Chapter 107: Chapter 107: The Girl Who Was Hunted - Chapter Twenty-Three

MICHAEL … My balls are tightening, pressure rising. I could just let go now and shoot her full, but I want her to scream for me first. I thrust harder, battering her inside. James reaches to finger her nipples, pulling and rolling, squeezing hard in time to my thrusts.

She draws still, her whole body straining as she quivers under me; the calm before the storm. Then her head flings back, eyes closed, and she howls her orgasm as her pussy clenches and pulses around me.

That’s all I need, and I let go. Immediately, my own climax takes me, and I spurt into her, shooting her with everything I’ve got.

In the aftermath, we lie quietly together, James and I to either side of her. Finally, she says. “I’m going for a bath. I’ll have a soak, so I might be a while.”

I kiss her. “Enjoy.”

Just the two of us now, James looks rough, though better than he did. “How are you?” I ask.

“Better now that you’re both back and safe.”

“She can be unsettling sometimes, can’t she?”

“How do you mean?”

“Her comment about it not being the first time she’s run for her life.”

He glances up at me, then looks away, nodding.

“She’s going to go nuts up here you know, not able to do anything.”

“What do you suggest? She’s going to have to deal with it.”

“How did you feel last night? When you knew that we were running, but you could do nothing?”

He presses his lips together. Now I have his attention. “It drove me nuts too.” But then, “You brought her back, but Richard’s not got Beth back. How do you think he’s feeling?”

How do I answer that?

*****

She paces up and down.

“You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet.” I’m trying to joke, lighten the mood, but it’s not going down well.

“What else can I do?” she mutters. “I can’t go out. I have no work to do. I can’t even stand and stare out at the view….”

Her voice is savage, and what’s worse, is that I understand exactly why….

I try to be patient. “What are you hoping to achieve with this Charlotte?”

“I want to do something. You can’t all seriously expect that I’m just going to sit here and wait for the future to come to me. You won’t let me leave. I can’t go back to university. I’m not even allowed down in the lower offices in the same building, even my own office…”

“That’s at least partly because no-one believes that you won’t try to leave if you’re let loose.”

“What do they expect of me?” Her voice is rising to a screech.

She can’t help herself…

“It’s only been a day, and I’m bored stupid. It could be months. Michael, I can’t do this.”

“Charlotte…. “I step over, try to take her in my arms, but she brushes me off.

“You’re as bad as them. You just want to treat me as something pretty to be protected. I’m not that person!”

I try again to hold her. “Don’t touch me! Leave me alone!” She storms away from me.

We need to deal with this.

“I just need a word with James. I’ll be back in a bit.”

I take the lift down, nodding to Ross who is seated on ‘guard duty’ outside the elevator shaft.

In Reception, Francis nods me through to Haswell’s office. “He’s in there.”

“Hello, Michael,” says James. “Didn’t expect to see you down here?”

“It’s Charlotte….”

“What’s wrong? Is she alright?”

“She’s like a caged animal up there, and we need to do something about it.”

Haswell shrugs. “She’s going to have to live with it. Things as they are, there’s no other choice.”

I hesitate, trying to choose my words. This is James’ co-director after all. “Richard. Charlotte is not like Beth. She won’t just accept it. If we simply try to keep her caged up, she won’t stay caged….”

Haswell scratches his chin. “She may not like it, but there’s not a lot she can do. I’ve got Ross guarding the elevators up there. The stairwells to that part of the building are all locked, and for good measure, I’ve had the codes cancelled on her door and car passes. Like it or not, she can’t get out.”

Does he really believe that? If she’s determined?

Hold your patience…

“Can I suggest that you give her something to do before she finds something to do?”

“What’s stopping her getting on with her college work?” says James.

“Her mind isn’t on her college work. She’s been told she can’t go back for now, and it could be months before she can…. She’s not in a good state of mind, and I for one don’t want to have to deal with her in the state she’s in.”

“What do you mean? Has she been rude to you?”

“She didn’t mean to be. She’s just lashing out at whoever’s handy. It happened to be me.”

James stands, a set to his face. “Whoa…” I say. “Take it easy….”

“It doesn’t matter what’s upsetting her. She has no cause to take it out on you.” He turns to leave. “I’ll be back in a while.”

I know that look. And Charlotte’s in for a lesson on good behaviour.

Should I follow? Keep it in hand?

Maybe she’ll feel better for it… blow off some stress…. I’ll give them a few minutes…

“Richard.…” I hesitate, not sure how much I can say to James’ billionaire partner.

“What?”

“I know you think….”

“Yes?” He sits back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. “Come on. Out with it. If it’s something awkward, it’s better dealt with.”

“I think that you and James both think of Charlotte as a sub. Intelligent and pretty, but just a sub. And she’s not. There’s a lot more to her than that. If she can’t get what she wants by.… legitimate means, she’s perfectly capable of taking matters into her own hands.”

He says nothing, considering my words. I push my case. “I know she looks like Beth, but she’s had a fight on her hands all her life. It’s second nature to her. She’ll not simply accept it.”

“You think not?”

“She ran from the home half a dozen times.”

“And was caught and returned every time.”

“She was a child then. She not now. She’s intelligent, devious and she’ll follow through to get what she wants. For God’s sake, bring her in on whatever’s going on, or she’ll take steps to do it herself.”

He ponders, thoughtful. “Alright. You’ve made your point. I’ll bring her in…. Um, right now is probably not a good time though.” He casts his eyes upwards.

“Mmmm, no… I’ll give them half an hour and then go up.”

*****

CHARLOTTE I watch Michael leave, sorry, even before the door has closed behind him, for what I said.

He didn’t deserve that. He’s trying to help.

I follow him out to the lobby, but the lift doors have already closed behind him.

“Ross…”

“Sorry, Charlotte. I’m under orders. You’re not going anywhere. He’ll skin me alive if I let you through.”

I wander back into the lounge, pacing up and down, unable to settle, unable to think straight.

What’s wrong with me?

Maybe a glass of wine would settle me. I pour it, then realise that I really don’t want it.

Tea then. I put on the kettle. As I’m waiting for it to boil, the click of the apartment door echoes through.

Michael! He’s come back. I’ll apologise to him. Tell him I’m sorry.

But as I go through to the lounge, it is my Master waiting for me, and he does not look happy. Arms folded, head tilted, he gazes levelly at me.

Oh crap…

“Anything you want to tell me?” he says, his voice cool.

“If it’s about Michael, I know I owe him an apology. I thought you were him just then. I came out to say sorry.”

“Well, that’s a start I suppose.” He does not look mollified. “And what had Michael done to deserve your being rude to him?”

“Nothing. It was my fault, not his.” I stare at the floor, knowing what’s coming.

He crosses the room to me, seizes my chin in his hand, forcing me to look up at him. “Things are difficult enough without you throwing tantrums. Beth abducted. Gunmen coming after you…. Charlotte, Michael saved your life, and all you do is vent your temper on him when he’s trying to help.”

My temper snaps. “I know. I’ve said I’m sorry. I was sorry almost before he’d left the room, but he’d gone, and I can’t follow him to apologise….”

My voice is rising all the time. “I’m a prisoner up here. You can wrap it up in nice furniture and good carpets, but I’m a prisoner in a gilded cage. And I can’t…. I can’t do anything!”

I am shouting now; venting anger and frustration and I don’t know what else. “It wasn’t meant to be like this.”