Anyone for Tennis, Dennis? Ch. 14

"After the meet I walked over to Birmingham New-Street station to meet Emma, who had caught the train down after work. We wondered round the Shops: the Bull-Ring, etc. And happened to see him talking to someone. Again, I ignored him. We walked on until we found a Curry house and had a genuine Birmingham Balti. The next Day was Emma's treat. A visit to Bourneville."

"Cadbury World. Oh Yeeeeaaaah." Emma said with some enthusiasm. "Chocolate-gasm."

We all chuckled at her child like behaviour.

"So yes. We had the morning going round Cadburys Factory and the exhibition." Mike continued.

"Every time you went through a door you were given a bar of chocolate or other Cadburys product. What's not to like?" Emma interrupted again.

"As you see. Emma likes chocolate. And that month they were doing a Double-Doors-Deal. Instead of One bar, you got two bars." Mike said.

"At EVERY door." Emma said for emphasis. "And Mike is not that bothered by chocolate. So, I got his portions as well. I was in chocolate heaven. I got a butt load."

"Anyway, we went from there to the Maison-De Sade. That is another meetup that I had heard and read about, but not managed to get to. With the Business meet and Emma's treat, it made sense to stay at the hotel where the business forum had been. It was only a twenty-minute walk to the conference Centre where they hold the annual Maison-De-Sade. This is a meet up, party, fete- call it what you will -- of every kink going. It goes on from Midday to Midnight. We went there shortly after a quick lunch. Or maybe I should say, I had lunch. Emma was still high on chocolate. There were loads of stalls of people selling equipment or clothing for all the kinks you can think of. Well, that is where I saw Armstrong again. He was selling furniture. It looked to me to be the same company he had gabbed about at the business group. It seemed to be furniture for,... well let me just say that you would have to use it very carefully. It looked pretty damn close to actual torture to me. We avoided him and carried on round the hall and the side rooms. We met a few people that we have seen at some of our local meets. People who maybe live somewhere between us and Birmingham. We chatted. We did have some time to play."

"Sounds like fun. But does that mean that you don't really know him?"

"Ahh well it was after that day that things then got interesting. You probably gathered that I quite like Dennis. We met at a BDSM party a few years ago, and just sort of clicked. We have similar interests. We both like control, both in our work and in our home lives, and I guess of ourselves. We had a bit of cross-over in our engineering companies, but not so much that we were competitors. We could put work each other's way occasionally. We met for drinks every now and then. So, I knew when he got the chance to sell up his business to that American conglomerate. He was hesitant about letting go of his baby. His dream. He thought that he would get bored. I suggested a way out, which he later took. He couldn't work for the yanks. Their way of control would drive him nuts. But he could use some of his money to speculate and invest in other companies, which he then did. That was also when he bought The Hall. Nice place too. I think that must have been about the time that he had Alice as a companion. I guessed at the time that he was not giving her the time and attention that she needed. He was a bit absorbed in the negotiations. Lots of trips to France and the USA and back. He was still hurting from his divorce and giving up his driving licence. One of the start-up-companies that he bought, did well and needed to expand. He helped fund their move to a new building, and rented out their old building. At the time I did not know the details. Then at one of the BDSM meet ups a few months back, a mutual friend suggested that Armstrong had done good and was looking to buy a unit as a store and place to refurbish his furniture business. Next time I met Dennis I told him. He was not aware and was wondering whether to let Armstrong move in or get a new tenant or sell the place.

"At that party where we met you, Dennis mentioned that he had sold the building. I was surprised. But then he said there had been difficulties. He did not elaborate. The people he had invited were either friends, enemies, or people who had done business with Dennis or maybe with Armstrong. Anything we heard about, Dennis asked us to pass on. He did say that we would get together soon to talk it over.

"And that..." Mike said with some finality. "Is about as much as I know."

"Dennis is a bit odd isn't he?" Emma said. "He's into the BDSM scene as we are, but he is not really a 'Master'. Not like you."

"Maybe. I think he is and should be a 'Master', but he needs to find the right submissive. I kind of hoped that would be you - Julie. He needs someone like you." Mike said, looking at me.

"Yes. I know what you mean. He needs someone LIKE me. But not necessarily me." I said. My voice carried the hints of my sadness. Emma gave me a hug.

Some hours later, Mike and Emma walked with me back to the office to get my car. I bade my goodbyes, then drove home deep in thought.

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