Taking off his jacket and then his tie, Tony continued to devour Claire with his intensifying gaze. He couldn’t look away as she silently watched his every move. When he slowly and deliberately moved to his knees and grinned, he sensed her relief. It intoxicated him that something as insignificant as a change in his facial expression could influence her world. Beckoned by her scent, his sultry tone returned. “Yes, I would say you have been a very good girl.”
He lifted each one of her soft, smooth calves, savoring their shape while in the high heels, and rested them on his broad shoulders. With his intentions clear, Claire tipped her head back against the leather seat. Soon, her moans from earlier returned and grew louder. When her fingers gripped the leather seat, and he knew that she was about there, he stopped. It was his private game, but she was learning the rules.
“Tell me,” he commanded.
“Anth—Tony, please.”
“Tell me who you belong to.”
“You, I belong to you.” She fidgeted against the leather.
“Because,” he prompted.
“You own me.”
“Until?” He taunted her, teasing, kissing, and suckling her inner thigh.
“Please!” She took in a deep breath. “Until you decide.”
“Say it.”
“You own me until you decide.”
“Good girl. Perhaps—” he reached for her skirt, bunched around her waist.
“Please,” she begged, holding tightly to the material. “Please, don’t stop.”
Grinning and satisfied, Tony resumed his quest. Oh, there were times he’d leave her like this—unsatisfied—and make her switch places. It would be then that she would fulfill her duty. Of course, she didn’t have the option to stop or taunt. Other times, he’d take the conversation further, making her tell him the amount of money he’d spent to secure her financial freedom.
Not tonight. Tonight Tony wanted to experience the benefits of her positive consequence. It didn’t take long before he did.
Chapter Three
Passing and failing, both have Consequences—July 2010
(Consequences—Chapter 9)
Failure is no more a permanent condition than success! For even if you succeed, there’s still another test.
—Gene Bedley
As Eric approached the house, Tony took in the dark windows and glanced at the corner of his iPhone—after 10:00 PM. Since Claire’s windows faced toward the backyard and woods, he couldn’t see them or her balcony. He could imagine them and her suite … and her in her suite, with no other purpose than to wait for him. It was a thought that seemed to be recurring more and more often, slipping unexpectedly into his consciousness. Why not? She was in his house solely for his pleasure and enjoyment, and after the day and evening he’d just had, he deserved some him time.
After three months, he admitted—at least to himself—that this arrangement was working better than he ever predicted. Each test he presented, or that presented itself, solidified his control and power over Claire’s life. He controlled everything about her—almost. Tony had allowed Catherine to share in his power, to a point. He set boundaries and Catherine adhered to them. She couldn’t overturn any of his decisions. Tony didn’t want Claire to think she could pit one of them against the other. Besides, Catherine’s reign dealt with mundane day-to-day issues—clothing and schedules. Tony controlled the more important matters, and of course, if he decided to trump Catherine’s plans for a day, he did.
That would happen on days that Tony decided to work from home. He’d made it clear that when he was home, Claire was to be available to him at all times. On those days, he’d not only trump Catherine’s plans, but Claire’s too.
From the first time he’d allowed Claire access to the grounds of the estate, Tony saw how much she enjoyed that little liberty. Without saying it, she savored those outings as her own personal escape. The fact that she willingly and of her own accord returned to the house at her appointed time, appeased his sense of control, enticing him to allow that privilege to continue.
Each morning Claire followed a routine that included swimming and weights. Tony enjoyed the benefits of her workout and had no desire to stop that activity; however, by 10:00 AM on the days that he worked from home, her plans no longer mattered. She was expected to be in his office. Sometimes he’d acknowledge her presence; other times he’d be preoccupied. It didn’t matter. On those days, her time, her schedule, and her body were at his disposal. He found it as intoxicating to make her sit and waste her day as it was to use her services. One of the best aphrodisiacs he knew was looking up from his computer or watching during a telephone call as Claire looked longingly out the window. Hell—he’d even find himself imagining that scene while in his corporate office.
As he walked through the dimly lit hallway toward his office, his anticipation grew. The day had been long. There was no better word. It wasn’t bad or upsetting; it wasn’t good or rewarding—it was long. Not only were there multiple big deals and negotiations in the works, Tony had to spend the evening at a dinner meeting that turned into a few drinks and more negotiations. Public outings weren’t his thing.
Fundraisers and social functions that could double as tests were increasingly more fun. Being a multi-tasker extraordinaire, Tony could shake hands, carry on a conversation, and monitor Claire’s every move. That said, his preferred evening destination was more intimate, and lately had become even more inviting. At the end of a long day, he wanted to be behind the iron gates of his estate.
Inside the top side drawer of his desk, Tony found Claire’s driver’s license. For a long time it had been stashed away with other items from her apartment, but just like her grandmother’s necklace, it was time to present Claire with a new gift. A grin came to his lips as he considered the small card; it would have a companion, or should he say, a tool for a test. The companion card arrived to his office earlier in the week. It was an American Express platinum card with Claire’s name embossed upon the front. He planned to tell her that it was her reward for her recent public behavior—that wouldn’t be a total fabrication. The way she handled the reporter recently was stellar; she’d been presented with an opportunity to reveal her true status and chose instead to abide by his rules. Nonetheless, providing her limited access to a credit card and her driver’s license had other benefits. Over the last two months, she’d been seen with him on multiple occasions; he needed a cover story. If she ever attempted to reveal the truth, he needed something to make her accusations seem implausible. What better cover than his money? He’d taken away her debt—he could prove that. With her new credit card, she wouldn’t only be seen as his companion, but as a woman spending his money. No one would believe that she wasn’t enjoying his fortune of her own free will.
When he first brought Claire to Iowa, he wasn’t sure how involved the plan would become. Each day presented additional choices and decisions. Thus far, in his opinion, Tony had developed the perfect plan—one that continued to weave fresh possibilities. As each new thread was revealed and sewn into place, Tony’s omnipotence grew. There wasn’t an angle he hadn’t considered.