Chapter 2
She lay on the leather covered foam mattress trying to de-stress. She was tired of thinking about the life she'd left. San Francisco was supposed to be a new start. She'd run into George at the Pagoda. She should have known that somehow her life would catch up to her. She would have thought that her cold break from the City.
She willed herself to relax. She let out a breath and sought the stillness she ached for so desperately. She grabbed the edges of mattress harder, willing herself to forget. She felt the soft leather strips of the cat-o-nine tails brush across her skin.
"Harder," she mumbled.
"My lady?" one of the attendants questioned.
"Harder," she demanded.
She felt the blows raining down on her back getting stronger. She knew they wouldn't break the skin. Her servants had been trained too well. The gentle slap and crack she heard finally allowed her to relax. She hadn't indulged in a while. It was like a drug and she was still searching for her new euphoria. She finally felt herself starting to relax.
"My lady?" another servant stated entering her suite.
"Po?" she questioned, coming out of her revere recognizing his voice.
"Yes, my lady, I am Po," he answered.
"What is it?"
"You have a phone call, my lady," he replied.
"A phone call?" she questioned.
"Yes, my lady, your cell phone rang. I believe it went to voice mail before I could find you. Would you like me to bring it to you?"
"No, Po, I would not. I am not expecting any calls. If they need me, they will leave a voice mail."
"Yes, my lady, as you wish," Po answered, knowing he was dismissed.
"Po, wait," she commanded, leaning up on her elbows.
"Yes, my lady?"
"You checked my phone?"
"Yes, my lady?"
"What did it say?"
"My lady?" Po asked confused.
"The caller ID on the phone? What did it say? You did read that, right?"
"Yes, my lady, it was a call from O.C."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, my lady, I'm sure," Po answered.
"Bring me my phone, Po. Hurry. Tung, Mingxue, that is enough for now," she told the two other attendants that had been in her suite, "I'll call for you later. I need some personal time for some business."
"Yes, my lady," the both replied, leaving.
She reached over to a nearby table and grabbed her glasses. She pinched the bridge of her nose willing the anxiety filled headache away. A year and half later and the mere mention of her old pet's name caused her panic. She chided herself. How could she have let this happen? How could she have fallen so deep so fast? She knew better. She had been one of New York's finest mistresses. But, neither time nor distance made the pull on her heart any less.
Po reentered the room with her cell phone on a platter. He watched her in fascination. She was a paradox to the attendants of the Pagoda. She was a fierce mistress who asked for punishments from them. She had no regular pet, no regular attendants save for Po, Tung, and Mingxue. They were always requested, but hardly used. Paid well, but never asked to do more than wait on her and her basic needs. Not one had she expressed a need for a sexual release. She was their "my lady" but also a puzzle.
"My lady?" he stated nearing her.
She reached out and took the phone. She smiled at Po. He smiled in return, unsure if he was being dismissed. "My Lady" was acting stranger than usual.
"Thank you, Po, that'll be all."
"Yes, my lady," he replied and left.
She held the phone in her hands. She was actually afraid to look at it. No one had called her in months. Most had gotten the point. She wanted a clean break from New York. It hadn't taken long but the calls had stopped coming. And, now, she knew that George knew where she was and that she frequented, lived at, Pagoda. She could only wonder if he told anyone where she was.
"No, he wouldn't. He couldn't. It was the code," she told herself aloud.
She knew better. No one broke the code. They would be banned from the clubs and the scene if they did. Everyone would know who they were. They would be "outted." George was too smart, too private, and too professional to do it.
She stared at the screen. It was from Olivia, but it wasn't from her personal phone. It was from the private phone. The phone that she'd bought her years ago. It was her pet's emergency phone. She couldn't believe that it still had minutes on it.
She looked at the icons. She knew that she'd missed the call. She saw that Olivia had left a voicemail, too. She didn't attempt to listen to the message. She just stared at the phone.
It was just too much. Between seeing George and the phone call, the memories were flooding her mind. She held the phone frozen in fear. She chided herself for being afraid.
"Olivia has more balls than you do. She admitted that she needs you. She called you. And, now, you're too scared to listen to the message she left you."
She looked at the screen again. She finally dialed into her voicemail. She entered her pass code and waited. She pushed the button to put it on speaker and set the phone down on the mattress table.
She stared around the room. She waited through the prompts as she actually noticed the oriental decorations in her suite. She reflexively hit the keys on her phone deleting calls and messages until she heard her voice. Everything stopped, her heart, her breathing…
"Hi, Mistress…"
Her pet had called. She was in distress. Her pet needed her as bad as she needed her pet. Her heart leapt into her throat. Could she have been wrong to leave? She knew better than to question herself, but she was and every decision that she had made since leaving New York.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you, Mistress. It is just that I need you. I'm sorry, Mistress. I tried. I've tried to be strong. I know that you said it was for best…"
She turned the call off. She couldn't listen to her pleas any longer. It was breaking her heart. She didn't think anything could hurt her as much as the day she uncollared Olivia and left. But, now, hearing the desperation in her pet's voice, she hurt just as bad.
Before she knew what she was doing, she had summoned Po back to her. She covered herself her quietly entered. She pulled the sheet tighter around herself, trying to hide behind it, slightly, as she watched him waiting for her direction.
"Po, I need to leave," she told him.
"Yes, my lady, when do you want to go?"
"As soon as you can arrange it."
"Yes, my lady, where would you like to go?"
"Back to New York," she told him.
"As you wish, my lady," Po replied.
He left hearing the unspoken request. He was the Pagoda's concierge. She gave him enough information to start a search.
