Book Club Memories Ch. 05

I thought I was doing a pretty good job at this point restraining my rage, but that restraint could only last so long. What she was planning if I didn't play ball... it would devastate pretty much everyone I cared about at school.

I'd spent a lot of this year learning how to stand up for myself and pursue what I wanted, and without Kyle at school, that had actually been possible. If I did what she demanded and enabled his return, that could well mean the bad old days were back. Maybe even worse if they felt emboldened by this... Kyle and Karen unrestrained, with no one to stop them or stand in their way...

It was not a cheerful image.

"You're a monster," I said.

Karen shrugged, casual. "I've been called worse."

"Heinous bitch?" I said, without thinking.

"Now that's more like it..." she replied. "But, come now, why call names when you can just surrender and make things easier, and better, for everyone? All you have to do is agree to my terms, and I'll retreat. Hell, I can make things *better* for you and whoever you want..."

"Or you'll otherwise go nuclear on Regan Hills High School?" I proposed.

"Oh, please... if I had nuclear codes, I'd set my sights a little higher than Regan Hills High School," Karen said with a casualness that I found unsettling. "But if it meant giving my children the lives they deserve... I'd murder the entire *fucking* world."

I ran a hand through my hair, nervous, and suddenly realizing that I'd never actually come up against anyone with true power. Whether Karen Bowman actually had any of this was something that remained to be seen, but if she had even a fraction of the sway she thought she had... this bitch could be a serious problem.

"You know this is blackmail, right?" I asked. "This is really fucking messed up."

"Whatever gets the job done," Karen said sweetly, as if this was something that she did every day.

Oh, what a moment this would have been to be wearing a wire.

I was grasping at straws at this point. "Why... why does it matter so much for you to get Kyle back at frickin' Regan Hills High School? It's not exactly an elite institution of higher learning; wouldn't getting his degree from St. Hubbins be even better for him?"

Of course, Karen Bowman had a smile for this, too. "Because we're Bowmans... nobody takes anything from us, and anything that *is* taken from us, will be ours again soon enough. It may have taken a while to restore the status quo, but it *will* be restored, and everything will be as it is supposed to be. And you, Mr. Collins, you can either reap the rewards of this return to normal, or you can stand in the way and be *fucking* annihilated. The choice is yours."

I was tempted to ask her if she thought our small town was actually Westeros, but that wouldn't have done either of us any good. Karen Bowman had put all of her pieces in place to put me in a truly bad position, and there was seemingly little that I could do to stop her. My future unfolded before me, one where I complied with her, and all of my friends were happy, yet I remained miserable as Kyle hunted me and took his own misery out on me, and any hope or joy that I could have expected from the remainder of my senior year was thrown out the window.

A return to the status quo may have benefited the Bowman family, but there was nothing it could do for me.

No.

Fucking *no*!

I was happy with my life for the first time in a very long time, much of it because of the absence of Kyle Bowman, and there was no way I was letting his mother steamroll over me and make me do what she wanted just because she knew how to make a good, threatening speech.

She wasn't the only one who could make threats.

"Okay..." I said, putting my thoughts together.

Karen's eyes brightened. "So... you've seen reason?"

"I didn't say that... you've put me in a corner where I have no choice but to consider your offer, but before I can get too deep into that, I have a question for you. Just something to settle before I said yes or no to you. I can ask a question, right?" I said.

"I don't see why that's necessary," Karen replied.

"Humor me... it'll make it easier for me to agree with you if I have some assurances," I said.

She licked her lips, not exactly nervous, but not exactly having expected me putting up any kind of resistance, clearly. "You may ask your question."

I took a breath. "Why did you join Viola's book club?"

Karen blinked a few times rapidly, but miraculously didn't let my question show on her face. "I don't see how that's relevant."

"If you want me to even consider agreeing with your plan, I want an answer. Just tell me why, and I'll be more amenable to your offer," I said.

This was a lie, but sometimes those are for the best to buy time. If I had read the situation right, there was a good chance that a little bought time was all I needed.

