Wow, not what I had expected. My innocent little Maddox had seen right to the core of where this was going and how it would end. I too had been struggling as I had no desire to hurt her. “I accept your request, Maddie, and will add that if you change your mind, you have only to let me know. I won’t touch you otherwise.” She nodded as she sat up.
“I understand and accept your terms. Do you have a bathroom where I can get cleaned up?” I showed her my secret lair behind my office, which housed a bachelor pad, complete with a full bathroom rivaling any upscale hotel.
I never used it with women, keeping things out of my personal space and within the bounds of my business space. That is how I viewed sexual pleasure as a business transaction. Why I allowed Maddie to use it, I couldn’t say except that her innocence and her honesty had gutted me a little, and making this concession seemed natural.
When she exited, her blouse was done up and tucked into a pair of skin-tight jeans. Her long hair was freshly brushed and hanging down in soft waves and on her feet were chunky heels instead of the Mary Janes she wore earlier. She looked like the beautiful young college student she was. Again, I felt a constriction, but soft, innocent college girls were no longer part of my life, and letting her go was the best conclusion for her. I was hardcore and had been for a while. That was who I was, and I wasn't going to change.
I invited her to take a seat at my desk, and we went over the spreadsheets, her wage, and hours. An hour later, I handed her a key for the pub. “Listen, Maddie, if you have issues or discrepancies, I want you to come to me first. I don’t know the staff well, and as this is your first rodeo, I want to ensure things run smoothly.”
She looked like she wanted to negate my request. “This is a condition of employment, Maddox,” I added firmly.
“Won’t it look like I’m a plant or a tattletale? I don’t want people to hate me.” I sighed and sat back. Maybe I was making a mistake in giving her so much responsibility. My gut told another story, one in which I could trust her, and I needed someone I could trust.
I owned over a dozen clubs, and had discovered—- and shut down—illegal activities in several. I believed that Maddox was a good fit because she was honest with me in the face of my anger with her the other day. I had run a background check on her parents. He was a good citizen, responsible, and her mother had come from wealth and lowered her standards in marrying her father and, of course, spent way more than their budget allowed. Despite being a corporate accountant who had been paid well, he was always a little in debt. No doubt he was a pleaser and worked on giving his wife everything she gave up to be with him.
That made him stupid more than made up for the experience she was lacking. And I knew, if I needed to, I could go Dominant on her, and she would spill. I had learned that Maddie was a true submissive.
“Maddie, one other item, just a caution.” Her eyes narrowed, but she remained silent. “Please be careful out there. You are like candy to men who like control. You can call me if you are ever in trouble or need my help.”
“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.” With our business finished, I had my driver take her home. Maddie was utterly ignorant of the chip I had put in her phone while she had showered, or the added one I had hidden in her purse. I intended to keep her safe. Why? I probably felt a lingering responsibility for her safety. At least, that was the excuse I fed myself.
Chapter Five
Controlled flames provide warmth, but left unattended consume all.
It was early Monday morning, and I was at the pub. Having a job on campus was a bonus that allowed me to work in between my classes. I had two hours until our first delivery, which would make my baseline easy to work with. I had counted all the stock right down to the last straw and input the information into the spreadsheet. Langden had replaced the ancient computer I’d seen on my previous visit with a brand-new MAC.
With the extra time I had while waiting, I decided to clean and organize the office I shared with the manager, Sonya, a grad student who had been working at the pub for years. It seemed odd that she was still here, but maybe the money was good and provided downtime to focus on her thesis.
I didn’t want to call her a slacker, but her efforts were minimal at best, and I wondered how long she would last under Langden’s ownership. I sighed and plunked down on the office chair. I missed him already and wished I could take back what I’d said. I hoped his dick throbbed every time he thought of me because my empty pussy ached with the loss of him.
I moaned into my hands. I had turned into a phalliphiliac for Langden.Don’t be so dramatic. You've only seen the man three times. Get a grip, Maddie.Great, now I was a crazy person talking to myself in an empty pub. I glanced up at the single camera and prayed it was off as the bar was closed. The last thing I needed was Langden watching me lose my shit. Mind you, he would assume it was him I was thinking of. And probably enjoy watching me squirm with the need of him. Needing redemption for my imaginary thoughts, I held my middle finger up at the camera and got on with my job.
I considered my action a test, as I knew there was no way he’d let that pass if he was watching me. I imagined being over his knee and his fingers straying to my juicy entrance after chastising me… Wait, what was that? I heard the door open and close. Odd, I was sure I’d locked it. “Hello, I called out, but there was no response.
I rose from my chair and peeked out the door, “Hello, anyone here?” Still, no answer. Feeling a little panicked, I walked out into the pub and looked around. I didn’t see or hear anyone, but I couldn't shake the feeling someone was watching me. I turned around and screamed when I saw Sonya directly behind me.
“Jesus, Sonya, you very nearly gave me a heart attack.”
She smirked, “I’m a bit early.” I looked at her blankly, trying to still my heart beating crazily in my chest. “You wanted to go over that new worksheet you told me about.”
“Oh, right, I totally forgot you were coming. I’ve been waiting for the delivery so I could add it to my count.”
She smirked again. “I’m sure it’s on its way. Why don’t we go in the back, and you can show me what's what?” I nodded in agreement, my hand still over my rapidly beating heart.
Sonya asked a lot of questions about numbers. She was more intelligent than she let on. Quite the mathematician really, for anEnglish grad student. Being wary of Langden’s warning, I had an encrypted file folder that backed up the numbers to ensure that I would still have the correct records even if the spreadsheet was manipulated.
No one knew I had created it, and I planned on keeping it that way. If anyone tried to screw over the new owner, I would be the first to know. Reading between the lines, I felt that Langden was looking for someone he could trust, and despite no longer having his hot cock to give me unlimited pleasure, I planned on being a responsible employee.
When I was done, and Sonya was long gone, I took one last look around to ensure I hadn’t missed anything, and then I locked the door and left for my afternoon classes. The next four days followed the same pattern. I showed up at the pub in the early am, spent several hours going over receipts, stock, and adding the minuses to my work.
By the time Saturday rolled around, I was a nervous wreck. This would be my first meeting with Langden to go over everything from the first week. It would also be a test of sorts. I wanted him, badly, and I had played with myself more since the previous Saturday than my entire first year of college.
I chose my outfit very carefully. If I dressed slutty, my intentions might be misinterpreted. If I dressed too young, I might feel intimidated, and I really wanted to feel like we were on the same playing field. I assumed my feelings for him would be hidden if I used my outfit to cloak them.
After trying on and discarding too many outfits to count, I ended up in a pencil skirt, with a slit up the back, and Italian black pumps. My mother had insisted that I have oneprofessional pair of heels, and I’m glad she had. A white form-fitting blouse and I completed the look with my hair in a messy bun held together by a pencil.
I wore contacts for everyday wear but opted for my Lennon glasses and pink pearl lipstick to complete the look. I admired the finished product in the mirror, pouting my lips in various ways and adjusting my push-up bra. Sooo maybe I didn’t want him to get the wrong impression, and maybe I did push him away, standing on professional moral highground, but there was nothing wrong with having him wishing otherwise.
