Jessie stared at the television in defiance. She was sitting around a large oak table with Keith, Raven, Brooke, and three of the co-directors that worked for Raven Brooke. Keith pressed rewind and played the tape again.
âSee where you just seem to slip out of it?â Keith pointed out. âAt the beginning of the scene, you really make us feel like youâre an innocent maid and everything is all new to you. Then, your reactions and facial movements make us realize youâre the experienced Jessica.â
âYou can only play innocent for so long,â Jessica complained as she crossed her arms and glared at the image of herself on television. Her slim body was stretched upwards, her arms held by suspension cords from the ceiling. Her hair had been brushed down and the silkiness circled her waist as her head flew backwards when the next muted snap of the quirt kissed a line of fire across the back of her thighs. Jessie shook her head and glared over at Keith.
âJessica, Iâve seen you on tape before! Youâre one hell of an actress! You werenât trying,â Keith argued, glaring down at his sub. Jessie pushed her bottom lip out instinctively and sat pouting, waiting for his outburst to subside.
âJessica, our members are waiting for your first flick in a year. Your section of the site has been over-trafficked for three days now since you came back. We need this scene to go perfect,â Raven tried explaining as she took the seat next to Jessie and looked at her with pleading eyes. Jessie shook her head and looked at the floor. âHow are her welts?â
âAlmost gone,â Keith answered.
âThen weâll shoot again on Friday,â Raven concluded as she stood up and looked at Jessica with annoyance. âI hate having to re-shoot, but she ruined it.â
âYou canât do this!â Jessie shouted as she jumped up and glared at Raven. Raven rolled her eyes and turned to leave the office. Jessie turned to Keith. âNot so soon! I canât take it!â
âYes, you can, kitten,â Keith said softly, looking at her sadly. He had hoped she would jump right back into her acting and the shoot would go perfectly.
âNo, I canât! Tell her she canât! Please, Sir, I canât!â Jessie cried. Keith shook his head in disappointment as he looked at the other three directors that were still sitting at the table. He turned and left the office quickly.
Jessie turned to the directors. âPlease, tell them to hold off!â The thought about that nasty little thing whipping down, leaving lines of fire across her skin again so soon made her gasp for air.
âWhat an insolent sub,â one of the directors remarked quietly and the other co-directors stood up and they all left. Jessie looked at Brooke with sadness.
âWe can do it again, Jess,â Brooke offered softly as she smiled at her best friend. Jessie shook her head and stood silently. âJust pretend youâre ânilla and the shoot will go great!â Brookeâs smile seemed contagious and Jessie found herself unable to scowl.
The office door opened again and Raven slithered in quietly. She looked at Brooke and snapped her fingers, smiling with satisfaction as the young slut knelt before her. Raven then turned to Jessie.
âKeith is your Sir and deserves your respect and obedience, Jessica. That is true. His word is law with you. But, I am your employer, your producer and I will not have you thinking my word means nothing. When I say you will do the shoot again, you will do the shoot again,â Raven hissed angrily. âI will not sit by and let you plead with Keith to argue with me, much less plead with a bunch of idiot wannabe directors in my absence!â
âIâm sâŠâ Jessie started.
âSilence!â Raven growled as the back of her hand came in contact with Jessieâs cheek. Jessie immediately dropped her head in shame, bringing her hand to her burning cheek, tears fighting to escape her eyelids. âYou will do the shoot tomorrow and I am making it my personal duty to make sure you look like you are in unexpected pain!â With that, Raven turned around and left the office, motioning for Brooke to follow her. âYour Sir and I are both very disappointed in you,â was the last thing Jessie heard before the office door slammed shut again.
Jessie wiped her eyes and looked around the small office she now felt lonely in. She pushed the chairs into the table and shut the television off quietly. She could hear Keithâs voice outside of the office, talking with one of the writers and she realized he was going back to work like nothing had happened. With regret of her behavior, Jessie turned and walked to the corner of the room. She placed her hands behind her back and held her wrists as she stared at the rose colored paint on the wall before her. She wore a red halter top and black slacks with sandals, her hair brushed out down her back with a small braid on the side.
She stood feeling sorry. It wasnât self pity that engulfed her emotions, but the strong regret that she not only disobeyed a rule she had been given, but she had humiliated the man who meant the most to her.
After an hour, Jessie finally heard the office door open again. She held her breath and stared at the wall, wondering who had invaded her cocoon of sadness.
âCome here.â Keithâs voice was calm and quiet, the order more of a comfort. His eyes still held a bit of the disappointment he had felt earlier, but pride warmed his heart when he saw her standing in the corner on her own free will. She knelt before him, her head lowered in self-disappointment and he smiled sadly at his little sub. âStand up.â
Jessie stood before her Sir, feeling worse than she had before he entered the office. His love and affection for her always made her feel worse when she disobeyed him and suddenly, she felt the urge to bend over the table and take a few snaps of that damned whip just to make him happy with her again. Keith looked at her thoughtfully.
âHow does Japanese sound?â he asked. Jessie looked at him with shock, having already decided she wouldnât argue when the command to take off his belt came.
âJapanese, Sir?â she questioned, a little confused from the change of subject.
âFor lunch, kitten,â he added with a chuckle. His light hair was slicked to the side and Jessie stared into his handsome face.
âYou arenât mad?â she asked in shock.
âFuming, baby, but we still have to eat,â he said casually, humor jumping in his voice. Jessie looked down, feeling even worse for having upset her wonderful Sir.
âJapanese sounds great,â she admitted as they turned to go to lunch.
Keith knew it was going to take awhile to mold her back into the type of woman he wanted to spend forever with. He wasnât going to push her too hard too fast this time.
Jim stared at his soda can. The Dr. Pepper symbol staring him back in the face. He wasnât sure what to do. Jessie had just up and quit the show without batting one her gorgeous eyes, caring only about herself. She always seemed so selfish. Jim set his can on the coffee table and leaned forward on the couch, resting his elbows on the top of his thighs. His head rested in his hands. What was it about her that he liked so much? She hadnât ever said a pleasant thing about anyone else. She never even said so much as a thank you when he helped her escape from some kind of trouble she had gotten herself in.
Annoyed, he leaned back in the couch again, shutting his eyes tightly. âI donât believe her,â he mumbled inaudibly before he shook his head slowly. A vision of her dressed in the bright red cocktail dress she had worn six months ago at the company Christmas party came to his mind. The dress was a fishtail that hugged every curve of her body, fitting her like a second skin. She had worn black heels and her hair had been brushed down to her waist, bouncy ringlets scattered throughout. He sighed softly and opened his eyes. Someone had knocked on his door.
Standing up and brushing the wrinkles from his dress shirt, he went to answer the door.
âHi, sorry weâre a little late,â Lynnâs voice sang through the apartment. She stood in light blue denim shorts that seemed a little too short to Jim. For a shirt, she wore a teal bikini top with a transparent white blouse over it, the buttons undone. Her blonde hair styled in a sweep and she wore bright red lipstick and blue eye shadow. Jim winced as he welcomed her in. Avery pounced past them and ran into the living room to turn the television on.
âWhy were you late?â Jim asked his ex-wife angrily. Lynn grinned, popping the gum in her mouth as she did so. A question of why he ever fell in love with her crossed his mind bug he ignored it and glared at her.
âI was getting my nails done,â she said carelessly as she looked past him and into the living room. Their five-year-old daughter was dancing in front of the television, singing along to the theme song for Dragon Tales. âBesides, what does it matter to you? Sheâs here, ainât she?â