Dancing with Devils - Ch. 03-04

Chapter 3

One

David sat across his large desk from Kendall, fingers steepled. It was the best office in the firm and was made up of two floors. The bottom floor where all his business was conducted connected to an upper floor by a private elevator. Kendall had never been to the second floor of the office, nor had anyone she knew at the firm. It was David's personal and private space. There were rumors that there was a full three bedroom apartment up there and David often slept at the office, particularly during the divorce years. David had been married and divorced three times and after number one, the rumor was he wanted a personal and private sanctuary should the need ever arise again.

David said, "So what did that prick want?" David was referring to Jacob and his request to privately meet with Kendall.

Kendall blushed at the profanity. David rarely cursed or used vulgarity to express himself. When he did, the impact was powerful. Kendall sighed and said, "He wanted to know if he could trust me. He told me something personal to see if I would spill the beans."

David considered her and said, "Are you going to tell me what it was?"

She considered him and he stared at her through his wire framed glasses. He did not demand that she tell him, merely asked if she was going to. This was a tenuous question. If she refused, was she jeopardizing her partnership? If she did not, was she jeopardizing her ethics? Did David value ethics? Did she? There was alot underpinning the question.

Finally she decided on a political answer. She said, "As the pursuit leader, I have to have the autonomy to have private conversations with my client, don't you agree?"

David considered her for a long moment, drumming his fingers on his expensive desk. Finally he smiled and said, "You are such a fucking lawyer." That made her smile and David laugh. Then he asked, "So how do you plan to put the shit back in the horse? Or are you ready to let this one go?"

Kendall said, "I don't quit David. You know that. And I'm not about to give up because an entitled rich kid from New York showed up instead of Daddy."

David laughed and said, "Really? And you think you can turn this shit show around? I think Willard might be playing all of us. I've known the man for thirty years and he can be an asshole when he wants to be. Remember Kendall this isn't about your ego, this is about money. I will let you make the call, but a good partner knows when to walk away from a deal you can't win."

Kendall thought about it. Jacob's words came back to her, You know he has no intention of hiring your firm. I tell you that to set your expectations. It was something like that. Should she walk away? Was that what David was telling her? Was this a lost cause? Was she really doing what was best for the firm? What about her career? She considered and finally said, "I'm not ready to walk away. Jacob called me last night at home and wants to meet this week to discuss terms."

David's eyes went wide in surprise for a second and then turned flat again. He said, "That's pretty interesting. He has a reputation for being a bit of an introvert and somewhat reclusive. And he wants to meet, in person?"

Kendall nodded and said, "His Executive Assistant, that Mindy woman, emailed me the logistics late last night. I haven't confirmed with her yet because I wanted to talk to you first. He says he can meet me in New York Thursday night."

David looked at her for a long moment and finally said, "Okay Kendall. You run this as you see fit. You own this pursuit. I won't ask you anymore questions, but you keep me in the loop on anything that might affect this firm. Willard has been into some pretty high risk deals over the past forty years and I don't want to be blindsided. And be wary of Jacob. I don't trust that entitled little fucker. He was born with a silver spoon up his asshole, but that doesn't make him stupid. He could be playing us as well. He has at least a little bit of Willard in him."

Kendall smiled. She had not seen David have such a visceral response to a client before. He really didn't like Willard and by extension Jacob. She smiled and said, "I can take care of myself David."

He nodded and said, "Good hunting then. Call me when you close the deal or we can talk on Monday."

Kendall stood, knowing what it was to be dismissed. David was not so subtly telling her to close the deal or come back for another year as an associate lawyer instead of a partner. She left with the ball of anxiety in her stomach, but if she was honest some excitement too. This was the highest of stakes in her professional field and her client would be one of the most challenging. There was a rush in the risk of it all, even if she didn't admit that. And part of her was looking forward to seeing Jacob again. There was something about the man that drew her in. He was a mystery but one she would unravel. Her research associate had been in half the night turning over every digital footprint the man had left since birth. By noon she would have a report that Sherlock Holmes would be impressed with.

Two

Jacob walked down the hallway of the most private area of the family estate. In prior years it had been known as "Willard's West Wing" or just "The West Wing", a self proclaimed name given to the seven rooms on the west end of the estate, a play on words of the White House area where the president resided. Willard considered the President an extension of his power and a tool to be wielded when necessary. He donated heavily to both political parties for the privilege of access and influence. To him the donations were just another tax the government imposed, but one that could buy favor.

The wing was added to the estate in the 1990s as Willard's gift to himself, when Willard had taken over a major competitor and added another billion to his net worth in a proxy fight. Another, less charitable nickname, was given to the area by the staff. To them it was Dante's Den, a particularly brutal area of Hell, where Willard ruled with an iron fist. He once fired a porter who had placed a butter knife with water spots on Willard's table.

Today the seven large rooms had been converted to a medical facility to care for Willard in his final days.

Jacob walked down the hallway to the inner sanctum of his father's legacy. In the ante room a nurse and executive assistant sat at oversized desks. The nurse was there to monitor Willard's health and the assistant to manage whatever business crisis might come up. Willard was not about to stop working over a little thing like impending death.

Jacob smiled at the nurse and asked, "How's he doing today?"

The nurse looked up, sympathy on her face and said, "About the same. He slept four hours last night, but the cancer is progressing. He's awake now if you would like to see him."

Jacob nodded and pushed past her and into the large room, once an office, now equipped with a hospital bed, and all manner of beeping equipment that monitored and fed pain killers into Willard. Willard was in the bed, propped up by three pillows, a large three ring binder of paper on his lap. He was in pajamas, not his usual ten thousand dollar suit and he looked thin, pale, and sick. He had lost forty pounds and Jacob thought he might be able to pick up his father with one arm. Jacob felt a pang of pity for the man and tried to push it out of his heart. Willard had not been an easy man to have as a father, but still, he was the only father Jacob would ever have.

The room was light and airy but smelled of disease, underlying disinfectant, an unpleasant smell of urine that the disinfectant didn't quite cover up, and the smell of imminent death. That was harder to pin down, but it was real as anyone that has visited a terminally ill patient can tell you.

Willard looked up and put on a weak smile, and said, "Jacob, my only son. I see you came to see me before I died. I suppose I should thank you."

Jacob nodded, glanced around. In the room were three other people. The first was a sixty year old woman named Gerald Brown who went by Gerry to those that knew her. She had been Willard's personal secretary for nearly twenty years. Jacob suspected the old bat was in love with Willard, although he could not understand why. The other was Jamal Davis, Willard's personal attorney, and the third was a doctor in a white lab coat. Jacob didn't know the doctor. He said to Willard, "Hi Dad. I hear you are feeling better today?"

Willard waved an arm and said, "Better than what?"

Jacob shrugged and sat down next to his father. Willard said, "Okay my son is here. All of you get out for a few minutes."

The doctor and Gerry Brown moved toward the door. Jamal stood like a sentry at the window overlooking the perfectly manicured grounds. Jacob glanced at him and Willard said, "Jamal give us a minute."

Jamal looked inconvenienced but nodded and without a word to Jacob left, following the other two.

Jacob sat in the chair next to his father's bed and said, "How are you really doing dad?"

Willard grimaced and said, "Cancer is bullshit. Your mother was lucky to go the way she did. Here one minute; gone the next. Waiting to die is no way to live."

Jacob winced at the mention of his mother. He was not so sure she was the lucky one. She had been struck by a car in the prime of her life that shattered her legs, pelvis, and cracked open her skull when she hit the sidewalk. He said, "Are you in any pain?"

Willard shook his head, "No. But I'm so stoned out on morphine I can't think either. It's a hell of a thing." He paused and said, "So have you considered what we talked about. I'm afraid we don't have much time to decide things. You are my only son and heir and I want my legacy to stay with my name."

Jacob nodded. He knew that his father was more interested in Mitchell Industries staying with the name Mitchell than his own confidence in his son. Even in death he was protective of his one true life's passion. Jacob said, "Yes. I will take the CEO job."

Willard nodded and said, "I knew you would. I do have one small stipulation."

Jacob thought, Small stipulation. There were always strings with him, even when he's about to die. He wants to pull strings from Heaven. Then Jacob suppressed a smile. Heaven was grossly optimistic for Willard Mitchell.

Jacob said, "Stipulation? What is it?"

Willard sighed and said, "You keep Jamal on as General Counsel and as a member of the board."

Jacob sat forward, ready to protest, but Willard raised his hands and said, "I know you two don't always see eye to eye, but he's been with me from the beginning. He won't be around forever. You keep him on as GC and the job is yours. He deserves that much. And you will need a good attorney and advisor. He can do things that you cannot as CEO." Jacob wondered what Jamal may have done that Willard could not. But part of him suspected. Jamal was more than an attorney. He was also a fixer of problems. He wondered how far Jamal might go to fix some of the problems Willard had faced as a billionaire.

Jacob also considered the demand that was veiled as a request. It was out of character for his father. Something was wrong here. Willard Mitchell didn't give people things because they deserved them. He didn't ever give anyone anything; he felt it was best to earn the things you wanted; and if not earn them, take them. The word deserved or give, didn't enter Willard's vocabulary.

Jacob said, "Why not just pay him out then. Give him a few million dollars and let him retire. Surely you paid him well enough over the years."

Willard nodded and then said, "This is not negotiable Jacob. It's a take it or leave it situation. You get the top job but Jamal comes with it. You may find value in him in time. Being a CEO is not always easy and you will need someone that knows the business and you can trust. That's the way it's got to be. Understand?"

Now this felt more like Willard. No discussion; no negotiation, just my way or the highway. Jacob asked, "What's he got on you Dad?"

Willard didn't say anything for a moment and finally said, "Nothing. He has been my longest most loyal employee and friend. Now I'm tired and need to go to sleep." Willard handed Jacob a document, his last will and testament, that would anoint him as heir and CEO of the Mitchell fortune. Ironically it was less thick than the contract Kendall had presented him with earlier. Then, Willard closed his eyes, dismissing his son and employee for the last time.

Jacob sat with his father for ten minutes thinking about his life, Jamal, Mindy and the Mindy's before her, his mother, and his future. An hour and a half later as Jacob was eating a sandwich in the kitchen, he, without fan fare or even his knowledge, became the leader of Mitchell Industries as Willard took his last breath in an empty room.

Three

Jamal Davis was 58, bald, six foot two inches tall, fit for his age, and as ruthless a man as Willard. In some ways he was more ruthless.

He sat in his office in his own wing of the estate, not a place given to him, but one he usurped in the early days with Willard when seventy hour work weeks were common and Willard demanded his chief attorney be ever present for advice. Jamal had begun to stay over at the compound during the hostile take over that made Willard's fortune and established him as a tycoon. At first it was just during the work week, Monday to Thursday, but Jamal was never married and had no where else to go, so ended up staying over one weekend, then another. After six months he was living in the compound as the bull dozers began working on Willard's pet project that would become The West Wing.

He considered the Mitchell family, of which he was not a part of, but who he understood better than anyone. Willard had hired him out of law school when Willard was rich, but not yet a billionaire. The two were unlikely friends at the beginning, sharing a beer from time to time as young ambitious men in New York City. More than once they had spent a long night down on Broadway near Times Square sampling the sins of humanity available there. It was there that Willard first discovered Jamal's proclivities for men.

They were in a nightclub, Willard springing for a VIP table, and bottle service after closing a particularly difficult negotiation earlier that day. After some cocaine and ecstasy Willard found a 19 year old dancer named Tiffany to entertain him and Jamal had ended up alone with a twenty year old black man in one of the back rooms where anything you could afford was available. The boy he was with was chocolate skin, thick lips and a well proportioned cock. Willard had found Jamal in the back room, satiated, the boy whimpering, naked on the floor, white lines of semen striping his dark skin.

Willard laughed and said, "Jesus Jamal, how many times did you fuck that boy?" Then with a laugh, "Come on we got to get the fuck out of here. It's almost time to go to work."

Willard spoke to Jamal about it the next morning.

He said, "Last night was fun, but you can't be doing that faggot shit in public. I am going to be rich enough to matter some day and I don't want to be in the Wall Street Journal because my lawyer got his dick sucked in a club by a teen age boy. Keep that shit on the down low. Better yet find yourself some nice pussy. No one cares if you fuck 19 year old pussy. You do like pussy don't you?"

Jamal nodded and said, "Of course I do. Last night was just the coke man." Then, "Just a one time thing."

