The Pleasure Room (34 page)

“Are you going to try to go home when it's this late?” Allison asked, yawning.

“He does live kind of far. Let me call him.” Felicity dialed his cell and he answered on the sixth ring.

“Hello?” he greeted in a groggy and slightly agitated tone.

“I'm sorry Alistair, I didn't mean to wake you,” Felicity said, feeling kind of guilty that he would be sleeping all alone tonight.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice becoming clearer.

“Yes. I'm just really tired and it's so late... I don't think it'd be safe for me to try to drive home tonight.”

“What time is it?” Alistair asked.

“A little after two AM.”

“Ugh, hmm, yeah,” he grumbled. “It's late. You do know that this little excursion of yours has earned you a punishment?”

“I know, sir.” She almost moaned as she thought about how sexy he looked laying naked in bed, raven hair disheveled.

“What about your clothes? Are you going to work tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yes, but I have that covered, sir.”

“Fine, see you tomorrow night and be prepared to face severe consequences,” Alistair said, “Good night, Felicity.”

“Night, sir.” She ended the call.

“So how'd that go?” Allison asked drowsily.

“I'm going to be punished by him tomorrow for breaking my word.”

“By 'punished' I hope that means a lot of fun for you.”

“It does. Come on, let's go to bed.”

“You can sleep on the floor beside my bed. The queen doesn't share,” Allison joked.

“Yeah, whatever.” Felicity sprang from the sofa and ran towards Allison's room with Allison trailing behind her. She entered first and locked the door. “You can sleep on the sofa.”

“Felicity, you better open this door! People tired!” Allison said, banging on the door.

After several minutes of taunting on both of their ends, Felicity opened the door and received a well deserved blast of cold water mist from Allison's plant mister.

“Ahh! I'm melting!” Felicity said as she wiped the water from her face.

“I wouldn't be surprised if your evil ass did.” Allison climbed into her queen size bed on her side and slid under the covers.

“That's what you get for tricking me with that lipstick camcorder,” Felicity reminded. “I told you payback's a bad bitch with a long memory.”

“Shut your ass up and come to bed,” Allison said, giggling into the softness of her pillow.

Felicity did just that, climbing under the covers. It wasn't long before both women were fast asleep from their exhaustion.

Chapter Thirteen

“Mr. Greene will see you now,” said editor Oliver Greene's assistant, Michelle.

“Thank you,” both Felicity and Allison said in unison. They rose from the two office chairs they'd been sitting in for the past half hour and walked into his office. It was large, with floor-length windows. Dark green carpeting, several art-deco painting decorated the cream walls. Brown leather chairs were placed side by side in front of his large oak desk. The editor sat behind the desk, his blue eyes scanning both women as they entered.

“My assistant tells me you have a story that I need to know about?” Oliver said by way of greeting. He twirled a silver ink pen between his fingers doing a trick that Felicity's fingers could never grasp.

“We've received a very incriminating video file showing our good mayor's extramarital activates,” Felicity said.

“Oh really?” Oliver asked, shoulders straightening as his interest was peaked. “And what kind of 'activities' are we talking about here?”

“The kind the mayor would never want to see the light of day. I don't know what location the footage was taken from, but it does show our mayor Goldberg clear as a Sunday morning having sexual relations with someone who
isn't
his wife,” Felicity said.

“How did you happen upon this footage?” Oliver asked, his face a perfect mask of indifference. He continued to twirl his ink pen between his fingers. The little interest he showed earlier, apparently vanished.

Felicity was feeling a bit discouraged. She had been hoping for more enthusiasm than what he was giving them. “It was anonymously delivered to Allison through the office mail.”

Allison gave Felicity a quick exchange, as that was news to her, but she kept her mouth shut.

“Why you?” Oliver asked Allison. “You're not an investigative reporter.”

“I don't know,” Allison replied truthfully. She didn't know why Felicity had the tape delivered to her, but she suspected her friend had her reasons. Any any case, she wasn't liking the fact that he seemed to be attacking their integrity. Here they came to him with the hottest fucking story that had literally come across his desk all year and he's giving them attitude! “We just ran with it. When you get a lead like that with the proof to back it up, any reporter worth their stock would follow through.”

“Again, you're not investigative reporters, which is why I'm curious as to why the video file was address to you,” Oliver said, his blue steel gaze scrutinizing both women.

“Like Allison said, Mr. Greene... we don't know. We watched it, and were shocked by what we saw. There's over two hours of footage showing the mayor with a woman who appears to be a Dominatrix. The mayor is clearly indulging in several fetishes in the video. This is a scandal of epic proportions, don't you think?” Felicity asked.

“If it is what you actually say it is, then yes, that is a scandal,” Oliver said.

“One worthy of front page news, if you ask me,” Felicity pressed.

“It couldn't very well go into the obits, now can it?” Allison quipped.

“The mayor's chances at re-election will,” Felicity added.

“No can do. If we were some trashy celebrity gossip newspaper that printed stories of plastic surgeries and affairs, then yeah. The
Chicago Word
prides itself on its integrity. Printing some sex scandal about the mayor would tarnish this paper's reputation, not including the mayor's. I won't do it,” Oliver said.

“This isn't just some trashy sex scandal story, Mr. Greene. The story deserves full media attention. It stands legitimate regarding his political platform, especially considering the mayor's public stance on adult enterprises,” Allison said. “His ban on such entertainment venues have resulted in job loss for employees and bankruptcies from local business owners already struggling in this economy.”

