by Paul Preston
Williamson put down his cell phone and powered off his laptop.
“The Beast is back,” Bella Lisa said, smiling.
She moved the laptop to the side table and sat down next to Williamson, giving him a long warm kiss.
“You look very pretty this morning, Ms. Mauricio.”
“Thank you. So you’re still alive.”
“Apparently so. I’m told your midnight visitation had something to do with it. I suppose we should add to your growing list of virtues the ability to resurrect the dead. You must be my guardian angel, Ms. Mauricio.”
“I’m just glad you’re still with us, Mr. Williamson. How do you feel?”
“Surprisingly well, for being dead a few hours ago. How do I look?”
“Well, you look—”
“The truth, Ms. Mauricio.”
“You look like shit, Sir.”
“I thought so.”
“Nothing that a little rest and good food can’t cure. I’m having sushi delivered for lunch.”
“Oh boy, I love sushi.”
“Oh, by the way, I wanted to ask you. How did it feel to be intubated, Mr. Williamson?”
“I don’t know. I think I was sedated. Why do you ask?”
“I was just wondering how it felt for you to have some large foreign object shoved in your mouth and all the way down to the back of your throat?”
“Well, if you put it that way, I seem to remember it felt marvelous.”
“Really.”
“Yes, I recommend that you should try it sometime very soon, Ms. Mauricio.”
Bella Lisa smiled.
“It appears you are feeling better then, you dirty man?
“Much better, thank you. Your healing powers are remarkable. Have you heard? I might be discharged later today.”
“I’ve heard.”
Bella Lisa took out a pill bottle from her purse.
“Don’t ever let a women snoop around in your bathroom while you’re gone. I found these in your medicine cabinet. It says no refills, so we need a new prescription before we leave. We need you back on your Clozapine, my friend. I don’t want to be interrupting any more conversations between you and that big furry friend of yours.”
“You’re right again, Ms. Mauricio.
“How’s the wound feel?”
“Hurts a little. It’s alright.”
“Thank God you didn’t make that cut a few inches higher and to the right.”
“I might be crazy but I’m not that crazy.”
They held hands and looked into each other’s eyes.
“So you came back to me,” Williamson said, smiling.
“Of course, I came back to you, you silly goose.”
“Your father…”
“Resting comfortably. Getting the treatment he needs, thanks to you.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
“I’m going to pay you back, every penny.”
“Don’t worry about it… So this is the last day of your contract. Have you thought of what you want to do next?”
“Well, I’ve got a few interviews set up, possible job offers—”
“Whatever they offer you, I’ll double it. Your trial period is over, Ms. Mauricio. I want to sign you on to a long term contract.”
“I’ve already given away all your Foundation’s money. What else do you propose that I could do for your company?”
“I can think of a few things.”
Williamson picked up his cell and made a call.
“Firmin, please block my door. Nobody in or out for at least 30 minutes.”
He put down the cell and stared intensely at Bella Lisa.
“So, Ms. Mauricio…”
“Yes, Mr. Williamson?”
“I’ve never slept with a woman who was able to bring a man back from the dead. I was wondering…”
“Mr. Williamson. We’re in a hospital room. You’re incorrigible.”
“I know, but I’ve missed you terribly.”
“What a sweet thing to say. You are quite the romantic. I finally figured out who the mystery man was who gave me a flower every August 14th. Was that you in the window of the French restaurant I saw?”
“I wanted to be near you, without frightening you away on the anniversary of the day we met. Over the past four years, and especially over the last week, I’ve developed a rather strong crush on you, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
Bella Lisa stood up and slowly shut the curtain that circled his bed.
“I suppose a little sponge bath would be OK...,” Bella Lisa said.
She stared down at him with heavily lidded eyes and unbuttoned the front of her dress. She bit the bottom of her lip. She slipped the dress off her shoulders and it fell light as air to the floor. Williamson stared in rapture at the beautifully shaped breasts he loved.
“Ah yes. A sponge bath would be very nice, thank you.”
“Not for you, silly man. For me.”
Bella Lisa turned away and Williamson watched with great appreciation the smooth curve of her cheeks as she filled a plastic basin with water. He moaned at the pretty view when she bent over to retrieve a cloth from under the sink and brought the basin and cloth back to the bed. He admired her sexy stockings and high heels.
“By the way, Ms. Mauricio, the nurse told me she had to pry this out of my cold dead clenched fingers. Do you have any idea of what this might be?”
Williamson handed Bella Lisa the folded square of paper. She unfolded it and smiled at the photograph.
“You kept this picture all these years?” Williamson asked.
Bella Lisa refolded the newsprint and put it gingerly back in her purse. She squeezed out the water from the wash cloth and looked down at him.
“I always wanted to ask you. What were you looking at in that picture, Mr. Williamson?
“I was looking at you, Bella Lisa Mauricio.”
