Chapter 5
FIVE
Sophie
I close the door laughing, feeling better to have shared about Mack, even after the almost argument I just had with Zee.
I walk to the elevator, press the up button to call the lift and wave to Zee that he can go.
He stays put like the stubborn man he is.
Watching. Waiting for me to disappear out of sight.
It is funny that I was allocated Zee when all the other playmates I know were allocated men in their fifties to be their drivers.
Maybe there weren’t any available when I joined the Clarendon? I muse.
“Sophie, come in.” He acts like he was indeed expecting me.
My mouth opens and closes as I remember my manners.
If Robert notices my surprise, he doesn’t comment on it.
“Let me take your jacket,” he asks, standing quickly behind me, peeling my jacket from my shoulders before I’ve even answered him.
I try to gather my thoughts. I know this is not Mack for two reasons: One, Mack has brown wavy unruly hair and Robert has tight blond curls, clipped short.
Two, I’ve been booked by Robert more times than I can recall.
I would recognise everything about him if he were Mack. So why did Mack send me to Robert?
I turn to look back at Robert expectantly, trying to keep my features neutral and not show the ‘what the fuck is going on here, where is Mack?’ question on my mind. “Please call me Rory,” he says softly in his Irish lilt that always melts me.
“Rory?” I ask, confused if I heard him correctly.
“It’s my real name, well Ruairi is but Rory is easier,” he chuckles. “I’d like you to use my real name,” he confirms.
“Use your real name? Why?” I ask, barely able to string the words together because, aside from expecting Mack and getting Robert, this has never happened before.
“Because I would like our booking to be more personal, if you will allow it?”
“Why now?” I ask because we both know I’ve been seeing Robert for years.
“Things are changing Sophie, this is just the beginning.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“It will have to, for now. But it will be the only question that is left that way. Tonight is going to be special. For me but I hope for you too. It’s our beginning after all.”
The beginning of what exactly? is my first thought.
I’m caught between utter confusion and a responsibility to be professional and go along with my client’s wishes, even if everything so far seems absurd, and if I hadn’t met Rob— Rory before or knew to trust him, I would be more rattled.
I can go along with the changes, but understanding why things have changed seems to be off the table right now.
I want to ask if this has anything to do with Mack, but if it doesn’t, I really don’t want to offend him.
Instead I say, “Ok Rory, I will try and get used to remembering your actual name, I’ve never had to use someone’s real name in this job, it feels so much more intimate.
” I watch as the muscles around his eyes relax subtly and his rich chocolatey eyes look back at me, pleased I’m playing along with this new game of his.
“My real name on your lips is something I’ve longed to hear since the first time we met.”
“Rob— Rory,” I correct myself. “That’s been over two years,” I say. “What is happening now?”
“I want to make our time together more personal, more meaningful, and that starts with sharing my real name and ends with you moaning it. Shall we get started?” We are still standing just behind his front door after all, one I’ve never visited.
Did he get a new apartment or does he have many?
I wonder, not knowing much about Rory like most of my clients.
I turn my head to look around at the dark paneled walls painted in a luxe navy blue.
I want to ask him a question about where we are but I know better than to ask.
I know he said things are different but until I see how different he intends to be, I’m going to stick to how I usually conduct myself on our bookings.
Rory reaches for my hand, his warm fingers sliding around mine, making me tense initially and then I let myself relax into the feeling of being held by Rory.
His hand feels big and soft around mine, engulfing mine firmly and holding it hard enough to know he’s holding it tight but not to hurt, to mean something else.
What, I do not know. If I thought using his real name felt personal, holding his hand feels positively intimate.
I feel like I’ve been booked for the girlfriend experience rather than an electro play job and the Clarendon doesn’t even offer a girlfriend experience.
We haven’t moved from the door still, but I can feel the warmth of his forearm brushing against mine, he’s standing so close.
“Would you like a glass of champagne?” he asks brightly as though he’s offered me a glass of champagne every time I’ve arrived for one of his bookings.
