Close Observation

Ron slept for a while. He was woken up when Emma came and laid on top of him on the settee. He moved his body so that she was on top of him but against the back of the settee, so she wouldn't fall on the floor. It felt amazing having her body against him. Her face was against his collar bone, under his jaw and he could feel her hair. It wasn't remotely sexual. It felt nice though. He put his arms round her. Ron found that he couldn't get back to sleep. It wasn't because he was uncomfortable; he realised he was buzzing. The whole thing, the guy attacking her, and afterwards, had made him feel good.

***

Ron was woken up by the sound of Emma making coffee.

'Morning,' said Ron.

'Morning,' said Emma. She smiled at him. 'Do you want a drink?'

'Can I have a black coffee please?' said Ron.

'Of course,' said Emma.

Ron looked at his phone. It was just before ten. She gave him his coffee and they sat on the settee.

'I was thinking,' said Ron. 'Might be best to just do duos for a bit, for a few days maybe, and only with me there. I'm not telling you what to do, that's just an idea.' The night before had brought home to him how vulnerable the girls were. He wanted to be with them when they were working as much as possible from now on, and he wanted to be with Marie

every

time she worked. If it had been Marie the night before, that gentleman would have been in a box in the ground.

'You're right. I don't really want to work at all. I've been thinking about it all night, but the longer I leave it before I start again the harder it'll be,' said Emma.

'Straight back on the horse,' said Ron.

'What did you do to him?' said Emma.

'You've asked me that twice. Do you really want to know?' said Ron.

'Yes,' said Emma.

'I broke his left arm, I twisted it behind his back until I heard the bone go, then I put him on his side on the floor and jumped on his ribcage with both feet five or six times, then I took him outside and left him in the alley,' said Ron. He didn't tell her that he'd enjoyed doing those things, and that if he'd had more time, he would have hurt the man so much that the rest of his life would have been changed by his injuries. It hadn't just been the fact that he'd attacked Emma, it was the fact that he'd urinated on her for an hour and made her wash him in the shower like she was his slave.

The doorbell went. Emma got up in a flash. She was excited. There was a big oval mirror on the wall behind Ron; she went to it and checked her appearance. She messed around with her hair. Ron guessed she thought it was Layla. It was Katie.

They came into the front room. Katie saw Ron and hesitated, looking instantly uncomfortable. Emma walked in behind her, looking disappointed.

'Hi Ron. I didn't realise you'd stayed the night,' said Katie.

'I didn't want him to leave,' said Emma.

'Thanks for keeping this one safe,' said Katie.

'No worries,' said Ron. Katie reached out to Emma and hugged her. She kissed Emma on the cheek. Emma's eyes were watering. Katie held on to her. Ron got up.

'If it's alright, can I get off?' he said. He looked at Katie, 'I said to Emma, I'd want to be with her every time she does a job for a while, so we know she's ok,' he said.

'Ok, that makes sense. Can I ring you later on, about lunchtime? said Katie. She and Emma were still holding each other.

'Yeah, no worries,' said Ron.

Emma went to the door with him.

'Thanks Ron,' she said. They hugged. She kissed him. It felt nice.

'You'll be ok now?' he said.

'I don't know,' she said. She laughed. It hadn't been a nice evening for her. Ron wondered if Layla had been with Katie last night, and now Katie was here.

'Ok, if you want to talk about anything, I can give you my mobile number. Or you can get it off Katie,' said Ron.

'Ok,' she said.

'And don't do any work without me for a bit, ok?' said Ron.

'Ok,' said Emma. She hugged him and kissed his cheek again.

***

Toby rang Ron not long after he got back. There was a Japanese businessman coming to London with his wife and child. Toby wondered if Ron could look after them. He said he would be happy to, but needed to keep his evenings free. Toby said that would be fine. They'd be getting into Heathrow in two days' time. Ron would pick them up. They'd be staying in a hotel just off of Gloucester Road.

Katie rang not long after.

'Hi,' she said.

'Hi,' said Ron.

'I'm still over Emma's place. Did I remember rightly, are you close by?' asked Katie.

He gave her his address. She got there about ten minutes later.

'Oh my God, your flat's really tidy!' she said.

'Thank you,' said Ron. From the army, he was used to always having things just so. In his regiment, everything had to look perfect all the time, he supposed he'd carried it over into civvy life.

'Thanks again for last night. I'm glad you were there,' said Katie.

'That's alright. Is Emma ok?' asked Ron.

'She'll be ok. She needed some TLC. She didn't want me to leave,' said Katie.

'Right,' said Ron.

'What did you do to the guy, where did he end up?' asked Katie.

'I broke his arm and a few of his ribs, dumped him out the back of the place, in the alley,' said Ron.

