Taken by Cassandre Dayne

a sigh of relief.
    You can do this.
    She placed her phone on the table, fingering the screen. Just then a text popped in.
    Are you hungering for me? Are your panties wet, longing for a hard whipping?
    Dear God not now. Her thoughts drifted and for some reason she could feel the slip of material from her panties in the crack of her ass. She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and sat down, as nervous as she’d ever been. A few seconds later she breathed out, more determined than ever. This case was a slam-dunk.
    A few seconds later she heard a commotion and stood, knowing she would soon meet the illustrious attorney. She knew his name, had heard about his shark reputation. Ryland Simpson sounded very much like Craze. Dear God, please no.
    “Ms. Parker.”
    The words, his sound was in a vacuum, the voice low and husky. Just like Craze’s. No. No. This can’t be happening. Everything was echoing, her pulse racing. Gulping, she turned around – and breathed a sigh of relief. The man standing in front of her was definitely not Craze. Shorter by almost a foot, his voice certainly didn’t match his stature. “Mr. Simpson?”
    “Indeed. I’ve heard a lot about you.” He narrowed his eyes.
    And I’ve heard nothing about you . “You as well. I look forward to working with you.” They shook hands and she muffled a sigh as he walked in front to his desk. Thank you. Thank you . A smile crested her face. Now she could get down to business.
    ****
    Craze stood in front of he mirror in his office, studying his face. He was clean-shaven. Far too clean shaven in his mind. He longed to be on the bike with Jess, finding the perfect location for an outdoor beating. He could see her tied to a tree, her lovely body glowing in the sunlight. His cock stiffened as he thought about whipping her, starting with her feet and legs, her stomach and breasts. He exhaled and gave himself a harsh look. “You’re a sick man.” At this point he didn’t care. He needed her as much as she needed him.
    Right now, he had a job to do, one he hadn’t been looking forward to. This was perhaps the most defining moment of his career. Groaning, he adjusted his tie, folding down the collar of his pressed white shirt. Grabbing his coat, he thought about the day ahead. This was going to push him to the limits. He had zero tolerance for men like Martin. None. He only prayed to some God the prosecutor had a solid case. Selecting a qualified jury could potentially take days.
    As he slipped into the jacket, he heard a knock on the door. “Come.”
    “Looking spiffy, my man. You could almost pass.”
    “Funny Mark. Is everything set?”
    “Yeah. I know I shouldn’t make a judgment call, but I have to tell you, the prosecutor has done an excellent job of putting everything together. The pool of jurors isn’t entirely what I’d call prime, but I’m certain a solid group will be selected.”
    “Martha?” He adjusted his cuffs and buttoned his jacket. Gray wasn’t his color.
    “Huh?”
    Craze shot him a look. “The name of the prosecutor.”
    “Oh. Jess? Yes, she’s really gone all outs on this. I honestly don’t have any idea how the defense is going to counter the evidence she’s gathered,” Mark mused. “The guy is guilty as sin.”
    His blood chilled. “I’m sorry, Jess?”
    “Jess Parker. Remember? I told you about the bitchin’ prosecutor? Not bad on the eyes either. All leggy blond.” Mark grinned. “Hey, kinda your type too. Might want to think about stepping outside of your comfort zone. Or is dating a sexy attorney off the docket?”
    As Mark laughed, Craze glared at Mark in the mirror. “You said her name was Martha. Martha Parker.” He could hear the over pronunciation in his stilted voice.
    “Yes, but she goes by Jess. What’s the big deal?” Mark narrowed his eyes. “Hold on. Do you know her?”
    “No. I was just curious about the name change.” He fiddled with his tie again in an effort to regain his composure.