Loneliest Man Who Ever Lived Ch. 15

"You have made money for me in nine out of the past ten days, Harry," said Connor, as he put the blade back in his pocket. "I suppose we can tolerate an occasional slipup, if the aggregate is in the right direction."

"Yes... yes...," said Harry. "I can do better. I know I will."

"Good.... good. The two of you should get ready for dinner. There's going to be a wonderful roast."

********

After that, things oddly became more relaxed. For several weeks Harry made money for Connor. He had occasional losses, but those were more than compensated for by his gains. Goldie spent more and more time with Connor, who stopped talking about cutting off her fingers. But then he started asking things of her. Little things.

Like one day, he gave her a gift. A beautiful low cut dress.

"Oh, John, thank you," said Goldie, smiling as she draped it against her body. "But I can't accept this!"

"Why not?" John asked.

"Because...." Goldie didn't really know why. Or maybe she did.

"You did say you would do anything to please me, did you not? Is putting on a dress too much to ask?"

"I... I suppose not," said Goldie. She remembered how, under the extreme duress of having a finger about to be cut off, she had promised to do anything John asked her to. She had hoped he wouldn't remember that. Evidently he had.

"Then change into this beautiful dress, and share some wine with me. I have an excellent sparkling Chardonnay which will go simply splendidly with your new outfit."

Goldie smiled and took the dress. In some ways he was so charming.

When she returned to the drawing room, John gave a low whistle.

Goldie blushed. The dress showed off the upper and inner sides of her breasts. It was an elegant white gown which went down to her ankles.

"Twirl for me."

"What?"

"Twirl," said John, rotating his fingers.

Goldie felt very much like she was under his control as she twirled around in a circle. For some reason she also felt that she had to have a smile on her face, to better please him.

John looked satisfied. Or something more than that. He had a look of hunger in his eyes. And if she wasn't mistaken, she saw the indentation of something else beginning to stick out of his white pants.

He came over to her and kissed her hand. "You look divine," he said, looking her in the eyes.

Goldie shivered and smiled more broadly.

They sipped wine and ate cheeses, and smiled at each other and talked about nothing and everything. And that was how Harry found them, after the markets had closed for the day.

He looked at Goldie, in her new, revealing dress, and then at John Connor, at his expression, at his body language, and hers, and he decided immediately he didn't like what he saw.

"What's going on here?" Harry asked.

Connor looked innocently at Harry. "Why, Goldie and I were just talking about stock index futures, Harry. How was the market today? We're in the black, I trust?"

"Yes," said Harry. He turned to Goldie. "Your dress."

"Do you like it, Harry?" said Connor. "A small gift. A token of appreciation."

"Appreciation?" said Harry.

"For all your hard work," said Connor. "You have made me 94 million dollars since you have arrived here, Harry. I wanted to show my appreciation."

Harry looked at Goldie's semi-exposed breasts, and the embarrassed look on his face, and knew exactly what was going on here. He gave Goldie a hard stare. "I guess I'll get ready for dinner. Coming?"

"In a moment." It was John Connor who answered.

Harry turned to John Connor.

"Give the lady time to finish her wine."

Harry and John stared at each other. The tension in the air felt thick.

Goldie quickly swallowed the remainder of her wine. "It's all right, Harry. I'm done. Let's go."

********

"I don't want you going near him," said Harry.

"Is that jealousy I detect in your voice, Harry?" Goldie asked.

"Detect whatever you want."

"And in the meantime, who will show me affection? Will it be you, Harry?" Goldie removed her dress. She stood there in her bra and panties. "You used to like this, Harry. You used to like my body. It used to be that you couldn't get enough of it. You used to make love to me four or five times in one night. What happened, Harry?"

"I... I..." Harry choked up, and shook his head, and went into the other room.

********

That night at dinner, John Connor smiled at a sullen Harry. "Harry, I notice you've been admiring some of the flowers in my garden."

"Yes, they're quite nice," said Harry, in a flat voice.

"Have you ever had a garden of your own, Harry?"

"No."

"Do you know the secret for keeping a happy, vibrant garden, Harry?"

Harry dropped his soup spoon. "Why don't you tell me, John?"

Goldie, now dressed in a white blouse and dark pants, watched this interplay anxiously, her eyes flitting back and forth between Harry and John.

