Page 10

Chapter Ten

M onica was downstairs when I woke. I could hear her clattering around in the kitchen preparing Grandma’s breakfast. I grabbed my phone and cursed, yet again, that I couldn’t see the time. I reached for my alarm clock and then sighed. It was okay, there was still five minutes before it would go off. I switched it off and climbed from the bed.

“You’re early?” I called down.

“I know, sorry, did I wake you? I was up with the larks so thought I’d get here early. Then you can just concentrate on getting ready for your first day. I bought some pastries as a treat.”

I laughed. “I love you, you know that, right?”

I headed to the bathroom and ran the bath. I piled my hair on top of my head, there wasn’t the time to wash and dry it, that shit took an hour. As I washed, I recalled the previous evening’s conversation with Sebastian. I had no idea what was going on between us. The sex was amazing, and, yes, he’d taken me for dinner, but it wasn’t a relationship, I didn’t think. He was a lot older than me. Could we even have a relationship with that age gap?

I dried and dressed in some of the clothes Sebastian had bought. I felt smart, for once. I’d spent too many years in shabby second-hand clothes. I didn’t bother with make-up other than some mascara, and then headed downstairs.

“Wow, look at you. Give us a twirl,” Monica said.

I laughed, holding my arms out, and turned on the spot.

“You look so different. So... grown up, even though you are one.”

“Why, thank you,” I replied, bowing. I picked up Grandma’s handbag and emptied it of the flip flops. I’d use it as a lunch bag as well. “I should buy a flask or a water bottle.”

“I’m sure you can get coffee and water in the office,” she replied.

I sat and accepted the cup of tea she offered, nibbling on one of the pastries while she tended to Grandma. My stomach was a flutter of nerves. I wasn’t the confident person some thought me to be, which is probably why I covered that up with sarcasm. I looked at my bitten nails, ones that had never been painted. I started to worry that I would stand out as the charity case. Then I remembered the ex-cons and the alcoholics. I imagined they would have felt the same on their first day as well.

I made a sandwich and placed that in my bag with my phone. I’d buy a new phone with my first pay packet, I vowed. I then sat with Grandma for ten minutes. She wasn’t in a happy mood, so Monica ushered me out. It was best sometimes, that I left the room. Not for Grandma, but for myself. I found it hard, I was finding it harder, to cope when Grandma wasn’t good. She was also lashing out at me more frequently. On their last visit, Social Services had encouraged me to think about putting her in a home. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that.

“I’m off now,” I called out, and after received good lucks from Monica, I left the house.

It was a half hour walk to the office, which I didn’t mind. Thankfully, it wasn’t raining, but I did pull my red coat tightly around me. There was a chill that suggested we might have bad weather on the way. Maybe I’d invest in an umbrella as well.

I arrived at the office twenty minutes before I was due to start. I was greeted at reception by name, which was a surprise and asked to sign in. I was told I’d be given my security badges at some point during the day and would I mind standing for a photograph.

I posed against a white wall, unsmiling as instructed. Two headshots were taken, and I was given a look to approve. They were headshots for a security card, I didn’t think I’d need to approve them.

“Yes, they’re fine,” I said.

“You’d be amazed how many I have to retake sometimes,” Sally, the receptionist, said.

She had told me she’d worked on reception for three years now. She was chatty and bubbly, the perfect type for her role. But she was too happy for my liking. I was always wary of people that were nice. I guessed I was always waiting for the catch.

“If you want to have lunch together, just let me know,” she added, and then walked me to the lift.

“Second floor,” she said, when it arrived.

I nodded my thanks. I had remembered where to go from my interview.

My nerves got worse the closer to the floor I got. When the doors opened, my hands visibly shook. I took in a deep breath to steady myself.

“Ruby, hi, you’re here,” I heard. I looked over to see Amelia. She smiled and walked towards me. “You’re working with me to start with. Is that okay with you?”

I nodded. It was awkward and I tried to look at nothing but her face. Not that she was naked, of course .

“Let’s go get a coffee, shall we?”

I thought that meant we’d head to a kitchen, instead we took the lift back down and walked the short distance to a coffee house.

“Elephant in the room, and all that,” she said, after we sat.

I laughed and sighed. “I thought I’d feel awkward, but I don’t now.”

“Good. We can work well together. We can play together if you want to,” she replied, and I really wasn’t sure what she meant. “Mr. Wolfe and I have a professional working relationship; I want you to know that. What goes on outside the office always stays outside the office.”

“Do other people know about... You two?”

She reached over and placed her hand over mine. “There isn’t a you two . I want you to understand that. You’re free to have any kind of relationship with him you want.”

“I’m not sure we have a relationship,” I replied, and laughed, not that it was funny.

“He seems to think so. And others do, too. There are some in the business that frequent the club as well.”

