by Elaine May
“The eleven point five million, of course.”I say with a smile.
“Yes, Miss Jonas, I know that but don’t you want to think about it first? Don’t you think we’re under-selling you?” I turn in my chair to look at him.
“I just want to sell my business, Mr Bryant.”
“Miss Jonas.”
I interrupt him before he can say anything else, I just want to get this started and finished as soon as possible so we can get to the games and I can end his pathetic soul. This man is starting to unnerve me every time I’m too close to him, though, and there is no way I can let that happen.It won’t work if feelings are involved and I never have those with my play dates.
“You know, you can just call me Ayria.” I say as my fingers start to drifttowards the inside of his thigh. I think it’s time to start things rolling in the right direction. I hear the gasp as my fingers touch him and he just looks at me, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, I can see the muscles flex as he stretches on a small groan. He allows my fingers to move higher and higher until I can feel his large cock resting close to my fingers. It’s so close, he’s so close. I could just take a grab and have him really groaning in my hand but that isn’t the plan yet, oh no. I look up into his eyes once again, just to check what he’s thinking,and all I can see in them is thefire blazing as he releases another moan just as my fingers start a slower path up and down the length of him through his pants.
“Are you happy to be working on this withme?” I ask and then look down at where my fingers are still playing with him.
“Because it feels like you may be?”
“I...I am.” He whispers around another groan as I work my fingers harder through the material, feeling him grow beneath my fingers.
“I really am.” I let go of him and then rest my hands on the table, raising my shoulders as I look back at him and say,
“That’s a shame because we really have things to discuss.”
“W...What?”I have to fight the need to laugh at the desperation in his voice. Poor baby.
“You heard me.” I look down.
“Big boy.”
“You can’t just...”He says,his voice tight with anger now.
“Can’t just what?” I say with expectant eyes. Mocking him in the process. Come on, baby, play the game.
“You just.. You can’t just do that and stop.”The volume of his voice goes up a level as he rises from his chair and tries to loom over me with the power he thinks he has, but I’m the only one to hold the power in this room at the moment thank you very much.
“I think I can because I just did. Now sit back down and let’s get back to work.” I have to fight another laugh that wants to creep up at his lost expression. Oh bless him, I’ve gotten to him again.
“What the fuck?” He grumbles as he sits back down and I give the inside of his thigh a little tap and he groans again.
“Now with the money you offered I want about a third.” His expression turns to confusion before my eyes and it’s a beautiful sight.
“You’re happy with the figure we offered? You don’t want to go away and think some more about it?” I can hear the pain in his voice.
“Oh yes, I’m happy but you don’t know what I’m going to say yet.” I raise an eyebrow and he just leans back into his chair waiting for me.
“I want the money split three ways. I’ll keep two million and then...” He just starts shaking his head, not believing what’s coming out of my mouth.
“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” I bet he and his father never expected this and I’m loving the look currently sitting on his face. One point to me, baby, and zero to you.
“You heard me, now I want the next third to be given to different charities” I go into my bag and pull out the list of charities and how I want the money divided. Harry looks at me, looks at the paper before he places a long finger on the end and pulls the sheet closer to him. He unfolds it and I hold a breath as he takes the list in with a raised eyebrow. He looks so handsome as he does it and I lick my lips, making sure he notices.
“There’s a few children’s charities here, cancer. Why are you donating so much of the business to these?”
“Isn’t it our duty to help if we can?” I can feel him look me over with a fine tooth comb but he won’t get what he’s looking for. I start playing with the end of a piece of hair and then run my fingers all through it as I stretch and turn my head. He doesn’t say anything, just keeps looking at me, his stare seems to penetrate right through me, undressing me.
“The last of the money remaining I want to go to all of my grandfather’s employees. I know you won’t be able to keep all of them, but I want to know they’ll all be ok whether you keep them or not.” I turn away for a moment, thinking of all those people whose lives hang within my grasp but unlike my grandfather or his minions I’ll make sure they are all ok. I reach into my bag again and pull out another piece of paper, placing it where I put the other one, and this time he just grabs it.
