You Can Always Say No Ch. 07

"Oh, and that lame excuse about 'what will they think of us'? As you said, they know what's going on between us, and why; we have your little sissy to thank for that. So, no more playing games. You've run up quite a tab; it's time for me to collect."

I would be lying if I said the bastard's masculine essence wasn't getting to me, just as it always had. I had to stay focused. He was making it easier for me to repulse him by insulting Angie.

"Jason," I murmured, "I'm married."

"Yes," he agreed. "I know. This is as exciting for me as it is for you. I won't spoil that for us. Once he has this contract wrapped up for me, I'll fire his fairy ass. Then, when the little faggot has to come home with his tail tucked between his legs, we can move him into one of the other bedrooms and keep him as our maid. We'll get him one of those cute little French Maid uniforms and he can wait on us hand and foot. We can even have him stand by our bed and watch while a real man fucks you. Then he can suck my cum out of your pussy when we're done. I hear they get off on that sort of thing."

That was more than my guilty conscience could take. I had desired a similar fantasy scenario, although not taking it to the extremes of humiliation and degradation he suggested. It was to have been a way to take our relationship to the next level; sharing a man with my beloved Angie, while ramping up my own domme/sub desires. Viewing it through Jason's eyes made the whole thing seem sick, twisted – very much like the whipping I had given her two weeks previously. Jason's head snapped back with the force of my slap; a convenient proxy for my own self-loathing.

"You arrogant, ungrateful little prick," I hissed. "My Angie is down the hall, busting her butt to make you rich beyond your wildest dreams, and that is all she means to you? She is twice the man you will ever be!"

My head rang with the force of his punch. I would have screamed, but his hand around my throat was squeezing the breath from me. His other hand reached under my skirt and ripped my panties away.

"You cunts are all the same," he growled, his eyes glinting with hate. "You come on so lovey-dovey, begging for it. Then, when the time comes to get down to it, you snatch it away. It's all a game to you, isn't it? Worse, I find a really cute chick who lets me know she wants to get it on, then I find out she's really a little faggot like your sissy Alan. Well, I'm not a faggot, I never have been, and I'll show you what being a real man is all about."

The force of his cock jamming its way into my naked pussy barely registered on my brain. Stars were exploding behind my eyes as I gasped for breath. I fought him at first, scratching at his face and neck. As my strength and consciousness ebbed, my hands flailed away behind me, grasping only air. Then my right hand closed around something solid, metallic, comforting. I seized it, held on for dear life, and swung it around in an arc with every shred of strength I had left. I heard the satisfying crunch of bone as my ersatz cudgel connected with my attacker's temple. Jason dropped like a sack of potatoes, taking me to the floor with him.

I gratefully sucked a lungful of air as though it was my first ever, then another and another. My eyes glanced downward, beholding the instrument of my salvation. How ironic was that? It was that oversized, garish Big Man On Campus trophy. Its brass-and-marble heft had put my attacker in touch with his inner Twilight Zone with one swing. Something was out of place with the heavy award - literally; the brass face plate had been knocked askew by the force of impact. I idly slipped my fingernail along the edge to nudge it back in place. Instead, it fluttered away entirely – exposing a second brass escutcheon underneath. As I read its engraved legend, I would have gasped in astonishment if I wasn't already gasping for air.

Miss Sunset Strip – Continental

1992

Releasing my grip on this horrific nightmare, I crawled on my hands and knees to the desk, reached up with one arm and managed to pull my purse to the floor. Locating my cell phone, I punched 911 and attempted to organize my thoughts as it rang.

***

They processed the rape kit at the emergency room. Scrapings were taken from under my fingernails, then photos and swabbings recorded the bruising on my throat. The doctors decided to keep me for observation overnight. I was a little unnerved when Patti showed up at my hospital room the next morning.

"No, I'm not here to gloat," she began as she seated herself. "I wouldn't wish this on any woman. Faye is parking the car. She will be up in a minute."

"I didn't know Faye drove," I commented, not knowing what else to say.

"It's my car," Patti informed me. "She offered to drive and I accepted. I always knew Jason was a pig, but I've been pretty shaken up since finding out what kind of monster I've been working right next to these past few months."