Willard nodded and said, "Good. Let's get some pussy tomorrow night then. I know a guy that runs some high end whores out of Long Island. I'll get you the two for one special. They will fuck that gay shit out of you."

Jamal shrugged indifferently and while offended, thought Willard had a point. There was a saying in Washington about politicians. You never want to be caught with a dead girl or a live boy. He decided he would give up his desires for men.

He lasted almost a month before he took a business trip to California where no one knew who Jamal Davis was. Jamal did like women too. The gender of his partners was much less important than what they would let him do to them. Jamal liked hurting his lovers during the sex and nothing turned him on more than hearing them scream or whimper or cry as thrust into them. He was a sadist and enjoyed extracting the sounds of pain from his lovers. He would never date a man or want to be seen with one. But sexually, once in awhile he felt the hunger burn in himself. There was nothing better than when a young man begged him to stop, whimpering like his little bitch. The thought of it aroused Jamal and his masturbatory fantasies often were filled with torture and pain.

He spent most of the 1980s and 1990s outwardly straight, but once a month or so took a business trip to fulfill his needs, out of sight of anyone who might know him. Willard knew this of course because Willard was not stupid and kept a close eye on his inner circle.

Willard didn't mind because it was something he could use if he ever needed leverage on the man.

Willard didn't care about who was straight or who was gay; he had no particular feeling about race or even gender. Willard used none of that to categorize or stereotype the people in his orbit. No Willard was not a racist, a homophobe, or a misogynist. He treated everyone with equal indifference, and as pawns to the accumulation of wealth and the power that came with it. Willard cared only about power and influence and money. Sex, gender, race, love, and hatred were all just tools that could be used and bent to serve Willard's purpose. Willard honed his skills with the fanaticism of a zealot. A zealot who worshiped only money and power.

By the early 1980s Willard was on his way to wealth and met his wife, Cassidy, who went by Cass, during a chance meeting at an art exhibit at The Met. Cass was a counter balance to Willard and the only person Willard ever loved. She was kind in a way Willard wasn't, but she, like Willard, knew what she wanted out of life. A billionaire husband was on her list. She had a ferocious heart, but also had the capacity for empathy and compassion. Jamal was never sure if she truly loved Willard, but Willard loved her.

The two married quickly, and in the late 1980s, Jacob came along. Jamal remembered that like it was yesterday. Fucking Jacob. The boy had been a pain in the ass from the moment he was conceived. But Jamal had weathered that storm, and now the little son of a bitch was going to become CEO and his boss. At least on paper. In practice Jamal had his own agenda and plans for Mitchell Industries. He had thirty five years of experience working inside the machine that Willard Mitchell had built.

But Jacob would become the chief executive. That did not bode well for Jamal. Fortunately Jamal had made contingency plans should Willard ever decide he was no longer useful or valuable. Jamal understood managing risk, being prepared, and seeing opportunity in adversity. He also had the balls to act when others would not. If they only knew some of the things he had done for Willard Mitchell and himself. He smiled a cold smile as he sat thinking about it.

Jamal stood, the anger of Jacob becoming his new boss, making him seethe. He went to the bar in his office, poured two fingers of bourbon in a crystal glass, and threw back the drink in a single swallow. He set the glass on the bar, feeling the burn of the alcohol in his guts. He thought about Jacob. He had watched the boy grow up. Jacob was not ready to be an executive. It was that simple. The boy lacked the basic ruthlessness for it. At least that was Jamal's opinion. Jamal, however, was ready and a long while ago Willard had agreed. But Jamal was not a Mitchell. He was an employee. That too was made clear. Jamal had broached the subject of taking over as CEO when it became clear that Willard would not survive his cancer. No matter how close he and Willard were as friends, Jacob was still his son and heir.

But all was not lost, thanks to the file he had kept over the years. In the beginning Willard knew that Jamal had a penchant for young men; that gave Willard power over him. So Jamal had evened the playing field by collecting meticulous records of Willard's business dealings that were ethically and legally questionable. Ironically Willard's power diminished over the decades as no one seemed to care who was a faggot anymore, and Jamal's power had grown as people became more interested in seeing powerful men destroyed and humiliated.

If Jamal's file ever became public Willard's legacy, his memory, and his company might very well be dismantled and destroyed. Not to mention some very powerful people might go to jail. To Willard that loss of his legacy would be worse than death. So in his final negotiation Jamal had faced off against Willard and won, or at least come to a draw. He would stay on as chief legal counsel and have a board seat, with all of the benefits that came with it, and Jacob would get the CEO spot.

The more Jamal thought about it, the more he thought Willard had got the best of him. Willard was going to be dead soon, and Jamal was going to spend the rest of his life in the shadows of power and wealth, although Jamal was a multi millionaire himself. But perhaps there was another path forward. With Willard gone, Jamal held most of the cards didn't he?

Jamal went back to his desk to plot. There was a troubling email that he had received from one of his many eyes and ears throughout the estate and business community. This one was from a pilot that flew Jacob's plane. Jacob had gone to Chicago and after a query to the security firm, Jamal had discovered that Jacob had met with David Gimble, an ambitious attorney from Chicago.

Jamal knew David from law school, although they were not in the same class. Their paths had crossed once or twice and David had gone after Mitchell Industries's legal business twice before. Both times Jamal had bested him for the job. Both times Willard had been persuaded by loyalty and the fact that Jamal had information Willard really never wanted to be made public. Even after he died.

Jamal picked up the phone and dialed an internal extension. A woman's voice said, "Yes".

Jamal said without preamble, "I need to know who the lead attorney is for our account at Gimble and Associates."

The woman hesitated and said, "You are the second person to ask for that information in the past day. A report is being compiled. The attorney's name is Kendall Baker."

Jamal paused now. The second person? Who was the first? He couldn't find a way to ask that wouldn't expose him to questions so he said, "I see. Send me a copy when the report is compiled. I just wanted to make sure the request was in your queue".

The woman said, "I will email it when its completed. Should be by noon tomorrow."

Jamal hung up and went out online. He typed the name Kendall Baker, into the bar associations register of attorneys and a picture of a young, blond woman, with icy blue eyes stared back at him. He smiled and said, "Well look at you princess. You don't look old enough to vote."

He began to read.

Four

Kendall's plane touched down in Newark, New Jersey at 9:03 AM. She made her way out of her business class seat and into the airport. As she passed out of the secure area she saw a man in a black driver's suit holding a placard that said, "Kendall Baker" in black letters. She was not expecting this but wandered over and said, "I'm Kendall Baker, but I didn't order a driver."

The man about fifty with graying hair said, "Mrs. Baker, Jacob Mitchell arranged for you to be picked up."

Kendall eyed the man and said, "Jacob arranged for this?" She was confused.

The man nodded and said, "Yes. Mr. Mitchell was quite specific. I am to take you to meet him immediately. Do you have any checked luggage?"

Kendall shook her head. She wasn't even sure she would be spending the night. There was a flight at 9:00 PM that could have her in her own bed by midnight. She would prefer that to a night at the Marriott, even if it was in Manhattan, a city she adored. The man whose name she didn't know said, "Follow me, Ma'am. Mr. Mitchell is quite anxious to meet with you."

She followed him outside and across a pedestrian walk way to a parking area. He took her roller board and put it in the trunk of a black Cadillac escalade with tinted windows. He held the door for her and she climbed into the back. There were bottles of water in a small cooler along with airplane bottles of vodka, scotch, tequila, bourbon, and rum. Small cans of soft drinks were held in a case inserted into one of the doors. The man said, "Help yourself to whatever you like." She opted for a bottle of water.

They pulled out of the airport and the driver weaved to the right and out of the arrivals area, down a service road and through a gate marked, "Private". She asked, "Where are we going?"

The driver said, "Traffic can be bad so Mr. Mitchell has loaned you use of the corporate helicopter."

The car drove onto a private tarmac, but still in view of Newark's commercial airport. She had never been on a runway or tarmac before. She got out and was fifty feet from a black helicopter with two pilots sitting inside with reflective visors and helmets. She said, "What the hell is going on?"

The driver smiled and said, "Mr. Mitchell is at the family compound in Connecticut. This is the fastest way to get you there."

She said, "Connecticut?", confusion in her voice. "We are supposed to be meeting at our law firm offices in the city."

The man shrugged and said, "Mr. Mitchell had a conflict but didn't want to cancel. It's a very short flight."

Kendall turned back to the helicopter, got her roller board, and boarded the aircraft both excited to be on a private helicopter and anxious to once again feel out of control and off balance due to Jacob and his eccentricities.

Five

The chopper circled the compound thirty minutes later, and began to set down on a white plus sign with a circle around it, in a grassy field a few hundred yards from the house. On the approach Kendall could see the magnitude and size of the compound Willard Mitchell had constructed over his forty or so years as a billionaire. Willard must have subscribed to the 'Bigger is Better' life philosophy. The compound sat on sixty acres of rolling green meadows and natural trees. There was a pond, a baseball field, tennis courts, two pools end capped with hot tubs, and the scale of the home itself was impossible to appreciate without an aerial view. Kendall said into the headset microphone to the pilot, "Jesus Christ how big is this place?"

The pilot had laughed and said, "About 60 acres of land and 70 thousand square feet of living space, not including the stables. Try not to get lost inside.

Kendall nodded. That was probably good advice.

As the helicopter settled and began to wind down Kendall took off her headset and the pilot opened the door for her. She stepped out, pulling her suitcase with her, and looked up to see Jacob Mitchell standing a hundred feet away. He was alone, dressed in a charcoal suit, a white shirt crisply ironed, a blue tie, and black shoes, polished to a mirrored finish. He looked different from when they first met. Gone was the boyish playfulness, now replaced with a seriousness that wasn't there in their offices in Chicago.

He raised a hand to her and she walked toward him.

Six

Jacob waited patiently as Kendall approached. He extended a professional hand to her and said, "Kendall. I'm glad you could make it."

She took his hand and said, "Jacob. Good to see you again, but I thought we were meeting in the city at our offices."

Jacob smiled but there was a sadness in it. He said, "I'm afraid my schedule has been disrupted and this was the only way to keep our meeting. I apologize if it is inconvenient."

She gave him a sideways smile and said, "It's fine Jacob. I just didn't anticipate being picked up in a helicopter and whisked off to Connecticut."

Jacob grinned and said, "I hope you enjoyed the ride. I told the pilot to make sure you got a good view of the city on the way up here."

Kendall nodded, "Yes, thank you. I thought we were going to crash into the statue of liberty. We went by so close. It was a unique experience."

Jacob nodded and said, "Excellent. Now let's go get an early lunch. I have a very busy afternoon and we need to talk." He turned and opened the door to the main house and let her push inside. A porter stood sentry inside and offered to take Kendall's luggage. She reluctantly gave up her roller board, but kept her leather briefcase with the laptop and legal documents.

Jacob led her through a large room with fresh houseplants and a large letter "M" in cursive inlaid into the marble floor. The floor alone probably cost a few hundred thousand dollars. Next they went down a hall and around a corner, through another sitting area and finally out onto a patio deck overlooking an olympic size pool. The pilot had been right. It would be easy to get lost in the house.

There was a table for two set up, with a fresh cut flower in a vase on the table, fine china and silver silverware, along with crystal glassware. Kendall said, "Nice place."

Jacob smiled and said, "It's not much, but it's home."

Kendall laughed. She did like his sense of humor and self deprecation. She was once again reminded that he didn't feel or act like a corporate suit. But David's warning also lived in her mind. He had to have a little Willard in him, didn't he? She thought he probably did.

The two sat across from each other and a waiter approached, filling water glasses. Jacob asked, "Anything else you would like? We have an extensive wine cellar."

Kendall shook her head, "Just water. Thank you."

There was no menu on the table but a minute later a salad appeared with freshly made Caesar dressing. The salad course was followed by a choice of chicken or fish, potatoes, and finally a creme brûlée for dessert. When they were finished Kendall said, "I am not sure how you stay thin if this was a light lunch."

Jacob smiled and said, "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

The plates were cleared and Kendall said, "So you wished to discuss our proposal?"

Jacob faced her intently. He said, "Yes. Is it safe to say that you have not told anyone about what I mentioned in your offices in Chicago?"

Kendall nodded, suddenly craving the man's approval. The feeling shocked her but it was there. She felt like he was peering into her soul and looking for a lie. She said, "I have not told anyone. As I told you, that is privileged and I take that commitment seriously."

