Josephine
I check on the lasagna in the oven as I hear the doors of the lift opening. I've been home for the last hour and a half because I finished work earlier at Oxford Royal and honestly, this morning sickness seems to get the best of me most days. Today's been about getting everything ready for my exit and I tried to get over with it as quickly as possible. But my last day at Oxford Royal is still a few weeks away so I'm going to make this transition as smoothly as possible. I still haven't spoken to my siblings or their spouses because honestly, I'm going to explode when I see them again. I provoked Charlotte the last time we saw each other because I wanted her to feel the same pain she made me feel. It was a very childish reaction and I wish I could blame the hormones for it but I don't know if that's true.
After talking to William about my entry-plan, it started to feel real. More than it did when I dropped the folder off at Clarence House. More than it did when I thought about our life as Duke and Duchess of Clarence. More than it did when I actually made the plan.
And I'm still so angry! So angry at Charlotte for playing with me. So angry at Nate for going along and allowing his wife to use me. So angry at Rory who didn't have my back. And so bloody angry at George who started this in the first place with his advice to Charlotte.
I love my life. I love living in this penthouse, going to work at Oxford Royal or the Bolton Foundation. I love working at the soup kitchen on every second weekend. I love helping out in the church when they need me. I love helping out at the deaf school. I love where I am in my life and I love that I get to share my life with my husband and our unborn baby.
And then Charlotte freaking ruined everything. Charlotte and Rory and Nate and George - the four of them together did something unforgivable and unforgettable.
But I can't risk Oliver losing his British citizenship. I can't risk Maria, Caio and Johna getting send back to Rio. I can't jeopardise their lives.
So I have to suck it up and do the best out of the situation. I hope the King's going to agree to at least half of the demands in the plan. That alone would help Oliver and I a lot.
I open the oven and get the bubbling lasagna out. All the cheese on top has melted and become golden. The smell that fills the kitchen is absolutely mouth watering. I've been eating pasta for the last week not because of the hormones but because I craved comfort food. I craved comfort because the future is so uncertain thanks to my bloody siblings and their spouses.
I turn around and place the bubbling lasagna on the kitchen island with a white marble countertop and walnut cabinets. I look up from the lasagna when I hear lots of feet coming my way.
"They waited for me in the lobby." My husband tells me with a shrug before Rory, George, Nate and Charlotte come into my view. Charlotte and Nate are carrying each a bouquet of pink peonies.
"You shouldn't have taken them upstairs." I hiss at Oliver before the rest of my family stops across me. The kitchen island is between us but if we were any closer I would strangle all of them.
"We're here to apologise." Rory starts before taking off her navy baseball cap. They're all dressed in casual outfits to hide themselves as much as possible. No one recognises the future king and Queen of England, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor when they're dressed in ripped jeans, old sweaters, dirty shoes and hats on their heads.
"And congratulate you guys on the pregnancy." Nate says with a bright smile on his lips while waving with the peonies. The smile dies when I stare at him. "We're just going to leave the flowers here. You can find a vase for them later." Nate says before placing the flowers on the kitchen island. Charlotte mirrors his gesture.
"Do you guys have any idea what you've done to us?!" I yell at them. "Do you think fucking flowers are going to ease my anger?! Do you think weeks of silence is going to make me less angry?!"
"Well we thought two weeks after the vernissage was a good time window..." Nate mumbles before taking off his black hat. He looks like Daddy, but acts like a freak if teenager!
I shake my head. "Fuck you! Fuck all of you! I never wanted to be part of the gang! I never wanted to be royal but this is exactly what you guys have done to Oliver and me! Have you ever thought about us and our opinion when you approached the King with this?!" I yell at them. "Have you ever considered how we love our lives as they are right now?! We don't want our child to grow up in a royal goldfish bowl! We don't want endless scrutiny and hatred! We don't want to have to smile when we feel like shit!"
"We're here to explain our actions." Rory tells me with knotted fingers. "George and mine, not Charlotte and Nate's."
Clearly my sister is choosing to distance herself from them. "Alright, I'm listening." I give in.
"For the last few weeks, we've been having lots of meetings with the Duchy of Cornwall as you know." Rory starts.
I nod, "Yeah, I remember."
"And I've also told you-"
"We want to dethrone the King basically." George interrupts his wife.
My eyes nearly fall out of my skull, "What?!"
"Are you in on this?" Oliver asks Charlotte and Nate.
"Yes. And we couldn't tell you earlier because it would've made the whole thing look unbelievable. We had to ambush you this way."
"So, this offer with the jobs and the titles is not real?" I ask as I walk around the kitchen island.
"No, the offer and the jobs are real. I mean the King is still the King but this move... just the consideration of this could make him resign." Rory tells me.
"Which is what we want." Charlotte says with a nod.
The succession to the throne can be regulated by Parliament and a Sovereign can be deprived of his title through misgovernment. So maybe that's the real reason behind this. "All of you?" I ask them shocked.
"Yes." They say out of one mouth.
"What about William and Catherine? They aren't in on this as well, are they?"
"Not as detailed as you and Oliver are now. They know of the possibility that this could cost him the throne but they don't think it's part of our plan."
"This could be the downfall of the monarchy. What you didn't consider was that this could be the end!"
"It won't be the end. The monarchy is as popular as never before! The folk loves us!" Charlotte argues.
"They only love what you show them! You can't start doing shitty things like these! You can't drag your own family in your wars with the King! If the British people notice that their royal family is struggling than they will start demanding an end faster than any of you can flee!"
"The Brits will be much happier with our father on the throne and our Mum by his side. The people have been crying for King William for a very long time now. Some wanted him on the throne instead of grandpa anyway." George tells us.
"This was a bad idea! A bloody bad idea!" I tell them while pointing my finger at them.
"No, we just didn't expect your reaction to this to be so well thought through." Rory says with a shrug. "Will sent us the folder and we had a look at it."
"Then what did you expect from us? We weren't going to accept the King's offer with a grin on our lips!" I hiss at them again.
"Do Duke and Duchess of Clarence really sound so bad in your ears?" George asks me.
"It's not the title that scares me. It's everything else. Walkabouts. Public speaking. Public judgement. Public eyes watching every breath I take! Oliver and I enjoy our lives in the background. We like working without having a photographer with us so an Instagram post can be created the second we're out. Unlike you, we really care about the people! We want to help! Not just smile and spit out meaningless phrases! We want to help!"
"And you will. You will help the people of 54 countries, of the commonwealth." George tells me.
"Besides, you always wanted to travel and see the world." Rory adds with an innocent smile on her lips. "It's the best of both worlds. You get to help the people and see the world."
"Yeah but not like this!" I hiss at her.
"Can you promise us that? Can you promise we will keep our jobs for the rest of our lives in exchange for doing this for you?" Oliver asks them. "Because we're sacrificing a bloody lot for this. Our lives will change forever. We're probably going to have to move out of this place, out of our home! And that's not even the tip of the iceberg!"
"We talked to William and Catherine about it. Your jobs will stay just like the titles." Rory tells us.
"And just like father promised you, your royal duties will be at the minimum. The world is going to think it's a punishment when it's really a favour to you. It's what you want." Charlotte says to us.
"What we wanted?!" I ask her back. "What we wanted was to keep our lives exactly as it was! We wanted to work at the Bolton Foundation and raise our child together! But not this royal shit!"
"It's not royal shit!" George hisses back at me.
"No, of course it's not but it's not our life! Our way of living. It's not what we're made for! It's not our bloody dream!" I tell them before looking at my husband. "Why are you so quiet all of the sudden?"
My husband shrugs, "You're doing a very good job at bringing our points across. I don't have anything to add."
"Well said, if the wife's happy everyone's happy." Nate says to my husband with a wink.
"Except the wife's not bloody happy!" I yell at him and wave with my hands.
"Well, we can't undo what we've done." Charlotte says to me while knotting her fingers.
"But we can provide you with as much freedom as possible." George promises us.
"Do we have your word?" Oliver asks them. "Are we 100% getting the freedom we need? We're not going to want to be handed on a silver platter to the people. We want to do humanitarian work. We want to work abroad and help as many as possible. We don't want royal walkabouts and all that jazz."
"You'll have to do some walkabouts. It's part of being a royal." Charlotte says to us.
"You have my word." George dominates as the future monarch with a nod.
"That's worth nothing if we don't have William's. He's going to be next on the throne. His word is worth much more than yours!"
"You have his as well." George promises us. "You're not joining the family in the traditional way so I think it's only fair we give you lots of freedom back."
"Does that mean we get to stay at this place?" Oliver asks him.
"I'll see what I can do but I can't make any promises regarding your home."
"The king's not going to let us live here. With all this glass and the open lobby downstairs it's an open invite for terrorists and tourists once the news drops." I think out loud. "We have to move one way or another."
"But perhaps we could make sure you're going to move somewhere close to us."
"Windsor?" Oliver asks Rory surprised.
"No. Hampton Court Palace."
"You're moving to bloody Hampton Court?!" Charlotte asks them shocked. "The King's allowing you to move back to London?"
"He never declined us living in London. We just didn't want to." George says to her.
"Take us with you." Nate says to them. "We don't need much space."
"It's not so easy." Rory says to him while laughing.
Is she fucking serious?! "Grow some fucking balls, Rory!" I suddenly hiss at her.
"Yes! Thank you!" Nate says to me.
"Jo, you don't know what it's like to be in my position so shut up! No one asked for your opinion!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Queen Rory." I hiss before performing a curtsy. "Better? Is that more to your standards?!"
"ENOUGH!" George explodes and we all wince. He rarely uses the King-voice but when he does it surprises us every single time. "Enough fighting! Enough!" He says before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know you're mad and rightfully so but we had to make a decision. I couldn't watch how grandpa continued harassing my sister! I couldn't watch how Daddy and Mummy's hands were tied because of their roles! The only ones who could take action were us. So we took action. I'm sorry we didn't inform you about our plan but I am not sorry for your new roles. Because you deserve this. You are perfect for the Commonwealth and you will be brilliant as the Duke and Duchess of Clarence."
