Eighty One Lauras Story Pt 13

45

"That was a lovely night, thank you." Laura said as she brought breakfast in bed for Andrew. After taking her home from Weston's office they went out to dinner. Wherever she wanted he said, and she made the most of the offer, choosing an upmarket French place she had wanted to try for a long time. It was late when they got home, very late, so the following day they had decided to have a lie in followed by a lazy morning at home.

She set the tray on Andrews lap before doing her best to push Jasper out of her place. "That dogs getting worse, see that stroppy look he puts on when I want to get into my own bed?"

Even though they had talked about little else the previous evening Laura still had a lot to discuss about the game.

"Do you think he was joking about the money?" she asked for the umpteenth time.

"Of course he was," Andrew assured her, "he was winding you up. He was the one who put you into the auction so he was paying himself."

"So it was all set up?"

"Oh no, the auction was genuine. They all assumed you were there to be sold alongside the others."

"I thought it was him right from the start."

"Oh yes, and who were your other options?" Andrew asked.

"You and Amelia, but I didn't think it was likely to be her, not her style. And I hope you wouldn't," she scolded.

"I wouldn't normally, but, fourteen and a half thousand," he raised his eyebrows and looked at her questioningly. "That's an amount not to be sniffed at, and I have been thinking about changing the car lately..."

"You even think about it and I'll chew your balls off," she warned. "I was scared stiff."

"You were never going to be sold for real. He had somebody to bid for him, told them to bid as much as it took to win."

"Oh yes, and what if they didn't win, what if something went wrong with their computer or they lost the internet...connection...thingy. What then?"

He spoke very seriously. "My God, you're right. I suppose I'd have to get my own breakfast."

"Oh very funny. I'm so glad you enjoyed my suffering."

"I did. I loved the bit when they made you bend forward and open yourself, very erotic."

"What! You were watching?"

"Of course, I had a link to the live feed. Wouldn't have missed it, and you are mine after all."

"Well don't raise you're hopes, I don't think you could afford me." She snuggled in closer, "Why don't you finish that later and show me what you would have done, if you did win me."

After a very lazy morning together they eventually got out of bed and dressed. Andrew suggested they take Jasper for a long walk down by the river and stop for a pub lunch. They sat outside and tied Jasper to the table leg before ordering their food.

"We're not seeing anybody tonight are we?" Laura asked.

"No, why?"

"Shall we have the Ploughman's then, with pickled onions?"

"Why not," he said, snapping his menu shut.

While waiting for the food to arrive they both sat quietly. Laura watched the other customers. A young couple sat together holding onto each other and constantly kissing, a family with two young children and a group of girls most of whom were engrossed in their phones. She was deep in thought. After a few minutes Andrew broke the silence.

"You okay, you've gone very quiet?"

"Of course I'm okay. I was just thinking about Weston. You don't think he would be mean enough to call an end to the game before we've had a chance to get the pawn back do you. I mean, if he did he wouldn't have to sell us his share's would he."

"I've heard that he can be a hard nut where business is concerned, a bit of a shit even. But from my limited experience of him at least he seems to be a reasonable shit. I'm sure he wouldn't but we'll just have to wait and see."

A young man approached bearing a tray with their lunch and more drinks. The food looked very fresh and delicious. Andrew waited for him to be out of earshot before he spoke again.

"Whether we get the extra shares or not the game will soon be over, how do you feel about it?"

Her answer was hesitant, unsure of whether he would want to hear the response. "I've been thinking about that a lot lately and I don't know if I'll be glad when it's over. I mean some of the things they've done to me I thought were awful at the time but I'm okay and looking back on them they don't seem so bad. To start with I just felt humiliated, like that first time with Shaun Cooper, god I could have died, and it wasn't even necessary." Andrew started to snigger, and she joined in. "I know it seems funny now, but it wasn't at the time. Anyway, as they made me do more and more stuff, it all seemed to change. It was still bloody embarrassing of course, but it was a bit of a turn on as well. I even began to look forward to finding out what would happen to me next."

"I've seen the change," Andrew said, "You seem more...I don't know...contented, happy, at ease with yourself. Look on the bright side though, you won't be looking over your shoulder all the time, wondering whether something nasty is going to happen to you."

"Is that the bright side? I kind of enjoy not knowing and always wondering. And what about us? You've been a big part in this and I love you being in on their plans and part of my...what should I say...treatment, and not once have you made me feel like some sort of freak or weirdo." She placed her hand on the back of his, then added, "That means a lot to me."

"So 'normal' life doesn't hold the same appeal then?" Andrew asked.