Jacob smiled and said, "And you still want the business?"

Kendall furrowed her eyebrows and said, "Of course, Jacob. Why else would I be here?"

He smiled and said, "Of course."

Kendall asked, "So did you have specific questions or concerns about our proposal?"

Jacob shook his head and said, "Not really. It was all very specific and clear."

Kendall sat back and said, "Well Jacob, I'm not really sure what I am doing here then."

Jacob smiled again and said, "I told you in Chicago that my father had no intention of hiring your firm. Did you not trust that I was telling you the truth?"

Kendall sighed and said, "No you were very clear. You also told me something else that led me to believe that you might not share your father's point of view, and to be blunt he might not be well enough to be the one making those decisions soon. So after you called me, I flew to New York to meet with you in hopes that you might consider our firm even if your father will not."

Jacob considered her and said, "You are very blunt." He paused and said, "I appreciate that. Not enough people are blunt and specific about their line of thinking or desires."

She sat staring at him, still feeling that draw to him, but also a sense of annoyance that he was somehow evaluating her, considering his options, plotting something she could not see. Finally she said, "Mr. Mitchell, I am a very busy woman. If you would like to entertain our proposal, I am happy to discuss it. If not, perhaps its best we shake hands and both get back to our jobs."

Jacob nodded and smiled again. He said, "Very well. I am not interested in your proposal."

Kendall felt as if he had slapped her. Was David right? Was this asshole playing some sort of game? She felt her corner office slipping away and anger blossom in her heart. She stood, staring at Jacob coldly. He merely smiled and said, "I do, however, have a proposal of my own to run by you." Kendall didn't trust herself to speak. She slowly sat back down in her seat trying to regain control of herself. Jacob was a maddening man.

She said, "You have a proposal?"

Jacob nodded, "If we can trust each other. I told you something very personal about me the last time we met. Now it is your turn."

Kendall blushed and said, "What do you want to know?"

Jacob shrugged and said, "Anything as long as its something no one else knows."

Kendall thought for a minute and said, "I went to high school in a small town and graduated second in my class."

Jacob nodded and said, "Yes in the middle of nowhere, in Michigan. You were salutatorian in a class of 107 other graduates. Full ride to University of Michigan followed by law school. Top of your class there too. Married 8 years ago to Robert Mitchell, a software engineer working for a tech company in the Valley. You have a three bedroom house in the suburbs of Chicago; no children."

Kendall sat stunned listening to her own biography. Jacob smiled again, pulling out a one inch bound file with her picture on the front. She felt somehow violated and her lips made a thin white line. She said, "You seem to know everything about me already." Her annoyance was right there on her face and in her voice.

Jacob shrugged, "Tell me you don't have a similar file in that brief case of yours about me." She looked away. She did have a near identical file on Jacob that her research team had put together outlining everything they could find on the man. Wharton business school graduate, top of his class, single all of his life, address, height, weight, even shoe size was recorded. He also had certifications in scuba diving, was a pilot, and collected cars as a hobby.

Kendall smiled and said, "It seems we both do our research. I doubt I could tell you anything about me that isn't in that file. Who knows, maybe I could even learn something about myself from reading it."

Jacob grinned, slid the file across the table to her, and said, "Never say I didn't support your journey of self discovery".

Kendall picked up the file, looked at the color photo of herself staring back at her, and put it down. She said, "So about your proposal?"

Jacob said, "You still haven't told me something personal about yourself."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Well what could I tell you that isn't in that file."

Jacob thought for a moment, smiled and said, "Tell me what color underwear you are wearing right now."

Kendall's mouth fell open and she gasped, "What?" Then she laughed and said, "Are you a twelve year old boy?"

Jacob shrugged, unembarrassed and said, "I was once."

Kendall rolled her eyes and said, "Mr. Mitchell, Jacob, do you have a serious proposal you would like to discuss."

Jacob stood, suddenly serious. He brought himself to his full height and looked down at Kendall who resisted the urge to push back away from him. He said, "Yes Kendall I do. My proposal is that you will represent me as a legal advisor, but not general counsel for the firm. That role will stay with Mr. Davis. You, however, will represent me in my personal matters and as my role as Chief Executive of Mitchell Industries. If the DOJ decides to prosecute me, you will offer my defense as a person, but Mr. Davis will handle the litigation for the firm. For that, I will pay your full fee of 10 million dollars annually for three years, with the right to cancel after the first year."

Kendall was shell shocked. She said, "You are going to be the CEO?"

Jacob shook his head and said, "No. I am the CEO now. My father died the day before yesterday which is why you are meeting me here and not in your law offices in the city. The board is going to announce the news to the press this afternoon and also announce that I will ascend to the top position."

Kendall gasped and said, "Jacob I'm so sorry."

Jacob nodded and said, "I need someone I can trust and so far you are the first lawyer that hasn't tried to steal my watch, just to charge me to tell me the time."

Kendall's mind was racing. She sat back and said, "Jacob, I'm not sure that will work. If Davis is your GC I can't really go around second guessing him. For all practical purposes you are the firm. It's privately held by you, assuming your father left you all of his shares. Why not just fire Davis if you don't trust the man."

Jacob sighed and said, "Because he came with the job. His role as GC is a requirement for me to get the CEO job. But you are right about one thing. I don't trust him. And I need someone I can trust. I am betting on you."

The two sat silent for a moment. Finally Kendall said, "I would have to consider your proposal and run it by our internal team, but I am definitely interested enough to do that."

Jacob smiled softly, he looked tired. He said, "Of course. Give me your answer at dinner. I have to get to the board meeting." He stood and walked toward the door to the house.

On a whim, Kendall called out to him. "Blue".

Jacob turned and looked at her, a bit confused. She smiled and said, "My underwear. They are blue."

Jacob stared at her for a long moment, then nodded and said, "Good to know." Then he was gone.

Kendall sat alone, took a sip of water, and considered Jacob. Willard was dead and Jacob was going to be CEO of Mitchell Industries. More importantly she was going to be personal attorney to Jacob Mitchell. Alot had changed since they had last met four days earlier. It occurred to her that she may have just had lunch with a man worth north of six billion dollars. He would be in the Wall Street Journal by tomorrow.

She felt a twinge of excitement run through her.

She stood up and asked the waiter where she could make a phone call. He took her to a private room where her luggage waited. It was better than any Marriott. She had a full master bedroom, a comfortable office, a full bathroom, and a well appointed living room area with a full bar and soft drinks. There was also a patio that led to the pool through glass French doors. Not bad for a lawyer on the road.

She texted Robert first, then dialed David Gimble's private number.

Seven

Kendall told David that she had closed a deal and then had to explain that it was not the proposed deal that her team had meticulously worked on for six months. David listened and said, "Let me think about this for fifteen minutes. I will call you back." He hung up without waiting for her response.

David did not like the unexpected and thought about how she planned to construct such a novel relationship and keep everything ethical and legal. It was tricky, but possible. She could represent Jacob the man and not represent Mitchell Industries as a legal entity. This was done all the time. The challenge became that Jacob was also the Chief Executive and largest shareholder in the firm. If legal jeopardy ever pitted the man against the firm, then how could that be resolved with so many conflicts of interest?

It could create a situation where Gimble and Associates would be facing an adversary with six billion in assets and a client with multiple competing interests. There was nothing illegal about that, but David Gimble didn't like the kind of risks that came with the potential conflict. He protected his sterling reputation maniacally and would never willingly put himself or his firm in a position where potential conflict of interest may give even the perception of something unethical. If it came to a legal fight, it would get bloody and mud would be thrown at everyone involved.

At the same time he worried about his reputation, his firm, and the risk, he also was impressed that Kendall had somehow resurrected the deal. While he was rooting for her, when she left his office the day before he gave her less than a ten percent chance of success, which is why he let her go alone. In David's mind, Kendall would learn something from the failure, spend another year or two as an associate attorney, and eventually be ready to be partner in two or three years. He had to admit he had underestimated her, a mistake he would not make again.

And there was the thirty million dollars in fees. That was not inconsequential either.

David turned in his chair and stared out at the Lake high above the Chicago streets, and thought about it. He decided everything turned on the man, not the contract. Who was Jacob Mitchell and what was he doing?

David also thought about Jamal Davis. David had known Jamal since his law school days. Jamal was ahead of him in school but their paths crossed occasionally. Jamal was a very smart and capable attorney, but David didn't like him. Not because he was incompetent, but because he had no moral compass. It came down to a difference in philosophy. David believed the law was rational and logical and rooted in the spirit of fairness for everyone. While its application was not perfect, the principles of law and the ideals they represented were what drew David into the professional field.

Jamal on the other hand viewed the principles of law as fluid interpretations that could be manipulated and twisted on technicality or situational context. And of course who could afford to pay the legal fees to make the arguments based on technicality or context.

David believed there were lines that could not be crossed and would define those lines as ethics. Jamal believed that there were no lines, only winners and losers.

David had never done battle with Jamal in a court room before, and he had no interest in setting up a long protracted legal battle with him. He sighed thinking about Kendall, Jacob, Willard, and Jamal. And the thirty million dollars.

He picked up his phone and called Kendall back. She answered on the first ring and he said, "I'll have your team in the conference room in five minutes. Get on with them and revise the contract. Ten million a year for five years, not three. Cancellation clause after the first year for 50 percent of the remaining contract balance. Non negotiable."

Kendall was madly scribbling notes. She said, "Okay. Got it. Any wiggle room on the fifty percent? That would be 20 million to cancel a 10 million dollar contract if he did it after the first year."

David smiled, thinking of Jamal reading that clause, and said, "No. Firm offer. No negotiation."

Kendall paused, but only for a moment, as if contemplating negotiating with her boss. Finally she said, "Understood. I'll get to work."

David said, "And Kendall?"

She said, "Yes?"

David said, "Be careful. Something doesn't feel quite right."

She said, "I will David." But she was already thinking about the contract pitch in her head and dismissed his warning as pro forma.

Chapter 4

One

Kendall spent her afternoon on a teleconference with her team outlining the constructs of the new agreement. Fortunately the terms and conditions were largely transferable so that only left an update to the business terms and scope of the contract. They rang off at 3:00 in the afternoon, her team needing at least an hour to construct and finalize the document for signature. She had nothing to do so turned on the television and tuned to the all business news channel.

She watched as an advertiser pushed reverse mortgages on old people who didn't understand how expensive free money was. Then a talking head in a red power tie said, "Breaking news today from New York where the board of directors just announced that Willard Mitchell, CEO and largest shareholder of Mitchell Industries, has died. For more we go to our local correspondent. The camera panned to a woman standing outside a large skyscraper near Wall Street.

She said, "That's right, today Wall Street is reacting to the death of Willard Mitchell, the famed tycoon and billionaire. The Dow is holding steady but several financial firms with credit extended to Mitchell Industries are down on the news." The camera panned to earlier footage and she saw Jacob leading a group of suits into the building. The woman said, "Jacob Mitchell, Willard's son and only heir, will be taking over as CEO and the board is meeting now."

Kendall smiled thinking Jacob looked pretty good in his charcoal suit. On the television he looked like a movie star and Kendall felt that pang of attraction roll through her. They reran the clip of Jacob entering the board meeting and she sat on the bed. It was strange to see the man she just had lunch with on the television. Then she thought, Not to mention the fact his one question to you was about your underwear. She blushed at the thought. Not because Jacob had brought it up, but because it had excited her. And if she was honest about it, she got a little thrill out of answering him.

She lay back on the bed and thought about Jacob, his dark eyes, maddening personality, and equally maddening good looks. She was attracted to him. She could not deny that, but that distraction would not prevent her from doing her job. She was here to sign a contract and make partner, not have a playdate with a billionaire. Besides she was married.

Then Jacob was on the television, smiling his dazzling smile into the camera, standing outside the building that served as Mitchell Industries North American headquarters. He stood on the steps, tie slightly askew, making him look even more handsome. A reporter said, "Are you concerned at all about the future of Mitchell Industries, given Mr. Mitchell Senior has been CEO for over forty years?"

Jacob smiled at the reporter and shook his head, "Not at all. My father was an amazing leader and he built a legacy that will be enduring well beyond his lifetime. The board has met and I'm honored to have the opportunity to lead Mitchell Industries into the future."