'You should have castrated him,' said Katie.

'Too much mess,' said Ron.

'I suppose. He probably used a false name, but I've told everyone I know in the game about him. I got Emma to describe him, and people will be on the look-out,' said Katie.

'Right,' said Ron.

'Ron?' said Katie.

'Yeah?' said Ron.

'I wanted to say something to you,' said Katie.

'What's that?' said Ron.

'Do you remember when you took me home, and I was pissed and on coke?' asked Katie.

'I do,' said Ron.

'Well I told you that there were some bad characters that tried to book the girls, and I didn't let them. But I said I'd book them with Emma to get back at her for threatening to leave,' said Katie.

'I remember,' said Ron. He'd been thinking about it.

'Well the guy last night was one of them. And he had a go at her, and if you hadn't been there, he would probably have really hurt her and taken the money. And I have to live with that. And I've been shagging her girlfriend, well, she thinks it's her girlfriend. I've got to live with that as well,' said Katie.

'Was Layla with you last night? Emma was expecting her back,' said Ron.

'She was at mine last night, yes,' said Katie.

'Ok,' said Ron.

'I'm not going to sleep with Layla again, and I'm not going to book Emma with anyone sketchy,' said Katie.

'Ok,' said Ron.

'I feel terrible... And I didn't want you to think that I'm feeling ok, and not bothered. Does that make sense? Emma's not always easy to like but I've been fucking horrible to her. I feel awful and I wanted to make sure you knew it,' said Katie.

'It's done now, and everyone's alright, apart from that bloke. No harm done,' said Ron. He was impressed.

'Because of you, there was no harm done. That's pretty much the only clever thing I've done lately, taking you on,' said Katie.

'Thank you. How have you been? What's going on with the coke, and how are you feeling in yourself? I wanted to ask you, but we've just been texting, haven't we?' said Ron.

'I don't know where to start,' said Katie.

'I'll make tea,' said Ron.

***

Overseas, Ron had made a brew in a hole in the ground with two other blokes, just after a mine had nearly killed all of them. The tea had actually seemed to make every single thing in life alright. He gave Katie her mug.

'I'm going to go back to Emma's after,' said Katie.

'More TLC?' asked Ron.

'The least I can do is make her come a few times,' said Katie.

'Fair point. So, how's things. I recall you felt bad because Emma might leave, because of the Charlie, and because of Marie. What's the state of play now?'

'Straight to the point,' said Katie.

'Yup,' said Ron.

'Emma's not going to leave, but the thing with Layla will probably get messy. To tell you the truth, Marie is getting so popular that she'll be earning more than Emma anyway, without having to bend over, or drink people's piss. I'm doing too much coke and if I can't get on top of it, I'll have to get some help. I let Marie get into my head. That was a stupid thing to do, but I did it. I'm still dwelling on that whole situation, and I'm hearing things about her and Vicky, and that's hurting me,' said Katie.

'Straight to the point,' said Ron.

'Indeed,' said Katie.

'Ok. Well, you gave me a job, and I like you. Tell me what I can do to make the situation better,' said Ron.

'I like you too. There's a feeling I get with you, it's like this aura you carry around with you. I feel like the girls are ok when you're with them, and I don't need to worry about anything.

They

feel like that too, they say the same thing... You can't do anything to help me, Ron. You can't make me un-addicted to cocaine, and the Marie thing, you can't fix that. If she'd rather be with Vicky than with me then that's just reality isn't it?' said Katie.

'I don't think Marie would rather be with Vicky, but she didn't feel the same as you did, so you can see why she'd feel awkward and want some space,' said Ron.

'You're right. It's not easy to talk about, to be honest,' said Katie.

'I know. I can't fix that one for you. Is there nothing I can do?' he said.

'Just humour me if I ring you when I'm out of it, moaning and feeling sorry for myself,' said Katie.

'Ok. I can do that,' said Ron.

'And it might be happening a lot in the near future,' said Katie.

'No worries,' said Ron.

'Ron, I don't want the other girls to know about what happened with Emma,' said Katie.

'That's fine,' said Ron.

'And be careful when you go back to the flat,' said Katie.

'I will. Do you need me tonight? Asked Ron.

'Yes, and it's back there. Vicky and Layla, with a client, half-nine. Layla will make her own way there, but you need to pick Vicky up,' said Katie. Ron thought Vicky would be pleased.

'Ok, no worries,' he said.

***

Vicky came bounding out to the car.

'You look all excited,' said Ron.

'I am excited Mr Ron, my wish has come true,' said Vicky.

'You're working with Layla,' said Ron.

'I certainly am. I can't wait,' said Vicky.

