Altar Ego (15 page)

*****

As time passed, Dominic and I slipped into a more ‘normal’ relationship. There were no more secrets. He didn’t tell me everything I was certain, but I usually knew what he was working on, and he came home and talked to me if he had a rough day. We attended the club together, in a purely professional capacity. I was helping out with the accounts and the day to day issues. We only ever used the private rooms when wanting to play. His ‘not wanting to share’ issue had now gone beyond nobody touching...it extended to only him even seeing me. I didn’t mind, in fact I quite liked it. I would still wake regularly with new welts and bruises, but he always took care of me afterwards, and made me feel like the Princess Max had always told me I was. I felt younger around him and he brought out the best in me. We had no safe word, he could read me perfectly. He knew exactly when I needed him to stop, and he always did.

It was comfortable. We seemed to have found each other and neither of us was willing to do anything to fuck it up.

When Ellie had finished her exams we had taken a week to fly off together for a holiday in the Caribbean. Dominic stayed home to catch up on some work though he did call every day. When I arrived home we had spent almost 48 hours in the bedroom ‘getting to know each other’ all over again.

Ellie had gone back to university in the September and was busy studying again. I had heard nothing from Daniel; though Ellie told me he was working with Adam now, trying desperately to bring the business back to where it was previously before Adam let it go to the pits.

Max had ended his relationship with his married man. He said he was too proud to be a ‘part time play thing’ and I understood completely. He was far too special to feel anything less than adored. He was dating a nice man now who worshipped the ground he walked upon. He was spending more and more time away from the restaurant, and there were plans for the two of them to spend Christmas with us.

Christmas!

Our first together.

To say I was excited would be an understatement.

*****

I woke to the feeling of Dominic slipping into bed beside me. He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me back to be perfectly spooned by him. He was dressed already and I groaned in disappointment.

“Good morning beautiful.”  He murmured softly in my ear, planting a delicate kiss just under my lobe.

“Hmmmm” I shifted against him, feeling him harden as I did so.

“Ah ah ah.” He said shifting himself backwards. “I have to go to the office.”

I groaned again.

“Why didn’t you wake me earlier then?” I asked, my mouth forming a sulky pout.

“You looked so peaceful; I thought I would leave you sleeping.” He kissed me again and slipped back out of the bed, taking a moment to straighten his tie and smooth the creases out of his trousers. His erection was clearly visible and I laughed as he re adjusted himself.

He tutted and laughed with me.

“You are incorrigible.” He told me as he moved out of the room. “Enjoy your shopping.” He called back over his shoulder.”

I snuggled down in the duvet again and smiled.

I will just have ten more minutes I thought to myself. I had to drag myself out of bed soon as I had been ordered to shop for a dress for dinner. Dominic was taking out two business owners. It was a company he had been keeping an eye on for quite some time, and the owners were failing miserably to rescue it. Dominic wanted to rebuild it as an investment for our future. He was certain he could win them over tonight and he wanted me there on his arm to soften the blow I think. Not that they wouldn’t benefit from it, he was prepared to offer a lot of money for this particular company which had in its early days been hugely successful.

I kicked back the covers and slid out of the soft comfy bed. I grabbed a quick shower and threw some jeans and a vest top on. I quickly poured myself a coffee from the jug Dominic had left on the side and grabbed my jacket and scarf. Slipping my feet into my boots I grabbed the keys and took the lift down to the basement car park.

I parked in town and headed into the department store. There was a personal shopper here and it made it much easier. I simply sat on a comfy sofa while the young girl brought me stacks of dresses to choose from. When we narrowed it down to half a dozen or so she went off to find shoes and accessories to match while I moved into the changing room.

I opted for a simple satin dress in a deep purple, with slim straps which knotted at my lower back leaving my skin exposed. It cut under my bust and flowed from there to the floor, the fabric cascading like a waterfall. I would need to lift it while I walked or I would trip over it. It was simple yet elegant. A pair of silver strappy heels and a small clutch finished it off perfectly.

Satisfied with my choice, and equally satisfied that Dominic would love it too, I set off for the hairdressers.

A quick trim and a splash of colour later I was home again and preparing for our evening out. I knew Dominic would be back in a little while and I wanted to be ready when he got here. The table was booked for 7pm and I wanted to get dinner over with so we could head to the club and play.

I heard the door open just as I slipped into my shoes. I smiled as he moved behind me.

“You look amazing.” He told me as he gripped my hips in his hands and kissed my back. “As always.”

“Why thank you Sir.” I replied as I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck. His arousal was evident immediately as he pressed against me. “Pleased to see me?” I laughed.

