A quiet afternoon in bed

Chapter 1

Alicia looked at her watch. Cary was late. She pulled her phone out of her coat pocket just as his text message came through. Sorry, he said. Have to cancel. Something urgent. Alicia was angry. What could be more urgent than a vital meeting with one of their richest clients? But the real question was; what would she do now? She remembered all to well what had happened the last time she went up to Colin Sweeney's apartment, and that was precisely why she had insisted that Cary should go with her. Alicia's intuition told her Sweeney was up to something. He'd said he 'couldn't possibly' come in to the office. He'd had an attack of hives he said that was 'positively ghastly.' And then there was a hint of exasperation in his voice when he said: "Very well Mrs. Florrick, bring a chaperone if you must." Alicia took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell. Like it or not, the new firm needed client's like Colin Sweeney, and without them there was no future for Florrick, Agos.

"Tea, Mrs. Florrick?" Sweeney smiled sycophantically. Alicia took a seat in one of the plush leather armchairs in the living room of the lavish penthouse apartment. It was early afternoon, but Sweeney was dressed only in a purple silk robe, tied loosely about his waist.

"No, thank you," Alicia said. "I'm fine Mr. Sweeney, really."

"But I insist," Sweeney said. "I have a particularly delicious lapsang souchong from Sri Lanka. You'll love it. I'll be mother shall I?" He poured a cup from the pot and handed it to his guest.

"You look – better," she remarked.

"A miracle," he said. "I woke up this morning and bingo! All cleared up. I put it down to the tea. It has medicinal qualities you know. Please, try some. I'm thinking of making an investment and I value your opinion."

Alicia took a sip from her cup. "Very good," she said.

"Well, would you look at me," he said. "I'm not even dressed. You stay here and finish your tea and I'll put on something more appropriate." Alicia liked the tea. It was very refreshing and she liked the smoky flavour. She began to feel relaxed. She put down the empty cup and sat back in the chair. A warm feeling of general well being swept over her. She felt almost as if she could go to sleep, only she wasn't really sleepy, it was just that everything seemed so far away.

Alicia woke with a start. Her throat felt very dry and there was a slight aching sensation at the front of her head. She realised she was in bed, and that she was naked. "Oh my God!" she cried, sitting bolt upright. "Oh my God!"

"Sleep well Mrs. Florrick?" Sweeney sat on the end of the bed, attired in his purple robe and grinning lasciviously.

"What have you done?" hissed Alicia, unable to get up without exposing herself.

"Nothing you didn't enjoy Mrs. Florrick. I can assure you of that. Here," he said, tossing her a robe matching the colour of his own. "Put this on. I want to see if I got your size right. And please, don't consider doing anything foolish. The doors are locked, the phones are switched off and no one will hear you scream."

"Mr. Sweeney," Alicia said, attempting to compose herself. "Please let me go and I promise you I'll say nothing. Our secret right?"

"Of course Mrs. Florrick. When I'm ready. Now put on the robe and come with me." Alicia did as she was told and followed Sweeney out of the bedroom and back into the living area. "Take a seat," he instructed. Sweeney picked up the remote control and turned on the television. Alicia saw herself on the set. She was with Sweeney and they were in the bedroom. She watched the scene unfold in a state of utter disbelief. Sweeney was kissing her. She had her arms around him. She was kissing him. She stared transfixed, as the on screen couple disrobed. Sweeney kissed and fondled her naked breasts. Struggle as she might, Alicia could remember none of it. "Tell me what you want," Sweeney said, pulling down her panties. "I want you to fuck me," she replied.

"That's enough!" Alicia cried, jumping up from her chair.

"But we're just getting to the best part," Sweeney protested. "You climaxed three times Mrs. Florrick. It was sensational."

"Switch it off!" she demanded. Sweeney reluctantly obliged. "You raped me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You motherfucker!"

"Now, now Mrs. Florrick," Sweeney chided. "That just isn't true and you know it. The tape proves that our delicious fornication was entirely mutual."

"No!" she shouted. "You drugged me. My God!"

"You mean the tiny white pill I put into your tea?" he said innocently. "It made you drowsy, possibly even compliant, but it couldn't have made you so – exquisitely passionate. And besides, it leaves no trace in the bloodstream."

"Where are my clothes?" she demanded.

"I'll get them for you," he said. "But just so we understand each other. The tape can go viral as far as I'm concerned. Just think what they'll say about yours truly and the Governor's wife! Won't I be the superstar!"

"What about your wife?" Alicia countered.

"Oh, it was her idea. She said she was tired of me going on about you. Just fuck her she said, and get it over with. Here," he said, when he'd fetched her clothes. "You can go now, but I do hope I'll have the pleasure again sometime."

Alicia smiled and lowered her head. "You know," she said, looking up at him demurely. "The irony is you didn't have to go to all this trouble. I've always wanted you, almost from the first moment we met." Alicia untied the robe, turned around and slipped out of the garment. The robe fell to the ground. "Come back to bed," she said, looking at him over her shoulder. Sweeney followed her eagerly back to the bedroom. Now it was Alicia's turn to dominate, as she brought the writhing body of the man beneath her to new heights of ecstasy.

"Mrs. Florrick," Sweeney gasped, when he was spent. "You are a revelation."

Alicia got up from the bed. "Bathroom?" she said.

"Second on the left," he said.

Alicia picked up the robe on her way to the bathroom, where she emptied the contents of her stomach. When she returned to the bedroom, Sweeney was lying on his back, his eyes closed. Alicia knelt down on top of him and from the pocket of the robe; she removed the carving knife she'd collected from the kitchen drawer. Clutching the weapon with both hands, she was about to thrust the blade deep into his chest, when she noticed the pool of blood seeping from the wound to his head, and soaking into the sheets on the bed. She dropped the knife and fled the room. She found her coat among the neat pile of her clothes and pulled out her phone. "Kalinda," she said. "It's me. I need you."