Warning Signs Pt. 02

Bob and Rose were the first to arrive at the lake. They parked and made their way down to the dock, but nobody else was around. As they sat at a picnic table, Bob watched his wife, suspicious thoughts nagging at him.

"It's a great day for boating," Rose offered, glancing around and avoiding Bob's stares. "I heard it'll be over a hundred degrees again today."

Bob didn't feel like making small talk and just sipped his water bottle. "Wonder what's taking so long," he remarked.

"Are Shawn and Corrinne coming today? I haven't seen them since the party," Rose queried, referring to the swinging party at Jerry and Gloria's house at the beginning of summer when they had first moved to the Dallas area.

"Oh, haven't you heard?" Bob asked, looking somber. "Shawn quit."

"What?" Rose seemed shocked. "I thought he was a partner!"

Bob nodded, "Yeah, he was. Apparently, he had a better offer from one of our competitors, and he jumped ship. Jerry was livid. So, don't bring up their names today. I'm sure Jerry would have a fit."

Rose placed a hand on Bob's arm, "Are you ok? I mean, are we ok?"

"Yeah, I don't see a problem for us," he assured her. "Jerry said he thought Shawn was stealing money from the company too. They're still looking into it." He wasn't totally honest, because he was still debating whether or not to tell her everything he had learned. He was struggling with conflicting ideas and nagging doubts.

Rose gasped, "No way, that sucks! Poor Corrinne, I wish I knew how to contact her."

"You could try facebook," he said. "There's more I wanted to tell you, too. I've been mulling it over, and well," he paused, staring deeply into her eyes, then took a deep breath and continued, "Jerry made me a partner yesterday."

Her face brightened. "What? Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, giving him a puzzled look.

"Well, it all happened unexpectedly, and with so many things going on, I wanted to process it all before we talked."

"Really? What's there to process?" she asked with a smile that implied a bit of sarcasm.

"It means more work for me. Jerry wants me to do my current job and replace Shawn to run sales. I'll have to travel a lot more, but it'll mean a hefty pay raise, sales commissions, and more; now that I'm a partner, I'll receive a share of the profit."

"How big of a share?" Rose asked, curious to know the details.

"Jerry said he ordinarily gives new partners a one-percent share of the company, but because he knows me so well, he doubled it to two." He paused, thinking about how to explain the rest.

"So, two percent of the company is yours? Wow, they did what, forty million last year? That's eight hundred thousand dollars, Bob!" she exclaimed.

He frowned slightly, "Well, that's revenue. We only would see a percentage of the profit at the end of the year. But, it isn't two percent actually."

"No? How much then?" she looked worried and wondered if Jerry were somehow trying to cheat Bob.

"We actually own five percent of the company," he stated. Before he could explain, Rose interrupted him.

"Five percent? Holy shit! How come?

"It was kind of weird. He said that since I would have Shawn's responsibility, I should get his percentage too, which bumped it up to four. But, then he said that he wanted to make sure you were happy, so he bumped it up to five."

"Me?" she asked, bemused.

"Yep." He was nervous. There was more, a lot more, but how would she react? He was debating on telling Rose about the weird phone call he had received from Shawn. He didn't want to upset her, but he had nobody else with whom he could talk. To his surprise, as he was thinking about it, she spoke, as if having read his mind.

"Have you heard from Shawn at all, since he quit?" she asked. Bob winced at the question. Now he had to make a choice, either lie or tell her everything.

"Uhm," he started, "well, yeah. I got a strange call yesterday from a number I didn't recognize. I ignored it, but the caller kept redialing me. So, after the third time, I answered. It was Shawn."

"Is he okay?" she asked, appearing sincerely concerned.

"He seemed ok, just angry. He said a lot of things that were not very flattering about Jerry."

"Oh, no," she leaned closer, "like what?"

"Well, I don't know. It all seemed pretty weird. I thought he'd been drinking. It all just sounded like sour grapes. He was pissed, Rose, irrationally angry."

"Sour grapes? I thought Jerry and Shawn were like brothers. He was one of the 'circle of trust.' Makes you wonder about Jerry's concept, doesn't it." She thought about their situation and all of the promises Jerry had made when he was seducing her. "Maybe this is all too good to be true."

Bob had his suspicions too but kept them to himself. The Jerry he had come to know only seemed interested in partying, whoring around and doing things to appeal to his ego. Jerry had always been a bit of a narcissist, but lately, it seemed worse than when they'd worked together in the past. His success had gone to his head, and he reveled in showing off.

