Mr. J. Bradley requests the pleasure of your company at the
Young Ladies of Boston Private Gala
Saturday, the Tenth of May
Two Thousand Seventeen.
Reception at six o’clock
Dinner at seven o’clock
The Grand Cerulean Hotel
Azure Ballroom
Boston, Massachusetts
RSVP [email protected]
She had torn the wrapping paper from the package and opened the box. Under the layers of crisp tissue paper was the scarlet dress she was now wearing, along with golden heels, and a delicate gold necklace. She had found a small card on top with an appointment time and address to Queen’s Salon and Spa for the day of the event. She felt like she had won the lottery. Then she thought, Nope. This has to be a mistake. They must have me mixed up with someone else. I’m not touching any of this before I make sure; this seems too good to be true. I’m going to touch this stuff and then I’ll probably have to pay for everything.
She emailed the address on the invitation to confirm it was indeed her, Audrey Alicea, they had intended to send the invitation to. She received a reply within the hour. The email confirmed that indeed, Audrey Alicea was the intended recipient. The email went on to explain that she had been chosen as a contestant for a contest hosted by James Bradley. James Bradley? The billionaire?
She began to wonder if this was some sort of contest or scholarship she had signed up for at the beginning of university this past September. Audrey had to pay her own way through school and worked full-time as a waitress to pay the bills, but it was never enough. Every month she was left counting change to afford basic necessities after she paid her rent.
Audrey was determined to be the first person in her family’s history to attend college, so when she found herself struggling to pay for it with her wages, she looked to other alternatives. Her grades weren’t the highest; working full-time meant she couldn’t put in the study time she needed, but they were good enough. She decided to apply for every student contest and scholarship she came across. She had applied for so many she couldn’t remember all of them; she tried to remember if there had been one from James Bradley.
Well, it doesn’t matter why they sent it. They sent it to me. There is a gorgeous dress, a trip to a salon, and a free dinner. I have to go. She was decided, and she emailed to confirm her presence. As she pressed the send button, she felt an instant giddiness flood over her. She had never been to a black-tie event and was suddenly so excited she thought she might burst.
Two weeks later, now standing at the gala, doubt was starting to creep up again. She felt like she was about to be discovered for the fraud she was. She tried to relax by wandering the hall; the tables were gorgeous, with lush white rose centerpieces. Young women dressed like they were headed to the Oscars wandered around, chatting with one another and the few male guests that circulated as well. Audrey had just begun her second glass of champagne when one of the young men, very handsome in his tuxedo, walked up to a microphone that was set up at the other end of the hall.
“May I have your attention, please?” His voice was clear and friendly. The crowd settled and turned their attention to the host.
“Welcome to Mr. Bradley’s private gala. Thank you all for coming. Now, I would like to invite you all to take a seat, but first things first. Would any guests who have publicly shared news of this gala on any sort of social media please raise your hand. This includes posts to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etcetera.”
About nine young ladies raised their hands into the air. The host nodded.
“Thank you, ladies. We appreciate you coming, but at this time we have to ask you to take your leave. Please make your way to the exit. Remaining ladies, you may take a seat at one of the tables,” he said as he gestured to where the tables were laid out.
Audrey’s eyes widened. Wow, that was harsh, she thought. They weren’t joking when they said it was a private gala. Everyone looked around at one another, shocked that nearly one-fifth of the invitees had been dismissed so abruptly. The nine ladies began to make their way out of the room and the rest of the guests made their way to the tables.
Audrey shifted in her seat as she watched the disappointed girls leave the party before it had really started. Another young woman had taken a seat across the table from her. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a chignon and she looked confident in her navy gown. Audrey caught movement from the corner of her eye. The chair beside her began to slide out. She looked up to find a tall, dark, and very handsome man pulling up the seat next to her. His brown skin was rich and smooth. Audrey drank him in; his muscular body filled his tuxedo perfectly.
James Bradley had been leaning against the bar, sipping his Glenfiddich when Audrey caught his eye. The lush auburn waves of her hair spilled over her shoulders, and with the way that scarlet dress hugged her body, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He had found the belle of the ball, no doubt, but the most intriguing part was that she obviously had no idea. She was graceful, but she guarded herself.
Her arms were always wrapped around her middle, trying to shield herself from the gaze of others. It had the opposite effect on James; he felt himself drawn to her. Of course, he had profiles of all the women at the event. He knew the basics of each guest: their names, education, background information, but the fun of events like this was to get to know them personally. He was searching for the perfect candidate, and as he made his way through the room toward Audrey’s table, he was hoping it was her.
“Is this seat taken?” He smiled at Audrey. His smile was warm; she blushed as she looked up at him.
“No, no.” She began to stand to make him feel welcome, but he touched her shoulder, pushing her gently back into her seat.
“Please, don’t get up.” He placed his glass on the table, the ice cubes clinked against each other as the movement swayed them in the amber liquid.
“How are you finding the gala?” he asked as he sat next to her.
The blonde across the table chimed in. “I thought there would be more people. Seventy-five people hardly qualifies as a ‘gala.’ And now they just sent ten women packing in one shot,” she said shaking her head and looking around. “This is a weird party.”
He chuckled and took a sip of his drink, then raised his glass toward her. “True enough!” He had been so captivated by Audrey that he had barely noticed the blonde across from her.
