5 comments/ 11413 views/ 7 favorites Whatever It Takes Ch. 03 By: NikkiD268 Phillip and Nicole went out almost every night that week. They went to baseball games, saw movies, took long walks at nearby parks, and went out to dinner at nice restaurants. The week had been like a dream for Nicole, and had been very effective in taking her mind off her lack of progress at work. It's not that she couldn't find reliable sources to get information from. That definitely wasn't a problem. The problem was that only a couple of people had responded to her calls and emails, and they did so with very vague answers to her questions. However, Nicole remained optimistic and believed that one source would come along soon that would tell her everything she needed to know. Until then, she would do what she could with the information she had. Besides, she still had a few more weeks to dig up some dirt, and was confident that everything would work out in her favor. After getting home from the office on Friday night, Nicole immediately changed into her pajamas and flopped down on her couch with a big bowl of popcorn to begin her annual Friday night movie marathon, since she and Phillip didn't make any plans for the night since he had to work late. Around 8 o'clock, she got a phone call on her cell from an unknown number. "Hello?" "Is this Nicole Anderson?" "Uh, yeah, it is. May I ask who this is?" "This is William Harrison." Nicole let out a surprised gasp. She was completely speechless. "Listen," said Harrison, "I know what you've been up to Ms. Anderson. My sources tell me that you're snooping around in affairs that you have no business knowing anything about." "Mr. Harrison, I-" "If you don't put an end to your little investigation, I will personally destroy both that, and your career, permanently" he threatened before hanging up. Nicole didn't know what to say or think. She froze on the spot, confused and extremely pissed off. Who the fuck does this guy think he is, threatening me like that? I guess now I'll have something interesting to add to the article. There was no way on Earth she was going to let his threats hold her back. A minute later, a knock at the door brought her back to reality. Nicole took a quick peek through the eyehole and opened the door. "Hello?" "Hi, package for Ms. Anderson. I need you to sign," said a delivery man. "Of course, thank you." The package was enormous. Nicole couldn't begin to guess what was inside. Maybe it's from mom and dad, she thought, examining the very ornately decorated box. She ran to her room to see what it was, and who had sent it. Upon opening the box, there was a card on top of the wrapping paper that read: Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime. We would sit down and think which way To walk, and pass our long love's day; But at my back I always hear Time's winged chariot hurrying near; And yonder all before us lie Deserts of vast eternity. Thy beauty shall no more be found, Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound My echoing song Now therefore, while the youthful hue Sits on thy skin like morning dew, And while thy willing soul transpires At every pore with instant fires, Now let us sport us while we may; And now, like am'rous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour, Than languish in his slow-chapp'd power. Let us roll all our strength, and all Our sweetness, up into one ball; And tear our pleasures with rough strife Thorough the iron gates of life. Thus, though we cannot make our sun Stand still, yet we will make him run. Lines from Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" she thought smugly. It has to be from Phillip. She opened the wrapping paper, and nearly fainted. Inside the box was the $4000 Gucci gown she had seen a few days ago. How did he know I was looking at this? Not only was there the gown, but also a very expensive looking pair of Louboutin T-strap pumps. I don't even want to know how much this all cost. She began to feel dizzy and had to sit on her bed. I know he's rich, but... Before she could finish that thought, her cell phone rang again. "H-hello?" "Did you get my gifts?" It was Phillip. "Jesus, Phillip. What the hell were you thinking?" "First of all, a simple thank you would've been nice. Second, I was thinking I wanted to see you in that dress." "There's absolutely no way I can accept it. Or the shoes. Flowers and chocolates are fine, but a $4,000 dress is way, way too much." "Nicole, I got 2 tickets for a gala at the opera tomorrow night. You said you've always wanted to go, so I thought tomorrow would be the perfect occasion. Of course, I assumed you'd need something to wear." "Why would you do that!? We've only been going out for a week..." "I did it because I thought it would make you happy. I did it because I wanted to. So stop making it seem like it'd be wrong of you to accept." Nicole didn't know whether to want to kiss him or slap him. "Well, thank you," she said meekly. "I appreciate it, I really do, but like I said, it's too much. I'll have to pay you back somehow." "Seeing how amazing you'll look tomorrow will do more than suffice. Anyway, I've got to go. I'll pick you up tomorrow at 7, okay?" "Alright, see you then. Bye." For the second time that night, Nicole really didn't know what to think about her present situation. First she's threatened by the man she's working her butt