by Sara Tyr
Her eyes shot open again and he grinned at her, “There. That’s a good way to wake up my sleepy puppy, isn’t it?”
When they first started her obedience lessons, Marie had tried to speak when her owner asked a question. She hadn’t realized they were rhetorical or intended for his own thought process. A few of his comments might be directed at her, but unless she wanted to wear the bark collar or a muzzle, she had to answer only as a dog would.
Marie let out a little bark. It was small and cute, like the fiercest thing a puppy could manage.
“Good girl,” he said and gave her haunch a little pat before standing. “C’mon.”
Garret headed for the door without checking to see if she would follow. He had confidence in her training. Besides, if she ever backslid, they could always spend some more time working on Marie’s understanding of her status and his expectations.
He went to the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of dried oatmeal, mixed in the milk, and microwaved it. A man of Garret’s means could have easily afforded a servant for his country home, but he preferred his privacy. It wasn’t for Marie’s sake. Any number of people had witnessed her new lifestyle, not that she liked to think of it. He enjoyed his privacy and only wished for his puppy’s company. And if he really wanted a woman’s attention or companionship, he could allow Marie to earn some of those privileges.
Marie sat by his chair as he ate his breakfast. She stared up at him and licked her lips, eager for his leftovers. He got to eat first, then it would be her turn.
He finished and put the bowl on the floor. At once, Marie leaned down so her nose was less than a tenth of an inch from the milky surface. She lapped up some of the milk and got a few of the floating oats and grains as well. While she ate, Garret checked his phone and read whatever articles interested him or answered the communications needed to run his business.
Thinking of his business always made Marie blush. This all started with his business. Refusing to think of how she came to be his property, Marie focused on her meal. This was quite a treat. She didn’t have to eat the dried kibble and lap up water. Without thinking about it, she wagged her butt from side to side.
Despite her best efforts, when Marie lifted her face, rogue drops of milk rolled down her nose and cheeks. She wasn’t allowed a napkin, so she shook her head until the stubborn droplets flew off her skin. Happy, she wagged again and let her tongue loll from her mouth.
“There’s a good girl,” he told her.
Garret picked up the bowl and put it back in the sink. From there, he went back to the living room. He sat on the couch and watched as his pet girl obediently crawled up to him. She wasn’t allowed to move on her feet anymore.
“Are you ready for some more training?”
Marie whimpered and shook her head.
“Well, that’s too bad, isn’t it?”
Marie let out another little arf-bark. She sounded quite cute. When they started, he tried to figure out what kind of breed she would be. As a physical human, she had the size of a larger canine, but as they proceeded with her training, he decided she was much more of a lapdog. She had to be something small and cute, the kind of puppy girl who would cower for her master.
“Good girl. Now let’s start with some easy tricks.” He smiled, savoring her visage as her cheeks colored. He had trained her to perfect compliance, and yet she still felt the shame every time they went through this. It made him wonder how she would perform at a dog show.
Marie crawled away from his knees and got down on her hands and knees. She lifted her chin to stare back at him. Although she followed his commands, a spark of her original defiance lingered.
“Beg.”
Marie straightened her back and held out her hands. She kept her wrists limp. But the physical position wasn’t all. “Beg,” he told her again. With her eyes on the floor beneath her master’s feet, she whimper, whimper, whimpered.
“Roll over, girl!” a little more animation lit his tone, if only to remind Marie of her status as his toy.
Not hesitating, she rolled over. She fell onto her back then kicked her hands and feet against the air. “Good girl!” she heard. Garret got down beside her. Still on his knees, he started to rub her stomach with one hand. With the other, he decided to give her a little treat.
He petted her pelvis, then worked his fingers further down. He touched her slit and Marie started to whimper again, only this time her pitch changed. It got higher, and her eyes rolled back. When he first started training her, Garret realized this was a very sexual animal. She loved to orgasm more than anything, a piece of knowledge he used extensively to reward her good behavior.
Marie spread her legs to give her owner better access, especially since she was no longer allowed to pleasure herself. It seemed so unfair, but aside from a piteous look, she had no way to protest how her master decided to treat her.
He ran his fingers between her lips, sliding down until he touched her clit. Marie tensed up then relaxed as her body began to quiver with pleasure. She had always been more sensitive than most girls. While her classmates teased one another about being too easy or loose, Marie had no problem pleasuring herself. She came so easily, and it was no different now that her master touched and teased her.
She didn’t get to come.
He pulled his fingers away and wiped it off on her thigh. She groaned and started to growl before she reminded herself not to misbehave. He could punish her as easily as he rewarded her.
“Beg.”
Marie assumed the same position. Limp wrists, chin down, whimpering. This time her whimpers came out with more desperation. Before she begged because he gave the order. Now she really wanted something. Her sex glistened, and she wanted to feel his hand on her again. Or better yet, she wanted to earn the right to pretend to be a woman again. She wanted to be on her back and feel her master pin her and slide his cock deep inside of her.