"I don't like the way you did. And neither does my husband. Right?" I ask him and he nods. "You could've let us in on this and we both would have acted completely different. We're a bloody family! We would've protected you guys!"
"It wouldn't have been authentic." George tells us. "This is what's going to happen. You will meet with the King, he will give you some freedom and the titles and you will nod and smile at every single thing he is not going to give you of your master plan. Then in half a year, my father's going to talk him into abdicating and that's when the ball is going to start rolling. You will get what you want and we will get what we want. I'm sure Daddy is going to allow you to use Landmark Place as your weekend home. Officially. And unofficially you can live here full-time while working on the Commonwealth Trust and raising your child here. After a year, the Brits are going to forget you exist because you're going to lay low and only use your social media for announcements regarding the commonwealth. Fast forward five or six years and you will basically have the freedom you have now while being able to change the world. Doesn't that sound good to everyone here?"
"It sounds utopian. I don't know much about Royalty but I do know this is not how it's going to work. The public will pressure you to take our titles and throw us to the lions. The public will not accept Josephine or me and they will never acknowledge our hard labour. We can do as much good as we want but in the eyes of the public we will always stay the royals that blackmailed their ways into the firm." My husband suddenly hisses at him. "We will face one wave of hatred after another. My Mama and brothers will get chased by the press so badly that they're going to wish they'd be back in bloody Rocinha! This is what you have done to us! You have ruined our future! You have ruined everything!"
I stare at him with an open mouth. Woah. This is not what I expected. I thought he has gotten warm to our new lives... but he's still holding on to what could have been. "We're calling this whole thing off. We're going to decline the offer." I tell everyone. "We're not playing your game. We're out."
"What?!" My siblings ask shocked.
"We're out. I'm blowing this whole thing off. I don't care if the King is going to exile us to god knows where but we're not doing this. The four of you have some very sick thoughts and plans. This is wrong. You don't dethrone a King! Have you even talked to him? Rory you said something about five or four years. Is that really so long? Why can't you just hold your feet still and wait? Why the fuck did you have to drag us into your mess?!"
"Because you're family and this is what family does." George says to me.
"No, this is what your family does! This is exactly why I never wanted to be part of the royals, part of the firm."
"But you will whether you like it or not!" George hisses at me and I suddenly see that this wasn't Charlotte's idea. It wasn't Nate's idea either. Nor was it Rory's... or William's. It was George. He is behind all of this.
And it's not because the King mobbed his sister.
"George, you are not King yet. I don't have to listen to you or do as you say. I think you've forgotten how normalcy is like."
"Spare me this shit!"
"What's going on?" Oliver asks confused. "What's this really about, George?"
"That's what I want to know as well." I say and raise an eyebrow at him.
The blonde man sighs, "I just don't want my sister go through more pain. I protect my family."
"This is not how you protect your family. This is how you tear them apart!"
"It's the only way I know!" He hisses back at me.
I lean against the kitchen island and pinch the bridge of my nose. I close my eyes and inhale deeply. Just when I thought I found a way out, they throw another ticking bomb into my hands.
"Are you okay?" Charlotte asks me.
"I'm thinking. I just need a moment to process what you've just presented to me. I need... I need another plan." I breathe out before I feel Oliver grabbing my left hand and squeezing it softly.
"I've got one." Oliver says to them and I open my eyes.
"You do?" I ask him surprised.
"We're not made for this crazy stuff. We're not royalty and we never will be. So here's what we're going to do. We're going to decline the King's gift as politely as possible and say we'd be happy to do the jobs at the Commonwealth Trust but not the royalty thing. If he can't give us that than we're going to stay at the Bolton Foundation. If he throws us out of Britain than so be it. We'll move back to Rio or anywhere else in the world. But we cannot do that. It would be wrong. Not just because of your reasons, but because Britain wouldn't survive it. This would mean the end of the monarchy. And that's something neither of us wants. So, we're going to grow some even bigger balls and face the King. Something you guys should've done before you started this whole mess."
"Oliver, you're willing to do the dirty work? To clean up after them?" I ask him surprised.
My husband nods, "We're a family and that's what family does. They help each other out even if they caused the mess themselves. We're doing this for you but never ever throw us into a situation like this again."
Charlotte nods, "Okay."
"And you will speak to the King and make sure my mother and brothers - and I - get to keep our visas and citizenships. I really don't want to leave this place behind but I would if it came down to it."
"We both would." I back him up. "Do this for us after we've done all these shitty things for you in the past and we can move on from this."
My sister looks at her husband, "George?"
The future King sighs, "Fine."
"You're going to sit on the throne. William will sit on it in a few years as well. Don't rush things. Enjoy the time you've got left before you step into your father and grandfather's footsteps."
"Stop sounding like a fortune biscuit." George hisses back at me.
Nate, Char and Rory laugh out loud.
"What kind of fortune biscuit would have that as a message?" Nate asks while laughing.
I look at my husband whose lips are stretched into a grin. His eyes find mine and I squeeze his hand in response. We're out.
We're free.
Like unprotected prey for its predator.
"What's wrong?" Oliver asks me.
I look at my husband an gulp. I'm eight and a half weeks pregnant but that doesn't mean we're safe. We are not safe. In fact we're very, very unsafe. "What about Edward?"
"Rothschild?" Nate asks us.
"What about him?" Rory asks.
"What did that motherfucker do now?" Charlotte asks while waving with her hands.
"He was at the vernissage. He knows about Josephine's pregnancy." Oliver answers.
"He threatened me. He knew I was behind the fundraiser for the Australian bushfires." I mumble. "He said he was in Australia when you guys arrived. This PR move showed him that I was behind it and that I was home."
"So that bastard flew home to catch up with you?" Charlotte asks me shocked.
I shrug, "I don't know. All he said was that he was still hurt and aiming for revenge. He must've been following Oliver and me for a while because he knew about my pregnancy and Oliver's name. Maybe he ordered someone to hack into my medical records. I don't know. But the Rothschilds are dangerous and I'm not taking this threat lightly. He could damage me in ways I can't even think of. The Rothschilds have a lot of control."
"But you have a lot of protection as well." Rory whispers to me. "You have very tight security and you have us."
"I can't ask you to use palace resources and I can't use it because we're no royals."
"Then take the titles! Take the resources! Be the fucking Duke and Duchess of Clarence!" Charlotte hisses at us. "I don't know what's your problem with it in the first place! The Brits are going to forget what happened."
"No." I tell her. "Our decision is finale. We will turn the titles down and see if the king's going to give us the jobs anyway. If not than we'll go from there. But we won't join you. We won't be something we're not."
"It's just a bloody title. It's not a costume or a mask, Jo." Charlotte hisses at me again.
"It's not the title that's the problem. It's the whole string that's attached to it." Oliver backs me up.
"Well, we can cut off quite a bit of that string in the years ahead." George suggests.
"You can't promise that."
"I can because I will be your king."
"Will - you aren't king yet and your whole plans is totally mad! Talk to your grandpa, get him off the throne and than we'll talk again. Until then we're saying no." I hiss at George.
"What is it now? Yes or no? Yes for the titles and jobs or no for the titles and jobs? You can't just have one thing! Grandpa is not going to give you the job if you're not willing to take on the titles. It's a package. You can't tear it in half." Charlotte hisses at us.
"Then we're saying no." Oliver says to her which causes Charlotte to groan.
"Come on! What's so bad about it-"
"What's so bad? Have you not been listening to the entire conversation we just had over the last thirty minutes?!" Oliver hisses at her.
"You've been going in bloody circles! It's yes but and then it's no but - so what is it? Yes you're joining the firm or no you're not?! Commonwealth or Bolton Foundation? Titles or commoners?! Fucking choose!"
"Woah, that was even a little harsh for you." Nate says while looking at his wife.
"You two are frustrating! I am so-"
"You are what?!" I hiss at her before letting go of Oliver's hand. "You have put us in this position the first place. You backed us against a wall and then when I found a way out, you guys come here and open up a whole new box of pandora! I'm sorry if this is upsetting you but you have upset us! You played with our lives like we were dolls! You don't use us as players on your chess game with the King! We deserve better!"
"Doesn't 54 countries sound better?! Doesn't helping people, saving lives, doing good all over the world, sound bloody better?!" She hisses at me back. "I was doing you a favour! You were born to do more than just sit in an office of your parents' foundation and go to charity galas! This is what you are meant to do, who you are meant to become!" Charlotte yells at me and suddenly my vision becomes blurry. "You can save 54 countries, solve issues and gift people with homes! You can make sure they have clean water, sanitaries, a kitchen and teach girls how to protect themselves - you can give them a life worth living! Look what you've done with Oliver and then multiply that by a billion! That's your calling. That's your job! That's what I've done to you and nothing less."
"Charlotte, it's not so easy. I've worked my whole life to get where I am now. I've finally found my happy place and now you want me to give all of that up?"
My best friend grabs my hands, "You're not giving up as much as you think. You still have Oliver. You still have your guys' unborn child. You still have your family. You still have us. We've got your back. We'll protect you from that Rothschild bastard and his revenge plans."
"But you won't protect Oliver's Mum and his brothers. You won't be able to protect them from the scrutiny, the death threats and everything else that will follow." I say back as the tears start rolling down my cheeks. "Oliver and me will be fine but the rest? It just doesn't effect the two of us. It effects a whole lot of people and I can't see how you're going to spread your angel wings above them."
"Maybe we can't but Daddy can." Rory ensures me.
I shake my head, "He hates Oliver."
"He doesn't hate him, right?" Nate asks my husband.
Oliver shrugs, "I'd say we're not best friends yet but I don't think he wants to kill me anymore."
"See? And even if he did hate Oliver, that doesn't mean he won't protect his family. And Oliver, his Mum and two brothers are part of the family now. Daddy knows that."
"I don't know... I need... We need to sleep on it again." I mumble.
Charlotte nods before embracing me, "I love you."
I chuckle, "I love you too, although sometimes I want to kill you."
"I'd say that happens in every family." Charlotte says before letting go. "And I'm deeply sorry for how I did what I did but not for why I did."
"Looks like Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Windsor finally grew some balls after all." I say with a chuckle.