"I can appreciate that," I consoled. "So, Angie isn't…"

"She flew out to see Jerome early this morning," Patti interjected.

"Oh, I see," I acknowledged dejectedly.

Patti just closed her eyes, shook her head and sighed heavily.

"Major General Jerome Clayton, United States Air Force," she intoned, as if it were the most obvious thing on earth. "Angie was on the phone with him a couple of hours last night – after making sure you were going to be all right. She wanted to come with us today, but we convinced her we would take care of you and it was more important for her to get together with Jerome and try to salvage this disaster."

She grimaced even as she said the words, holding up her hand in anticipation of me saying something.

"That… didn't come out right," she explained apologetically. "I didn't mean to sound insensitive or minimize what you went through. You did all of us a service by getting that animal off the streets. In spite of everything, Faye wants to nominate you for a medal. The problem is, without him, the review panel may reject our bid outright. Even if that doesn't happen, the FBI performs an extensive background check on all companies in consideration for Defense Department contracts. There is no way they will sign off on a bidder whose CEO is an accused murderer. For that matter, there may not be a Miller Avionics anymore. It's privately-owned and he hasn't named a successor. We may all be out of jobs."

No good deed goes unpunished. Again, I didn't know what to say.

"Then Angie has been staying with you?" I asked.

"No," she reprimanded, as though I were a wayward child. "She has been staying with Faye. Those first two nights, she couldn't face the prospect of going home to you and Jason. She had somehow found the strength to allow you your lover all that time because that was what you wanted and you kept it discreet. Confronting the two of you in her own bedroom, as Angie, and being expected to submit to him was more than she could handle. From what I hear, it may have been the smartest decision she has ever made."

I shuddered as I considered what might have happened.

"Are you telling me you two didn't…" I inquired tentatively.

She turned her head slightly and looked at me askance.

"I won't even attempt to tell you that," Patti demurred. "Faye, Angie and I had a wild night that Wednesday night. Jerome is quite a stud; he took on all three of us. I found out a bit earlier, he really likes girls like Angie and me."

I just stared at her, dumbfounded.

"I don't advertise," she asserted. "I've spent the last eight years, since I was sixteen, attempting to pass. It wasn't until I got this job I really felt comfortable that no one suspected."

"I didn't," I admitted. "I still can't tell."

She smiled coyly, stood, and discretely pulled up the hem of her skirt while pulling down her panties, revealing a more-than-adequate 'clit'. She restored her clothing and took her seat once more.

"I recognized the telltale signs in Alan as soon as he started wearing lingerie, then a corset, under his suits. You know; 'it takes one to know one'? I had gone through exactly the same phase as I transitioned. I encouraged him as best I could without actually admitting I knew. I understood how sensitive a subject it would be to him and didn't want to embarrass him. I looked forward to each new day, watching to see how far he would go. He had dropped little hints that led me to believe you not only knew, you were in on it with him. I was so envious. I would have killed to have a relationship like that!

"We were working late on a Tuesday night. We took a break and were on our way to the break room to get sodas when we spotted you and Jason coming out of Jason's office. You were all over him like a cheap suit. I didn't know who you were at the time; just another one of Jason's many conquests. Alan grabbed me and pulled me against the corridor wall, out of your line of sight. From his reaction, I knew exactly who you were. I didn't like you much after that.

"Contrary to your assumptions, we didn't 'set you up' that Wednesday night. Jason set me up with Jerome, intimating he wanted me to fuck the guy's brains out. I was scared to death. Jason didn't know about me and I didn't want him to find out. That may have been the smartest thing I have ever done. Now I was faced with the possibility of having to 'out' myself to a man, a client, I had just met. I would have told Jason to shove it, but I liked my job and Jerome was a charming, attractive man. I didn't know how we were going to get around the gender issue, but I decided to at least go out with him. After all, Jason was paying for it all.

"We were at a lounge, having cocktails. Jerome is an easy man to talk to and we talked about a lot. After about the third round, the subject of sex came up. Jerome said he liked his on the wild side, especially girls with 'something extra', and did I know of anywhere where a guy like him could have a good time? That was just too much of a coincidence. I knew he had somehow 'read' me – perhaps from previous experience. I remembered it was Ladies' Night at Neo, so I told him I knew just the place.

