She half-smiled at him, nervously, hoping to contain the situation when he spoke, “Tasha, come on,” he sounded angrier. “You have the money. We both know you do. Call it a final settlement—for Pippa.”
Tasha stared at him in disbelief. Had he really just tried to sell her sister, his youngest child to his oldest?
She was considering what to say when he spoke again, “You really are a bitch aren’t you? You want me to beg and plead, well, fuck you. I do not beg. When did you become such a hard-faced bitch? Maybe you should have a few lessons in manners and sharing, I know Liam would be happy to help because, apparently, he misses you. You must have been one hell of a fuck,” he spat at her, then intimidatingly added, “maybe I should sample some too.”
She was going to be sick. He stepped towards her again, forcing her to step back as he ran a hand down the middle of her body. His fingers stroked from her neck, between her breasts and down to her abdomen. She was shaking with fear now. No matter what else he had done, allowed to be done to her he had never touched her like this before, never shown the slightest interest in her in a sexual way. With tears burning her eyes and throat, Tasha swallowed hard, realising she really was in serious danger now, maybe more serious than she’d ever been in. She didn’t doubt just how much trouble she would be in with Jim because yet again she hadn’t followed through with an agreed course of action.
Almost resigned to her fate, she fell back against the door and randomly began hitting the intercom buttons to every flat in her block and as people began to answer her father ran. He called back to her, name calling and words about taking good care of Pippa for him and then he released a single, sinister laugh before he ran into the darkness.
Voices were still replying to her calls on the intercom as she gathered her thoughts and calmed a little, her breathing began to return to normal.
“Sorry, kids messing around,” she said, using her fob to open the door. Once safely inside she let out a long, deep cry as she hunched over the stair rail. That was too close for comfort and again proved Jim to be absolutely right, she couldn’t be trusted to do as she should. She jumped more than usual as Viva Las Vegas sounded in her hand. Still a little breathless, she answered, “Hello.”
“Where are you? You said ten minutes twenty minutes ago. Are you okay?” He was obviously infuriated further by her and whilst she hadn’t done what she’d said he had no clue yet just how much she’d deviated from their agreed plan.
“I’m just running upstairs, sorry. Give me five, maybe ten and I’ll be sorted.”
Before Jim had a chance to respond she hung up. She let herself into the flat and after expelling the contents of her stomach into the toilet she dialled the number for Mr Stewart before checking every room in the flat, twice, leaving all of the lights on.
“Mr Stewart, Jerome. It’s Tasha Winters,” she said, her voice shaking.
“Tasha, is everything alright?” he asked and then mumbled, “go back to sleep it’s business. Yes, at midnight, again.”
“Sorry.” Tasha realised she had disturbed Mr Stewart and most probably his wife too. “My dad has just approached me outside of my flat and was rather unpleasant when he thought I wouldn’t give him any money.”
“Have you called the police? Did you give him cash? Has he gone now?” he asked, concerned and slightly more awake now.
“No, I didn’t think it was a 999 job. I didn’t give him anything and he ran off when I hit the intercom buttons for the block.”
“Good girl, well done. I will contact your local police station tonight and they will need a statement so when I have a time in the morning I’ll call you. Are you sure you’re okay? You live in a secure block?”
“Thank you. I am just a bit shaky, and yes it’s a secure block.”
“If you have any concerns, Tasha, call 999. It is a 999 job as you call it.” His tone was reassuring.
“Thank you, Jerome.” Unlike Jim she didn’t need to remain on formal terms.
“No problem. I will speak to you in the morning from the office.”
With a very large glass of wine Tasha headed for her bedroom, composing herself in order to try and portray a calm and unflustered front when she contacted Jim.
“Hi. Sorry. I’m all sorted now.”
“Sit down, let’s talk,” Jim said.
She sat in the wicker arm chair in the corner of her bedroom and put the laptop on the bedside cabinet in front of her.
“Where to start?” he asked.
“We could do inappropriate clothes,” she suggested, hoping to avoid disclosing the incident with her father.
“Maybe. Have you been drinking?”
“No. Not until I got back and I’m on my first glass.” She raised her glass to him.
“Let’s do the clothes while we talk. Is that what you wore tonight?”
She nodded, stood and gave him a twirl.
“The blouse needs a camisole underneath rather than your underwear alone, but it works. Next outfit.”
She kicked her shoes off where she stood, removed her trousers and pulled her blouse over her head. With her discarded clothes on the bed she stood in a black push up bra and thong.
“I like that outfit, but it’s highly inappropriate.” Jim wore a genuine smile making Tasha happy.
She gave him a twirl and with her back to the laptop she bent down to pick up her shoes.
“Oh honey, it is obscene,” he laughed.
“You like?” she asked, turning back towards him.
“Very much so. Come on. Next one before I get too distracted.”
