The Echo in the Dark

He thought for a second.

"You can't do that. She owes me, not him."

"He saw it my way. You are welcome to give him a call."

He pointed a finger at me.

"I don't need to call him, Gary, get this piece of shit out of my club."

To his credit, Gary did hesitate before advancing on me. I put up a stalling finger.

"Gary, do you work for him or the club?"

The muddy machinery of his brain tried to figure out this new riddle.

"The club I guess."

I smiled,

"Great...

I turned back to Frank,

"...I paid her debt by buying this place, and giving him 500k over the asking. So Gary, you work for me, and you, girl under the table, you are currently blowing this man because you want to, not because you have to."

She stopped and looked up at me.

"By all means continue if you like it. I don't kink shame. But, this club is mine now and I assume you are my employee. So if you are on the clock, I'm afraid I'm going to have to dock your pay for this time with that shriveled prick in your mouth."

Frank tried to keep her there but she managed to extricate herself from the booth.

"Do you know who you are fucking with right now?"

He tried to make himself as menacing as a little man with a soggy dick could.

"I don't care."

Poor Gary wasn't sure what to do and was relieved when I sent him for a beer.

Frank got on his phone and started arguing with the man on the other side of the ether. When he finished his call he was trembling with rage.

"You will pay for today fucker."

Gary returned with my beer.

"Gary, if you wouldn't mind escorting him out of the club I'd appreciate it."

It took Gary a second, but to his credit he stepped a little closer to Frank. Gary and I followed the little man to the door and waited while he tried impotently to slam the air pistoned portal behind himself.

When the little display was over I stepped to the bar. Alison was waiting, sipping something fruity with an umbrella.

"Alison, this is Gary, Gary this is the new boss Alison. I think you should gather the staff together so she doesn't have to repeat herself."

Gary nodded slowly and then ambled away, a confused look on his face.

"Well, what do you think?"

The diminutive woman looked around meaningfully.

"I like the dark in here."

"Are you sure you want to take this on? Transforming one club is going to be enough work."

She stuck her hand out and I shook it.

"You are a silent partner, remember?"

I smiled at her.

"Of course."

"Good boy, now run home to your little friend, I have work to do."

I didn't know whether to be sorry or not for the staff and dancers at "The Saddle", Alison was fair, but tough.

SIENA GREETED me at the door with a pair of slippers and a chilled martini. I was grateful to her and thanked her. I guided her to the kitchen and opened up my valise. I started laying out paperwork on the bar and explaining where we stood.

I explained that all of her legal debts had been combined into one extremely low interest loan, low enough that her debt could almost be considered an asset once the inevitable inflation took control of the economy. Her club and other assets had been seized by the bank. I had worked a deal with the bank to buy the building once they had settled some paperwork issues. I would be picking up what would be Alison's second club at a steep discount.

I explained some of the workings of the resolution to her illegal debts. Not going into too much detail.

"So they won't bother my mom?"

"No, and if anyone does, you will let me know immediately."

She nodded her head and whispered 'thank you'.

"Now what?"

She looked at me with those beautiful blue green eyes.

"Now, what? Well... that is truly up to you. As long as you are here I will pay your loan every month, if you decide to go you will be on the hook for the payments, but you are a hard worker, I'm sure you could make it work without my money."

She looked thoughtful.

"If I stay?"

I took a breath, not wanting to appear desperate.

"If you stay, we will continue as we have the past few days. In exchange for obedience I will provide for you, protect you, and value you."

"Body and soul."

It was a statement and not a question,

"Body and soul. Mine and yours."

She looked at all the paperwork.

"In that book the girl had to sign a contract."

I laughed,

"In what world would a contract like that be anything but evidence in a criminal proceeding? This is my life too, I don't make these promises lightly. You know I am a man of my word."

She nodded.

"Can I have some time to think about it?"

I pulled out a band of gold from my pocket. It was thin, about an inch wide, and open at one end. I showed her where the little tongue with teeth would be inserted into the other end.

"This will go on your right ankle, once the clasp is closed it won't open again without a jewelers saw. I'll leave it here on the counter."