Audrey smiled and shook her head. “I still think it’s pretty great. This is probably one of the nicest parties I’ve ever attended. Not to mention the VIP treatment beforehand was pretty nice as well.” As the handsome man turned toward her, she realized that these events were probably a dime a dozen to him. Her face flushed. Oh my god, I sound like the biggest loser on the planet. She cringed internally.
“Ah, you’re a girl who appreciates the finer things in life. I like that; it’s refreshing,” he said, looking into her eyes. She was a bit naïve and inexperienced, but more than anything, she didn’t have a sense of entitlement. This was quite a change from most of the women Bradley met through the usual dinners and parties.
As he studied her face, Audrey thought she might just melt into her chair. His charisma was unlike anything she had ever experienced before; when he spoke to her, it radiated off him. He bordered on hypnotic.
Suddenly, a hand holding a black folder passed by her eyes, breaking her gaze. A waiter placed the folder in front of her with a pen on top. Audrey glanced around and saw that all of the guests were being handed the same folders. She opened the cover and read the top of the first page.
“Non-disclosure agreement,” she mumbled to herself. She turned toward the stranger beside her. “Now even I have to admit this party is getting a bit weird.” She smiled at him.
The host tapped on the microphone to gain the attention of the guests. “Ladies, you will find some legal documents in the folder that has been placed in front of you. This is a non-disclosure agreement, meaning that if you sign, you agree to keep anything that happens here tonight confidential. Please take a moment to read through it and if you agree, which we hope you will, then sign the documents. If not, thank you for coming and please make your way to the exit.” The host gestured again to the doors leading out of the hall.
Audrey glanced around at the other women. Everyone seemed to be equally surprised at the strange request. She looked down at the papers. As she read through them, she was relieved to see that it was really only an agreement to keep the discussions of the evening confidential. She wasn’t legally binding herself to do anything other than keep quiet. She clicked the pen as she considered. A few women had already started to make their way to the door.
“This is too fucking weird. I’m outta here,” the blonde woman said and abruptly stood up and made her way out.
Audrey watched as she went, and then looked back to her papers. She was intrigued. She wanted to know what the big deal was about this gala. James reached over and placed his large hand on top of hers. She stopped clicking the pen.
“I hope you sign it,” he said, giving her hand a little squeeze. Standing up, he took his drink, gave Audrey a little wink, and walked off to another table. She watched him saunter away, her mouth hanging open a bit. She turned and signed the papers.
As the dinner got underway, Audrey enjoyed all the different courses offered. Everything was delicious, but she couldn’t focus on the food. She had met a few of the other ladies and men, but the conversations never held her attention. She kept catching herself looking through the room to see if she could spot her handsome stranger.
Every time she would find him making rounds in the crowd , she would feel a wave of heat rush through her body. Why didn’t I ask his name? She thought. I wonder if he works for the host? She was also dying to find out what the non-disclosure agreement was all about. What was the big secret? Audrey was staring at the stranger, who was talking to some of the other women when he stood and began to make his way over to the microphone.
“Good evening everyone. Thank you for coming to my gala tonight, and thank you for deciding to stay.” He smiled. “As some of you already know, my name is James Bradley. I have invited you all here tonight as part of a recruitment competition I am holding.”
Audrey’s breath caught in her throat.
James. Fucking. Bradley, she thought. I’m such an idiot. I can’t believe I didn’t recognize him! Her face turned crimson as the realization sunk in. I can’t believe James Bradley came to talk to me at his own party and I didn’t realize it was him. I’m going to die of embarrassment.
She had taken a minute to look him up after she got the invitation, but she hadn’t put much thought into it because she never thought he would be attending a small-time event like this. James Bradley was one of the youngest self-made billionaires in history, but what had made him really famous was the fact that he was a young African American man who had grown up on the rough streets of Baltimore. He was the kid who grew up with everyone telling him that his dreams were too big, that he would never make it. Now, he was one of the most successful businessmen in the country and an inspiration to young people, especially the young black community.
He was in the news regularly for his charitable works and the opportunities he created for young people. Audrey suddenly realized that he had said “recruitment competition.” It suddenly dawned on her that she could end up working for JAMES BRADLEY! This was the kind of opportunity she had been waiting for. I hope I didn’t blow my chances already. She took a deep breath and turned her attention back to his speech.
“I will be giving the details of the position at a later time, once the appropriate candidates have been selected. The selection process itself will be quite rigorous. The position is very unique and lucrative, but unfortunately, I only need one person to fill it. I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with each of you tonight, however briefly. As the evening comes to an end, those of you who have made it on to the next round will be given further instructions. Everyone else, thank you for coming, and enjoy the rest of the party.” He held his glass up to the crowd, smiled, and took a sip. He made his way down from the stage and people began to mingle again.
The level of excitement in the room was palpable. The young women were looking around to gauge themselves against the competition. Audrey’s heart sank. She was certain that she had made a bad impression on James Bradley: first for not recognizing him, and second for hesitating to sign the papers. She felt disappointed in herself. If anyone in this room could relate to how James Bradley had grown up, it was her. She was killing herself just to get through college and everyone in her family thought she was crazy for it.
