Crimson Pt. 05

Reggie instructed me to tell the women that we took care of Charles and that his law firm would help Janice with her divorce. The official story was that Charles flipped out and threatened to kill himself. Not having his faculties about him, the divorce would be easy to get. The women still had theirs to work off, which now would total ten years. He told me to find a handler for the two women, and I told him we should give them back to Brandon. The women didn't seem to mind him too much; it was Charles that had an issue with him. This would also give Brandon a chance to learn from his mistakes.

Reggie thought that was a great idea, and was impressed I didn't hold a grudge against Brandon. I explained I didn't care what Brandon thought of me, and him yelling at me didn't bother me. Reggie thanked me again for taking care of the situation. He also told me he didn't care what I wanted; he was paying me $20 thousand a month. He believed in paying people what they were worth, and $10 thousand was far too low. He also wanted to ensure I saw the benefit of staying in Crimson.

He admitted he only put me in this position to have a little fun. He wanted to see what my reaction would be with him using Brenda. It surprised him I didn't have a problem with it. In fact, it impressed him I went along with keeping her obedient. It doubly impressed him I recruited Jordan's husband, who would be a tremendous benefit to Crimson. And finally, stopping a potential murder of a VIP member sealed the deal.

"I've made another decision, James." Reggie continued. "Brenda is now yours. She will still help me hook my big fish, but I will no longer use her for my pleasure. She will be off limits to everyone except you and who you approve of. I will have her cater specifically to our BDSM clientele, the men who like to inflict pain."

"She can still act as my financial analyst, but she can do that from the casino with you. Set her up in an office there. She can help you as well. Overseeing my portfolios will not take up all of her time. I will continue to pay her at our previously agreed-upon amount, which is why I'm not paying you more."

"What caused you to change your mind?" I asked.

"You are now more valuable to me than Brenda." Reggie explained. "You've far exceeded my expectations, and are now a vital part of Crimson. I want to ensure you stay."

"It's only been a few days, Reggie." I remarked. "How can you be certain?"

"I haven't gotten to where I am today without knowing what works." He remarked. "Keep doing what you're doing, and Crimson will reap the benefits. And I loved the way you handled Brandon. I've needed someone that could demand that type of response from our members. I can't be everywhere at once, and I tire of playing parent to some of these guys. Now I have you to do it."

"Wonderful." I replied, laughing. "I always wanted a bunch of spoiled, entitled kids. Maybe I want you to pay me more."

Reggie laughed and told me to at least earn the money I was getting first. He informed me he would send Brenda to me in one of his limos after telling her of her new circumstances. We hung up the phone, and I thought about the turn of events.

I didn't see any of this coming. I appeared to finally be in Reggie's confidence. Reggie having sex with Brenda daily didn't bother me, but it would be a lie if I said I wasn't happy that was over. Brenda didn't seem to mind Reggie either, and I wondered just what her reaction would be. Having sex with Reggie was a tangible way for her to connect with him, ensuring the money continued to flow.

I also received a glimpse behind the Crimson curtain. Sure, I knew about the women. I knew about the blackmail and their enslavement. What I hadn't previously seen was the underbelly of the operation. That sounds strange, as if enslaving women wouldn't be considered the bad part. The way Crimson organizes the disappearance of people that get in their way is freighting. Reggie let me in on the secret like it was no big deal. It was just something he did, like taking out the trash. Brenda told me that Reggie was evil, and I was now seeing it for myself.

I would have to watch my back. Today I was valuable to him, but tomorrow may be different. I knew he would give the order to put me in a psychiatric hold just as easily as he did with Charles. If that happened, I would have no chance. Was this the storm Amanda warned me about? Is this why she was adamant that I form strong bonds with Brenda, Jordan, and Peter? I had all three to protect now. Just when I think I have a handle on everything, something throws me for a loop.

Not long after, three men showed up and escorted Charles, still in handcuffs, out of the casino. I walked back to my office, telling Jordan to continue pulling files together until Brenda arrived. When she did, I wanted to see all three of them. I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes. I wanted to hear Amanda's voice again, wanted to talk to her. I needed reassurance that I had it under control. I called out to her.

I said out loud, "I need to know I'm doing the right thing." I just kept my eyes closed.

I heard a knock on my door. I sat up straight and looked at my computer. An hour passed. I must have fallen asleep. However, no Amanda. The door opened and Brenda walked in, followed by Jordan and Peter. I took that as a sign. I didn't need Amanda right now, but I needed them.

I smiled. This was my family. These were the people I would hang my future on. I had to tell Brenda about Jordan. All four of us had to figure out how we would navigate our new dynamic. Peter said I was a leader, so I guess it was time to lead. As the door closed behind them, my smile disappeared and I announced, "Inspection."

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Someone asked me for a timeline for my different series. The below timeline starts at year 0, the beginning of Assassins MC. Each entry after that represents the number of years that have passed. So, year +10 is 10 years after Assassins MC pt. 01.

Timeline

Year 0: Assassins MC Pt 01: Opening My Eyes

Year 2: Family Submission Pt. 01: Sarah's Life Changes

Year 7: Assassins MC Pt. 19: End of the World

Year 10: Santo Diablo Pt. 01: Shipped Out

Year 11: Santo Diablo Pt. 04: Family Bonding

Year 18: Santo Diablo Pt. 06: Westward Bound

Year 20: Santo Diablo Pt. 07: Recruiting

Year 21: Santo Diablo Pt. 08: Therapy

Year 27: Santo Diablo Pt. 09: Sarah Thompson and Crimson (unpublished)

Year 27: Family Submission Pt. 05: Rich Burkhart and Crimson (unpublished)

Year 27: Crimson Pt. 01: A New Life

Year 27: Crimson Pt. 05: Crisis Averted