Page 29 of The Bargain

“What? Is the question that difficult to answer?” I was trying here, but she was irritating me again.

“No, I'm just waiting for the punchline,” She replied, trying to sound detached but there was hurt in her voice.

“Punchline?” What the hell did she mean?

She shrugged. “You know, maybe, why do girls like me need to know how to read? Kamasutra is a picture book, but that’s not painful enough. Come on, give me your best.”

I stared at her angrily. She was really getting on my last nerve.

“Come,” I barked. Turning around, I headed for the south corridor. That was my side of the house, a part that had purposely not been shown to her. I was not even sure why I was taking her there now.

“Where are we going?” The uncertainty in her voice made me roll my eyes. She lived in the worst area of the city, used to have sex with strangers and she was afraid of me? Ludicrous.

“Well, I’ve been thinking. You must be a bit bored since you can’t fuck on an hourly basis...” I trailed off coldly. I was just trying to be civil to her, why was she questioning me.

She remained silent as we stopped in front of two heavy wooden doors. I was slightly disappointed that she hadn’t taken the bait. She gripped the baby monitor closer to her chest. I hadn’t even thought about the child, but she had. She always did.

“So I thought we may as well occupy you in a more...productiveway.”

She was about to answer when I opened the door. Anything she might have said died in her mouth.

She walked in with an awed look on her face, her mouth slightly ajar.

“This is unbelievable!” she gasped, swirling around slowly, craning her neck to see the many shelves full of books. They ran floor-to-ceiling and against every wall.

“It’s like stepping into The Beauty and the Beast!” When she beamed, I was taken aback by her smile. The freshness of her face without her permanent wariness. She looked so young, so innocent, especially dressed in her faded blue jeans, checkered shirt, and red converses. She looked like a sweet young girl.

I started to smile too before remembering who she really was - the addicted, manipulative, vindictive hooker who’d driven my brother to an early grave.

I guess the fresh youth look was quite a big seller in her circle.

“You’ve got two libraries?” she asked, turning her back to me, as she inspected the shelves closer to her. She ran her forefinger along the spine of each book.

I looked at her finger going down softly, as if she was caressing the books and I could almost feel her on my skin. I was startled at the thought and angry too that she could entice these types of thoughts in me. She was sleeping with literally everyone. It'll be a cold day in Hell before I stuck my shaft into her overused cunt.

“Mr. Beaumont?”

I cleared my throat, scowling at her. “What?” I barked.

“I, uh -” She took an instinctive step back, colliding into the bookshelf. “I was just wondering why two libraries.”

“This is a library-” I motioned around us. “What you saw before is barely a salon, a place to receive guests somewhere a little more inviting than my office.” I sneered, “But you know all about ‘inviting environments’, don’t you?”

She looked away and blinked rapidly, most likely trying to keep the tears at bay.

I did feel like a bastard. I did. I was not cruel, no, truly I wasn't. I was ruthless. I took what I wanted and didn't have much consideration of what stood in my way and she stood in my way - in more ways than one and she was a fiercer adversary than I’d anticipated, and I needed her gone. She’d give up, there was only so much hate and condescension a person could take. I was crushing her, degrading her every chance I got - She’d have to give in soon.

“Can I use it?” She asked and I almost felt guilty at the tremble in her voice…almost.

“Why else would I have shown it to you?” I adjusted the sleeves of my suit before pointing at one of the highest shelves on the left. “I believe you’ll find what you’re looking for on this shelf - all the erotic literature, not many illustrations or pictures I’m afraid but you may be able to keep up.” I looked at my watch. “I have other places to be.” Anywhere you’re not. “You’re welcome in this room, but nowhere else in this wing. All the doors are locked and there isn’t much to steal”.

She pursed her lips and hugged herself but didn't say anything else. What could she even say?

I turned around but as I reached the threshold, she spoke.

“Thank you,” she enunciated clearly, her voice was devoid of sarcasm. It was one of genuine gratitude.

I should have kept on walking as if she hadn’t spoken. Her gratitude didn't deserve my acknowledgment and yet, despite everything I knew I should do, I didn’t...I couldn’t.

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