My brother licks his lips while his navy eyes rest on the lasagna. He's always hungry. I'm the pregnant one here and he's always hungry.
I roll my eyes, "Get yourself a plate. You guys are staying for dinner."
"Does that mean you forgive us?" Rory asks me.
I sigh, "You, yes. George, maybe. And Charlotte and Nate..." I look at them, "You still have a lot of making up to do. A lot."
"Can we do that after we ate that lasagna?" Nate asks me back with an adorable grin on his lips.
"Fine. Let's eat."
"Good because that lasagna was about to get cold really quickly." Nate says.
"I'll get the plates!" Charlotte announces.
"Cutlery!" George says with a grin before walking around the kitchen island and pulling a drawer open.
"Champagne." Rory adds with a grin. "Oh and the glasses because we've got something to celebrate!"
"We're not celebrating anything because there's nothing to celebrate yet." I tell her.
"Then we'll just celebrate that we made up." Rory says with a wink before walking over to my wine fridge where I also store champagne bottles. I haven't touched them in ages.
"How are you feeling anyway? Any cravings?" Charlotte asks me as she walks over to the square shaped walnut dining table.
I shake my head, "No, I don't think so."
"Morning sickness?" Rory questions me as she holds up a bottle of champagne.
"Yeah, that's not a part I like so far..."
"Try celery juice. Della recommended it to me and it helped a lot." Rory suggests as Oliver gets out the glasses for the champagne.
"It really works. It helped me with the girls as well." Charlotte encourages me.
"I don't know. The thought of drinking green juice is one thing but just celery alone sounds..."
"Disgusting? That's because it is. Tried it once. It's not tasty at all!" Nate tells me as he walks past me with the lasagna.
"We can do it together." Oliver suggests.
"You'd do that for her?" Nate asks him surprised.
My husband nods, "Anything if that only kept her from vomiting so much."
"So much?" Rory asks me concerned.
"Ah, don't worry. Four more weeks and it's going to be over. Most likely. It was with me and Rory and Della... so probably for you as well." Charlotte waves with her hands.
"How much is so much exactly?" Rory keeps pressuring.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about it."
"That's not an answer to my question. Jo, how often are you vomiting?"
I decide to shrug it off, "I don't know. I don't count."
My twin sister looks at my husband with a raised eyebrow.
"At least three times in the morning before we leave for work and then at home a few times before she falls asleep."
I wish I could kill him with my glance! "Oliver,"
"That's too much. That's definitely too much. Can you keep any food down?" My sister asks me before looking at my husband again.
"Yes, she's-"
"I am still here!" I explode and wave with my hands. "And I can very much take care of myself."
"And the child growing inside of me." Charlotte adds with a supporting nod.
"Jo, this could turn into something very serious very quickly."
"Rory, I'm okay. I've been living off of pasta and pizzas this whole week. I'm good. I can keep carbs down. It's just everything else is a bit tricky."
"Are you drinking enough?" Rory asks me.
"Yes and before you ask, yes I am taking the pregnancy vitamins daily. I have bad days and I have good hours... I'm alright. It's part of the journey, isn't it?"
"I don't know. I don't like this." Rory's icy blue eyes dance down my body. "Have you lost weight? You look thinner."
I roll my eyes at her comment to hide my amazement. I didn't think she would notice the few pounds that I've puked out the last week and a half. Honestly, I didn't think Oliver even noticed it. "I'm no longer working out as much. Some days I don't even stretch because I'm so tired."
"And weak." Rory adds. "Maybe you should make another appointment with your gynaecologist. Or perhaps Ana or Della can come by with a drop of vitamins. At least something to give you some relief."
"Della doesn't know and Ana doesn't have time. I don't want to bother her. Because I am perfectly fine and now let's eat before Nate finishes the whole lasagna by himself." I change the subject. "And we're not opening that bottle of champagne!" I warn George, who is about to pop the champagne bottle open.
"But-"
"No. Eight weeks are nothing to celebrate. When the baby is born and everyone's healthy then you may open that champagne bottle. Until then it stays closed."
"Wait, does that mean I don't even get to throw you a baby shower?" Charlotte asks me shocked.
I roll my eyes at her question, "Why would I need a baby shower? I don't need to be gifted anything. I have enough money to buy everything I could ever need."
"But it's a great get together for everyone! We're going to play funny games and make onesies like we did on Rory's baby shower. Remember the onesies? They were fun to make, weren't they?" Charlotte asks.
"Still no baby shower."
"You'll change your mind once your belly is big and round. Trust me." Char says with a nod.
I'm not so sure about that.
After a long evening with my siblings and their spouses, I finally cleaned my face, brushed and flossed my teeth. It's almost midnight and I vowed to go to bed earlier but sometimes the hours just seem to fly by too quickly.
At least, the grape allowed me to keep the lasagna inside my belly. That's the first time since a week.
I put moisturiser on my face just as I see my husband staring at me in the mirror. His beach blonde hair is messy and his sea foam coloured eyes are filled with worry. He has one hand in the pocket of his black silk pyjama pants while leaning against the doorframe of the en-suite bathroom. Just like him, I'm wearing one of his grey T-shirts with a v-neckline. It looked fitted on him but beyond baggy on me. But I've come to embrace wearing wider clothes to sleep - or better yet none at all, but sex hasn't really been on the table.
"What's on your mind?" I ask him as I screw the lid back on the ceramic container that has my moisturiser in it.
"Are we really out?" He asks me after a moment.
I turn around, "You want to be in?"
He shrugs, "It's such a hard decision."
"Is it?" I ask him back as I walk over to him. "I thought you didn't want to be a royal."
"But I want to be part of the president team of Commonwealth Trust. I want to do social work. I want to help as many people as I can and the commonwealth is making that possible. You're a humanitarian, a philanthropist and so am I. This is our hearts' desire. It's our core. Our souls' calling. I don't want to turn my back to all of them."
I sigh as I stop across him. "I know what you mean. I feel the same way." I admit before running my fingers through his chin long hair. "But we can also do a lot of good with the Bolton Foundation if the King declines our offer."
"And how are our chances to get the jobs but not the titles?"
"Very little. Perhaps even non-existing." I bite on my lip.
"And you're willing to move back to Rio if it comes down to it?"
I nod and intertwine my fingers behind his neck, "Yes. I'd follow you to the end of the world."
"But you love London."
"I love you more. I would miss my family but they could visit us every second month or so. We could work for the Bolton Foundation where ever we are. It would be the best of both worlds."
"But I want more." He admits in a whisper.
He's got a taste of what it would feel like to hold so much power and now he craves more. I lift my weight on the tip of my toes, so we're on eye level. "I want more as well."
"But I don't want to sacrifice my family's happiness."
"Then maybe it's best we're going to talk to King about other options."
He nods before kissing me softly. "How are you?"
"Still feeling a bit nauseous but the grape allowed me to keep my dinner in me tonight." I say with a shrug.
"Grape?"
"Yeah, peppercorn graduated to grape last week."
My husband's lips stretch into the most adorable grin. "Grape..."
"In a few days it's going to be the size of a cherry."
"I hope you won't start calling it watermelon when the time comes."
I chuckle, "No, I think by then we're going to know the gender by then."
He runs his fingers through my open chestnut waves. "What do you think we're having?"
I gulp, "As I've said. I'm hoping for a boy."
"Hm... and what did Ana say?"
"I'm sorry?"
"When you were getting your stem cells extracted, you said that Ana told you... what she saw." He slowly steps into the topic.
I grin, "You want me to tell you what she told me, don't you?"
He shrugs, "It would make life easier, wouldn't it?"
"If you want to know..." I move towards his right here. "If you really want to know, than I guess you have to fuck it out of me." I whisper into his ear.
He wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me up. "Not a problem for me."
I wrap my legs around his waist and feel his steel hard erection between us. As I inhale his pheromones I can feel how a wave of endorphins mixed with his insatiable desire for my husband rushes through my system.
Oliver
My wife grins like Cheshire Cat after the fifth orgasm tonight. We're both sweaty but so satisfied. We haven't had sex in the last days because Josephine was struggling with morning sickness, but I missed it and she certainly did, too. I fucked her and she fucked me. We did things we've not done before but it felt good. I enjoyed every single second of this darkness... of her world. It was freeing to be dominating but it was also freeing to be dominated by her. And this game, this constant exchange of power, is what gave me a high like no other.
It's no wonder my wife wants us to step it up a notch.
My skin is still prickling with electricity when Josephine runs her finger over my chest. Her perfect body is bathing in the silver light of the moon, her long legs entwined with mine, and her head on my chest. Her smooth chestnut curls are wildly cascading on my chest while her forefinger has started to draw stars on my abs. Stars, not hearts or circles... but stars. One star per abdominal muscle, once she's done with all eight, she starts at the top right again. I like the feeling of them. I like the calming rhythm of knowing how she's going to move her finger next. It's almost like a mediation.
It's like she's trying to lull me to sleep with the motion.
I know she enjoyed the last five orgasm but I also know she was hoping I'd fall asleep when we're done. Well, she didn't think this through thoroughly enough. "Okay, now talk."
My wife stops drawing the stars on my abs, lifts her eyes off of my body and looks me directly into the eyes. Her blue eyes still have that royal blue glow in them. "Do you really want to know?"
"Yeah."
She licks her lips, "I don't know if I should tell you. I mean, Ana told me that she's never told anyone what she saw except one time when Rory and George met..." she trails off.
"Did she tell you what she saw when she met George?"
"No, not really. I guess only Mum, Della and her know about it. I think she fears that this might jeopardise the vision or something."
"But if it's bad than we have to know to prevent it."
"See, I'm not sure it works this way. What if you cheat death once but then death catches up with you anyway? I don't think you can run away from your own fate. It's your fate anyway. It's yours for a reason."
"Ana saw George or Rory's death?"
"No, that was just an example. As I've said I don't know what she saw because she didn't tell me."
"But she told you what she saw in regards of you and me."
"Yes. That she did."
"Is it bad?"
To my relief my wife shakes her head. "No, but then again she didn't say much."
"If it isn't bad than you might as well tell me." I push her.
