He disappears again, although this time I know why.

“Traveling to London,” he texts me early the morning after he got me off on the subway. “Won’t be back all week.”

“Should I keep the vibrator on?” I ask, mostly joking.

“Only if you want. I’ll send you the remote.”

“Thanks,” I say, grinning to myself.

But sure enough, later that day, a courier arrives at my apartment with a box. Inside, I find a note from Jacob, the controller to the vibrator, and another pair of panties.

I open up the note and read it cross-legged on my couch.

Sof, sorry I’ll be out of touch, but use it with my blessing. And think of me when you do. Here’s an extra pair of panties too, since I know the others are probably ruined. Thinking of you. Daddy.

I bite my lip and glance at the things. The controller is purple with big round plastic buttons. I pick it up and wonder if this is what he used, or if he has some other app or something like that. I’m guessing app, but who knows.

He surprises me at every turn. I don’t know how he got my number, probably from the files at work. The way he timed it down in the subway amazes me, almost like he knew exactly where I was and where the trains were. He seems to have total control over every single situation I find myself in, and I don’t know how I feel about it. I don’t know if I should be nervous or excited. I think I’m a little bit of both.

The weekend crawls past, my mind still buzzing with Jacob, and finally work comes around. That week is a total wreck of complete monotonous boredom, but at least there’s one upside.

Karl doesn’t bother me.

“What did you do?” Darlene asks me on Wednesday, standing at the bathroom mirror. She’s fixing her hair while I wash my hands.

“What do you mean?”

She looks at me through the mirror. “Karl’s been almost… nice to you this week.”

“I don’t know if ‘nice’ is the word,” I say to her.

“Well, for him, at least. He hasn’t been trying to embarrass you every day.”

“You’re right,” I admit. “I don’t really know why.” That’s a tiny little lie, but I can’t exactly admit that the CEO of the company is using favors with the HR department to keep Karl under control.

“Guess you’re just lucky,” she says. “Now you’re like the rest of us.”

“Lucky me,” I say.

She grins at me. “Well, maybe not like me. I’m awesome.”

“You’re okay.” I pull out some paper towels and dry my hands. “Not the best, but okay.”

“I’ll take it!” She grins and we walk back out to our cubes together.

Back in front of my computer, I can’t help but wonder what Jacob’s doing. I want to text him but I know I shouldn’t. I need to let him have his space. If he wanted to contact me, he would. I know he’s busy out in London, doing whatever it is he’s doing.

Maybe he’s sleeping with someone else right now. That thought just randomly pops into my head and I frown down at my keyboard. Would that be against the rules? I know I’m not allowed to be with anyone else right now, which is more than okay with me. But we never defined his role and if he’s going to be exclusive.

Maybe he’s not, and that’s part of it. He gets to fuck whoever he wants while I have to obey his every command.

But that doesn’t feel good. That doesn’t feel right or okay to me. If we’re going to do this, we have to have some level of equality, if it’s only that neither of us can cheat on the other one.

I shouldn’t even be thinking about this, to be honest. I dive back into my work, forcing myself to forget all about it.

But it lingers all through the rest of the week. Thursday and Friday come and although I’m busy, I’m not swamped. Darlene and I have lunch together most days, sitting in the break room and chatting amiably. We both bring our lunches, while most of the guys in the department go out together and grab something downstairs. It’s easier this way, and I’m starting to really like Darlene.

“Let me guess,” she says, eyeing me on Friday afternoon over a little salad. “You’re not dating anyone.”

I nearly choke on my soda. “Why?” I ask.

She just shrugs. “I can tell these things.”

“Well, uh, no,” I say.

She raises an eyebrow. “I sense a complication.”

I laugh. If only she knew. “Something like that,” I admit. “What about you?”

“Oh, I have a boyfriend,” she says casually. “Been together for years.”

“You don’t sound excited about that.”

“What can I say? His family is rich, he has a nice job, I love his dog and his apartment, but… it’s been years.” She shrugs a little bit. “A gal gets bored, I guess.”

“Sounds like the ideal situation to me.”

She sighs and leans back in her chair. “I know it is. So why am I always so restless?”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “I’ve had boyfriends and stuff but we’ve never worked out. I mean, I never wanted to marry any of them and I never really felt like I was losing much when we broke up, so…”

“Right, that’s how I think I feel,” she admits. “Brian’s gorgeous, and nice to me, and I love him to death. But I don’t know. I’m antsy.”

