––––––––

Mr. Broadstreet peered at me from across his desk. His beady eyes were piercing and expressionless, and they were set too close to his large hooked nose. He reminded me of some bird, and the realization made me want to laugh.

But I wouldn’t dare laugh at the man, not when there was so much riding on his approval. Mr. Broadstreet, the old and grumpy birdman, just so happened to be Lucius Miller’s head butler. And as the head butler, Mr. Bradstreet personally approved all staff hiring decisions.

“Now, Ella,” he started, glaring at the single paper on his otherwise-spotless desk. His voice was about an octave lower than would seem right for his appearance.

“Emma, sir,” I corrected gently.

Mr. Broadstreet paused for a moment, then wrote a note on my sheet. I couldn’t read what it was, but I hoped it was just a simple correction.

“Of course. Emma,” he agreed. He folded his hands in front of him and leaned in subtly. “Have you ever done this before?” he asked.

Done what? I wondered. Interviewed? Cleaned a house? Or was Mr. Broadstreet expecting some sort of favor in exchange for the job? It seemed like an odd sort of test, and I was certain Mr. Broadstreet was being intentionally vague. It seemed like a lot of unnecessary effort just to hire a maid. But I had to get the job, so I’d play his game.

I quickly ran through the options. It wasn’t likely to be the first one, because didn’t seem to be a man that asked such benign questions. I didn’t think it was the first one, either. He seemed fiercely loyal to Lucius Miller, so I doubt he’d try to screw the new maid on his dime. That left the second option; worth a shot.

“Yes, sir,” I replied. I briefly ran through my experience and references: two private homes, one service. A total of six years between all three. Hardly impressive, but I hoped it was good enough for such a low-level position within the Miller estate. One of his estates, at least. There were plenty of others.

He nodded slowly, then he leaned in even further. “Can you keep a secret, Emma?” he said in little more than a whisper.

I leaned in also. “Yes, of course.”

“Good.”

It took me a few moments to realize that he had made his decision. I had gotten the job. Now it was time to do what I was actually here to do.

...

There was a time when I hadn’t even heard of Lucius Miller. Back then, I had only a vague awareness of his company, Miller National Holdings, and didn’t even know what a “Fortune 500” company was. It was hard to care about someone else’s finances when your own were in such a bad state.

The day I found my mother crying was the day everything changed. My mother was a proud, strong woman. Unshakable and unsinkable. She never cried, not even when dad died. I was just a little girl when he had the accident, and it was my mother’s strength that saw me through. She wasn’t just my hero. She was my superhero.

Seeing her cry then, alone at the kitchen table, was shocking.

“Mom?” I kept my voice soft and gentle, even though I wanted to panic. What could be so wrong that it would break the unbreakable woman?

Mom sniffled and sat upright; she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and turned to face me. Her smile was forced and insincere. “Oh! Hi, Em. You startled me. Did you want something to eat? I was just about to make... something.”

She stood quickly and scooped up the papers that had been in front of her. I caught a glimpse of bold, red writing. Past Due. Final Notice.

“Mom... what’s going on?”

“Nothing, why?” she lied.

“You were crying.”

“Don’t be silly. Everything’s fine.”

I thought about all the times she had told me that. Everything’s fine. It was like her mantra. For the first time, I realized that everything wasn’t always fine. I wondered how many times she had cried in private, while telling me that there was nothing wrong. It was a harsh and sudden lesson, but I couldn’t focus on it then. Reflection would have to wait.

“Everything’s not fine,” I countered. “Mom, you were crying.”

I could see the conflict in her eyes. She wanted to spare me from whatever was worrying her, but she didn’t want to lie to me again.

“I’m an adult now, Mom. I can handle it. I can help.”

She grinned- it was the mischievous grin that I loved. “You’ve been eighteen for two weeks, now you think you know everything,” she teased. As quickly as it had come, the brief moment of happiness and the grin left her face. “Sit down, honey.”

I sat opposite her at the table. She didn’t say a word as she slid the bills and notices towards me. They were bad. They were very bad.

“Jesus, mom,” I sighed. “How long has this been going on?”

“Long enough that they’re tired of waiting. They’re going to take the home, Em. I just can’t stop it this time.”

We sat in silence for several minutes, each of us reflecting on what was finally said out loud.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I asked.

“I didn’t want to worry you.”

A flash of hot anger echoed in my mind. I tried to push it down, but I was sure it had shown on my face. “I could have helped. I could have done something earlier,” I argued.

I expected her to argue back- to defend her decision. To my surprise, she only nodded. “You’re right,” she agreed. “I should have.”

My face softened. My shoulders relaxed a little bit. “How long do we have?”

“Thirty days from yesterday.”

That left twenty-nine days. I had no idea where to begin.

The next morning, I woke up just after dawn. I laid out the only semi-professional outfit I owned, just in case I got lucky, and started scouring every job posting and ad I could find in the area. Most were terrible. I wasn’t averse to “terrible” necessarily, but I had very little time left to raise the money we needed. So, I had to be a little bit selective. In addition, I had to find something that started right away... that narrowed my options significantly.

I kept coming across the same variations of housecleaning jobs. I wasn’t interested in the ones looking for “topless maids” or “erotic dusting,” whatever the hell that was. I was proud of my body and had no doubt I could do the work, but the idea of letting some sweaty, overweight guy ogle me while I was cleaning his house wasn’t all that attractive to me. Not only that, but I knew what else would be expected once money changed hands. I had kept my virginity this long, I wasn’t about to give it up to some creep I met online.

So, I kept looking until one caught my eye.

Maid wanted, it read. Experience required. High pay, demanding environment. Payment up front.

It was the last part that got my attention. I could clean. I had experience doing it. Getting the payment up front was exactly what I was hoping to find. Assuming their definition of “high pay” and mine was in the same ballpark, I had a good feeling about it.