Why are you working so hard? You think you’re going to be a big shot someday? They had mocked her when she was applying to college. Then she had to move out in order to get the peace she needed to study. That meant she had to work her butt off to cover her expenses, and even still, money was so tight she was already considering postponing her next semester.
She wished she had been able to convey even a bit of this to James Bradley when she had the chance. I can’t believe he was right there and I was too busy swooning to realize who he was, she thought. She began to make her way to the exit, slowly winding through the crowd. At least it was a nice party, and I got a fancy dress out of the deal, she thought, sighing to herself. Without warning, she felt a hand grab her wrist, pulling her back. She turned around hastily and jerked her arm free, startled. It was James.
“Are you leaving already?” he asked. His eyebrows knit together with mock offense.
“Oh, I, uh,” Audrey mumbled, trying to think of something clever to say. “I thought, well, I didn’t think I made a great first impression,” she confessed. She lifted her hands and covered her face. “Oh my God. I just keep embarrassing myself. I’m so sorry.” Her face flushed crimson behind her hands. James reached over and gently pulled her hands down; she looked up at him and he smiled.
“You made an impression alright. Don’t be embarrassed. I find you charming.” He gestured to one of his staff. The man scurried over with another folder and handed it to her. “Seriously, I find you really refreshing. Several of the other women have already thrown themselves at me or paid way too much attention to my success. I find that rather off-putting. I hope to see you at the next round.” His smile melted her. She nodded vigorously, clutching the folder tightly to her chest.
“Yes, of course. Thank you so much,” she said. Audrey realized she was gushing, but she was so grateful.
Chapter Two
A black Lincoln had come to pick Audrey up at her apartment. She stared out the window as the car whizzed past her neighborhood. A few days earlier one of Mr. Bradley’s cars had picked her up and she had been taken to a private clinic, where she’d had a full medical and fitness evaluation. It had taken all day. She’d had blood tests, a full-body MRI, a stress test, and an hour-long session with a psychologist.
She couldn’t remember the last time she had had a thorough medical examination. For the second half of the day, they had taken her to perform various fitness tests. It had been exhausting, and she had this nagging feeling in the back of her mind that her privacy was being invaded the whole time.
How could all of this be necessary for the sake of a job? Do they really need to know my body fat percentage? she thought. But then that evening, when a large deposit was made into her account, all doubt faded. The payment she had received in exchange for one day of testing was more than she made in a month waitressing.
She needed the money, and she thought about how this opportunity had fallen into her lap. If she was careful, it could change the entire course of her life; no more struggling to get by. If she managed to beat out the competition for this position with Mr. Bradley, she would be set for life.
I’d do almost anything. I have to win this job. I wonder how many others have made it to this point, she thought as she stared out the window. She looked down at her watch. They had been on the road, pushing through morning traffic for forty-five minutes already.
I wonder where we’re headed today, she thought. Suddenly, she realized that she recognized the area. They had entered Guilford. The houses were immense and everything was pristine. The yards and gardens were manicured to perfection. The car turned into a long driveway; the house at the end was massive and stunningly beautiful. Of course he lives here, she sighed to herself.
Once she entered the house, she was ushered into a formal living room to wait. As she walked in, she saw that two other young women were waiting as well. She nodded at them and took a seat on one of the sofas. Only two others, I can do this. She took a deep breath as Mr. Bradley walked into the room.
“Ladies, good morning. Thank you for coming,” he said as he walked in. He looked amazing, so confident and cool. Audrey was in awe of him. “So, you’ve all been through quite a lot this week, but you have come out on top.” He smiled as he walked over to the fireplace mantel and leaned on his elbow, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
“I guess you’re dying to find out what we have in store for you next. Well, I hope you like this place, because for the next step I would like you to agree to live here for three months of intense training.” As the words came out of his mouth, he scanned the room for their reactions.
Audrey’s eyes widened. Three months, Jesus. That’s one hell of a commitment, she thought.
The brunette on the sofa across from Audrey stood abruptly. “I’m sorry, but this is all a bit much. I have a life outside of this competition for … I don’t even know what this is all for. I’m out,” she said as she made her way toward the exit.
Audrey watched as the woman left the room and the turned her attention to the one woman left. She had the look of someone conflicted; her dark hair was pulled into a tight ponytail. She was beautiful. Audrey closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she was calculating what she could earn doing this versus her waitressing job.
“I’m in.” She nodded as she said it, her eyes still closed. She opened them and looked at the other woman. James turned his attention to her as well.
“And?” he asked. “What will it be, Vanessa? Are you going to let Audrey have it?”
Vanessa glanced at Audrey, then looked her up and down slowly and shook her head. “No. No way. I’m in,” she said, turning to Mr. Bradley.
“Wonderful! I’ll have my assistant get you both set up, tie up your loose ends at home and then we will proceed. See you both in the morning.”
In order to stay at the mansion, Audrey was given a few days to get her affairs in order. She didn’t need much; she had a tiny apartment with two houseplants. Part of the arrangement was that James would foot the bill for her rent while she was staying at his home, on top of paying her a handsome salary. She was on cloud nine. Just these three months would allow her to pay for most of her next school year. She arranged with Harold, James’s butler, for her mail to be picked up and delivered to her once a week. She packed up her scant wardrobe and her two plants and said goodbye to her apartment for the next three months.