“Those are the names of the fuckers I don’t want getting a cent of my money. The fuckers who I’m hoping you’ll fire so they can all be out on their ears, believe me everyone of them will deserve it.” His eyes rise at my choice of words, at what I have just asked of him. I really do love surprising people.
“If you want my business then those are my terms and I really hope you and your father agree.” I get up to go but he takes a hold of my hand, stopping me in my tracks.
“Y...You’re going now? We still have more to discuss.”
Electricity shoots through my arm, all the tiny hairs rise to attention at just that simple touch and I know from his reaction he feels it too.
“I’ve told you what I want, it’s simple and I expect it to be all written down in a contract for me to sign tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Are you crazy? We’ll need more time than that”
“You’ll be fine I’m sure. You’re Harry Bryant after all and now, Harry Bryant,I’m going home. I hope you have a good day.” I wink at him and then remove his hand from mine and walk out the door, a giant smile on my face as my body hums with amusement. He’s going to want me even more now. I’ve given him a taste of what I can do to him, I’ve surprised him by what I said and now he’s in my web. I take the lift back down to the entrance with a massive smile on my face, it’s all going the way I want it to. As soon as I walk out the main door and fresh air reaches my lungs my phone buzzes and I can see his name flashing away at me. Oh God it’s always the way, as soon as I feel things are going my way something has to come around, something comes up to mess with my happiness. It’s always the same way and as soon as I click the button I can hear his breathing on the other end tormenting me just as he’s always done.
“I’ve been hearing rumours Ayria.”
“It’s not Ayria it’s Miss Jonas to you and what rumours are those, Mark?”
“Miss Jonas?” He says with a laugh, not believing what I’m asking of him. Well, believe it, buddy because it’s happening. My grandfather is dead and this is my road trip now.
“I’ve known you since you were in diapers. I’ve always called you Ayria.”
“And I don’t think I gave you that right, so you’ll call me Miss Jonas.” I hear his sigh and I know I’m pushing my luck, but I need to do this. I need to cut these apron strings my grandfather placed around me. I need to try and break free.
“Why have you been going to Bryant Industries,Ayria?”
“Miss Jonas.”
“Answer the question.”
“I don’t think that’s any of your concern.”
“It is if it has something to do with my business”
“Yourbusiness? I think you’ll find it’s my business now and whatever happens to it is up to me.”
“Like hell it is.”
“Well I think it is and right now I’m going to say good bye.”
“Ayria don’t you dare do something stupid.”Do something stupid? Who does he think he
’s talking to? I’m no longer the little girl who just did everything she was told to do.
“Good bye Mark.” I end the call just as his angry voice travels through to my ears and the pleasure consumes me at what this will to do him and all his clones. What it will do to my grandfather as he looks on. I’d like to say that Mark left it like that but throughout the evening my cell rings with his number and all I can do is it let it ring unanswered.
CHAPTER NINE
HARRY
I want her now.
I fucking want her now more than anything.
Charity?
Her workers. She’s giving the money to them?
Why the hell would she want to do that?
“How did it go?” I hear my father’s voice and then I see his head peak around my door. I lean back against the back of my chair, not knowing how to answer him.
“Well?” He asks again.
“I don’t know what to say to you Dad.” I say as I look out the window. She’s down there somewhere completely oblivious to the effect she has had on meand I really want to see her again.
“She wants to give most of it away.”
“What?” I see my Dad’s confused face and I reach forward and push the two sheets of paper she gave me toward my father. He picks them up and I give him a few minutes to take it all in. Her demands, when she said that I had visions of a diva declaring things that could never happen, but this just seems worse. She has a soul, a kind soul, and I want to be able to find out more about that soul. Why she’s decided to give most of her fortune to others.