She sighs again, "But if I tell you than this stays between the two of us."
She's really going to tell me? I nod.
"Okay, so as I've told you before, Ana has those visions when she meets people for the first time. With me it was shortly after I was born, when she visited our Mum, Rory and me in the hospital with my grandma Diana and Della..." she trails off.
"And what did she see?"
"She saw you." My wife whispers.
My hearts skips a beat. "What?" I ask her full of shock. "S-She saw me?"
"Yes. She saw you and me..." Josephine intertwines her fingers with mine. "We were at some tropical beach... she also saw us helping build houses in third world countries."
"She saw us? Us together? Doing humanitarian work?" I ask her shocked.
My wife nods before squeezing our joint hands. "Yes."
I remember when I met Ana for the first time. It was by accident - or fate, now that I'm looking back on it - in a Brazilian club in the middle of London. She promised me back then that we would get to know each other very well. But I had no idea how well. "Anything else?"
"Not much. Just that we were really, really happy as we were building these wells and when we were at that tropical beach, there were kids around us. I don't know how many of them were ours because Ana didn't tell me."
"Was it a beach in Rio?"
"No, I don't think so." Josephine answers my question. "Otherwise she would've said Rio. It must have been somewhere else."
"And were we living in that third world country? Which country was it? Somewhere in South America or Asia?"
My wife shrugs, "I don't know."
"Did she see anything that was related to what we're facing right now?"
"No. She didn't mention anything that had to do with the Royals. This job offer is completely independent."
"So it's our choice? Completely separate from our fate?"
She shrugs, "I don't know. I think so."
Interesting. So our fate is only sealed to a certain extent. "So not everything's settled in stone then."
"It seems so. But that doesn't mean we have to take the job. Or that we don't have to take the job. It just means we still have a free will."
Well, we chose not to take the titles so there is that. "Did she tell you anything else?"
My wife licks her plump lips, "No."
I can read her inside out by now. "Are you lying?"
"Yes."
"What aren't you telling me?"
"Because I want to hold on to my wish a little longer, although I know it's a total illusion according to Ana." She mumbles.
I don't understand a word but then I start reading between the lines and my eyes widen. I want to hold on to my wish a little longer - she's wishing for a boy - although I know it's a total illusion according to Ana. "We're having a girl?"
My wife's shrug is all I need for confirmation. "Let me just hold on to my wish for it to be a boy okay? The grape is just eight weeks old and I know the will can move mountains so maybe it can move cells into a different direction as well."
Wow, she really wants a boy. So I decide to hide my smile as best as I can. "I'd be happy with a boy as well."
"Stop lying, I can see the trouble you're going through right now to hide your grin." She says before hitting against my chest softly.
I lick my lips, "Well, I wouldn't mind having a girl."
"I want to remind you that Ana could be wrong. She didn't see the mess that George, Rory, Char and Nate all threw us into."
I move my hand to her belly, "Boy or girl, your parents love you all the same."
She places her hand on mine, "But know that your Mum's doing everything with her willpower to make sure you turn into a boy."
I lean against the doorframe of our walk-in wardrobe as I watch how my wife gets dressed for tonight. She's in black lingerie, at least that's what she calls it. To me it's close to nothing. The black laced teddy she's wearing is not really covering anything. Her boobs are out in the open and the crotch where it's suppose to be closed doesn't really look like it's there. The lacy bits between her pussy and her boobs don't really do much either. This isn't sexy. Who the hell designed it and actually got money for it?! I don't like this. I don't like this at all.
"Tesoro,"
My wife picks up a black leather dress out of her dress section before looking over her shoulder, "Yes?"
"What the hell are you wearing?" I ask her straight forward. I know tonight's about her and... the things she likes but I already don't like how the night is starting. If that's the tone for the night than I can guarantee her that feathers and silver balls is all I'm ever going to do.
She looks down at herself before throwing the black leather dress on the marbled island across her. "You don't like it?"
"It looks a bit odd." I admit.
"Good. Then it's coming off." She decides before getting out of it. She throws the black lacy thing into the laundry bin before picking up the leather dress and pulling it off the hanger.
"Woah, you're going there naked?" I ask her shocked.
"I'm not naked. I'm wearing a black leather dress." She says before getting into the dress that looks tight as hell. It has wide straps and is knee length.
"What if someone catches you getting out of the car like this? Some weirdo could photograph your bloody naked pussy!" I breathe out shocked.
She inhaled deeply before walking over to me. I can feel her feet on mine as she lifts herself on her toes to be on eye level with me. "Trust me, I've got everything under control. You promised to give this a shot. You promised to fuck me after the stunt with the vernissage and I'm now calling you out on it. This weekend is going to be just that."
"Is every women dressed like this where we're going?"
"No."
Good.
"Most walk around completely naked."
"What?! Josephine, I don't like this."
"You're from Rio! There were nude beaches everywhere! Plus the women there were dressed very sexy there all the time as well! I don't know why you're having trouble with nudity all of the sudden!"
"It's not just that we're no longer in Rio... I will not walk around naked in a club!"
She runs her fingers through my hair, "Don't worry, we're not going to go there yet. Tonight's your first time entering the scene, I'm not going to throw you into the lion's cage. We'll do baby steps, just like you suggested. Feathers and silver balls remember?"
I lick my lips and nod, "Okay."
"Good." She says with an adorable smile on her full lips before kissing me softly.
"But can you please put something on underneath the dress?"
She sighs before waving with her hands. "Alright. Your choice."
I frown, "I'm sorry?"
"I'm not going to have this body for much longer so choose carefully." She says before pulling the drawers of the island open, revealing her lingerie in different colours. My eyes look at the different sets. There must be at least fifty different combinations of a bra and matching panties! There's lace, leather, velvet, silk, chiffon, tulle, leather... and the colours! Red in all different shades, blue in all variations, white, black, grey, a deep purple, pale pink, emerald green...
I pick up a black bandeau-body. The cups are slightly padded. The middle section of the body is satin and the sides as well as the black is held transparent with light tulle. The crotch is not see through. It looks elegant and sensual, not cheap like the other thing she was wearing. "That."
"Good. If you didn't like the cut of the other body you could have just said so." My wife says before getting out of the leather dress. Quickly, she gets into the body. She turns around for me. She looks like the sex goddess that she is. "Better?"
"Much better."
"Good but I'm wearing the leather dress over it. We have to leave now anyway." She says before putting it back on.
We're both dressed in black outfits now. Her in that black leather dress and me in a black Oxford shirt and black pants. Josephine told me the dress code was part of going to that sex club, so I had no choice. I like all the black clothes on me. They contrast against my chin long blond hair. "Is Ralph going to drive us?"
My wife chuckles, "No. And we're leaving our rings here tonight. I don't want them to know where we are."
I look at my wedding band. I haven't taken it off since putting it on two months ago.
Josephine grabs my left hand and slowly pulls the ring off of my finger. "It won't go anywhere. Just because we're not wearing them, doesn't mean we're not married anymore." She promises me before putting the ring into a porcelain bowl next to hers. "But I've bought us these." She pulls another thin drawer of the island open and reveals a small square shaped box. She opens it, revealing two black rings. One is covered in black diamonds, similar to her sapphire covered wedding band, and the other one is a polished black ring.
"You bought us new rings?"
"Just for the occasion. I've done some research and these black rings mean we're taken. It means we're not available as a sub or dom."
I nod before getting the larger ring out of the box. I slip it on my left ring finger. Not quite as pretty as the platinum but it's going to work for tonight.
"No, not the left hand. It has to be the right." She informs me while slipping on the black diamond covered band on her ring finger.
I follow her instructions, "Okay. But if tonight is going to be a disaster than we will not do that again."
Her sky blue eyes turn dark at my threat, "No. We will do this as many time as necessary until you feel comfortable with using whips and floggers. You owe me this. You owe me big time after that vernissage stunt. Two of my favourite photos got auctioned. Someone else is having my photos hanging in their hallways. You owe me, Oliver."
I gulp, I really do. "Okay."
Josephine
I drive through the dark streets of London at night with my husband by my side. I love my Aston Martin for exactly these kind of things. People see me but they don't at the same time. We're in Soho, one of the trendiest and kinkiest parts of London but the real thing happens outside of London. But we're not going to go there. Sex parties are not something for Oliver yet. He needs to get his big toe into the water before jumping in. Tonight's going to be his first taste of the scene.
I drive into one of the park houses and park the Aston Martin in the first free spot that I see. As I put out the engine, my husband places his hand on mine.
"What?" I ask him worried. Is he having doubts after all?
"I have a few questions before we start doing this." He says into my eyes.
"Okay, go ahead."
"How hard do you like it exactly? I mean are we talking about tape here? Cuttings? Wax? Spankings? What... what's your taste? What's your limit? Do you have a limit? What happens if I can't give you what you want?"
I cup his face with my hands, "Calm down. This is just a tryout. I haven't done anything harder than a fourteen strings flogger. It was soft leather and they were very thick. It didn't hurt at all because the man who did this to me was quite gentle." I tell him. "I don't know my limit because I've never reached it. I went to these clubs hoping to find someone that might be suitable for a night but I didn't find one. I've only done this with one man before and I want you to be the second and last. I know the scene and I know the people but I don't know much about my very own tastebuds in this scene. However, I'm willing to give this another try with you."
"Who was this other man? Was it Edward?"
I laugh, "No, God no! Edward's sexuality is as plain as vanilla ice cream. He doesn't fuck. And he definitely doesn't have any endurance for it either." Edward was quick in bed, so quickly that I rarely came, whereas Oliver's slow and determined, fast and passionate, rough and gentle, long and short when needed - Oliver's exactly what I've been looking for in a man. First he made my pussy his home and then he freaking stole my heart - all without me noticing it.
No wonder I wanted to get married to him as quickly as I did when I realised what was really going on. I'll never let him go. He's mine.
And I'm his.
"Then who was it?"
I let go of his face and lean back in the driver's seat. "We've never talked about our sexual partners before."
"Well maybe it's time we do that before we go into that club and see God knows what."
Alright, that seems fair. I lick my lips, "The man who introduced me into the scene was the same man who took my virginity." I tell my husband.