“I don’t know what he thinks, to be honest. But I’m not a sub, or whatever. He might need you for that.” Again, I laughed, but it was more from uncomfortableness than anything else. I certainly wasn’t up for a threesome or sharing, not that I believed I had him to share in the first place.

“He’ll only ever do what you give him permission to do.”

She sat back and sipped on her coffee.

“I don’t understand that. Aren’t you the one that must obey and all that.”

She laughed, she did think my comment funny, I guessed. “Oh, Ruby. You’ve a lot of learn. We have all the power. We decide what we will tolerate or not. We set the rules. We allow them to be dominant.”

“I don’t know that I get any of that. I’m not sure I want to.”

I just wanted to get on with my life in as uncomplicated manner as possible. However, I was starting to believe that wasn’t going to be possible. I smiled and shook my head. “I’m still coming to terms with what I’ve fallen into, to be honest.”

“He’s enigmatic, isn’t he?”

“And mysterious,” I added.

“That’s addictive,” she said.

I worried, then. What if he didn’t want her anymore because of me, and she was addicted to him?

Somewhere in my head, I told myself to stop doing my usual and overthinking.

“So, work,” I said, needing to bring the conversation back to my level .

We finished our coffee and walked back to the office. As we crossed reception, Sebastian exited the lift. He was with another suited man. He stopped and smiled at us.

“My two favourite women,” he said. I bristled, but Amelia bowed her head.

He stared at me; I glared back. He raised his middle finger and rubbed beside his eye. Slowly, I smiled.

He left, chatting to the man beside him.

“Phew,” Amelia said, fanning her face.

I raised my eyebrows. “What stays outside and all that?” I reminded her.

“Not him, the other one. Now, he’s hot.”

I laughed as she linked her arm in mine. “Let’s try and find out who he is,” she added.

“No, let’s not. Let’s go get work done before I get fired before I’ve even started.”

The first project, as I thought, was the nightclub. Amelia and I went upstairs to Sebastian’s floor and sat at the desk with the mock-up. I detailed some of my ideas and she readily agreed. She was an architect by qualification, and like me, preferred to design the interior layout than the outside.

We took what we needed back to our floor, and she gave me a station next to hers. I had a desk, a drawing board, a laptop that I could take home, and a mobile phone. It was the latest iPhone that would sync with the laptop so I could work on either. I placed my bag on the desk.

“Wow, that’s a vintage Dior, isn’t it?” she said, picking up the bag.

“No idea. It’s one of many that my grandma owns. She has a trunk of designer dresses from the forties and fifties. I sold some to a brilliant retro shop.”

She looked aghast. “You have no idea what this is worth, do you?”

I shook my head. “This bag would probably cost around ten thousand pounds to buy.”

“No way!” I took the bag from her and studied it. “She has loads of these!”

If only I’d bloody known, we might not have struggled so much. I chuckled and placed it on the floor. Perhaps I’d take better care of them now I knew.

Amelia left me to redesign the downstairs. I felt she was better placed on the upstairs than I was.

Mike came over to check on me a couple of times and asked to meet me at the end of the day. I was so engrossed in what I was doing that I hadn’t noticed the time.

“Lunch?” I heard as Sally walked across the room. I hadn’t wanted to have lunch with her, but felt I couldn’t say no.

“Erm, okay. I’ve bought a sandwich.”

“Great, so have I. We can sit in the park for a half hour.”

I picked up my bag and we left together. We grabbed a coffee from a vendor and crossed the busy road into the park. It was actually nice to get out and although it was chilly, it was refreshing.

“I like to come and sit here during the day. Gives me a break from the lighting,” she said.

“The lighting?”

“Yeah, you have... What are they called? Those daylight bulbs. I don’t have that downstairs. The light flickers sometimes and it gives me a headache.”

“Have you reported it?” I asked.

She shook her head as she took a bite of her lunch. “I will do, when I get round to it.”

She told me she lived in a basement apartment, shared it with her brother who also worked at the company. It seemed they could only afford the apartment in London if they shared. The more she talked, the more I liked her. She asked me a few questions about my life, and I found it hard to respond. I gave only the basics. She didn’t give the usual, oh I’m so sorry, that always infuriated me. She simply nodded and listened .

“We ought to get back,” I said, noticing we’d been sitting for a half an hour.

We had one hour for lunch break, but I didn’t feel I could sit outside for that length of time. We wandered in and went our separate ways. I travelled up in the lift on my own. I was smiling when I returned to my desk. There was a note left informing me that I had emails to address. I didn’t recognise the writing, obviously. I turned on the laptop. I saw a notification that I had emails and I clicked on it. I was immediately taken to the company’s internal email server.

Good morning, Ruby. Please take note of your company email address.

