Michael Ch. 14

"I appreciate that."

The doorbell rang, confusion and panic playing on Gabrielle's face, and then she groaned. "That will be my parents! I forgot I asked them earlier to come round and look after Mr Snuggles for the weekend."

"Do you want me to go?"

"God no! Alone I'll just get another lengthy lecture on how I've gone from wasting my life to putting myself in danger. I told Gail about you and she's told them, which is not very sisterly!"

The doorbell became insistent.

"Better let them in before they call the police," advised Michelle.

Alarmed at the idea, Gabrielle rushed to the door.

"Oh, thank god! I thought something awful had happened!" Mrs Margot March was a plump blonde woman in her fifties with an impressive bust. George March was a tall, thin man of similar age with sandy hair and a sharp face.

"Just give the girl chance to answer the door, dear," he kissed Gabrielle warmly.

"It's not a big flat, George," the statement by design carrying a hint of criticism at Gabrielle's living arrangements.

"Yes, but it's a nice flat in a good neighbourhood--" he stopped short as Michelle came into view.

"George!" Margot hissed, taking a step back.

"Hi, you must be George and Margot, lovely to meet you. I'm Michelle." She held out her hand, which George automatically took, then regretted.

An awkward silence fell, which Gabrielle rushed to fill. "I'm sorry, I was going to ask you to look after Mr Snuggles for the weekend, but that's not necessary now." As the words left her, Gabrielle realised she was saddened by the prospect.

"Can I have a word, Gabrielle? In private." Margot's words were etched in ice.

Sighing, Gabrielle nodded and followed her mother into the bedroom, leaving George and Michelle together.

"We should take a seat, I guess," offered Michelle.

"Yes. You can't stay or see my daughter," he said bluntly as he sat. "We know who you are and I won't have Gabby in yet another toxic harmful relationship. Melanie was bad enough, but you, no. We're not having it."

"Well, so much for the small talk."

"No. Well, I apologise for the lack of manners, but I can't let her do it and yes, I know I can't stop her, but I'll cut her out of my life rather than accept this."

"Really?" His determination and passion were real, but Michelle doubted he would cut Gabrielle out of his life.

"If it meant saving her I would do anything!" His temper rising.

Michelle appreciated his straightforward approach. "It will be up to Gabrielle what happens. Did this Melanie hurt her?"

George made a face. "Yes, she was a selfish, self obsessed--" he struggled for the words.

"Cunt?"

He barked a short laugh. "Yes! Bled Gabrielle emotionally and financially. Woman was a fucking ghoul!"

"And then Gabrielle ends up seeing me. Lousy taste, your daughter."

"Yeah," he visibly relaxed. "At least you're straight."

"Not exactly."

This time, his laugh was more friendly. "You know what I mean. Melanie would burst into tears if you confronted her, whine about how she was misunderstood."

"You should have beaten the shit out of her."

"Yeah, I won't deny I was tempted," he eyed Michelle speculatively. "You aren't quite what I imagined."

"Don't believe all you read in the papers."

"I don't, I suspect you are way worse in reality. What they missed is your easy, direct charm for want of a better word."

It was Michelle's turn to laugh. "You're a smart man, George March. I like smart."

****

Amanda had tied Richard to the kitchen chair, arms behind his back, ankles secured to the chair legs. He was flushed and sweating as she straddled him, her mouth nibbling his ear, her words dripping honey into his mind.

Both were still clothed as she squirmed in his lap. "That feel good, daddy, did you ever fantasise about me?"

"No...never...except I thought of serving you, being yours to command."

"You were always mine to command, but now we can be more open about it." Amanda rotated her hips in his lap. She could feel his hardness. "Now you are helpless under me, but I want more," she bit his ear, her tongue flicking and caressing.

"What...what do you want? I'll give you anything...everything!" Richard felt as if he was going to explode.

"Money. I am it seems wealthy, but I think my daddy should look after me as well, sort of my own private piggy bank. Perhaps get me a new card that only we know about. No need to tell Michelle or Megan."

"Yes...yes...I can do that, how much do you want? I'll withdraw the money."

"Oh, just link your account to my phone, that way I can just take what I want when I want. Is that okay, daddy?"

"Yes," Richard's eyes floated up as he tried to hold back his orgasm.

"That's settled then. It will be kind of fun, don't you think?" Amanda ground herself into his groin and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Richard could only nod, unable to speak, as his cum leaked into his pants.

****

"Well, that's over for now," said Gabrielle closing the door on her parents.

Michelle nodded. Hope was burning bright on seeing Mr Snuggles disappear with George and Margot.

"You seemed to be quite friendly with daddy, what did you talk about?"

"He warned me off, said he wasn't going to stand for you being hurt again. I liked him. Direct, no pissing about."

"Oh, and you were okay with that?"

"Sure, he was doing what any father should do. Mine never did. You are a lucky woman having a father that will fight for you."

Gabrielle blinked back the sudden tears. "Thank you and yes he's great, mummy too even though she is a bossy so and so, her and Gail are both the same." The affection in her voice belied her words.

"So, what now?"

"Well, I told mummy she was right, as is Gail. You are a dangerous woman and I would be foolish to see you, beyond foolish. I think she was surprised I didn't disagree with her. I didn't tell her about, you know."

"Not a good move," smiled Michelle.

"It's not a smiling matter, Michelle! It's not like you casually admitted to making a pass at my sister or something! Truth is, I wasn't going to see you anymore, still might not."

"Yeah, sorry, I'm kind of nervous." Michelle clung to the word 'wasn't'.

"That makes two of us," Gabrielle drew in a deep breath. "Then you did something that stopped me, made me think."

"I did?"

"Yes, you let out Mr Snuggles. Despite your absolute terror and me telling you in effect that I can't see you anymore, you let the cat loose."

"I wouldn't say absolute terror," murmured Michelle, needled by the characterisation.

"Oh, it was. You should have seen yourself. Frozen for several minutes. You couldn't move, your face was like a wax mask."

That long? "Seemed like only a few seconds to be honest."

"No, you shut down, I watched you. And you did it to for me. You subjected yourself to something that terrifies you, just for me. No one has ever done anything for me. Not even put themselves out. Nothing. Until you. You apologised to me for your initial rudeness, then showed me nothing but kindness and consideration, then before we had slept together told me the truth about yourself and then, and this is still crazy to me, admitted well you know," Gabrielle still couldn't say it out loud. "Then after that absolute mind bomb, when all is lost, you still try and make me feel, well, feel that I matter more than anything, by facing what is for you an extreme fear."

Exhausted, Gabrielle flopped down onto the sofa. "This has been one crazy day."

Carefully, Michelle sat beside Gabrielle. "You do matter more than anything. Either someone does or they don't, and you do. Your well being matters more to me than my own."

Gabrielle rested her head against Michelle. "I know, you have shown me that. You would rather risk this relationship than lie to me, and you could have lied, I would have wanted to believe the lie, instead, you were honest, thing is I'm not sure how much honesty I can take."

She looked at Michelle, those cool grey-green eyes, that bewitching scar. "But how can I turn down the woman who would sacrifice herself for me? Put my wishes above her own? So, I too should look out for her, help her, love her, because I've never felt like this before, even though I know she is a predator and can devour me at any time, yet she makes me feel safe, cherished and desired." Tears spilt down Gabrielle's cheeks.

Michelle brushed away her own tears and kissed her love tenderly.