Once she arrived with her things, she was shown her new room. It was lovely, a step far above her apartment and practically the same size. She had a small table, two chairs, and a sitting area with a sofa in addition to her huge cloud-like bed. There was also a private bathroom. She walked to the closet with her bag, about to hang up her few pieces of clothing and found that the closet was stocked. The clothes still had the tags on them and were her size. I must be dreaming, I need to pinch myself. This can’t be for me, she thought, looking over the beautiful clothes in disbelief. Just then there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” she hollered, still examining the clothes in the closet.
“Audrey?” She whipped around when she heard James’s voice and stepped out of the closet.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it was you, Mr. Bradley,” Audrey said. She was a bit embarrassed about being caught in the closet.
“James is fine, thanks,” he said, sitting down on the arm of the sofa. “Checking out the new work clothes?”
“Uh, yeah. These are amazing. I’m kind of in awe right now.” She gazed back at the closet. She couldn’t hide her excitement; she was grinning like a fool. “Thank you so much. I feel like I won the lottery.”
He liked watching her; she was beautiful and sexy, but had no idea. He had read up on her background and was intrigued and impressed; she didn’t have it easy like most of the other girls. If anyone was deserving of this opportunity, it was her. He just hoped that she was up for it; he was going to ask a lot of her. “It’s my pleasure. But I want you to know that I am a very demanding boss; work is going to be tough. I hope you aren’t afraid to go out of your comfort zone,” he said.
“No, sir. I’m ready. I aim to please,” she said brightly.
He almost laughed out loud; she really didn’t know what she was getting herself into.
“Will you join me for dinner tonight? We can discuss the training a bit further,” he said. He stood and walked over to her closet.
“Yes, absolutely. What time?” she asked, watching him.
He walked into the closet and took a little black dress off the rack, then knelt down and picked up a pair of nude pumps. He lay everything out on the sofa while Audrey watched him. Wow. This is a man who likes to be in control, she thought.
“Seven. Harold will come get you. I want you to wear this,” he said. He walked toward her and put his hand on her shoulder. She felt butterflies in her stomach the moment her touched her.
“See you later.” He smiled and walked out.
At dinner with James, they had gotten to know each other a bit better. The small talk flowed easily between them. The more time she spent with James, the more charming and funny Audrey found him. This work dinner felt more like a date to her, and she had to keep reminding herself that it wasn’t. He went over the details of what he expected from her, and it seemed to be a very involved personal assistant position. He explained that because he was trying both her and Vanessa out, one would do the morning shift and the other would do the afternoon. He put Audrey on the afternoon shift.
When Audrey woke the next morning, she stretched in the soft bedding, thinking that she had never slept on such a comfortable bed in her life. If this bed is any indication, this is going to be a good three months, she thought. She began her shifts with James, and although he was fussy and demanding, after only a few days she became very familiar with his schedule and was able to easily anticipate his needs. They worked together in harmony and their relationship was professional. She wondered what all his warning had been with regards to her comfort zone, although she had to admit she was very attracted to him.
He was a handsome man; his skin was dark and flawlessly smooth. He kept a short beard, and he dressed to kill. His athletic body was graceful and powerful at the same time. Audrey loved to watch him move. She found that after a few days of working for him, she was starting to have dreams of him at night, of his strong body pressing against hers. She would wake sweating, left with a feeling of dissatisfaction.
One morning during her second month, she rolled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. She climbed into the beautiful mosaic stall and had a hot shower, the jets on the wall hitting every part of her body. She was marveling at how much this all still felt like a vacation. Her apartment was less than luxurious; this was a welcome change. She had never been able to afford travel, but she imagined resorts felt like this.
Audrey exited the shower and wrapped a towel around herself. When she went back into her room, she found her usual breakfast of fresh fruit and coffee had been left for her. She picked up the coffee and took a sip, then noticed a note on the tray.
Good morning.
Harold will come get you at 10a.m.
Please put on the outfit in the box.
Thank you.
She looked around for a second and then spotted the box on her bed. She walked over and pulled the cover off. Really? This is considered an outfit now? she thought as she pulled the golden string bikini out of the box. She swallowed hard and felt heat rise up to her face as she thought about how embarrassed she would be wearing this tiny bathing suit in front of anyone, let alone James.
She was also slightly puzzled. So far, she had been working as James’ assistant. Why now was she being asked to dress in such a manner? It certainly seemed at odds with what she thought the job entitled. She wasn’t sure she was completely comfortable with it, but decided to see what it was all about anyway.
She slid off her towel, put the bikini on, and made her way over to the mirror. She looked herself over. It fit, but it didn’t leave much to the imagination. The tiny triangles were stretched over her breasts and the bottom barely contained her butt cheeks. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Okay, I can do this. It’s just a job. Plenty of girls model all sorts of stuff like this for money. I can do this. She nodded to herself in the mirror and went and got her bathrobe.
Minutes after she finished her coffee, there was a soft knock at the door. The door cracked open and Harold, the main house butler, stuck his head in.
“Ms. Audrey, James will see you now,” he said. Harold was always very polite and soft-spoken; Audrey found him reassuring.