"We had great lives before the game and we will when it's all over. I love the things we do, our jobs, our social life and everything." It's just that..." she paused, careful to choose her words and not wanting to seem dissatisfied. "...since we started this I've felt so...I don't know, alive I suppose. I know that sounds like bullshit but it's true. I've 'felt' more. They may not have been good feelings all the time, like embarrassment from being seen naked, anger at being raped or the absolute fear at that auction, but they were so deep, and I'll miss that." She stopped and looked at Andrew. "I'm not putting it very well but do you know what I'm saying? I suppose I'll miss the excitement of it all."

"Any regrets?" he asked. She thought for a few moments.

"No. I hated some of the things that were done to me and at times I even hated you for being part of it. But soon after, I loved hating them and I loved hating you and I'd even look forward to hating you again."

"Anyway," Andrew said, "It's out of our hands. All we can do is wait and hope he points you in the direction of that last pawn before he calls it a day."

46

For Laura, Tuesday at work followed much the same pattern as Monday, catching up with clients, finishing outstanding proposals and chasing printers, designers and manufacturers. She felt like she was chasing the whole world and she wasn't in the mood for it. She was constantly on edge, snappy for no reason and full of apprehension.

Every time the phone rang, her heartbeat increased and she felt a tightening in her throat. Each and every time it had been business, a friend or Andrew, never the one she both desired and dreaded in equal measure: the call from Weston. She would still be unsure of her preference, even when it came--a final challenge for the pawn or the disappointment of completion?

On Wednesday afternoon, just when she was considering phoning Weston herself, Abbie knocked on her door. Laura's heart raced, Abbie wouldn't knock unless they had a visitor.

"There's a Grace Edwards here to see you, shall I show her in?" Laura was put off balance. Grace showing up was something she hadn't considered.

"Yes, please do." Abbie showed her in and hesitated to leave, as desperate as Laura to find out what was happening. "Grace how nice to see you, please take a seat." Remaining where she was she smiled warmly; Laura liked her a lot. The formal clothing suited her and the bun sitting high on her head gave her the no nonsense personal assistant look she so admired.

"Thank you but that won't be necessary, Mr Weston has asked me to escort you to his office. There's a taxi waiting outside." Laura panicked. He'd finished the game before she had even been given a chance to retrieve the pawn. The bastard, how could he.

"But I can't, he can't, I mean that's not fair. I don't have the last piece." She knew she sounded whiney and she thought she might cry, so great was her disappointment. "Please Grace, go back and ask him to give me a chance at the pawn--please." She turned to Abbie, desperate for help. "Abbie tell her I can get the piece with just a little more time, tell her this isn't fair." Abbie looked bewildered and remained where she was, lost for words.

"He's sent me for you. I'm sure he won't like to be questioned about it. Now if you don't mind getting undressed and put that on and we can leave." She passed Laura a cape similar to the one she had worn the previous Friday.

"Why have I got to wear that?" Laura began to get more and more vocal, raising her voice. "I suppose he wants one last dig at me, one last humiliation before he casts me to one side? Well I'm not playing his stupid games any more, I'll tell him what I think of him and his bloody game. Come on Grace." As she made her way to the door Abbie stopped her.

"Laura, don't," she shouted, "that's what he expects. If you go storming in there ranting and raving he'll have beaten you. Show him that you're strong, that you can take whatever he dishes out. Don't let him win." A silence hung in the air as all three looked at each other. Laura pondered Abbie's words and thought she may have been right. If he was just finishing the game why would he want her to wear the cape. Maybe there was a chance that she was being directed to the last pawn. She thought it was worth taking the risk.

Walking back to her desk she took off her jacket, skirt and blouse, folding and placing them in a neat pile. She reached behind to undo the clasp on her bra before leaning forward to let it fall down her arms, freeing her breasts.

"You can keep the stockings and heels," Grace said, before taking a pair of handcuffs from her bag. She walked behind Laura and waited for her to put her wrists together behind her back. With the cuffs in place Abbie helped Laura into the cape. It seemed shorter than the previous one and would certainly show her stocking tops when she walked. Despite her irritation the thought excited Laura.

"If this is just one of his games I'll be bloody furious you know," she told Grace.

"I know," Grace said in a soft voice, with more than a hint of sympathy, "come on you might as well get there and find out sooner than later."

The journey in the taxi didn't take long and the two women hardly spoke. Laura spent the time working out why she got so annoyed. They had discussed the possible outcomes and, as Andrew said, they would be no worse off than they were before the whole thing started. The worst thing that could happen was that Weston would keep his share. But that wasn't it she realised, it wasn't the shares--she didn't want it to finish. Sitting in a taxi, naked but for a cape thrilled her, knowing it would be for the last time annoyed and disappointed her.

All too soon they reached their destination. Unlike on her previous visit Laura used the front door. She felt no shame when an innocent passer by stared at the way she was dressed, instead she felt a strange pride.