I took my time to craft a message to the man listed in the ad: a man named George Fisher. It was one of the few lessons I remembered my father teaching me- you only have one chance to make a good first impression. I took that one chance and gave it everything I had. My message was grammatically correct, well-structured, and clearly highlighted my skills and experience. It was a good introduction, and I was certain it would be received as such.

I was surprised, then, when I received a reply only a few minutes after sending it. It was simply an address and a time, and the time was just a few hours from now.

“Well, that was quick,” I said to no one in particular. “I guess that’s a good sign.”

I quickly showered and put on my “good first impression” clothes. I guess I needed them after all.

George was younger than I imagined he would be. He was impeccably-dressed in a charcoal grey suit and red tie, and he wore stylish, thick-rimmed glasses that somehow matched both his tie and his suit at the same time. The only thing that seemed out of place were his well-worn running shoes. It was a strange juxtaposition.

“You must be Ms. Kerry,” he said. His voice had laughter in it, which combined with his warm demeanor put me at ease immediately. It was a good sign.

“Please, call me Emma,” I replied, accepting his hand and shaking it softly. His hands were softer than mine. His grip, lighter.

“Emma, of course. I’m George, and we’re looking for a maid.”

“We?” I asked. I immediately scolded myself for the question. It didn’t really matter, not at this juncture, but curiosity had always been my weakness. Sometimes it got the better of me.

“My employer and I,” he replied. It wasn’t exactly an answer, but I wasn’t about to argue. “Light cleaning, mostly. Plus... um... absolute discretion is required.”

That part set off alarm bells in my head. I had seen that phrase in ad after ad- it meant that the married man didn’t want his maid to tell his wife that they were screwing. I sighed softly. As much as I needed the money, I just didn’t think I could bring myself to earn it that way. Not when I still had a little bit of time to look at other options.

“Discretion...” I repeated. “Regarding?” I was almost afraid to ask, but I didn’t want to waste either of our time if it was what I feared.

George smiled. “About what little you know about us, which isn’t much. And, more importantly, about who you’re really working for. Lucius Miller is buying up properties in the middle of Nebraska. Nebraska! They’re junk properties, but he’s buying them up at nearly double market value. We want to know why.”

“You want me to spy on him? I think you’ve got the wrong girl, I don’t know anything about business and I don’t really care what’s going on in Nebraska. I thought the ad was for a maid.” I stood to leave, but he stopped me with a waive of his hand.

“Sit down,” he said firmly. It was enough to cause me to stop. The smile and gesture that followed was enough to make me listen. “That’s exactly what it’s for, but not for us. We need someone inside. We can get you an interview to work for Miller, whether you get it or not is up to you. All we want you to do is to keep your eyes and ears open. Maybe poke around when you’re cleaning. See what you can find.”

“I really don’t think so,” I said as politely as I could. It all sounded so... sketchy. “Thank you for your time,” I said, standing once again.

“It’s your choice,” he shrugged. “But I’m sure you could use the money. It pays well.”

Once again, he found something that caught my attention. “How well?” I asked. I was curious, but not yet convinced.

He smiled. It felt a little bit like the smile a lion would give to a zebra. “A thousand to apply. Another five if you get the job. Twenty more on top of that if you find what we’re looking for.”

It was tempting. Applying alone would keep the bills paid up for a few months. Getting the job would let us keep the house, for a while at least. Plus, there was whatever I earned for the work itself. And if I found something... yes it was tempting.

“I’ll apply. That’s all I’ll promise.”

George smiled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick stack of twenty-dollar bills, bound in a paper band. “It’s all there. Get the job, call me, and there’s another five for you. He handed me a business card; there was only a phone number on it.

...

I felt the usual excitement of starting a new job, except this time I had a $5000 bonus to look forward to. There was paperwork to sign and forms to fill out, and I made my way through it all with a sort of bittersweet detachment. I didn’t like lying to people, but I didn’t like seeing my mother cry, either.

They didn’t waste any time, either. I was introduced to the housekeeper, Mrs. Cooper- who was apparently also my supervisor, and given a brief tour of the home. The tour took ages- even the living room was larger than my entire house- and ended in the laundry room. I noticed that the only room I hadn’t seen was Mr. Miller’s. I filed that away, but I didn’t feel it would be appropriate to ask so soon.

“You’ll need a uniform,” she said, casually rummaging through a small rack of similarly-colored clothing. She eyed me carefully, then pulled out a single outfit. “This will work fine, until you can be fitted for more that is.”

I was relieved. I was afraid that it would be some unnecessarily revealing French maid-style outfit, but it was a surprisingly conservative black dress with a white apron and matching fringe.

Mrs. Cooper seemed to know what I was thinking. She laughed softly. “You were expecting something slutty, weren’t you?” she asked.

I blushed. “Maybe. I didn’t really know what to expect,” I admitted sheepishly.

“They always think that, and they’re always surprised. But I suppose there’s a lot of surprises in this household,” she added enigmatically.

“What sort of surprises?”

“Never you mind,” she said, waving the question away with her hand. She rattled off the list of rooms and areas I would be responsible for maintaining, as well as other tasks that I would be assigned. It didn’t seem very difficult, if only a little bit tedious. And with little more than that brief orientation, I was left to my own devices.

In the days and weeks that followed, I began to look forward to coming into work- something I hadn’t really experienced before. The household seemed to have its own rich energy, which ebbed and flowed depending on who was around. Mrs. Cooper kept the house running in a tight, rigid order. Everyone had their place in it, and everyone was doing exactly as was expected of them. When she was gone and Mr. Broadstreet was directly overseeing the staff, things tended to get a little more relaxed. He turned out to be a very funny man; he reminded me of my father in some small way.

