In a Way...

I stepped out of the building, my head still spinning. I felt like I had just woken up from some sort of strange dream. John had said something to me, I knew it, but I wasn't quite sure what. Something about Simon? My memory was a bit fuzzy. I looked around and spotted him, waiting for me by the street. As soon as my eyes landed on him my heart started pounding, and I could feel my cheeks turning a deep shade of red. It was strange. It felt like I was falling in love with him all over again. He looked gorgeous, standing there, looking at me.

I ran up to him and threw my arms around him, pushing my mouth against his in a passionate kiss. He didn't seem to share my excitement, but he was still kissing me back.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

He was frowning. "Are you... Are you alright, Ashley?" he asked, clearly confused and a bit worried. "Did that bastard order you to act like this?"

I flinched at his words, almost feeling like he had slapped me. "Oh god, Simon... Why would you say something like that?" I didn't understand how he could be so fucking ungrateful. John had been generous enough to allow him to share me, despite the fact that I was his property, and now he was insulting him. "John is a good man. You should be thankful," I said and pulled away from him, crossing my arms across my chest.

He shook his head, looking horrified. "Are you hearing yourself? You're defending him, after what he just did?"

"After what he just did?! After he allowed us to be together?!" I couldn't believe this was happening. I thought Simon was smarter than this, but apparently I was wrong. "You should show him more respect, Simon. I belong to him now. Not you. The fact that he even allows you to see me is a testimony to his generosity."

"Ashley, can't you see how fucked up this is? He messed up your mind. He made you his sex ****." He insisted on the words, saying them slowly, as if I were stupid. I rolled my eyes. "I'm gonna fix this," he said.

"You're not going to fix anything!" I said, almost yelling at him, leading a few heads to turn in our direction in the dark street. "He can do anything he wants with me, because he owns me. He owns my thoughts, my actions, my body. I'm his property." Why did I even have to explain such an obvious thing? I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "Now... If you want to have any part in my life, you need to stop being such a fucking whiny brat, and accept that I'm on a loan from John. It's not your place to fix anything. It's not your place to do anything. Just enjoy your time with me while he's being generous, or leave me be. Those are your choices, Simon."

He stood there, his jaw clenched. "Fine," he said after a moment, clearly still pissed, but it seems he was finally coming to terms with the situation. This somehow washed away all the bad feelings that had been building inside me, and I was once again feeling like I had had when I stepped out of the building. The butterflies were back, and I couldn't help but to smile at him. I put a hand on his cheek. He didn't flinch, but he wasn't leaning into the touch, either.

"I know this is tough for you," I said. "But I'm sure we can work this out. I'll make this worth your while. I promise." And with that I slid my hands under his shirt, letting them glide up his chest. I could feel him shiver at the touch, but he wasn't protesting. "Your half, your rules. You might be just a tenant, but you get to be the one who decides what happens." My words were having an effect on him, and despite his misgivings, I could tell he was getting into the mood. I realized I was still horny for my master, but felt a duty to take care of Simon, too. "Let's go home," I whispered and pulled him into a kiss.