by Faye Pierce
“I know you’re right, but that Damocles sword feels like it’s getting closer to lopping off my head. This invitation is probably exactly what I need. They’ll see that nothing and nobody is going to keep me away from a party. I’m going to need a plus one. Bring me, Valeria,” I insist while still staring at the letter opener, which has somehow made a bull’s-eye of a portrait of my face hanging on the wall.
I don’t even see when he leaves, but the door is open a crack. The man is a ninja able to move freely without being discovered. There’s a monster underneath the stoic expression. This is something we have in common, but we don’t discuss the matter instead but let it fester until I do something spontaneous.
I pry the knife out from between my portrait's eyes, realizing I’ll probably never make that shot again in a million years. Shooting darts have never been my game. Hustling, playing pool - pretending to be a novice to fleece several of my victims when growing up is what I was good at.
Hugo is out there watching and waiting to put that final nail in my coffee. It’s going to be him or me. One of us isn’t going to survive a face-to-face confrontation. He knows better than to pick a fight in broad daylight when he’s more comfortable in the shadows working behind the scenes.
“I don’t like being summoned,” Valeria defends.
“There’s a party tonight, and there will be several high-profile individuals attending. I need to make an appearance, but I’m not going to do it alone. You’ll find a dress lying on your bed. It has been tailored to your body type. Put it on and meet me downstairs in an hour. It shouldn’t take you long to get ready. Do you look like that when you wake up in the morning?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
She’s a stunning natural beauty with no need for makeup.
“I’m not going anywhere with you in public. Don’t you understand? I don’t like you. I’m never going to fall in line. You don’t even see your mistake. Let me try to clear things up. I’m doing this under protest, but you still don’t seem to get it. I took a sabbatical from my job to appease you, but I intend to go back with or without your blessing,” She fumes -her nostrils flaring and her arms crossed.
She thinks she’s in a position to talk down to me.
I sigh, deeply, quite annoyed by what she has to say. “I’m through holding your hand. Being a part of my family means that you will have to sacrifice your precious time to put on a brave face with my friends and colleagues. They need to see we are united. A splashy entrance will make them eat their hearts out when they see you strolling down the stairs wearing the dress I chose. Make no mistake about it; this is going to happen.”
She becomes brazen and walks up to me, not sparing an inch of space between us. She’s looking to argue, but I’m not going to play into her hand.
“Life would be much better if you just played the part laid out for you. Why do we have to constantly bicker like an old married couple? It’s tiresome, and I become mentally exhausted going around and around in circles with you. Maybe what you need is a form of punishment. I might have the right thing. Let me show you what I have in mind,” I say with my hand reaching toward the top drawer of my desk.
It’s easy to find what I’m looking for by the feel of its texture. I bring it into focus in front of her. Moving them around in my hand creates a clicking sound. She seems perplexed until her eyes widen when she finally understands what they are.
“I bought these for the wedding night, but I never got the chance to break them out of the box. They supposedly cause a wild and uninhibited sensation when they’re inserted. You’ll feel them inside of you every time you take a step. It’ll drive you crazy, but you are forbidden to take them out without my express permission,” I say with a finality that makes her lower lip quiver.
I once again bend her over the desk to slowly inch up the tightly woven fabric of leather, stretching her wide hips. The panties move aside with my finger, and I spank her again just to hear her squeal under her breath. It’s fun to brand her temporarily with my fingerprints.
I thought for a moment she was an ice queen, but I know precisely how to thaw her resistance.
The Ben Wa balls are a tried and true method of keeping a woman primed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. I slowly insert the two silver sexual orbs until they are in place firmly embedded. She will have to use those internal muscles to keep them from falling out at the party.
“I can’t believe you are doing this again. Just when I think your cruelty can’t get any worse, you do something like this to change my mind. What makes you think I’m going to stand for this? It’s not like you can stop me from taking them out when I walk out of the room,” Valeria says.
“You could take them out, and I hope you do. The punishment I’ve devised if you insist on removing them will pale in comparison to everything I have done to you up to this point. I would seriously contemplate what that could mean before you decide to defy me. I can be very creative when I put my mind to it. I might even decide to do it in public where everybody can see your humiliation and embarrassment,” I threaten with a grin.
“You’re bluffing,” she responds.
“Are you sure about that? Are you willing to risk becoming a public spectacle for your principles? I don’t think you are. Public perception is important to you more than you are willing to admit. Go upstairs and get ready. I’m not going to ask again,” I urge with a firm hand on her shoulder.
She doesn’t budge from the spot. “This has gone far enough. I have a good mind to walk out of here, pack my bag, and leave, but you know I can’t do that. Rest assured, this marriage is a sham. I despise you with every fiber of my being. You think you have the world in the palm of your hand. I’m not a puppet for your amusement.”