“Yes, of course,” she said as she made her way to the door. She noticed that Vanessa was also with Harold. She had not seen much of Vanessa at all, but every time she did, it was painfully uncomfortable. Vanessa hated her and wasn’t afraid to let it be known. She was wearing the same bikini as Audrey, but Vanessa was not wearing a robe. Shit. Shit. I should leave the robe. Now I look like a prude, like I’m not confident, she thought and she hesitated in her movement.
“Everything okay, Ms. Audrey? Did you forget something?” Harold asked, noticing her hesitation. Vanessa turned and looked at her as well, scanning her up and down with a little smirk.
“Sorry, no. I’m fine , let’s go,” she said as she shook her head. She was embarrassed and felt like Vanessa was judging her; she wished she could be that confident.
They made their way across the vast house in silence. After what seemed like the longest silence in the world, they reached James’s office. All three entered the room and he smiled at them and held up one finger. He was seated at his desk and was on the phone. Vanessa sauntered in and began looking at the various objects on a bookshelf, while Audrey stood near the door waiting for instructions.
After a moment, he hung up the phone. “Ladies, good morning! Come in, Audrey, come in, don’t be shy,” he said, gesturing her toward his desk. He liked that she needed to be coaxed a little. Under normal circumstances she was confident in her duties, but the bikini had obviously thrown her for a loop. He could tell she was attracted to him, but he liked to make sure she knew he was the boss and she was the employee. She made her way over to him, her hands wrapped around herself; her red hair fell over her shoulder in a loose braid.
“Alright, now I see you are both wearing the outfits left for you. Well, I imagine you are.” He winked at Audrey. She blushed so hard it hurt. She dropped her eyes to the floor and bit her lip. Oh my god, she thought. She was mortified that she had decided to keep the robe.
“I’m just kidding you. Don’t worry,” he said as he reached over and gave her arm a little squeeze. Vanessa gave Audrey a death glare at the sight of James being so familiar with her. “Now, I need to explain something to you two. The reason the screening process was so rigorous, and the reason I have you both trained so well to anticipate my needs, is that this position is more involved than a typical employment. I’m looking for a submissive.”
Chapter Three
“Sorry? Did you just say a ‘submissive?’” Vanessa looked at him with raised eyebrows. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Isn’t that some kind of sexual pervert thing?”
He chuckled. “Yes, sometimes it can be, certainly. But for myself it’s not necessarily sexual, it’s about exercising control and establishing trust.”
Audrey let out a deep breath she had been holding in. She looked at James; his eyes were so serious. It took a lot for him admit this to them. His smile could melt any woman’s will into nothing, why does he need to hire a submissive? she thought. Then she remembered all the fantasies she had been having about him. She imagined him bending her over his knee and spanking her. Heat coursed through her whole body as she thought about it, and her nipples hardened.
“This, like all other parts of the process, is voluntary, obviously. If you don’t want to do this, you may leave. However, having said that, I also want you both to know that many people think they aren’t cut out for this kind of thing, but end up being pleasantly surprised. It can be very liberating to give up control,” he said, looking at Vanessa. “I invite you to give it a try; we’ll start small and if you want to stop, we will.”
He turned to Audrey and raised his eyebrows, communicating his question: Was she in?
She looked over at Vanessa, standing there so confident in the tiny bikini. James is mine. Fuck it, I’m in. She looked back at him and nodded.
“Absolutely, I’m in,” she said.
He turned to Vanessa expectantly. “Vanessa?”
She glared at Audrey for a second. “Fine, but no sex,” she said, looking back at him.
“Excellent.” He stood up, made his way over to a cabinet beside his desk, and opened the doors. Audrey couldn’t see what he was looking at inside, but he stood there for what felt like forever. Suddenly he reached in and pulled out a black leather riding crop. He slapped it against his free hand with a loud snap.
“Let’s get started then,” he said, turning toward them.
Audrey felt her whole body begin to tremble slightly as fear took over. She gulped and squeezed her arms tighter around herself. James walked back toward them and looked them up and down. He was so hot with the look of authority on his face and the riding crop in his hand. She wished it was just the two of them.
“The first rule is you don’t look me in the eye unless I instruct you to do so. Eyes on the floor.” His tone had changed. Where it had been friendly, it was now stern and authoritative.
Audrey dropped her eyes to the floor in front of her feet. Her body trembled slightly in anticipation. She imagined him hitting her behind with the crop and her heart slammed in her chest. Suddenly the crop flew up and struck Vanessa in the thigh.
“Ouch. Jesus,” she complained.
“Eyes down,” he barked.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, rubbing her thigh where he had struck her.
“Audrey, drop the robe,” he commanded.
She didn’t hesitate. Without moving her gaze from the floor, she lifted her hands to the collar and pulled the robe off her shoulders, letting it drop to the ground. Her face flushed. She felt shy and exposed without the robe. Goosebumps raised all over her body. The gold fabric of the bikini did little to hide her taut nipples, and her hands instinctively rose to cover herself. He gently tapped her hands and she dropped them down to her sides.
“See, Vanessa, you could learn a thing or two from Audrey, she is a natural.”
Vanessa turned her head slightly toward Audrey and glared again. Audrey rolled her eyes. Get over it, you brat, she thought.
“See, at it again. Eyes on the floor,” he said in mock disappointment. “Audrey is a bunny. Vanessa, you are a tiger. I think we need to teach Tiger a little something today. What do you think?”