“Sure, Rory, that would be lovely,” I reply, happy for the drink yet unsure why it’s being offered.
It’s definitely backing up my girlfriend experience theory.
Pleased by my answer, he begins to walk us down the corridor past a number of closed doors and to the right into a lofty, high-ceilinged room with a sleek black marble kitchen bench and expansive lounge room.
What catches my attention is the view. I stare at the glistening waters of the Melbourne Bay.
The blue sea extends for as far as my eyes can see and the view is breathtaking.
“Rory, the view,” I say, stunned and taking it in.
Rory leads me past the kitchen, the dining table and sofas to stand at the far end of the room looking out to sea.
I have a fairly decent apartment and can see glimpses of the sea from a great distance away, but not this close and this beautiful.
“Do you love it?” he asks, standing close behind my back so I can feel the warmth of his breath close to my ear.
“I love it, is this view all yours?” I ask.
“I knew you would. Yes it is.”
“You did?” I ask, wondering when I’d mentioned sea views before.
Our previous sessions are nearly always the same; Rory says very little except the minimum pleasantries, he undresses me, directs me to lie on his bed and blindfolds me.
Then he proceeds to terrorize me with the impending pain of the electro shocker.
He likes to watch me come undone in the anticipation of where he will strike on my body next.
I like the exhilaration of every shock and how the pain tingles through my body.
There is no denying I also like giving myself over to him, for him to get riled up in his power of dominance, in his control.
Then I come undone, completely at his mercy.
And as the time has gone on, I know what to expect from him, our working relationship is now one of trust and familiarity.
But never personal. Never talking, never champagne, not like right now.
“I just want the best for you, Sophie,” Rory smiles at me proudly, squeezing my hand gently.
I’m not sure how I should reply to this.
Robert— Rory I correct myself in my head.
He’s not acting himself. Mack sent me here, and that is not normal either.
Why is everything not as it seems any more?
Everything I am experiencing is nothing like what I was expecting.
I like this new deviation from my usual though, so I’ll play along.
“Thank you,” I say, “but you really don’t need to do anything for me, you’re the client. ”
“Everything is for you,” he stares into my eyes and all I see are blown pupils of desire. I bite my tongue with the ‘huh?’ that comes to mind. Instead I ask with my eyes but leave the question unsaid on my lips.
“Here. Come sit,” he guides me over to a low sleek black leather sofa. “I’ll open the champagne while you enjoy the view,” as though it’s me who is the client and we have switched roles.
“T-thank you,” I say, confused and pleased by the offered drink as I settle myself down on the sofa to watch the waves break out to sea.
I hear a fridge open and glasses being arranged on the kitchen counter.
Then I jump at the sound of the popping of the cork.
I turn to see Rory, in his usual dark trousers and crisp white polo shirt open at the neck, walk towards me holding two flutes of champagne.
He hands me a flute and sits down at my end of the long sofa to touch his glass to mine.
“To new beginnings,” he repeats his words from earlier.
I repeat the words, having absolutely no idea what our new beginnings actually are but I’ve made the decision, I’m ready for a new beginning, whatever it looks like.
Apparently Rory and potentially Mack know what that is about to look like.
Seems odd, but fuck it. I take a sip of the bubbling golden liquid and enjoy the popping on my tongue as I swallow the crisp liquid down.
I sit back a little deeper into the sofa and look out of the window, absorbing the view.
I can feel Rory’s eyes on me so I turn to see him enjoying his view.
He’s smiling at me like whatever is going on in his head is making him happy.
“What’s changed?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“Nothing has changed per se. I’m dropping the act. I want our time together here today to feel less like a paid exchange and more relaxed. Do you mind?”
“Do I mind?” I can’t help but laugh. “Of course not. You have no idea how much I want to speak to clients. I’m used to being professional, doing my job and understanding what a client wants but I always crave knowing more.
That’s often the downside of the job. The disconnect caused by the privacy policy. ”