Den of Iniquity Ch. 08

"And here are our paddles," Stacey announced. "Lots to choose from, from mild to heavy-handed discipline," she bubbled.

I thought she sounded like a brochure.

I shook my head.

"Sir?"

I put down the items I had chosen previously.

"Choose one for me."

"Sorry?"

"I said, 'choose one'."

"Yes. Um... sorry, Sir. Yes, okay. Well, um... I particularly like, well, I mean... um, I mean I would... choose.. this one, Sir. It's um... well made," she continued, lifting it from its hook. "It's one of our new range, Sir. The maker's card is just over here."

She reached over, plucking one and passing it to me.

"Local guy, well known in 'the lifestyle'," she continued. "Are you familiar with 'the lifestyle', Sir?"

"Somewhat," I answered noncommittally.

"Um, yes. I had a feeling you were. Um, well, anyway, these pieces, here and here," she pointed, "are also his work. They are on special, as an introductory line too, Sir. Fifty percent off."

"Well, the one you chose looks a little flimsy... so... I'll take this one," I said, reaching up and taking down the heavy leather paddle from the wall.

It was the most expensive one there.

I slapped it against my palm and looked at Stacey.

She giggled.

"It's a heavy one, Sir."

"So it is, Stacey."

She blushed and stepped into me, running her palm over its flat surface.

"I like the smooth black leather. It's kangaroo, Sir. Can you believe it! And only from road kills. Well, at least that's what he claims in the handout you receive."

"Handout?"

"Yes, Sir. Moses provides the buyer with care instructions, and lots of information with every purchase."

We were having fun. And not only us.

Our conversation had caught one bystander's attention.

"And look, Sir! On the back it's studded."

She held my hands in hers and coaxed me to turn the paddle over.

She was looking up into my eyes.

What was going on?

I looked closely at the paddle, enjoying watching her watching me out of the corner of my eye. I knew from seeing a paddle in Chantelle's office that it should be almost seamless. This one was well crafted. I ran my fingers over the edges of it. Then with my palm, I felt its surface.

I smiled at her.

The leather 'was' good. It was smooth and supple to the touch. I remember Chantelle mentioning 'give'. "

"It has good 'give'."

"Yes, Sir. It's made somewhat like a table tennis paddle, with various layers."

I pressed my thumb into it.

"So I see."

"You know your paddles, Sir."

I looked into her pale blue wanting eyes.

"Well, actually..."

"Sorry, Sir, I... um..."

"Hush."

She did.

I looked into those eyes, and I was almost distracted by a couple of other customers also watching us.

I leaned into her and spoke privately.

"I was going to say, I am new to the 'life', but I have definite needs, and I feel that this paddle will fulfill one of them."

Stacey looked at the pile of things I intended to buy, noticing, for the first time it seemed, the items I had chosen. I thought I saw her shiver.

She whispered.

"You are on the right track, Sir."

I looked at her and smiled.

"I know, Stacey. But thank you for saying so. It's reassuring."

She was too young for me.

I stood back and spoke warmly, but firmly.

"Ring them up for me, Stacey."

"Yes, Sir," she blushed.

She picked up all my purchases and, carrying them in her arms, once more turned on her heels. This time I followed her to the cashier. After ringing them up, Stacey walked me to the door.

"Thank you for allowing me to serve you, Sir," she said, looking up at me and smiling warmly.

"You're welcome, Stacey. I know where to come for the best service now."

She bowed her head and blushed.

"C'mon. Look me in the eyes. Be proud."

She looked up at me and grinned hugely.

"Be well, Sir."

She looked fit to burst.

"And you, Stacey," I smiled. "And you."

With that, I slipped out the door.

I hailed a taxi outside the shop and told the driver the destination.

"Yes, Sir."

I smiled.

I also watched children playing hopscotch in an alley while stuck in an untimely hold-up.

"Can you swing by twenty-second, driver? I need to pick up my dry cleaning."

"It's your funeral, pal."

I chuckled and held on as he threw a right from the outside lane across traffic.

As he pounded across town, I shook my head. Why is it taxi drivers all seem a little unbalanced? Looking in the rear vision mirror and seeing his eyes, I thought maybe he was on speed or something.

"Long shift?" I yelled over the crunching gears.

"You better believe it," he shouted back over his shoulder.

Suddenly we screamed to a halt and I hopped out, handing him a fifty through his window.

"Be here when I return and you might earn another one of those."

