far as I could see I was right. I called down to Mr. Redding and told him that Ursula was doing a good job After that I just sat on one of the couches and thought about the events of the past three days. I was sort of numb.

That's where Audrey found me. "Hey," she said. "You look down. Can I help?"

"I'm just trying to get my head around everything that's happened in the last few days. It just caught up with me while I was sitting here. Sorry. Are we ready to go?"

"Any time you are sir."

"Then we should go. How are you holding up."

"Let's get home then I can let my hair down." I looked at her long silky hair. Not a strand was out of place.

She put my copy of the board minutes in the safe. We took the limo back to the house. I guess it was my home now if I wanted it. Audrey had just started to move my things into the master bedroom when my cell phone rang. It was my boss from San Diego.

"Ryan get back here. You have to work the weekend mid-shift."

"Mr. Bates that isn't possible. The funeral is tomorrow and the burial is on Sunday..."

The conversation went on for about ten minutes with me getting no where. He just wasn't listening to me.

He finally started shouting, "I don't give a damn what you want or think! I told you you'd pay for going over my head! Get down here or you're fired!"

I had it on speaker phone so Audrey heard everything. She gently took the phone from me and spoke. "Mr. Bates, my name is Audrey Livingstone, I was the personal assistant to Roger Dumas the Chairman of the board of Pacific Explorations. He died three days ago. I am now the personal assistant to his heir, his nephew Ryan Frederick, who is now the interim chairman of the board. He will not be returning to his job there. You will have to take the weekend shifts yourself until you hire a replacement for Mr. Frederick. Am I clear?"

Bates didn't listen to her any more than he listened to me. He replied, "Listen to me you two-bit, gold digging, little slut! He's fired! Do you understand! Fired!"

Audrey simply hung up the phone. She said, "Ryan I'm so sorry... "

I laughed and kissed her on the cheek. "You were perfect. Make some time next week for us to go down and clear out my desk. Preferably accompanied by the head of the division."

She grinned at me. "Of course! That will be perfect!" She took my hand and led me to the master bedroom. She stepped close to me and started unbuttoning her blouse. "Ryan, you inherited me along with the house and the shares. The will only stipulates for six months. I would be happy if that is for as long as you want. I'm yours if you want me."

I boldly stroked her hair. It was as wonderfully soft and silky as it looked. "Audrey, I've wanted you since I first met you but only if you want me."

She started to tear up. "Of course I want you. I'm a submissive, I need my master to protect me as well as command me. In two short days you've done both. You've done them so well that I feel like I'm in heaven. You've cared for me you've seen to it that I've been fed and that I've had enough sleep. You protected me from Sherwin and your cousin Jerry. Best of all you've let me sleep with you and held me close when I was hurting. I'm yours. I want to be yours." She stepped back and finished stripping then she ask, "Master Ryan may I give you a shower and dress you in casual clothes for supper?"

I nodded and she began stripping me. I slid my hand under her hair and lightly gripped her neck. She stopped and looked up at me. I murmured, "You have beautiful eyes" and bent and kissed her. Her lips were incredibly soft. She opened her mouth for me to explore and she melted into me. She held her hands at her sides like she didn't know what to do with them. Slowly she raised them and placed them lightly around my neck. I broke the kiss and whispered in her ear, "Good girl." I nibbled on her ear and was rewarded by a quiet moan. I released her neck and whispered, "You can finish undressing me now."

She took half a step back and continued working on my shirt. She looked up at me and smiled. "That was very nice Master Ryan. Very, very nice."

"Tell me why. I'm really new at being a dominant. Why did you like it."

"Master, when you have someone by the neck you have control. Even tho you were very gentle I knew you were in control. I like it very much when you're in control. The kiss was amazing. I felt like my bones were melting. I should tell you that I really like my earlobes nipped and sucked."

I reached behind her and gathered all of her hair at the nape of her neck. I could see the change in her. She became totally docile. "What about this. Do you like this?"

She sighed, "I like this too. It's the same as holding me by the neck, you're in charge of me."

I pulled her to me and gave her another kiss. This time she didn't hesitate to put he arms lightly around my neck. When I let her go she gave a small sigh and knelt to unfasten my belt and remove my pants and underwear.

