Inner Circle (7 page)

Ann and Billy looked puzzled, “Where?” Billy asked. “Who with?”

“Tell them,” Bennett said. “Tell them about the new man in your life who’s been helping you get over your recent tragic loss.”

Kathy looked down at the floor, “Simon Ruben,” she said. “I’m seeing Simon Ruben. The dinner party is at his home.” Kathy glanced at Billy and Ann, then looked away. “Mr. Ruben has…has been good to me. I’ve become…” She stopped. Dolan caught her eye and nodded. She looked at her friends, “Mr. Ruben has been kind and…and…I’ve become attracted to him. He’s not at all the kind of man we thought him to be.” She noticed Dolan’s hand rested on the napkin covering the recorder.

He smiled at her but spoke to Billy and Ann, “Mrs. Ryan has finally admitted she and her late husband had done our friend Simon a great disservice in the matter you just mentioned. Simon has very generously forgiven her and so, I believe, has his niece.” He turned back to Kathy, “Would you like to explain, Mrs. Ryan?”

Kathy felt as if her stomach were dissolving. The incredulous faces of her friends went in and out of focus. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dolan’s finger tap the recorder again. She thought of her sister-in-law, still a captive at the Facility. She remembered the hungry rats scurrying around in their cage. Fighting to hold back the tears, she looked at Ann and Billy, “Mr. Dolan is right.” She stopped to take a deep breath. “I knew back then. I knew last year that Jeff…that Jeff and the girl…Simon’s niece were lovers and had been for some time. There were letters and other things.”

Billy’s face was red with anger, “You mean Ruben was telling the truth and you and Jeff were…were…”

“Lying,” Kathy said. “Yes, I’m so ashamed but…but…” she couldn’t finish.

Billy stepped closer, “I think, for some ungodly reason, you’re lying now. Jeff couldn’t have. He just couldn’t have!” His voice rose and he glared at Dolan and Bennett.

“I assure you, Mr. Hastings,” Dolan said evenly, “what Mrs. Ryan has just told you is the truth. The slanderous accusations she and her child-molesting husband made last year almost destroyed our dear friend and his niece. Tell them, Mrs. Ryan, tell them.”

Kathy could not look at her friends. She lowered her eyes and spoke just above a whisper, “What Mr. Dolan has said is true. Jeff deceived me. Both of us deceived our friends. Together we tried to ruin Mr. Ruben and Sheila. They have forgiven me and I am most grateful to them.” She looked up at her friends, “I’m sorry,” she said, “more sorry than you can imagine.”

Billy glared at the two men, then turned to Kathy, “We know Jeff couldn’t possibly have had an affair with that skinny, loud-mouthed girl. My god, she was only sixteen or seventeen then. Jeff would never touch her.”

Kathy lifted her head to look directly at Billy, “There are photographs, Billy. Photographs of the two of them. And there are letters, letters they wrote to each other.”

Dolan winked at Billy, “She was just telling us about the long and rather intimate afternoon she spent alone with Simon Ruben.” He placed his hand on Kathy arm and squeezed, “Maybe you might even have let him kiss you, Mrs. Ryan? Did you find our old friend, what shall I say….compelling?”

Kathy lowered her eyes, “Yes, he’s been so good to me…so understanding, and…and forgiving, I let him kiss me and…and.”

Her friends stepped back staring at her in disbelief. Dolan increased the pressure on her arm, “Perhaps, as you get to know him better, you may even well, you know? You might become attracted enough to let him do more than kiss you.” He winked at Billy and Ann.

Not looking up, Kathy spoke loud enough so that her words would be recorded, “This afternoon I was surprised to find my feelings for Mr. Ruben were…were…strong…very strong I…I might let him…let him…” her voice trailed off.

Without another word, Billy took his wife’s arm and they hurried out. Bennett once more placed his hand on Kathy’s knee and parted her legs. “Well done, Mrs. Ryan,” he said. “Simon will be pleased.” His pudgy hand moved along the inside of her thigh. “News like this spreads fast in our little community. By tonight neither you nor your husband will have a reputation worth a Canadian nickel.”

