Chapter 16: Happy Endings

For the next few days Evan and Cheri had to walk on eggshells around Pam. She was alternately euphoric, depressed, defiant and then extremely passive, sometimes all in the span of a few minutes.

"I won't sell!" she screamed. "It's mine and I won't give it up!"

"You don't have to," Evan would say, trying to soothe her.

"But what if they want to give us a lot of money?" she whined.

"Money's no problem," Cheri would add. "You do what you want. We're here for you either way. You decide."

"Oh God, Evan!" she whimpered, crying on his shoulder. "You're my master. You tell me what to do!"

She was being such a pain in the ass one night Evan finally turned her over his knee and swatted her ass until she had an orgasm. Still feeling peevish he threw her down on the bed -- Cheri helped by holding her down -- and fucked her hard until they were both exhausted. Her mood was much more congenial for the next few hours so it became standard practice: When she became too prickly, he pricked her, hard! After a while he began to suspect she was acting up for reasons other than anxiety about the business.

After a week or so and there still hadn't been anything from Mr. Dante they shrugged it off as a joke, or maybe a change of heart on his part. Instead of worrying about selling the business they concentrated on running it. At least Pam did; Evan still had classes to take up his time and Cheri busied herself with housework and planning what would be needed for the babies.

The web site was a fair success. The orders came in at a good, steady pace. Products not held in stock -- some of the more elaborate costumes -- were special-ordered and those that were in stock turned over rapidly. It wasn't the flood of business Pam had hoped for, but it was steady, and repeat business and the special orders were increasing as a percentage of their bottom line. Evan thought they were right where they should be: steadily growing without the exponential growth that could cause problems with servicing their customers. The growth was manageable which made it easy on Pam and therefore on everybody else.

About a month later they were all sitting around the kitchen table discussing what had happened that week. Pam was definitely running the business but she enjoyed, and needed, the input of her partners. Besides there were times when Evan's "fuck 'em, do it this way," attitude gave her that little extra push when she needed it.

"Everything looks good to me," Evan said putting down the spreadsheet showing their latest orders. "I think you expected too much right off the bat. Orders are up, profits are up, and you don't have to worry about closing your store now. Face it, lady: You're doing it right."

"I guess," Pam sighed. "I was hoping it would be a little more spectacular, though."

"No, you don't," Evan said. "Think of the problems you..." The doorbell interrupted him. "I'll get it. You two can just stay right here."

A few minutes later he walked back into the kitchen with a puzzled look on his face and a large envelope in his hands.

"What is it, baby?" Cheri asked.

"Ah, I don't know," he said. "It's addressed to 'Master Evan Hill, ' but was sent in care of Chained Love. Pam, I suppose this really should be for you"

"Open it, honey," Pam said. "After all it's addressed to the one who owns it, not the slave who runs it."

Evan gave her a sour look and ripped it open. He stood there reading the enclosed papers, at times just staring at them. Finally he sat down and with a shaking hand pushed the papers over to Pam.