Oliver roses his left eyebrow, "Your first time was with bondage and whips?"
"No. It was very gentle and romantic as Rory would say it. It happened on a sailing boat in the Mediterranean Sea during a trip for school. I was sixteen and part of the sailing team. We had just won the European school tournament in sailing and I was very, very excited about that."
"And you slept with one of your teammates?"
I chuckle, "No... No, that wasn't what happened. We were a girls team only. Eight sixteen year olds away for a weekend with their teacher. A very, very handsome man called Laurent Beaulieu. He was tall, had a ripped body and always had a tan because he sailed in his free time as well. He had that toe curling French accent when he spoke in English with us, which wasn't very often because Le Rosey is a bilingual school. He had blond hair that's very similar to yours and navy eyes that reminded me of the sea. The way his muscles shifted when he tied a sailing knot was incredibly hot. Every girl had a crush on Monsieur Beaulieu, which means beautiful place by the way. But Laurent had always been keen on avoiding any inappropriate touches or even topics when we trained for the tournament. He always kept that professional distance, which earned him a lot of trust and respect from parents and his colleagues."
"But you seduced him?"
I shrug, "I don't know who seduced whom. But after tournament, the girls fell all asleep pretty quickly. I shared my hotel room with a girl named Nancy. She was very nice but she could snore like a tractor." I admit, causing Oliver to chuckle. "After a few nights of bad sleep I couldn't take it anymore so the night after the tournament, I sneaked out of my room and decided to cool off at the beach, which was right at the doorstep of the hotel. I walked along the French Riviera until I stopped at the harbour on which our winning sailing boat was at. The gates to the dock were open so I decided to walk on the boat. It was a very warm summer night so I figured I could get a few hours of sleep there before sneaking back to the hotel, just in time for Nancy to wake up."
"And then you met Laurent there?"
I nod, "I had no idea that he had actually spent the last three nights on the boat. He slept there."
"Don't tell me sleeping on a yacht is better than in some hotel room. I bet Monsieur Beaulieu had his own room."
"He did but he told me he was superstitious. He had always done it in the past and us Roseén had always won the tournament in the last five years so he didn't want to jinx it."
"And you believed him?"
"I was sixteen! My hormones were all over the place and I stared at that perfectly build man whose muscles were sparkling in the light of the stars and moon! What else was I suppose to have thought? That he's Lord Voldemort?"
"So he definitely seduced you then. Did he at least ask for permission or did he just go with it?"
I run my fingers through my hair, "This is why I always say I had my first time with some schoolmate! That look in your eyes right now is exactly why no one knows the truth! It wasn't just sex for the sake of fucking."
"Don't tell me he made love to you." Oliver rolls his green eyes at his own words.
"No, of course not but he wasn't a rabbit using me to take care of his needs!" I hiss back. "And he was actually very gentle and careful."
"And then how does this tie into BDSM then? I mean, if this was just one night-"
"It wasn't just one night. It started as one night but it didn't stop there." I interrupt him.
"You were in a relationship with an older man? With your teacher? Wow, talk about cliches!"
I gulp, "I know... and it wasn't like either of us had dreams and hopes for a future together. It didn't last very long either. It was a summer romance because Monsieur Beaulieu didn't work with us in the winter when we were at Gstaad."
"And he taught you everything about knots and... how that's sensual?"
"The first time he used ropes on me I was a bit hesitant as well. But when I felt the tight ropes around my wrists and ankles, when I saw how aroused he was... and the way he fucked me, truly fucked me... those were one of the best orgasms I ever had. Until I met you, actually. You... And I don't know how, but you made everything feel more intense. You made sex better to the point where I kept thinking of how it would be like if we combined the best of the two worlds."
Oliver thinks for a moment, "Have you ever seen him again after your summer together?"
"No. He changed to a different school after that incident. I guess he was afraid I would leak it somehow."
"And how hard did Laurent go on you? I mean, you were a sixteen year old girl."
"He never saw me as a girl. That was part of why I was so attracted to him. I was a woman when I was with him and he sure as hell treated me as one."
"I need more details. I need to know how far he dragged you into the scene."
"Well, it started with ropes and lots of different sailing knots. I can teach you the knots if we go that far. Laurent taught me what he liked but he also showed me what I liked. He helped me explore myself in ways no other man but you has ever done. It was like he had opened a candy store for me - and I wanted to try all the flavours. Then after a while he started to do other things, when he realised that the ropes weren't doing it anymore, when my body started to crave more. We tried nipple clamps, silver balls, light spanking, floggers... We went from object to object, slowly and carefully. It wasn't forced. It never was. It was one step after another."
"Baby steps." Oliver mumbles.
"Exactly."
"And where did you stop? What was the kinkiest you've ever done?"
I lick my lips, I don't know if I should really tell him that. It might scare him off and we would have to drive home before our journey together even started.
"Tesoro, tell me."
"It was a threesome."
"What?"
I shrug, "I know I shouldn't have said that."
"No, no, no... wait, you've had your first threesome at sixteen? Was it another man or woman?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yeah! To me it matters very much!" Oliver insists.
I start shifting my weight in the seat. Suddenly my Aston Martin seems too small to hold so many and so large secrets. "It was another man. A friend of Laurent's. Someone he trusted."
"That asshole used you!"
"Look, I know it sounds bad but it all happened with my consent. Not once did I feel any pressure to do something I was not willing to."
"This is unbelievable! Did they film it? Or take photos?"
"No! Of course not!"
"Are you sure? Are you 100% sure they don't have any footage of that night? That everything's in their minds, in their memories?!"
"Yes. I told you I had always been careful and I stand by what I said."
"These men raped you and you're protecting them?"
"They didn't bloody rape me! Stop seeing everything so black and white!" I hiss back at him. "We were all adults."
"You were sixteen. Far away from being an adult."
"But I was aware of the situation and my control over it. I wanted it. I wanted this experience."
"And what did they do with you? Fuck you in all of your openings."
I look away from him, "You're being very mean and judgmental right now. It wasn't like that."
"Except it was, wasn't it? One fucked you in the ass while you sucked the other one's dick! Or-"
"Fuck you!" I hiss at my husband before getting out of the car. I knew I shouldn't have opened this box of pandora! I knew it!
"Josephine, get in here!" Oliver hisses at me.
I cross my arms, "No. I'm making myself vulnerable here and you treat me like shit! I don't deserve to be treated like shit! I deserve better!"
"I'm sorry!" Oliver apologises. "But please get back in here so we can finish our conversation in private."
I stay silent for a moment longer.
"Tesoro, I'm sorry. I promise to listen." My husband says again, "But please get back into the car."
"Fine!" I hiss before getting back into the car. I shut the door with a loud bang.
"I didn't mean to come off as... not understanding. I'm just... I was raised to treat women with respect and what you told me didn't come off as that."
I lick my lips, "Just because you don't share their views doesn't mean it was disrespectful. Everything we did was with respect. They didn't use me as a doll or as an object and I didn't use them as dicks on legs as well."
My husband nods, "Okay... Okay."
"Good. Now, any more questions?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Did you ever had a threesome?"
"No and honestly the idea of sharing you with another man makes me very angry."
I smirk, "Well, I won't share you with another woman so I guess we're both on the same page about that."
"Definitely." He says with a smile on his lips before grabbing my hand. "Thank you for sharing this story with me. I know it wasn't easy."
"You're the first who knows the truth. Rory doesn't know. She thinks lost my virginity to the idiot Karl that I went out with after things between Laurent and me ended. Truth is, I never had similar orgasms after Laurent. Until I met you Oliver. I always viewed sex as something that fulfils my needs but not something that fulfils my soul. But then we met and you showed me that there's more to sex than just fucking. There's making love. You taught me what Laurent couldn't. Laurent taught me how to fuck, you taught me how to love. There's a very big difference between the two."
He fondles my cheek with his free hand, "Then why are we here?"
"Because sometimes I miss how it feels to be fucked." I admit with a shrug. "I miss the moments in which you give into your needs not just into your feelings. I miss getting fucked so hard that my legs have trouble walking the next day. I miss..."
"You miss getting thoroughly fucked." He finishes my thought.
"Yes." I bite on my lower lip. "If we can achieve that by using ropes then fine but I need more than just love making for the rest of my life."
To my surprise my husband nods in agreement. "Good, then let's go into the club and find out what I like."
Oliver
It's nothing like I've ever seen before. For once, it's bloody dark. Secondly, the music is a mix of techno and heavy metal. It sounds like torture in my ears. The club's name is Ruin. Men in black leather hold their submissives by leashes and chains. Leashes and chains! Most of the submissives are on their knees on the floor, looking up at their masters with grotesque fascination. I watch the couples dance under the strobe lights. Flashes of blue and green are moving across the dance floor and the walls. Men wear dark masks, while the woman adorn themselves in chains. Some women don't wear tops at all, showing off their nipple piercings. It feels like the music is turning up in volume every 15 minutes in the sex club, booming loud with the bass and matching the dark tones of the black lights. The smell of sex lingers in the air but there are no people having sex.
But there are people. Bloody lots of people! Of all skin colours, in all shapes and heights... and with all sorts of preferences. I saw women wearing nothing but a chocker that had a leash attached to it, which was held by their men - their doms as Josephine explained to me. But I also saw women in the dominant position with men crawling after them on all fours. It's bizarre. It's bloody bizarre!
How can anyone find that sexually appealing?! How can anyone be turned on by this music, those images and this atmosphere?
It's a bloody riddle and I for my part never want to solve it. Sometimes it's better to stay in the dark.
And in this case I want to stay in the dark.
"Can we leave?" I ask my wife as a tall lean black woman walks past us. She's wearing some kind of latex outfit out of which her boobs are hanging out.
To my surprise Josephine continues to sip on her alcohol free cocktail. She doesn't seem bothered by all of this at all. "Let me finish the drink."
A few men laid their eyes on my wife but the second their eyes spotted the black diamond covered ring on her right ring finger they turned away and vanished. One submissive made eyes at me, not having a master to obey. But the second her eyes landed on my black ring, she quickly turned her gaze away and pretended she hadn't seen me in the first place.