“I thought so…”
Bella Lisa smiled, handed Williamson the damp cloth and inched closer to him on the bed, her arms at her sides. She leaned in and arched her back, her soft breasts lightly brushing against his skin…
The Phantom Phillipe: The Adam & Eve Series, Book Three
Chapter One
The Beginning of the End
Bella Lisa Mauricio slipped out of her dress and sat on the bed very close to her Dom, Phillipe Williamson, her ankles tucked under her. She rested her arm on his shoulder, the warm soft flesh of her breasts brushing lightly over the side of his cheek. Back from the dead, Phillipe felt fortunate to be alone with his sub again, naked and unashamed, her youthful pale skin shimmering in the luster of the bright lights. He squeezed a damp cloth in his fist and watched the rivulets of water run through the valley of her cleavage and drip down her torso onto the linen. He traced the wet trail with his finger between her breasts to the entrance of her sex. Like the wings of a butterfly, Bella Lisa slowly parted her thighs to offer access to her most private area. When her moist lips opened, Williamson desired to mount and thrust himself into her like a stallion, but his wounded body was unable to respond. Bella Lisa tilted her head back as he touched her, shut her eyes and softly moaned. Then the lovers heard a discrete clearing of the throat outside the closed curtain surrounding the hospital bed.
“Excuse me, Mr. Williamson. Your doctor is here and wishes to have a word with you,” Williamson’s assistant Andre Firmin said.
“Please ask the Doctor to wait a moment, Andre,” Williamson said.
Bella Lisa stood up, slipped back into her dress and opened the curtain.
“Hello again, Doctor,” Bella Lisa said pleasantly, her cheeks flushed.
“Ah, your midnight angel has returned to you, I see. Hello, Ms. Mauricio. And how do you feel this morning, Mr. Williamson?”
“Not too bad, Doctor, for being clinically dead a few hours ago.”
“Yes, the whole thing is quite perplexing to me. Apparently, the cardiac monitoring unit was not malfunctioning, according to our technicians. I can�
�t explain it. Forgive the cliché, but I suppose it was just not your time to go. You are a very lucky man, Mr. Williamson…”
“I think you’re right, Doctor,” Williamson said, winking at Bella Lisa.
“Let me just take a quick peek at your cut here.”
The Doctor lifted the bed sheet and carefully removed the large bandage covering Phillipe’s pelvis to examine the wound.
“Yes, it seems to be healing fine, no signs of infection. I’ll have the nurse come in and change the dressing. You’ll have to clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide and apply Vaseline over it twice a day when you change the bandages. Come back in three weeks and we’ll have the stitches removed.”
“OK, Doctor,” Phillipe said.
“Now that you’re coherent, Mr. Williamson, I was wondering if you could explain how you received this cut in the inguinal area. It’s an odd place for such an injury. I need to ask you this and please answer me honestly… Was the wound self-inflicted?”
“No, absolutely not. As I told the other physician who interviewed me quite thoroughly this morning, it was just a stupid accident. A mirror broke in my condo and I got cut by a shard of glass.”
“But why didn’t you come to the emergency room right away?”
“I assume I passed out from the loss of blood. My housekeeper found me the next morning…”
“I see…”
The Doctor looked over some papers on a clipboard.
“Well, according to the Psychiatrist who assessed you, your mental state is perfectly normal, Mr. Williamson. Other than your wound you appear to be in exceptional good health, so I see no reason why we can’t discharge you.”
“Great,” Phillipe said, smiling at Bella Lisa.
“That’s wonderful news! Thank you, Doctor,” Bella Lisa added, relieved.
“I’ve called down to the pharmacy for a refill of Clozapine and a round of Vicodin to get you through the first few weeks of recovery. You can pick both prescriptions up on the way out. I think you’ll be as good as new in a month. Be sure to take the Clozapine twice a day without fail. Your blood test showed you stopped taking your prescribed psychiatric medication, Mr. Williamson.”
“Yes. I just got busy with work and didn’t have time to refill my prescription.”
“I strongly advise you to not let that happen again, Mr. Williamson. Your private physician will monitor your blood levels to make sure you’re taking the correct dosage. Take the Vicodin twice a day for a week, and thereafter as needed for the pain. A nurse will be here momentarily to change your dressing and escort you in a wheelchair–”
“A wheelchair, Doctor? Is that absolutely necessary?” Williamson asked.
“I’m afraid so. Hospital policy. You should stay off your feet for at least a week and take your meals in bed to regain your strength. You lost a great deal of blood just the other day, Mr. Williamson. Take a Vicodin as soon as you get home. It’s going to hurt like a son of a gun.”
The physician gave a sideways glance at Ms. Mauricio.
“And remember… no sexual activity for at least a month, due to the placement of the injury.”
“OK. Thank you, Doctor.”
The Doctor nodded and left. Bella Lisa crossed her arms across her chest and gave Phillipe a disapproving look.
“Lying to your physician… You’re a bad boy, Mr. Williamson.”
“If I didn’t, they’d never let me out of here.”
“Why in the world did you do that to yourself?”
“When you never came back to me, I thought I had lost you forever.”
“Of course, I was coming back. You didn’t lose me.”
“I know. I just lost control. But I promise you. Something like that will never happen again.”
“I certainly hope not. You gave us all a scare. I suppose I need to keep a closer eye on you from now on, Mr. Williamson”
“I’d like that, Ms. Mauricio.”