"I wanted to talk books with some like-minded women in my age range. I don't get many opportunities to socialize, and it seemed an appropriate outlet," Karen explained, her voice even and perfectly diplomatic, the kind of answer she no doubt used with her husband and children.

Now it was my turn to laugh. It was a loud, expressive, bark of a laugh, and one that thoroughly got her attention.

"I don't see how my limited social life is funny," she continued, crossing her arms under her impressive breasts in a gesture she clearly meant to look powerful. "If anything, I find this response offensive."

"I'm sure you don't see how this is funny... like I'm also sure you found out pretty quickly that this wasn't your traditional book club," I replied.

How Karen entered the book club was information I already knew from Viola Kent, and was happy to use against her as needed.

"Obviously," Karen answered, through almost gritted teeth.

"And the way I see it, I'm sure you were absolutely shocked when you found out what the club was actually about. Shocked, scandalized, maybe even a little angered," I proposed. "You seem like the kind of woman who gets angry without much provocation."

"I don't see what your point is here," Karen continued, shifting slightly away from me.

That was promising.

I said, "It's just that, I can see an upstanding pillar of the community... that would be you in this hypothetical... being shocked and running out after a revelation like that. So, this is where I ask... why, if this shocked you so, did you keep coming back to the book club after you discovered it was actually a sex club for horny, lonely MILFs?"

I half-expected her to demand that I define the word MILF, but the look of panic that actually formed at the edges of her carefully put-together face was even better.

"I don't... I don't see the point that you're getting at," Karen replied.

"You do. I know you do, you know you do, so why don't we stop lying to each other?" I said, before motioning for her to sit beside me on the bed. "Take a seat; looking at you from this angle's distracting in a way I'm pretty sure you don't mean."

Her eyes went wide and she humphed theatrically, but Karen Bowman did sit down beside me. She did this as far away from me as humanly possible to make it clear that this wasn't much of a concession, but I took this as a victory, and wanted to see how much more I could press this.

And, admittedly, I could get an even better look at her cleavage this way. With tits like hers, it was a nice view.

"So, back to my MILF point," I continued. "With the exception of Viola, who I know started this club mostly to sell toys, and then because she absolutely fucking loves sex, every woman who joined the book club joined it because there was something she wasn't getting at home that she *could* get here. And I'd put money on you not being all that different."

The look in Karen's eyes was positively defensive, and it emboldened me, even as she sought to shut me down. "That is hardly the case. I... I am *very* satisfied with my husband."

"Sure," I said, amused. "You say you're satisfied, I say... well, that you're a member of a MILF sex club who's probably given it to or taken it from every other woman here. Which, as someone else who's shared a bed with everyone else on this retreat, I honestly respect. But, even if you were unsatisfied and seeking something out you couldn't get elsewhere, in the eyes of the people whose circles you run in, it doesn't give you a lot of moral high ground or flexibility to work with here, does it?"

Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. "How dare-"

I interrupted her. This was satisfying as *fuck*.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, how dare I do this to the prestigious Bowman family, etcetera, etcetera... you talk of blackmail and going nuclear, but let me introduce you to the concept of mutually assured destruction. The other ladies here, they barely tolerate you, and the more you push them, the readier they are to push back. So, say I don't write the letter you want me to write, and you do wipe out the various programs and perks these women hold dear. Do you really think they wouldn't find some way of proving to everyone in your hoity-toity rich people circles what you do in your free time? Because let me tell you, these ladies, they're amazing people... but they're strong, and they are not to be fucked with, and I wouldn't put it past them to fucking destroy you if you pushed them," I said.

The words flowed freely, and in a tone of voice that was nearly strong and confident. I might have actually sounded like I knew what I was doing, even if I was terrified deep down... but I kept going, and saying what I had to say to this awful woman... well, it felt good.

And, somehow, it seemed to be working. As she considered her position, with me, with the other members of the book club, I could see that malevolent sparkle behind her eyes fade. There was still some fight left, but I could see that I had her on the retreat. It was a good place to be.

"You... you think you can threaten me... and get away with it?" Karen blustered, uncrossing her arms and leaning forward, looking slightly worried.