"The secret to having a successful garden is simple, Harry," said John. "All you need is good soil, water, a lot of sun, and dedication. A good garden requires maintenance, Harry. If you don't take care of it, nothing will grow."

Harry nodded slowly. "Thanks for the tip, John."

"It's my pleasure."

Harry looked up in time to see John smiling at Goldie. Goldie smiled back nervously, until she noticed John's stare, and she dropped her fork. It fell to the ground with a clatter.

********

The next day, Harry decided to take a break during midday. The truth is that he wanted to see what Goldie was up to. But when he walked through the house, and the garden, he saw no sign of them. He approached Schumer, the butler. "Where is he?" he asked bluntly.

"Mr. Connor is taking a ride on his yacht."

"Then... where is Goldie?"

Schumer sucked in his lips. "I believe Miss MacPherson is with him, sir."

Harry nodded slowly. He felt a terrible anger building up inside of him. More than that, a sense of betrayal. He ran out into the garden, looking futilely for a deep body of water.

Ernest Fibulae found him an hour later, trembling before a fountain.

"Harry... Harry, you've got to get back to the markets. I need you," said Fibulae.

Harry, biting his lip, slowly nodded. He let himself be led back to the workroom.

********

"I hope Harry isn't going to worry about us," said Goldie, as she stared at the view off the side of the ship. By us, of course, she meant her.

"We'll be back even before he notices we're gone," said John. He smiled at her as he handed her a drink. "You look radiant in that outfit."

Another of John's gifts. She wore a tight white beige, with plenty of cleavage (of course), and a matching short gold skirt meant to show off her legs. John had even given her a pushup bra which made her breasts look larger... which Goldie, after some hesitation, had strapped herself into.

"Thank you," said Goldie. She took a sip. It was a good vintage.

"I know Harry is a man of some wealth. Has he ever taken you on a yacht, or bought you elegant clothes?"

"Harry... Harry isn't like that," said Goldie. Harry was brilliant, but he didn't have a sense of style. Not like John. John was impeccably dressed, in a skintight white sailor's outfit, from head to toe.

"I understand you two are having some difficulty," said John.

"Spying on us, John?" Goldie asked, peering out at him from the top of her glass of wine.

"Merely being an attentive host. One doesn't need to be a Fourther to realize that there's some conflict between the two of you."

"Harry is... troubled. He doesn't feel he deserves me."

"He's right about that," said John. He snaked an arm around her waist. "He doesn't."

Goldie felt the heat of his hand. She felt the pressure of his belly against his back. And... something else.

She looked out at the ocean, the clouds, and the island of Maui. "It's so beautiful."

"Do you want me to show you an even more beautiful sight?"

Goldie looked into his eyes, and nodded.

John led her inside, to the drawing room, where there was a giant mirror on one wall. He stood behind her and held her arms out. "This, Goldie. This is beautiful." He curved his head around from behind her so his face was next to hers.

Trembling slightly, Goldie turned her head so it faced his. He moved his lips over her, and he kissed her. Goldie sighed as she felt his lips against hers.

After John pulled back, he looked at her with dark eyes. Then he stood back, and held out his hand.

Goldie hesitated for a long moment, and then she took it.

*********

Harry was absolutely silent at dinner.

"How were the markets today, Harry?" John asked.

"Fine," said Harry.

Goldie saw from his face. He knew. "Harry. John took me on his boat today."

"That's nice," said Harry.

"We saw the ocean, it was beautiful," said Goldie. "John says we can go again this weekend. Together. If you like."

"No thanks," said Harry.

"You want to bone up on the stock market this weekend, Harry?"

"Yeah," said Harry.

"All right," said John. "I'll try to find ways to keep Goldie entertained while you're occupied."

Goldie looked anxiously at Harry. But Harry's head was down, spooning food. But he wasn't putting it in his mouth. He was just moving it around.

********

That evening, when they returned to their room, Harry turned on Goldie as soon as the door was shut. "I have just one question," he said. "Are you sleeping with him?"

"Harry!"

"Are you sleeping with him?"

Goldie stared at him angrily. Then, finally, she said, "No, Harry. I am not sleeping with him."

Harry turned away, anger radiating from him in waves that Goldie could clearly feel.

********

John took Goldie out on the yacht again on Saturday. Harry didn't go.

On Sunday, Goldie stayed in and read a book. Harry sat by the fountain in the garden, staring into the pool of water. She hadn't seen him looking this bad, not since....