He nodded and I turned and walked briskly into the dry cleaners to pick up my suit. I then raced across the road and up to my apartment. I dumped everything I'd bought on the bed.

I smiled and unboxed the Remote Control Egg and tested it.

"Wow. Cool."

I smiled.

I doubted I'd get to use it, but hey, it was the kind of thing one liked to have in one's pocket, 'just in case'.

I shucked my jeans and leather jacket and suited up.

I wanted to dress to impress.

Minutes later, I hopped back into the taxi downstairs.

"Sorry pal, I've got a fare alrea... hey... you changed, Sir!"

I nodded and asked him to take me down by the Marketown area. I still had forty-five minutes and wanted to see if I could find a few things to make my apartment more interesting.

Half an hour later, with my newest purchases in a bag leaning against my leg, I sat in a booth in the back corner of the coffee shop and waited for Annie's arrival.

I'd barely made myself comfortable and was sipping the water a waiter had brought me, when she bounced in and almost ran over to where I was seated. She stood before me panting and catching her breath.

"Hello, Sir!" She gasped.

I grinned up at her and scanned her body while smiling. She wore a tasteful, and rather tight, black sweater. I moved across the bench seat, making room for her.

"Sit, Annie."

"Thank you, Sir."

She did and pulled her fairly short, off-white denim skirt under herself. She had matching one-inch sandals on her feet.

"Can I get you two anything?" asked the waiter, after hanging Annie's coat on a hook at the entrance to the recessed booth.

"I'll have a cappuccino," I replied, then looked into Annie's eyes and nodded.

"I'll have the same, thank you," she responded, never tearing her eyes from mine.

The waiter nodded before scurrying off.

We both started to speak at the same time, and Annie giggled and deferred to me.

"Sorry, Sir. Please go on."

I smiled at her.

"I was just going to say, I am very pleased to be here with you, Annie."

She smiled up at me. Her exertions had brought a blush to her cheeks.

"I'm glad you are pleased, Sir. I've been smiling all morning."

I admired her slightly wind-blown, sandy blonde hair, and picked a wavy lock from in front of her eyes.

"You've had a haircut."

Her face fell and she scrunched a handful of hair on either side of her head.

"It's not too short, is it?" she implored, fussing.

"Stop," was all I said.

She dropped her hands to her lap and looked at me with a forced but hopeful smile. She looked like she thought she had made a mistake.

I focused my eyes on her left temple and slid the fingers of my right hand into her hair there. I slowly drew my fingers away from her head and found her hair smooth and well conditioned. It flowed through my fingers like silk.

Curling my fingers, eyes still on my hand, I made a light fist and pulled gently down on the side of her head. She slowly tipped her head about an inch to the left, following the tension.

She'd begun to blush and I smiled when she crossed her legs under the table. I looked back into her eyes, continuing to hold her hair, and whispered to her.

"I can still hold it in my fist, so no. It's not too short."

At that moment, our waiter returned with our coffees. I released her hair and she sighed, righting her head and grinning at me.

I thanked the waiter and picked up my coffee and sipped. She did likewise. After a moment enjoying the strong brew, I spoke again.

"I spoke with Sylvia earlier. She is fine, just a head cold. Maybe a big night too," I chuckled.

"I thought that might have been the explanation, Sir. The 'big night', I mean."

Nodding and holding my coffee in my left hand, I sat back with my right arm outstretched across the top of the curved bench seat. I'd turned a little toward Annie.

I leaned into her and spoke quietly.

"I have other news."

Annie listened intently, sipping her coffee, and occasionally covering her open mouth in shock, as I related the events of the past morning.

"I can hardly believe it, Sir."

"Me either."

"Do you think Josephine had Adrian steal the envelope?"

"So it seems. I don't know how, but yes, that appears to be the logical explanation."

Annie nodded, furrowing her brow.

"When did you speak with Sylvia, Sir?"

I thought back.

"About nine forty-five? Maybe a little earlier."

"Hmmmm."

"What is it?"

"Well, Sir, I rang at ten-thirty and there was no answer."

"Maybe she went back to bed."

"That's probably it."

She sounded unconvinced.

"She's fine," I said, "just a head cold."

"Yes, Sir," she nodded.

"Tell me about Claudio."

"Okay."

Annie proceeded to explain to me the nature of their relationship; how he helped her find her feet and understand the needs she had, and how to express them.

I had to agree with her opinion. He'd been good to her.

After asking a few questions, and being satisfied with the answers, I changed the subject.

"You are certain there was a photo in the envelope?"

