She was taller than me and I had to fight to stay still as she leaned down and kissed me fully on the lips. I stayed still through it and when she finally pulled back she had a satisfied look on her face at having shook me up from my usually cool reserve.
I looked her square in the eye and said, "I'm not going to be your whore! Our business relationship together does not extend that far!"
She stroked my chin again as she chuckled wickedly, "Honey our relationship goes as far as I say it does and you know it. Don't forget what I have over your gorgeous head of hair darling. All it takes is one phone call and a package will be sent on its way. By all means resist me if you want honey, but you'll pay one way or the other."
I said nothing in reply. I had a lot of respect for the five men who had walked out and risked the loss of everything that mattered to them.
They'd done something that I had never managed to do. I just didn't have the guts to face that kind of loss.
Francesca straightened the lapels of my blouse as she took my silence to be a surrender to the inevitable, "That's better. Glad to see that you're coming around to your senses. Now I'm having a party at my place in the country tomorrow. It's sort of a victory celebration if you will and no one is more worthy of being honored as part of the victory team then you are my dear. It is clear to me, that without your legal and expert advice, today wouldn't have gone off nearly so smoothly and for that I am very grateful to you. You've done your job well, like a good pet." She said, as she grasped my chin firmly and shook my head slightly back and forth.
She smiled then and there was nothing nice about the smile, "Don't worry darling I'll break you in easy. No bruises to start out I promise. I sent you a package. It should arrive this afternoon. Wear what you find in it to the party if you know what's good for you. See you at seven Kim."
She let go of my chin and made to pass by me, but stopped alongside of me. The long fingernails of her hand dug into one of the cheeks of my bottom painfully through the dress I wore as she leaned in close to my ear to say, "And if you should perhaps be thinking about switching sides and being a little tattletale I don't suggest it! Don't forget that you are involved knee-deep yourself in all the highly illegal activities and procedures that we've had to do in order to make this hostile takeover such a thriving success. While a jail cell may look like a more tempting alternative to you than my upcoming party and amorous plans for you I assure you it is not! I have friends in high places and the money to see that I live like a queen for a year or two behind bars as I serve a highly reduced sentence, while you will be a worn-out broken piece of raw flesh within a week. Don't doubt me Kim, I will see to it if you double-cross me!"