And then, that evening, John started drinking. Maybe that's what triggered it. Because he made her do something, something Goldie should never have done.

After dinner, John turned on his stereo, and play some traditional Hawaiian music. "Goldie, would you like to dance?"

Goldie looked at Harry, who was sulking in a chair. "No, John." She was puzzled by the request. This wasn't exactly ballroom dancing music.

John saw her misunderstanding. "No, my dear. I want you to dance... for us."

"I... I don't think so, John."

John turned up the volume of the music. "It wasn't a request, my dear."

She saw the hard expression on her face. She saw Harry watching her.

Slowly, Goldie got up. She started to wiggle to the music. She was wearing a white blouse, and a short skirt, and high heels. She didn't have to look down to see her breasts starting to jiggle.

John waved his hand, ever so slightly. He wanted more. Goldie trembled, but nodded. She started rubbing her body with her hands. She touched her thighs, her rib cage, her belly, and... and her breasts. She started wiggling her hips more and more aggressively. The strong Hawaiian music seemed to carry her, to encourage her. She rotated her hips sinuously. She felt herself moving with the music. She tried not to look at John. She tried to look at Harry, to entice him. When she saw him look up, she looked at him with pleading eyes.

But it was too much for Harry. He knew exactly what was going on here. His woman was being made to do an erotic dance, made to do it by another man. He was being cuckolded, humiliated, right in front of his own eyes. He got up, and stomped off.

"How disappointing," said John. "I always thought Harry was a music lover."

*********

"Ah... ah... aahhhhhh...." John groaned, as he filled Goldie with his sperm. He collapsed on top of her gratefully. "That was so good, my dear."

"For me too," said Goldie, smiling.

"Just... one thing," said John. "Are you... protected?"

Goldie smiled again. All men were alike. They always asked long after it mattered. "Quite well protected, John. You won't be putting a baby into my belly accidently."

"I might grow to like the idea of doing it on purpose, if we get to know each other a little better, my darling."

Goldie bit her lip. She watched him get up, still nude, and slide a painting to the side of the bed. She watched his arm and hand move over a numerical keypad. John opened the safe. Inside she saw money, some white packets, some data crystals... and a compression gun. John took out a white packet.

"A little pick me up, dear?"

Goldie smiled, but shook her head.

********

Monday was a disaster. The United States government announced it was going to raise interest rates by a full percentage point. The move took the markets totally by surprise. The markets plunged nearly 17%.

Goldie watched it from the drawing room with John. His expression hardened each time the stock indexes dropped another point.

"John... he couldn't have known about this. No one could have known about this," said Goldie.

"He should have been properly hedged for such a circumstance," said John grimly. He pressed his comm. "Mr. Fibulae? What is our market status?"

There was no answer.

"Mr. Fibulae, answer!"

"Sir..." came his distant voice. "Your holdings are down... nineteen percent."

John's eyes flared. He turned to look at Goldie. John took out his pocket knife, and took a step towards her.

Goldie instinctively took a step back. "Please, John. No. After what we've shared. Please, don't." She was babbling now.

John paused, and then stopped entirely. "You're right, my dear."

"I am? I mean, you're going to give him another chance?"

"No," said John. "Mutilating you would only be punishing me. I'm not going to cut off one of your fingers. It would diminish your beauty far too much."

"Oh, thank you, John!"

"Instead, I'm going to cut off three of Harry's."

"Three?"

"A nineteen percent loss is totally unacceptable. I want to make that point quite clearly."

Goldie started to quickly walk towards the exit.

"Where are you going, my dear?"

"To my room. I don't want to see this. Unless you're going to force me to watch?" She glared at him, for a moment.

John considered, and then nodded. "Very well. But I want you to know that I take no pleasure in what I have to do."

"I... I know," said Goldie.

"I'll see you later, at dinner, then."

"Yeah," said Goldie.

********

The markets closed just as John entered the workroom. Harry was frantic. Once the markets started plunging, he tried to think of something, anything, to stem the losses. If he could keep it under two percent, maybe John would be forgiving. But the more he tried, the more money he ended up losing. By the close of business, John's investments had lost 22% of their value.

And then John entered the room, flanked by two guards. Harry knew what was coming.

"Where's Goldie?" he said immediately.

"Goldie is fine. I have decided not to punish her for this malfeasance."

"Ohhhh... oh, thank you, John," said Harry. He felt like crying for joy.