She continued modelling outfits, most of which were deemed completely inappropriate or only fit for a date with Jim. Her final dress was a long sleeved, black, backless, short evening dress. It was skin-tight to the waist and the back plummeted to the top of her bottom, while the front just clung to everything. At the waist a chiffon floaty skirt fell to about half way down her thighs. She picked it up and held it against herself to show him.
“It’s very little, Tasha. Put it on.” She began to move out of the camera’s eye. “No, don’t move. Show me there.”
With a grin, she put the dress on the chair, turned her back on him, removed her bra and pulled the dress on over her head. She smoothed it down her body and turned to face him.
“Very nice, I like it, a lot. Put some shoes on.” She complied. “Turn around and bend down.”
Again she followed his wishes then heard him let out a low groan. “I can see your ass. Take your panties off,” he ordered, making her stare at his intense gaze as it seared through her to her very soul.
Just his eyes on her made her gulp at the realisation she was aroused, desperate for him to touch her, hold her and kiss her.
“James,” she moaned at the sensation of moisture gathering between her thighs. Her breasts heaved, her nipples pebbled and beaded.
“Honey, take your panties off,” he repeated and this time she did, immediately, before bending over again, revealing herself to him.
“Fuck, Tasha! It’s definitely a keeper, but will never be seen outside of the bedroom.”
She smiled, coyly as she imagined just what sort of evening she could have wearing that dress whilst being confined to Jim’s bedroom. Sitting back down on the chair again Tasha crossed one leg over the other and then, slowly, provocatively uncrossed them.
“Very Basic Instinct, honey, I like it.” He smiled. “We still need to talk. I have been thinking whilst you were unavailable for sexting,” he said with a deep frown.
“And?”
“I probably do need to chill, a little. And I was out of line referring to Jake as an ex- boyfriend you used to fuck. It was anger speaking and I apologise. He didn’t try anything did he?”
“No, quite the opposite. He told me all about the new girl he is seeing then told me it’s difficult for men to deal with girlfriends who keep ex-boyfriends as friends.” She hoped Jim wouldn’t miss the irony.
“That’s true. I still
think you should have accepted that I might sext you while you were out. I wouldn’t have expected you to have answered while you were eating, I know it’s one of your rules. I will text or sext you whenever I please, as you do, but if it’s not appropriate to answer, then so be it,” he said indignantly.
“So long as you don’t get all arsy and shouty in an ‘answer your messages, I am pissed at you’ way,” she said, mimicking him.
“I will try, but don’t simply ignore my messages indefinitely. Now, tell me why I have had eight missed calls from your friend Mr Stewart whilst you’ve been modelling for me?”
“Don’t introduce him to Lizzie. They are both blabber mouths,” she pouted.
“Don’t pout. Just tell me or I will phone him back.”
“That won’t be necessary. I called him because after I text you to say I would be ten minutes my dad appeared.” She sounded far calmer than she still felt.
“What? What did he want? Did he touch you?” Jim asked with an external calmness, but was obviously seething.
“He apologised and asked for money, a final payment.” She raised her eyebrows at the same time as Jim.
“Please tell me you didn’t pay him, Tasha,” he asked nervously, clearly thinking she probably had.
“No.”
“Were you tempted to?”
“I considered it and thought nobody would ever know as you have more money than sense and insist on putting it into my account.”
“I would never have known because I can only put cash in, not access your account without passwords,” he said. “What have the police said?”
“I didn’t call them, but Jero—Mr Stewart said he will contact them then I’ll need to make another statement,” she explained.
“This is what I mean, Natasha. You say you’ll do one thing and then you don’t. You agreed; police, Mr Stewart, then me and you only did one out of the three of those things. Do you see why I get so mad? Infuriated, you might say.”
“Sorry. I do get what you mean, and I will try,” she replied and really meant it.
“He didn’t touch you though?” Jim asked again.
She shook her head and hoped she was masking the truth with her expression.
“What did he say to you?”
“Just the usual vile stuff.” She tried to sound unaffected by it, although the complete opposite was true.
“Tell me.”
“James, I will tell you, but I don’t want to do it like this or via text. I prefer serious conversations to be in person. Like when you took me to the vineyard. We talked properly, didn’t we? Or at least I did.” She smiled.
“You’re not trying to keep things from me are you?” He searched her eyes through the screen.
“No, really, but I would rather talk face to face,” quickly, she added, “but you don’t need to change your travel plans. Send me your flight details or ask Amanda to.”
“I’ll send them in the morning. What are your plans for tomorrow?”
“I don’t have any. I have to give my statement to the police, but Mr Stewart is setting it up and calling me with details. So, I may stay in bed for the rest of the day,” she joked.
“We could set up a date with your present. I don’t have anything scheduled at the office until noon.” He grinned.
“I could text you when I wake up,” she smiled far too much, the aching tingle in her face confirmed that.
“That’s a date.” He returned her smiled with a genuinely happy one of his own. “I do love you and I know I can be a head case with the control, but you will have to learn to live with it.”