“I was going to let you leave with your dignity intact, but you had to keep talking. This attitude is getting old quickly. Just stand right there and don’t move a muscle.” I retrieve the black plastic bag.
“Take off your panties and put on these,” I urge with a less than subtle clap of my hands.
I’m rewarded with her reaching underneath her skirt and pulling the panties down until they’re around her ankles. She steps out of them, and I present her with a black lace gift with a surprise in the crotch. She looks at them and then back at me before finally complying.
“This controller will be in my possession all evening. I can make you very uncomfortable with one press of my finger. Let me give you an example on the lowest setting,” I warn with that finger pressing the button.
That jolt of vibration causes her mouth to open up with her chest arched.
She storms out, but the range of the controller is more than sufficient to stop her in her tracks. She leans over and holds onto the railing with her eyes closed. She’s mumbling something and stomps up the stairs, no longer hiding her animosity from the staff.
Valeria
I feel like a princess dressed in a flamboyant and formfitting red dress to make me stand out from the crowd. There’s a hushed silence when I step into the room on his arm. I can see the jealousy in the women's eyes, but they have no idea what awaits me behind closed doors.
“I want you to mingle with the guests. Remember what happens when I feel you are not living up to my expectations. Put on a brave face. Go ahead and flaunt your success and wealth in front of their faces. My sister is here somewhere. Make sure she has a good time but remember the reason why we are here. Keep your eyes and ears open,” he advises.
I quickly separate myself from him, but I make one final glance over my shoulder.
He shows me the remote control in his hand, which he quickly pockets. My anger is clear to see even with the smile plastered on my face. That’s the fire I’ve come to exhibit when he’s got me to the wire.
Everybody is dressed to impress. There are cliques in every group. Some are quick to invite me into the conversation, but others turn their nose. I see the way they look at me. It’s easy to recognize the green streak down their backs. I do
n’t like it, but I do feel important by his side. The power he exudes is clearly something he loves to lord over others.
I don’t see Leo, but I know he’s in the room somewhere, hiding in plain sight, watching everything. It’s nice to know we have him looking out for us. I pity anyone who decides to come after Caspian while Leo is still drawing breath. I’ve heard some very disturbing stories, but there’s nothing to substantiate the rumors.
I get the feeling Leo spreads those rumors just to keep people on their toes.
Something is going on in the back of the room.
“You can’t even run away from us without looking like a fool. Everybody pities you. Nobody likes you.”
“It’s nice to see you again, Melissa. Do you know who my brother is? Of course, you do, but that doesn’t stop you from putting me down in public. Something is missing in your life. You feel this need to ridicule me for an injury I had no control over. It makes me feel sad for you,” Midnight shoots back.
“Your brother is a criminal. He doesn’t deserve to be around these people, thinking he’s one of them. You don’t have a place at this table. Nothing you do is ever going to make you feel like one of us. That goes for his little tart too. She doesn’t appreciate what she has. This is what we call high society. People like you don’t belong.” Melissa retorts.
They are making cracks at Midnight and me without realizing I’m standing right behind them.
“Melissa, we both know why you’re doing this. You think I don’t know, but everybody does. Your mother is a drunk. She sleeps most of the day, and you have to clean up after her. This is your way of lashing out. It’s not healthy. We’ve never been friends. You come from a powerful family. Thinking you are untouchable doesn’t give you a license to be a bitch. That’s right...I called you a bitch. If the shoe fits…,” Midnight says.
“You have no idea how much I hate you and your brother,” She seethes.
Melissa seems to be the mouthpiece of the group. The others take their lead from her, obviously afraid of the influence she has on their lives.
“I have thicker skin than that. I know my worth. It doesn’t come from daddy’s money. You’ve probably never worked a day in your life. It’s your status that you live for. God help anybody that threatens that, including your friends. They see right through you, but they’re terrified of what you’re going to do if they somehow speak up for themselves,” Midnight says.
“I’m going to give you some unsolicited advice. Money is power. Your brother is nothing more than a thug. By getting him to donate to worthy causes, you would think that it’s going to change the way people look at him. The two of you are nothing more than trash. Do you know what we do with trash? We throw it to the curb and forget about it,” Melissa continues to berate.
Words will not hurt Midnight, but I have this sinking suspicion it’s not going to stop there unless I intervene.
Midnight is barely able to stand while relying on the cane.
“I don’t have to stand here and take this.’ Midnight attempts to push through the crowd formed around her.
Melissa laughs. “You can’t stand at all..”
Midnight is doing what she can do to keep things from escalating, but she can’t help get in a few verbal jabs of her own.