The woman tried to ask the follow up, but Jacob turned and took the five steps down the stairs and into the waiting limousine. The camera tracked him and Kendall thought he did pretty well on television. There was an art to dealing with the press that took time to learn. Jacob seemed to be a natural. He was good looking, engaging even through a television screen, and most importantly in control of the interview, not reacting to it. Kendall had seen several of her higher profile clients on television before, but Jacob handled it better than most. She was impressed.

She checked her watch and then her email. The contract appeared from her executive assistant, and she smiled. Her team had done their job, now all she had to do was get Jacob to sign it.

Two

Jamal watched Jacob standing at the front of the Mitchell building in downtown Manhattan from his private office at the family compound. He had stood in that same spot with Willard several times over the years with different business reporters. Now he was a spectator. He seethed with anger as Jacob smiled into the camera. Even Jamal had to admit he handled the interview well. The young, vibrant, affable executive. Jamal thought, You may have the face for TV but you don't have the heart or the balls to run this company.

Jamal sighed, turned off the television and turned to the bank of computer monitors on his desk that was not dissimilar to the one on Robert's desk half a country away. He brought up the security system, logged in, and began to look through the camera feeds. He found the one he was looking for, and zoomed in. Kendall sat on her bed unaware that she was being watched. Jamal smiled.

He had personally overseen the installation of the security system in the early 2000s and the annual security assessment done by a high priced security firm. Willard was paranoid about computers and technology and didn't trust them. HIs paranoia and fear that some bit or byte of information that he didn't know about would pop up to bite him in the ass. Then again maybe Willard wasn't paranoid, but a realist. Alot of the things Jamal knew were because of his access to electronic information, both internal and external.

Every room in the house was covered by the security system with the exception of Willards sanctuary, the west wing of the estate. That inner sanctum even Jamal had not found a way to electronically monitor. Willard had a competing security firm, sweep his private offices and residence once a week, looking for cameras, microphones, and other electronic tools of a spy or interloper. In the previous ten years, the firm had found four intrusions. Two were accidents where careless and foolish employees had left a cell phone or other electronic device behind. Once was an intentional bug placed by a housekeeper who had been bribed by a rival firm, and once early on, with a bug that Jamal himself had placed under the old man's desk.

Jamal had to scramble to not be revealed and had managed to place the blame on a young porter who was part of the housekeeping staff. The young man was 22 and took the job when his degree in communications and retail sciences had not yielded him a job during a recession. Willard had been furious, fired the man, filed a civil complaint against him, and even strong armed the FBI into looking into the matter. Jamal had intervened, not wanting professional investigators looking for evidence that might not support the narrative.

So Jamal had a quiet word with Willard who agreed that he didn't want the publicity of a security breech. Willard had demanded that the man be exposed for the criminal in order to exact his revenge and send a message to other would be spies. That was easy enough, Mitchell Industries owned six newspapers and four television stations. A story was run about the man, exposing him as a criminal and hinting that he may have an addiction problem. Reporters followed the man and published anything negative they could find about him, his parents, his siblings, and his girlfriend who quickly became his ex girlfriend. The young man killed himself six months later so that problem resolved itself and Jamal breathed a sigh of relief. Now there was no chance that someone might listen to the man's denials and look into the matter.

After that Jamal had been more careful and decided the reward for surveilling his boss was not worth the risk. After all, he was one of a handful of people who could enter the west wing unannounced and without an appointment.

Now Jamal sat staring at Kendall. He thought, Hello Kendall. Welcome to the big leagues. Kendall sat on the bed watching the press conference rerun. He zoomed in on her face which was intent and serious. This was his adversary. She was young, smart, ambitious, and beautiful. He had read the biography the research team had put together twice. Jamal watched and wondered what Jacob was up to and how Kendall fit into the puzzle. Jamal had constructed the terms of his employment himself and he believed it was iron clad. All of the shares of Mitchell Industries were held in trust for Jacob, but while Jacob could vote those shares, he could not change the terms of the trust, which included Jamal be a board advisor and general counsel for the firm until he resigned or died. Jacob could not fire him. If he tried, the trust would be breeched and while Jacob would never be poor, he would lose his job as CEO and replaced with someone else. Jamal thought he had a good chance of being that someone else if he could just get Jacob out of the way.

He wondered if hiring Kendall was technically a violation. He knew it was not, but he turned the idea in his mind. Then he wondered, what if something happened to Jacob? The thought was appealing but he rejected the idea based on his principles of risk and reward. There would be too much investigation into the untimely death of a 38 year old man who just became a multi billionaire. There was no spin in the world that would cover up that one salient fact. But what if he was unfit to lead?

Jamal considered it. He wished for more time to plan or plot, but things were happening quickly and Jacob no doubt was coming after him, or soon would.

He watched as Kendall stood, checked her watch, then looked at something on her phone. She went to her roller board and opened it, pulling out a toiletry kit and a casual dress. She hung the dress on the back of the closet door and began to take off her clothes. Jamal watched with interest, enjoying the voyeurism. She slid out of the business dress and stood in a pair of light blue panties and matching bra. Jamal watched with interest as he opened his top desk drawer, withdrew a burner cell phone that had never been used, and dialed a number.

A man answered and Jamal said, "It's me."

The man hesitated and said, "We should not be talking."

Jamal said, "We have to. Things are moving faster than planned. Meet me at 8pm at the usual spot."

The man said, "I can't. This is way too far out of bounds."

Jamal watched as Kendall popped the bra, smiled and thought, Damn she's got great tits. Then he said into the phone. "Kyle you are already in this. Think about your wife and daughter. What do you think they will say when they find out about you and that sixteen year old whore."

Kyle whined, "You set that up. I didn't even know who she was, and I certainly didn't know how old she was."

Jamal rolled his eyes at the naivety of the man. He said, "8:00 Kyle".

Kyle said, "Jamal this is way out of hand. I could go to prison just for talking to you."

Jamal paused, letting the other man consider his position. Finally Kyle said, "Are you there?"

Jamal watched on the screen as Kendall went toward the shower naked. He said, "Didn't they tell you in law school Kyle?"

Kyle now hesitated and said, "Tell me what?"

Jamal said, "There's no such thing as free pussy." He paused and said, "8:00 sharp." Then he hung up. Jamal wondered if he had chosen wisely in Kyle. He was a married, pencil necked, coward of a man which is what drew Jamal to him in the beginning. He was an easily manipulated tool. He had caught his mark with some iPhone pictures of the man with an underage hooker in Orlando. But now the man's cowardice was becoming a liability. Something might have to be done, but not until Jamal got what he wanted. The one thing the worthless excuse of a man had going for him was that he worked for the Southern District of New York attorney's office and was assigned to the investigation into Mitchell Industries. With Willard gone, perhaps the investigation should be turned toward Jacob. Did the board really want to entrust the Mitchell fortune to a man in the cross hairs of the Department of Justice?

Jamal didn't think so. He turned back to the computer screen and watched Kendall dry her hair with a towel. She was naked, but Jamal barely noticed. He saw lots of naked people on his security system. The boy who worked in the garden was screwing the girl who ran the dish service. That had been interesting to watch, particularly since the boy was also screwing the young man who cleaned the stables. Jamal wondered if the two knew about each other and then wondered what a threesome might look like. That would be interesting.

He watched as Kendall went to her roller board and began to dress. She picked black for her panties and bra and Jamal thought it was a wise choice, given the dress that hung on the back of the closet door. He sighed and said, "You better hope Jacob sends you back to Chicago, princess. You don't want to get on my bad side."

He turned off the monitor and made another call. This time to a woman in Brooklyn who could provide nearly any proclivity a human could imagine. He read a number off the back of a business card and a woman's voice said, "This evening we have options at 9:00 and 10:00." The woman he had spoken to many times, but he did not know her name and she would never know his.

Jamal said, "Let's do 10:00. I have an appointment at eight."

The woman said, "Of course. The usual?"

Jamal thought about it and said, "No. This time make it two boys and a girl."

The woman said, "That will be at an extra fee."

Jamal said, "I understand. I will send the bitcoin along within the hour to the usual address."

The woman said, "Thank you." Then she was gone.

Three

Jacob turned to Mindy in the back of the black limousine as they pulled away from the steps where Jacob had spoken to the reporter. He said, "Why didn't we take the helicopter?"

Mindy said, "Your image consultant thought a car was more relatable to the average person than the helicopter. And if we took the helicopter, the press would have to have been invited in which looks staged. This way it appears you were just a working man on his way home and the press descended upon you like the soul sucking vultures they are." Mindy was sitting across from him, typing out a text on her phone as they talked.

Jacob rolled his eyes and said, "Jesus Christ someone spends their life thinking about shit like that? I should have just driven myself."

Mindy said, "No you shouldn't have. You want to be relatable Jacob, but you are a billionaire and that makes you special. You can be relatable and special at the same time."

Jacob sighed and said, "Whatever. It's going to take forever to get out of Manhattan this late in the afternoon."

Mindy smiled, handed him a bottle of water, and said, "Poor baby", with a sarcastic tone.

Then she said, "Jacob you did well today at the board meeting and with the press." She let the sentence hang.

He glanced over at her and said, "But?"

She smiled and said, "You should have had Jamal here with you."

Jacob's face went dark and he said, "Why? You know I don't trust him and would have fired him if it wasn't for Dad and his god damn death bed contracts."

Mindy nodded. She had heard it before. She said, "I know Jacob, and for what its worth I think you are right not to trust him. I have no love for Jamal, but the fact is he will be your GC for the foreseeable future; he has forty years of experience so could offer advice; and isn't it better having him inside the tent pissing out than the other way around?"

Jacob considered her. He really would miss her, not just for the sex, but for the advice as well. She was not a sycophant and he trusted her. He said, "You may have a point."

She smiled, happy to have made her point in a way that he heard her. She pushed the button to close the privacy screen. When it was up, she put her phone down, pushed Jacob back into his seat, and straddled his lap. He pulled her to him and said, "What's got in to you?"

Mindy kissed him softly and said, "There is something else I want to talk to you about." She felt his hands on her ass and his excitement growing between his legs. Jacob was an insatiable man.

Jacob enjoyed the feel of her feminine form unexpectedly straddling him as her skirt rode up her thighs. He said, "What do you want to talk about?"

She smiled seductively and said, "Your new lawyer. Miss perky tits."

Jacob raised an eyebrow in surprise. First Mindy was being sexually aggressive and now bringing up Kendall. Jacob squeezed Mindy's ass and said, "Are you jealous Mindy?"

She rocked against him, focusing his attention, and considered the question. She said, "Yes. I suppose I am a little, but that's not what I want to talk about."

Jacob thrust softly against her, now fully erect in his pants. He ran his hands up her back and leaned in to kiss her. She leaned back, just out of his reach and said, "I see the way you look at her Jacob."

He ran his hands around her body, squeezing her breasts, and said, "You know you have perky tits too." He gave them a gentle squeeze.

She said, "Don't change the subject."

Jacob said, "I've never seen you jealous before. I sort of like it."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Have you heard the phrase, 'Don't shit where you eat?'"

Jacob grinned and said, "Well that's crude."

She said, "Jacob, things are different now. You are the CEO not just a philandering playboy jetting around the world looking for a new piece of ass."

Jacob sighed and said, "What's your point Mindy?"

Mindy considered him, her eyes locked on his, his hands on her breasts, her legs straddling him in the back of a limo. She said, "My point is, she is a competent attorney but I see how you look at her. When you first saw her in Chicago you looked like a love struck teen ager."

Jacob said, "She's attractive, but my interest in her is purely professional. I need an attorney to keep an eye on Jamal, and you, yourself, said I could face some legal jeopardy from the shit Dad and Jamal have been doing for four decades. Are you telling me I shouldn't sign the contract and send her back to Chicago?"

Mindy put her hands on his shoulders and said, "No. You do need a good attorney, but does it have to be her?"

Jacob said, "Is it possible you are jealous and just want her to go away?"

Mindy said, "Let me answer with a question of my own." She paused and he raised an eyebrow. She said, "If David Gimble had given the pitch and she had been out sick that day, would he be staying in the executive suite at the compound? Would he have gotten a helicopter ride over Manhattan?" She paused letting him consider her question and said, "Now you be honest with me. Was that really just for your convenience or were you just a wee bit showing off for her?"

Jacob considered her for a long moment then smiled. He said, "You know Mindy I am going to miss these talks." He ran his hands up her thighs, found her panties, and gave them a gentle tug. She leaned forward, letting him pull them down her legs.