“Constantly.” He gave me a quick squeeze before letting me go and turning to the rail where I had hung his suit. It was a pale silvery grey and went well next to my dress. His tie was the same deep purple as the satin that dressed my skin.

Within minutes he was ready to go and looking just perfect. It never ceased to amaze me just how much he turned me on. He needed to do nothing to ignite the fire inside of me. It was there smouldering constantly.

“Ready?” He asked.

I nodded and took his hand allowing him to lead me to the door. He picked up his keys on the way out.

“You’re driving?” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice. He usually liked a drink or two with dinner.

“Yes.” He replied “I need to keep my wits about me tonight. Not to mention I can get you home much faster.” He winked at me and we left the apartment letting the door slam behind us.

He unlocked the SL; it was one of the more unassuming cars he owned and one that he didn’t mind handing over to a valet. There were some in his collection that he wouldn’t let anyone else get anywhere near, and I smiled as he held the door open for me thinking that I was rather like one of his collection of cars. You can look but don’t you dare touch.

He closed the door, ensuring that my dress was inside the car and moved around to the driver’s seat, climbing in beside me. He started the engine and she roared into life as he left the basement garage and headed into the city.

As I stared out of the window I felt him place his hand on my thigh, without even thinking I gripped his hand tightly and held on to it. He easily shrugged me off and slid it down my dress flicking the fabric up in one sweep and trailing his hand back up my naked leg.

I took a sharp breath in and held it. He was still driving, eyes firmly on the road as he fondled and kneaded my flesh, edging ever closer to my warmth. I watched him as he spun the wheel and turned into a side street, pulling on the handbrake and dimming the lights. He left the engine running while he got out of the car and opened the boot. He moved around to the passenger door, opened it and reached in to the side of my seat. In an instant the seat was flipped back and in the seconds it took me to compose myself from my new position he grabbed both of my wrists and bound them together with rough hessian rope, which he had presumably found in the boot.

“What are you doing?” I asked in a panic. “My dress.”

“Shut up Elise.” He growled. “I need to let off some steam before we get there.”

He wrenched my arms upwards and hooked my hands over the headrest of the seat, holding me firmly in place. I could do nothing except let him take me, let him get rid of the pent up frustration he was clearly feeling. This dinner must be a big deal; he was fine when we left home.

Once I was incapacitated he positioned himself between my thighs and unbuckled his belt, dropping his trousers a few inches, just enough to release himself. He roughly pulled up my dress and plunged himself deep into me. I bit my lip as he rammed himself home, my thigh catching on the door with every thrust. I breathed through it and let him get on with it. There was no pleasure intended for me during this attack, it was merely for him to feel some release, to gain some control before he headed into a situation he was clearly uncomfortable with. He grunted as he came, those dark eyes boring into me as I watched him. He wouldn’t apologise for his behaviour, not did I expect him to. This was part of the deal. If he needed to use me, I would let him. I shifted slightly to allow him to slip out of me, and he used my knickers to mop up the stickiness he had left behind. He stepped out of the car and fastened himself up smoothing down the wrinkles in his suit and making sure he looked presentable once again. He reached in and untied my hands; my instant reaction was to rub my chafed wrists to get some blood flowing back into my fingers. He wound the rope around his hands and grinned as he moved to the boot to dispose of it.

I reached forward and opened the glove box. I kept a pack of wipes in there, I had ruined dresses previously by sitting on them without cleaning myself properly, and though it was not particularly ladylike of me, I cleaned myself rather than ruining this particular dress.

By the time I had finished he was back in the driver’s seat.

“Are you ready to face the world now?” I asked him.

He smiled at me and adjusted the gear stick.

“I’m always ready to face the world with you by my side.” He said softly.

We arrived at the restaurant just after 7pm and Dominic threw the car keys to the valet after opening the door for me. As we entered the building he gripped my arse cheek hard and leaned in to my ear.

“I love the idea of you being naked under that dress. Now let’s get this dinner over with so I can take you home and give you some well earned pleasure.” He smiled as he stepped aside for me to enter before him and I felt a little shiver travel up my spine in anticipation of my reward later. Now if we could just get through this dinner out of the way quickly. We passed through the crowded room and followed the waiter assigned to our table. Dominic whispered his filthy talk in my ear as we approached the table and I turned to him and smiled as the waiter pulled out my chair. Time stood still as I thanked him and heard a male voice...

“What the fuck?”

I turned my head to see my son sitting there with a face like thunder, and next to him Adam, looking down at his hands as he twisted his napkin in them.

“Is this some kind of joke?” Daniel stood up from his position at the table, knocking a glass of water over as he did so. The waiter fussed around attempting to mop it up and I just stood there, my mouth open, staring.