He came back with a small tablet. He waited for her to acknowledge his presence before he spoke. He took a seat across the room from her. He watched her , unsure of what he saw. He knew that some of the most powerful people in San Francisco came to the Pagoda, but she was different. She was broken. He couldn't figure her out, because she didn't fit the mold. There was just something about her.
"What have you found?"
"A good many flights, my lady. What day would you like to leave? And, what airport would you like to land in? LaGuardia or JFK?" he asked.
He looked at her shocked by her sudden pleasantness. He refined the search. There went plenty of flights. Now, he needed to know her price point.
"First class, my lady?" he asked her.
"Yes, for Friday, if available."
"As you wish, my lady."
"Po, forget commercial flights. See if you can charter me a flight. I want to fly alone. I don't care the cost," she told him.
"As you wish, my lady. I'll return later with your itinerary. Shall I send Tung and Mingxue back to you, my lady?" he asked.
"Yes, Po, and have a bath drawn."
"Yes, my lady, anything else?" he asked.
"Actually, yes. Can you please have my things packed? Please keep my cream colored suit out and have it cleaned. I'll need it Friday morning."
"Yes, my lady, I'll have it ready for you."
"Thank you, Po. That will be all for now. Please have my dinner sent down at seven. Send extra for Tung, Mingxue, and yourself," she told him.
"As you wish, my lady," he answered and took his leave.
She knew that everyone was confused by her behavior. Hell, she was, too. She had no clue what she was doing except going back to New York. Nothing else made sense anymore. She needed to get back to Olivia. She didn't care what anyone thought about her. She knew that she needed to rein herself in before she got to New York. She knew that she would be no good in her current state for Olivia and that was all that mattered now.
Tung entered that suite with no fanfare. He immediately went to her side and kneeled, waiting for her instructions. He kept his eyes downcast knowing his place with her. She respected him more for it. He held onto his role with her even though she had broken protocol and slipped.
"Your bath is ready, my lady," Tung told her.
She held out her hand. He took it gently, standing. Tung led her into the in suite bathroom and the full tub. He held her hand more firmly as she stepped into the tub and sat back against the cool back of the old tub. She willed her body to relax and calm down.
As she lay in the water, her mind began to wander and memories came flooding back. She smiled as her libido got hotter. She remembered her time with Olivia. The more she thought about Olivia the more she wanted Po to come back with her itinerary. She wanted to get back to New York. She needed to get back to New York.
"My lady, dinner has arrived," Tung stated bringing her out of her revere.
"Thank you, Tung. Go ahead and make yourself and Mingxue plates. I'll be along shortly. I'm fine, Tung, don't worry about me. I'm fine," she told him, realizing he was worried about her well-being.
"As you wish, my lady," he replied, leaving her in the bath.
"I'll be fine," she told herself, aloud.
She settled further down in the tub, letting the water cover her completely. She came up gasping for air. She was faltering, again, and she knew it. Only Olivia could make her so unhinged. She knew that she was going back to New York for Olivia, but she had to admit to herself that Olivia's call actually gave her a reason to go back. She still wanted Olivia.
If she thought hard enough, she could taste Olivia. She could smell her. She could hear her Olivia's sweet moans, generous groans, and other sounds of pleasure. Olivia was everything that she ever wanted in a pet. She was perfect. The contrast in their skin, the burn of her flesh, and the consuming nature of their relationship broke her mental rules and she fell in love with Olivia.
"I'm coming home, my pet. I'm coming home…for you. Always for you, Olivia. It has always been for you, my Olivia," she stated convincing herself.
"Mingxue!" she called.
The smaller female attendant came into her immediately. She stopped by the tub and kneeled, hiding her eyes from My Lady's glance. Mingxue took her position and waited for My Lady to tell her what she needed.
"Mingxue, you're a beautiful girl."
"Thank you, my lady," she replied.
"I am sorry for not using you."
"It is your wish, my lady," she answered.
"I enjoy your company."
"I enjoy yours, as well, my lady," Mingxue stated.
"You're a good girl. I'm going to leave you something when I go. I want you to use it however you would like. It is for you and you alone."
"As you wish, my lady," she replied.
"Do me one thing, though."
"Just ask, my lady, I am here to serve."
"Bring me a glass of wine, a good Merlot. Then, you can be done for the night. Tell Tung, he can go, too. I'll have no more need of you tonight."
"Yes, my lady. I'll be right back with your wine. Would you like me to make you a plate?"
"No. No, not tonight. I'll be out soon enough. I can make my own. On your way out, can you please send Po back in for me. I have need of his services," she told Mingxue.
"Are you sure that you don't want Tung instead, my lady?" Mingxue questioned.
"It isn't that kind of service that I need, my dear, but thank you for thinking of me."
"It is my job, my lady."
"Not tonight, Mingxue, not tonight. Go out, have some fun, and forget about the Pagoda for a night. That is my last instruction for you. I don't want to see you or Tung until, say two tomorrow."
"Yes, my lady, as you wish," she replied, smiling, bowing and exiting the bathroom.
Mingxue came back quickly. She had a glass poured in one hand and the rest of the bottle in the other. She handed "My Lady" the glass of wine and then set the bottle on a nearby table. She bowed to her mistress and left her to her thoughts.
She slowly sipped the wine. She was dreaming of the things that she was going to do to Olivia when she got back to New York. But, tonight, her dreams of Olivia and their times to come together would keep her warm. Tomorrow, she would plan their future. Tomorrow, the controlling, business like nature that she was known for would come out. Tomorrow, she would finalize her plans to get Olivia back. Tomorrow, she would begin her journey back to her pet.