"He accused Jerry of a bunch of crap, a lot of very personal things. He said he knew where Jerry had buried all the skeletons. He blew up when I mentioned that Jerry had accused him of stealing money from the company. He said it was a joke, and that if anybody was stealing money from the company, it was Jerry."

Rose got a puzzled look on her face, "Isn't it his company? How can Jerry steal money from himself?"

"That's what I asked Shawn, but he went on and on about how its a Limited Liability Partnership and that all of the partners had equal rights to the profit, but that Jerry always found some excuses to avoid paying bonuses. Shawn claimed that the company has never shown a profit, never paid bonuses and that Jerry even finds ways to cheat people out of their sales commissions."

"Can he do that?" she asked, squeezing Bob's arm softly.

"I don't know. I'm not into all that kind of stuff. I'm a technology nerd, not a business person. Shawn said we should ask Jerry how he paid for the new boat and the big ass pool at his house."

"I thought Jerry said the boat was owned by the company for entertaining clients and for all the partners to use. That sounds reasonable, doesn't it?"

"I don't know. Shawn implied that the boat is not listed as a company asset. Did you know that our CFO, the guy who manages the books, is Jerry's uncle? Also, the COO is his next-door neighbor. Shawn said they use the company bank account as their personal ATM. Something about how they use their corporate cards for everything from gasoline to groceries and never file any paperwork and the cards are paid directly by the company. Shawn said that as a partner, he had a right to see the financials, but when he asked to see them, he was told he couldn't. He started asking questions and Jerry, Jerry's uncle, and Tom, the COO, all iced him out. The more he dug, the angrier Jerry got, until, according to Shawn, he threatened to get a lawyer involved. That's when Jerry fired him."

"Fired him?" she asked, surprised, "I thought you said he quit."

"Jerry said he quit. Shawn said Jerry fired him. I think the truth is somewhere in between."

"Do you believe Shawn?" she asked nervously.

"I don't know. As I said, he sounded drunk and irrational."

They looked at each other, both biting their tongues about some of their personal misgivings. After a couple of minutes, Bob worked up the nerve to bring up the other thing Shawn had told him.

"Shawn said some other stuff, too," he began, anxiously.

"Do I want to know?" she asked, looking nervous.

"You may not." Bob stared at her intently.

"What is it?" she asked, noticing the look he was giving her.

"He said that Jerry is a manipulator and user of people. He said the whole 'swingers group' was just a way to manipulate the men into getting to fuck their wives. He said Jerry uses it as a power trip to dominate and control the men in his employment, like the alpha dog in a wolfpack."

Rose failed to breathe for several heartbeats.

"He said that Corrinne had been innocent and proper until Jerry got his hands on her. He turned her into a nymphomaniac. He claimed Jerry had been fucking Corrinne regularly behind his back. Apparently, Jerry would send Shawn out of town on business trips or kept him so busy working that he neglected Corrine. The whole time, Jerry would be fucking Corrinne, turning her into his loyal, little slut. He made her feel special. He would take her on trips, wine and dine her at the fanciest places, and shower her with expensive gifts."

"Oh my god, Bob," she almost shouted, "You don't believe that shit, do you?"

Bob shrugged, "I've been with Jerry on trips, Rose. I've seen how he really is. He's a lot different on the road than he seems to be around here. He's a hardcore playboy. He fucked a different woman on every trip we've been on."

She watched Bob, studying his face. The sound of a boat engine could be heard in the distance.

"Anyway," Bob continued, "Shawn said that all the attention on Corrinne stopped around the time we moved here. He said that for the past couple of months, Jerry has had a new wife in his sites; a new married woman to make his fuck toy behind her husband's back."

Rose realized what Bob was alluding to, and her face turned red, "You mean me?" she asked, angrily. "You think I'm fucking Jerry behind your back? Is that what you think?"

"You tell me, Rose. Are you fucking Jerry behind my back?" he asked her point blank. The approaching boat was visible and quite large. It was heading to the dock where they waited. Bob glanced up and could see it coming in fast. They didn't have much time.

"I'm not even going to justify that question with an answer," she stated angrily. "I can't believe you would even think that I would cheat on you."

"I saw the cum stains in that teddy Rose," he said, dropping the bombshell that had been bothering all day. "You lied to me and tried to hide it. He bought that teddy for you."

She froze, and a cold feeling ran up her spine. She sighed then turned to her husband. "Bob, I was afraid you would see that and freak out."