“Well that surprises me.”
“Surprises you? It’s silly.”
“Why? Because she’s giving her money away?” He’s starting to look annoyed.
“Well, yeah.” He starts shaking his head as he puts the papers back down on my desk.
“You know, you could learn something from her.”
“Learn something from her? Dad, please.” I can’t believe he’s just said that to me like I’m an idiot.
“Yes, like thinking of others apart from yourself.”
“I’m not talking about this again Dad.” He rolls his eyes and places both his hands on my desk getting far too close for comfort. A move he’s always done and it’s supposed to intimidate us, well it doesn’t even if I do have to start loosening my tie.
“I heard you got a new car last week.” He questions and I think of my shiny new pride and joy waiting for me back at the hotel.
“How many does that make now?” I roll my eyes at his question, he thinks he knows everything that goes on in this family, so he should already know his own answer. I stay silent for too long and he asks me again.
“Six, ok.”
“Six cars, you don’t need that many. You could have taken a leaf out of one of your siblings’ books and donated that money to charity.” Here we go again, my wonderful siblings who can do no wrong in my parents’ eyes.
“What would I want to do that for? It’s my money, I’ve worked hard for it.” My father just stares at me like he doesn’t even know me. Maybe he doesn’t, maybe no one does, least of all me.
“Sometimes I really don’t know what to do with you Harry.” The disdain in my father’s eyes races straight to my heart and I feel ashamed for putting it there but what does he want me to say? Would he rather I donate all my money and live with him and his money? I can feel the tension in the room as he continues to stare at me, but I give nothing away. Over all the years it’s something I have been able to perfect. I hear him release a puff of air as he turns on his heels and starts to walk to my door, but he stops just before he takes the handle.
“Get the contracts done for her, sign them. If you spent some time with her you might actually learn something.” Learn something? What am I going to learn from her that I don’t already know? I assume my face tells my thoughts because his face tells of a new disgust he has of me and he just shakes his head as he walks away from me.
What have I done wrong this time? I start to run my fingers through my hair as I go back through the last ten minutes.
Fuck it. I can never get anything right.
What’s wrong with me?
What’s wrong with me? Why is it always my fault? No, this is them, I’m completely fine. They just have too highexpectations and I’d be stupid to try and keep impressing them.
It’s never enough.
CHAPTER TEN
AYRIA
This is the day.
Today I’m going to sell away my birth-right, my family business and I get to give the money to people who really need it. I hear the motors of the lift reaching my apartment and I just know it’s going to be Clive. He steps through my front door with his smile and I instantly feel calmer about what I’m about to do today.
“Today’s the day. How are you feeling?” He says as he walks through my front door.
“Nervous.”I admit as Clive steps closer towards me and takes my hands in his.
“That’s only natural,Ayria. This is a big step but it’s the right thing to do and you know it.”
“I know, I just keep hearing his voice in my head telling me not to do it.” I sound so vulnerable right now, a scared little girl waiting for approval,but I haven’t been a child for years and I want to do this. I have to do this if I want my freedom back.
“Your father felt the same thing, but this time you don’t have the old man to stop you.” He winks at me. “Only your memories of him and they can’t hurt you.”
I can still remember the day Clive told me the truth. The day before my eighteenth birthday and the day my life changed forever. My grandfather did something I can never forgive, he stopped what I was about to do, but not this time. I can do this and nothing can get in my way. Clive wipes away the tears in the corner of my eyes and leads me out to the lift so it can take us down to the car port. The drive to Bryant Industries gives me the time to re-group, to calm myself, and by the time Clive pulls up to the building that I feel I know better than the one I’m about to sell, I feel better. He gives me a friendly wink as I step out of the car and I walk through the building to my destination where I hope everything will be ready for me.
****
“He said you can walk in Miss Jonas. He is expecting you.” His assistant says as I walk towards Harry’s office.