“You go behind my back and organise a dinner with this wanker who wants to take EVERYTHING from us, and then he turns up with that...that...WHORE on his arm!” Daniel was furious, his face screwed up in anger and spittle flying across the table as he shouted. The other diners were starting to look at us now and I just wanted to get out of there. All sorts of things were rushing through my head as I heard Adam’s voice.

“I had no idea she would be here son, I promise you.” He glared at me as he spoke, and I felt my face burning with embarrassment and discomfort.

I felt Dominic’s hand on my arm, I turned to him, and my hands were shaking due to the panic rising in my chest. I felt sick.

“Why? Why am I here?” I directed my question at him but it was really just a cry for help from anyone.

“I had no idea Elise. I’m sorry. If I had known I never would have brought you...”  His voice soothed me but I could tell he was as unsettled as I was. He turned to the table and spoke to my ex husband... “My apologies Adam; I had no idea that you and Elise had a history.” He tried to lead me away from them when all hell broke loose. Daniel flew across the table and grabbed the back of Dominic’s collar. Adam leapt up and tried to grab him, failing miserably and landing helplessly on the floor. Daniel was raging, screaming obscenities at the two of us and flailing his arms around in an attempt to perfect his hold on Dominic. In a flash I was on my arse and as far as Dominic was concerned, that was a step too far. He turned and grabbed Daniel by the throat, pinning him to the table top with one hand.

“Back off little boy.” He growled at him. “I’m going to take your mother out of here and I suggest that you grow up a bit while I do so. She does not need to see you like this, and as your mother she deserves more respect from you!” He loosened his hold on him a little and continued. “I’m going to let go now. You ARE going to behave yourself aren’t you?” Daniel nodded and Dominic let go of him. He moved away from the table and extended his hand to me. I took it and he pulled me up from the floor, he placed him arm protectively around my waist and led me back through the room, the other diners now staring at us in disbelief. He handed his card to the maitre D and told him to charge any expenses for damage to him.

As we got to the door and Dominic leaned around me to open it I heard the commotion behind me. Daniel was there suddenly; his face streaked with tears and his suit all crumpled with his tie sitting lopsided at his throat. He was a mess, but how he looked was nothing compared to the things he was screaming at us.

Whore, Bitch, slut were just some of the words I could make out. These insults were followed by the accusation that Dominic had brought me here on purpose to rub their noses in it.  I started to panic, feeling my eyes well up with tears as I was ushered outside and placed straight into the car. As Dominic climbed in beside me, I glanced back and saw my son, my baby boy, being wrestled to the ground by the restaurant staff.

Dominic wasted no time at all in starting the engine and the tyres screeched as he sped away from the restaurant and the fracas we had left behind.

There was silence and the air hung heavy with tension.

I watched him as he gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles whitening and lines furrowing his forehead. He looked as stressed as I felt but I couldn’t ignore the nagging voice inside my head any longer.

“Did you know?” I asked him. “Did you do that on purpose?”

“What?”  He looked at me in disbelief. “Are you seriously asking me that?” He rolled his eyes and put his focus back on the road.

“Yes.” I responded in anger. “I’m seriously asking you that. Try as I might Dominic...there is a little voice that keeps coming back telling me that you must have known.” I paused for a second but not long enough to let him defend himself. “I can’t help but think that you might well have taken me there to rub his nose in it.”

“Elise...you clearly don’t know me at all,” He sighed.

“No...You are right!” I was shouting now. “I don’t know you. I have let you into my life and given everything to you, and you...well...you still have your walls up high around you.”

“You obviously haven’t given everything to me Elise, or I would know that Adam fucking pain in the arse Bentley was your fucking ex husband wouldn’t I?” He shouted back at me. “So if you want to throw shit around about keeping secrets, then perhaps we should start with you sweetheart.”

“Oh so now it’s my fault!” I frowned; I couldn’t quite believe that he had turned this around on me.

“I DIDN’T SAY THAT!” He glared at me. His eyes were dark and devoid of expression and just for a moment I felt sad. We were acting like a married couple in trouble, bitching at each other and I feared that was the one thing he had been trying to avoid throughout all of this. I stared back at him trying to find the words. My whole world was crumbling around me and I didn’t know what to say to stop it.

I turned away from him and glanced through the windscreen just in time to see the wagon careering towards us.

“DOMINIC!” I screamed his name but it was too late. His face filled with horror as he saw it too. There was nowhere for us to go and everything slowed down as we braced ourselves for the impact. I can picture every feature of the truck driver’s face as he too was powerless to stop it. The last thing I remember was Dominic’s hand on mine, gripping... squeezing...as if our whole lives depended on it.

Then silence.