"Ya think."

"Shut up and listen. I know it looks bad, but I can explain. There was cum in them, yes. But, it was your cum."

He laughed, "My cum? Come on Rose; I never saw you wear that teddy. I found it in the box in the closet."

"Do you remember we fucked the other morning when you came home for lunch?"

"Yeah," he was still angry, "what does that have to do with this?"

"FedEx delivered it right after you left. I was excited, and I put it on. Your cum dripped out all over it. I was going to take it off and clean it, but the boys came home, and I only had time to stick it back in the box. I forgot to go back and wash it. When you found it, I hid it, because I knew, based on the conversation we'd been having, you would see it and get the wrong idea."

He stared at her, considering her explanation.

"If you don't believe me, ask Gloria!" she was livid and stood up and walked down to the dock to meet the boat.

Bob stood up, quickly gathered their stuff and headed down. He arrived next to Rose as Jerry and Gloria pulled up to the dock in one of the most amazing boats he had ever seen.

Gloria tossed a rope to Bob, who grabbed it and tied the boat down to the dock.

"He-hey! What's going on?" asked Jerry, as boisterous as ever.

Rose stood at the dock, arms crossed over her chest. She was pissed and was avoiding her husband. Bob decided to speak so they might not notice.

"Just enjoying a hot summer day in North Texas. Hello Jerry. Hello Gloria, you're looking gorgeous today."

"Only today," she shot back. She stepped off the boat onto the dock and gave Rose a hug and a kiss on the lips. Rose hugged the older woman back, a reserved smile on her face.

Gloria held her arms open for Bob, and he stepped in to hug her, avoiding kissing he on the lips by giving her the European double-cheek kiss instead. "How's the beast doing today?"

Bob chuckled and replied, "I'm good, good."

"I didn't mean you, silly boy," She grabbed his cock. "I meant this beast."

Bob laughed nervously and extricated himself from her grip to shake hands with Jerry as he jumped off the boat. "How's it going, boss?" he asked.

"Going great," Jerry replied then pulled Rose into a bearhug and a big kiss. She laughed, clearly enjoying his attention. Her anger seemed to have faded until she saw Bob staring at her. She gave her husband an extremely dirty look, leaving her arms around Jerry's midsection.

He stared at her, wondering how after their conversation she could be so chummy, so affectionate with Jerry.

Another voice broke the silence from the boat, "That all your gear?" It was Mike Hernandez. Bob hadn't noticed him on the boat when they pulled up. He jumped down and started their stuff onto the boat.

"Oh, hey Mike," Bob said offering to help, "Need a hand?"

"No, I got it. Thanks," he replied, continuing to work.

Rose cleared her throat and spoke up loud enough to ensure Bob could hear, "Hey Gloria, the cat's out of the bag. Bob found your present this morning."

"Oh?" she purred, "how yummy. Please tell me you were in it when he found it."

Rose shook her head, "No, he found it in the closest in the box. He was a little surprised."

"Well that's what you get, Bob, when you snoop around in boxes just before your birthday," scolded Gloria.

"Yeah," continued Rose, "he was telling me how Jerry had bought one just like it for you when they were together in Seattle at the lingerie store."

Bob could feel himself blushing. He wanted her to stop talking, but he knew she wouldn't.

Jerry looked more confused than Bob, "What are we talking about?"

Gloria explained, "You remember that sexy pink teddy you bought me with the removable panels?"

"Oh, yeah, I remember. Bob was with me when I bought it. He kept trying to tell me it was too small in the boobs for you." Jerry laughed at the idea.

"I liked it so much," Gloria continued, "I bought one for Rose to wear tonight for Bob's birthday."

Jerry laughed, "Well, shit. When do I get to see the two of you ladies wearing them? That would be hotter than fuck."

Rose was giving Bob a look of vindication and "I told you so" all rolled up into one. Bob felt pretty small. He pursed his lips tightly and nodded to his wife, trying to communicate "I'm sorry."

He tried to deflect the conversation, "So, holy shit, Jerry. You said it was a cool boat. You weren't shitting. But, 'cool' doesn't come close. How big is this?" It wasn't a boat; it was a small luxury yacht. People used this kind of boat in the ocean. It was an arrogant and extravagant waste of money to put it in a completely landlocked lake in the middle of North Texas.

Jerry let go of Rose and walked over to Bob, grinning broadly, happy to show off his new baby. "Well, she's called a 40 footer, but technically I think she's 39.7 feet."