"This time, yeah. If you actually held the high ground, I think I'd be fucking done by now... but you don't, so I'm *pretty* sure I can get away with it. But, you're looking at this the wrong way! This doesn't have to go badly for anyone! Just... back the fuck off on Kyle. I'm sure that, for all your posturing, you know he fucked up, and maybe even that he deserves the punishment he's gotten," I proposed.

She looked away from me without a word, which I took as a promising development. Still, I had to strike while the iron was hot, so she couldn't jump on a different angle of attack.

"So, here's what I propose," I said, inching a little closer to her. "You do... nothing."

"Nothing?" Karen asked, looking uncertainly at the distance I closed between us, but not trying to increase it either.

"Well, I should amend that to 'nothing more'. You've done plenty already that you should undo because, well, you've been a real bitch to people who might actually be your friends if you weren't such an asshole; let Wanda have her play, don't cancel any classes or books or clubs, and in general, just leave Regan Hills High School alone. It's a good place full of mostly good people who are just trying to get an education, or educate, as it may be, and what little pleasures we can get out of the school don't need someone like you interfering. Some apologies for all the ladies here that you threatened would also be in order... and once you do that, I don't see how you couldn't enjoy the rest of the weekend as it was meant to be enjoyed," I said, finally finding some time to breathe.

I had played all the cards I had, and we both knew it. This was the moment of truth, where Karen would either decide that she was going to take her chances and be a problem, or she would concede and everyone could have a good weekend. I could see all of this on her face as she thought matters through, as she considered anger and pleading and everything in between. There were times I expected her to threaten to burn my house down or try to seduce me, whatever it took to get what she wanted, but then her face would go neutral, she would take a breath, and I would be kept on edge as I waited to see what she would do next.

She didn't strike me as a woman who was beaten easily, and even when cornered as she had been here, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't go out fighting. Even if she conceded to everything I requested, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't come back at me, and the rest of us, when she thought she had more ammunition to play with. I barely felt capable of breathing as I waited for her to decide, and it seemed to take her years to come to that decision.

The relief I felt when she finally sighed, shook her head and untensed was indescribable.

"I knew that this would catch up with Kyle... I just hoped he'd be smart enough to deal with these things himself by this age... but even my precious boy has to leave the nest and learn to fly eventually," Karen said, shaking her head softly as she turned her attention back to me. "Fine. You win. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

With an almost manic grin of relief, I said, "Actually, yes. I didn't expect it, but I am happy to hear it."

She smirked. "I didn't have a strong hand to play... but I was hoping that you wouldn't notice it."

I was still cautious of her intentions, but willing to accept some of this flattery for now. "I did. But, I don't want to rub it in. I know you love Kyle, but he fucked up... he seriously and intentionally hurt a lot of people, and he has to understand there are consequences."

"I'm sure," Karen admitted. "I've been able to keep him in a consequence-free world so far, but he keeps putting himself in a position to embrace trouble, and no amount of discussion about what he's doing to the family seems to do the trick. Perhaps spending the rest of the school year at St. Hubbins' will be a lesson well-learned for him and won't draw too much scandal our way..."

I didn't believe that would be anything close to a lesson well-learned, but I also didn't feel like rubbing it in when she was making concessions. "And you'll apologize to the others?"

She sighed. "Of course... I've been terrible to them, even when they're among my only friends and, I guess they deserve apologies. I... I did what I thought was right. For my family. I want that to be clear. You do understand that, yes? Do you think they will understand that?"

"Oh, it's clear... I don't think there's anyone out there who will doubt what your motivations were," I said, before deciding to press my luck a little. "Any chance you can make Kyle apologize to me?"

Karen laughed. It was probably the first genuine, non-cruel laugh I'd heard from her. "That boy is stubborn, so I wouldn't count on it. But, I might consider trying..."

Suddenly, she looked down, thoughtful and looking considerably less cheerful. "He, uh... didn't hurt you too terribly, did he? I mean... I'm aware of what occurred, and that it was more than a minor inconvenience... but it does seem like you've recovered and had a good year since?"