Annie sat up straighter, recognising my tone. Noticing the change in her, I smiled a little while she spoke.

"Yes, Sir. That's what Claudio said. He said, 'at least that way I can wash my hands of the whole business', or something to that effect."

"Did he tell you how he got it?"

"Not until I rang him this morning, Sir. He said he took it from Josephine when he realised its importance."

"He's a smart guy. It's important to her. Did he ever tell you what was in the picture?"

"No, Sir. He said it would be better if I didn't know." Hmmmm.

I nodded.

"Chantelle isn't going to be pleased, Annie."

"Does she have to know, Sir? Maybe you could tell her after the party. It's a big night coming up."

"I'll think about it."

"Yes, Sir."

We both sipped our coffees, looking furtively at one another.

"You like me, don't you, Annie?" I began.

"Oh, yes, Sir," she whispered and blushed.

"You didn't before though, did you?"

"I thought you were just another guy before, Sir."

"But I'm not just another guy. Am I, Annie?"

"No, Sir," she whispered again, this time biting her lip.

I put down my coffee and rested one forearm on the table, leaning a little towards her in the booth.

Reaching up, I took the locket she had around her neck in my fingers. In doing so, I grazed her collarbone. Electricity flowed between us.

"Memories fade, Annie, and new ones are made."

She smiled and looked down, opening the locket for me.

"It was a present from my mother. It's empty, Sir," she said, showing me.

I nodded and looked up into her eyes. There was a touch of sadness there. I reached up and ran my fingertip along her bottom lip.

She moaned softly.

I smiled to myself and whispered to her.

"Do you like it when I touch you, Annie?"

She swallowed and looked down.

"God... Yes, Sir."

Her light blush was giving way to a creeping scarlet, surreptitiously making its way up her neck.

I leaned into her ear.

"Did you masturbate before you came here?"

She whispered, "How did you know?"

"Because I can smell your cunt, Annie."

"Ohhhh..." She moaned softly.

I touched just under her jaw, where the light blush met the heavy blush. She was almost gasping.

"Are you all right, Annie?"

I smiled into her eyes.

"Ye.. yes, Sir."

"You're trembling, aren't you?"

"I am..."

"We should talk."

She looked up into my eyes, biting her lip, waiting.

"Will you be my escort at the party tonight?"

Her eyes widened and she broke into a breathless smile.

With small nods, she said, "Yes, Sir."

"Will you stay with me all night?"

"I.. I.. yes, Sir. Yes!"

"Then you'd better hug me."

I grinned.

She threw her arms around me and buried her face in my neck. I could feel tears against my skin. I leaned her back, holding her shoulders and looked into her eyes softly.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

She sniffled and nodded, searching for a tissue in her handbag. I reached into my pocket for my handkerchief and when I finally managed to get it out of my pocket, I accidentally also pulled out the egg .

It fell on the bench seat between us and almost rolled away. Annie was quicker and covered it with her hand, then picked it up and held it in her fingers.

"This is an egg."

"That it is."

She giggled and passed it to me, putting it in my open palm.

"I've had fantasies about that," she said, nodding toward it.

"Have you?" I asked, rotating it in my own fingers before her eyes.

Her eyes turned up to mine, and she nodded and blushed again.

"God," I thought. "She's adorable."

I could tell, looking at her chest, that she was wearing a bra. Even so, her nipples pressed out against it.

I smiled to myself.

"Your nipples are hard."

"Yes, Sir," she whispered.

"You like me playing with you like this, don't you?"

She closed her eyes and her head dropped a little. After a tiny hesitation, she nodded.

I lifted her chin with my finger.

For a moment I admired the blueness of her eyes, before smiling a little and whispering.

"Don't you?"

"Yes, Sir," she whispered back.

"Let's play a game."

She grinned up at me.

"Okay."

"It's called, 'Tease Annie Mercilessly'," I smiled. "TAM for short."

She licked her lips and nodded.

"I would do anything for you, Sir."

"Anything? That's a broad statement, Annie."

"I know a fair bit about your tastes, Sir. A little birdie told me."

Chantelle, I suspected, and I shook my head and chuckled.

"Well, I'm pretty new to this, so I have no idea where I'll end up."

"I'd like to be there when you arrive, Sir," she said eagerly.

"We'll see."

"Yes, Sir."

"Finish your coffee."

She lifted her cup and finished what remained. I sipped mine more slowly.

