Chapter 70: Chapter 71

Five Years Ago - Corby “Good morning officer…?

“Corby.”

“Officer Corby. And what can our firm do for the City Police?”

Bech offers a photograph. “We’re looking for this young woman. She goes by the name of Jennifer Bennett, among others. I understand your practice is representing her in her divorce.”

Vincenzo regards the man in front of him without favour. He glances briefly at the photograph then returns his attention to Officer Corby. He does not speak.

And he finds he agrees with what the young Mr Bennett told him. There is something about the police officer he does not care for. Mr Vincenzo has served his clients for many years and his antennae are twitching.

A cloud passes over Corby’s face. “Is your firm representing this woman or not?”

Vincenzo sits back in his seat, behind his desk. Made of some beautifully polished dark wood and topped by green leather embossed in gold filigree, it makes a wide barrier behind the two representatives of the Law. He does not invite Corby to sit.

“Since you are here, I assume you are already aware that we are representing Mrs Bennett in her divorce proceedings.”

“And where would I find Mrs Bennett?” demands the cop.

Vincenzo removes his spectacles, folding them closed and placing them carefully on the desktop. “I am sure that I do not need to remind a police officer of the obligations of client confidentiality. You are surely fully aware that I cannot simply hand out that kind of information about a client….” He pauses.

“…. Even were I inclined to do so.”

His voice notching up a note or two. “I could get a warrant.”

“Yes, you could,” agrees the lawyer mildly. “And when you do, this practice will be happy to supply all the information the law requires.” The officer’s hands ball into fists. “Perhaps,” enquires the lawyer, “you could give me a little detail on why the police wish to trace my client?”

“She is wanted on suspicion of receiving stolen goods, extracting money by deception, theft….”

“And you can, of course, supply me with the evidence relating to these misdemeanours?”

Corby changes tack. “We do not wish to prosecute this young woman. We are hopeful that with appropriate counselling and training she can be diverted from the course she has apparently chosen.”

The lawyer nods. “Indeed? A great deal of effort for one young woman in such a large city. With everything else that is happening…. Car theft rising, increased incidence of violent crime, the business at Blessingmoors….”

Corby’s eyes go flat. “And why do you mention Blessingmoors?” he asks, his voice neutral.

“It is in the headlines right now.”

“And you think Jennifer Bennett is connected to Blessingmoors?”

“Do you?”

The cop’s colour is rising, flushing up his neck and face in a tide. Tension crackles.

The desk-phone buzzes. “Mr Vincenzo, I have Mr Martingdale here for this two o’clock appointment.”

“Thank you, Becky. I’ll just be a couple of minutes.” He turns to the red-faced Corby. “Is there anything else officer?”

“Apparently not.” Corby nods curtly, turns and leaves, slamming the door as he exits.

*****

James And I’m finally out of the hospital. Alright, we’re not back home yet, but I can cope happily with staying in Richard and Beth’s beach house escape for as long as it takes.

Over the last few days, I have been feeling increasingly well. Movement is easier, and the pain less liable to snatch at me unawares.

I think it must show and it’s not escaped my attention that recently, Charlotte has been ‘dressing to please’.

She’s waiting for me to make the first move….

Somehow, my courage so far has failed me. I don’t want to get back in the saddle again only to find that the horse is too fast for me….

…. Yet….

But today, I feel well and whole and hale…. And it has been some time since I last enjoyed my Jade-

Eyes the way I know she wants me to.

I take it carefully, easing myself into a comfortable position on the couch, my injured leg outstretched, chin resting on a fist on the arm of my chair.

And, thus far unnoticed, I watch my mermaid.

She’s reading….

…. Her second-favourite entertainment.…

Her eyes rise over the top of her book in a casual glance….

…. Just checking in….

…. then widen as she sees me watching her.

Her head tilts and a smile like a sunrise breaks across her face. “How are you now, Master? Feeling better?”

“Better? Yes, you could say I’m feeling better.”

She tucks a slip of paper into the pages of her book….

…. No corner folding….

…. places it to one side then moves to kneel by me.

Her long hair swishes with her movement and in time with long laces to the front of her blouse.

Doubtless, she has chosen these for their temptation value. Certainly, they’re making my fingers itchy. I want to pull and tease at them until the blouse opens to give me her lovely breasts.

But for now, I stroke her face….

“What would you like, Master?”

…. and as I bend to kiss her, my injury nips at me; a spiteful little bite that makes me wince.

