Page 68 of Violent Delights

Chapter 41

Joseph

Why the fuck would they call me? That has never happened before - because it’s not supposed to happen. Everything is clearly stated in the contract. There’s to be absolutely no contact between the agency and me, or the agency and her.

Unless there’s an emergency.

But how could there be an emergency? Everything is going perfect, almost too perfect, with Ruby.

For a moment, I consider not picking up because this must clearly be a mistake. But not picking up would be another breach. I’ve agreed to answering if they try to reach me, no matter what. I have to pick up.

“Yes,” I say, sounding as irritated as I am.

“Mr. Bennett?” a female voice at the other end asks.

It’s Lisa, the woman who handles the ‘contacts,’ as they call them. She has been my contact person for every part of this transaction.

“Yes, of course it’s me,” I bark at her.

“This is Lisa speaking, from Violent Delights-”

“I know,” I interrupt her. “What’s wrong? Why are you calling me?”

Lisa clears her throat, letting precious seconds pass before she replies.

“Mr. Bennett, I’m surprised we didn’t hear back from you already,” she says. “We were just contacted by Miss Ruby Red, and she said she was never picked up. I don’t know why she waited this long to inform us, but I’m even more surprised you never let us know that the arrangement was off?”

Her words knocked every wisp of air from my lungs. I stand motionless, not even breathing, as my blood runs cold through my veins and the words bounce back and forth in my skull.

They were contacted by a woman named Ruby Red.

The woman I bought to play my slave. The woman who’s supposed to be upstairs right now, waiting for my return.

And she said she’s never been picked up.

“Mr. Bennett?”

“Are you… are you sure?” I stutter, my voice cracking on every word.

Lisa appears to be startled by my question.

“Yes, she came to the agency herself and said her time window passed without being picked up,” she says. “She’s asking for compensation because of the stress and the inconvenience.”

I can’t reply. I feel as if a clamp is closing around my chest, stealing my breath and robbing me of my ability to speak. My face is stuck in an incredulous expression with an unblinking stare as my brain desperately scrambles to make sense of this.

“Did something come up?” Lisa asks, breaking into my stunned stupor. “How come you never contacted us? Is something wrong?”

She clears her throat, pausing for a moment before she continues speaking.

“Mr. Bennett, if there’s anything wrong with Miss Red, you’ll have to tell us. Is she telling the truth? Did something about her not please you? If so, why didn’t you let us know?”

I’m still rendered speechless, my mouth opening and shutting like a goldfish with no sound coming out, as I try to gather myself. I fail to comprehend what’s happening, managing only a stunned shake of my head as the woman on the other end of the line starts losing her patience.

“Mr. Bennett?” she presses. “Are you still with me?”

I have to say something. Something.

My first instinct is to tell her that this must be a mistake because there is a Ruby Red in my house right now, and she has been here for the past three weeks, just as agreed upon.

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