"Instead, I am going to punish you, Harry. Three fingers."

"Three fingers?"

"For a 22% loss, I cannot take any less. Hold him." Guards rushed forward to grab Harry.

"Please, sir, don't do this," said Fibulae.

"Do you want to lose some fingers too, Ernest? Or perhaps your tongue?"

Fibulae shook his head.

"Then stay silent."

One guard held each of Harry's arms. John drew his switchblade out of his pocket. He opened it. The blade gleamed in the light. He moved over to Harry's right hand. He touched Harry's trembling hand. And then he placed the blade over his middle finger.

"I want you to know, Harry, that this is not personal. Not at all."

"Neither is this," said Goldie, from behind him.

John felt something pressing into his back. He stiffened, but didn't turn around. "Goldie, that feels suspiciously like the barrel of a compression pistol."

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?"

"But the only idle pistol is in my bedroom safe."

At the mention of his bedroom, Harry's eyes widened.

"You keep telling me how lovely my eyes are, John. They're also pretty functional too. They can see when an arm moves up or down or left or right over a keypad."

John's eyebrows lifted. "I underestimated you, my darling." He turned his head. "But do you have the will to use it?"

In one smooth motion, Goldie aimed at one of the monitors and fired. The monitor exploded in a burst or flame. The weapon was obviously set to the highest setting. Then she pressed the weapon to the back of his head. "Now tell them to let go of Harry, or I'll blow your fucking head off."

John paused, and wet his lips. "Do as the lady says."

The guards released Harry.

"Now you are going to escort us out of here. You are even going to give us an air car. In fact, you're coming with us, until we get back to Kahului."

"Oh no, my dear, I'll not let myself be used as a hostage."

"Or you can be dead." She jabbed him in the back with the gun. He felt the heat of the recently used barrel through his thin shirt. "What will it be, John?"

********

Two hours later, they were on a plane bound for San Francisco. Harry was silent the entire trip. So was Goldie.

When they landed, Harry booked them a suite at the Excelsior.

When they got to their hotel room, Harry closed the door behind them. He saw Goldie standing there, staring at him expectantly.

"Did you sleep with him?"

"Is that your first question, Harry? Your very first question after hours and hours of silence?"

"Did you sleep with him?"

Goldie paused. Then the dam burst. "Yes, I fucking slept with him, Harry!"

"You lied to me," said Harry.

"Yes, Harry, I lied to you. I needed you to be focused on the stock market. If you weren't, one of us was going to get mutilated."

Harry stood face to face with her,. "What else did you lie about? Did you sleep with all those people you recruited for The Foundation?"

"No Harry. Everything else I told you was true. Everything from the day I met you!"

"How can I know that? How can I ever trust you again?"

"You are such a pussy, Harry. I'm sick of you!" Goldie declared. "You weren't doing anything to try to help us escape, so it was up to me! Yes, Harry, I lied to you, and I slept with him, and it was great, Harry! The best sex I've ever had! That's why I'm with you now, and not John! Can you figure it out, Harry? I can see the wheels spinning in your genius mind! Why am I here now with you, instead of him? Can your fucking Fourther super genius brain not figure that one out?"

For once, Harry was without words.

"You disgust me, Harry. You turn me over to Greg like some castrated pussy. You and your fucking almighty morality. " She slapped him on the face. "I've been wanting to do that for days, Harry! I've been wanting to do that ever since you handed me over to Greg, like a used tissue!" She slapped him again. "And then you refused to fuck me, and sat there like a cuckold, smiling like an asshole while John took me!" She slapped him a third time. "What are you, a man, or a mouse? I made a mistake, I can see it now! I'm with the wrong man! I'm going to hop right back onto a plane to Maui, and beg John to take me back, and fuck me blind! And you can stay here and fuck Veronika until your balls turn blue!" She raised her hand to slap him again.

Harry grabbed her hand, roared, and slapped her with his free hand. She fell on her back on the bed, and in an instant Harry was on top of her. His mouth was on her, pressing. But it wasn't just a kiss. It was a ferocious, savage taking. Goldie cried out as Harry bit her lower lip, kissing and mauling her lips strongly.

Goldie tried to cry out again as Harry savaged her lips, but all that came out was a moan. She felt her arms, her legs, her body, all pinned down by his weight. He was not asking, he was taking. And then she heard rather than felt her shirt being ripped open, and in seconds her bra was gone too.