She said, "Think about what I'm telling you Jacob. You are a sweet and decent man, but you have blind spots. Pussy being one of them."

One thing he loved about Mindy was that she was blunt, unapologetic, and didn't sugar coat her message, at least with him. He unbuckled his belt and said, "So you want me to make nice with Jamal and send Kendall back to Chicago."

She rocked her hips, pushing her panties down her legs and off her feet. She said, "No Jacob. I want you to be very careful with Jamal. He is very dangerous and very smart."

Jacob watched as her panties came down and there was something very erotic about seeing a woman in a skirt, fully dressed, taking her panties off for him. Hers were white and bikini cut and he had never seen them before. The image made him think of Kendall and her final word to him earlier that day.

Blue. The truth was he did have a powerful attraction to Kendall right from the start.

Mindy found Jacob's thick hardness and gave him a stroke, but made no move to fuck him. She wanted his attention on her words. She said, "As far as the lawyer with perky tits, I just want you to see clearly is all. As I said, 'you have your blind spots.'"

Jacob stared at her for a moment and said, "I don't want you to quit." He pushed forward and into her and she let him. She gasped softly in Jacobs ear as she felt him fill her.

She rocked down once fully impaling herself on him. She held him there and said softly, "I know, but I have to."

He thrust gently and said, "So you can have a normal life? Get married? Have babies?"

She rocked down hard on him, enjoying the exquisite feeling of having Jacob Mitchell inside her. She said, "Yes Jacob. It's the life I want and you can't offer me that."

Jacob thrust again and said, "How about I double your salary?"

She rocked down on him harder this time and said, "I'm not a whore Jacob."

He thrust and said, "We are all whores Mindy." He thrust again and she shivered. He said, "What if we stopped doing this and you were just my personal assistant." He thrust hard to make the point.

Mindy gasped and said, "No Jacob. I know what would happen. We would be in bed together within a week." She rocked down on him faster now, her orgasm building. "Then I would feel like a whore."

He thrust and gasped, "Would you like feeling like my whore?"

She rocked harder and said, "Yes, I probably would. And that's the problem, Jacob. I would like it."

He squeezed her ass and pulled her into him, and said in a breathless whisper, "Fuck me whore."

She said, "Oh God", as her body trembled when Jacob called her a whore. She said, "Say it again."

Jacob said, "Fuck me whore." This time louder and more firmly. Then, "You're just a wet hole that I use to get off. Now fuck me, whore."

He felt her begin to cum and she bit into his shoulder, panting, shivering, trying desperately not to cry out. He felt her wetness gush out of her onto him but didn't care. She whimpered, "God yes" as she felt his balls contract and fill her with his ejaculate.

She lay against his shoulder for a moment, catching her breath, and he held her. Then Jacob asked, "So who is the lucky guy?"

Mindy leaned back to look him in the face, smiled and said, "What?"

Jacob asked, "The man you are going to marry? Who is he?"

Mindy considered Jacob for a long moment. Then she smiled and said, "It's a woman actually." Mindy giggled.

Jacob raised an eyebrow and said, "A woman?"

Mindy grinned, enjoying shocking him, and said, "It's the twenty first century Jacob. Women can fall in love and get married now even if it makes a bunch of old white men in Congress uncomfortable. Her name is Charlotte but she goes by Charlie."

Jacob sighed and said, "Well you are full of surprises."

She squeezed him with a Kegel flex and said, "I'm full of you, right now."

He laughed as she slid off him, his cock slick with her. She found her panties and slipped them back on, pulling them up under her skirt. He said, "So when are you leaving me to go be with this Charlie person?"

Mindy said, "Tomorrow morning. I have a month of vacation banked."

Jacob said, "That's bad timing given everything going on."

She nodded and said, "Maybe. Maybe not. You are going to be very busy with the company Jacob. Maybe fewer distractions is better for you."

He thought about it and said, "When did you decide you like women?"

She grinned and said, "London. It was your idea remember?"

Jacob remembered the week they spent in London the previous summer. They had gone to the theatre and then gone back stage where they met a young dancer. The three of them ended up in bed together later that night.

Mindy smiled, reading his face, and said, "I see you remember that. It was the first time you took me in public as your submissive. You remember how you dressed me?"

Jacob nodded, "Slutty as I recall."

She nodded. "I felt so exposed. I loved how you looked at me, and how I felt everyone else was too. My skirt was so short I think I flashed half the audience. You wouldn't let me wear panties. Remember?"

He nodded and she said, "I had never felt so alive and terrified and excited all at once. If I live to be a thousand I can never thank you enough for that feeling."

Jacob licked his lips involuntarily and said, "You're welcome. But that was supposed to be a night of finding where your limits were at that point in time. I thought for sure you would use your safe word when we got back to the hotel with the other woman, but you never even got to yellow."

Mindy nodded, "It was the first time I crossed a line that I thought I would never cross. I remember feeling like I was falling, out of control, completely untethered from myself."

Jacob said, "You must have liked it."

Mindy nodded and said, "You are prone to understatement. It was like a two hour mental orgasm that just grew in intensity, second by second."

Jacob said, "And that's the night you realized you like women?"

Mindy nodded. "Not all at once, but you pushed me across that line that night. Once on the other side, it didn't seem so out of bounds anymore. Do you remember what we did?"

Jacob smiled and said, "Yes Mindy. I made you kneel on the floor, wrists bound behind your back, naked, while you watched me fuck the girl we brought home."

Mindy nodded, "Yes and then you watched us together. I never thought I would go down on another woman, but when you told me to, I surrendered to your will. I remember being on my knees, her sitting on the edge of the bed, you watching as I leaned forward to lick her." Mindy smiled at the memory.

She said, "I could even taste you on her and I thought I should be disgusted, but I wasn't. I was turned on. Do you remember?"

Jacob laughed and said, "Yes I remember. I think you had an orgasm kneeling between her legs as she lay back on the bed. I had never seen you cum before, without some physical stimulation, but you did that night." Jacob considered her and then said, "That was supposed to just be a fun threesome, not turn you into a lesbian."

Mindy giggled and said, "I'm not a lesbian Jacob. I just fucked you in the back of a limousine."

Jacob said, "If you aren't a lesbian, then why are you marrying a woman?"

Mindy smiled and said, "Because Jacob, its not what's between her legs that is so important as what's inside her heart. Before London I couldn't let myself love like that. But once I realized that sex was more than a physical experience, I wondered if maybe love was too. And just like that, Charlie came along. She loves me Jacob. That's important to me."

Jacob said, "Jesus Christ Mindy. London was a threesome. It wasn't supposed to rewire your entire identity."

Mindy grinned and said, "You didn't rewire my identity Jacob. You just showed me who I was under all the noise. That's what sub space is for me. Clarity from the noise."

He sighed and after two minutes of silence, put a hand on her knee and said, "I'm happy for you Mindy. Charlie is a lucky woman. Will I be getting a wedding invitation?"

Mindy said, "Thank you Jacob. But no, I don't think you showing up to my wedding is a good idea."

Jacob sighed and said, "I suppose not. Would you be open to dinner tonight?"

Mindy said, "Isn't perky tits waiting for you?"

Jacob thought about Kendall and said, "Okay drinks after then."

Mindy considered him and nodded. "Drinks after sounds lovely Jacob." She gave him a wink.

He said, "God you are such a slut."

She giggled and said, "For one more night Jacob."

Jacob thought to himself, I am going to miss her. But another part of his mind was thinking about Kendall.

Four

Kendall was escorted to a private dining room at 7:00. Jacob waited for her and he smiled warmly when she entered. He was no longer in his suit, but instead in a pair of brown slacks and a button down shirt, sleeves rolled up half way to the elbows. He held a crystal glass of an amber liquid she assumed was either bourbon or scotch. She smiled back at him and he said, "Kendall. I'm glad you are still here."

Kendall thought, Where the fuck would I go? I have a fifty million dollar contract that you need to sign before I go home. She smiled again and said, "Thank you for being such a good host, but I do have to get home first thing tomorrow." She hoped that was a subtle hint to tell him to sign the contract.

He nodded and said, "Well let's eat first. Then you can tell me about what you have decided about my proposal."

He pulled a chair out of the table set for two and a waiter appeared. Kendall sat, letting him push her chair in. He said, "You look stunning."

Kendall smiled and thought, And you smell good. The thought surprised her as did the tingle of attraction that ran through her. She said, "Thank you Jacob. I saw you on television today. I trust the board meeting went well?"

He nodded, "Yah a bunch of rich guys decided even in death they would not oppose my father's wishes."

She laughed in spite of herself and said, "Well you could fire all of them if you wished."

Jacob sighed and said, "If only that were true."

The meal took an hour and was served in four courses. Salad, then soup, followed by a rack of lamb, and a cheese cake dessert. Once again Kendall was enjoying the indulgence. This time she did have a glass of wine when Jacob offered it.

She didn't know much about wine other than they came in red, white, and sometimes pink. She and Robert both enjoyed wine with Italian cuisine, but were content with the fifteen dollar bottle of cabernet sold at their local grocery store. This was like nothing she had ever experienced. She took a sip as Jacob watched her smiling. He asked, "What do you think?"

She said, "It's very good. I don't think I've ever had wine like this."

Jacob nodded, "It's a 1982 Lafite Rothschild. I had a case of it shipped to me after I tried a glass in Europe."

She took another sip and said, "I'm not much of a sommelier, but I like it. I don't drink alot of wine but this is really good."

Jacob nodded and said, "I only have two bottles of that particular vintage left so I'm glad you are enjoying it."

She said, "I may have to order a bottle the next time I order pizza."

Jacob laughed and said, "I'll give you a bottle if you agree to my proposal."

Kendall put down her wine, wiped her lips with her napkin, and said, "You don't have to buy me wine, but we should talk about the proposal. I've spent most of the afternoon working on it."

Jacob glanced at the waiter standing by the door and said, "Give us some privacy please."

The man, without a word, left closing the door behind him. Jacob said, "It is sometimes annoying having a staff around all the time but this place isn't exactly a two bedroom apartment. It would take me a month to vacuum it if I had to do it by myself." Jacob stood, went to the bar, got two crystal rocks glasses and said, "Can I interest you in something stronger than wine? It's been quite a day." He dropped two ice cubes into one of the glasses and poured bourbon out of a decanter over them.

Kendall nodded and relaxed a notch. She said, "Sure. I'll have whatever you are having."

He nodded, and repeated the process with her glass. He said, "It's bourbon over ice. My father would never put bourbon over ice. He thought it ruined the flavor. It drove him crazy that I like ice." He handed her the other glass, clinking his own on hers in a toast.

She said, "You must miss him."

Jacob sighed and said, "I do, sort of. It's complicated. I keep expecting him to summon me to his office to tell me his latest plan or ambition and what is expected of me. He was a difficult man, but now that he's gone." Jacob trailed off.

Kendall watched Jacob's face and thought she saw sadness in it. She said, "I'm sorry Jacob. This has to be a very difficult time for you."

He blinked, seemingly coming back from his thoughts, smiled a sad smile at her and said, "To my dad." He held up his glass and she toasted with him again. She echoed, "To your dad."

They both took a sip and Jacob said, "We are probably the only two people in the world that ever toasted Willard Mitchell. That's kind of sad."

Jacob went to the sitting area by a fireplace that was dormant. There were two couches and a chair arranged in an intimate gathering space. Jacob took one couch and Kendall the other, facing each other. Jacob said, "So Kendall, are you going to be my lawyer?"

Kendall took a breath and tried to focus her mind back to the task at hand. She looked at Jacob and said, "Yes I am Jacob, providing we can iron out a few details."

Jacob said, "I would think ten million dollars would cover most of the details."

Kendall opened her brief case and extracted a single piece of paper. She said, "I spoke with our managing partner earlier today and this is what we are proposing."

Jacob said, "Thank God it's only one page." He took the paper from her and there were bullets listed on it in numerical sequence.

Kendall said, "All of the other terms and conditions are the same with these exceptions."

Jacob read for forty five seconds and then stared back at Kendall. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He said, "Were these your additions or did David Gimble have a hand in this?"

Kendall flushed and then said, "Those are the terms the firm is offering. Mr. Gimble is managing partner and he approved it."

Jacob laughed without humor and said, "I bet he did. You want fifty million dollars over five years and me to pay half that just to fire you?"