Audrey wasn’t sure what to say. “Yes, sir?” She sounded like she was asking a question. “I’m sorry, Mr. Bradley, I’m not sure what you mean?”
“Mr. Bradley. Very nice Audrey, keep things formal. Okay, it’s very simple. I think Tiger needs to learn a bit of humility, and I would like you to teach her.” His tone was matter of fact.
Audrey shook her head slightly in disbelief. She didn’t know what he wanted her to do. She wanted so badly to do well, but she was afraid of what he was going to ask of her. She felt herself start to look up toward him for guidance she stopped herself before she did. She took a deep breath. The idea of dominating Vanessa was so satisfying; she would finally give her a taste of her own medicine.
“What would you like me to do?” she asked. He took her right wrist in his and lifted her arm, placing the crop in her trembling hand. He walked around behind her and pressed himself against her, then wrapped his hand around hers and squeezed it tight around the handle.
“Teach her to be a bunny,” he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear. She was embarrassed by how aroused she had become. Feeling his body against hers, the self-consciousness melted away. She wanted to please him. She stepped away from him and nodded. She turned toward Vanessa.
“Tiger.” She had wanted to bark the name, but her voice lacked the authority she had hoped for. She focused on her task.
“Touch your toes.” Her voice was louder, stronger this time. Vanessa looked at her, her face contorting into a snarl. Audrey was surprised by her own fast reaction; she gripped the whip and firmly smacked Vanessa on the ass.
“TOUCH YOUR TOES,” she commanded. Vanessa winced from the snap of the leather against her skin, but she leaned down and touched her toes. Mr. Bradley crossed his arms across his broad chest and nodded in approval.
Audrey felt something she had never felt before. Her shyness was melting away. She was turned on by the idea of punishing Vanessa, but even more so about James watching her do it. She wanted to prove she could do this for him. She placed the end of the crop on Vanessa’s lower back and walked a slow circle around her, looking Vanessa over.
When she arrived behind her, she stopped and took a step back. She lowered the crop to her inner ankle and very slowly raised it up her leg, tickling her ever so slightly. Once the leather reached her upper thigh, Vanessa shivered in response to the touch. Audrey immediately dropped the crop down and began the same stroke up her other leg. Vanessa’s hips shifted involuntarily. Audrey flushed; she was intrigued by the reaction.
“You like that, Tiger?” Audrey asked and she raised the crop into the air. She was about to slap it down across Vanessa’s ass when suddenly Mr. Bradley’s hand seized her wrist and he took the crop from her.
“That’s enough,” he said. He released her wrist and made his way back to the cabinet where he replaced the riding crop in its home. Audrey immediately felt as if she had gone too far. She was embarrassed by how easily she had gotten into it, and by how aroused it had made her.
“I’m sorry,” she said as she stared at the floor. Her eyes stung with tears.
“Tiger, you may rise,” he said. “Harold will show you back to your room.”
Vanessa stood up. Her face was red and she didn’t look at either of them before she turned to leave the room. Audrey began to follow Vanessa. Humiliated, she just wanted to hide in her room.
“Not you, Bunny.”
Audrey froze in place. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to fight back tears. That’s it. I’m fired, she thought. She hung her head and, without thinking, she hugged herself around the middle. She felt exposed and foolish.
“Come here, Bunny,” he commanded. She turned without lifting her head and made her way over to where he stood at the desk. A tear slipped down her cheek. She hoped he would just cut her loose quickly so she could get the hell out of there without any more embarrassment.
“You’re crying?” James asked, a hint of surprise in his voice. He reached up and wiped the tear away.
“Sorry,” Audrey mumbled.
“Put your hands on the desk,” he barked. She took a step forward and put her shaking hands on his desk. He took her braid in his hand and guided her head downward toward the desk until her cheek was pressed on the desk between her hands. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she had no idea what he was planning; she was sure she was about to be punished for her behavior. He slid his foot between her feet and pushed them apart.
He leaned over her and his lips brushed her ear as he whispered, “Spread your legs.”
She obeyed his command, spreading her legs. It left her feeling incredibly vulnerable. He traced his finger along the ridge of her spine from her neck to the top of her backside; she quivered under his gentle touch.
“Do you like it when I touch you, Bunny?” he asked, running his finger down the outside of her thigh.
A moan escaped as she opened her mouth to reply. “Yes. Yes, sir,” she whispered.
He suddenly struck her ass hard with an open hand. She winced in pain.
“Why were you crying?” he asked.
Once again, she felt stupid. “I … I thought you were going to fire me.” She could feel the tears burning her eyes again. She squeezed them shut.
He put his hands on her hips and pressed himself against her. She could feel him becoming hard against her ass. She wanted him so badly; she struggled not to move against his touch. He ran his hands up her waist, over her shoulders and down her arms until they wrapped around her wrists and he was covering her completely. He kissed her neck softly and then whispered in her ear.
“You’re not getting fired today, but I’m thinking about punishing you.” He was angry with her. He wanted full control over the situation, and she had surprised him. Of course, his intention with his submissive was sexual; it was a part of the game he carefully introduced after weeks of gaining their trust and building their desire.
He had thought that in a position of power, Audrey would be uncomfortable. He wanted to watch her squirm under the pressure. Instead, once she had the crop in her hand she changed. She made the encounter sexual almost instantly. She was confident and sexy as hell, and James found it almost irresistible.