And then there was Tyler; he was Mr. Westin’s personal assistant. He was young, witty, and perhaps just a little bit too ambitious for his own good. There were others that filled out the rich tapestry that quickly became my second home. And it was because of the unusually generous pay that I earned in the second home that I was able to afford the first. That, and the amount that George had already paid.

I had started to resent George for what he was trying to do; for the position he had tried to put me in. I supposed that I was as complicit as he was, seeing as how I had taken the money willingly, but I started to dread his frequent calls and ignore his email messages. I felt like a hypocrite, especially since I knew I could still use the money. I wasn’t out of the woods yet, financially speaking, but I didn’t really desire to help him other than that.

Over time, he became more insistent. More desperate. The bounty increased by half. The temptation was there, but I had nothing to offer all the same.

The one man that I hadn’t yet met was Lucius Miller himself. Everyone spoke highly of him; his staff seemed to nearly love him, or at least merely admire him. He began to take on a nearly-mythological status in my mind, so much so that I was unexpectedly nervous when I learned that I would finally meet him.

After an extended time away- somewhere overseas was all I knew- Mr. Miller was due back home. The rest of the staff was busy with their various tasks, each preparing for his arrival in their own way, leaving me to be the one to greet him.

I waited by the door anxiously. I smoothed by dress for the thousandths time and checked my mascara in the mirror once again. I practiced my greeting over and over again until I was certain I would perform it flawlessly. Finally, I heard a car arrive. And then, footsteps.

The driver opened the door and held it open. After that, Mr. Miller entered.

That description doesn’t really do him justice. Mr. Miller didn’t just enter the room- he filled it with his presence. The pictures that I had seen throughout the home might have captured his image, but they failed to capture his nature. He was tall and breathtakingly handsome. His eyes were deep and piercing, and they blazed with his fierce intelligence. Everything about him, from his confident walk to his undeniably powerful aura, screamed power.

“Good morn... morning, Mr. Miller,” I stuttered. I cursed inwardly, hoping that he hadn’t noticed. I added a quick curtsy as an afterthought. “Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes, should you wish it.” I wasn’t accustomed to speaking so formally; I hadn’t even planned on it. But Mr. Miller had a certain effect on me. Suddenly, I understood why his staff spoke of him n the way they did.

He looked at me. Actually, he looked deep into me, even through me. He seemed to be studying me. “Who are you?” he asked finally.

“Emma Kerry, sir,” I replied. “I’m new.”

“Where’s Stefanie?”

“She left, sir.” That was the extent of what I knew of her or her situation. I knew she had left, and I knew that her departure was both sudden and unexpected, which was part of the reason why I was hired so easily.

Mr. Miller looked at me again, then at Tyler who had since emerged from somewhere inside the house.

“She’s pregnant, Lucius,” he explained, answering the question before Mr. Miller asked it. Tyler was the only person that seemed to be so familiar with Mr. Miller, which was interesting to see. “She’s returned to New Orleans to retire.”

Mr. Miller looked oddly pleased at the news. “Interesting,” he said simply. He turned to me, changing the subject. “Welcome to my home, Emma. I’ll be dining in my office tonight.”

One the surface, it was a simple statement. But there seemed to be some sort of implied direction within it, so I had no real idea how to respond to it. “Yes, Sir,” I said simply. I imagined that meant I was to make the arrangements for his meal.

As suddenly as he had come, Mr. Miller was gone again. He disappeared somewhere back into the interior of the home, leaving me alone with Tyler.

“He likes you,” Tyler said out of nowhere.

I was glad to hear it. Mr. Miller was a very hard man to read. “I’m glad, sir,” I replied.

Tyler laughed. “Don’t ‘sir’ me,” he replied. “There’s only one ‘Sir’ in the house, and it’s Lucius. ‘Sir’ or ‘Mr. Miller,’ depending on the circumstances.”

“How will I know the difference?”

Tyler shrugged. “Depends on if he looks like a Sir or a Miller at that moment, I guess.” He turned and left the room; I followed.

It wasn’t extremely helpful, but it was something at least. “Yes... Tyler,” I replied as we walked.

We were in the kitchen before I knew it. The chef was just putting the final garnish on Mr. Miller’s meal. There was some sort of steak, thinner than I would have imagined, topped with a thick white sauce. Roasted vegetables and potatoes surrounded the meat, which complemented the other plates of bread, cheeses, and something else I couldn’t quite identify. A bottle of wine, which could have been dirt cheap or priceless for all I knew, sat unopened nearby. I could imagine that the meal alone would have cost more than I spent on groceries in an average week.

Chef laughed. He always laughed, and his oversized stomach shook every time he did. “The eyes, Emma,” he said. I never could figure out where his accent was from, but I loved hearing it. “The eyes eat first. Every plate is a work of art, and every plate works together.” He carefully positioned the plates, the bottle, and every other accouterment onto a small silver tray, then stepped back to admire his work. “Good, good! Now go,” he said, laughing once again. He shoed me from the room with a final thought. “Hot food should be hot!”

I smiled to myself as I made my way towards the office. The smile only faded once I reached Mr. Miller’s office. The door was open and I could hear him working inside, but I wasn’t sure how to get his attention. I didn’t feel as though I should interrupt whatever he was doing but, as chef reminded me, hot food should be hot. I stayed where I was but cleared my throat.

“Come in,” he said, without looking up from his work.

I didn’t reply, afraid to interrupt him. The room was dim, with he brightest light coming from the lamp on his desk. He was intensely studying something; it seemed important. I placed the tray on his massive mahogany desk and backed away.

“Thank you, Emma.” There was a weariness in his voice; a tiredness that I hadn’t heard before. There was also just a hint of something else... maybe a hint of tenderness.

