The Contract Read Free Page B

work?  We should have kept Lance here—you look a little tense.  Maybe in addition to cleaning and pole dancing you could get someone to teach me some basic massage.”  I was using my pleasant voice.
    Cray said, “Apparently last night didn’t teach you much of anything.”
    That fucking pill.  “Cray, it did, really.”  I pitched my voice low and earnest.  The last thing I wanted was that pill again.  “I worked with Marleen for hours, and didn’t make a mess.”
    “You ignored my dictate about clothes, had Marleen do most of the work and got…a…massage!”
    “Lance said you really need to watch how often you use handcuffs over the head or I’ll get shoulder rotator problems.”
    Cray said, “I hadn’t intended to use that pill on you again.  It’s not available in the US, but I thought I’d give it a try with you.  Your reaction was so severe I didn’t think I’d ever need to use it again.”
    Unconsciously I tightened, jumping off the table.  “I don’t need that pill, okay?  I’ll do whatever you want to do.”  I really, really didn’t want that pill again.  The minute that pill took effect I lost my will and my dignity.  To be honest I didn’t have much left to me other than dignity and didn’t want to give it up too.
    Instead of answering, Cray went into the kitchen and came back holding one of the pills.  I backed away, hands out.  “Please don’t—it was really bad.”
    Cray said, “If you’d follow the rules I wouldn’t have to.”
    “You don’t have to now.  I mean, just don’t give it to me.”
    Cray said, “You have no self discipline.  That’s why you burned through a decently sized trust fund in mere years.  You knew your parents were cutting you off.  Yet you still lived as if money would always be there.”  His voice lowered, “And you knew I wouldn’t allow you to deviate from the rules I’d set, yet you did it anyway.  Little bitch, during your time with me there will be consequences for what you do.”
    “But your rules were absurd.”
    “Then negotiate them, but ignoring them will only get you punishment.”
    “Like you’re Mr. Flexible and would even listen to me if I tried to negotiate them.  Besides,” I said mutinously, “You do know that you get more behavior changes with positive reinforcement than with punishment.”
    Cray went back into the kitchen, and I thought I’d won this round.  When he returned with a glass of water and the pill I felt tears prick my eyes.  “Don’t do this.”  I suddenly changed tactics and turned to run. 
    I got two steps when he said, “Alyssa, do you believe that one way or another, I will get this pill down you?”
    I halted, my back to him and tears flowing out of my eyes.  Yes, the asshole would find a way to get it down me—eventually.  “Why shouldn’t I fight for that small chance that you don’t?”
    He walked up behind me, putting his hand on my shoulder.  I flinched at his touch.  “That’s a very smart question.  The answer is: if you take it quietly, right now, then you only take one.  If I have to call up a security team to hold you down, or find some other way to force it down, then not only will you have the humiliation of having strangers see you out of control and naked, but you will be taking two pills.  Think of what last night was like—would you like to have that doubled?”
    Oh hell no, I didn’t want that.  I took a deep breath and turned around, putting out my hands for the pill and water.  Before I could freak out further I took the pill, closing my eyes as I felt it go down.
    Cray’s hand came up and wiped at one of my tears, looking at it on his thumb as if fascinated by it.  I turned away from him and took the blanket from the massage table and put it around me like a cape, sliding down to sit cross-legged on the floor in the blanket like the world’s sulkiest swami.
    Cray left the room, only to return later dressed in casual clothes.  I felt a