It's just like my wife said, the black ring on your right ring finger means you're taken - more than a wedding ring means. Because I've seen married men - or women - who seemed to have fun here without the spouse. Marriage means nothing here.
But black rings on the right hand do.
"I really don't see how this is a hot spot for anyone." I mumble. I feel like an alien here. I like normal sex. I like love making. But being here with my beliefs makes me feel like the biggest outsider of all times!
Josephine said that most people here are from higher positions like CEOs or politicians but honestly, I haven't seen anyone that I recognise.
I want to leave this place as quickly as possible.
Josephine looks at me before sighing, "Fine. Perhaps this is not the right place to start the journey." She gets up from her chair at the bar and grabs my hand.
Most people aren't even dancing on the dance floor. The people are just talking. How can they talk over this horribly loud music?! We walk out of the darkest club I've ever been to, passing lots of people that don't even bother to recognise us. They're too focused on themselves. After a moment we stop at the lift that connects this club to the car park where Josephine parked the Aston Martin in which we came.
"Why did you want to go here first?" I ask her as she pushes the button to call the lift. It's a special lift that needs a special key and code to move between the different levels of the car park and this club. This very exclusive club...
"They offer special... welcoming packages." She mumbles, her sky blue eyes staring at the black glossy closed doors of the lift.
I don't get a word. "Please be frank. I don't get the hint you're giving me here."
She looks at me, "They have special rooms. Rooms for those kind of sex practices." She gulps, "And some rooms have the ability to be watched."
My jaw falls open, "Like live porn? Live BDSM porn?"
She shrugs, "I don't think they're all connected to BDSM. After all everyone is wired differently here. Yet, we all have this urge to... to feel that rush."
"And you thought we should watch how a couple is fucking?" I ask her.
"The people here are not an item. It's not about a relationship. It's about having a good time. A pleasurable night." She starts shifting her weight from one leg to another. "I don't get off of watching someone having sex but I thought it could be educational and eye opening for you."
"For me?"
She licks her full lips, "Well, you're hesitant about using... ropes. Maybe if you could see what's possible and more so how pleasurable it is, you'd be more open towards it."
"I'm here. Is this not open enough for you?"
She places her hand on her hips, "Don't provoke me Oliver. I am making myself the most vulnerable ever since I told you I loved you, so don't be a dick now. I want you to see that it's not about abusing a woman. It has nothing to do with disrespect. It's about pleasure. And since you can't believe me, I thought this would change your mind. Or at least provide another perspective on things."
I sigh just as the doors of the lift open.
She takes a step forward but I pull her back by pulling on our joint hands. Josephine looks at me confused.
She's just asking me to give this a chance and I should give her that. It's the least I can do. "Where are these rooms?"
Josephine
I walk up the staircase with my husband by my side on the opposite side of the building. The black light makes everything look strange. The loud music is bouncing off my body as we take step after step. I've never been up here. I've never actually walked into one of the rooms. But I know they exist.
When we reach the first floor, the music is almost not audible anymore. There's a row of black wooden doors, thirteen in total. There's another sign next to another staircase that leads to the second floor. The signs says VIP rooms. I have a feeling these rooms are going to be more to Oliver's taste.
I know he's doing this for me so I don't want him to turn his back on this so quickly.
"We should see if a VIP room is open to be watched." I suggest and my husband nods.
"I had no idea this would be so big." My husband mumbles as we walk up another staircase. These stairs are covered by a velvety carpet so it's easier to walk on them - unlike the loud metallic steps from the first staircase.
"Me neither." I admit.
"You've never been up here?"
"No. Just imagine what the people who saw me in one of the rooms would do then. Imagine the scandal that would fill the tabloids. It would ruin everything. My family's reputation and mine."
Oliver's silent as we walk up the rest of the sixteen steps.
"What?" I ask him as we reach the second floor.
"So, you've never fucked someone from here?"
"No. I didn't have the balls to snatch myself a man, give into my darkest desires and have the faith that he wouldn't tell anyone what had happened. I let men sign NDAs for a reason but this... this is way too risky to get secured by a legal agreement."
"Well good thing we're secured by a marriage then." He jokes with a smirk on his lips.
The fact that he jokes makes my heart melt in my chest. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him into a kiss. "Thank you for doing this for me."
"I haven't done anything yet."
I run my fingers through his chin long blond hair, "I love you."
"I love you, too."
Hearing these three words touch places within me that I can't even describe. "Ready to head into one of the rooms?"
He nods, "Hopefully it's better than downstairs."
I unwrap my arms from his neck and we pull on the first door handle that's there. But the silver door handle of the black door is locked.
Either the room is unused or they don't want to be watched.
"One out of five." Oliver says with a shrug before walking to the next door. He pulls down the door handle and to our surprise it's not locked. It's open.
My husband holds the door open for me so I step in first. It's a thin long room that has a comfortable red velvet couch, a side table with a bowl full of condoms and a window that reminds me of those from a police station. I assume it's mirrored on the other side so we don't interrupt their love play. It also ensures our anonymity.
"That's not what I expected." Oliver mumbles.
Loud moans and panting sounds fill my ears so I turn around. It's a red room with simple interior, a bed, a bench, a cross... but that's not what hits me the hardest. It's the love play that's happening right in front of my eyes. It's like an accident that I can't help but stare at until my brain slowly processes what I'm seeing there. My eyes widen at the scene in front of me. "Are those-"
"Fuck, they're retirees!" Oliver finishes my question.
In their bloody eighties!
I turn around to avoid any more damage to my memory. "Let's get out of here!" I rush out of the room. This is not what I expected to see.
Oliver closes the door behind himself. "I think that was someone from the Labour Party. I recognised the man."
I stare at my husband, "You recognised him?"
"Saw him on the news the other day." Oliver says with a shrug. "Next door?"
I shake off the memory before nodding. "Yes. Another try."
Oliver pulls down the door handle of the third room, but it's locked.
"Maybe four is our lucky number." I mumble before walking to the fourth door. I pull down the door handle and the door opens. I inhale deeply before stepping inside. Hopefully, no retirees this time.
The viewing room looks just like the other we were in. I turn around and look through the window. The room has black walls. Little round light sources from above illuminate boxes with various toys, the king sized bed with a red comforter, a red sofa, a wooden cross and a suspension system.
This is different. Very different.
An Asian woman is hanging from the ceiling. Cuffs are wrapped around her wrists and ankles. She's hanging on all fours, her belly facing the floor. Her long straight black hair is nearly touching the floor underneath her. She doesn't seem uncomfortable although I assume it must feel quite unpleasant.
Suddenly, a man appears from the darkness. Unlike his partner, he is fully dressed. His black collar shirt is open, showing off his abs that are glittering from the sweat. He's wearing ripped jeans and his foot are naked. His black chin long hair is sticking to the back of his neck. He has icy blue eyes.
And there's a whip in his left hand.
I wince as Oliver closes the door behind me.
"Well, now that looks entirely different." My husband thinks out loud.
I can't rip my eyes off of of the scene in front of me. I am so mesmerised that I don't even move.
The man swings the whip into the air and with an extremely loud thud, the leather clashes against the back and ass of the woman. The Asian beauty moans and cries at the same time.
He repeats the movement, once, twice...
"And you find that arousing?" Oliver asks me.
I'm not sure. Seeing those painfully marks on the woman's body, all over her body, makes me want to rethink this. Bondage, yes... pain, I don't know. "I'm not sure."
After five minutes of extremely hard whipping, the man lets the whip drop on the floor. He disappears back into the darkness and a moment later, the woman gets lowered back on the floor. The dom appears again. With quick and efficient moves, he opens the cuffs before sitting down on the red leather sofa against the wall. I can see how heavily he is breathing, so his heart must beat a million miles a minute, throbbing inside his chest like he had just won a marathon.
The Asian beauty remains on her knees, not moving despite the uncomfortable position. She doesn't raise her head or lift her gaze. She stays still like a statue, fulfilling her role as a sub. Her slim but toned body is incredibly red and marked, but she doesn't seem to mind.
After making her sit just like that for nearly ten minutes, he finally has some mercy, "You can relax."
She immediately pulls her legs from underneath her because she was uncomfortable. She feels the marks along her back, legs and arms before turning her gaze on the man, on her dom.
"Eyes on the floor," he barks. "I never gave you permission to look at me."
She snaps her neck and stares at the floor, making up for the error by being still.
Another five minutes pass by before anything happens. "You may speak."
"Yes."
He growls in response, telling her that wasn't the right answer.
"Yes, Sir," she says quickly, her breathing deep and erratic.
"Yes, Sir?" Oliver asks me. "You will not address me as that."
I ignore my husband's comment, way too fascinated with what was happening in front of me.
"You will do as I say, when I command it." The man says to her in a strict voice.
"Yes, Sir."
"We're not monogamous. You're free to be with any Dom you want. But when I walk in here, you're mine. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Get on the bed. Ass in the air."
She nearly runs to the bed because she is so excited. This role play is definitely arousing to both parties.
"One hand on your left cheek." The man commands from the other end of the room, from the sofa. He must feel like a king right now.
She balances herself on her knees and one arm before she places her left hand on her ass cheek.
"Spank yourself, Isabella. Hard."
Isabella. The woman's name is Isabella. But the Asian beauty hesitates.
"What did I say, Isabella?" His voice has a threatening tone.
She smacks her palm against her left cheek, making a loud clapping noise.
"You can do better than that."
She does it harder, this time leaving a handprint.
The man stares at her with satisfaction. "We're going to do ten of those. You're going to count with me. Understand?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Go."
She pulls her hand back before she slaps it hard against her left cheek, making it turn red along with the whip marks he already gave her. Her breath comes out shaky, her words a whisper. "One…"
"That wasn't good enough, Isabella. Start over."
Her hand shakes before she obeys, slapping herself harder. This time, her word comes out loud. "One…"
"Okay, that's enough. I can't watch this any longer!" My husband rushes out of the room, leaving me alone.
To my surprise, I don't find it hard to lift my gaze off of them now. This isn't how I pictured this to be either. I walk out of the viewing room and close the door behind me.