Ron drove through Chelsea. The sun was setting and the way the light fell on the buildings and reflected off of cars, it looked to him like just about the most beautiful place in the world. Ron felt good. Vicky felt good too.

'How's things been?' said Ron.

'Things have been quite splendid, Mr Ron,' she said.

'Life is treating you well,' asked Ron.

'It certainly is. Everything's coming up Roses,' said Vicky.

'What's happened?' asked Ron.

'I think I've met someone,' said Vicky. Ron's heart sank. He felt that burning feeling around his temples and around his jaw. He thought she meant Marie. He knew they'd been having sex, but maybe it was getting more serious.

'That's great. Who?' asked Ron.

'He's a civil servant,' said Vicky. Ron felt ok again, the world was a nice place.

'Oh ok. How did you meet him?' asked Ron.

'At the gym. I've had my eye on him for a while, and I had the feeling he fancied me. I pretended I wanted to lift some horrible barbell thing, and I asked him to show me how to do it. We got talking, and he looked like he was trying really hard not to stare at my tits, so I knew I had him. We went for a drink in a place by Embankment tube. I really like him,' said Vicky.

'That's great. He's a civil servant?' asked Ron.

'Yes. Works at the Admiralty,' said Vicky.

'Maybe he's a spy. Maybe he's James Bond,' said Ron.

'Maybe,' said Vicky.

'When you said you'd met someone, I assumed it would be a woman,' said Ron.

'No... I like men too,' said Vicky.

'Oh ok,' said Ron.

'I've been shagging Marie. And when I say I've been shagging her, I've been shagging her senseless, but it's just sex, and that's all it is, that's all I'd let it be. Whenever we're not actually having sex, she'll start talking about the doctor in work she's in love with, and I get a bit bored,' said Vicky. The world was a bad place again.

'So, you're with Layla tonight?' said Ron.

'I am. I'd be up for some fun on the side with her as well, as long as Emma doesn't find out. I don't want to come home and find my pet rabbit in a saucepan,' said Vicky.

Ron's opinion of Emma had gone one-hundred-and-eighty-degrees in twenty-four hours. He didn't want to hear her being bad-mouthed.

'Do you know the client tonight?' he asked.

'The name rings a bell, I think I might have seen him before,' said Vicky.

'How does it work with duos, do you normally find that the punter gets in the way, that you'd rather just be with the other girl?' asked Ron.

'It depends completely on the girl. Like, there's no one with Katie now that I don't like being with, but there has been girls were I'd literally rather be rimming some ugly horrible client rather than shagging them, and if you're working with a girl from another agency you can get someone who you're just not into. Everyone with Katie at the moment is hot, though. Marie and Emma are amazing, Marie's probably the best female shag I've experienced, so yeah, sometimes it can get tiresome looking after the bloke. But they normally come so fast that you can get back to being with the girl,' said Vicky.

'Right. Does your bloke know about...?'

'Me having sex for money?' asked Vicky.

'Yeah,' said Ron.

'No. That's the big hurdle, the big stumbling block. Every time you meet someone, it's there in the background,' said Vicky.

'I can imagine,' said Ron.

'That's why so many escorts get in relationships with other escorts,' said Vicky.

'Male escorts?' asked Ron.

'No, female. I was thinking about Marie. I thought maybe something could happen there. Marie is absolutely gorgeous, and she's so clever, and she's so sweet. I thought about walking off into the sunset with her for a while, I really did, but she is completely and utterly besotted with someone she works with, like literally

crazy

about them,' said Vicky. The world was a bad place again.

'I hope it works Vicky. I really do,' said Ron. He meant it. He liked Vicky; he thought she was great, inside and outside.

'Thanks Mr Ron,' said Vicky. She smiled at him.

***

The punter had asked for Victoria to wear Ugg boots; chunky, soft brown boots that went about halfway up her calf. He was in the box room, looking through the mirror. Vicky was in the bedroom. She took off every stitch of clothing then pulled the boots on. Ron was surprised. They seemed to make her legs look amazing and made the whole of her body look good. It was getting close to the time, and no sign of Layla. Vicky came around to the box room.

'I can't believe this Mr Ron, is she going to stand me up?' said Vicky. She didn't seem bothered about standing there naked.

'Vick. I don't want to be inappropriate, but you look fucking smoking hot,' said Ron. She smiled at him.

'Thank you, Mr Ron,' said Vicky.

'I'm serious,' said Ron.

'Thank you again. I've never had a dress request to wear these before,' she said, gesturing down at her boots. 'They're Annie's, I had to borrow them. Lucky we're the same size,'

'I think you should buy a pair,' said Ron.

'Perhaps I will, on your personal recommendation. I do hope Layla makes an appearance. I really want to get fucked by her,' said Vicky.

