Chapter 7: What now?

FUCK. I couldn't believe it. How had I miscalculated? I was sure she'd give in. I knew, instinctively, that I couldn't try to backpedal now. Now I had to hope that she'd realize later that she had nowhere to turn.

After a second to get over my shock at her answer, I pulled myself together. "Fine. I don't want to kick you out in the middle of the night. I'll take you to work tomorrow and you can try to make other arrangements. But you realize that all those clothes that I bought you and everything else was my part of this bargain. If you don't want to take your end, I'll expect you to leave all that stuff behind."

"But they won't fit anyone else."

"Don't worry. They'll fit someone else. But, if you want," I went on grudgingly "you can pick out one of your new outfits to keep and wear that to work tomorrow."

She still hadn't looked up at me this whole time, but I heard her say, through fresh sniffles, "Thank you, sir. That's very nice of you."

"Go on upstairs to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

"Will you still come give me a goodnight kiss?"

I was feeling bitter about the whole thing, but I said "O.K." anyway. I figured this was my only long-term hope now.

I turned off the video and TV and walked her upstairs to her room. She was already undressed for bed, so she just crawled into the bed and pulled the sheets up. The second she was in bed she grabbed one of her new stuffed animals and clutched it to her chest. When she had gotten comfortable, I leaned over and gave her a kiss on the lips, just as I had for the last three nights. "Good night, Nina," I told her, then turned to leave the room.

"Sir?"

I turned back around. "Yes, Nina?"

There was a moment of silence, while she looked up at me from her bed, mulling over whatever she was going to say. Finally, her courage failed her. "Never mind, sir. It's nothing."

"Good night, then," and I turned and walked out of her room.

...

FUCK. I had misplayed my hand. I was so sure I held all the cards and could push wherever and whenever I wanted. I knew there was still a chance that she'd come back or be forced back with nowhere else to turn. After all, what I'd demanded was no more than any sugar daddy asks of his charge. Her services in exchange for my support. What was more, I knew she had fewer options than most.

I guess I had taken her flirtations as being real offers, or at least a willingness to make an offer. I had told myself that her flirtations were little girl like. That they weren't real offers to deliver the goods advertised. I knew all that, I'd figured it out from the start. Somehow, though, I convinced myself that if I pushed her, she'd have to deliver.

Now what should I do? I didn't sleep at all that night, trying to figure out my best course of action. I knew there was still a chance that she'd have to come back to me. I figured that was what she had been wrestling with when she called me back last night. I also knew that she didn't have any more options than I thought she had before. None of that had changed. My only miscalculation was her attachment to her virtue. That very thing was one of the things that attracted me to her.

I was really at risk, as well. If she went to the company president, I was fucked. We had made no secret of the fact that she was getting a ride home from me or that she came up to my office at five o'clock every evening. I had not advertised the fact that I was giving her a ride to my place each night, but I had no idea what Nina had told her friends at work. If she went to the president, I was screwed and tattooed. The appearance of impropriety was enough to get me fired now. I took comfort in the fact that going to the president would do her no good. If she thought about it, she might try to blackmail me, but I didn't believe she would think of it. I knew, though, that I had to keep treating her well, if only to keep her from hating me and knocking things upstairs just for the sake of it.