Mastering Charlotte

Chapter 19

Michael

‘Take me down the rabbit hole.’

Her words ricochet through my head.

Eventually, head drooping and eyes closing, she falls asleep between us.

Hardly surprising. She must be exhausted….

James leans around from behind to see her face, then when it is clear that she is sleeping, meets my eyes to head-point me out to the lounge.

As I make myself comfortable, he holds up a bottle of malt and a glass to me, the question in his eyes.

“Yes, I will, thanks.”

Pouring two glasses, he places the bottle on the table between us. “So, what do you think?” he asks.

I swish the excellent whiskey around my mouth, trying to assemble a sensible answer. “I barely know what to think….” Swallowing, liquid fire warms embers in my throat and stomach. “She’s…. amazing.” Then, feeling contrite. “Um…. my apologies for some of the things I said to you before. I was out of order; wrong. I can see how well you’ve treated her and….”

He leans forward, elbows on his knees, looking at me from hooded eyes. “No, you were right; one hundred percent right. And the fact is, I had your words ringing in my ears as I…. took her…”

I digest this. “I can entirely understand your obsession with her,” I say.

James rubs an ear, examining the carpet. “Don’t know that I’d call it an obsession….”

obsession“No? You going to tell me how much you paid?”

He sucks in his cheeks, then standing, goes to his jacket, hanging neatly from a hook, and extracting a piece of paper from his wallet, silently passes it to me.

I open it. It’s the Contract, issued by the Auction House for ‘services’ provided by ‘the Party known to the Buyer as ‘Charlotte’, and countersigned by both her and James. I also notice with interest that her signature is indeed in the name of ‘Charlotte’.

To protect the identity of the girls, of course….

Wonder what she’s really called….?

Then I see the price.

Fuck me…

“James…. what was in your mind to bid to this level?”

“If I’m honest, I don’t know. She was so beautiful and so scared, but she kept her nerve. I found myself admiring her. And then, when I saw that Finchby was bidding for her…. the idea of the likes of him having control of her; it turned my stomach.”

“Even so….”

He stands up suddenly, his attitude brisk. “…. Even so, I did what I did, and we are where we are. She’s not afraid now, of me, of you or of this situation. And given what I’ve paid, I don’t think I need to search my conscience too far to ask anything even vaguely reasonable of her. Do you?”

soShaking my head, “No, I don’t. She’s fine, and she’s in it for the adventure.”

“I agree, and that being the case, I have a few plans for her…. But what about you?”

Startled, “What? Me? What about me?”

“What would you like to do with her this week?”

I’m taken aback. Given what he’s paid for his week of fantasy, I’d have expected James to dictate events.

“Er, I’m not sure what to say….”

“Well, I didn’t notice you saying ‘No’ last night….”

“Um, no….”

“…. because I’ve paid a great deal of money for her, and, whether she realises it or not, I certainly rescued her from a much more unpleasant alternative. So, she’s going to dance to my tune. Having said that, she is not unwilling, and I think you’ll agree that she’s enjoying it.” His head tilts. “So, what do you want? Tell me, because you can be sure that I’ll be either watching or taking part, and I’ll be enjoying it too….”

what What do I want…?

I sip my whiskey.

“I"d like her other virginity”

other His brows arch and he sucks in his cheeks. “Alright, agreed. That’s yours. I’ll let you break that news to her then when you think the time’s right.”

you*****