Oliver looks at me totally livid, "This was abuse! Did you see the red marks on her body? The scars they're going to leave on her skin! And he asked her to slap herself! Herself! Giving yourself pain is the worst- No, I am not doing this to you. I am not asking yourself to do such things ever. Ever! I love you but this has nothing to do with love! This is fucking abuse! No, Jo, I can't do this!"
I gulp at the nickname. Jo. He has only called me Jo twice in our relationship and neither were moments I want to remember. "I told you not to call me that."
"I'm sorry, but this is crazy! These people belong in a psychiatrist's hands! This is not normal. This wasn't even sex! I bet neither of them have felt any pleasure, all they felt was pain!"
I inhale deeply, "This wasn't what I pictured as well. But I'm asking you to give this one more shot. There has to be a middle way. This was extreme, even for me."
"So we agree that whips are off limit?"
I nod, "Yes."
"Good."
"Are you willing to try another door?"
"I gave you a promise, so..." he shrugs.
I grab his hand and walk over to the next black door. I pull down the door handle and walk inside. I hope this is going to be more gentle - more for Oliver than for me. I need him to give this a real chance, not freak out at every red mark on a woman's body.
This time, I sit down on the black leather couch.
Oliver follows me and sits down next to me.
The room across us looks just like the other room, but the scene happening is different. Much more delicate and careful.
This time the sub is a blonde with curves. She has big bright green eyes. Unlike like the Asian sub in the other room, she is not naked. She is wearing some sort of shorts with stockings and a black top. But the woman's not hanging from the ceiling, she's leaning against the king sized bed. She has a collar around her neck that's connected with a leash. Her partner is holding the leash. Her partner, a ridiculously ripped man with ginger hair and deep brown eyes, is behind her. He is in a pair of ripped jeans that has loosely around his hips and a black shirt.
"You trust me, sweetheart?" He wraps his arms across her chest, holding her against himself with the leash still in his hand. He closes his eyes, as if the moment is hard to grasp because it is too good. Like he needs to pinch himself to make sure this wasn't a dream, to make sure it was real.
"Yes…"
"Yes, Sir. Don't make me tell you again."
"Yes, Sir," she says quickly.
He unlocks the collar and tosses it on the floor. It falls with a loud clank once it hit the wooden floorboards. He walks around her until they're face-to-face. Her cheeks are flushed with both fear and arousal. I can see her emotions on the surface of her eyes. "You do as I say. No questions asked."
She keeps her arms to her sides, her face straight ahead, and her eyes shifts up to look at him. "Yes, Sir."
"I'm in charge. I issue the commands, and you obey. You don't need to think while you're in here - just listen. But you do have all the power, London."
"I do?" she whispers. I assume London is not her real name.
And suddenly the scene explains itself. "This is her first time in here." I mumble, surprised that they allowed us to watch. But maybe they just forgot to lock the door
"This isn't as scary as the other room." My husband mumbles.
I give him a quick look, "Just because you're into BDSM, doesn't mean you have to follow the lifestyle to extremes."
To my surprise, Oliver grabs my hand and squeezes it softly.
The simple gesture makes me smile.
"If you want me to stop, all you need to do is say the safe word. I'll stop everything I'm doing and walk away. I'll move to the other side of the room and kneel until you give me permission to move."
"What's the safe word?"
"Green. Repeat it."
"Green."
He yanks his shirt over my head and tosses it on the floor. London's eyes move across his body, taking in the impressive muscles she is probably used to touch every night. He undoes his jeans and boxers and pushes them to my ankles.
His enormous dick pops out, already dripping with pre-come. "Suck me off. Now."
She opens her mouth wide and wraps her lips around my cock. "Yes, Sir." She pushes her mouth all the way to the base then back to the head, moving slowly as if she is trying to stretch her throat out. Her eyes stay on her partner's the entire time, sucking his dick as she watches his reaction.
He gathers her hair in a single hand and pushes and pulls her mouth onto my length, dictating exactly how he wants her to suck him off. He fucks her mouth like he owns it. He thrusts his hips and penetrates her hard every time, making saliva spill over her mouth and drip to her knees. Tears bubble in the corners of her eyes and begin to stream down her face.
He grabs her head with both of my hands and fucks her mouth with little sensitivity.
But suddenly, he pulls his dick out of her mouth. Then he grabs the back of her neck and guides her to the foot of the bed. "Bend over."
She lowers her body until her stomach and chest are against the bed, with her ass slightly in the air.
He takes his time getting her bottoms off, removing the shorts then peeling off the stockings. He pushes everything to her ankles then kneels in front of her ass. He blows gently on her entrance before pressing his face into her folds, falling into heaven.
She moans quietly from the bed, gripping and tugging on the comforter as she clearly enjoys his tongue.
"Spread your cheeks, sweetheart."
Sweetheart, he actually calls her sweetheart! They have to be more than just sub and dom, they have to be an actual couple - like Oliver and me.
She grabs her ass with her hands and pulls them apart, giving him more room to devour her.
He sticks my thumb inside her soaked pussy and lets his skin absorb the moisture. Then he inserts his thumb in her asshole before continuing to eat her pussy, listening to her moans change in intensity.
But suddenly he stops. He rises to his feet and walks to the stands on the left side of the room. "Don't move." He grabs a purple butt plug and some lube before he returns to her.
"What are you doing?"
He spanks her hard, leaving a handprint right on her cheek.
She cries out in pain, not expecting the punishment.
"Did I give you permission to ask questions?"
"No, Sir…" She breathes through the pain, her ass flushed and red.
"What is he doing with that?" Oliver asks me.
"It's a butt plug."
"A what?"
"Just wait and see."
The man squirts lube directly into her ass before coating the butt plug. He slowly inserts it into her ass, but her body doesn't seem to cooperate. "Relax, sweetheart. It'll feel good, I promise."
"What the fuck?" Oliver asks shocked.
"Trust me, it's not as painful as it looks like." I answer.
She relaxes her body into the mattress, and within a few seconds, her body is able to take the thick butt plug.
Her partner stares at the jewel that sparkles under the low lighting of the room. "Knees on the bed." He lifts her lower body with his strong arms and positions her on the mattress, her stomach still pressed to the sheets. Her feet are slightly dangling over the edge, and her back is arched at a tremendous angle as she holds her shoulders up.
He grabs himself by the base and points his head at her gushing entrance before sliding inside. For minutes, he fucks her hard, the way Oliver has done a few times with me. A thrill runs through my system as I remember those very few nights.
"Is that so bad?" I ask my husband.
"Not yet. The woman seems to be enjoying it at least."
I want to argue with him that maybe the other woman had enjoyed it as well, but I decide against it. It's going to be a long way until he is going to realise this is not about abuse, but pleasure. I turn my attention back to the window.
He stops rocking and pulls the butt plug out of her ass. Her hole stays wide open because it is used to the stretching. He transfers his cock from her pussy to her asshole and slides right in.
She immediately stiffens as his length enters her, stretching out her tight asshole. Her natural instinct is to tug on her cheek to make the opening bigger, but nothing can relieve the pressure of a ridiculously big cock.
He pulls out his cock until only the tip remains inside her. Then he thrusts hard, penetrating her with aggression.
She rocks forward and moans. It's a deep animalistic sound.
"Holy shit, he is fucking her ass!" Oliver breathes out in Brazilian Portuguese.
I chuckle.
"You have done that with Laurent?!" My husband asks me shocked.
I just shrug with a grin on my lips before looking back at what's happening in front of us.
He fucks her harder than before, pounding into her ass with his impressive dick. The lube seems to be enough to keep the movements smooth. After a few thrusts, they both come at the same time.
And they come hard.
I look away to give them this moment. My eyes find my husband's green ones. "What do you think?"
He gulps, "I think butt plugs are definitely on our shopping list."
My lips stretch into a grin, "But I don't like purple. I'm more into green, you know." I joke.
My husband chuckles before wrapping one arm around my waist and pulling me into him. I close my eyes as I rest my head against his chest and enjoy this moment that's filled with moans and pants which don't belong to us. Our hearts beat as one, maybe not a million miles an hour like the hearts of the couple in the room across us, but that doesn't matter to me.
After a while, I open my eyes and look through the window across me. The couple that just fucked like rabbits, is now cuddling on the red king sized bed.
The show is over. The game has stoped.
"This is what I want for us. Complete trust. Complete devotion. Complete loyalty." I whisper as I watch how the ginger runs his fingers through his girlfriend's blond hair.
"You have that but I guess you want to add butt plugs and other toys into the game, which is fine by me." My husband promises, "But I will never raise my hand against you. Using toys is one thing, but using whips another. I'm fine with ropes and toys, but not with the violence."
I look up until I meet my husband's bright green eyes, "Then I guess we have to go shopping."
His eyes widen in response.
"I didn't mean right away." I say with a chuckle.
"Good, because I think I'm going to need a little bit more research and time before we start with this."
I nod, "Okay."
"But perhaps you can teach me some of those sailing knots." He grins at me in a way that makes my heart explode with love in my chest.
I pull him into a passionate kiss and straddle him. His hands wrap around my waist as our tongues dance a tango. What this man is willing to do for me, with me, is beyond my comprehension sometimes.
After minutes of kissing, he is the first to let go. "I know we are in a sex club, but I don't want to fuck you here." He whispers and I can feel his erection pressing against my stomach.
"Then I guess we should head home, babe."
"Have you found something on Edward?" I ask my brother-in-law over the phone as I stare out of the window front in my study. It's raining cats and dogs. The heavy rain is clashing against the glass. The sky is so dark and heavily clouded that I can't even see the Thames. It's miserable. Literally, miserable.
And I'm about to get out there to help out at the soup kitchen. I have a feeling I won't get there fully dry.
"No. I checked his bank accounts, but they are alright. I couldn't hack into his mobile or laptop."
"Why's that?" I ask with a frown. Ana hacked into the website of the CIA when she was eight, just because she felt like it, and Wlad can't hack into Rothschild's devices?
"His firewall is too strong."
"Stronger than the one from the CIA?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Wladimir answers.
I bite on my lower lip, "I don't know... What do you think he has on me?"