“Yes, Sir,” I replied. I turned to leave, stopping only when he called after me.

“Emma.”

I stopped. Turned. Waited.

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes wearily. “Have you had dinner?” he asked.

“No, Sir.”

“You don’t have to do that. Luke’s fine.”

I hesitated. I couldn’t quite bring myself to use such a familiar name for him, especially given the way the other staff had built him up.

He noticed my hesitation; he could sense my conflict. “They talked to you, didn’t they?” he laughed.

“Yes.” His laugh was infectious, and I couldn’t help but join him. “They drilled it into me- you were always ‘Sir.’”

“I grew up with them,” he explained. “They were my family. Alan raised me mostly; him and Michelle.”

I didn’t stop him to ask who those people were. “Even Tyler- he said the same thing.”

That made him laugh again. “Tyler said that?”

I nodded.

“He got you, I guess. But the rest of them, they worked for my father.” He was suddenly very somber. “They want me to be him, so I suppose they treat me the same way they treated him. They... they miss him.”

“Did something happen to him?” I asked. I wasn’t sure if it was place to ask such a question, but Mr. Miller- or rather, Luke- seemed unexpectedly approachable.

Luke nodded sadly. “He died; half a decade ago, nearly to the day.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. I meant it.

“Thanks. I hope you appreciate your father; I’m sure he appreciates you.”

My eyes flickered downward, but I didn’t say anything about it.

“Dammit,” he swore under his breath. “I’m sorry. He’s gone too, isn’t he?”

I nodded. “When I was just a little girl.”

“How? If you don’t mind.”

I shook my head. “Car accident.”

He opened the bottle of wine and poured some into the glass. He handed that to me and kept the bottle to himself. “To fathers, wherever they may be.” He pointed the bottle’s neck towards my glass, and we clinked them together. “Eat, please,” he said, pointing towards the tray.

“I don’t have anything to eat with.”

“Are you kidding? Rene always gives me a dozen pieces of silverware, no matter what I’m eating. Seriously, I don’t see why I need ten forks every meal.”

I laughed. I was glad I wasn’t the only one that couldn’t figure it out.

We shared his meal- which, as I expected, was incredible. The meat was tender and juicy; it seemed to melt in my mouth. The rest of it seemed to form more of an experience than a meal. That experience extended past the meal to the man I was sharing it with.

He told me stories of his travels overseas. Exotic places and boundless adventure. He spoke, and I hung on every word. And when I spoke, he did the same. Even though he had lived a life that I had never ever imagined, he still listened to my stories as though they mattered. He made me feel interesting.

“Luke,” I began, the wine helping me to accept his direction. “You’re nothing like I imagined you’d be.”

“What did you imagine?”

I thought for a moment. “I’m not sure. But not you.”

“Thanks.”

There was a moment, then. A very brief moment. Our eyes met; I couldn’t tell if it was the wine or something more, but I could feel something between us. It was instant and undeniable. He leaned in, just a few inches. He opened his mouth to speak, and his phone rang instead.

Luke snapped back to reality. The moment was gone.  He glanced at his phone, frowning at the display. “Will you excuse me?” he asked.

Are you kidding? I thought to myself. You’re the boss. And then I realized he was actually waiting for an answer. Outwardly, I only nodded.

Luke practically jumped out of his chair and stormed towards the door, alternating between shouting into the phone in Chinese and shouting for Tyler in English. Curiosity, as it often did, became my master. I maneuvered around the desk, wondering what exactly had been so vexing for him. Immediately, I understood what was so important.

There were maps. Charts. Purchase requests. Mortgages. All from Nebraska. I flipped through the pages, reading through the summaries and proposals. It wasn’t the town that Luke was after; it was the resources beneath it. Untapped and previously unmapped oil reserves, easily worth millions. Maybe more. No wonder he wanted it so badly.

Millions to him, but potentially tens of thousands to me. A drop in the bucket for Luke, but more money than I’d ever had in my life. All I had to do was pass that information to George; recite some of the facts and figures I had read, maybe, and the money was mine. I carefully set the papers back where I had found them, ashamed at just how tempted I was. Ashamed, but tempted nonetheless.

When Luke came back, he was much calmer than he had been when he left.

“Sorry,” he said, his smile disarming and refreshing at the same time. “Business. Now, I believe we were talking about me?”

It took me a moment to realize he was joking. Once again, he made me laugh.

“I like your laugh,” he said, seemingly out of nowhere.

I felt myself blush. “Thank you.” I wasn’t sure what to say. I was in the presence of the wealthiest, most powerful man I had ever known, and he took time to complement me. It was a little bit overwhelming.

“In fact, I like a lot of things about you,” he continued, suddenly very serious.

A thousand responses flew through my mind- so many that I couldn’t choose just one. I hoped he would take my wide-eyed delight and reddening cheeks for what they were worth. He leaned in, prepared to take what he wanted to take. I leaned in as well, ready to give it to him.

And then my phone rang. That damned sound.

“What’s that?” Luke blinked. He didn’t seem upset. He just seemed disappointed.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, cursing silently. “My old boss.”

Tom Krenchaw. I had carried his office, in spite of his natural incompetence and frequent outbursts. I had stayed as long as I could, but the constant sexual harassment and aura of mistrust was more than I could handle even then. He still called me once in a while, alternating between begging and threatening to get me to return. It seemed he had trouble keeping good people, and I was certain I wasn’t the only one he was calling.

Even though I didn’t work for the man any longer, I still felt the same wave of nervousness every time he called. I started to put the phone back in my pocket, but Luke stopped me.

“May I?” he asked. There was a look in his eyes that told me that I wanted to be a part of whatever he had planned.

“Be my guest,” I said, handing him the phone.