“Wag.”
She obeyed.
“Play dead.”
Marie fell down onto her stomach, rolled over, and held her feet and hands tense. She looked stiff and made her owner laugh at her. Again, she blushed. She had always blushed so easily throughout her life and her demotion to pet had done nothing to stop it.
“Good girl. Now let’s try another one. This will be for your treat.”
He went back to the kitchen. Marie felt a stab of disappointment because she knew exactly what trick he had planned for her next. She hated this one most of all. It was completely embarrassing and demeaning.
He came back with a small back of crackers. “Assume the position,” he told her.
Marie got back on her haunches, then lifted her chin, and pointed her nose right at the ceiling. Her hands remained up, her wrists loose. This position looked a lot like begging, only it had a more demeaning component.
He took a cookie from the bag and placed it on her nose. “Stay,” he told her. “Stay.” The scent of the sugary treat filled her nostrils, not that she wanted it so desperately. She hated how he could make her follow these commands. It nearly made her think of how this all happened, how she came to obey his orders.
Garret placed a second cookie on her nose. He perched it on the first one. Then he did a third. This was getting more difficult, but Marie knew she would get a good treat if they could beat their previous record.
Her master took out a fourth cookie and balanced it on the third one. Now she couldn’t move. She had to keep her muscles and joints completely stiff. She tried not to breathe or even think as her owner placed the fourth cookie on her nose. But then a crumb must have fallen off and hit her cheek. She inhaled at the wrong moment and let out an adorable puppy sneeze.
The cookies fell onto the floor.
Marie looked up at her master and whimpered again. He petted her head, “Don’t worry about it. We can try again later.”
Marie wagged her tail, happy not to be punished for her failure. Although she wasn’t entirely used to being his dog, Marie had to admit that
he was a pretty fair owner. He only punished her when she willfully disobeyed. If he asked for something that was too advanced, he didn’t discipline her.
“Did you try really hard?”
Marie nodded quickly, bobbing her head up and down.
“Play dead,” he ordered.
Marie did it again. Only this time he sat beside her and started to touch her pussy again. His fingers slipped between her moist lips so easily. It was almost as though he belonged there because she belonged to him.
“There’s a good girl. Such a good puppy.”
Marie heard those words and couldn’t stop it this time. She thought of how this all started.
Before…
Marie got out of her car and took a deep breath. The night air felt crisp and clean, as though another spring rain might fall at any moment. It had already drizzled a little, enough to make the damp cars and wet street shine before her. The streetlights glittered back at her like stars embedded in the concrete and asphalt.
It was a perfect night for a little bit of espionage.
Marie glanced around and giggled to herself. No one saw her. The streets were empty. It was nearly two in the morning. From seven to about ten every day, these streets buzzed with people. There were hotdog vendors, taxis, private cars, and people in business attire on the sidewalks. The serious pedestrians carried brief cases as they scanned news about the financial world. They tracked stock tickers and the value of bonds or commodities.
Not Marie. Sure, she came to this part of town fairly frequently, but officially, she didn’t know a thing about finance or any of the markets. If anyone checked her college transcripts, they would find art and design courses. They would discover a couple certificates in Interior Design.
Those were her official records, and they were all correct. Of course, those official records didn’t cover any of the more illicit connections she had made since starting her tiny design firm.
Marie took another breath and felt he pump of her heartbeat. This was the moment, her last real chance to cancel tonight’s mission. She could get back in her vehicle and drive home. It would only take one text to tell Marie’s employer that she didn’t get what she requested. It would annoy the heck out of Selena Cort, but she wouldn’t be able to do anything. Marie’s activities weren’t strictly legal, after all, so anyone involved with tonight’s interlude—especially the person who put her up to it—really wouldn’t complain so long as the Securities and Exchange Commission didn’t get involved.
The SEC could really destroy a manager’s reputation.
A jolt of nerves shot through her body, so she dispelled it by hopping up and down twice, laughing aloud, and slapping her hands against her thighs. She probably looked like some teenybopper girl who got overly excited to see her favorite pop start.
After working out her jangled nerves, Marie checked her reflection in her car’s window. She straightened out her features so she seemed like nothing more than a solemn and serious young woman with a job to do. She kept her blond hair long and straight. The tips of her mane reached all the way to the small of her back and ended in a straight line. Her hair was bright and shined with the light. Plenty of guys fantasized about running their hands through it.
Marie smiled back at her reflection. The curve of her lips added a seductive playfulness to her demeanor. She practically radiated sex appeal even as the coy smile reminded men of innocent schoolgirls who just hoped for a little fun. She had on a little bit of blush to heighten her pale skin tone and some light pink lipstick to highlight the endearing curves of her mouth. Oh yeah, she was definitely ready.
As for her clothes, Marie had donned a dark pink tank top. Its ruffled lace stuck out right above her bosom. Marie’s low cut blouse showed off the underlying tank top a bit more as well. The blouse was warm against the night but tight. It showed up her narrow waist and hugged her bouncy breasts. If a security guard happened to notice this young woman wandering where she didn’t belong, he would have a hard time remembering what his job actually entailed.