“I’m sure he is. Thank you.” I say with confidence, just trying to remember what Clive had said to me. The air is thick with awkward tension from the moment I step through into his office again. I’m starting to get to him, he’s starting to get to me, which is unheard of. I can feel the truth of the situation and it screams from every wall.
“Do you have my contract ready, Mr Bryant?”
“If I’m allowed to call you Ayria then I suppose you should call me Harry.” He says as he looks up from the paper in his hand.
“Thank you, Harry, but do you have what I want or not?”I try to say as pleasantly as I can.
“Ayria I have lots of things you want.” Ha, there’s the cocky womaniser I’ve heard so much about, where has he been hiding? I guess he thinks he can use his magic wand on me too and have me melting at his every word.
“I’m sure you have Harry.” I place my hands on my hips and he just steps closer towards me. Play it cool Ayria, you’re so close.
“But what about my contract?”
“Oh I have the contract for you. All your demands are on it like you asked but once it’s signed that will be it.”
“You’re right, it will be and then you’ll never have to see me again.” Come on, just hurry up and say it already. Say you want me, say you haven’t stopped thinking about my fingers on your cock since I put them there to play with you.
“I’d like to get to know you. I don’t want this to be the end quite yet. Don’t you?”He looks so sure of himself, like my agreement to this will be a done deal.
“I’m sure you don’t but what is it that you think you can offer me that no one else can? Why should I even want
to see you again?”
“Oh darling, I’m Harry Bryant, need I say more? Have you not read up on me, have you not read how I’m every woman’s orgasmic dream?” Orgasmic dream? He’s really going to start with that?
“Wow you really do think highly of yourself, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.” He pulls his arms out to either side of himself, showing off his firm stomach, between his legs, begging for freedom is a rather large cock, from what I can tell from that bulge. I can only assume how much he wants me. I lick my lips in a slow stroke and then bite my bottom lip trying to seem like I’m thinking of his offer. What type of an idiot does this guy take me for?
“Wow the great Harry Bryant wants me? It’s like a dream come true.”I start to fan myself.
“You bet I want you darling and I’ll rock your whole world in the process”
“I’m sure you can.”
“Of course, now what do you say? I’m a busy guy.”
“My contract, Mr Bryant?”
“I have it, but I want your answer first before you walk away for good this time because you’ve done that twice already now and haven’t even begged for me to take you.” He looks at me as if I’m blind.
“Is this what this is really all about?Your ego?”
“I want you in my bed darling before I go on to the next one.” Ha, this guy really is unbelievable, I’m too used to this type of guy and I’ll take him down easily.
“Oh baby.” I stop for effect as I start grazing a finger over my lips and then placing it in my mouth and releasing again with a little pop.
“I could be a mixture of magic and sin for you Harry. I could be your daydream or your worst nightmare.” I pull my hand close to his and start clicking my fingers and he just looks at my long digits with desire. Harry is a very dirty boy and I know exactly what he’s thinking. I know he’s thinking of my hand wrapped around that cock of his that’s still trying to say hello.
“With a click of my finger.”I move my hand away from his face and start running my fingers along the rim of my cup, licking my lips slowly. I can feel his eyes staring at me, the poor guy doesn’t know where to look, my finger or my tongue, but I have a better game. I stop licking my lips for a moment as my hands move to my neck where I use my fingers to trail down the v of my blouse where it nestles just above my breasts. I hear a groan coming from his mouth as he shuffles around in his chair and my fingers dance across the top of my breasts. I start licking my lips again, slowly, just like the movements my fingers are making, the air in his office getting tighter, hotter as I continue this little game of mine. I bite my lip as I look across at him with innocent eyes and he’s just staring at me like a child at the Christmas tree with all his presents waiting to be unwrapped on Christmas morning. I pull my fingers away from my chest and poke one into my mouth, sucking and licking the digit as my eyes remain on him.