She had come, damn her. He had fucked her, but it had been Vern Shipley she had wanted all along. He let his full weight he on her until he had regained his breath. Then he bit her hard on the shoulder, slapped her and stood up to leave.
"Don't look at me, bitch," he said. "Don't you dare look back at me or try to call for help while I'm leaving. I-I'll kill you if you do. I'll kill you and that mo-thah-fuckah, Vernon Shipley."
Roscoe Snyder pulled his pants up, straightened himself up and quickly departed.
Chapter 10
Grimacing, Vern Shipley leaned back in his desk chair. The elastic belt that supported his cracked ribs pinched hard beneath his shirt. He adjusted the belt, then stared glumly out his office window. Fortunately, the pain was bearable with the pain pills his doctor had given him. He thought of Maria Reese and a painful sadness engulfed him. Yes, Maria's absence was striking him in both the gut and the pocketbook!
Two weeks had passed since Roscoe Snyder had attacked him in the same parking lot at which he now stared. Since then, both his personal life and his business life had gone steadily to hell. Maria Reese would not see him. Lance Gregory had forbidden both Maria and Judy to communicate with him, and they had obeyed. Vern had not been able to contact Lance Gregory either since his goon, Roscoe, had administered the beating. Lance had been out of town. Vern sighed, more depressed than he could ever remember. How in hell was he supposed to explain Maria's continued absence to Wyatt, Hendricks, Reardon? This weekend, at the Montague Country Club, Reardon and Hendricks had promised to sign their contracts with Shipley Research, providing Maria were there! Damn it, everything seemed to be backfiring. They had insisted on Maria's presence. Vern did not know what he would do. He would have to think of something.
He ran his hand over his face. Well, at least that ape, Roscoe Snyder, was in the hospital after Lars Brunsgaard's little 'visit,' Vern thought And tonight, if all went as planned, he and Lars would nail Lance Gregory as he came home from the airport. Lars had learned the time of Gregory's arrival from his ineffectual secretary. Yes, tonight Lance Gregory would pay-just as Roscoe Snyder had paid…
Vern felt a slight twinge of remorse at the thought of Roscoe's beating. The truth was, he had never thought himself capable of indulging in such "brutal" tactics. But Maria had altered his entire personality in some way. It was as if she had freed the animal within him-sexually and otherwise. Yes, he had actually ordered the beating of Roscoe and, tonight, he hoped to personally even the score with Lance Gregory. He and Lars would 'take' the sonofabitchl
Still, deep inside, Vern knew that beating people up or having them beaten up would never erase the terrible emptiness he felt since Maria had stopped seeing him. How could he have ever let her get under his skin (his foreskin?) this way? Hell, he hadn't even thought of Ellen these past few weeks.
Impetuously, Vern picked up the phone and dialed Dream-Date. Lance's secretary answered and, disguising his voice, he asked for Maria Reese.
"I'm sorry, but she isn't in today," the secretary said. "May I take a message? Miss Reese called in to say she wasn't feeling well."
"No message," Vern said, and hung up. It wasn't yet 11:00. Maria liked to sleep in. Vern hoped he could catch Maria at home. He dialed her home number, it rang three times, and Maria answered. "Hullo?" she said groggily.
"Hi, honey," Vern said. "It's me. Don't hang up. II have to talk to you…not only about Hendricks and Reardon, but about me. Baby, I'm going crazy. You've got to see me."
"I told you, Vern," Maria said firmly. "It's all over between us. I-I made my decision. I'm Lance Gregory's woman. I did feel something for you-I wasn't lying ever-but there's something special between Lance and myself. That's it. Now please don't ever bother me again. Lance is just liable to have you killed! Please, Vern. Use your head."
"That's not very-likely," Vern said angrily. "It might just be the other way around." Vern forced a laugh. "Who's he gonna get to nail me? Certainly not Roscoe. Huh-uh."
"If you're the one responsible for Roscoe being in the hospital, you'd better leave town, Vern. Lance will tear you into little pieces. You-you didn't do that to him, did you?"
"What if I did? Would you care if I did get torn up?"
There was a long silence. "I'm going to hang up, Vern. I-I don't want to talk to you anymore. I have to meet-Lance's plane this evening and I refuse to get all upset. There's going to be a cocktail party at his place and everything and-and I refuse to let you get me all worked up."
"I can't believe you still don't want me," Vern said, groping his crotch. "Honey, guess what I'm holding right now? It's getting nice and hard for you, baby? Want some, hmmm? Come on, you know we had something going you can't ever replace." Vern was surprised at his boldness here in the office. "Wanna fuck, huh sugar? Remember what it used to be like?"
Maria let out a groan. "Please, Vern," she said, breathlessly. "I-I'm still in bed, and-and this isn't fair of you. Don't do this to me and-and to yourself."
"But you do remember, don't you? Go ahead, hon. Put your hand down there and let's-let's get off together. Go ahead, hon. Listen, my hard-on is out and I'm masturbating. Do it to yourself while I jack off."
"You-you bastard," Maria gasped. "I-I want to hang-up, b-but I can't. Are-are you really doing it?"
Vern put the phone down at his crotch and beat his meat harder. "Yeah, listen…
He put his ear to the phone again. "Ohhhhh," Maria groaned. "I-I don't want to, but I can't help it…I'm fingering my pussy."
Vern kept talking to her as he steadily masturbated and listened to her muffled gasps.
"Tell me when you're almost there," Maria said. "You have to t-tell me…tell me when y-you're ready to go off."
"Does your cunt feel all juicy, sugar?" Vern asked.
"Ummmm…Oh, yessss!"
"Good," Vern said suddenly, "when you're ready for the real thing, give me a call! Meanwhile, fuck yourself!"
Vern slammed the phone in its cradle, quickly brought himself to orgasm in his handkerchief, then stared up at the ceiling and grinned. He'd had the last laugh. Maria still hungered for his body-that's all he wanted to know. When she wanted him she knew where to find him. In the meantime, she would have to satisfy herself with second best-with Lance Gregory. He laughed so hard his ribs hurt. Beautiful Maria wanted him, but she was stuck with Lance
Gregory. That was beautiful, especially since he and Lars would take care of Lance tonight so that he wouldn't be able to satisfy any female!
Vern's prick had dwindled down to normal. He zipped up his fly, threw the handkerchief in the waste-basket and put his head back. In a moment, he was snoring loudly, peacefully, contentedly.
"Chief…wake up, Chief!"
Vern blinked and sat up straight in the chair. It was his partner, Stan Kettering, and Stan was jiggling him. "Okay, okay," Vern said. "I'm awake, I'm awake…" Vern shook his head. "Jeeus, can't a man even nap in his own office?"
"Ellen's on the phone, Chief. She says it's important. Just pick up the phone. She's already on the line."
Vern picked up the receiver. "Yeah," he said gruff-
"Hi, honey. I-I haven't bothered you because I know you've had a lot on your mind, but-but today I couldn't resist calling you. Please come to dinner tonight? I'm fixing something special."
"I'm sorry, Ellen. I don't think so. I-I have a previous engagement."
"Oh." Ellen sounded as if she might cry. "All right," she said. "But can we get together soon? You'll be surprised, hon. I've-I've lost almost fifteen pounds!"
"That's wonderful," Vern said without enthusiasm. "I'll be in touch, but tonight's out of the question. So long." He hung up.