"Mind you, I had never seen 'Angie' before. Still, I recognized her immediately. That is one of the advantages of having been in the Scene so long and seen so many transformations. She looked so good in that over-the-top style of hers and was having such a good time, how could I not like her immediately? The fact she was there with another woman who looked just like her was too good to be true. Jerome adored both of them. We were going back and forth; were they mother and 'daughter', or two T-girls? I asked him if he wanted to meet them and he was enthused. I was dancing next to Faye at the time, so I… introduced myself.

"Yes," I responded, stifling my laughter. "I saw that part."

Patti giggled.

"Angie noticed me then. I thought she was going to have a heart attack when she recognized me. I told her I was completely supportive and if she wanted to, we could have a real good time. After we left you, the four of us went back to Jerome's hotel suite and did exactly that."

"I wish I had gone with you." I noted wistfully.

She beheld me for a moment, as if making up her mind about something.

"You know what?" she asked. "So do I. We might have avoided a lot of grief."

"Where did 'Trisha' come from?" I asked.

"Jerome," she responded, shrugging her shoulders. "He said 'Patti' sounded like some perky little high school cheerleader. 'Trisha' was more sensual, with a hint of mystery to it. I hadn't really considered it until he mentioned it, but I kind of like it.

"Anyway, Jerome was… unbelievable. He was completely knocked out that he was with not one T-girl, but two – plus Faye. I have never had a man like him before – and I wasn't the only one. All three of us were walking gingerly Thursday morning."

"Oh my," I murmured.

"Yeah," Patti agreed, almost ruefully, "oh my. So, that morning, Faye was in the bathroom, taking a shower. Angie and I were sitting at the desk, doing our makeup in the mirror. We were each lost in our own little world. Jerome came up behind us and began massaging our shoulders; one hand on my left, the other on Angie's right. He asked if he could see the two of us again before he left. I don't know what I was thinking; maybe it was all those hours Alan and I had put in on this project and the anticipation of actually making the presentation at last. I just put my arm around Angie, hugged her, and told him: 'Tomorrow morning, ten AM, rain or shine'.

"I don't know which of us was more embarrassed; Angie or me. Jerome hadn't met Alan yet; didn't know anything about the hours we had put in on the project. I couldn't take back what I had said and Jerome was not going to let it go. He started asking us questions, really probative questions about the project and established we both knew what we were talking about. He told us exactly those words. He said he was impressed with the hard work we had obviously put in on the project and was looking forward to seeing us there.

"Angie was nervous; she asserted it hadn't been planned for her to be there at all; the presentation was being made by Jason and his senior male assistant. Jerome saw through that in a heartbeat. He just let us know; he was confident we were Miller Avionics' 'first string'. If either one of us did not show up, he would know the company was not serious about doing business with the Department of Defense and would be on the next plane back to Washington. I had visions of all our hard work going down the toilet. Before Angie could say anything, I promised we would both be there without fail.

"I thought she was going to haul off and slug me the moment we were out the door. I filled Faye in on what had transpired while she was in the bathroom and she was all but bouncing off the walls. We called in to take the day off, then spent that whole day getting Angie ready. Faye may have gone a little overboard, but… Angie just looks so damn good like that. You can tell she likes it, too. We weren't sure how we were going to square it with Jason; only that we were committed. As it turned out, that wasn't an issue."

I had to suppress a smile at that.

"Friday, after the presentation, Angie was dancing on air. She knew Jason had left your place, so she couldn't wait to get home to you and share everything that had happened. She wanted to show you how much she loved you and try to win you back from Jason. I suggested the roses and went to the florist to pick them out for her. Then she thought of something really wicked she was sure you would adore. She asked me if I would take part in a threesome with her and you. The plan was, she would seduce you into bed. I would slip in and surprise you while she had your undivided attention. When I agreed, she gave me a key to let myself in. It was a surprise, all right."

Her eyes met mine. We both remembered the result of Angie's homecoming.