It wasn’t signed by anyone, and I assumed it was automated. It was followed by one from Mike that detailed my course with start dates.

A third was from HR, wanting a stack of personal information that I replied with.

I sat back, smiling. I had a company email address! Maybe at some point, I’d get business cards as well.

I had a look through the computer. There was a bespoke client programme that needed a password I didn’t have. I assumed that would be something Mike would tell me if I needed to know.

I went back to my drawing board and sketched. By the time I noticed people leaving, I had half the downstairs done. Amelia wandered over .

“Wow, Ruby. That’s fantastic,” she said. “I wish I could draw as well as that.”

“Erm, thank you. I don’t know if it’s what you wanted or not,” I said, feeling uncomfortable taking the compliment.

“It’s exactly what I wanted. I hadn’t thought about that bathroom concept. That will set us apart from other clubs. And the medical room!”

I explained that, although there would be some loss of space from the dancing area, the DJ booth could be made a little smaller and some of the booths lost. I hadn’t realised, however, that the booths made a ton of money. They had to be booked in advance at a minimum of two-hundred and fifty pounds per person, plus a minimum bar spend.

I agreed to work on replacing them somewhere else.

“I think Mike wants you. I’m off now, so I’ll see you tomorrow. It’s great to have you here, Ruby,” she said, and smiled warmly at me.

I closed the laptop and headed over to Mike’s office. I knocked and waited for him to call me in. When he did, I opened the door and then came to a halt. Sebastian was sitting with Mike. I hadn’t noticed him come onto the floor at all.

“Hi, you wanted to see me?” I asked.

“Yes, take a seat,” he said. Sebastian said nothing but lounged on a sofa against the wall .

I looked at him and then immediately back at Mike.

“How was your first day?” he asked.

“Great. I like working with Amelia. We agreed to split the club, I’d do downstairs.”

“Was there a reason for that choice?” I heard. I looked over to Sebastian who smirked at me.

“Yes, I felt she’d have better knowledge of upstairs than I would,” I answered sternly. He had said he didn’t care who knew about him and her, after all.

He chuckled. “Right answer.”

I turned back to Mike. “I replied to the email from HR, and I noticed a client programme. Is that something I need access to?”

Mike slid over a small booklet. “Company rule book, and all the passwords you need. You’re right, all the clients are on there. You need to input a name and project number; the client will come up and it’s important that anything you do is noted on there. We charge by the hour or part of. So if you take a call, note it down.”

I nodded. “Who is the client for the club project?”

“I am,” Sebastian replied.

“Is your name and project number in the system?”

“Of course. So be sure to add what you’ve done today.”

I nodded.

“It might help to print out the course details, you have a couple of months before you need to start. I didn’t think it wise to have you start mid-course, so you’ll be joining in January. You’ll be there Monday and Tuesday, here for the rest of the week. I understand you have suitable cover at home, but remember, Ruby. If anything happens, we do employ a work from home policy here. You should remember to take your laptop home with you.”

“And set up the new phone. We don’t want you being late anywhere,” Sebastian added.

“Laptop, check. Phone, check.” I laughed as I spoke.

“Amelia is extremely impressed with your drawing skills, and she’s one of our best. I think you’re going to do very well here, Ruby,” Mike said.

“I hope so. I want to do well. You’ve... both given me an amazing opportunity.”

Sebastian stood and as he did, he buttoned up his jacket. “I’ll run you home, Ruby.”

“I can walk. It’s a half hour, that’s all.”

“It’s pissing down outside,” he replied.

I looked through the window to see dark clouds rolling in.

“What’s the time, Mr....” I stopped when I got to his name.

“It’s nearly six. You really do need a watch,” Mike said, laughing.

“Blimey, I lost track of time. ”

“See you tomorrow,” Mike said.

I stood and followed Sebastian from the office. I collected my bag and the laptop and hurried after him.

He was silent in the lift going down and I wondered why. He strode across the reception and to the door that took us down to the parking area.

“Slow down, will you?” I asked, sternly.

“Ah, yes, little legs,” he said, smirking.

“Not so little they can’t—”

He paused on the last flight of stairs.

“They can’t, what, Ruby?”

“Nothing, a poorly timed joke.”

He stepped up one step, so we were face to face.

“Wrap around my waist? Is that what you were going to say?”

I blushed and blinked rapidly. “Erm, no. I was going to say run away from you if I had to.”

“Liar.” He ran his fingers down my cheek.

I chuckled. “Yes, okay. I’m a liar.”

“I don’t like lies, Ruby.” He used two fingers to stroke beside his eye and I swallowed hard.

I nodded. My heart started to race but before I could gather my next thought, he turned and continued down. I all but slumped against the wall.

“What the fuck?” I whispered. He paused, but then continued .