The nurse showed Bella Lisa how to properly change the dressing of his wound and gave them some medical supplies to take home. Though embarrassed, Williamson allowed himself to be dressed back into his clothes, helped into a wheelchair and pushed down to the lobby. After picking up the prescriptions, Williamson stood up painfully and used Bella Lisa’s body as a crutch to limp out of the front door of the hospital. Firmin followed, carrying Williamson’s belongings. Luman and Cogworthy, the security team for Williamson, stood at the curb beside the limo, looking concerned.
“Hi, Boss, glad to see you,” Luman said.
“Good to see you, Mr. Williamson,” Cogworthy said at the same time.
“Good to be back, gentlemen,” Williamson said with a grimace as the two men helped him into the back seat.
As the limo pulled into traffic, Williamson pushed a button on the side panel and a partition rose up, giving them more privacy.
“So what do you think of a little quick sex on the way home, Ms. Mauricio?”
“I’d prefer to wait until you stop bleeding, Phillipe.”
“Perhaps that’s just as well. I feel a little sore down there this morning.”
Beads of sweat appeared on Williamson’s brow. He patted his forehead with a handkerchief.
“I’m going to have to hide all the sharp objects in the house. No more playing with knives. You’ve been a very naughty boy, Phillipe.”
“I like it when you call me Phillipe. Say it again.”
“Phillipe…”
“May I begin to call you Bella Lisa?”
“I suppose you may. But I also like Ms. Mauricio, or if the mood strikes you, your dirty little sub…”
“Mmmm…”
Phillipe leaned in and tenderly kissed Bella Lisa. She reached out, placed her hand on his inner thigh and bit her lower lip.
“I wish I could, my dear. The spirit is willing, but I’m afraid the flesh is weak.”
“Don’t worry, Phillipe. I’m sure you’ll be better soon. You’ll be up and about in no time.”
“I certainly hope so. Especially the ‘up’ part.”
Bella Lisa smiled and shook her head.
“You’re so bad!”
Suddenly Phillipe turned to her with a vulnerable look in his eyes.
“How I missed you, Bella Lisa.”
“What a sweet thing to say, Phillipe!”
Bella Lisa returned Phillipe’s kiss. He entwined his long fingers in her long hair.
“Even though your contract ends today and your father’s debt is now repaid in full, I want you to remain in my home as my submissive, Ms. Mauricio,” Phillipe said.
“I’m not planning on leaving, as long as you don’t keep me trapped in there. You will, I hope, let me come and go as I please from now on.”
“Of course, though I must confess… I liked it when you were my prisoner.”
“I have to admit, I liked it too…”
They kissed each other sweetly, delicately. He put his arm around her and Bella Lisa leaned her cheek upon Phillipe’s shoulder.
“I’m so happy you’re still alive, Phillipe.”
“Me too. You brought me back to life. How did you do it, Bella Lisa?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps it wasn’t your time to go, as the Doctor said.”
“You must be my guardian angel…”
They held each other until they reached the condo. His two bodyguards had to physically carry him, an arm around each man’s shoulder, up to the 25th floor. By the time they reached his bedroom, Williamson’s shirt was drenched with sweat. They helped him out of his clothes and into his robe. Bella Lisa put on disposable sterile gloves and changed his bandage, which was stained with blood. She poured him a glass of water and gave him a Vicodin and a Clozapine. Williamson fell exhausted into his bed and slept off and on for the next forty eight hours. Bella Lisa never left his side.
When Williamson finally woke up, Bella Lisa was lying next to him.
“The prince awakes.”
“How long have I been out?”
“You’ve been sleeping for almost two days. Any bad dreams? No conversations with your furry friend?”
“No, I’m not hearing those awful voices anymore, thank God. I slept quite well. I feel much better.”
Bella Lisa gave him a glass of water.
“Here, take these pills.”
“Thank you.”
“Open your robe.”
“My, you get right to the point. I’ve missed you too, Ms. Mauricio.”
Bella Lisa looked down at him and crossed her arms across her chest.
“I need to change your dressing, Phillipe.”
“Oh, I thought you meant—”
“I know exactly what you meant. The doctor said we should refrain from—”
“I know what the good doctor said.”
Williamson looked down at the two pills in his palm.
“I’m just…”
“What, Phillipe?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Williamson swallowed his pills and drank the water. Bella Lisa took back the empty glass.
“That’s a good boy… We’ll make up for lost time when you’re better, I promise.”
“I know.”
Bella Lisa pulled down the elastic waist band of his boxers, cleaned his wound and put on a fresh bandage.
“So how are the twins?”
“The twins?”
“You know. The twins. I met them last week. Those two pretty sisters of yours you keep so covered up of late…”
“Oh, those twins.”
“When are you going to let them come out to play?”
“Well, they’re feeling a little shy lately.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I just feel a little embarrassed to be naked around you, Phillipe.”
“Come on, Bella Lisa. Have a heart. Can’t you give a sick bedridden man a little pleasure?”
“You’re really milking this for all it’s worth.”
“I wish I could milk you for all your worth.”
“You’re such a dirty old man.”