She was scared of what he was going to do to her, but she couldn’t help being turned on. She was trying desperately to resist the urge to press her ass against him. Her body was on fire underneath his, she was afraid of being punished but she could feel herself swelling and becoming wet with arousal.
“Tiger specifically said no sex. But you didn’t,” he growled. “Is that what you want? You want me to fuck you?”
“No,” she whimpered helplessly under his weight. She was lying and she knew he could tell.
He rubbed his hard cock against her, up and down against her pussy until she almost cried out. Suddenly, he let go of her wrists and stood up, and then he grabbed the strings of her top and pulled them loose. He stepped back from her; his erection was throbbing with anticipation.
“Stand up,” he said.
She pushed herself off the desk and drew her hands up to cover her bare breasts.
“Turn around and drop your hands,” he commanded her. His voice was angry.
She turned around slowly and slid her hands down to her slides. She kept her eyes on the floor in front of her, but she could feel his gaze on her. James wanted her to feel uncomfortable. He wanted her to know who was in control. But as he looked over her curvy body and her firm breasts, he began to doubt his methods. Fuck, she is gorgeous, he thought, and imagined taking those hard, pink nipples into his mouth and sucking them until she begged him to stop. That wasn’t all he wanted to do to her. He shook the thought from his head.
“Go to your room,” he said finally. “I expect to see a Bunny next session.”
She reached down and scooped up her robe from the floor and scurried over to the door.
Audrey had initially felt relieved when she was sent to her room. She wanted to hide; she was ashamed at how she had acted with Vanessa and how she felt about James. Yes, she had wanted to humiliate Vanessa. She was the type of girl who had everything handed to her, and she still complained every step of the way. Audrey hated women like that.
She wanted Vanessa to drop out of the competition; she wanted James for herself. She had made the situation sexual just to make Vanessa want to quit, but she got carried away. She told herself it was all about the job at the time, but deep down, she knew that wasn’t completely true. I was turned on. The gold bikinis, having James watch. She liked it and it had made her want him even more.
After a few days in her room, she realized that this was the punishment. She was cut off and had to sit there and wonder if he was spending time with Vanessa every day. She was starting to think about screaming, and then she began to think about quitting. This is bullshit. I didn’t know what he wanted me to do. Am I supposed to be able to read his mind? She thought angrily. She had gotten dressed and done her hair and makeup every day, just in case he wanted to see her. But today as she sat on her bed all done up, she was thinking about just packing her bag and going home. She was beginning to go stir crazy, when finally, Harold knocked at the door.
“Mr. Bradley is here to see you,” he said.
“Really?” She practically jumped up. As he entered the room, she remembered to look down.
“Bunny, it’s nice to see you again.” James was smiling as he said it. He was happy to see her, she was wearing a little skirt and he could see her black lace bra through her white shirt. His dick flicked slightly when he saw her. Thankfully, she was clearly more excited to see him than she was mad at him. Leaving her in her room had been hard for him. He’d dreamt about touching her night after night. He had been alone with Vanessa for a few sessions but she was not Audrey. Really the only reason he kept her around was to make Audrey think there was still a competition going on. He walked over to the sofa and sat down.
“Come sit,” he said. She made her way over to the sofa without looking at him. “No, not there.”
“Here,” he said, pointing to the floor beside him. She looked up at him for a second, utter shock on her face, but instantly realized her mistake and knelt down by his feet. She was so grateful to be out of her room and back in his good humor that she didn’t even mind having to grovel at his feet.
“Did you think about your behavior?” he asked, reached down and stroking her auburn hair.
“Yes, sir,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry.”
“Good. Now you’ve had a few days to think about your situation. The end of the three months is approaching quickly,” he said.
She shifted uneasily, wondering if the few days he had spent with Vanessa had tipped the scales in her favor.
“What’s wrong? You seem upset,” he said, and reached down to her chin to tilt her head so he could look at her face.
“I’m just wondering if you’ve made your decision?” she asked. Then, without thinking, she blurted out, “I don’t want to go.” She reached and put her hand on his thigh as she said it.
He felt a sharp pang of desire as she touched him. He wanted her badly. He had plans of drawing it out for a few more weeks, but he could feel his resolution slipping away. The months before he had wondered if she was only interested in getting ahead with this opportunity, but looking into her eyes now, he could see she was falling for him.
She reached up and touched his cheek.
“Please, James,” she pleaded. She didn’t know what she was asking. To stay and work for him? Or did she want to be with him?
He grabbed her and kissed her. She reached and wrapped her hands behind his neck, kissing him deeper. His mouth opened slightly, his tongue searching for hers, and he gently pushed her back onto the floor.
“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you,” he growled into her neck. She was unbuttoning his shirt frantically. She moaned and her hips gyrated under his. She could feel his hard dick pressing against her through his pants. She grabbed the button of his jeans and tore them open, then yanked them down around his thighs. He pulled her shirt over her head and nuzzled his face in between her pert white breasts. She reached down and pulled her skirt up, he grabbed her hands to stop her.
“Please, please,” she begged.
He put his hand between her thighs and stroked gently, too gently. She pushed against him. Her head tipped back. She arched her back, trying to force his touch and she grabbed fistfuls of her own hair in frustration. She was about to lose control. She wanted him so badly.