“Just sit comfortably, Master. I’ll come up to you.” She rises, easing a hip over the arm of my seat, leaning in and dangling those laces by my fingers as though she were tempting a kitten to play….

It’s working too….

…. And irresistibly, my fingers are drawn to where her blouse billows outwards with a delectable hint of cleavage, and to tug and pull those trailing laces.

And my smile breaks free, matching hers as I look up to meet her spring-green eyes and my cock stirs, issuing orders.

Michael appears, standing framed by the doorway as he sees what is happening. Without a word, he enters, taking a seat beside us on the couch. Hands clasped behind his head, he leans back, silent and watchful, but also with his lips curving at the corners. His eyes crinkle as Charlotte edges in closer to me so that as I unravel the laces, her breasts are presented to me and her perfume rises close making my groin throb.

“God, you smell good….”

“Would you like to go into the bedroom, Master? I think it would be easier for you in there.”

“Mmm… yes.”

Heaving upright from one leg and the arm of the settee, Michael rises quickly, offering me a hand up….

Fuck off….

I’m not a freakin’ cripple….

…. and I shrug him away with a growl.

He backs off, palms held up, “Sorry. Only trying to help.” And I immediately feel like a complete shit….

He’s your friend….

“You’re right,” I apologise. “I’m not dealing with this very well, am I?” And as I limp through to the bedroom, I try to ignore the pain that snaps at me with each movement.

Christ….

….. Am I a cripple?

…. Is this how it’s going to be?

Charlotte, eyes wide, lips a little parted, exchanges glances with Michael. “Would you be more comfortable standing Master? Then you don’t have to bend your leg too much.”

And without prompting, she leans forward over the bed, presenting me with her be-skirted, be-pantied ass….

A feast after the famine….

…. Which dismisses my ill humour and brings me out in a grin. “God, I’ve missed this….”

She twists back, her eyes bright and her answering smile very white. “Anytime, Master. Just say the word. We’ll just do things the easy way for a while.”

Amen!

Her ass-cheeks warm and round and firm in my palms, I slide my hands over her, relishing her contours and the rising scent of her arousal. There’s a small but growing stain on her panties and my shaft is pressing against my pants in pleasant anticipation of what is to come….

And I want to get my fingers and mouth around her.

Hooking thumbs into either side of her panties, I pull downwards, and as I tug, the pain flares through my thigh and the leg buckles.

Staggering, I would fall, but Michael is there, his arms under mine as he catches me All the years we've known each other, and we hardly ever touch….

“Leave me alone. I don’t need any fucking help….” I snarl.

He is equally curt. “Yes, you do,” he barks, his voice savage. “You took a bullet. It cut your main artery and caused a lot of muscle damage besides….” He stands back, rubbing the back of his neck. “For God’s sake man, I don’t think you’ve taken on board yet, just how close you came to dying….”

And for the first time, it really drives home to me how lucky I am still to be here at all.

Charlotte stands upright, chewing her lip as her eyes passing between us, but she doesn’t interrupt him, instead nodding slightly as he charges on.

“…. And there’s no shame in taking time to recover from that. Now, if you would cut out the stiff-necked pride, and let us help you, we might all enjoy this a bit more.”

And as I look at my Jade, I see the gloss to her eyes where she is trying to hold back tears.

If it were reversed. If she had almost died for me, how would I be feeling?

Jade….

C’mon, be a man….

I laugh, shrug and try to put the apology into my voice. “You’re right of course, both of you. I’m sorry.”

“Master, the doctor said that it will take you a few months to properly heal. You’ll be yourself again, but you do need to take it easy for a while.”

And you’ll help me….

Michael, arms folded, raises brows with a ‘Told You’ look about him.

I feel foolish. “What do you suggest?”

“Just lie down, Master. Let me do the work. If you exercise every day, you’ll soon be stronger, and then you can slap my butt to glowing any time you want….”

And the farcical humour of it all finally reaches me, and I crack out laughing. “That’s about the size of it, isn’t it? Alright. You win. I’ll lie down. I’m sure you can work your magic on me.”

Clamping down on the urge to curse, I ease myself onto the bed, sucking air between my teeth as I lie back.

Michael, still chuckling, says, “How about a glass of wine? It’ll relax you a bit and take the edge off that ache.”

“Excellent idea.”

“Back in a jiffy.” And he strides off, leaving me with the slightly nervous-looking Charlotte.