“I know. I love how you want to take care of me and I’m sure I’ll live with it just fine most of the time. I love you too, gorgeous.” She grinned at just how much he wanted to take care of her and keep her safe as well her gorgeous label.
“Tasha, go to sleep or I will book a flight and we will be making love before you next go to bed.”
She laughed, but nodded.
As she reached for the computer, Jim said, “Leave it on and let me watch you sleep for a while. I miss watching you sleep.”
“It sounds a little stalkerish when you say that, but I like to think of you watching me sleep.” She turned her laptop around to face the bed before pulling her dress off and wearing just a red satin chemise she went to brush her teeth.
Upon her return she climbed into bed where Jim said, “Keep the sexy red number on in the morning.”
With a nod, Tasha stretched up to kiss the screen and turned the lamp off.
Chapter 32
It was half past ten when she woke up and Tasha was shocked to have slept in so late. She worked out that it was half past two in L.A. and smiled as she thought Jim would have no objections to her waking him up. Her phone suddenly rang. She needed to meet Mr Stewart at her local police station at three o’clock that afternoon to make her statement. She had a quick wash, brushed her teeth and hair before returning to the bedroom where she opened her blind and text Jim.
She piled the pillows up on her bed and grinned as she set up her laptop and suddenly he was there with her.
“You are looking very beautiful this morning, Miss Winters.” He smiled but she could see him scrutinising the marks and bruises still coming out on her skin. “Did you sleep well?”
“Thank you, you are looking pretty good yourself and I slept surprisingly well. Mr Stewart called. I am due at the police station at three o’clock,” she told him.
“I know, he called me too.” He quickly changed the subject, “Where is your present? Have you opened it?”
Tasha shook her head in the direction of the laptop on the bedside cabinet. “I thought I would wait for you.”
“Then let’s do it.”
She stood up on the bed and walked to the bottom of it, opened the wardrobe and stretched up to retrieve the box from its hiding place at the back of the highest shelf.
“Are you deliberately flaunting your white ass at me, Natasha?” he asked from behind her.
She turned with her package held aloft and laughed. “Oh, I am sorry, did I just expose myself to you?” she asked coyly, but clearly aware of her overexposure.
“I think you know you did, honey. Which is going to earn your ass a pink glow and some heat.” He grinned.
“I do hope so,” she giggled.
“I guarantee it, baby. Now, move the laptop so I can see you lying on your bed and then you can open the package.”
She did as he asked and nervously opened the large parcel she’d received a few days before. As the lifted the lid off the box she laughed and pulled out a very nice, red, leather, Prada handbag.
“James, I love handbags as much as the next girl, but as lovely as this is, it will not make me come.”
He laughed too. “You amuse me Miss Winters, but open the bag.”
Compliantly, she opened it and gasped as she saw several items held within it. Removing them one at a time Tasha held them up with disbelief. First, she held out a natural feel vibrator and as serious as she was trying to take this, she laughed. Next was a smaller, metallic, vibrating object, about the size of a finger or thumb. Then there was an even smaller one.
“What are they all for?” asked Tasha, feeling naïve in her clueless questioning.
Jim simply arched a brow and grinned.
“I mean specifically,” she said in an attempt to clarify her question.
“Well the smallest one can be used for clitoral stimulation or internally. Its size makes it ideal for those new to anal stimulation. The middle sized one can also be used for clitoral stimulation or penetration. Finally, we have the natural feel, traditional vibrator. Ideal for penetrative sexual sensation,” he replied, matter of fact as though he was discussing the weather.
She stared at his image on
the screen and after a few seconds managed to ask, “How did you become such an expert?”
“I am no expert, honey, but I did my research and have more or less memorised the details of these products. You look shocked, are you okay?” he asked with a laugh.
“I am shocked. I’ve never even seen these things, let alone used them. Why do I need them all?” She wondered why she needed them all if they were only for the time when Jim and she were apart.
“I am very pleased to hear you have never used them before and I have never used them so remotely, so it will be a learning curve for us both. You don’t need them all, but I thought it could be fun, for us both.” He smiled at her, reassuringly.
She considered what he had said; I have never used them so remotely, inferring that he had used them. She’d been right about him, he really was a kinky fuck, but she liked it. She liked him.
“This one,” she said, holding up the smallest item. “Ideal for those new to anal stimulation. You want to use this on me?” Her tone was cautious, nervous at the idea of anal sex.
“You know I do. There isn’t any part of your body I don’t want to explore, but only if you want to,” he answered seriously.
Tasha swallowed hard, then nodded, still shocked by the items and his words.
“So, do you want to do this now, our date?”
She nodded again, already seriously turned on by Mr Sex-Know-It-All. There really wasn’t anything she wouldn’t try with Jim and their previous attempt at cybersex had proved satisfying for them both. Maybe these encounters would somehow make any enforced time apart easier to bear.
“Put the bag and the two smaller ones away. Take the vibrator and feel it, handle it,” he instructed.
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