He liked watching her squirm. Suddenly, he grabbed her panties and tore them off with one violent jerk. She yelped in surprise. He pulled down his boxers and grabbed her wrists, holding her hands down over her head. He thrust into her without relent. An involuntary noise escaped her throat as he drove into her again and again. She wrapped her legs around his hips, pleasure building and building until she finally shuddered, ripples of ecstasy flowing through her. James didn’t stop as her body went limp with fatigue; he held her close, making love to her tenderly now.
“I want to have a baby with you,” he groaned against her ear as he spilled himself inside her.
Her eyes snapped open as she registered what he had just said. She pushed up on his shoulders so she could look into his eyes.
“What?” she said in disbelief. “Wait, stop, stop.” She pushed him away, trying to get out from under him.
“Audrey, I’m sorry,” he mumbled as he grasped for her. I’m so stupid. Why would I just blurt that out? he thought. He stumbled to a standing position and pulled his pants back up, then walked toward her as he did up his button.
“Audrey, just give me a second to explain. Let’s talk about this,” he pleaded.
“James, you just ‘punished’ me for days for wanting you, for turning you on. Now you want to have a baby?” she hollered at him, her face burning with the rage she felt. “What the fuck? This is supposed to be a job! Or is it? You have to be honest with me or I’m walking out.”
He looked down and shook his head. “You’re right,” he sighed. “I’m sorry. That came out of left field. I wasn’t thinking. It was something I said in a moment of passion.”
“Does that mean it’s not true?” she answered. “Because that’s not what I signed up for. For starters, I’m in the middle of my degree, I’m not thinking about babies right now. Furthermore, we’re not in a relationship, you are my boss!”
“I know, I know.” He walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. “Look, Audrey, honestly. I was looking for a submissive. I’ve never had a real relationship before, so I was planning on one day having my family in that kind of relationship. But you’ve changed me. I want more. When you were in your room you were all I could think about. I would never ask you to sacrifice your education or dreams for me, but I want to be there with you.”
Audrey felt overwhelmed. She pushed his hand off her shoulder. “I have to go. I need to think.”
James was disappointed, but he didn’t want Audrey to make this kind of decision under pressure.
“Okay, I’ll have my driver take you home.”
Once Audrey got back to her apartment, she realized how uncomfortable it actually was, and she hated it. She was frustrated that things had taken this turn. When she had just been James’ personal assistant, everything had been so perfect and simple. But when she really thought about it, the more time she spent with him, the more she was falling for him. They complemented each other. When they were together, it was pure harmony. And she couldn’t deny the insane physical attraction between them; it was palpable.
She pictured his muscular chest, the little trail of hair leading from his bellybutton to his nether region. She shook the image from her mind.
A few days had passed; Audrey wanted to feel confident in her decision to leave James, but she still had a nagging feeling. She was laying in her bed thinking about it all. When you made the decision to stay there, it was to earn enough money to get through the next year of college. You did that. He was asking for too much commitment. You did the right thing.
She felt like if she repeated this mantra enough she would start to believe it eventually. But she missed him, and she wondered if he had chosen Vanessa as her replacement. The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth. She rolled out of bed, grabbed a towel and headed to her cramped bathroom for a shower.
She had been in the shower for a few minutes and was rinsing the shampoo from her hair when she heard the doorbell ring.
“Oh, God damnit,” she muttered to herself as she hastily finished her rinse and hopped out of the shower. She wrapped her towel around her head haphazardly and threw on her old bathrobe, hurrying to the door.
She grumbled about her shower being interrupted as she began to open the door but then her breath caught in her throat when she saw who it was. James was standing at her door with a large box in his hands. She felt butterflies twirl in her stomach. She was excited to see him.
“Oh, James. I’m sorry. I was in the shower. Do you want to come in?” she blurted out. Then she reached for his arm and pulled him inside without waiting for his answer.
“Yeah, I just wanted to bring all the clothes that you left. I don’t have much use for them,” he said, trying to remain casual. He looked around and placed the box on her ragged sofa.
“Oh,” she said, unable to disguise the disappointment in her voice. Though she had told herself leaving was the right thing to do, she had secretly hoped he would fight for her. She crossed her arms over her chest as if to protect her heart from any more pain.
Suddenly, James walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, looked into her green eyes and kissed her gently. “I need you, Audrey,” he said quietly. “I know you need time to think about things, but I had to see you.”
Her head was swimming. He had come for her. That was what she had wanted deep down, but there were still so many things she had to consider. She pulled away from him.
“James, I can’t give up my life to be with you,” she said firmly. “I’ve worked too hard and I am going to make something of myself. You of all people should understand that. I want to finish college, I want to get a great job.”
“I know. Audrey, I meant what I said about wanting to be with you, wanting a baby with you. But I would never ask you to give up the things that matter to you. I want you to be happy and successful,” he said, reaching for her again. He turned her toward himself. “But be those things with me. I love you.”
Tears stung her eyes. She had never had anyone in her life support what she wanted. Now she had this wonderful, handsome man that she cared about tell her that and that he loved her. She let out a little whimper and threw her arms around his neck.
“I love you too, James,” she cried.
“Come home with me, Audrey. We can plan our amazing future together,” he said and kissed her.
THE END