Faithfully (Club Decadence) (9 page)

“Can I sit or stand for a bit?  My 40 year old knees are having a fit on this hardwood floor.”

Instantly
he helped her up and back onto his lap, but in a seated position this time.  “After a blow job like that, baby you could have asked me for the world and I would have found a way to give it to you.”

“Well, shoot.  If I’d have known I’d have asked for that private island in the
Caribbean I’ve had my eye on.”

“Are you getting sassy with me
, slave?”

“Yes Master.”

They spent the rest of the evening exploring the full functionality of their new piece of bedroom furniture.  Peter especially like it when she was positioned on her back with her legs raised and restrained to the steel outrigger poles.  He tied them straight up at a ninety degree angle and later bent them like for a pelvic exam.  This gave him even more creatively wicked ideas.  Joanna enjoyed all of it, even when he applied the crop to her inner thighs and pussy when she came without permission.  But the erotic punishment only brought on another climax, so he relented and took her hard. 

At the end of the evening, they lay exhausted in each other’s arms
, the slave collar safely away in her jewelry box and they were again just Peter and Joanna, husband and wife.  Exhausted, but not sleepy they talked for hours.  Peter made it clear that they would develop a contract for their role-play that was individualized for their needs, not a cookie cutter contract from the internet.  It was a good starting point, but they were unique and didn’t have to adhere to anyone’s standards.  They spoke about returning to the club scene now that the kids were older.  It was nice to play on the equipment occasionally.  Although the bench was nice, it didn’t match up with a full size bondage table or a real spanking bench.  Talk turned to the bench and all the other uses they could find for it.  They also admired the sturdiness and craftsmanship, both pleased it withstood their combined weight.  They laughed and smiled, cuddled, kissed and caressed.  Before falling off to sleep Joanna had spoken up in a deadpan voice and challenged Peter.

“Master can I ask another favor?”

“You aren’t my slave now so you don’t have to call me Master.  We shouldn’t confuse our roles.  And yes, you may ask anything.”

“Do you think you can put that VMI engineering degree to use for once and
figure out a way to secure that bench so it doesn’t scoot across the floor and scratch my hardwood when you fuck me?”    

He laughed uproariously before rolling her on her belly.  Spanking her playfully for insulting his skills he quipped, “I’ll give you some hardwood.” 

She giggled
but protested, “I thought you weren’t Master anymore.” 

H
e continued to spank in mock indignation.  “No but as your husband I demand respect.  How dare you suggest I never use my degree?  Do you have no idea how hard I work helping around the world in postwar nations?”  He went on playfully warming her bottom until she prettily begged him to stop.  He spooned her then. After four hours of play and three orgasms he couldn’t rouse his semi-hard cock into another full erection.  So, he nestled snugly against her warm cheeks as they both fell asleep.

She had already left for another meeting when he awoke in the morning. 

Peter,

Thank you for the best anniversary ever.  Since we were kind of distracted, I forgot to tell you that Major Berry’s daughter called me frantic from boarding school.  We’re going to have to take her in.  I’ve already called her bitch of an aunt to make arrangements.  She’ll be arriving next week.

Dinner at 6

             
Love you forever,

              Jo

As he read the note he started to chuckle.  Another teenager in the house, and a female to boot.  He was delusional if he thought he was the one in charge of this relationship, inside or outside of the bedroom.  He headed off to work that morning convinced that the Army was the only place in his life where anyone recognized the real chain of command.  And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chapter Five

Washington, DC
2009

The light breeze teased a few strands of Joanna’s ash blonde hair free of its clasp as she got out of her silver Audi.  Staring up at
Walter Reed Army  Medical Center, the brick and mortar building looked innocuous.  But the suffering of the brave soldiers that were being treated inside was anything but.  In the past few weeks, she had met several of those soldiers.  They were mostly young men who had lost legs, arms and eyes.  There were others who had injuries that couldn’t be seen, but their psychological pain was just as real and aching as if they had been shot or wounded with shrapnel.  Sighing, she made the same trek that she had already made one too many times.  Hopefully, today would be her last visit. 

As she walked through the doors, she was stopped at the
he desk by security.  “Can I help you ma’am?”  The nice-looking young soldier manning the desk must have been new.  She had been there every day for the past four weeks.  Thinking she wouldn’t notice, he was also giving her a thorough once over as she dug through her purse.  Even at 50 and now a new grandmother, Joanna was still an attractive woman and looked much younger than her actual age. 

She remembered when Callie’s daughter had been born.  On the way home from the hospital, Peter had called.  He was in
Iraq and had missed the birth, as usual.  She had cried on the phone and described their beautiful new granddaughter and promised to post pictures that night.  Peter had called her a GILF - a grandmother I’d like to fuck - he’d said.  She had gotten a little testy with him then and said he’d have to be on the same continent for more than a week to get some of that action.  After a long silence, she had apologized saying she was tired from sitting by Callie’s side during the labor.  Peter had said he understood, but his tone was a little cool.  They’d had this disagreement before. 