I followed him into the car park and over to where he’d parked his car. I hated empty car parks at the best of times, and just following behind him was giving me the shivers.

“I could get murdered back here and you’d never bloody know,” I said, my voice echoing around the cavernous space.

“I highly doubt you’d be quiet if anyone tried, Ruby,” he replied.

“What if they covered my mouth first? Huh?”

“Then someone would see you and call me.”

“Oh, that’s okay then. I’d be dead, but at least someone called you.”

He chuckled and stopped. I stopped still a little distance away.

“Well?” he said.

“What?”

“I’m waiting for you to catch up.”

“Oh.” I started to walk again.

He opened the passenger door, and I slid in, smiling sweetly at him as I did.

He rolled his eyes and sighed.

When he got in, he sat for just a minute. Then he turned to me. “Did you have a good first day?”

“I did, thank you. I’m going to love it there.” I was honest with my answer. “Although, what do you think Amelia meant when she said we could play together? ”

He blinked rapidly; his eyebrows shot up. “She said, what?”

“Something like, we can work well together, or play together. I can’t remember the exact words.”

He didn’t reply for a moment.

“Oh!” I said, as it dawned on me. “OH!”

He then leaned forward. “I don’t share, Ruby,” he said.

“Oh fuck, or not fuck, actually. Jesus. What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. You’re mine. I don’t share you with anyone.”

“I’m...?” My head was spinning. What the fuck was he on about?

“OH!” I said, realising exactly what he meant.

He pressed the start button, and the sound was deafening. We roared from the garage. He didn’t drive me home, though. He hit the motorway and cursed repeatedly at the level of traffic.

“Erm, you’re going the wrong way,” I said, pointing out the passenger window.

“I know where the fuck I’m going,” he snapped back.

I wanted to giggle. But then remembered I was on two strikes already. I clamped my mouth shut, sucking in my lips, and then covering them with both hands.

He glanced at me, angrily. I closed my eyes tightly. I wanted to laugh and knew it would be the exact wrong time to do so.

Instead, he weaved in and out of the traffic until he had a clear run ahead and put his foot down.

We whizzed past signposts, and I had no idea where we were. By the time he slowed, tears were leaking from my eyes.

“Let it the fuck out,” he snapped.

I looked at him and shook my head rapidly.

He sighed. “Let it out Ruby,” he repeated, a little gentler.

I laughed. I squashed my hands into my lap, so I didn’t pee on his leather seats, and laughed hard.

It was a laugh of hilarity and partly astonishment. When embarrassed, I laughed. When on the back foot or scared, I sometimes laughed. I think, what was bursting from me was a combination of them all.

He slowed the car, and eventually indicated to pull into a service station.

“Oh, coffee,” I said looking at the drive-through.

He didn’t drive through.

“Oh,” I said, looking at it behind me.

“The car is too low. We’ll go in,” he said.

He parked the car and took his time climbing out and opening my door.

“I need to pee, badly,” I said, bouncing from foot to foot .

He slowly shook his head in exasperation, I thought.

“I’ll order then,” he said, and strode off.

I jiggled while I followed and then ran to the loos.

When I returned, he was sitting at a table and looking out the window. He actually looked a little lost, forlorn even.

He looked up as I approached and then smiled when I sat.

“I’m sorry for laughing. I do that when I’m embarrassed, or... whatever,” I said.

He slid a coffee towards me. “Accepted.”

“But it is a bit mad, isn’t it?”

“What is, Ruby?”

“All this, her playing with you, you playing with her, her wanting to play with me, not allowed to, and all that stuff.” I made it sound like we were in a primary school playground.

Finally, he chuckled. He frowned and smiled, then shook his head. “Yeah, fucking mad.”

He reached forwards and took my hand in his. “I get jealous, and I have no rights over you. You’re free to do what you want.”

I looked down at our joined hands, then back at his face. He didn’t look his age, he looked much younger.

“I like that you get jealous and maybe I want you to have a right over me. I know what I want, Sebastian.”

I’d spoken so quietly, that when he didn’t reply, I thought he might not have heard. I looked down at my coffee cup, knowing my cheeks were alight.

“Do you understand what you’re asking for?”

I looked up. His head was cocked to one side.

“Not really. But I want you and that’s what you are.”

He picked up my hand and kissed my knuckles. “Do you trust me?”

I nodded. “I do.”

“Do you consent to be with me in all my guises?”

I had no idea what he meant. “I do.”

“You’ll give yourself to me, and me only?”

I wanted to sigh. “I. Do.” I added an eye roll for effect.

He smiled, and it was a wicked smile that showed those white straight teeth. If I’d have seen canines, I wouldn’t have been surprised.

“Does all the, I do’s mean we’re married?” I asked, giggling.

“In all but a signature on paper,” he replied, and I was stunned into silence.