After the shower she dressed me in sweatpants and a tee-shirt, no underwear. She was totally naked as she led me to the kitchen eating nook and asked Anthony to prepare us something simple for supper.

I said, "Do you really run around the house in the nude?"

She smiled, "Yes I do. Roger liked it."

"I like it too. You're a beautiful woman but I think I'd prefer it if you wore just a skirt and blouse or a summer dress around the house. I don't know much about the dominant and submissive thing but I know you are supposed to have a safe-word. Do you have one?"

"I don't have one, Ryan. It never came up. I don't think I'll need one with you."

"Never the less I want you to have one. Please pick one now."

She knelt at my feet. "Sir I'd like 'Red Light' to be my safe-word."

I gathered a handful of hair and said, "Very well, that's your safe-word. Now sit here beside me."

She rose and sat next to me. I asked her to tell me about Uncle Roger's boat. We discussed it until Anthony served our meal.

I asked him, "Anthony have you eaten?"

"No Ryan," he answered.

"Please make yourself something and join us." He smiled and left.

Audrey said, "So like your uncle. The three of us often ate here together."

"And were you nude?" I asked.

"Yes Ryan, I was. It didn't bother Anthony. ... I think Tony was waiting for you to ask him to eat with us."

Anthony returned quickly with a salad and a glass of wine. He said, "I was listening. You can hardly help it. We often ate together like a family. Isn't Audrey just the most beautiful thing when she's naked?"

I nodded, "She's a most beautiful woman nude or dressed. Now Audrey, I think you should tell Anthony of his bequest since he was one of the few people missing from the reading of the will."

Audrey cleared her throat, "Tony, Mr Dumas left you a bequest of half a million dollars to start your own restaurant. He thought very highly of you."

Anthony dropped his fork and it clattered on the table on the way to the floor. "Half a million dollars! Oh my God! I don't know where to start! I... I... I..."

I said, "Tony, may I call you Tony? I hope you'll stay here and cook for us until you can make firm plans. I also hope that you'll ask Audrey's help in building your business plan. I'd appreciate it if it included getting us a new chef for when you leave."

Audrey smiled and said, "See just like Roger."

He nodded and we went back to eating.

As we were finishing Anthony started cleaning up. He said, "Ryan, you know Audrey is right. You are very like your uncle. Are you sure you can offer me her services to help me write a business plan?"

Audrey said, "Tony, I've already accepted Ryan as my master. I'll do anything he asks, just like for Roger. Why do you think I'm sitting here naked?"

He blushed, "Well, you being naked was pretty much a dead giveaway. Does Ryan know ... everything?"

She hugged my arm. "Oh yes. He gave me a safe-word. I'll never have to use it but it's there if I need it."

He grinned, "So that's the way the wind blows." He turned to me, "Well, you sure work fast." He carried off the dishes.

Audrey shouted after him. "As if you didn't know after the first hour Ryan was here."

I asked, "Audrey how could even you know that soon?"

"The first thing you did was send me to bed because I needed sleep. That wasn't a request, it was a command. It was a gentle command designed to protect me. I knew right then that it would be easy to serve you for the six months Roger requested. When you got me up and had a salad ready for me I was doubly sure. When you took me to bed and comforted me last night there was no more doubt. If I had any lingering doubts they vanished when you protected me this afternoon."

After dinner, I took her to the solarium where we could look out over the bay. She snuggled up close to me. I said, "I love this view. It's so peaceful watching night fall."

She gave me a funny look.

"What!" I asked.

"You're channeling Roger again," she said. "He loved to sit here and watch the night fall."

"And did he like to have you here with him while he watched? Because I do. I like having you near me all the time."

"Yes Ryan, he did like me to sit with him exactly like this. You even put me on the same side of you as he did."

I noticed that she had chill bumps because the house was cool. I pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and covered her.

"Just like Roger," she murmured.

We sat out there for three hours talking about Roger and Aunt Abigail. Audrey broke down and sobbed several times. She apologized each time. I didn't care, I think it was very necessary for her. She had been so busy she buried her grief in order to do what needed to be done. I was pretty sure she would have more times when grief overtook her but I was certain she needed this now.

