“Thanks, but that’s okay. I never have time to read these days. I’m always working.” I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, you’re a machine. I wish I could be as productive as you.”
“Aw, thanks. Speaking of work, let’s get back to the office. I have a ton of stuff to finish.”
“Yeah, me too.”
As I was listening to a new album that I needed to write a review on, a flood of ideas came to me as to how we could fill the blank space in our upcoming issue. I paused what I was listening to, grabbed a sheet of paper, and started brainstorming. At first I considered asking Trevor if he could connect me to one of the artists on one of his labels for a last-minute interview but I quickly scratched that idea. I vowed to myself that I would never directly use Trevor’s status to get ahead unless it occurred naturally. Being around him inherently gave me connections to more people than I ever had access to on my own. For instance, when we were out partying in L.A. he introduced me to a television executive at his network, Rock Hard TV, and I also got to meet my favorite female rock artist, Jade Johansson, face-to-face. We hit it off immediately and she cleared her schedule to let me do a story on her. I didn’t feel bad that I got a story from someone that Trevor introduced me to, because it happened naturally, over the course of spending time with him. What I was wary of was directly asking him for favors. I didn’t ever want him to think I was using him for his money or his status. And besides, I’ve always found it much more satisfying to succeed based on my own hard work, rather than having things handed to me. I abhored nepotism, but perhaps that’s because I’d never had many connections that could help me. Everything I’d ever accomplished, I earned it myself. But maybe the reason I hadn’t realized my dream of having my own entertainment news show on television is because I was too afraid to lean on people. I re-wrote down the idea of asking for Trevor’s help in getting some interviews but then I scratched it out again. I had five solid ideas and I decided to go with the top two. It was 4 PM. I had an hour to wrap up the rest of my work for the day, and then meet with Kevin. I wanted to be sure to leave the office on time today, so that I could get back to Trevor’s place for our lesson on BDSM. My heart fluttered in anticipation.
I was able to finish all of my work quickly because I was fueled by adrenaline. I knocked on Kevin’s door at 5 PM sharp. He was wearing his headset when he answered the door. He was on a call. He held up his finger, indicating that he would be with me when he was done. He gestured for me to sit down in front of his desk. I did as told. I hate being in the room with people when they are talking on the phone; it is awkward, especially when it’s a personal call. Kevin was clearly bickering with his wife about something. I tried hard not to listen. I looked over at his bookshelf and pretended to study the titles while he wrapped up his conversation. After over ten minutes of back and forth, he finally told his wife that he had to go and he ended the call.
“Sorry about that Giavanna. My wife is having a bad day and she’s taking it out on me. Must be pregnancy hormones.”
“Oh yeah, when’s she due?”
“In about six weeks, right after the holidays,” Kevin beamed. “It will be our little Christmas present.”
“Aww how exciting!” I cooed.
“Yes, yes it is. But right now we have more pressing things to talk about. Did you come up with any ideas of how to fill this blank space as quickly as possible?”
“Yep, of course I did! You know I would never let you down!”
“Excellent!” Kevin clapped his hands and rubbed them together in anticipation. “Alright, whaddya got?”
“My top two ideas are to do more new release reviews. I really love listening to new music and opining on it, and the readers seem to really dig my reviews, so I can just do more of those.”
“Good, good. I like what I’m hearing,” Kevin interjected.
“And to fill up an even bigger hole I was thinking I could try out doing a satire piece.”
“Hmmm what do you mean?”
“I could write a fake story about a really big artist. And you know, make it really funny and outlandish so people know it’s fake, kind of like The Onion. If it does well we can do one for every issue.”
“Hmmm… that is something I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.” Kevin rubbed his chin as he digested my idea. “How many words do you think you can make it?”
“I don’t know… about twelve hundred, maybe.”
“Alright, alright… I like this. Yeah, let’s do it. It’s brilliant! When do you think you can get all of this done?”
“I don’t know. When do you need it done?”
“Like, yesterday.”
“Well, I have important plans tonight but I could stay late the rest of the week and get everything done before the weekend. What does that give me? Three days. Yeah, I can do it in three days. I’ll just have to work ‘round the clock.”