She took it in her hand and examined it.

"Beautiful."

I nodded and left the room.

A FEW minutes later, my phone beeped, notifying me of the front door opening. I watched her leave the house and when she got to the front gate, I buzzed it open before she could get a chance to enter the code herself.

I watched her go out of frame, down the private lane and toward the public road. I did my best to breathe, to let it go. All the pain and hurt of the first time, and the last time she had walked out of my life came thundering back. I stood by the pool, thinking about the empty house, the empty grounds, thinking about drowning in the salty chlorine.

I went for a walk into my woods. Watching birds flit in between the branches of the amur maples and the scrub oak. Regrets were for mistakes, the only mistake I had made was starting to care again, confusing the old me and the old her with this new version.

I wasn't the same man, and she wasn't the same woman. I had been honest with her about my needs and it wasn't what she wanted. I had spent a small fortune trying to free her from her past, it wasn't the first bad investment I'd ever made.

I made it to the low iron fence that delineated what I owned and what my neighbor owned. I turned and headed back to the house. I slipped into my overstuffed chair in the lounge feeling the leather with my palms. At some point I drifted off to sleep.

AROUND ELEVEN the front gate buzzed, I checked my phone. Siena was there, wearing only the band on her ankle. A large bag strung across her shoulder. I buzzed the gate open and met her at the front door.

She lowered her eyes and spoke.

"I have a couple of requests."

I tried to keep emotion out of my voice,

"What are they?"

"You will make sure my staff at the club are taken care of."

I nodded,

"Done."

She took a deep breath,

"I want time off."

I thought about it,

"This isn't a job Siena. This is your life, do you understand? Body and soul?"

She nodded,

"I know, yes, I understand. I just... "

I stopped her,

"You know what I need from you, you know your place in my world. There isn't a need to define this like a contract. If you need to go and do something we will make time for it. If you need time to hit the spa, visit girlfriends..."

"...or my mother."

"Yes, or your mother, then let's talk. You aren't my prisoner, you are my possession. Are you happy with that?"

She thought about my words and nodded slowly,

"Yes sir."

I smiled at her and stroked her cheek

"Go put your bag away oh and this..."

I fished her phone out of my pocket and a credit card. Handing them to her.

"I prefer you keep these in your room until you need them."

She nodded her head enthusiastically, holding the card out to me with a questioning look.

"Alison won't be here as often now, there will still be someone to clean and sometimes cook, but I want you to run the house so to speak, keep the bar stocked, make sure there are snacks in the pantry."

She tucked the card into her bag. I moved to one side to let her in the house. She shuffled past me and towards her room.

A few minutes later she joined me in the lounge, I motioned to the floor in front of me.

She knelt and looked up at me, waiting.

"Touch yourself."

She didn't hesitate, knowing what I wanted to see. Her delicate hand stroked up and down her thighs, across her belly, cupping her breasts and pushing them together. A little sway started in her hips and I wished I had played some music for her to dance to, too late now her spell was being cast.

She inserted her finger into her mouth and sucked it. In and out she penetrated her lips. When her finger was properly slicked, she let it trail down her midline across her waist and between her legs.

I undid my pants while she stroked at her clitoris. I slid my stiffening cock out and began to feather my fingers up and down its growing length. She closed her eyes while pushing her index finger up and inside. I watch a little tremor travel from her lips to her toes. Fixated, I watched her fuck her own hand.

When her eyes opened again and met mine, I motioned her forward. When she was near enough I wrapped my hand in her hair and pulled her head down to my lap. She accepted my cock without debate, sliding up and down her lips matching the rhythm of her hand below.

I leaned back enjoying the motion of her on me. She took me deeply and let her tongue massage the length of my cock. At some point she began to speed up. Normally I like to stretch a blowjob out until it becomes almost painful not to cum. But, tonight I wanted nothing so much as to baptize her in sticky fluid.

I let out a sigh of pleasure and said her name.

"Katrina."

She stopped and waited not knowing whether to acknowledge my mistake or see if this was a new game.

I laughed a little.

"My apologies Siena, please continue."