“Sorry to be so grumpy. I’m not used to being disabled. I’m afraid I make a poor patient.”

Relief dances behind her eyes and her smile is a touch hesitant….

…. It’s not her fault….

Try….

…. Calm down….

“It’ll be fine, Master. You’re better every day….”

“I just want so much to be able to make love to you properly again.”

Her face softens. “You always make love to me, Master. Just by being you.” She sits beside me, stroking my hair, kissing my fingers. “The sex is the cream on the cake, not the cake itself.”

Inside me, something uncoils and relaxes, the tension draining away as it dawns on me that I’d not known until now just how uptight I was about this….

…. To not be able to make love to you….

Would I lose you?

Her eyes are warm and soft, lids lowered a little, but her chin lifts and she looks directly at me.

I’ll never lose you….

“Of course it is.”

She holds my hand and my gaze, just long enough to be sure I understand her, then she stands up and back, removes her blouse and bra. Her movements are gradual. She’s putting on a show for me and the desire for my mermaid unfurls, shimmering through me.

As she unclips the bra, her breasts sway loose and heavy, the nipples soft yet and begging to be teased to nubs.

Then she slips down her skirt in a graceful movement. Her panties follow. And beautiful for me, naked for me, she lowers herself into my embrace.

And I could weep.

To think that I came so close to losing everything….

We came so close to losing it all….

I did it for her….

But will I ever remember it?

Michael reappears with a bottle and glasses, winking at Charlotte where she snuggles close to me. The wine is crisp and cool and perfect, the flutes misting over as he passes them to Charlotte and me.

I sip at first, then mindful of the ache in my leg, gulp down a couple of mouthfuls, pretending not to notice as Michael first waits while I drink, then nods her to me.

It was a good idea. As the alcohol works its magic the tension in me, both physical and emotional, eases. Putting her glass to one side, she turns in my arms, manoeuvring to stroke palms over me. As her hands glide over my chest and stomach, my heart, which I had not realised was hammering at my ribs, slows. And my breathing eases under the caress of her mouth on my shoulders and neck.

Just give in to it….

You can’t be a Dom all the time….

Let her take charge….

My Jade unbuttons my shirt, slipping a hand under my shoulders to support me as she slides it free and pulls it away. Unbelting then unzipping me, she stoops to kiss my stomach as she slides my trousers down, tugs them carefully over my wound and then off.

In the background, I’m vaguely aware that Michael is also undressing. Then he sits again with his wineglass, sipping and watching.

Plucking at odd hairs on my chest, she winds them through her fingertips. The sensation is odd but not unpleasant and as she turns to spiralling around my nipples, my arousal gathers and builds….

But it’s a slow, smoky kind of build. There is no urgency. Relaxing, I semi-close my eyes and let her simply do as she wishes.

She slides a hand over me, chest, belly and south. She avoids my flaccid shaft but moves down to my thighs. Warmth begins to pool in my groin.

Then I see her eyes slide over the scar on my thigh. She looks away from it and my stomach churns….

Does it bother her? Seeing the scar?

And my stomach tumbles once more at that thought.

If she found me unattractive….

Michael sees it too. She moves to straddle my legs across the knees, stroking her body and displaying herself to me, and Michael moves in behind her, kneeling upright.

I think he knees her thighs further apart because she lurches, unbalanced, but his arms come around her, steadying her at the same time as he reaches for her breasts, tugging at her nipples with thumb and forefinger. He’s being deliberately rough, making her yelp….

He knows she loves it….

And that I do too….

My cock does certainly. As the desire pools in my groin, the blood follows and my shaft twitches and trembles and swells.

He’s doing a great job with her, plucking and nipping and teasing her at nipple and clit in the kind of erotic torture that we all know kicks her straight onto the road to climax. And she’s making the kind of delectable noises that kick both me and Michael onto that road right behind her.

And my erection is satisfyingly hard, kicking to life with every yell she makes and beginning to throb.

He pushes her down from behind. “Down on all fours,” he orders. His voice is rough, but there’s a crinkle to his eyes. And all the while I see his gaze pass between what he is doing to her and the effect it is having on me….

My friend….

And if the roles were reversed?

…. Of course I would….

Open-mouthed, she reaches for me, but he jerks her back by the hair. “Not yet.”

“Ass up.” And reaching around her, he jerks her into position, butt presented before bringing his hand across her cheeks in a swipe that cracks across her skin. She sings out and my cock jumps to attention.