She put down her cup and looked up at me, pleased with herself. I looked over to the hallway that led to the bathrooms and gauged it to be no more than ten feet from where we sat.

"Put out your hand."

She did and I placed the egg in it.

"When I tell you to, I want you to go into the ladies room and slide this deeply inside yourself. Are you wearing underwear?"

She nodded, blushing anew.

"Replace your panties after you have done so. Then take off your bra. I want you to bring it back to me in your hand."

She swallowed.

"Yes, Sir," she whispered.

"Go now."

She slid her ass across the bench seat and stood, straightening her skirt and looking around.

I smiled to myself.

I should have been a mind-reader. I knew exactly what she was thinking.

She was trying to figure out who might see her with her bra in her hand.

"Hurry up."

I watched as she took a deep breath and walked slowly toward the hallway, then out of my line of sight.

After finishing my coffee, I called the waiter over and fixed the check.

Annie returned after a few short minutes and as I had requested, she had her bra in her hand. Her head was lowered, apparently trying not to draw attention to herself. Her prominent chest swayed delightfully. She was biting her bottom lip again.

She stood before me and placed her bra on the table, then clasped her hands behind her back.

With her head slightly inclined, she blushed furiously as she watched me through her lashes.

"Good girl."

She swallowed and cleared her throat.

"You've never done anything like this before, have you, Annie?"

"No, never!" she gasped.

She looked from me, to her bra, and back again. I smiled.

"You better put that in your handbag."

"Yes, S.. Sir," she managed with her voice catching.

She stowed her bra and I stood up, taking her coat from the hook. I helped her put it on and pulled it together in front of her.

"Put your hands in your coat pockets."

She did.

"Can you feel this?"

I pressed the left button on the remote.

"Ye... yes, Sir."

"And this?"

I pressed the centre button.

"Oh.. mmmmmm..."

"I guess so," I chuckled. "And what about this?"

I pressed the right button and her knees almost buckled. Her eyes fluttered closed and her hand captured my arm in its grip.

"Oohh... Oooohhhh... shhhh... nnnngggggggg..."

She was biting her lip, trying not to moan.

I took my thumb off the button and spoke with a straight face.

"Put your hand back in your pocket. I won't tell you again."

She shoved her hand deep in her pocket and looked up at me. I saw her tremble, then blink and compose herself, before apologising.

"I.. I'll do better. I'm sorry, Sir."

I narrowed my eyes a little, then grinned and kissed her nose.

"Good girl."

Her smile was captivating.

"What a wonderful little device this is," I said, pressing the left button and holding it down.

"Oh, yes Sir!" she gushed, turning red all over again and pulling her coat closed in front of herself. With her eyes wide and a smile plastered across her face, I took her elbow in my hand to guide her.

"Let's go."

I picked up the bag of things I had bought at the market and steered her out the door of the coffee shop.

It was only three blocks to my apartment. I was going to enjoy a slow leisurely walk.

I was sure Annie was going to enjoy it too.

Outside the shop, I slipped my arm around her shoulder and released the button. We turned toward my place and strolled slowly.

"Would you like to come home with me, see where I live, and help me with some redecorating?"

She looked up at me before replying.

"I'd love to, Sir."

"Wonderful."

Leaning into her and kissing her temple, I pressed the left button on the remote. I decided to use the egg for only a few seconds each time. She melted into me and slowed down a little.

"Is it anything like your fantasy?"

"It's surreal, Sir."

"Explain."

"Being here. Outside. Walking... or trying to... ohhh...."

Middle button.

"...with you, Sir... people... "

Left button.

"mmmmm... people w.. walking by..."

I leaned down and kissed her temple again.

"It's a beautiful day, Annie."

She looked up at me and smiled beautifully.

"It's already unforgettable, Sir."

We turned the corner and were slowly strolling up Angel Boulevard while turned leaves swirled softly around our feet. Annie looked around, recognition dawning.

"My family's church is up here."

"Is it really?"

She giggled.

"I don't know why I told you that, Sir."

Soon enough the towering spinnerets of St. Stephens blocked out the sun and I held Annie closer to me to warm her as we walked.

Just then, people began filing out of the front doors of the church.

Quite a few rushed off to other engagements, but many of the worshippers hung about and mingled out the front. People were dressed in their 'Saturday Best'. Children played tag and were being told to calm down by staid parents.

The Father shook hands and chatted amicably with those he knew. He was a short, stout man who wore glasses and had a shock of thick, white hair. When he wasn't shaking hands, he clasped his own hands together over his belly.