"What you did that night was heinous," Patti asserted. "Angie hadn't done anything you hadn't set her up to do. She was afraid to go home after that; afraid of what you would do to her next. When I think about it, I still want to strangle the life out of you."

"Too late," I replied, staring at the wall. "Someone beat you to it."

"Sorry," Patti apologized, stifling a smile, "another unfortunate choice of words."

"Don't be sorry," I asserted. "You were right. For what it's worth, I am seeing it in a whole new light, having been a victim myself. Angie must hate me for it."

"Surprisingly, Angie does not hate you," Patti attested. "Neither does Faye. They convinced me you are basically a decent person, but somehow got caught up in an ego trip over Angie's transformation. I have to tell you; whatever your issues are, you really need to get a grip. If it means anything to you, I don't hate you either; not anymore. In fact, I owe you a debt of gratitude. Because of you, I found what I have always been looking for."

And there it was. I just wanted to curl up and die. It was my own damn fault.

"I understand," I answered quietly. "I wish you the very best."

"Thanks," she responded cheerily. "I had no idea there was someone out there like her – or that she would fall for me as hard as I fell for her."

After what I had done, I couldn't complain about her taunting me with it. That didn't make it any easier to take.

"Sorry I took so long," Faye breezed as she swept into the room. "That parking lot is a zoo this time of day. I had to wait a solid twenty minutes for someone to leave so I could park."

Then she turned her attention to Patti.

"Hi, Baby."

She leaned over Patti's shoulder. The redheaded girl put her arm around Faye's neck and devoured her with a kiss that curled my toes.

"So," Faye gasped, breaking the kiss at last. "What did I miss?"

"Not nearly as much as I have," I murmured in amazement.

***

Criminalists have a cherished saying: there is clean, and there is forensics clean. Jason had been thorough in polishing his 'trophy', but the crime lab still found trace blood trapped between the walnut base and marble pedestal. They also found a usable print from his right index finger on the original plate, establishing chain of possession.

Then, when they ran Jason's DNA through CODIS, the computer screen lit up like a Christmas tree; three rapes, two deviant sexual assaults, and the murder of a sorority girl, who took a header from the second-story fire escape of yet another downtown dance club – all previously unsolved. Both that girl and Terri Tunney had fought their attacker valiantly, as trace scrapings from beneath their fingernails had attested. The sorority girl bore the same pattern and dimensions of bruising from manual strangulation which the crime scene investigators had documented on my throat. I guessed she had said "no", too. As for poor Terri, my original assumption had proven horrifically correct.

Times had changed. The current District Attorney had the usual political ambitions. However, she also had a 'hard-on' for sexual predators, regardless of their victims' gender, and was not inclined to plea bargain. After all, there was a mountain of hard DNA evidence arrayed against Jason, plus my deposition and those of the five girls who had survived their attacks. His attorney used the excuse of not handling criminal cases and ran for cover; so did most of the other attorneys in town. One, who had a national reputation for defending high-profile clients in impossible situations, agreed to take Jason's case, but it would take money – a lot of money.

The smell of blood in the water brought all the sharks out. Jason's attorney fielded several offers for Miller Avionics – at fire sale prices. One offer stood head and shoulders above the rest; a fair price from an offshore corporation, apparently with deep pockets and a ton of clout. The embattled defendant took the money and ran – all the way to his attorney's outstretched hand.

Jason had paid for a silver-tongued devil and got one. The trial lasted a month; most of it delay and obfuscation. The day I took the witness stand, Alan – his nails removed and his platinum blonde mane somehow hidden under a short, decent-looking resemblance to his original sandy tresses - took me by the arm and silently walked me past the gauntlet of press into the courthouse, then sat in the first row of the gallery, ever the loving, dutiful husband for all to see.

Jason's precious e-mailed video became a matter of public record, in an attempt to impeach my credibility as a witness for the prosecution. Alan sat stoically through the visual record of his cuckolding and verbal references to his sissification. I cringed at the thought of the humiliation he must have been suffering on my behalf, as a show of support for his 'loving' wife. After Jason's attorney's vicious cross-examination, even I suspected I had been 'asking for it', and I had been there. I wasn't really surprised Alan disappeared after court was recessed for the day; just… disappointed.