He slaps again, harder and this time she really yells, her cry competing with the sound of the slap.

Delicious….

Again, he brings his palm down, connecting hard, and again, and my erection dances to the tune, beginning to seep as my balls tighten and crawl. My body heating, the sweat trickles down my face and glistens on my chest.

“Time to open you up,” says Michael, “At the back too I think….” His arm pumps a couple of times behind her and then her cries turn gutteral….

His thumb up her ass?

“….. I’m going to fuck you up the back, but you’re going to suck off your Master. And I want to see plenty in your mouth. And you’re going to ride him…. James, do you want to come in her pussy or her mouth?

Oh, God….

“Oh, what a choice for a man…. Pussy I think. I still get a good view that way.”

“Sounds good to me…. Charlotte, you heard him. Onto your Master’s cock. Let’s see him up you.”

A hand twisting into her hair, he actually lifts her by it, shoves her forward and drops her again to straddle my erection. “That’s right…. In it goes…. All the way…. Now, ride him.”

She rises and falls, rises and falls, Michael controlling her movements, pulling her upwards, pressing her down….

And all my aching is in the right place now. My cock pulsates and glows as her slick, hot pussy rides my length. And when he releases her hair, turning his attention to tormenting her nipples, she winds and gyrates about me, her long hair swirling around her in a red cloud and, all the while, her eyes, intense with lust, emerald in desire, follow mine.

Jeez….

The last man who had this good a dance paid with the head of John the Baptist….

Michael twists at a nipple, raising a howl from her. “That’s a good sound,” he says as her pussy clenches around me and a groan escapes me.

“I like that sound,” says Michael. “What about you James?”

Christ, yes….

“Oh, I like that sound too.”

“Thought so. Let’s hear more of it.” He reaches down to the vee of her thighs, probing in with a couple of fingers, then levels his face with hers. “This is going to hurt…. Just thought you’d like to know that.”

He smiles wickedly at me, a mere moment’s warning before his eyes drop to point at where he has her clit between forefinger and thumb….

He pinches hard and she screams and bucks, taking me with her.

“That’s good….” mutters Michael. “That’s what we want to hear. You, screaming. Let’s see if we can improve on that, shall we.” His wrist twists and this time she jerks, convulses and goes into orgasm.

Riding me all the way, my shaft deep inside her as her cunt pulses and clenches around me, her hips ricochet one way then the other and I go into meltdown.

Gasping for breath, my head flung forward, I pump into her, once, twice. With a shock that ripples through me, I shoot again She shrieks. “Stop! Oh, God, stop Michael…. I can’t….”

He releases her, and she shudders to a standstill as he kisses her cheek, whispering something as he does so….

As I relax, my skies are blue, and the sunshine is rosy….

God, that feels good….

“I don’t think I’d realised how much I needed that. Thank you. Both of you.”

She dimples. “My pleasure, Master.”

Michael laughs, “We aim to please…. Now then Charlotte. Back on your hands and knees. You’ve taken care of your Master, but now your Lover would like your attention.”

She glances back, eyes dancing then drops to all fours over me. But as she tries to adjust her position for him, I take her face in both hands…. Her beautiful face…. My Jade-Eyes….

And I kiss her, open-mouthed, before releasing her and nodding her back to Michael.

“Think I’ve changed my mind,” he says. “I’m gonna save your ass for another day. That pussy of yours is looking far too pink and inviting to be ignored.”

And this time, he takes her slowly, and smoothly and with as much consideration as any could ask of their lover.

“A change of pace, eh? Let’s finish off nice and slowly.”

Gradually, so gradually, he fills her, inch by inch sheathing himself inside her, and then gliding out and in again.

Hands behind my head now, I watch….

Her colour’s rising….

…. Is she going to come again?

As he penetrates her, easily and repeatedly, his eyes close and his head drops back. He holds her at the hips, guiding their movement, and as she shivers under his touch, his breathing rises….

…. And so does hers….

With a low quiet moan, she drops, her face pressed to my chest. And as she quivers through her second climax, I run fingers over her cheeks and hair.

Michael briefly opens his eyes, drops his head and then falls forward over her, wrapping his arms around her waist and breasts as he empties himself into her.

At the end, he withdraws carefully and swings to sit on the edge of the bed. Taking the bottle from the side-table, he pours three glasses, handing them around.

He eyes me. “Think you can cope with that for a few months?”

“Oh, I think so, yes.”

Now, will I be able to do that without help?

And when…?

*****