Grace warmly greeted the young girl behind the desk, asking if there had been any problems. There was nothing to report. She told the girl she wouldn't be long and led Laura along the corridor to Weston's office.

He sat in one of the comfortable armchairs by the French doors reading some papers. In true gentlemanly fashion he stood as the ladies entered and left the papers on one side of the otherwise empty desk. "Hello Laura, good of you to come," he said, his tone more restrained than his usual polite fashion, reflecting the uneasy atmosphere in the room.

"I couldn't stay away," she said deciding to try a 'couldn't care less' approach. Weston just smiled, no doubt guessing her ploy.

"Please, take a seat," he said, indicating one of the high backed formal chairs facing his desk. With the handcuffs and cape proving a hindrance she found it difficult to sit. "It's quite warm in here, I'm sure she'd be more comfortable without that Grace, thank you." After removing the cape Grace asked if she would be needed for anything else. "I think a coffee would be rather pleasant, how about you Laura?" Knowing she would have to ask for the cuffs to be removed Laura decided to decline the offer and not give him the satisfaction of being able to refuse.

"So why am I here then?" Laura asked, feeling a little braver.

"I thought we arranged it, on Friday. To conclude our little transaction, of course."

"You know this isn't fair, after all I've been through you could have given me the opportunity to get back the last pawn." The bitterness had gone from her voice, replaced with a sad resignation of the facts. Deep down she hoped he would have been more honourable.

"What's not fair?" he asked, retrieving the papers from the side of the desk and placing them in front of her. She scanned the top sheet.

"It's an agreement to sell me your shares." The beaming smile prevented her from speaking for a few seconds. "But...but I thought..."

"You thought wrongly didn't you. We had a deal and you won fair and square. So there it is, you own the lot. Congratulations, it just needs you to sign."

"But I didn't finish the game...the last pawn."

"The pawn was delivered this morning."

"Who by? How?" she asked, still not understanding.

"By Grace, of course." Laura thought for a moment before the penny dropped. "Yes that's right, you are the last pawn. You've been a pawn in this game right from the start." She said nothing, unsure whether she should be pleased or annoyed. "Well, are you going to sign?" He turned to the second sheet, his signature already in place.

"Not without my hands, no."

"Oh sorry." He removed the cuffs and unscrewed the top from his pen before handing it to her.

"I don't think I've ever signed a business contract while naked before," she quipped, but more than happy to be doing so.

"I should hope not." He blotted the signature. "Grace will get our people to sort out all the detail, the boring stuff. That would seem to be that then." He said, moving to sit in the dark leather chair behind his desk.

Laura made no effort to leave or cover herself. He gave her a whole minute before speaking.

"Was there anything else?" Even with a lot of effort, the question still didn't quite sound genuine.

"I don't know," she replied, "I just didn't expect it to end like this, that's all."

"So tell me, how did you see it ending, or should I say hope it would end."

"It's difficult," she said, looking down to avoid eye contact.

"Women are in general, you should know that. And one of their biggest difficulties is revealing their true feelings to a man. You share all of your secrets with your female friends but find it hard to admit anything to a man."

"You're right, of course," she said, "and you know it. No doubt you also know why I'm still here. Tell me, why did you choose me in the first place. How did you know?"

"How did I know what? That you'd love all we put you through, that you'd get to enjoy it so much that you looked forward to it, that you'd want it to increase in severity?" He looked at her and smiled. "People don't choose which things excite them, nature does. Nature decides which people will want to experience what you have. It also gave me the ability to spot them, and I'm right most of the time."

"You were this time, that's for sure. So, what now?"

"You need to decide which of your options you want to pursue. I assume that you're aware of Oakham's less publicized range of activities?"

"I've spoken to people yes."

"And you fully understand what's involved, that the ladies we take on fully consent to what happens to them?"

"Yes, I do." As she answered Laura could feel her excitement levels rising.

"They pay for their pleasure you know, we make arduous demands on them and constantly push what they thought were their limits. Could you do that? If that's what you want then we'd be happy to take you on." He waited while it all sank in. It was what she wanted but she had reservations.

"I'd have to talk this through with Andrew, you know, check that he's okay with it all."

"I don't think that's necessary. As you'd imagine, Andrew's more than happy to see you take this path." Laura looked astonished.

"What? You mean you've discussed this with him already?"

"Of course, but in the end it had to be your decision. He didn't feel that he should influence you on a matter of such importance." He pressed the button on his desk. "Grace, it looks like we will be needing those papers, please."

He turned back to Laura. We have a formal agreement for you to sign. To keep things discreet we don't use names so you'll be given a registration number." Grace brought in the papers and handed them to him. "Ah, here we are, and you will be..." he scanned the top sheet, "...Eighty One."