“Awesome. Perfect. I knew you would come through for me. Thank you Giavanna!” Kevin was practically jumping up and down with excitement.
“It truly is my pleasure.” I smiled. I loved making Kevin happy. It made me happy. Even though my sights were set on bigger things for the long term, I felt lucky to have a job where my contributions were valued, and where I really excelled. I’m a naturally hard worker, but Kevin was such a great boss. He always motivated me to work harder. I loved that most of my work made him smile, and I always went out of my way to impress him.
“Really, Giavanna, I don’t know where this publication would be without you. One day you’re going to be sitting here in my chair.”
“What? Are you planning on retiring sometime soon?”
“No, I can’t with the baby coming. But when I do, I know you will be first in line to step up.”
“We’ll see about that when the time comes.” I chuckled.
“That we will. Alright, I’m going to let you get back to work. You’re excused.”
“Thanks, Kevin.”
“No, thank you Giavanna.”
I quickly got caught up on emails and headed out the door. My commute took about the same amount of time every day since I took the train, but today, since I was dying to get back to Trevor’s place, it felt like it was taking forever to get there. The train that I was supposed to catch was full, so I had to wait for the next one. And when I was finally able to get on a train, there were multiple delays because there was construction on the tracks. It was cold out, and I was aching to feel Trevor’s warmth. I was really crawling out of my skin with anticipation for our lesson. My stomach was doing somersaults. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. When I finally made it back to Trevor’s penthouse it was dark and quiet. It was pretty early in the evening, and with the time difference it was even earlier in L.A., so I figured Trevor was probably still working. He was the one person I knew who worked more than I did. Even with his twelve-to-fourteen-hour days, I had no idea how he had time to run multiple businesses, perform in a band, and produce his own records. No wonder he was a billionaire — he earned it. And, from what he’d told me, he’d been going at this pace practically since he was born. He had to be a genius, there was no doubt in my mind. I went to the fridge to see what was for dinner, and I found a note with Trevor’s handwriting.
‘On an important conference call. I will be with you as soon as possible. Dinner is in the oven. It should still be warm. Please change into the outfit I left for you on the bed. I’ll come get you when I’m done with my call. Have some champagne and relax while you wait. Cristal and strawberries in the fridge. Yours, Trevor’
Wow! He’s really taking our role play tonight seriously, Cristal and a costume? I must be in for a treat. I smiled as I reminisced on the very first time I had Cristal. We were in Trevor’s Maybach, on our way to a party at a really exclusive night club in West Hollywood. He was so delighted that I had a taste for expensive champagne. He said a lot of people had trouble getting accustomed to luxury but he was happy that I embraced it. He also said my enthusia
sm for his lavish lifestyle really made him appreciate it more. He revealed that he often took things for granted when he didn’t have anyone to share them with. I poured a glass of champagne and wondered just how I got so lucky. I realized that I’d actually been through a lot, when I really thought about. It was about time things finally started going well for me. I took a long, slow sip of my drink, and nibbled on my strawberry. The combination of the bubbles from the champagne and the sweetness of the strawberry made me feel warm and giddy, despite the fact that I had just braved the excruciating Midwest weather on the way home. I regretted that the sun was always gone by the time I got off of work. It made me slightly melancholy, and I missed watching the sunset like I did in the summer. Yesterday I was lucky — I got off early to meet Trevor, and I got to watch the sun go down over the lake, through Trevor’s floor-to-ceiling windows, on the forty-fifth floor. I gazed over at the window to see if I could catch a glimpse of the lake today, but it was so dark that all I could see was my reflection.
