Chapter 8
Frank Martin was seated at his desk, when the door to his office opened without warning and Susan Reynolds entered the room. He rose to meet her as she came around the big desk. Offering him her body, she came into his arms, easily, naturally, her pelvis grinding hard into him.
"Don't forget, now, darling," she said, reminding him for the third time. "We'll all meet at the cabin about seven-thirty ... and don't be late. Julie will be there, too."
He was disinterested, vague, preoccupied. "Year ... O.K. I haven't forgotten ... but, I don't know what time I'll get through here .. . there's tons of work that has to be finished," he stammered.
"Oh ... I may not have told you .. . Jeff Gray and Anne are coming, too ..." she added.
"No ... you didn't tell me!" he snapped. "Isn't it going to be a bit crowded?"
"Don't be silly, darling," she purred. "The cabin can easily sleep ten ... you know that!"
Brushing his lips with her own, she turned and was gone, in an instant, heading for the mountain cabin. In the car with her were Jeff Gray and his sexy wife, Anne. What was Susan planning now ...?
Jeff was the new broker associate. He was young, good-looking and very ambitious. Frank kept seeing himself in the new employee. The truth was raw and brutal... but he couldn't avoid it.
"Damn it all!" he muttered aloud. I wonder if Susan's got the hots for him, now? What the hell will I be? Oh, shit! It's just a job, anyway ... just money! But, I like where I am. It's a great feeling sitting on top of the office and running the show ... and the money's great! I guess ... I'll just keep screwing Susan and Julie ... until they get tired of me ... and decide to get rid of me. Then, it'll be some guy like Jeff Gray's turn. They'll bring him in to be their stud ... and slave, I guess. Well ... I'll just have to sit tight in the mean time ... that's the way it goes ...
Frank Martin had received almost everything he had ever wanted. He was seated in the head office of the firm, number one on the totem pole. He had power, position, money, women! What more could he possibly want? The sole responsibility for handling the client investments was his ... on behalf of Susan Reynolds and Julie Rollins. The two shrewd women, together, controlled more than seventy-five percent of the company. They were his joint bosses.
In all his life he had never had two more demanding task-masters either as employers or bed partners!
Ed Reynolds had quietly been placed in a private sanitarium without fanfare or public notice. Soon after, he had skillfully managed to break into the locked drug cabinet, unnoticed, and had taken an overdose ... ending his own life. He had outsmarted all of them, after all!
Hank Rollins had moved on to bigger and better things. Offered a top position with a Madison Avenue agency, he had moved to New York without Julie, having made up his mind that his wife, the swinger and social alcoholic, would not be a social and business asset to him in his new role. Julie did not object too much when he offered her a fat cash and securities settlement, in exchange for a fast, quiet Reno divorce. She went to Reno ... but not alone. Alice Martin accompanied her!
Alice had never been able to forgive Frank for agreeing to use her as bait in such a degrading manner. Her anger was, of course, compounded by the dangerous events that had followed. Indirectly, she admitted to herself, Frank was responsible for her sexual awakening and insatiable hunger which grew out of that traumatic experience with Ed Reynolds. For this, however, she was grateful. She had discovered a new dimension of sensual pleasure, and with Julie's help, was introduced to all the pleasures of the modern swinger. Their ten week stay in Nevada was a continual whirlwind of swinging sex parties and orgies. She, too, was hooked for good!
Alone in New York, Hank Rollins discovered that he needed a wife. Alice Martin, young, sophisticated, clean-cut, bright, personable, demure, was perfect. He had become increasingly attracted to her. Shortly after her divorce, he married her. He had no idea that she had become an exact duplicate of sensuous, hard- drinking Julie and that he would once again trap himself.
Frank, morosely, diffidently, cleaned up his desk and rang for his secretary. The lithe red-head came into his private, imposing office, her sharp, provocative eyes fixed on him, questioning, inviting. He glanced up at her, then turned away, quickly. There was only a passive expression on his face.
"I'm going away ... for the weekend," he said, gruffly.
Her expression changed, disappointment evident in her clear features.
"Oh ..." she said. "Then ... everything's off ...for this evening ...?"
He avoided her eyes, muttering. "I ... I have to go! There's no way I can get out of it. You know that... don't you...?"
"It's .. . Susan ... isn't it?" she asked, knowingly.
"Yes ... Susan ... and Julie ..." his voice was hoarse and low. "Maybe ... I can get away ... early ... on Sunday .. . and call you when I get back ..."
She turned to leave. Frank rose quickly from his chair and came around the desk to face her. He pulled her to him and she melted into his arms, her mouth hungry on his lips, her body plastered to him eagerly; then, she broke away from him, abruptly. She smiled. It was a weary smile, wistful, resigned.
"I'll be waiting," she said, "if you decide you want me!"
"God damn it!" he snapped. "You know that I do. I have no choice. We'll just have to wait until Sunday!"
"Well ... at least ... you won't be lonesome! I'm sure Susan and Julie will keep you busy ..." she teased, bitterly.
"Oh ... and don't forget Anne Gray ... she's coming, too." he added, flatly. "Just another business partner to contend with!
"Tell me, Frank ... just where do I fit into your life?" she asked, serious, now.
"You're pure pleasure, baby ... pure pleasure for me!" Frank answered.
Frank grabbed his jacket and walked out into the main office, through the noise and clatter of typewriters, office machines and busy desks. As he started his new, expensive convertible, he glanced up at the tall, modern office building. This was finally his, in his control, the head of the firm! It was a hollow victory, somehow. So many things had changed ... he had everything he had ever wanted ... but... somehow ... nothing had changed ... and was only an order taker ...