Luke swiped to answer the call and put it on speaker before he spoke. “Emma Kerry’s Office, how many I help you?” He held his finger to his lips, indicating that I would listen only. That was a relief.

There was a brief, confused moment of silence. Luke said nothing, waiting patiently for the answer.

“Where’s Emma?” Tom demanded. He was still terrible on the phone.

“Who’s calling, please?” Luke asked in his very best receptionist voice.

“Tom. I’m her boss. Her old boss, I mean. Who the hell are you? Put Emma on the phone.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Sir. She’s unavailable at the moment. But this is her assistant, may I help you?” He was drawing out the conversation, subtly poking at the man. It was fun to watch.

“Just get me Emma,” Tom said again.

“I’m afraid she’s tied up with the board of directors for the afternoon.” He winked to me as he lied. I could imagine Tom fuming and pacing on the other end of the phone. I barely suppressed a giggled.

“How the hell did Emma get an assistant? Nevermind. Tell her she needs to come back; come back or we’ll sue her. I have no clue where anything is anymore, no one knows what they hell’s going on. We’re going to have to sell the place, and it’ll be all that bitch’s fault. You tell her I said that.”

I gasped. The wry smile disappeared from Luke’s face. There was something in his eyes- something that scared me. That word, that single word, changed Luke’s demeanor completely.

“I see. And what company shall I refer to? There’s so many that want to hire her, I’m afraid.”

“Longview Services,” Tom said finally, clearly upset with my reported success.

“Thank you,” Luke replied coldly, ending the call while Tom was still huffing into the phone.

“Luke, I’m sorry,” I stammered. I was embarrassed. Mortified, really.

“Don’t be. Do you want to work for him? It’s your choice, but-”

“Hell, no!” I replied, just a little bit more passionately than I had intended. The question would have been ridiculous, but Luke didn’t seem to be the type of man to make assumptions.

“Smart girl.” He returned my phone, then took out his own. A moment later, it ringing through the speakers.

“Business development,” a man’s voice answered.

“Mike, it’s Lucius.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Longview Services. What do you know about it?”

Mike paused for a moment, pulling something out of his memory. “Local company. Too small to be on our radar, but I’ve seen the fliers. What’s up?”

“Buy it. I don’t care what it costs, I don’t care about due diligence. Just buy it.”

“You got it,” Mike replied. He didn’t even hesitate. “Anything else, sir?”

“When you get it, keep everyone. In fact, give them raises. Everyone but some mid-level supervisor named Tom.”

I could hear Mike chuckle over the speaker. “He’s as good as gone. No problem.”

That’s when I realized just how powerful Luke really was. He was a man that could get anything he wanted. I wonder what else that might be.

...

That night was ruined, but the ones that followed more than made up for it. He allowed me to see a glimpse of his world and, more importantly, a glimpse of him. We had grown accustomed to sharing meals, and it was over dinner one night that I had a realization: I was in love with Luke Miller.

That same night, I began to wonder if a man like him could somehow love me, too. Over dinner, I had my answer. I was telling a story that really wasn’t going anywhere, and that was when he leaned in close and kissed me. The sensation took me by surprise. I had hardly even noticed that he had moved, but very suddenly his warm lips were pressed against mine. I melted into it, giving myself over to him.

“Did you just do that to shut me up?” I teased.

Luke smiled and shook his head. “No. I did it because I haven’t been able to think of anything else since the moment I met you.”

That was true for me, too. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking of him since I first laid eyes on him. I smiled, losing myself in the way he looked at me.

Not a word was spoken. It wasn’t necessary. Everything that needed to be said was found in each other’s eyes.

“Come with me.” He stood and held out his hand, which I took without any doubt or hesitation. I followed him to the one place in the home I had never seen: his bedroom.

His bedroom wasn’t the massive, stately room that I had expected it to be. Instead, it was relatively simple- even spartan. There was a bed, several over-filled bookshelves, two small chests of drawers, and an upright armoire. Other than that, not much else. Luke was a paradox.

He stood in front of me, taking both hands in his. He kissed me again, which was somehow even more intense than the first time.

“Emma...” he began. “I want you.”

“I want you,” I echoed. Somehow, I knew that he would never take me- no matter how badly he wanted me. I could only freely give myself over to him.

He smiled. “Good.” Another kiss. The kiss was deep and passionate, and it made my head swim and my stomach start to flutter.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the revelation that I was about to share. “Luke,” I began. “I want you to be my first.”

Luke didn’t appear surprised by that. He did, however, look pleased. “I’m afraid I won’t be gentle.”

I looked at him quizzically, but I wasn’t afraid. Far from it.

“I want to show you a part of me,” he explained. “It’s a part that I can’t share with most people. But I want to let you into my world.” For a brief moment, I could see that he was worried about my reaction. Luke Miller was worried.

I nodded. “Whatever it is, I want it.”

I meant it. Ever fiber of my being wanted what Luke was offering to me. If it was a part of him, I wanted it all the more.

He smiled, pleased by my eager acceptance. I wondered if he could see the desire in my eyes. If not, he would certainly be able to feel it in my body. He stepped back, suddenly a very different man. He stood up taller; his voice boomed; his jaw was squared and firm. He had transformed into a different man- a very dominant man, that a previously unexplored part of me wanted to follow.

“Your dress, take it off. You won’t need it here,” he said simply.

I nodded, hesitating for only a moment. No man, aside from my childhood doctor, had ever seen me naked. It was the biggest of steps and there was no going back once I did what he said. I took a deep breath, finding my bravery in him, and pulled the dress over my head. I did it very slowly, allowing him to examine and enjoy my body as I revealed it inch by inch.

Finally, the dress was gone. I folded it neatly and placed it on the dresser- a fact that Luke seemed to appreciate. “Like this?” I looked at him with my deep blue, innocent eyes.