Callie’s husband who was still in his medical residency had been on duty when
she’d had gone into labor. So Joanna had played the coach until he had finally gotten there, just as she was crowning.  Damn men, they ride into town at the last minute and play hero, while the women do all the hard work.  It was just like Peter.  Only he often didn’t arrive for the big events.  She should be used to it after thirty years.  But her reaction to his comment on the phone that night should have forewarned her that she was hanging on by a very thin thread.

Finding her ID badge at the bottom of her purse
, she produced and scanned it for security.  “I am Mrs. Davis, here to take General Davis home.”

“That’s great news, ma’am
.  I’m sure he’s chewing nails waiting for you to arrive.”  He buzzed her through and she walked across the hard tile floor, her high heels clicking as she went.  She didn’t notice the eyes of the men in the lobby following the sway of her skirt above her shapely legs or the material clinging to her curvy ass.  She only wanted to get her injured husband home and safe in her care.  That’s all that was on her mind today.

She thought about the meltdown she had on him a few weeks ago when she learned that
Peter was wounded during a field mission.  Initially, she had been concerned about his physical state and had to have her son Jace talk to the Army medical staff.  At 24, he had followed in his father’s footsteps, attended VMI and was now a Second Lieutenant training with the Special Forces.  He had gotten the information to calm his mother and even been patched through to Peter’s hospital room in Ramsstein, Germany. 

He held her hand while she cried on the phone, getting assurances that he was fine and would be
shipped home soon while for rehabilitation.  After the pain and frustration of the grueling weeks of physical therapy, Joanna was convinced he’d be ready to retire. 

When she entered his room, she found it crowded with officers and his
adjutant general.  Just as Joanna walked through the door, she heard her husband cheerfully tell someone on the phone that the doctors said he would be able to return to duty in six weeks.  Shocked, Joanna let the heavy door slip through her fingers inadvertently slamming it behind her.  Every head turned, even Peter’s, although he continued to talk on the phone, gracefully ending the conversation as soon as he could. 

"Excuse
us, gentlemen; we can meet again later this week at my residence.”

They all saluted, then
filed out, leaving only one man remaining.

“Captain Rossi, good to see you again.”
  Joanna nodded at they handsome officer that had worked closely with Peter for years.  She had seen Cap on multiple formal and social occasions and he and his other team mates had been to dinner at their house in the past. 

“
The pleasure is mine, ma’am.  But I thought we agreed to Cap and Joanna.”

“You’re correct, Cap.”  She smiled at the young
man, but it was tight and didn’t reach her eyes as she turned to look at her husband.  She was seething inside and she could tell that Peter knew it.

Cap who was rather astute, excused
himself after promising to get the preliminary data to Peter no later than next week.   He shook his general’s hand then and took his leave.

She
stood still frozen as emotions raced through her.   Anger, rage, fear, hurt, disappointment; she held her tongue while she fought for control.  She hadn’t addressed that he was 59 years old and supposed to be at the Regional Command Headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan not running around with an A-Team getting shot at or wandering into bomb infested areas with IED’s.  He promised her the last time he left that he’d keep safe and work toward his retirement. 

The man had some nerve. 
Returning for a short rehab with a broken leg and some serious shrapnel wounds, he had been in the hospital for two weeks and in rehab for another four.  Now, she found out his plans all along were to return to the war zone.  Was she being unreasonable to expect him to retire after almost 40 years serving his country?  Well, she had put in almost 34 by his side and she was emotionally bankrupt and physically spent.  In a word, she was done.

“When were you going to tell me?”

“I wasn’t keeping it from you intentionally, but General Frazier just called this morning about a problem and the wheels just started to turn.  In the Army things happen this way, you know that.”

“What happened to you retiring?”

“It doesn’t happen overnight, Jo.  These things take time.”

“Have you told anyone?   General Frazier? 
Your assistant so he can get the paperwork in order?  Did you tell your men; Cap, Rick or Dex?”

He shook his head.  “
Not yet.  And I don’t like your tone right now Joanna.”

“I don’t like you
r hiding things from me.  If you don’t have a plan to retire soon, at least be honest with me.  It makes a difference to me, my life, and my plans.”  Tears were building in her eyes.  She blinked them away.  “Have you been discharged yet?”

Surprised by the sudden change in
subject, especially away from one so emotionally volatile, he nodded.  “The doctor was in and I have all the paperwork.  I’m just waiting for my escort.”

“Fine
.  I’ll go hurry them along and meet you out front with the car.”  She then rushed out the door, ignoring him as he called after her.  She was pushing it today.   Disrespect and disobedience got her spanked quicker than anything over the last several decades.  But today was a turning point.  He would either promise to retire and set the wheels in motion today or she was leaving.  She took a shuddering breath at that thought.  Could she really do it?  Was it better to live like this, alone, waiting for a phone call with more bad news?  Maybe she was bluffing and wouldn’t go through with it, but she had to try.