I like this about Darlene. Not her boredom with her boyfriend, but how familiar she is, how open and honest. I wish I could be more like that.

“Have you mentioned this to him?” I ask her.

Her eyes go wide. “Oh god, no,” she says. “Can you imagine?” She sits up straight and her voice gets lower. “Oh Dar, please, don’t talk like that. Can you imagine how upset mommy would be?” She laughs and slouches back down. “Calls his mom ‘mommy,’ for real.”

“That’s weird.” I purse my lips. “How rich is his family?”

Her eyes go wide. “Rich.”

“Huh. I think that mommy thing is a very, like, upper-crust sort of affectation.”

“I think you’re right, but it’s still weird. I mean, I’m from Nebraska. We don’t talk like that.”

We laugh together but I can’t help glancing at the clock and wondering what Jacob’s doing. All of this, my friendship with Darlene and work, it’s all going well. Normally I’d be more than happy about all of it. Except now the only thing I can think about is Jacob and what he’s doing.

The rest of Friday crawls by and I end up finally packing my things. Just before I can leave, Karl appears at my cube. “A word?” he asks, and turns to head back into his office without waiting for me.

I make a face and catch Darlene’s eye as she’s heading to the elevator. She gives me a little shrug and a wave before leaving. I sigh and follow Karl back into his lair.

He shuts the door and sits down behind his desk. “I’ll keep this short,” he says. “I know you’re being protected. And I just want you to know that it’s not going to work.”

I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t know what you mean,” I say to him, my anger rising.

“Right,” he says, his expression not changing. “Just tell him that I’m onto him.”

“Tell who?” I ask.

He sighs. “Have a good weekend.” He looks away, back to his computer.

I hesitate before leaving. Anger flows through me. Karl is such an asshole. He’s not wrong, but he’s still an asshole. I gather my stuff and head out, glad that I won’t have to see him again until Monday.

I get downstairs and walk quickly out onto the sidewalk. I head toward the subway, my mind still back in that office, wondering what I could have said to him to make him feel like an asshole, when I suddenly hear my name.

I look up and spot a black car rolling beside me. Jacob’s grin catches me off guard.

“Sofia,” he says again. “Get in.” The car stops as I step over toward him.

“You’re back,” I say, shocked to see him.

“I am. You hungry?”

I nod a little. “I could eat.”

“Good. Come on.” He slides over as I open the door and get in.

He looks good. He’s wearing a three-piece suit and his watch is enormous, metal, and shining. He cocks his head at me, a cocky little grin on his face.

“Missed me?” he asks as the car pulls out into traffic.

“Not at all,” I say with a smile.

He laughs and leans toward me. “I can make you miss me,” he says softly.

I feel my heart miss a beat and I look into his eyes. “How about you tell me about your trip instead?”

He grins at me and launches into the story of his London trip. It’s mostly meetings and boring business stuff, and I wish I could ask him if he’s sleeping with other women, but I know that’s a bad idea. Instead, I smile and nod, listening as he talks.

When he’s done, we arrive at a nice little Italian place. It’s not too crowded, since it’s relatively early, and we’re seated quickly at a good table toward the back. I notice he’s carrying a briefcase, which I’ve never seen him do before.

“What’s with that?” I ask, nodding toward it. “Carrying a bomb?”

“Something like that,” he says, smirking at me. “Actually, it’s another present.”

My eyes go wide. “I don’t know how I feel about your presents.”

“You love them. Did you use the remote I sent you?”

I nod and blush. “A little.”

“That means every night, doesn’t it.”

I bite my lip. “Maybe.”

He laughs and puts the briefcase on the table. He pops it open and takes out a little box, sliding it across the table.

“Here,” he says. “I want you to go put that on.”

“What is it?” I ask him.

“Go into the bathroom and find out.” His face is serious and intense. “That’s an order.”

I raise an eyebrow, my pulse jumping into my throat. “Yes, Daddy,” I whisper, taking the box into my hands.

I stand and quickly walk to the bathroom. I’m so happy he’s back, although things are complicated, and I’m somewhat afraid of what I’m getting myself into. But I’m not going to stop, not for anything.