I ate dinner quickly, and poured a second glass of champagne and took it to Trevor’s room with me. A pleated black skirt and a white cotton V-neck shirt, along with white socks and a pair of black shoes, were waiting for me on Trevor’s bed. I changed out of my knitted red tunic and black skinny jeans, and into the outfit Trevor had left for me. I looked at myself in the mirror. The white V-neck hugged my curves and showed quite a bit of cleavage. The dark skirt fell just above my knee. I looked like a schoolgirl, dressed neatly in uniform. I pulled my long thick hair in a high ponytail before glancing in the mirror again. The ponytail made me look too young, so I took it out and brushed my hair so that it laid down. For the first time in a long time I was really happy with my appearance. My hair that I inherited from my Native American grandmother was long, full and shiny. My light caramel skin looked clear and creamy. And my hazel eyes sparkled with a touch of vibrant green. Eating only the finest foods and being pampered by Trevor’s staff really made me glow. I smiled at my reflection. I looked happy and radiant. I took a few sips of champagne. I felt warm and sexy. Trevor stepped into the bedroom just as I was thinking about him.
“Well, don’t you look stunning? Everything fits perfectly.” Trevor crossed his ankles as he leaned against the door frame and looked me up and down. “Turn around for me Giavanna. Let me see all of you.” I twirled around in a circle and curtsied when I was facing Trevor again. “Beautiful… just beautiful!” Trevor beamed. “I hate to mess with perfection, but Giavanna, could you do one thing for me?”
“Yes, what is it Trevor?”
“Could you pull your hair into pigtails for me?”
I scrunched up my face. “I don’t know. It’ll make me look too young.”
“It’s not about looking young, it’s about feeling innocent. You’re always so sharp and strong and assertive. For tonight I need you to relax and be soft and receptive. You’re about to learn about a whole new lifestyle and I’m going to need you to really tap into your innocence and femininity if we’re going to make the most of the night. Even though you always deny it, you’re naturally innocent. I think wearing your hair in pigtails will help you get in touch with that part of yourself.”
I pensively nibbled on my bottom lip as I contemplated what Trevor had said. I figured there was no harm in wearing pigtails, especially if it would turn him on. I loved to titillate Trevor. “Alright Trevor, if you say so.” I smiled and rolled my eyes.
“For tonight, I’m not Trevor. I’m your teacher, Mr. Dunaway. Is that clear Giavanna?”
“Yes, Mr. Dunaway.” I replied with mock sweetness. I decided to really have fun with this role play.
“Alright, good. When you’re finished with your hair come into my office and we’ll get started.”
“Will do.” I turned toward the mirror as Trevor exited the room. I couldn’t believe I was letting some man tell me what to do with my hair but I acquiesced. I pulled my long layers into two low pony tails at the base of my neck and I let my shorter layers frame my face. Surprisingly, it wasn’t a bad look for me. I looked virile and innocent, but the way my hair fell right around the curviest part of my bust line added a touch of sex appeal. As much as the female alpha in me didn’t want to admit it, Trevor really knew how to make me look good.
I took one last look in the mirror, applied some lip gloss, and headed down the hall. Trevor’s office was about the size of my entire one-bedroom apartment. His massive, oak desk faced two cream-colored chairs that looked like they were fit for a king’s living room. The wall behind Trevor’s desk held built-in bookshelves that were lined with books about the music industry. The other walls were floor-to-ceiling windows. It was so dark outside, it looked like we were floating through a black hole. In the corner there was a small table, and an office chair that faced a dry erase board.
“Sit at this table, Giavanna. Your lesson will take place here.”
“May I have a coaster for my champagne?”
“Drinking in class?” Trevor raised his eyebrows. “You know that’s grounds for discipline, young lady.” Trevor’s tone was more stern than I expected. My heart skipped a beat as I realized I had no idea what was in store for me tonight. “You need to finish your drink before we get started.” I froze and my face flushed red because I wasn’t sure if he was joking or if he was serious. I felt vulnerable as I stood in the center of the office dressed in a school uniform holding my champagne flute. “Go on, bottoms up.” Trevor encouraged. I put the champagne glass to my lips and emptied it in one fluid sip. I stifled a burp as I handed my empty glass to Trevor. I felt warm and giddy. I had the overwhelming urge to giggle but I did my best to hold it in. “Sit.” Trevor pointed at my seat.
I erupted into a fit of laughter. I couldn’t contain myself. “Sit? What is this puppy training school?” I giggled.