"You must think I'm a ninny for acting like this."

"No. I think you must have loved Uncle Roger a lot. I think you needed to talk about him. I'm just glad you could talk to me."

She sighed and snuggled closer. "So am I. I'm so glad to have you here Ryan."

We went to bed and I spooned with her again. This time I put my hand possively on her breast. I think I beat her to sleep.

Audrey lay curled in my arms, thinking. "God we haven't had sex yet but if he wants to take me doggie style I'll be sure Roger is guiding him. This feels just like sleeping with Roger. I didn't tell Ryan but it was a rare night when I had to sleep at the foot of the bed until Roger got so sick. This feels so right to me. I hope I can be of help to Ryan. I wonder how we'll work things out with Sherwin and the rest of the board. I wish I had some ideas to help him with it ..." Sleep came to her fairly quickly.

We woke together at about nine-thirty. She showered me and dressed me in a suit that came out of Uncle Roger's closet. When I ask her about it she explained that she had half a dozen of his suits tailored to fit me, day before yesterday.

"They are such fine suits it would be a shame to throw them away. Besides you look fabulous in this one." She said as she dressed me in a suit that must have cost several thousand dollars.

"Well it feels marvelous. How did you know my measurements?"

"I gave the tailor your old suit, some pictures of you in it and told her where I thought it didn't quite fit. I just hoped it would come out right. It looks like it did. She's a marvel."

"It feels great and you look wonderful." She was wearing a black suit with black stockings and black three inch heels. On her head she had a black pill box hat. Her earrings were black onyx with a matching necklace.

She smiled and thanked me then we left for the funeral service.

In the service we were seated in the front row along with my cousins. It was fairly tense.

Janie whispered to Jerry, "Look at that slut trying to act like a grieving widow."

I felt Audrey stiffen. I took her hand and just held it.

I was really pissed off when Jerry whispered loudly back. "It looks like the whore is working on her next meal ticket already. Roger isn't even buried yet."

Audrey squeezed my hand really hard. I saw a tear leak out of her eye and gave her my handkerchief. I was struggling to control my temper. I succeeded only by concentrating on the minister and Roger's casket. The snide remarks continued throughout the service.

Finally, it came time for the eulogies. Each of my cousins gave long rambling talks about how much Roger meant to them. I knew from Audrey's research that none of them had seen him since they turned eighteen and graduated from high school. Eight to ten years ago, minimum.

When it was my turn I talked briefly about our camping trips and about how much Roger was worried about what humans were doing to the environment. I only took five minutes.

When I got back to my seat Jerry leaned over and whispered. "At least this skank whore didn't get up and blubber over how much money she's losing."

I whispered back, "Jerry you're an idiot! She owns five percent of the corporation shares. She never needs to work another day in her life."

Luckily the minister finished and the service was over before the rancor could escalate much further.

As we were walking out Jerry growled, "I'm going to enjoy watching you lose everything and end up back in your dead end job."

I said over my shoulder. "You may just be right but don't bet the farm on it. I have expert help now." I helped Audrey into our limo and we drove off. As soon as we pulled away Audrey broke down and sobbed. I comforted her as best as I could all the way home. When we got home she stripped off all of her clothing on the way to her room, leaving bits and pieces where they fell. I tried her door but it was locked. I heard her sobbing and knocked but she wouldn't answer me.

I was quickly working myself up to going to the hotel and beating the crap out of Jerry. I was on my way to call the limo when Tony intercepted me. "Ryan, she needs you! Please come with me." He led me to the gym. He hung the boxing heavy bag and stood bracing it. "Take it out on this," he said.

I hit the bag as hard as I could, all the while thinking of Jerry. After about five minutes I was sweating heavily and I realized that Audrey was still alone. I dropped my hands. I threw, "thanks Tony" over my shoulder as I took the stairs two at a time.

When I got to her door I could hear her still sobbing. I knocked but she wouldn't answer. I tried the door but it was locked. Finally, I entered my new room and opened the door to her room. She was curled on the bed crying.