“Yes. Good girl.”

Something about those words affected me in a way I couldn’t begin to explain. It was as though he were speaking to a different Emma, one buried somewhere deep within me, that I hadn’t known existed until now. I sighed deeply and happily. “Thank you.”

He circled me, studying my body with the same patient intensity that an artist would study his canvas. I was glad that I had worn my sexiest pair of panties and a matching bra, although I suspected that my definition of sexy and his would differ slightly. All the same, I could see that he appreciated the effort for what it was.

He ran two fingers down my neck, tracing my body delicately. I shivered when he ran down my stomach, and my needs nearly buckled when he reached my waist. He broke away right before he reached the elastic of my panties.

I closed my eyes, savoring the sensations. That only made it more surprising, then, when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards the bed. I lost my balance, and it was only Luke’s careful coordination that caused him to land on his lap rather than the ground. When I saw exactly how I was positioned- with my ass up in the air, just over his knee- I realized that it was intentional. I also had an idea as to why he had me that way.

I could feel his bulge resting against my arm through his pants. It was warm. I wanted to reach down and grab it, or maybe move my body so I could wrap my lips around it. To study it. I wanted to sit upright, slide my panties to the side, and take him deep into the untouched parts of me. But I waited. He would do with me as he wished. After all, I couldn’t deny that I was already his. It was instinctual; I knew my role just as well as he knew his.

He ran his hand over my body, savoring the sensation of the soft fabric of my panties. He grabbed the waistband and pulled it down, just enough to expose my skin.

“What are you going to do?” I asked, even though I was already sure of the answer.

“You’ll see.”

There was a long pause. The world stopped. And then, suddenly, a flash of pain. The first spanking was completely unexpected. I couldn’t help but cry out, and again when he repeated the spanking on the other cheek. Over and over, alternating from one cheek to the other until I was left stinging and raw. I wondered if I would be able to sit comfortably after a spanking from Luke’s heavy hands.

He slid my panties back over my ass cheeks. That hurt, too, but I could also feel the familiar sensation of moisture on the fabric. With his prompting, I stood once again. When my bra stayed behind, left on his lap, I realized that he had unclasped it so deftly that I hadn’t even noticed.

“Clever,” I smiled.

Luke didn’t say a word, but his grin spoke volumes.

He stood and pulled me towards the armoire; he could barely contain his excitement as he opened it. Whatever was in there was exciting to him, which meant it would be doubly so to me. I, for my part, could barely contain my curiosity and my arousal.

The inside of the antique wooden armoire didn’t match the outside of it. The interior was lined with a deep red felt, which was punctuated by shelves and hangars full of black leather and shiny metal items. Some, like the leather riding crop, I could recognize. Others, like the spiked wheel at the end of a long, slender handle... I could only imagine.

“What’s this?” I gasped.

That grin again. God, I loved that grin. “This...” He paused for emphasis. “Is my toy chest. It’s also our evening.”

I took a deep breath. It was going to be quite a night. “It’s intimidating,” I admitted with a nervous laugh.

“Don’t worry. You’ll learn to love it.” We both knew that he was right. “Your panties.”

It wasn’t necessary a question, nor was it a demand. But there was no question about what he wanted from me. I stood proud and topless before him; my firm breasts felt desperate for his touch. Even my nipples seemed to respond to his approving gaze.

And so also went the panties. I grabbed the waistband and pulled downward- slowly, to build up to the reveal. His eyes traced my body, traveling from my breasts to my hips and taking in everything in between.

First, the gentle rise of my mound. Closely trimmed hair that stopped at the top of my pussy. A little bit further gave him everything. It felt liberating to show him that most sensitive part of me.

My panties fell freely to the floor I kicked them away. I waited, nude and vulnerable, while Luke took off his own clothes. He had a greater sense of show than I did, and I watched entranced as he undressed. When his dick sprang into view, my jaw dropped.

“It’s... big,” I gasped.

He smiled; I suspected that he already knew that. He grabbed my hand. Instinctively, I intertwined my fingers with his in a gesture that was more affectionate than it was erotic. He didn’t protest, but instead allowed our fingers to remain as they were until we reached the bed.

“Put your hands on the bed,” he said gently.

I did as I was told. This left my ass very exposed; my pussy parted and vulnerable. He could do anything to me then; the idea was intoxicating.

“Do you know what a safe word is?” he asked. We could have had that conversation while I was dressed; I had a feeling that he had chosen this specific time for a reason.

“No,” I admitted.

“It’s a word that you can use to tell me if you’re overwhelmed or hurt. It stops everything- it’s to keep you safe.” He thought for a moment. “Red. That will do nicely.” 

It was comforting to know that such a thing existed, but I was committed to pleasing Luke. I wanted him to know that I was much stronger than he knew. “I won’t use it,” I said proudly. “I can take it.”

Luke sighed. “Then we’re done here. Take your clothes.” His voice changed as he walked away. I knew he was leaving without even having to look.

I spun around. “What do you mean? I thought you’d be proud.”

Luke shook his head. “Using a safe word isn’t about weakness,” he explained. “Your body reacts to pleasure and it reacts to pain. I’ll be subjecting you to both. No matter how strong your mind is, your body has limits. If you won’t tell me when we find them, we won’t proceed. I’m going to hurt you, but I refuse to damage you.”

I nodded. It all made sense when he put it like that. I had so much to learn, and I was grateful to have Luke to explain it to me. “I understand. I’m sorry. My safe word is ‘red.’”

“You’ll use it if you need to?”

“Without hesitation,” I promised. I meant it, too.

He seemed to think for just a moment. He gestured towards the bed; it was a simple flick of his fingers, but I knew what it meant. I turned, wondering if he could see my broad smile as he did. A moment later, I was in the exact same position I had just moved from.