She nodded, jiggling my cock in her mouth. She returned to her wet and sloppy business.

Soon I was close again, and when I was near the edge I pulled her back, letting my hot cum cover her face and tits. When I had finished she wiped her mouth and looked at me.

"Sir, can I cum too please?"

I looked at her from half closed eyes,

"I require it."

She leaned back and continued stroking at her vulva. At the nadir of every stroke her hand would pause and roll across and back down, eventually piercing herself with skillful digits.

As her breath quickened she rocked on her hips until finally she leaned forward, using my thigh to brace herself as she stroked herself into a fevered orgasm. I pet her head as she slowed and her buttocks tensed and quivered with sweaty release. When she was finished she turned her eyes to meet my own.

"Body and soul sir."

I repeated her words back to her. Knowing what I wasn't saying, knowing she knew. I gave her a tap on the head and sent her to her room. Too much time spent like this and she would have me.

THE NEXT morning she greeted me with a towel as I finished my morning swim. She wore what we had agreed was her uniform, white lycra thong and spaghetti strapped sports bra, white socks and tennis shoes. This was her house uniform, she had choices of black, white, and light blue, or a mix. A short pleated tennis skirt was also allowed if she wanted it. Out and about she would wear what she pleased, but here at home this was what she was allowed.

A quick shower and a prepared breakfast in the kitchen. I scrolled the internet on my phone while I watched her luscious form move efficiently around the space. A pair of Alison's girls had arrived while I was getting ready for work and they were busy setting up for the day's work. Seeing that something was different, Siena placed a hand gently on my forearm, the signal that she wanted to ask me something.

I put my own hand over hers, enjoying the familiar contact.

"I'm having people over tonight, they are here to get the house ready and set up for the party."

She left her hand there on my arm.

"It's all our old friends from before, we get together a couple of times a month, it's my turn to host."

I stood and headed toward the garage at the other end of the house. I turned back to see her looking at me.

"Go to your room and get your skirt, phone, and wallet. Meet me in the driveway."

She didn't hesitate but nodded and went into action.

Pulling out she ran to the passenger side and got in. At the end of the private drive, I stopped the car, I unbuckled her seatbelt and my pants. She understood and leaned over the center console taking my cock into her mouth.

Years ago I had won a bet with her while we were on a road trip to Yellowstone. She had lost and begrudgingly sucked my cock across half of Wyoming. Bitching and complaining the whole way that I wouldn't cum. That was the last time that had happened. I hoped she remembered it, and how easily she was performing the same dirty act now.

I kept a hand on her honey colored hair occasionally reaching down to lift her skirt and smack her on the ass.

The twenty minute drive went too fast. I pulled her off of me as we entered the covered parking lot to my office. I gave her my laptop bag to carry and she walked dutifully behind me to the elevator. The elevator opened up to my small office, just a conference room, a couple of private spaces, a copy room and receptionist.

Sheila, my office manager, looked Siena up and down.

"Playing tennis today sir?"

"Something like that."

We talked a little bit, and the end of the week was a little more relaxed around the place. The contractors and designers that usually took up some of the smaller offices generally tried to be out 'on site' Friday's. Sheila was herself leaving after lunch today.

In my office, I had Siena strip out of her skirt while I set up my laptop. I pointed to a space on the carpeted floor under my desk. She smiled pleasantly and took her place on her knees. I let her know her job was to keep me hard without cumming. I think she took that as a challenge, and began sucking slowly up and down while I started making phone calls.

Just finishing some things up for the week those calls didn't take long enough. The last one ended, a short talk with Barb about retaining all of Siena's old staff and keeping them busy while Alison renovated the club.

If Siena heard me she didn't respond. I kept my word, she would keep hers.

I set the phone on my desk and pulled the woman up by a handful of hair.

"I don't remember you being so good at cocksucking."

She smiled and thanked me for the compliment.

Lifting her further till she and I were both standing, I turned her to bend her over the desk. Pulling her thong to the side, I felt the wetness of her pussy, delicious. I slid my cock into her full length and rested the weight of my body against her ass.

