Victor drove away, giving one last look inthe rear-view mirror at Elsa’s darkened street while her moans ofpleasure still echoed in his thoughts. Too mentally exhausted fromhis work, the gentle fuck he had given her was a welcome reprievefrom his usual debauchery. He reminded himself to write down howher body responded to his tender touches.

When he arrived at his out of the way andsecluded home on the outskirts of Richmond, he knew the silencewould be deafening and he dreaded where his thoughts would wanderto. No doubt, the Cambridge case.

Standing in the middle of the immense, starkwhite living room, he twirled his keys until the hypnotic sound ofthe jangling nearly put him into a deep meditative state. Pullinghimself out of his entrancement, he reached for his briefcase anddug out Elsa’s file and his journal. Both had grown larger over thepast two days.

During the times when he couldn’t sleep orhad been woken by nightmares, he had taken the opportunity to delvefurther into her past. He had lucked out in finding a delicious bitof Girls Are Wild video footage of her that was quite entertainingif not revealing about her personality when intoxicated. It was nowonder she had stuck to drinking virgin sangrias the first night hemet her. At least she had the common sense as an adult to know herlimits and drink only in the privacy of her own home.

After perusing her folder for the umpteenthtime, he finally went into his bedroom to write his thoughts.

I was forced out of my routine tonight byyou, C8. It was as if you knew I was listening and you purposefullytaunted me, challenged me even to try and resist you. I know it’smy own iniquitous imagination conjuring those thoughts and soyou’re forgiven as I know you would never do such a thing. Still, Iwas unable to refuse your unspoken challenge. I am, after all, onlya man with not only emotional but physical needs. You satiated bothtonight so you have fulfilled your purpose.

The gears were turning in those stunning,inquisitive eyes of yours as you tried to make sense of mydichotomy. I can’t figure it out myself and I gave up trying tomake sense of it long ago. You strangely seemed to enjoy the gentlefucking I gave you just as much as the forceful one from Saturday.I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Your personality split is justas evident as mine, though you don’t see it. Docile and submissiveat times to rebellious and impetuous. If I weren’t so captivatedwith your reactions, I might try a little harder to bring you toheel.

I’m reminded of C3 when you act out and theway she was finally forced into submission. I won’t go that routewith you, though, as I suspect caging and physical restraint mighthave the opposite effect on you and you might attempt to resignfrom our little game. Not that I would allow it. But alas, you’remuch stronger than she was. You make me work hard for every inch ofsurrender you give me and I’m exhilarated by it.

I shall sleep with thoughts of you lingeringin my subconscious and hopefully keeping my demons at bay. They arebegging to be set loose and I know I can’t deny them for long, butuntil then I’m content to make new rules for you to abide by andnew ways to challenge your way of thinking. Goodnight, My SweetPeach.

On his nightstand and next to the receiverthat was connected to Elsa’s apartment, he propped up a Polaroidpicture of her that he had snapped while she was sleeping. Tuningthe device into her bedroom, he could hear the sound of her deepbreathing as she slept. He could still smell her on his skin as hestared at the photo. What was she dreaming about? Him? Patrick? Oneof the many others who had broken her all too willing heart? Therewere some things even he couldn’t find out and it drove him fuckingmad that he would never know the things contained in her sleepybliss.

As his eyes closed, he knew he couldn’t waituntil Saturday to taste her again or to feel her hands on him. Ashe had exited her apartment, he left her with three simple words:to be continued. And that’s exactly what he intended ondoing the following day – continuing where he left off.

9:Exacting

Elsa woke invigorated. She had dreamt ofVictor and his dark and demanding eyes, his inescapable hands allover her, and his insistent mouth. God, that mouth and the thingsit did to her body…

To be continued… his words flittedinto her subconscious off and on all morning as she floated aroundher office on an invisible cloud of lust and desire. Even theaggravation and humiliation he had caused the previous weekend wasa now distant memory.

Just as she was finishing a project, shesmelled Mr. Black’s presence and heard the door behind her lock.Her body stiffened as his strong hands found her waist and hepressed himself against her, his mouth instantly finding herneck.

“Shall we continue where we left off?” hebreathed against her sensitive flesh while grinding his rigid cockinto the small of her back.

“Yes... please,” she threw her head back andturned to meet his mouth.

His fingers skimmed her thighs as he slippedhis hand under her skirt. Just as his tongue slicked across herteeth, he jerked away from her and spun her around, knocking thewind out of her sails and causing her to gasp out. With a heatedlook passing over his face, he heaved her skirt up and snapped theband of her silk panties.

“Would you care to explain this?” he asked,his throaty voice and expression revealing irritation.

Elsa shook her head, confused by his suddenannoyance.

He gritted his teeth but kept his anger incheck. “I wrote down my rules for you and still you can’t rememberthem?”

Her mind began racing with the few rules hehad emphasized. He had said no undergarments, but she didn’t thinkhe meant at work.

As if decoding her jumbled thoughts, heresponded, “It was rule number one. Never wearunderwear. Not in my presence or anywhere else,” he backed away. “Ihate repeating myself,” he grumbled and glanced over hershoulder.

“I’m at work, Vict…” shepromptly shut her mouth when his already narrowed eyes shot back toher and squinted further, the muscle in his jaw quivering. “Mr.Black…” she quickly corrected herself. “You can’t expect me to notwear underwear at work.”

He turned his body andwaved to the empty room. “You work alone. What would it matter?”Facing her, he glowered. “Even if you didn’t, I made it clear whatmy expectations are.”

“But I’m at work,” shewhispered.

His mouth went tight andgrim. “I heard you the first time.”

Turning away, he walkedtoward the door and reached for the door knob. He stopped andinhaled a deep breath and then mumbled something unintelligible,but Elsa could swear she heard the word ‘stupid.’ Her nervesprickled and she tugged her skirt down over her thighs.

“I’m not stupid,” sheblurted.

He spun on his heel andglared at her. “I would never call you that. Perhaps I shouldinclude another rule about speaking out of turn when you don’t haveall the facts.”

She cringed at his critical stare and thethought of him adding yet another rule, though she knew withcertainty there were more to come.

“What I said was: it was stupid of me to havecome here. You’re no different than the other Chapters.” And withthat, he turned again and walked out, leaving her to stew on hiswords.

What did he mean by Chapters? His choice ofterminology was more than a little bewildering and she sank intoher office chair, reeling from the entire incident. An unwelcomeflashback of her wetting herself came to mind. If he dared make herdo it again… she pushed the thought from her mind. It was too awfulto think about.

The remainder of her work day she sulked andmoped, leaving most of her tasks either half completed orunattended to. It had only been a week since meeting Mr. Black andalready her work was suffering. It was preposterous. She absolutelyhad to know more about him and what made him into the man he was.She didn’t know the first thing about how to get that sort ofinformation, but she knew people who did and she would just have tocall in a few favors. First on her list: her brother. He was anosey S.O.B. like Mr. Black, but she was sure he could help.