“Your daddy isn’t innocent. Everybody knows that he sleeps with anything with two legs, sometimes as young as you are. Do you think maybe you should be locking the door at night? He has a taste for the young ones. Naomi knows all about that,” Midnight blurts out.
This is all happening within the reception, off to one corner. Most people ignore what is going on, but a few are looking and making strange faces. They don’t want to get involved.
Melissa looks at Naomi to see that she’s unable to make eye contact. This is only going to infuriate her further. Melissa steps up to Midnight and invades her personal space.
A verbal sparring match is one thing, but it’s going to escalate. I can’t sit idly by and do nothing about it.
Chapter Nine
Caspian
I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t like it. She’s surrounded by the daughters of some very high-profile individuals. They should be bowing at her feet, but they don’t take kindly to interlopers.
“I see that you brought your flavor of the month. Why did you have to marry this one? What would possibly compel you to think it was a good idea to walk down the aisle? I’ve done it three times, but I’m what you would call a glutton for punishment,” Jasper states with a smirk.
He thinks we are friends, but I’m using him to keep abreast of new information I can use against those that I consider enemies. He works in finance and likes to talk when he’s drinking. His clients are colleagues, but I use the term loosely.
“I know this might be a novel concept, but there’s such thing as love at first sight. She might not fit in, but she knows how to show compassion and consideration to those around her. Her heart is huge. She does what she can to make life better to give the children a chance to succeed. We are talking about having a family. If that doesn’t say we are serious, then I have no idea what will,” I say.
I’m picking up pieces of the conversation in the corner. They’re not very kind to my sister, but she’s not backing down from the confrontation. I see that she tries to leave, but they’re determined to keep having fun at her expense.
My back is toward them, but I have great hearing.
“Love is an illusion built on the back of the Hallmark corporation. They make it impossible for the average person to measure up to the ideals of romance,” Jasper continues.
I admire the man, but I also understand opportunities don’t come around often. Being his friend allows me to parlay whatever information I get out of him into a financial windfall for my family.
He has the prerequisite comb-over and bleached white teeth to go along with his dark tan from vacationing in the Caribbean most winter months.
I have designs on taking Valeria to my place in Jamaica. It’s close to a resort that caters to clientele with discriminate tastes. Walking around nude is a pleasure that I would really like to share with my bride. I want to shock her.
“I don’t care what kind of money your brother has. We will never accept somebody like you into the inner sanctum. You’re what we call damaged goods,” Melissa tears into my sister.
I turn and feel pride for how my sister stands up for herself.
Part of me wants to interject, but I see I’m not the only one.
Valeria is getting a little close to the fire at the risk of getting burned, but she doesn’t seem to be afraid of their biting satire.
“Romance is a difficult thing for most people. They don’t understand how the little things matter the most. It’s not all about flowers and candy. It could be a simple kiss on the forehead in the morning and a warm embrace at night - cuddled up together under the sheets. It’s about remembering the love you have and never forgetting the passion,” I explain.
I can multitask with the best of them.
Melissa is continuing to attack my sister.
“You have some nerve talking to me like that. One of these days, you’re going to go too far. Right now, you're a nuisance, and I’m tired of fighting for my place at the table when I deserve to be here,” Midnight shoots back.
Nobody else is talking.
Melissa has always been highly strung and a little too opinionated when living in the lap of luxury.
Melissa is about to say something.
“I’ve heard just about enough. You’re acting like a spoiled rich brat. Your friends are embarrassed by your actions. Just look at them, and you’ll see that I’m telling you the truth. Leave Midnight alone unless you want to answer to me. Let’s just say that I can make your life difficult with a few choice words to my husband and father. How soon we forget about the Lewis family legacy,” Valeria threatens in a backhanded way.
Melissa’s mouth is wide open, and I can see the fear in her eyes
. She’s beginning to realize her mistake, and if she’s not careful, her caustic words are going to cost her more than a dressing down from my bride. I can do many things, including destroying families using the information I’ve compiled against them to bring them to their knees.
Melissa Cartwright is living on borrowed time. I’m just letting her feel my hot breath on the back of her neck, metaphorically speaking. It’s only a matter of time before I pull the rug out from underneath her. She thinks she’s untouchable, but I know where the skeletons are buried in her family.
“I don’t have time for these juvenile antics. We have better things to do than worry about the likes of you.” Melissa and her entourage back away slowly until they’re giving my sister some space to breathe.
My tactic would have been to make her believe her life was in danger. My bride has other ideas, but she did come to my sister’s rescue. It’s nice to see somebody will stand up for what they believe in. Too many people become blind to those that are suffering right in front of them. I know where I come from. My roots are very deep within the community.