Something heavy and cold brushed against my skin. The sensation disappeared- I knew what that meant. When it finally came back down, I couldn’t stop myself from crying out. Nor, I suspect, did he want me to hold it in. I cried out again with the next one as well, and the ones that followed. Whatever he was using was heavy, and it hurt. He stopped just as my mind started to cloud over with the pain and something else that I couldn’t quite understand.

“You’re already wet,” he noted, touching my pussy lips; I knew he was right, I could feel it. 

I blushed, and then nodded. “I like it,” I replied. Or tried to, at least- the word ‘it’ disappeared beneath a deep moan when touched me. The stinging of my ass was still sharp and distinct, but the pleasure that he was bringing gradually started to overshadow even that. He kept teasing me until I started pushing back against him.

I could feel my first ‘real’ orgasm, the first one from someone other than myself, building deep inside my stomach. I was right on the edge- so close to release. I started moaning as his finger slid in and out of me.

That’s the moment when he abruptly stopped.

I groaned. “I liked it,” was all I could think to say. It was both a statement and a question, and the best I could manage through the fog of my mind.

“I like it, too.”

He stood and walked to the bed. I turned my head to see what he was getting, but his body blocked my view. I was sure that was intentional, as the anticipation was far worse that whatever pain he was planning for me.  He returned with a blindfold, which he placed over my eyes. I lifted my head to allow him to secure the strap in place, leaving me in total darkness.

With my eyesight gone, I had to rely on my hearing for hope of some warning of what was going to come next. I heard him stand and walk to the bed, but other than that I had no clue of what was in store. My breathing started to quicken. I could hear my heart drumming in my chest.

“You know what happens when you can’t see?” he asked.

I shook my head. I had some idea, but I was certain he had much more to say about it than I knew.

“When you lose your sense of sight, your other senses become much sharper. That means that everything I’m going to do to you, you’re going to experience it much more intensely.”

For just a moment, I felt just a hint of fear. The spanking and the paddling had hurt so much already, so I wasn’t sure how it would feel to be hurt by him when the sensations were intensified. But I was resolved. I would take it for as long as I possibly could.

I felt his hands on my bare breasts, caressing the skin and lightly teasing my nipples. He was right- it felt much better with my eyesight robbed from me. I sighed happily; this wasn’t bad at all.

I felt him lightly grasp my right nipple and pull; not enough to hurt, but enough that I knew he was there.

“This is going to hurt,” he promised.

I nodded, confused but ready. A moment later, something bit my nipple. I cried out and started to pull away, but he was ready for that. His strong, reassuring hand found my back and held me in place.

“What is that?” I gasped. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt that much pain. It was still there, too. Whatever it was, was still attached to my nipple.

“Nipple clamps,” he said simply. I felt his hand on my other, untouched breast and I knew what was coming. I took a deep breath, trying my best to prepare for it. I felt him pull lightly, wait, then another sharp pain

“Ow!” I cried out again.

His voice was smooth and reassuring in my ear. “I know it hurts,” he said. “It’s supposed to. Just relax, let it pass.”

I tried to do what he said. I took a deep breath and tried to ignore the pain. It didn’t go away completely, but it turned into more of a dull ache.

“Good girl,” he said. Once again, the words had a profound effect on me. They made me stand just a little bit taller and prouder, despite being bent over Luke’s bed.

“Thank you,” I murmured. Suddenly, the clamps didn’t hurt at all. In a strange way, they felt comfortable.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, another bite. This one was on my upper back. I tensed a jumped, which brought a fresh wave of pain from my nipples.

“The Wartenberg wheel,” he explained, anticipating the question. “Also called a pinwheel.” I bit my lip as he traced my spine, biting into my flesh along whatever painful route he was taking. Hearing his speak as he did it was confusing, but it forced me to stay in the moment. The overall result was interesting, to say the least.

He continued explaining, his voice calm and measured. “It was originally designed to test neurological response.” He ran over my ass- still stinging from the strikes, which made it hurt even worse, then moved to my sensitive inner thigh. “While technology advanced, it’s still an effective way to... stimulate... the body. Don’t you agree?”

I nodded and made a sound through my gritted teeth. I could feel the endorphins starting to flood my body. It helped with the pain, but it also left me feeling like I was floating just a little bit. I was still in my body, I was fairly certain of that at least.

It took me a moment to realize that he pinwheel had stopped biting me. I didn’t really consider what that meant until I felt his hands on my breasts again. What now, they’re already on! my mind screamed. But I said nothing. I felt his fingers on my nipples, then felt the clamps loosen.

There was a fresh wave of pain radiating from my nipples as the circulation was restored. I breathed in sharply, but did as he had told me before. I relaxed, and l let the pain pass through me. I moved slowly, allowing Luke to reposition my body for whatever he had in mind next.

That position just happened to be on my back, on the bed. I knew what that meant. I sighed happily and spread my legs as wide as I could. “Are you going to have sex with me now?” I asked. I couldn’t tell if that was sexy or not, but I hoped that my visible and parted pussy would make up for the inexperience I clearly exuded.

Luke didn’t answer. I heard him move around the bed; felt him hold my hand and pull slightly. Something soft wrapped around my wrist.

He was tying me up. And I was letting him.

He tied my arms first, pulling them outward and securing them to the bed. Then my legs, forcing them apart just a little bit more.

Out of the silence came a sound. A rapid buzzing, like an angry insect. But I knew it wasn’t an insect at all. It was something that was going to feel incredible.

I was right. The moment the vibrator touched my clit, I jumped. The sensation was as incredible as it was surprising. He ran it from my clit, along my pussy lips, then slowly pressed it into me. I moaned; I think I said something, too, but I couldn’t quite be sure. The pain started to give way to pleasure once again as he fucked me with even, vibrating strokes of the toy.