Dolan laughed, “And wait till the word goes round that the beautiful young widow of Jeffery Ryan has fallen in love with Simon Ruben! Or maybe she’s just hungry for old Simon’s fat prick?”

Kathy felt the tears trickle down her cheeks. Dolan asked Rudy for the phone. He pushed some numbers and handed it to Kathy. Ruben was on the line, “Are you tired, my little pet?” he asked.

Kathy could hardly answer. “Yes,” she said finally, “yes, I’m terribly tired.”

“But you’re never too tired to address me with affection and want to please me, yes?”

Kathy closed her eyes, hesitating, “I…I’ll do what you say.”

“Affection,” he repeated.

She glanced at the two men who were grinning, “Yes, darling,” she said.

“Of course, you will,” Ruben chuckled. “There’s never going to be a question about that.” He paused. “I’m sure you’ve met two of my very best friends who, incidentally, will be at our private party at my house. But right now I want you to invite them to your house.”

“Oh, please no, I’m so exhausted….” Kathy began.

Ruben cut her off, “On the drive to your house, you will sit in the front between my friends. By the time you arrive, I want you to have made their cocks hard. Phone me as soon as you get there. I’ll want a report and I will also have more instructions for you. Is that clear?”

Dolan and Bennett smiled as Kathy said, “Yes, dear, I understand.”

Ruben chuckled, “Do I make you hot and wet? Say it affectionately and loud enough for them to hear. I don’t want no simple ‘yes’, you understand.”

Rudy was nearby. “Yes, honey, you excite me. You make me hot and wet.”

“You want me?”

“Yes, honey, I want you.”

“You’ll come to me naked. You’ll give yourself to me naked in my bed?” It was a question.

She glanced at Rudy and then at the two men on either side of her, “Yes, I want you.” She paused. He was waiting. “I want you very much. I’ll come to your bed. I’ll be naked for you.”

“That’s right, little pet, you will, every night. You’re mine now?” It was a question.

“Yes, honey, I’m yours.”

“Let me talk to Dolan.”

She handed the phone to Dolan. He listened for a few moments smiling and nodding to Bennett. Before hanging up, he told Rubin about the dance Kathy’s friends were having tomorrow night at the Country Club. There was a long pause while he listened. He hung up the phone and told Rudy to have the valet bring his car around. Turning to Kathy he said, “Isn’t there something you’d like to ask us?”

Kathy swallowed, fighting against the tears she felt coming, “I’d like to invite you and Mr. Bennett to…to…come to my house for a little while.”

“Well, thank you, Mrs. Ryan, but isn’t that a bit odd? We’ve only just now become acquainted and uh…your husband has recently died. Am I correct in assuming no one will be there but the three of us?” He’d spoken loud enough for Rudy and the black worker to hear.

Blushing, Kathy looked down at her hands, which were folded on the bar. “Yes, my husband is dead. No one’s there. There will just be the three of us.”

Bennett placed his damp hand over hers and squeezed, “Maybe the widow Ryan is lonely for some male companionship? Is that it, Mrs. Ryan? Maybe your bed has been empty too long?” He slid his other arm around her waist.

Kathy drew in her breath, “Yes,” she said.

“Yes what?”

Kathy glanced at Rudy who looked away, “Yes, my bed has been empty too long.”

The car pulled up at the front door. On the way out, Kathy noticed the window washer had put down his squeegee and turned to watch them.

Dolan drove and Kathy sat between him and Bennett. Aware that she would have to give an account to Ruben when they arrived at her house and that she’d been ordered to arouse his two friends, she placed a hand on each of their crotches. “Ahh,” Dolan sighed, “it appears the lovely widow Ryan wants something. Tell us, what you’re touching? What is it you want?”

Neither man had begun to get hard. Her house was only ten minutes away. If she failed to carry out Ruben’s orders, she might find herself tied over the cage again. She took a moment to unzip them and slid her hand inside their trousers and shorts. To her dismay both were small and limp. “I..I…want your cocks,” she said. She began to squeeze their flaccid pricks attempting to masturbate them. She turned to Bennett. “Please, unbutton me. Feel my breasts…my…my nipples.”