Kendall nodded and said, "Mr. Mitchell, our firm will invest heavily in your legal work and we must be able to recoup our investments if you decide to go another direction before the term of the contract expires." This was bullshit and both of them knew it, but it was corporate bullshit and part of their shared world.

Jacob stood up, swallowed the last of his bourbon, and went to the bar to make another. Kendall's was still untouched. With his back to her he said, "How about we cut the bullshit Kendall." He turned back to face her and said, "If you were my attorney today and you reviewed this contract would you advise me to sign it?"

Kendal felt the anxiety come back. She knew the answer. No she would not advise anyone to sign something so ludicrous. He also knew that. Whatever she said next may dictate the course of her career. All of her training told her to answer with a non answer. She was supposed to say, I can not entertain hypotheticals Mr. Mitchell. I can only offer you the terms the firm is willing to accept. If you want to move forward with us, you will get the best legal services in the world, but only you can decide if you want the best. That all sounded good in theory but standing there looking at Jacob Mitchell, his gaze burning a hole in her, it sounded like bullshit.

She considered him for ten seconds, stood up, and said, "No Jacob. If I were your attorney today I would not advise you to sign the contract. But it is the only contract my firm, and David Gimble specifically, is willing to accept."

He stared back at her for ten seconds, thinking about what she had just said. Then he smiled and said, "Thank you for not bullshitting me."

She returned his smile and said, "You're welcome. So do we have a deal?"

The tension between them was palpable and filled the room with an electrical charge, their desire arcing back and forth between them. He set his glass down on the bar and walked toward her. He was a full foot taller than she was and stood inside her personal space, his feet less than a foot from hers. She didn't back down but looked up at him, holding his eyes.

He asked, "Did you lie to me this morning when you told me you had on blue underwear?"

She gave her head a slow shake and said softly, "No."

He smiled, still holding her eyes, and she felt like she could feel his energy or life force touching her own. She felt her heart hammer and the hint of his cologne filled her brain. Then he said, "Do you remember two nights ago when I called you to set up this meeting?"

She nodded and said, "Yes. I remember."

He stared down at her, considering her, and she could feel him wanting her. The truth was she wanted him too. She would not act on it, of course, but she wanted him. It was the first time her mind didn't deny the fact.

He then asked in a soft but commanding voice, "Were you fucking while you were on the phone with me?"

Kendall felt a shiver roll through her. The question was crude and raw and grossly inappropriate. But she was not offended so much as mesmerized by the intensity of him. She said softly, "Yes."

He held her eyes for another ten seconds, staring into them and she felt like he was looking into her heart and soul. He moved closer to her, his face inches from her own, still holding her eyes. He said, "Then yes Kendall, we have a deal."

She was sure he would kiss her then. She was never more sure of anything and God help her she would let him. For a brief moment she had a fantasy that he pulled her into him, kissed her, and then began tearing her clothes off. She shivered and braced herself, ready to pull back if her imagination became reality. Or God help her maybe she would let him have her. She wanted him, hungered for him, and felt a lust in her body that had never before been there. Could she push him away? She wasn't sure.

Then he stepped back, turned away from her and said, "Send the documents to my email for electronic signature and I will transfer the first payment in the morning."

Kendall took a step back herself, flushed, flustered, and already admonishing herself for her own feelings. She tried to regain some sense of control over herself. She stammered, "Um sure. I'll get it to you before I leave for the airport in the morning."

Jacob returned to the bar, retrieved his glass, and said, "I have another appointment tonight. Do you have everything you need? I've arranged for you to be taken to Newark first thing in the morning."

Kendall was putting her papers back in her leather briefcase and said, "Yes. I'm good. Thank you."

Jacob went to the door, stopped, turned to face her. He said, "I'm glad we came to an understanding."

Kendall caught his eyes again and once again felt a pang of attraction but it was manageable this time. She said, "I am too Jacob. You will get the very best legal services money can buy." She stared at him and in her mind she said to herself, God how good would it feel for him to fuck you? She shivered at the thought and blushed again.

Jacob nodded and said, "And Kendall?"

She looked at him. He stood framed in the doorway, handsome but more than that he looked powerful and strong in a way she had not seen before. She said, "Yes?"

Jacob said, "Never lie to me. That's the one thing I will not tolerate. Do you understand?"

She felt his words hit her like a command from God. It demanded a response.

She hesitated and then said, "Yes sir."

Jacob held her eyes for a moment, then turned and left.

Five

Mindy had a suite of her own at the compound for convenience, but also maintained an apartment of her own in Brooklyn with Charlie. She stood in her suite, looking around as if saying goodbye to it. Two suitcases sat open on the living room floor and everything she owned that was at the compound fit inside the two roller boards. She was freshly showered and dressed in a light cotton blouse, jeans, and tennis shoes. She would leave in the morning and a twinge of regret flowed over her. She knew she was doing the right thing but she also had spent 19 months of her life working for Jacob Mitchell, and 18 of them as his lover and submissive.

That time had changed her and while she was grateful for everything she had become, she also knew that it had to end. She thought about Jacob and the problem he had become in her life. She was in love with him, but he was not in love with her. That's what it came down to and it was her fault. She wasn't ever supposed to fall in love with him. But somewhere between the work, the sex, the trips to Europe, it had just happened. The problem of course was that Jacob was not in love with her, at least not the way she needed. He loved her she supposed, but he was not in love with her. It was why she had to leave. She had found a woman who loved her in Charlotte, aka Charlie. But Charlie was not Jacob.

If Jacob came to her and got down on one knee and proposed, she would probably change her mind about leaving, Charlie or no Charlie. But that was the problem; he wasn't going to change his mind. No Jacob didn't love her even if he loved their professional and sexual relationships.

She looked at herself in the mirror and tried to smile at her reflection. She said to herself, "Shake it off Mindy. You know the rule. Don't fall in love with your practice dick."

The words made her giggle and remember the young woman who said it, fifteen years earlier. Her name was Natalie and was Mindy's first college room mate. The two had hit it off and one night after too much wine they had gotten on the topic of sex. Mindy had told her about the two boys she had been with and how she had tried to give a blowjob to one of them. The experiment had been a failure and Mindy had been left gagging, eyes watering, and spitting onto the floor of his apartment. That had ended things between them and Mindy had vowed never to give a blowjob again.

Natalie was a year older and quite a few blowjobs ahead of Mindy. She laughed and said, "You can't stop giving blowjobs over one bad experience. Plus it was your first time. You should try it again."

Natalie had given her some pointers and even illustrated a few using a cucumber from the salad crisper. When she was done she said, "Now all you need is a practice dick. Go find a guy that is hot and you want to hook up with, but don't want to date. No freshman. Find a guy that knows more than you do. Practice blowjobs and fucking with him. Then when your real guy comes along, you will know what you are doing."

Mindy at 19 thought that sounded pretty slutty and she wasn't sure she could do that. But Natalie's final words had stuck with her. She said, "Just don't go falling in love with your practice dick." Mindy had not gone out and found a practice dick. She just wasn't wired that way, well at least not at 19. But she remembered the advice.

Now years later she understood the wisdom in her old friend's words. She had broken the rule. She had fallen in love with Jacob, even if the feeling was not reciprocated. He wasn't exactly a practice dick in the way Natalie meant, but Jacob had changed her. He had taught her things about herself that she would likely never have discovered. God the things she had learned. As she stood reflecting, Mindy realized the gift that Jacob had given her. He allowed her to be herself, without apology, and without shame. The sex was good, but what the sex led her to was what was important. No one in her life would understand why she would kneel and surrender to a man like Jacob Mitchell, but she knew the secret of submission that was known only to the few that dared experience it.

There was power in surrender; there was freedom in submission; and there was strength and courage in exploring her psychological limits and boundaries. Most women she knew would think that kneeling for a man while he fucked you was humiliating and degrading. And it was, on the surface, but underneath it she could stop anything that was happening with a word. Every moment she did not say the word was an exercise of her own agency and power. Every moment of surrender was a surreal and exquisite illustration of her courage. Every moment of humiliation she endured, by choice, a rejection of her own shame and self imposed limitations. Those moments with Jacob taught her what freedom really felt like and what it was. What she was. Who she was. He was the only person in her life she was able to be that raw and brutally honest with, and it was freeing.

And now they were over and she had broken the rule. She had fallen in love.

She smiled sadly at her reflection wondering if love was what had destroyed them. She didn't think she could ever surrender herself to someone who loved her. She thought about Charlie and couldn't imagine herself kneeling at her feet in a leather collar. The thought was comical to her. Because Charlie loved her, that love would prevent her from using her. Love was part of Charlie's limits, and those limits would prevent her from the domination that Mindy needed to quiet her mind and accept herself. It was all very complicated.

Finally, frustrated by her own thoughts, she said to her reflection, "You are just a piece of ass to a spoiled billionaire." She tried to believe the words to minimize the loss she was feeling, but she didn't. Deep down she knew there was something fundamental that connected Jacob and herself, even if it wasn't love.

She checked her watch and saw that it was nearly 7:00. Jacob would be dining with perky tits and then would be meeting her for their last date. She picked up the yellow manilla envelope off the desk. It was the last thing she would do for Jacob Mitchell as his executive assistant. She left her room and headed west down the hallway toward Jamal Davis' offices.

Jamal's offices were dark and locked. She knocked lightly once and got no answer. She considered then slipped the envelope under the door. Perhaps this last, secret, act of service to Jacob would give him some protection. Would she have done this if she didn't love him? She thought probably not, but she did love him. Even if he didn't love her back. Love may be blind, but it could also be stupid.

She sighed and went to get some pizza from the kitchen. Pizza always made her feel better.

Six

Jamal sat in the back of the dark steakhouse in midtown Manhattan at 8:00. He had a semi private booth, a vodka martini in front of him, and took a bite of a two hundred dollar steak. The beef seemed to dissolve in his mouth and while he didn't eat alot of beef, this was exquisite. The host appeared and said, "Mr. Davis your guest is here."

Jamal looked up as Kyle, a mouse of a man, sat down and furtively glanced around to see who might recognize him. Jamal nodded to the host and said, "Bring my friend a drink. He looks like he could use it."

Kyle hissed, "I don't need a drink. I shouldn't even be here. What do you want Jamal?"

Jamal ignored Kyle and said to the waiter, "Bring him a vodka martini."

Kyle said, "No. I don't want a martini. I'm not staying long."

Jamal's eyes fell on the man and held him. He said, "Kyle order a fucking drink and stop being such a pussy."

Kyle recoiled, looked up at the waiter uncertainly, and said, "Okay fine. Bring me a beer."

The man nodded and vanished to go get the drink from the bar. When he was gone Kyle said, "What do you want Jamal? You know I shouldn't be talking to you. I could get fired and maybe go to jail just for sitting here."

Jamal sighed, trying to control his temper. He said, "Kyle, cut the shit. We are just two colleagues out for a nice dinner and having a few drinks. Happens all the time with lawyers, politicians, and even regular people."

Kyle said, "Most prosecutors don't have dinner and drinks with the GC for targets of their investigation. We can talk but we should do it in our offices and have witnesses around so this doesn't look like a bribe."

Jamal laughed and said, "This isn't a bribe Kyle. It's blackmail if its anything. I have pictures of you fucking a sixteen year old girl in Florida and I'm threatening to expose those things to your wife, daughter, and bosses. You really are a shitty lawyer if you don't know the difference between a bribe and blackmail".

Kyle winced.

Jamal took another bite of steak as the waiter returned with a beer. He asked, "Something to eat?"

Kyle who looked pale shook his head. When they were alone again Kyle said, "Okay what do you want Jamal. Let's get this over with. Let me guess, you want me to somehow drop inquires into Mitchell Industries and make the potential charges go away. Well just so you know, blackmail or not, I can't do that. It's not even my decision. All I do is analyze the evidence the FBI and others have collected and look for federal violations of law. I'm basically a clerk."

Jamal nodded and said, "Yes, yes. I know you are not important Kyle. And I'm not asking you to get the charges dismissed."

Kyle looked shocked and sat back in his chair. He said, "You're not? Then why are we here Jamal?"'

Jamal said, "Because I can help you Kyle."

Kyle said, "Help me?" He was skeptical and eyed the man warily.

Jamal nodded. "I have no interest in seeing the charges dropped. In fact I have evidence that might be useful to you."

Kyle said, "What kind of evidence?"