'You've been looking forward to this,' said Ron.

'I really have! I met her when we went out, before it kicked off. I kept wanting to go and sit on her lap,' said Vicky. The buzzer for the door went.

'This is bloody inconvenient. If this is the client, I've got to explain that she's running late, and if she doesn't turn up, he'll be hacked off,' said Vicky. She went out to get the door. Ron wondered if she was going to open the door naked. He found himself hoping this gentleman would behave better than the last one.

It was the punter. He was fat and he had a beard. He was red in the face. Ron guessed he hadn't been expecting one of the escorts to open the door naked, but that's what Vicky appeared to have done. He'd bought chocolates and wine. Vicky was apologising and saying that Layla was probably caught in traffic, he was saying he knew all about London traffic. He went to have a shower and Vicky went to sort the wine out.

There were still only the two wine glasses and the pint glass. Vicky brought them in and set them on the chest of drawers next to the condom box. She drank from one of the glasses and seemed to like the wine.

The punter came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. They sat next to each other on the bed. She was stroking his arm and his back. She inched herself closer to him, her body was up against his. She put her hand down and opened out the towel. They kissed awkwardly. She was feeling his genitals, stroking them. They kissed again and it was less awkward, he was relaxing. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off her breasts. Ron wasn't surprised that he couldn't.

'What would you like to do? You can fuck me, or you can come in my mouth, or you can fuck my arse. How do you want me, my love?' said Vicky. Ron could imagine how he'd feel if someone like her said that to him. He was surprised the bloke hadn't shot right then and there.

'I want to come in your mouth,' the punter said, quietly.

'Ok, let's see what your spunk tastes like,' said Vicky. She pushed his shoulder gently so that he lay back on the bed. He lifted his hips so she could pull the towel away. She leaned over and begun to suck his penis. He moaned as she did. She started taking it deeper into her mouth. Her head bobbed rhythmically over his groin. Ron could see him close his eyes. Vicky cupped his testicles with her right hand. When she moved her mouth down his penis, she seemed to squeeze his testicles gently. The door buzzer went. Vicky kept going. Her eyes were closed now, she was sucking his penis slowly and deeply. He told her he was going to come, and he did, into her mouth. She swallowed his semen. The buzzer went again.

'Right, I'd better go and let Layla in,' said Vicky, laughing. The punter lay back on the bed, gasping.

They came in. Layla was in street clothes. She looked wound up.

'Layla, this is Mike, Mike, Layla,' said Vicky. Ron thought that Vicky looked at Layla the way a starving person would look at a fillet steak.

'Honey, I'm so sorry I'm late!' said Layla.

'That's ok,' said Mike. He seemed to be in a post-orgasm stupor.

'I was on the bastard District Line, and the train stopped in the tunnels and didn't move for twenty minutes! I am

not

happy,' said Layla.

'That's alright, not to worry,' said Mike.

Layla didn't stand on ceremony, she stripped naked. She got on the bed and laid next to Mike. She pressed her body up to him and kissed him on the mouth. He looked drowsy and relaxed.

'Has Vicky just made you come?' asked Layla, laughing.

'She certainly did,' said Mike.

Does that mean we can play with each other?' asked Layla.

'Be my guest,' said Mike.

Layla got off the bed and went to Vicky. Layla reached out and grabbed hold of her. She grabbed Vicky's rear with one hand and her breast with the other. She pulled Vicky to her, pressing Vicky against her body. They looked into each other's eyes for a second, before they started kissing, passionately. Vicky had this look in her eyes, like she was a child on Christmas morning. Ron felt himself becoming erect.

Vicky and Layla were kissing deeply, their tongues down each other's throats, almost. Now and again they were having to break off just to breathe. It was quite a thing to watch. Layla broke off and physically picked Vicky up. She cradled her in her arms and took her to the bed. She dropped her on the bed. Then she went to her bag.

Layla got the strap-on out, the famous strap-on. Ron thought it should be called 'Excalibur.' Vicky saw her putting it on. She put her hands behind her head. She lay back and opened her legs wide. She brought her knees up and back as her legs opened, presenting herself. She still had the 'child on Christmas morning,' expression on her face, like she was experiencing something

impossibly

good. Layla got on the bed and got on top of Vicky. She didn't waste time kissing her, she put the tip of the dildo into Vicky's vagina, then thrust it into her, with force. Vicky didn't scream, she made a low-pitched sort of half cry, half grunt. She closed her eyes as she made the sound. She put her arms around Layla's back and held her tightly. They started to have sex. Vicky's head was over Layla's right shoulder, so Ron could still see her face. Her expression stayed the same, like she was thinking, I absolutely cannot believe how fucking good this is.