Quickly he opened her blouse. “My God, Dolan, look at those beautiful long nipples. Her tits are just as firm as they were when she was fifteen…those days we watched her at the pool.” He lowered his head to suck on her nipple and felt it stiffen immediately. He looked up at her, the saliva wet on his lips, “I see some red scratches on your pretty titties. Was old Ruben a little rough on you? Do you like rough play?”

Kathy felt his cock begin to swell. “Yes, Mr. Ruben can be…be demanding. I need…I mean I like it…like what he does to me.”

Bennett reached for the other nipple and pinched it. Kathy gasped but continued to masturbate both men. Dolan, too, began to harden. “Tell us,” he said, “what you’re going to do when we get to your house.”

They were only about a mile away. Their small cocks had begun to stiffen but were not erect. “I’ll get you drinks. Then I’ll try to make myself pretty for you. I’ll change into something else; something I hope you’ll like. I’ll let you do whatever you want to me.”

“Where? Where are we going to have our little party?” Bennett asked.

The thought of desecrating her bedroom by bringing these two despicable men into it sickened her. She was about to say the living room or the basement game room when Bennett dug his fingernails into her sore breast. “The bedroom,” she said.

“Be more specific,” Bennett twisted her nipple.

“My bed,” she gasped. “We’ll do what you want in my bed.”

Dolan glanced at her, “Maybe we’d like to play rough too, like your lover Simon. Maybe we’ll tie you to the bed. Would you like that? Would you like to be tied so you couldn’t move? Would we have to gag you to keep you from yelling?”

They were pulling into her driveway. Both cocks had stiffened in her hands. “Yes, you can do whatever you like. There’s no need for a gag. I won’t make any noise.” Emotionally and physically Kathy felt she was ready to collapse. But she couldn’t deny the warm rush downward to the moist crevice between her parted legs.

Inside the house she hurried to make drinks for the men. Dolan stayed behind to take something out of the trunk. With her blouse still unbuttoned, she handed Bennett his Scotch and water. He placed it on the coffee table and quickly pulled her to him. “Kiss,” he demanded. His sour breath washed over her. Dutifully, she opened her mouth to receive his thick tongue. Her bare breasts were tight against his damp shirt. They heard the trunk door slam. Bennett released her. “Now, Mrs. Ryan, go into the bedroom and, after you call Simon, get yourself all sexed up in something hot. Let us know when you’re ready for party time.”

Kathy closed the bedroom door behind her. She took several minutes to compose herself before dialing Simon. He answered by asking, “ Did you tease them? Were they hard?”

“Yes...yes, Simon, they were.”

“If you get any ideas about not following orders, just take a look at the marks on your tits. You have an active imagination, Mrs. Ryan. You know I delight in hurting you…hurting you bad.”

“Please, Simon, I understand…understand completely.”

“I told my two friends they can do whatever they wanted to do and you wouldn’t object. I told them the only thing they can’t do is fuck your cunt. They can fuck your ass and fuck your mouth. I told them they can mark your body somewhere just as I marked your tits. It will give all of us something to laugh about when you are naked crawling around on the floor next Friday. They are coming to see me later tonight when they’re through with you. The report better be a good one.”

When he hung up, Kathy stood still for several moments, the receiver in her hand. Her legs were trembling. She undressed and sat at her make-up table concentrating on keeping her hand from shaking as she applied the lipstick and gloss. From the closet she took a pale blue transparent dressing gown that tied with a sash at her waist. She brushed her black hair and slid her bare feet into a pair of clear vinyl slides with pencil thin very high heels.

She looked at the king-sized bed and couldn’t believe that a year ago it was where she and Jeff made love and slept and, in the mornings, made love again. His hairbrush and cologne were on the dresser. His robe hung in the closet along with his ties and suits and belts. His golf bag and tennis rackets were in the corner. His smiling photograph was on the nightstand. They’d been so close, so much in love, so happy. She forced back the tears that had started to well up in her eyes.

From the living room Dolan shouted, “What the hell are you doing in there!”

Kathy’s head throbbed. The past twelve hours had put an unbearable physical and emotional strain on her. She determined to get this over with as soon as possible. She opened the door and walked down the short hallway and across the living room to stand, head bowed, before the two men. “Show us your cunt,” Dolan ordered. Kathy parted her gown.