Jamal smiled knowing he had the man caught between the carrot and the stick. As much of a coward as Kyle was, he was self serving. It's why he had let himself be hustled by a teen age prostitute in a bar in Orlando. To Kyle that was just a surprising opportunity to get a new piece of ass while he was away from home on business. She was the carrot that Jamal had arranged. The videos and pictures the whore sent him from her iPhone was the stick. Now Jamal dangled a new carrot and Kyle was already jumping at it. The man was an idiot.

Jamal said, "I think your office would be interested to know that most of the violations you are investigating were orchestrated by Jacob Mitchell, not Willard."

Kyle sat back and said, "Come on Jamal, you can't be serious. We have evidence that Willard was neck deep in bribing public officials, fraudulently manipulating the capital markets, and in three cases doing business with organizations classified as terrorist groups. Some of those transactions date back a half decade and both the legal entities and their subsidiaries can be traced back to other organizations that are directly tied to Willard Mitchell. And four of those entities you provided legal services for."

Jamal knew all of this. He had set up both the complex corporate structure and the money laundering side of the business, but he had done it carefully.

Jamal shrugged and said, "Then why haven't you filed charges Kyle?" Kyle stared at him saying nothing, then Jamal continued, "I'll tell you why. Your bosses aren't sure that the case will hold up and they are a bit reluctant to take on a man worth six billion dollars. Not to mention that he donated over a million dollars a month to the president's super pac last election cycle."

Kyle blushed and said, "This isn't about politics."

Jamal laughed and said, "Bullshit. Your bosses are scared shitless of that brain damaged Tweeter in Chief, and going after Willard Mitchell would have been career suicide. At the same time you have two years into this investigation and if it comes to nothing, someone is going to ask what the hell you have spent all that money on. I'm offering you a solution."

Kyle said, "A solution?"

Jamal nodded and said, "Yes. Willard is dead so you can't prosecute him. But you can prosecute Jacob Mitchell. He is the CEO now, as I'm sure you heard. Go after him but leave the assets of the firm intact. You get to bring your bosses new evidence uncovered by a brilliant lawyer and clerk, and they get their pound of flesh. Everyone wins."

Kyle said, "And what do you get Jamal? Or are you doing this out of the goodness of your heart?"

Jamal smiled and said, "I get the knowledge that I have done my civic duty".

Kyle looked at him and then laughed coldly, "Jesus Christ Jamal. You want the top job and you need Jacob out of the way."

Jamal said, "I do believe someone with experience should be leading Mitchell Industries and if the board asked me to serve, I would consider it."

Kyle's face was white with fear. He said, "You want to put an innocent man in federal prison so you can take his job?" The enormity of what Jamal was proposing terrified him. He was after all a prosecutor and once upon a time believed in the rule of law. He had made mistakes and compromised his ethics along the way to get ahead, but this was another level.

Jamal said, "Don't be a child Kyle. Do you really think Jacob Mitchell is a saint? I can assure you he is not. Who knows, maybe he will beat the charges. He's talking to one of the best law firms in the country and they have more than once kicked your prosecutor's collective asses in court. But isn't that what courts are for? It's not up to us to decide guilt or innocence, lawyers, like us, merely present evidence. It's up to judges and juries to decide guilt or innocence."

Kyle said, "And you have evidence?"

Jamal smiled knowing he had the man caught in his trap. He picked up a file folder on the booth next to him and slid it across the table. Kyle picked it up and opened it. Jamal summarized, "You will find five years of emails in there between Jacob Mitchell and Willard Mitchell. In addition you will find evidence that Jacob was making the decisions. I think once you read them you will see that Jacob was the mastermind. Willard was sick for awhile, and not really able to lead the firm the way he once did. Jacob was running the show for awhile now. He's been waiting for Willard to die."

Kyle said, "This is bullshit isn't it?"

Jamal shrugged, "Take the evidence to your bosses and let them decide. It's pretty clear."

Kyle said, "And you are going to testify, under oath, that this is all true."

Jamal said, "No Kyle. I am a confidential informant. Should my name ever come up, well then those pictures from Orlando will make it to the press and of course your wife and daughter. You can corroborate the evidence through discovery. If we get a subpoena, Mitchell Industries would have no choice but to turn over all of the records to your offices."

Kyle sat back and said "I wish I never met you."

Jamal shrugged and said, "Water under the bridge Kyle. You might even get a promotion. Why don't you look at this as an opportunity. It will help you relax."

Kyle said, "If I do this, we are done. No more threats, no more secret meetings, I never hear from you again."

Jamal stared at the man and decided for the carrot. He nodded and said, "Of course Kyle. This would pay your debt in full. I would forget all about Orlando, underage hookers, cocaine, and even your name."

Kyle considered him, scooped up the file, and said, "Okay. I'll take this to my boss as evidence from a CI. What they do with it is up to them. But either way you lose my name and number and I never want to hear from you again."

Jamal thought, Whatever douche bag. He nodded and said, "I understand Kyle. This is the end of our relationship. I do have one final request."

Kyle braced himself and said, "What?"

Jamal said, "If your bosses file charges, you give me twenty four hours notice. And no quiet surrender in an FBI office with pre arranged bail. I want the FBI to perp walk him into one of those big scary black trucks they are always driving around."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "That's not how we do things with high profile, non violent offenders. Our office will contact Jacob's attorney's and arrange for a surrender. Putting a billionaire on television in hand cuffs doesn't do much for the bosses, in case they lose or settle the case. Plus we look like the gestapo."

Jamal said, "But that's courtesy, not the law."

Kyle nodded and understood. Jamal wanted the perp walk and publicity. He didn't need a conviction, he just needed to destroy the man. Kyle said, "You are a piece of work Jamal".

Jamal nodded, smiled and said, "I'll pay for your beer. You look like you are anxious to leave and I don't want to keep you from your important work."

Kyle slid out of the booth, stared at Jamal for one second, hating the man. Then he was gone with the file.

Seven

Kendall was back in her suite at the compound and giddy with excitement. She had sent Jacob the contract for electronic signature and a half hour later she got a notice that he had signed them and attached a wire receipt to the firm for ten million dollars. It was done. She could hardly believe this was real. Then she had typed up a note to David outlining what had happened. Her phone rang six minutes later.

She smiled seeing David's name on her caller identification. She said, "Hello David. You are working late."

David said, "So are you it seems. I just called to congratulate you on a job well done. Did he even try to negotiate?"

Kendall smiled and said, "He tried, but I held firm. I told him this was the best deal he was going to get and he seemed to believe me."

David laughed and said, "Feeling a little cocky are you?"

Kendall giggled and said, "Maybe a little. I can hardly believe its over."

David said, "It's not over Kendall. It's just starting. But do take a few minutes to celebrate. It's not often that someone your age makes partner."

Kendall held her breath. Did he just say partner? She said, "Don't tease me David. Are you serious?"

David said, "I was going to wait to tell you in person, but I'm putting your name forward at the next partner meeting. I don't think anyone will oppose me."

Kendall grinned. No one would oppose David Gimble. He owned more than half the firm and what he wanted he got. She said, "Thank you David. I can't tell you how much this means to me."

She could almost hear David smiling on the other end of the phone. He said, "No thanks necessary Kendall. You earned it. Now I do have one question. Left or right?"

She said, "I don't understand."

He laughed softly and said, "Your new office. Would you like the left side of the building overlooking the lake, or the right side, also overlooking the lake? They are nearly identical, but I thought I would leave it up to you."

She thought about the office layout. There were two offices reserved for partners that were not currently occupied, a not so subtle carrot for aspiring attorneys. The one on the left was closest to Davids' private office. The one on the right, was closest to the cafeteria and break room. She said, "I'll take the one on the right. It's closest to the coffee."

David laughed and said, "Kendall as a partner you don't have to get your own coffee anymore."

She had not considered that but said, "I like getting my own coffee." The truth was she wanted some distance between herself and David. He was an intense man and she wanted to avoid unexpected drop in visits to her corner office just because he noticed her.

David said, "Then I'll have the facilities people move your things over the weekend. Your new office will be ready by the time you get here on Monday."

She said, "Thank you David. That's kind."

He said, "You're welcome, and well done. See you Monday."

She hung up, now over the moon with excitement and no one to share it with. She called Robert who answered on the second ring.

He answered with, "Hey honey. You solve all the firm's legal problems?"

She smiled and said, "Yes actually. I closed the deal tonight."

He said, "No shit? That's great! I'm so proud of you. When are you coming home?"

She said, "Tomorrow morning. And we are going out to celebrate to morrow night. David just called me and he's putting me up for partner."

Robert was delighted and said, "That's amazing. Aren't you like the youngest partner in the firm's history? I'm so proud of you."

She smiled enjoying the fact that Robert could enjoy her successes almost as much as she did herself. She began to tell him about her plans for her corner office. If she couldn't be home with him, at least they could talk on the phone. And tomorrow, she planned to both celebrate and relieve the sexual tension she felt since she first saw Jacob standing at the helicopter pad waiting for her. Robert better get a good night's sleep.

Eight

Jacob stood silently on his private patio overlooking the estate that was now his. The feeling was odd and new. This was now his home, not his father's. While he looked calm and stoic, on the inside he felt like he had just stepped off a roller coaster. Had he really just signed a fifty million dollar contract and sent ten million dollars to a firm he had met with once. This was not like him. He sighed wondering what he was doing and why. But he knew. It was Kendall.

Mindy was right. He would not have even entertained the contract if it hadn't been for her. She had a power over him that was both attractive and terrifying.

He had felt the attraction to other women before. Mindy was the most recent. But he had never felt a terror like this.

With Mindy there was something magnetic about their relationship. She was beautiful, independent, confident, and he felt a powerful sexual attraction to her. He was not, however, a philandering playboy jetting around the world looking for a new piece of ass as she had suggested in the car. She knew that too, but she was making a point and he let her have it. It was part of their shared relationship. There was a certain undefined equality in their power exchanges. She as a submissive and he as a dominant.

What drew him to her was her need to surrender to him for release and pleasure. He spent alot of his time thinking about her needs and pushing her boundaries. That fulfilled something in him and it was brutally honest and raw. He wondered sometimes who the submissive really was. The mental energy, planning, money, and time he invested in Mindy was significant, but he found as much pleasure in seeing her let go to her own desires as she did. It was a complicated dynamic, but it was not without care. He didn't use her solely for his own pleasure. His pleasure was reflected in hers. If she hated what he did with her, it would have horrified him.

He felt the same attraction to Kendall but Kendall also instilled a terror in him that he had never experienced before. When he stood over her, looking down in her eyes, she never wavered and something pulled at something deep inside his heart. He felt the attraction to her, and had the terror not been there, he might have acted rashly, kissed her, and let her react to him. It took all of his self control to turn away from her. But it wasn't just his self control, it was the terror too. Something in her eyes made him feel like he might fall into her and be lost forever. He felt the tension between them in that moment, like an over tightened guitar string on the verge of snapping. He knew she felt it too and maybe even wanted the string to snap.

Jacob for all of his power, wealth, and self control, felt like he was staring into an abyss that he could fall into and be lost forever. He wanted her; was attracted to her; but also afraid of her. Of what she was and maybe what she could be. With Mindy he felt the attraction but not the fear. He took a sip of bourbon, his third and one more than he allowed himself. The alcohol calmed his nerves or at least blunted the feelings in his heart.

He checked his watch, 9:08 pm. The staff worked until 9:00 and would be gone now. With Willard dead, the medical staff who was ever present was also absent. Only two other staff worked over night and Jacob had sent them both home. Jamal was not in residence either and for that Jacob was glad. He would have to get the man out of his house as soon as possible. He might not be able to fire him, but he would be damned if he would live with the man.

That left only Kendall and Mindy. He would stay away from Kendall. She would be gone in the morning, and he had no plans to see her off. That left Mindy, his one confidante and trusted advisor. She would be gone tomorrow too. Jacob suddenly felt very alone. He picked up his cell phone and found Mindy's number, typed out a text and sent it to her. He pushed Kendall out of his mind and thought about Mindy and their final night together. He smiled at an idea that blossomed into his mind. He wondered if Mindy would surrender to it. He thought the odds were a coin toss.

He felt the hunger grow in him. This was part of what he loved about their sessions together, not knowing how far she might go, or when she might stop him with her safe word. She had surprised him along the way and those surprises were like Easter eggs, hidden treasures buried in her heart that he excavated with care.