off to expose, then she's given gifts that are worth 3 months of her salary by a man she's only been seeing for a week. What have I gotten myself into? She thought as she walked to the kitchen. She was considering the best ways to address the issues of her work and personal life as she made a hot cup of tea. A knock on the wall shifted Nicole's attention to Leah, who had just come back from the university. "Hey babe, you still up?" inquired her perky roommate. "Yeah, I'm not very tired tonight," Nicole responded quietly. "Alright then, I'm just going to hit the shower and go to bed. That experiment was exhausting, I never thought I'd finish it." About 5 seconds later, Nicole heard Leah scream, and rushed to make sure her friend was okay. Nicole found Leah in her room, gaping at the gown and shoes. "I-I can explain," she began. "Nicole, did Phillip buy these for you? Because I know you sure as hell can't afford them. For Christ's sake, they probably cost the same as 4 months of our rent!" "Well, he got us tickets to the opera tomorrow night and thought I would need something to wear." "The opera? Okay, I know he's handsome, but if he's got enough money to waste on this, you'd be crazy to let him go!" "Leah! I'm not a gold digger! Trust me, I would've ditched him a while ago if he hadn't been so persistent. Anyway, a night at the opera does sound pretty amazing..." Leah burst out laughing. "Nicole in love. I never thought I'd see the day." "It's not love. I've only known him for a week." "If you say so," said Leah, rolling her eyes. "Hey, if you want, maybe we can go out tomorrow and do some shopping. You might need a few accessories to go with the dress. And while we're at it, you should get your hair done, too." "I don't know, that all sounds pretty expensive..." "Nicole! If everything goes well, you won't even have to worry about expenses in the future!" "What did I just say about not being a gold digger!?" "I'm just saying! Please? It's one night, and going to the opera has been a dream of yours for so long....plus, going to a gala can be a once in a lifetime thing. What harm could it do to splurge for a special night?" "Well...I guess you're right. But don't expect me to empty out my bank account, okay?" "You worry way too much. If you're that concerned, we'll come up with a budget or something." "Okay, whatever, I'm going to bed." Said Nicole, who had suddenly become too exhausted to think about anything other than her warm, cozy comforter. **************************************************************** "GOOD MORNING!" "God, Leah! I'm up, I'm up!" Nicole yelled at her highly energized friend. "Come on, we gotta get going. You have 10 minutes." Why the heck is she so excited? Wondered Nicole, walking over to her vanity to fix her hair. At the moment, she was more nervous than excited. There were so many things that could go wrong. Breathe, she told herself. Everything will be fine. I just have to get through today. It'll be fun- I think. I guess I should try to be a little nicer to Phillip. After all this was pretty thoughtful of him. With positive thoughts in mind, she grabbed her purse and strolled out the building with her best friend, determined to make this the best day of her life thus far. While walking past a strip of clothing stores, something caught Leah's attention. "Babe! We HAVE to get you something from here!" It was a lingerie store. "Hell. No." she responded succinctly and angrily. "Oh, come on. You never know, things might get a little heated tonight, if you know what I mean," said Leah as she winked and nudged her friend's elbow. "Um, I don't think so. It's just a date." "Does he know you're a..." "Shut up! No, he doesn't, and he doesn't have to know. It's not like we're gonna..." "Fuck? Have Sex? Make Love?" "Leah! For Christ's sake!" "You don't want to?" Nicole blushed. "It's not that. I just want to take things slow. Really slow." "Alright. Well, can we at least get you some nice underwear to go with the dress? It looks a little form fitting, and some simple lingerie would make you feel sexier, even if Phillip doesn't see it." "Will it get you off my back?" "Yes ma'am" "Let's go." Nicole gave up. She knew all efforts to change her friend's mind would be in vain. As they walked into the store, they were immediately greeted by a perky sales clerk. "Hi there. You lovely ladies need help looking for something?" "Yes we do. My friend here is looking for something sexy that won't show under an evening gown." Said Leah. "I know just the thing. Follow me." With that, the clerk led the two friends to a section dedicated to lingerie sets and ensembles. One in particular caught Nicole's eye. It was a very sexy black lace thong and garter belt set. "Um, what about this one?" "Excellent choice, that's one of our most popular sets. What's your size?" 20 minutes later, Nicole walk out of the store with her new lingerie, feeling embarrassed at having it in her possession, even though no one could see it through the bag. "Why didn't you get a bra?" asked Leah. "I don't need one. With the way the dress is, it would show in all sorts of places," Nicole explained. Eventually the two girls made it to the salon. Nicole got a French mani-pedi, and had her hair pin-curled. That, combined with her make-up, made her look like she just stepped out of an old film from the 1940's. "Wow, you look great. I'm