“That’s it young lady!” Trevor grabbed a ruler off his desk and walked over and rapped the table with it. I was so startled I visibly jumped. “I already see that I’m going to have to discipline you. You will absolutely be punished tonight but I’m going to withhold all discipline until we’re done with our lesson for today.” There was a devious glow in Trevor’s hypnotic brown eyes. “You need to know how discipline works before I administer it. I need you to take this seriously. If you don’t your punishment will be more severe. Understand?” Trevor spoke firmly. The seriousness in his tone made me sober up and sit at attention.
“Yes, Mr. Dunaway. Understood.” I was shocked by how demurely I replied.
“Good. That’s what I like to hear. Now, let us begin. First I need to assess your knowledge. You said you don’t know much about BDSM. Just how much do you know? What do you think BDSM is Giavanna?”
“Ummm… when I think of BDSM I think of pain. I picture a man wearing a leather mask, and a woman being chained to the bed and beaten. I also think of nipple clamps.” I cringed at the thought. Trevor’s eyes lit up.
“Your idea of what BDSM entails is very limited but I’m really impressed with the vivid pictures you paint. You’re a very sensual young lady.” Trevor’s compliment made me blush. “I’m going to explain to you what BDSM is, and what it is not, so you can make an informed decision about whether you want to be a part of it. This lifestyle has brought me more balance than any type of workout, meditation or therapy ever has. And it’s even more cathartic than making music. Actually one fuels the other. The BDSM lifestyle definitely influences my art. And the darkness that I must draw upon when I’m creating my music fuels my hunger for BDSM.” I raised my hand to ask Trevor a question.
“Yes, Giavanna?”
“How did you get into BDSM? That’s not something that most people just stumble upon in their youth. How did you find this underground community?”
“Well that’s a rather long story Giavanna and one I’d rather not get into tonight. Let’s just say one unfortunate circumstance led to another, and I discovered the BDSM community exactly when I needed it most. Practicing BDSM was the healthiest way I knew ho
w to process some of the things I’d gone through in the past. If it wasn’t for this lifestyle I don’t know where I’d be today. I know I wouldn’t be in a luxurious Lincoln Park penthouse, standing across from one of the most beautiful women on the planet. The BDSM community helped me to become a productive, contributing member of society. And that’s all I’m going to say about that for now.”
“Interesting.”
“That it is. Now, moving on…” Trevor drew the letters B-D-S-M on the dry erase board. “BDSM stands for bondage and discipline,” he circled the B and the D, “sadism and masochism,” he circled the S and the M, “and the D and the S together stand for dominance and submission.” Trevor used a red marker to circle the D and the S. “In my opinion that’s the most beneficial part for both parties, dominance and submission. It’s the core of the type of relationship I’m looking for. Bondage and discipline are just a way to exercise dominance. Both bondage and discipline are an art form. I’m quite skilled in the technical aspects of bondage, but my greatest strength is in administering discipline. I approach every discipline session the same way that I approach my music. Each sensation that I inflict upon my sub during playtime is like a different note. When I masterfully arrange a series of sensations, it’s like creating a brilliant composition. Hmmm, I must say…” Trevor looked into space as he spoke thoughtfully. “I think I enjoy disciplining my subs just as much as I enjoy making music.”
I was intrigued and perplexed at the same time. I already knew that there was no way that I would fit into the lifestyle that he was describing, but for some reason I was enchanted by Trevor’s passion, and his confidence in his abilities. “Wow, you too paint beautiful pictures Trevor. I suppose we have that in common.”
“That we do. We could create magnificent art together.”
“Perhaps we could. But I want to know more about the S&M aspect — that’s the part that concerns me.”
“Well I understand your curiosity, but there is no need for concern. Sadism is deriving pleasure from inflicting pain and other sensations, and masochism is deriving pleasure from receiving different sensations. The term pain is used loosely in this context, as in a BDSM relationship it’s mostly about the exchange of pleasure. The point of the pain is to make you, the masochist, feel good.”
BWWM: Bad Boy Billionaires Box Set (A Bad Boy BWWM Billionaire Collection) Page 21