"I don't know. The worst I could think of is a sex tape."
"No... No. it can't be that. A sex tape wouldn't give him the satisfaction he craves. Besides, he never filmed us when we were intimate... and during the last months of our relationship we were hardly intimate." I think out loud and run my fingers through my chestnut curls. "It's got to be something dirtier... something bigger."
"What about the letter you wrote him?"
I don't remember much of it but as far as I can look back it wasn't bad either. "I don't think he's going to publish that. It didn't reveal any secrets."
"Well, as far as I can see Rothschild is either clean or he's keeping his plan very well hidden."
I sigh, "Alright, thank you Wlad."
"No problem. What are your plans for the rest of the night?"
"I'm going to the soup kitchen."
He chuckles on the other end of the line, "Well good luck getting there dry. I don't think an umbrella is going to help you."
I grin, "I trust my baseball cap."
"Alright, you're going to have to take Leo with you then. He is waiting in his car across the building."
Usually that would be Ralph's spot to watch the building. I am getting watched 24/7 and for the first time in my life, I am truthfully grateful. Knowing or not knowing of Rothschild's loan is creeping me a little out. "What's wrong with Ralph?"
"He's got the flu. He's sick at home."
He's sitting in the same boat as Oliver then. "I'll send him a get-well-soon package." I say as a lightening strike fills the sky. "Alright, I have to get going."
"Stay safe."
"You as well."
"And inform me in case you find something anyway."
"I will." Wlad says before hanging up.
I slide my iPhone into the back pocket of my jeans and decide to shake off the uneasiness that Edward has created within me. Then I walk out of my study, down the hallway and into the open living area. Maria, Johns and Caio are here. While my brother-in-laws are watching TV, Maria's baking something in the kitchen. It smells delicious.
"Are you sure you want to go out tonight?" Maria asks me as I stop in the kitchen. A big pot filled with the chicken soup that I cooked earlier for my husband is standing on the stove. It's a recipe my Mum gave me when I told her Oliver was sick again.
I nod as I watch how the rain clashes against the window front, "I'll take an umbrella and use the car. I'll be fine."
"Be careful." Maria says to me with a smile on her lips.
I nod before I walk past Caio and Johns. They don't seem to notice me but that doesn't bother me at all. It makes me smile, they finally start feeling at home here in London. Their homework is spread all over the walnut dining table as I helped them with it earlier. They're getting better and better with every passing day. I walk down the wooden floored hallway that leads to the master bedroom. On my way I open our wardrobe, get out a trench coat and my rain boots. I slip into the beige Burberry trench coat and I slip into my black Armani rain boots. My eyes stop as I see our wedding painting. We look so freaking in love, so helplessly devoted to each other. I don't know why it took me so fucking long to realise I love my husband. I was a fool. Ana did a remarkable job. It's my favourite painting, the best she has ever done.
I stop in the doorway of our master bedroom and stare at my sick husband who is coughing in our bed. Ana ordered me to live in a room upstairs again for at least five nights while Maria takes care of him. Technically, I'm not allowed to get in because I shouldn't risk an infection. It's night five tonight and I can't wait to be back with my husband. But from the sound and looks, he's not completely healed.
It's just a cold but for me it's a possible risk for the cherry. I'm only nine weeks along today and that's still very far away from 12 weeks. But grape has grown into a full cherry now.
I've always loved cherries.
"I made you chicken soup. My Mum's recipe." I tell my husband who smiles at me. "And Ana's special tea for colds."
"Thank you."
"Are you sure you want me to go to the soup kitchen alone tonight?"
He nods, "Yes. You shouldn't be around me anyway. I don't want you to get sick. I've got my Mama taking care of me and my brothers love our huge TV so I'm good."
I sigh, "Fine. I should be back by midnight."
"Okay, but take Ralph with you."
"He's sick as well. But I'm going to take Leo with me." Everyone suddenly caught the flu. It's a miracle Maria and Caio haven't been sick yet. Johna on the other hand caught it in school and gifted it to my beloved husband. When he's back on track, we're going to boost his immunity system. I guess Rio's a different climate than London and their bodies are not used to it yet. Especially this cold, wet weather.
"Good. We'll go next weekend, I promise."
I nod before turning on my heel and walking down the slim hallway. I walk past our painting and stop in the living room. Caio and Johna are still watching TV. Maria's washing the bowls she used to make the cake that's baking in the oven. I have a housemaid and so does she, but Maria still prefers to do certain things by herself.
I grab the navy baseball cap from the sideboard and put it on. I'm dressed in my usual outfit for the soup kitchen: skinny jeans, a white sweater and a navy baseball hat with rain boots - this time because of the weather. "I'm leaving."
Caio and Johna don't react to my words. They're glued to the TV screen.
It's just like home. After seven weeks here, they've started adjust to all the technology and luxury. They use it without fearing they might break it. It gives me a sense of relief and makes me smile.
Maria turns around, "Have a nice evening!" She smiles at me before noticing Johna and Caio. She rinses her hands in the sink before walking over to them and blocking the television. "Jo, just talked to you guys!"
"Mama!" They protest.
I chuckle, "No, it's okay. Enjoy your evening."
"Okay." They both say.
I towel dry the last knife after some long hours at the soup kitchen. We've fed a lot of mouths and had a lot of laughter tonight. Perhaps we even healed some hearts. It was a good night. I told Leo to wait for me in his car because that's what Ralph always does as well.
"Can you close the soup kitchen? I've got to run." Lauren says to me.
I nod as I put back the knife. "Yeah, sure."
The brunette leaves the keys on the countertops of the kitchen. "Thanks. I owe you one."
I chuckle, "I'm just closing. I'm not saving your life. You owe me nothing."
She pulls a key from the key ring. "Just throw the keys into the mailbox. I'll get them tomorrow."
I nod, "Okay. See you in two weeks."
She waves at me before running out of the soup kitchen. I can hear the bells ringing as she opens the front door. Then the door shuts and I'm alone.
I get my iPhone out of the pocket of my jeans and put on a happy playlist. The joyful salsa music starts filling up the whole soup kitchen and as start swinging with my hips. For a brief moment, I remember when Oliver and me danced a salsa here in dining area of the soup kitchen.
Flashback
"Allow me to lead you...Let me take control." his whisper fills my ear, creating goosebumps all over my skin. Our bodies are so close, that I can feel how his muscles shift underneath his clothes. His grip is firm and his hands are warm. Tingles spread from our touching points: the forehead, my left hand in his and my right hand on his hip. He smells of safety and cosy nights in front of the fireplace. His eyes are a little lighter than the last time we saw each other. It's no longer the deep green that's almost black, but instead it's a little lighter... it's not emerald like my brother Elias' eyes. The pine green has transformed into a sea foam colour. His eyes take my breath away.
The tingling sensations only increase with the time passing by. The longer we dance, the stronger the sensations inside of me become until I start feeling a fever and a little light in my head. The dizziness blurs out the music around us... until all I see and feel is him and those sea foam coloured eyes. I can feel how our bodies dance, how they move to their very own beat that has nothing to do with the actual music. Our bodies are moving but my mind... my mind is somewhere completely else. Somewhere only he and I exist... and nothing else. The fever increases until that burning sensation reaches my heart. I can feel it pulsing and beating in a rhythm like never before. Whatever this is... it scares the hell out of me.
Because it's so wonderful that I don't want it to stop.
End of Flashback
I get a bucket and start filling it with lukewarm water. I still have to clean the floor and tables before closing the soup kitchen. It's almost midnight so I should at least send Oliver a text to tell him I'll be here a little longer. But maybe he has fallen asleep and I don't want to wake him with the sound of an incoming text.
Besides, I'm sure Leo has informed him.
I add cleaning liquid into the bucket and turn off the water. If I move quickly, I'll be done in half an hour. I get a mop and get to work.
I wipe the last table dry. I'm finally done with the cleaning. It's half past one but that's the fastest I could do. I walk back into the kitchen that has stainless steel countertops and put the kitchen towel back into its place. I pick up my baseball hat and put it back on. I pick up the keys that Lauren left me just as the bells at are hanging above the front door ring again. Someone has come in.
"I'll be right out, Leo!" I cry out before turning around and facing a group of men. Six men. Olive skin colour, black chin long hair, bushy arched eyebrows, small and long noses and a grin that makes my stomach twist. They're from Egypt, I can see that right away. It's in their skin complexion, height and bone structure. They're at different ages, heights and sizes.
These men are no homeless. They probably want to rob me!
Fuck!
"I'm sorry, the soup kitchen is closed." I tell them in a clear voice as my brain thinks of something to use for protection. The knives are too far away to get to them in time. The pots are all put away in the cupboards. There's nothing on the countertops except for some paper towels. Fuck!
The only exit is behind the six men. There's no way to run or hide. The only protection is to fight.
But I have nothing to fight with except for my body. My hands and feet, my teeth and elbows... my cherry!
I have to protect it. I have to fight for it.
Suddenly they move towards me so quickly that I can only strike out once and hit one of them before the other five grab me by my arms and legs. Their grip is strong and I scream out at the top of my lungs as loud as I can but the salsa music coming from m iPhone is too loud I hope Leo hears me anyway. I need him.
The man I've hit grabs the kitchen towel and stuffs it into my mouth. I try to kick with my legs and arms as possible but their grip is too strong. I can't fight!
They drag me to the kitchen island and push my torso until it meets the stainless steel countertop of the kitchen island. No! Bloody no!
I can feel how one pair of hands opens the button of my jeans and drag them down along with my panties. I try to fight them but their grip is too strong. I can barely move. The keys fall out of my hands.
I close my eyes and pray.
For that cherry to survive.
Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!
What do you think of George's plan to dethrone the king? Will Wlad's men provide them the security they need? Who do you think is behind the attack?
What do you think of their visit to Ruin? Are Jo and Oliver really going to leave it at ropes and butt plugs?
What about Ana's vision, do you think it's coming true? Which tropical beach did she mean?
As always, please review.
In gratitude,
Nicole
P.S.: There's a new chapter of My Shadow out. Please be so kind and check it out if you haven't already.