In all truth, he had hurt me pretty badly, in spirit more than body, but I also had recovered well. Again, this was not something that I wanted to linger on, for myself as much as her, not when I had already seemingly won the day.

"I've done alright," I admitted, before smirking and trying to change the topic to something much more entertaining. "This weekend, especially... I've done *very* alright."

Karen chuckled, suddenly looking rather pretty when she wasn't so defensive. "I bet."

Well, this was an interesting angle to work with. I turned to fully face her.

"So, in all our talks of mutually assured destruction, I kind of got off track a little on a line of questioning I brought up earlier... you did join this club to get something you weren't getting at home, right?" I asked.

Karen looked a little embarrassed. "Yes. My husband... he keeps a busy schedule, and that's when he isn't screwing his most recent secretary while claiming he had to work late. For a while, I tried telling myself that I didn't need sex to be satisfied... I had money, power, a good job, and seats on all the organizations that mattered... but meeting Viola, well... it has a way of changing your perspective on a lot of things."

Now it was my turn to say, "I bet."

She sighed, looking up at the ceiling, then turning on the bed to face me. "How... how the fuck did you get in with all my book club friends so completely and utterly? I've heard what they had to say about your gifts... about *all* of your gifts, but you don't look the part. You're no Casanova, you're just-"

"Unimpressive?" I suggested.

"I wasn't saying... *precisely* that..." Karen continued.

I shrugged. "I like to talk, get to know women. Learn what they like, what they want, forge connections and friendships... that's all me. My more physical... gift, I guess you'd say... that's more a matter of dumb luck and genetics. But, combine that with everything else I listed there, and, yeah, I've managed to forge some bonds with your book club friends. Very... *close* bonds."

She was still looking pretty good to me, and I was beginning to enjoy pushing this as far as I could, so I slid a little closer to her on the bed. Even with her tanned skin, I saw a faint flush blooming in her cheeks, and her eyes darting curiously toward my shorts again.

Now that the more dangerous tension had fled the room, I was suddenly aware that I was alone in a room with a hot MILF who was trying to take a peek at my cock, so it was no surprise that I had a firm erection already tenting my shorts at this point.

Well, two were able to play that game. Rather shamelessly, I began staring at her tits, not caring if she noticed.

"Yes, I'm aware of the kinds of 'close bonds' you've formed with the members of my book club," Karen said, her eyes darting back to my erection again, before catching my eyeline.

Much to my pleasure, she didn't try to divert my attention elsewhere.

"And do you think, just because I came here for some sexual dalliances with women I've known for some time, that you and I will be..." she trailed off.

I chose to continue pushing my luck. "Fucking? I wasn't sure of it when I first came in here, but right here, right now... yeah, I'm certain that the two of us will be having sex, very, *very* soon."

"Is that a fact?" Karen asked. She looked neither completely convinced, nor like she was ready to kick me out of the room, which I took as a progression in our relationship.

I chuckled. "I mean, something could always come up... but I get the impression that once you see my cock, you won't have much in the way of objections. No, I'm pretty sure that as soon as you see it, you'll be gagging for it."

Still, she seemed neither convinced, nor uninterested. "You seem to have an awfully inflated opinion of yourself."

"You too," I replied.

If she had any disagreement with that statement, Karen didn't show it. "And you think that just because we have similar opinions of ourselves, and you're so... *gifted*, that we're going to have sex?"

"No, I think the fact that you can't stop trying to take a peek at my cock means that we're going to fuck. I think the fact that you're at a sex retreat and sat down on the bed with me and haven't once questioned the fact that I've been staring at your tits, even when you still thought of me as a potential enemy, means we're going to have sex. Have I missed anything?" I proposed.

She thought about this. "Have you always been so cocky?"

"No, but I'm learning," I said, continuing to blatantly stare at her tits. "So...?"

Unconsciously, Karen had started to lean a little closer to me. The flush was more prominent, and her breathing had become slightly more ragged, which, admittedly, did wonders for the way her breasts rose and fell.