“That feels so good,” I sighed happily. I was aware that I was bucking my hips to match his movements.

“Good,” he whispered, barely audible over the vibrator, despite my body muffling most of the sound. He started teasing my clit as he pushed the toy in and out of me.

Another moan escaped my lips. I pulled at the ropes as my orgasm started to build, but there was no give at all. All I could do was push my head back into his pillow and enjoy what he was doing to me. I could feel it- the climax. I was being pushed up a hill, and I knew there was a cliff just on the other side. I wanted to dive into whatever I’d find there. I tried to control my breathing; I had very little capability for thought left, but a small part of me reasoned that if he didn’t know I was about to cum, he’d let me.

He knew all the same. Somehow, Luke knew that I was about to cum. He pulled the vibrator out of me and stopped teasing my clit. Dammit.

“Please, Luke,” I managed to say. “Please, let me cum,” I begged. I was so close; my pussy felt so empty without the vibrator in it. It practically throbbed with raw, primal desire.

“Soon,” he promised.

I took a deep breath. If Luke said that it would happen soon, that would have good enough for me.

I had caught onto the pattern. Pain again. If the pattern held, pleasure would be next. I felt the sharp sting of his crop against my inner thigh. I yelped with the pain, knowing that more would follow. Luke knew all the most sensitive parts of my body, from my inner thigh to the side of my calf; he hit the back of my arm and, more gently, my breasts and chest. My nipples were still very sensitive, so even the light touches of the crop against them were excruciating.

As he continued, something remarkable happened. I began to float higher and higher. It was almost as though I had left my body, even though I could feel everything that was happening to me. It was exactly what Luke had prepared me for; the pain had brought me to an entirely new place. It was close to one that I had experienced at other times in my life when I was hurt, but the addition of near-orgasmic pleasure had made it altogether new. I could hardly think, and the only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted him to take me the rest of the way.

“I want you,” I slurred. I could feel the raw, physical need deep in the pit of my stomach.

He said something in reply, but I couldn’t quite make it out. I barely knew that my arms and legs had been freed, but I was very aware that he had climbed between my legs. He pushed the blindfold up onto my forehead; the light was blinging, but after a moment, I could see heaven in Luke’s eyes. Or, if nothing else, the promise of heaven.

I felt the tip of his cock just part my pussy lips; he was much bigger than the vibrator, and the sensations were much more pleasurable. He pushed in a little bit deeper; instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his back and pulled him closer. There was a flash of pain, but it lasted only for a moment. After that, it became nothing but pleasure.

“You’re in me,” I managed. It was nearly nonsensical, but it was the only way I could think to convey the significance of what we were sharing; it was incredible.

Luke leaned forward, filling me deeper, and then kissed me. As we kissed, he slowly slid further and further into me- I could feel every inch fill me until he was inside me completely. He paused there for a moment, then pulled out nearly all away. The next thrust was just a little bit faster.

“You feel so good. So good.”

“So do you,” Luke replied.

I beamed up at him. I knew what he was doing to me, and it felt amazing. But that was the first inkling that I had that he was getting as much pleasure from me as I was from him.

Another thrust. Harder. My tits shook slightly. Another one. Faster. My body offered no resistance, and he was soon fucking me in long, hard strokes. He was like an animal; I was his helpless mate, who could only allow him to do what he wanted with me. As far away as I felt, I had no desire to stop him anyway. He wrapped his hands around my neck and pushed slightly- not enough to choke me, but enough to restrict my air flow.

“Wha-” For a moment, I was frightened, but then I understood. The pain, the pleasure, the slight lack of oxygen- it all combined into something new and nearly overwhelming. It’s what finally got me over the edge.

My orgasm was as sudden as it was overpowering. It started with a single spark deep in my pussy, which exploded all over my body. I moaned and pushed against his body, wanting to have every bit of his perfect cock inside me as I came. The world disappeared completely, and I lost all sense of everything that wasn’t Luke. I couldn’t remember why I had come to Luke’s home, but I could certainly remember why I was there now.

“I’m...” I tried to speak. “It’s...” once again, I couldn’t.

“Me, too,” Luke replied. And then he moaned. And then he came, deep inside my pussy. The sensation of his cock swelling and releasing inside me, which I could feel with nearly superhuman acuity, was what brought me to that new level.

The world went dim then, and only my body was left. I was somewhere beyond happy, and somewhere far outside anything I had ever known before. I let the darkness envelope me. Whatever happened next, I knew that I’d still be safer than I’d ever been in my life.

...

I didn’t remember crawling into bed next to Luke. I didn’t remember falling asleep. I didn’t remember anything after that moment. When my eyelids fluttered open and I saw the soft, golden sunlight filtering in through the window, I knew that everything I had felt had been real.

Luke snored softly next to me. He was on his stomach, and his arm was draped over my bare breasts. I was nearly overwhelmed with happiness. He had been my first, and it was more than I had dreamed. There were still traces of fog at the edge of my brain, but at the same time I had never seen life so clearly. I felt like I had been born again. Like I was a brand new creature. Luke hadn’t brought me to that state- he had helped me find it for myself.

My phone chirped. I yawned and glanced at the screen. It was another email from George.

$35k, it read. What’s he after? FINAL OFFER.

I deleted the message and added his address to my block list. There’s nothing that I would ever make me hurt the man that had brought me so much pleasure. Perhaps, when he woke up, I’d tell him everything. I was, after all, his. There wouldn’t be any secrets.

I put my phone aside and turned to face Luke. I scooted my body closer to him, doing my best to melt into him. I draped my arm over his body and buried my face in his neck. I was happy there, and I knew I had finally found where I belonged.