"Fuck that cock girl, don't just sit there."

With that she began to rotate her hips in rhythmic motion.

"Good girl."

She did her best to push back against me, to struggle against the blazing firmness inside of her. Her futile efforts to move me caused me to salivate and a string of silvery spit ran down on her back. Capturing her wrists in my hands I let off a little of the pressure against her ass. She didn't hesitate to use the extra space to begin thrusting against me. Another minute of that and I let her wrists go, holding her by her shoulders.

I let my restraint slip little by little, fucking her pussy ever harder until the noise of our thighs slapping together had to be reaching Sheila in the outer office.

Siena let out a little moan that ended in a whispered,

"Fuck."

Knowing that she was enjoying the intensity of our sex was all the encouragement I needed to increase the pressure and speed of the continual in and out of coitus. She moaned again, this time louder.

She gripped the edge of the desk at either side of her body and began to push back harder. The oscillations of our bodies began to fall in line with each other until we moved together. She began to moan and then screamed out,

"Fuck, fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me!"

I sensed more than felt her vaginal muscles tighten around my cock until I was trapped inside her slippery body. I came hard then as she tensed her thighs in a rictus of pleasure. When I had finished pumping into her I fell back into my chair. Pulling her with me. She turned then on my lap, her face meeting mine, I kissed her.

Lost in that singular moment, I poured all my heartsickness into that kiss. Holding her tightly against me, feeling the wriggling warmth of her on top of my body. Then the void inside of me pulled back, and I pulled back. I pushed her down gently to the floor and stood again.

I left her there in a confused pile, and cleaned myself in the sink of the washroom just off my office. When I was straightened and satisfied, I reentered.

"Put your skirt on."

She complied quickly and when she was dressed I ordered her to follow me out of the office.

Sheila was mercifully out of the office. We entered the elevator and made it down to street level. A short walk and we were at a shopping mall. I noticed Siena trying to make herself small, a blush on her face as onlookers stared at her near nudeness. Each step reveals one perfect ass cheek and then the other.

At the little food court I ordered us a couple of salads and found a little plastic table. Sitting across from her I laughed at her make-up. I hadn't noticed the smears of eyeliner and lipstick. She looked like she had been freshly fucked in an office down the street. I told her so. She lowered her head and tried to become a little more invisible.

Lunch finished and we headed over to a department store where I picked out a lacey black bra and matching thong for her. Intricate, detailed and expensive. Then to a smaller boutique that had a lot of leather and velvet. I picked out a flirty black velvet skirt and matching top. The salesgirl suggested a ribbon choker with a pearl brooch that I quite liked.

After that I dropped Siena at a salon to get her hair and makeup done. I asked for an up-do that would show off her neck and shoulders. The girl looked Siena up and down and then took her by the hand into the little maze of chemical smells and colored potions.

While she was busy there I stopped in at a little bistro and had a sip of whiskey. I looked out into the little courtyard of other lives, coming and going, I realized I was happy.

I stopped at a shoe store and picked up a pair of strappy heels that I thought were the right size. I didn't mind my little pet going barefoot, but I really did want to show her off tonight.

On the ride home I resisted the temptation to pull her pouty pink lips back down onto my dick. Her hair and makeup were pretty great, and I didn't want to mess that up.

I told her how proud I was of her for the little shopping trip. I knew that the open street and then the mall had been anxiety inducing for her. I was happy that she was so willing to please me.

At home, the two housekeepers had done a good job, setting up the bar in the lounge and one out by the pool. I expected about twenty people, five of them from our original group of friends, the rest were significant others, and random people that had fallen into the eclectic clique from our high school days. The pair began laying out trays of canapes. I sent Siena off to clean up and get dressed.

What had once been a weekly bitch session about life and struggle had turned into a more random gathering that had tried to keep pace with our lives. While nobody had acquired as much gold as I had, they were all doing okay. I think the fact I had never really fit in when we were kids was part of the reason I wanted to continue this gathering. Back then It was clear that I had come from the wrong part of town and was only tolerated because Katrina told them they had to. But, now the score was much different and I enjoyed the unspoken truth of it.