“This exposure may very well get some of those bills he passed overturned,” Felicity argued.

“Exactly. I'm sure those hurt by the bill will be happy to revisit the issue,” Allison said. “We did  shed light on that in our article, Mr. Greene.”

“Do you have the article with you?” he asked.

“Does that mean you'll print our story?” Felicity asked.

“It means I'm considering it. Now, do you have it?” Oliver waited for an answer.

“Yes.” Felicity showed him the three typed pages. “We can also email it to you if you like. So, can we run with this, both Allison and I? It's our story and we want full credit.”

“The only team at this newspaper is our movie critics, not our investigative reporters,” Oliver said.

“I'm sorry, but I must insist. Either you publish this story accrediting both of us, or I take it somewhere else. I'm sure our competition would be very interested,” Felicity said, standing her ground. She hoped he didn't see the anxiety in her expression or hear her heart thumping inside her chest so loud the sound nearly drowned out all others.

Oliver frowned as he sat back in his chair, tossing his pen on his desk. “Is that a threat, Ms. …” he paused long enough to double check her last name on the note his assistance had given him. “... Summers?”

This motherfucker right here!
Allison thought.
You'll know our names soon enough!
She looked at Felicity and nodded. The expression in her eyes said:
If you go, I go. I've got your back.
 

Felicity turned back to Oliver. “It's not a threat, Mr. Greene. It's an ultimatum. Either you print our story... and it is
our
story or we go to someone who will.”

Oliver studied her and Allison for several seconds, making both women nervous. Then he smirked. “I respect a woman who can play hardball. How about this, I read your story, see if it holds merit. I'm also going to need to see this proof you two speak of. I'm not going to risk this paper's reputation on an unsubstantiated rumor. Being held accountable for libel isn't acceptable, not for me at least. So, you leave your story with me and email whatever footage or video you have and if it pans out, I will agree to your terms. Does that sound fair?”

Allison and Felicity looked at each other and nodded. “Yes,” they said in unison.

“Keep in mind, we may not be able to publish the photos if they're overly explicit. I take it the location is a public place?”

“I don't think it was his home... may have been a sex club. It didn't look like a hotel or  motel room either,” Allison said.

“I'll have to review everything before a decision can be made one way or the other. In the meantime, I'm glad we can come to a friendly and hopefully successful resolution,” Oliver said. “The papers please.”

Felicity handed it over and he took it.

“Thank you. I'll get back to you later on today regarding this story. All right?”

“Sure, sounds fair. We have our contact information on the cover page,” Felicity said.

“That's all I need then. All right, ladies. You'll be hearing from me soon.” Oliver gave them the dismissive smile he gave most people when he wanted them to leave his office peacefully.

The two took the hint and left. It wasn't until they were on the elevator that Allison started talking.

“I
loved
how you checked that bitch ass motherfucker!” Allison complimented Felicity.

Felicity laughed. “You know what, it never ceases to amaze me how you seem like you speak two languages.”

“Girl, I've got my 'It's time for business, Allison' and my 'bitch, we cool, Allison'. You're one of the fortunate few who get to see both,” Allison said, smiling.

“And I love you,” Felicity said, hugging her friend. “I thought we were about to be fired.”

Allison was hugging her back. “Shit, me too. I was thinking damn, I've got four more months to pay on my car before I own it. I should have waited until then to challenge this guy.”

The elevator doors opened and the two women walked off and back to their shared cubical.

“So, how much are you going to send him?” Allison asked.

“Just enough to prove we know what the hell we're talking about. That we aren't lying,” Felicity said. “I have the camcorder, but the videos and stuff are still at your house, so can you send him like three photo stills and about ten minutes of the mayor where his face is clearly visible?”

Allison nodded. “Yeah, sure. Not a problem. I'm guessing you have to go straight home tonight to get your ass whooped.”

Felicity chuckled. “And I can't wait, either. I wonder what his depraved little mind will cook up tonight.”

Allison just shook her head. “Have fun with that.”

“Oh, I will, trust me.”

~*~

Felicity used her brand new keys to enter the house, but she was still greeted by Bernard.

“Hi,” she said cheerfully.

“Good evening, Ms. Davenport.  Sir Alistair request that you prepare yourself and await him in the Pleasure Room,” Bernard informed.

“Sure, I figured as much. You know, I've got a question I wanted to ask you, if I may, Bernard.”

“Yes ma'am?”

“Who cleans out that room?” Felicity asked. Just in the time she's lived there, that room is always clean before their next session.

“Sir Alistair tends to the room, ma'am. Only he and his... companions have access,” Bernard said.

“Oh, okay. Wow, he keeps himself busier than I thought,” Felicity mumbled. “Okay, thanks.”

She walked away, heading toward the Pleasure Room. Taking a quick glance on the table, she noted there wasn't an outfit waiting for her.

“Oh, oh. He really has it in for my ass tonight,” she speculated.

She undressed, bathed, prepared herself then walked into den, sat down on the sofa, and began looking through one of Alistair's fetish catalogs. An hour passed before she heard a set of keys jingling on the other side of the door. She sprang from the sofa and ran to the middle of the room, kneeling as she waited for him to enter. Alistair walked into the room dressed in all of his Dom glory in black, leather fashion so
provocative,
Felicity's mouth began to water as she thought about sucking and licking every inch of his body.