Marie exhaled and started across the street. Technically jaywalking, she glanced down both directions and trudged across the wet boulevard. Ten hours before, simply crossing would have been impossible. Traffic would have jammed the street, only now everything seemed empty and much larger, especially the buildings.
As Marie hit the opposite sidewalk, she craned her neck and stared back at her destination. She aimed for the fiftieth floor of the Dominion Road Complex. Officially, there were three big office buildings, but she headed for the largest.
The front doors were unlocked, the receptionist’s desk abandoned. The first floor’s elevators were all protected by a set of plastic gates. Marie walked up to them, very much aware of the dozens of cameras on her. At this stage, there would be records of her arrival, only they wouldn’t matter since she had legitimate reasons to be there as well. Just to be sure, Marie reached down to her pocket. She felt the jump drive’s familiar shape and light weight.
A bored and tired looking security guard stood on the other side. He didn’t even smile at her. With wires coming down from his ears, he seemed focused on whatever sports program happened to occupy his attention.
Marie took out her access card and swiped it through the reader. The metal framed door clicked, and she pulled it open with one yank. Marie stepped across the threshold and felt the air around her cool down. From then on, she was in protected territory.
“Good evening,” she said.
“Late night?” asked the guard.
“Yeah. Catching up on some work.” Marie headed for the elevator and pushed the up button. Since the elevator was already there, the doors slid open. Marie stepped inside and punched in her destination.
Gravity pulled down on her as the elevator car zoomed up the building. Marie glanced at the upper corner again and wondered if anyone was watching or paying attention. Reminding herself it didn’t matter and how she had a good reason to be in the building, she bowed her head and grinned.
The elevator slowed, then stopped. The doors opened with a gentle ping, and Marie stepped into the hall. The silence struck her like a blow. Even the steady thrum of the elevator had been swallowed by the quiet. There were almost always interns, analysts, or managers out. Conversations and music should have vibrated through the background.
Marie forced herself not to think of this as a felony. She forced herself to imagine this like a game, a challenge, or an adventure. Otherwise, she might have freaked out and run down the stairs back to the first level.
Her footsteps echoed along with the pounding of her heart. Marie managed to level her breathing and steady her pace. She didn’t want to rush or take any unnecessary chances. When she arrived at the door to his portion of the floor, Marie took out her card again. She swiped it one more time and watched the red light flicker then switch to green. The locks released, she turned the handle, and she slipped inside.
The office was dark. Marie waited for her eyes to adjust. The only light came from the green exit signs and the red flood lights over the doors. Marie considered turning on the light but decided she knew this place well enough. After hours evaluating and measuring, Marie could have probably walked through the office blindfolded.
Marie ignored the front desk and the cubicles. Every few paces, she glanced back and wondered about the people who worked there. The cubicle in the far corner belonged to Ron, a jerk who didn’t believe in interior decorators. He called Marie a waste of money to her face.
Clicking her tongue, Marie hoped they would decide to fire him. Bolstered, she rushed back between the desks and paused in front of Garret Richardson’s office door. For about ten seconds, she tapped the flat of the card on her palm. If this didn’t work, then it meant Garret didn’t trust her. All of her efforts would have meant nothing.
Marie slid the card a final time. There wasn’t a light this time, so Marie couldn’t know what would happen until she touched the knob, turned it, and stepped inside.
No, just because she made it this far didn’t mean she was done.
In spite of her caution, Marie didn’t rush back to his desk. Instead, she took a moment and inspected his office. Considering that Garret Richardson was one of their city’s youngest hedge fund managers and had already cleared his first billion, his decorations weren’t particularly ostentatious.
There was a signed baseball from one of the first games he and his father attended. A poster from his favorite sci-fi movie hung on the wall. Then there were a bunch of books. Marie swept her gaze across the different titles. A combination of philosophy, finance, and a few novels dominated his bookshelves.
When she first stepped into this room those two weeks ago, Marie had been impressed by his set of books. Most of the money managers she visited concentrated on management or abstract theories of personal improvement or self-aggrandizement. Garret seemed more interested in bettering his understand of the world. His pursuits didn’t necessarily lead directly to technical or fundamental analysis.
No, he seemed genuinely interested in the world and how it worked.
Perhaps that was why he was so successful.
Well, that wouldn’t last much longer.
Marie sat at his desk and hit the power button to his computer. The tower vibrated to life along with the monitor. The green button at the bottom right came to life and a generic nameplate appeared. When the login prompt came on, Marie pulled out the flash drive.
The technology which made all of this work made pretty much no sense to her. Marie knew absolutely nothing about hacking or computer programming. She didn’t know anything about the financial markets these people worked in either. But as long as Marie’s employer continued to pay her to sneak past these guys’ defenses, she had no problem with it.