She held back the tears as she told th
e nurse at the station that Major General Davis was ready and she was pulling the car around front.   A few minutes later, several staff were stowing his gear in the trunk and he was maneuvering his crutches and cast into the front seat.  The short ride home was spent in silence, neither wanting to begin the inevitable full-blown argument while still in the car.

Once home she left the car in the driveway knowing there was more room to maneuver there than in the garage,
then she grabbed his light duffel and led the way to the front door.  Turning and holding the door for him, she felt another tear fall as she watched her strong husband maneuver easily on the crutches.  He was still in great shape and easily matched up with a lot of the younger men under him.  But dammit, he could have been killed.  It was someone else’s turn to risk life and limb.  She’d selflessly shared him for 39 years and she was tired of it.

F
ollowing him into the living room, she waited until he settled on the couch.  She rushed to help him with the ottoman moving it closer so he could prop his leg and getting him a pillow for under his knee.

“Can I get you something
; a drink or something to eat?  Are you in pain?  I picked up the pills from the pharmacy and-“

He raised his hand and cut her short.  “Don’t
fuss, darlin’.  I’m OK.  Come sit here beside me.”

He held out a long
arm and she immediately moved to his side, her arms slipping around his neck as he curled her into him.  He kissed her gently and held her as she cried.  They really hadn’t had any alone time since he got home.  “It’s OK, Joanna.”

She shook her head
and pulled away.  “I don’t think so.  I was so scared when I got that call and then they wouldn’t talk to me.  Jace had to call.”

“I know and I chewed some
asses over that, believe me.”

She nodded and looked down at her hands.  She was nervously spinning her wedding rings around on her finger.

“What’s going on inside that beautiful head, Joanna?”

She took a deep breath trying to stem the flow of tears
, but it was useless.  She pressed on anyway.  “Never have I made you choose between me and service to your country… until now.  I can’t do this anymore.”

“Joanna, we’ve talked about this.  I have a commitment to these men to see this through.

”What about your commitment to me?  Let someone else take over.  It’s been nearly forty years. You only owed them eight.”

“Joanna…”

“No.”  Anger flared rapidly to the surface and she rose to her feet, pacing across the carpeted floor in agitation.  “I am not going to be the good little submissive wife that does what hubby says.  Not this time.  My heart nearly stopped when I got that phone call telling me you’d been wounded in action. I can’t take another phone call like that.  I can’t stand going for weeks without a word from you and going without sleep from worry.   I am so tired of the fucking US Army that I could scream.”  And she practically did.  Her voice had become louder as she carried on with her rant.  He could tell she really was about to have a full blown meltdown.  He reached out and grabbed her as she made another pass.  Wrapping his large hand around her wrist he pulled her back down to the couch.  When he tried to take her into his arms again she broke free.

“No
,” she cried in frustration.  Then she carried on with the unhappiness clearly ringing in her voice.  “You can’t hug me, pat me on the head and tell me to be a good girl this time, Peter.  I’m done.  I raised my babies practically alone, but I stood by you.  All the missed birthdays and school plays, graduations and engagement parties I went to alone because your work was important.  But you’ve missed so much and I’m tired of being alone.   For Christ sake, you even missed the birth of your first grandchild.”  Tears rolled down her face as she stared at him with her beautiful blue eyes; the long lashes spiky from tears.  “And another thing,” as quickly as it had passed, her anger returned. “I’m tired of missed anniversaries.  Something has happened to screw up every single anniversary for the past three decades.  The Army even robbed me of my dream wedding. I won’t take it anymore.  I can’t. So it’s up you General Davis.  Do you choose me or fucking Uncle Sam?”

He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment. 
“You’ve been waiting for this moment for the past  sixweeks. You’ve been quiet and withdrawn, not your usual bubbly self.  I thought it was just the injury.  I didn’t know about all the other, uh… baggage.”

“I didn’t want to upset you and derail your progress.”

“Well, it is upsetting to find out that your wife of thirty years has been suppressing her feelings and miserable in her marriage.”

“That’s not what I meant.”  Tears fell steadily down her face as she looked at him.  She certainly looked miserable now. 
“Please don’t twist my words.  I’m not unhappy when you’re here, General.”

“Do you need an answer this second or can I have a bit to mull over
all you’ve said this evening and your ultimatum?”

Surprised at his calm tone, she responded, “Of course you can have some time.  But I won’t be changing my mind.  I have
a had this building up in me for quite some time.  Your injury was the catalyst that made me bring it forward.”

They stared at each other for a long
time before he broke the silence.  “I’m going to take a ride to think.  Don’t wait up for me and don’t worry.”  Before that processed in her brain, he was out the door.