"I know this model; I didn't know you could get it in Texas. I saw it in Miami before, but never in a lake. How the hell did they get it here?" Bob had researched the boat on the internet when Jerry had told him what brand it was. Best he could tell, it cost a half-million dollars.

"On a really big fucking truck from Galveston. We just got her in the water on Wednesday. That was a huge deal, had to use a crane. Today's the first time we're really taking her out."

Jerry looked up to Mike, "Break out the bubbly."

Mike tossed down bottles of champagne for everyone. Jerry started to make a speech. Bob, moved close to Rose to take her hand, but she pulled away.

"So, in the nautical tradition going back to the days of the Phoenicians, the Minoans and the Atlanteans, it is customary to christen a new boat with champagne." Jerry was beaming.

Bob had been growing tired of Jerry for a while now. He had a negative commentary running through his brain as Jerry smugly spoke. "Christening is a Christian term. The Phoenicians and Minoans were pre-Christian. The Atlanteans were fictitious, and champagne came from France. Fucking idiot," he thought to himself.

"I always thought it was a horrible waste of champagne," Jerry continued, laughing, "but what the hell. We can't defy tradition. So, Rose, you want to go first?"

"Me?" she smiled and seemed almost timid. She actually looked flattered that Jerry had asked her to go first and not his wife. "Oh ok." She stepped to the front of the boat and pulled back with the bottle of the champagne, preparing to smash it on the boat.

"Woah!" shouted Jerry, "hold on there tiger!"

She stopped herself and looked around wondering what she did wrong?

Jerry walked over, popped the top on a bottle of champagne and traded it with Rose for her unopened one. "Shake it up and spray it on the boat, don't knock a hole in her." He chuckled as he gestured to shake up the bottle.

Rose shook the bottle and the champagne sprayed out onto the side of the boat in a foamy shower of sparkling wine. Gloria followed suit, then Jerry and Bob joined in, but they sprayed more of it on Gloria and Rose than the boat and drank whatever was left.

The ritual seemed to have elevated Rose's mood, much to Bob's relief. Everyone went aboard, stepping onto the wooden platform at the stern of the boat. They entered the main cabin and sat around a large pit-group sofa as Jerry poured fresh glasses of bubbly for everyone.

"Hey Jerry," Rose said between sips, "you never told us the name of the boat?"

"I came up with the perfect name," he said, smiling, "Profit Margin."

That suddenly made Bob think of Shawn's phone call and left him feeling awkward. He met eyes with Rose briefly. She broke his stare and raised her glass, "Here's to Profit Margin, may it always be big!"

Jerry raised his glass in response and chimed in "And here's to our newest partner!" Everyone raised their glasses and drank the expensive champagne as Mike cranked up the dual engines, which roared to life, sending a powerful, humming vibration throughout the boat. They felt the boat move, and then Mike pushed the throttle forward, and they started to skim across the lake, in air-conditioned comfort.

"You know, I should have expected something this spectacular, but when you invited us to go boating, I had envisioned a six-person ski boat or something!" Bob said, looking at the glass sides of the room, watching the surface of the lake flash past.

Jerry stood up and grabbed a bottle of champagne and his glass. "Come on up, Bob, you have to see the upper deck." He exited through the back and went up the stairs.

"Well, I guess I'm being summoned," he said, laughing, then followed his boss, leaving Rose alone with Gloria.

Gloria stood up and took Rose's hand, "Come with me, beautiful," she said softly, then led her through a pair of French doors near the front of the boat. Inside was a richly appointed room, dominated by a very large bed.

"Oh my," said Rose, "I guess this is the fun room."

"It sure is," confirmed Gloria. She crawled onto the bed and pulled Rose on it with her. "There's a shower in the corner big enough for all four of us. There's a bed above us on the front of the boat too, great for sunbathing."

"This is awesome," Rose said, as she laid down next to Gloria. "I could get used to this lifestyle."

Gloria sat up and pulled her bikini top off, letting her large, augmented breasts free. Rose smiled and followed suit, untying her top and letting her breasts come out on display. Gloria cupped one of Rose's breasts and squeezed it firmly. "Mmmm, I see what Jerry likes about you." She leaned over and pulled Rose's nipple into her mouth, rolling her tongue around it as she sucked hard on it.

Rose breathed in sharply and pressed her tits into the older woman's face. Gloria was only teasing her though and pulled away to stand up. "We'll have to finish this later. The boys are waiting. We need to put on a good show."