There was a risk in his plan but the risk made the excitement more intense. He imagined two scenarios, one that ended his connection to Kendall, the other a secret thrill he would have as a memory that Kendall would never know about. There was a third possibility, but Jacob never imagined it. He had blind spots like everyone else.

Nine

Kendall ended her call with Robert after an hour, both agreeing to spend the weekend together celebrating. Now she was alone in a luxurious suite, better than any hotel she had ever been in. She was tired, but way too keyed up to sleep. Her alarm was set for 5:00 AM. With any luck she would be home for a nap by noon central time and Robert was invited to join her. The thought made her smile in anticipation. She was keyed up and bored at the same time. She may never sleep.

She considered the television and rejected it. She wore an oversized robe that seemed to wrap her body in a warm cloud. Whatever you could say about the Mitchell's they did most things well and were conscious of details. The robe was a small but specific reminder of that.

She was also trying hard not to think about Jacob and mostly succeeding. Talking to Robert had helped break her obsessive attraction to the man that was now her largest client. Reason had asserted itself and when she did think about him, she admonished herself for letting her feelings overwhelm her. She was one of the best corporate litigators in the world for God's sake, and a partner in one of the best law firms in the world. Why did he make her feel like a teen age groupie chasing her favorite band around the country?

She decided the best course of action for sleep was a stiff drink. She went to the bar in her living area, poured grey goose vodka over ice, added a splash of cranberry and some sprite. After a moment's consideration she added another shot of vodka to the drink. That should do it. She found her purse, took the illicit pack of cigarettes from it, an equally illicit lighter, turned off every light in the suite, and went to the patio.

She wondered if Jacob had a 'no smoking' policy on the compound and decided that if he did, fuck it. She would take forgiveness over permission.

She didn't smoke; well not often. But once in a while she found a rush of nicotine just the thing to either celebrate a victory or ease the stress of her life. She had been four weeks without a cigarette and Robert had no idea she still occasionally indulged. It was her one secret from him and had he asked she would have told him the truth. But he never asked and she liked having one harmless secret that was just hers.

The estate felt empty and lonely with no staff milling about. A finger of fear went through her to be alone in the dark. It was irrational but so was that feeling she got whenever she had to go to the basement in her own home at night when the power went out and she had to reset the circuit breaker. It was a primal fear reaching back to the times when humans took refuge in caves from the creatures of the night.

The compound was far too large for her tastes, and it felt ominous and cold, like a vampires lair. She wondered if Jacob ever felt that way about his home. The pool was a black rectangle and the only sound were owls hooting in the trees and the sounds of crickets calling out to each other. She lit her cigarette, using the empty cranberry bottle as an ash tray and blew smoke out into the night. She was alone in the dark, the newest partner in her firm, and she let herself finally relax with the help of a cigarette and a drink. She lay back on the lounge chair looking up at the stars.

She finished her drink and cigarette and was about to go to bed when she heard footsteps. She sat up, not daring to move, afraid for some reason. She waited as her heart hammered. Who was on the pool deck, not two hundred feet away? It had to be Jacob, but she didn't want to see him. She felt vulnerable and exposed. She was in only a robe and her panties on the terrace. Thank God she had turned off the lights. She was most likely invisible to him, unless the man had night vision goggles. Okay that thought was fucking ridiculous.

She slipped quietly into her suite feeling like a teenager sneaking into her own house, trying not to wake her parents. She stood in the darkness, not daring to turn on the lights that would betray her presence. A she silently slid the screen doors closed, the landscaping lights and underwater lights of the pool came on, a soft glow illuminating the pool, the deck, but not her terrace. Her heart hammered as she stood alone in the dark room, watching and waiting. Then she stopped breathing as she saw Jacob and Mindy come into view. It took her a moment to recognize Mindy.

Ten

Jacob led Mindy to the pool for their last session together. He was dressed in a tee shirt and shorts and looked like he was ready to hit the gym for a work out. Mindy was in a robe similar to the one that Kendall wore as she looked on. She wore a black one inch leather collar with a small ring attached just below Mindy's chin. Jacob led her by a leash attached to the ring. He led her to the edge of the pool outside Kendall's window and brought her to a stop with a gentle tug of the leash.

He said to her, "How do you feel?"

Mindy, dry mouthed, whispered, "Scared sir." Then, "Scared and exposed, sir."

He smiled and said, "Anything else?"

Mindy shivered visibly and said, "Excited sir."

Jacob felt his own excitement at her words and said, "We are the only ones here Mindy, except Kendall of course. And look, her lights are off. She is asleep, but who knows, maybe she will wake up and see us. How does that make you feel?"

Mindy licked her lips, staring at the dark windows of Kendall's room. She said, "I don't want that sir."

Jacob said, "I know. But do you like the risk of it?"

Mindy trembled again and said, "Yes sir." Jacob knew that one of Mindy's fears was being exposed. He had used that in different sessions over the years and the risk and excitement of it always turned her on.

Jacob said, "Good." Then he reached around her body as she stood facing the black rectangles of the windows and slowly undid the tie that held her robe on her body. He felt her tremble with it. He unclasped the leash form her throat, set it aside, and let the robe hand on her body, a one inch gap exposing a line of skin between her breasts. He took his time with it, letting her feel the discomfort of being slowly exposed like this.

He kissed her neck from behind and said, "Are you still jealous of her?" He slipped the robe off her shoulders and slid it down her body. She was naked underneath and she gasped softly at the exposure, feeling the cool night air against her skin. Her nipples ached with desire and stood erect on her breasts.

She said, "Yes sir." He kissed her neck again, this time on the other side, her collar against his cheek. He felt her lean into him.

He ran a hand down her side to her hip, then up across her stomach and teased a nipple with his finger tips. He asked, "Do you want me to stop?"

She whimpered again and whispered, "No sir." He pinched her right nipple gently and felt her press back against him. He was hard for her, staring over her shoulders at the windows where Kendall no doubt was sleeping. If she had not been sleeping she no doubt would have turned on the lights and demanded to know what the hell he was doing.

He kissed Mindy again, this time between the shoulder blades, and reached into his pocket, finding what he wanted.

Eleven

Kendall stared, not breathing, straining to listen through the darkened screen. She felt her skin go hot and full of goose flesh. What was happening? She watched as Jacob began to slowly undress Mindy in front of her, standing in front of him, not moving. She was in a collar and leash and Kendall shivered at the image.

He removed the leash and she watched mesmerized as he slid the robe off her body. Why was the woman in a leash and what was Jacob doing? Mindy was beautiful. The realization that she was also Jacob's lover filled her with irrational jealousy but also intense excitement to see them like this. She felt herself flush, told herself she should not watch them, and then watched anyway. She knew they could not see her in the dark, but they both faced her window. When Jacob looked at her window she felt like he could see her. It was enough to put her heart in her throat but still she stood still and watched, transfixed by the scene playing out.

She watched as Jacob spoke to her. She could not hear the whispered exchange, but she could both see and feel the excitement and energy between them. Jacob ran a hand up Mindy's body and pinched a nipple. She saw the other woman's eyes seem to roll back a bit and a tremble go through her. She felt a pang of hungry need and imagined what the other woman was feeling.

She watched as Jacob took something from his pocket. She tried to process what she was seeing, confused at first, not believing her own eyes. Then she nearly gasped as she saw what Jacob had in mind.

Jacob held two, spring loaded, clothes pins and she watched him slowly pin the first on Mindy's right nipple. As he let the clamp close, his eyes were on her window and she felt like he was looking at her. Mindy gasped loud enough for Kendall to hear her through the screen and Kendall reminded herself to be silent. Mindy was quivering and she could hear Jacob who now spoke with more excitement.

Jacob asked, "Does it hurt?'

Mindy shivering, bouncing on the balls of her feet said, "Yes sir."

He asked, "Should I stop?"

She replied almost in an agonizing whisper that bordered on begging, "No sir. Don't stop sir."

Kendall watched as Jacob repeated the process with her other nipple. She could see Mindy's face, flushed with excitement, her eyes unfocused as she endured the exquisite knifes edge of agony and pleasure. Kendall was transfixed, unable to look away. Kendall's own hand went to her right breast and found it bare, at some point she had slipped off her robe and it was in a puddle of shadow at her feet. She squeezed herself hard, not in solidarity with the other woman, but with desire to be her. To stand and feel Jacobs hands on her, squeezing her own nipple. Her other hand went into her panties and found herself slick and wet with excitement in a way she could not have imagined. Her pussy was a hot ball of hungry need that yearned for release.

Kendall collapsed to her knees as Jacob moved Mindy to an outdoor table, pushing her over onto it, her ass presented to him. Kendall saw him as he took off his shirt and slid his shorts down, his erection thick and full of need. Kendall had a sudden, almost gravitational, desire to feel him enter her mouth. She licked her lips and pushed her fingers deeper into herself.

Jacob moved behind Mindy as she lay submissive to him, bent over a table. He took her hands and put them on her own ass cheeks and she spread herself for him. Kendall watched, masturbating furiously, squeezing her own breast on her knees as Jacob slid the anal plug out of Mindy that she had worn to prepare for tonight as he had instructed in his text. He let it drop to the concrete floor and Mindy begged, "Fuck me sir. Please fuck my ass sir."

Jacob pushed into her lubricated ass and thrust deeply. Mindy groaned and began to cum, a convulsive shivering release that seemed to radiate through her again and again in waves. Kendall began her own orgasm, an unexpected response to the other woman's groan of pleasure. It was a violent orgasm that rocked through her. She felt herself squirt, an explosion of wetness soaking her fingers and panties, surprising her. Kendall cried out and put a hand over her mouth to silence herself. The intense pleasure of her first squirting orgasm nearly overwhelming her. She pushed another finger into herself. She came again, almost involuntarily as another, more powerful ejaculation of fluid squirted out of her.

Jacob was thrusting into Mindy and she saw him push deeply into her, and hold himself inside her. She had never seen a man cum from that perspective and she wanted badly to feel that full feeling of being fucked and filled with cum. She came again this time biting the back of her hand to stop herself from screaming. She herself had dabbled and experimented with anal play and even managed anal sex a couple of times with Robert, but neither she nor Robert would have put it as something they strongly desired.

Kendall collapsed forward, catching herself, panting on the floor. Her body trembled and her legs spasmed involuntarily. She curled up into a fetal position, one hand over her pussy, willing herself to stop cumming, but she couldn't seem to stop. Another mini orgasm hit her and she wondered if these waves of pleasure would ever end.

She lay there, quivering, unable to control her own body or mind. She panted softly, laying on her side, curled into a ball next to a robe on the floor that was drenched with her orgasmic fluids. Her panties were soaked as if she had gone swimming in them, but she neither noticed nor cared. She lay there for a long time, slowly telling herself to breathe. She was completely untethered from anything else in the universe except the blissful peace of her release. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them the lights outside were off and Jacob and Mindy were gone.

She stood up slowly. She found her phone. It was after 11 pm. She had passed out or fainted or fallen asleep for at least twenty minutes. She was shell shocked, embarrassed, and confused. She looked out the sliding door to the pool that was empty and dark. She briefly wondered if it had been a dream. It felt like it should be a dream. But the robe on the floor and her underwear, still wet and now cold on her body would not be discounted to a dream. She went to the bathroom, slipped out of her panties, washed them in the sink, then got in the shower.

What had just happened to her? She didn't know. She climbed into the bed and fell into a deep and restful sleep. She had never felt more whole and content in her life.

Mindy would have understood.

Twelve

Kendall woke to her alarm, dressed quickly, and was once again whisked back to the airport in the corporate helicopter. She did not see either Mindy or Jacob and last night had taken on the quality of a dream. As she got out of the helicopter and turned to get her luggage, the pilot said, "Mrs. Baker. Jacob asked that I give you this."

She took a bag from him and opened it. Inside was a bottle of wine, unopened. It was the same vintage that she had shared with Jacob the night before. A note said, "Enjoy this with your next pizza."

She smiled and said, "Tell him I said thanks".

The pilot nodded and said, "I will. He must really like you."

She asked, "Why is that?"

The pilot shrugged and said, "You really don't know?" She shook her head and the pilot said, "My wife is a wine lover. I sent her a picture of that bottle since I had never heard of it. She said that bottle cost more than my last car."

Kendall's mouth fell open. She said, "Seriously?"

The pilot nodded. He said, "I looked it up online. It costs fifty grand a bottle and you have to buy insurance just to get it shipped to you."

Kendall gripped the bottle tighter and thought, Jesus fucking Christ.