actually jealous." exclaimed Leah after seeing the end result. "If you say so," responded an increasingly bashful Nicole. "You look great too." Leah just got layers, and blond highlights to go with her brunette locks. "Thanks, hon, but there's no way I could compare to you. Anyway, it's 4:30. We should get out of here." The two girls paid and headed home. ************************************************************************************* I really, really hope this is alright, Nicole thought as she examined herself in the mirror. Everything fit perfectly, and she was actually quite comfortable. Under the dress she wore the thong and garter set with a pair of nude stockings with black lace on the ends. As much as she hated to admit it, Leah was right, she did feel sexier. This is going to be a good night, she deduced, trying to give herself a pep talk before Phillip arrived. You're going to have fun, and be as pleasant as possible. However, no matter what, Nicole couldn't rid herself of the butterflies in her stomach. But what if he doesn't like how I look? What If I trip and fall flat on my face? Her pessimistic side was definitely coming out. She had never had to put this much effort into looking nice for a guy before, and had no idea what he was expecting or what he wanted to see. After a few spritzes of her favorite perfume, she decided her appearance was as good as it's going to get. "Nicole! Your extremely handsome date is here!" Leah called from the living room. "Coming!" Nicole brushed back her curls, stared at her reflection in the mirror, and took a deep breath. "It's no big deal, just another date. You can do this." With that, she left her room to join her date and friend in the living room. Leah whistled, "Isn't she gorgeous?" "Yes, she is." Said Phillip quietly. "Well, you look great too." Said Nicole, who was amazed at the fact that it was possible for Phillip to look even better than usual. On an ordinary day, he could pass for a male model, without a doubt. But tonight, he looked almost like a prince out of a fairy tale. "Ready when you are," he said, holding out his arm. Nicole took it and the two of them headed out. "Wait! Hold on for one second, I need a picture. You guys look so adorable together!" Leah said as she hurried off to find her camera. "Leah! This isn't prom night, and we have to go!" yelled Nicole. She looked up to see Phillip trying his best not to laugh. "What?" she asked, "You think this is funny? We're going to be late..." "Relax," he said, kissing her forehead, "I assure you, we'll make it in plenty of time. Although, you do look awfully cute when you're angry," he laughed, pinching her cheeks. Nicole turned away from him to hide her embarrassment. A moment later Leah returned with a camera. "Alright you two, get close together and say cheese!" Anyone who saw them at that moment would've thought they were the perfect couple. After a few photos they headed out. "Have fun you two! I won't bother waiting up!" Leah winked at her friend before closing the door behind them. While waiting for the elevator, Nicole made no point to hide her embarrassment "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. That was so humiliating. She can be a bit much sometimes...well, most of the time actually." Phillip put his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Besides, it'll be nice to have something to remember this night by." "I guess you're right." The two made their way out the building to a town car waiting to take them to the opera house. Nicole was somewhat confused. "Is this for us?" she asked. "Yes ma'am. It's mine. Usually I use it for work and whatnot, but I thought it would be appropriate for tonight." "Aren't you full of surprises?" she asked sarcastically, getting into the car. Phillip laughed, "Sure am, but that keeps things exciting." At this point in their relationship, Nicole obviously knew that Phillip was beyond wealthy, partially due to his family (which was seldom brought up) and due to his work. However, during their dates, they never did anything too extravagant. On the contrary, their dates were very normal. Because of this, Nicole was taken aback at Phillip's display of his wealth over the past couple of days. I guess it's not a bad thing, Nicole thought to herself as she stared out the window, but it'll definitely take some getting used to. Meanwhile, Phillip couldn't keep his eyes off Nicole. She's perfect, absolutely perfect. Seeing her was the only thing he thought about for the past couple of days. Tonight's the night, he thought, I'm going to make her mine. To his dismay, Phillip realized that he was beginning to feel aroused. Not being the appropriate time or place, he summoned all of his willpower to look away from Nicole. "Thank you," she said suddenly. "What?" "Thank you, not just for this, but for everything you've done over the past week." Phillip was a little confused. "But, I haven't really done anything. I just wanted to spend time with you." "Not just that. You're the only guy who's ever really made an effort to get to know me," she said, "I know I'm not the easiest person to put up with. Actually I'm still pretty surprised you wanted to go out after our first date." "It's like I said, I wanted to spend time with you." Nicole moved closer to him and rested her head on his arm. "You make me feel special. Anyone with eyes can tell that you're too good for me. I know I'm not very good at expressing it, but being with you really does make me happy." "I'm happy as long as you're happy." Nicole didn't know how to respond. "Anyway, we're here," he said, "You excited?" "Yes, I am. I've been wanting to do this for so long." Phillip took her hand they both proceeded to the opera house. It was beautiful, and being with Phillip made Nicole feel like a princess. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Suddenly, a thought dawned on her. "What opera are we seeing?" she asked. With all the worrying about the dress and how she looked, she never thought to ask. Phillip burst out laughing. "I thought you would've asked that question a while ago." Nicole pouted, "Well, I've had a lot on my mind." "It's La Boheme. I know you really want to see Carmen, but they weren't doing that this season." "No, that's great!" she exclaimed. "A few years ago, I saw Rent on Broadway. Ever since then I've wanted to see the opera that inspired my favorite musical." Seeing Nicole this happy made Phillip want to have her all to himself even more. He wanted to be the only person to make her smile the way she was now. Soon enough, he thought. But a few hours seemed like eons, and Phillip didn't know how much longer he could hold out until he put his plan into motion. Suddenly the lights flickered on and off, signaling that the performance was going to begin soon. "Shall we?" he asked as he took her arm in his. Nicole giggled, she felt like a little girl. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she was this giddy. Things really were shaping up to be a great night, and any traces of stress or doubt that had clouded her thoughts over the past few days seemed to have disappeared. They walked arm-in-arm into the hall and found their seats. They were in an ideal section, not too far, and not too close. A few minutes later the curtain rose and the performance began. Nicole was instantly mesmerized. She had never seen anything like it. The sets, the costumes, the props-everything-made it really feel like a dream come true for her. Sure, she'd seen countless videos of arias and librettos on the internet, but saying that they paled in comparison to the real deal would be an understatement. She couldn't look away as Rodolfo and Mimi fell in love while singing "O Soave Fanciulla". Despite the amazing duet being performed in front of him, Phillip struggled to pay attention, as he was much more interested in the woman next to him. He took an immense amount of joy in just being next to Nicole, and looking at her reactions. He loved looking at her as she smiled, as her brow furrowed when she was angry, or as she tried to hold back tears during tragic scenes. As Alcindoro appeared dumbfounded at having received Musetta's bill, the curtain closed, signaling the end of Act 2 and the beginning of the intermission. Phillip took a deep breath. It's time. "Let's grab a drink," he said as he took her hand and led her to the bar. "Hey, I'm just going to look around a little bit." Said Nicole "Alright, I'll come find you." While walking around, Nicole took a moment to look at all the other women around her. They're gorgeous, she thought. Since it was a gala, everyone in attendance looked their absolute best, and spent the night socializing with important people. She caught a couple of men staring at her, but she simply gave them a shy smile and continued to observe her surroundings. Whatever It Takes Ch. 03 After a few minutes, Phillip joined Nicole in a deserted little area under the grand staircase. "So, what do you think so far?" he asked, handing her a glass of Champaign. "Was it everything you thought it'd be?" She laughed, "And more. It's amazing, really. I can't thank you enough." "So you're not mad anymore?" "I may have overreacted a bit, and I am sorry about that. But in the future, I would appreciate it if you would talk to me first before doing something this outrageous." Phillip gave her the sad-eyed puppy look. "But it's much more fun if I can surprise you." "Phillip, I'm serious. This might be nothing for you, but I nearly had a heart attack when I opened that box." "Alright, alright. I'll try to stick to smaller surprises from now on. Would that make you happy?" "Yes, so long as you and I have the same definition of 'smaller'" "Fine. You're such a killjoy, you know that?" Nicole shot him a dirty look. In return, Phillip once again squeezed her cheeks. "That's not going to work. Remember what I said about looking cute when you're angry?" Nicole opened her mouth to respond, but the lights flickered again, and everyone left to return to their seats. Nicole turned to leave. "Guess we should head back." Before she made it too far, Phillip place his hand on her shoulder. Phillip took a drink, and turned to Nicole with a very serious expression. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, becoming embarrassed and self-conscious under his stare. "Nicole, there's something I wanted to talk to you about tonight." She looked at him, confused. "Alright...but couldn't it wait until-" "What did you think of me when we first met?" If he hadn't looked so austere at that moment, she would've burst out laughing. "What? I-I don't know. What kind of question is that?" "I mean, I know we haven't known each other all that long, but I feel like we were made for each other. Have you ever heard that Greek story about how humans were split, and spend their lives searching for their other half, their soul mate, in order to feel complete? That's how I've felt about you from the very beginning, Nicole...like you're my other half." "Phillip, I think you might be a little confused...a-are you feeling okay?" responded Nicole, gradually becoming more and more nervous. Phillip placed their drinks on a nearby table, and grabbed both of her hands. "I've never been so sure of anything. I love you, and I never want to be without you. I want you to always be with me, and let me be the only person who makes you happy." Nicole was almost disgusted by this sudden confession. She had never wanted to be in a relationship where things felt rushed, and he was taking rushed to a whole new extreme. She tore her hands away from his and began to walk away. "Can we please just go back to the show?" Phillip grabbed her arm. "I think you should stay right here with me," he said, tightening his grip on her. "You're scaring me. Please, let go." "Not until we've finished our talk." "Phillip, why don't we just finish watching the opera, and then talk later?" she asked, desperately hoping that there was some part of his brain that was still thinking rationally. Phillip's demeanor only darkened. "Stay." He commanded, as though she were his pet. Nicole did as she was told, afraid of what would happen if she didn't. "Now, back to what I was saying. I want you to become mine. By that, I mean I want you to marry me." Nicole was fighting to hold back tears. She would've never thought that she'd be in a situation like this, and the tension was becoming too much for her to handle. They were all alone in the lobby, and she really had nowhere to run to. She was sure that if she ran into the hall, people would think she was just some crazy girl trying to start a scene, and it wasn't as though she could run back to the apartment. She felt trapped. "You're crazy!" she cried out, raising her hand to slap him. He caught her wrist and held it. "Only for you, baby. Now, you do have the option of saying no, but I think you should listen to what I have to offer you..." Nicole only heard the first part of that last sentence. Of course I'm going to say no! She thought. He's lost it! And it's just my luck that the hottest guy I'll probably ever meet turns out to be a complete lunatic! "In all honesty, I wouldn't recommend rejecting my proposal. You see, I know people, I have an infinite number of connections, and my family has more influence than you could imagine. I want to help you, Nicole. I could easily pay off your loans for school, grad school, and whatever else you want to do. I can help you build up your career. In a year, I could get you in a position that would take most people 10 years to earn." Nicole hardly knew what to think about that. It was a tempting offer, sure. But at what cost? "And if I do say no?" she asked. "Well, just as I could use my connections to help you, I could also use them to ruin you," he responded, dead serious. He put his hand to her face and began caressing her cheek. "I can make it so that you spend the rest of your life working some menial, minimum wage job, all while having to pay off what you owe in student loans. I can make sure that not only you, but your family as well, spends the rest of your lives in debt. Everything will be taken away, all because you made a dumb decision. And going to the authorities wouldn't solve anything for you. It'd be your word against mine, and a few important people owe me some favors. Not to mention the justice system is more corrupt than you can imagine, and someone's always willing to accept a bribe. " Nicole remained silent while she thought about the things Phillip had said. He's crazy, he's gone completely mad! But I believe him. I believe he'll follow through on his threats. There has to be some way out of this, though. I'll go along with it for now and figure things out later. "Well?" "I...yes. I'll marry you." Just saying the words made Nicole want to cry. I'll just keep playing along. He'll have to let his guard down sometime, and there has to be someone who can help me, but now is definitely not the time for me to do something that might upset him. "I knew it! I knew you felt the same way!" he exclaimed, kissing her hands over and over again. "Nicole, I'm going to make you so happy, I promise. Let's get out of here." "But...the opera..." "There will be plenty of time for that in the future. I'll take you to see one every weekend if you want. But for now, I want to celebrate. Come on." He grabbed her arm and led her out of the opera house, and into a town car waiting for them outside. Once in the car, Nicole became even more on edge, and tried to move as far away from Phillip as she could, not wanting to be so close to a lunatic who was capable of ruining her life. What have I done?! There's no way in hell I'm actually going to marry him, though, she reminded herself. Things will work out in the end, I'm sure of it. But those thoughts did nothing to calm her rapidly beating heart. She'd never been so scared. Then something occurred to her. "Where are we going?" She asked. "Back to my place." He responded, coolly. On the outside, he tried to remain calm. However, his thoughts were anything but. She's mine! All mine! Well, almost, but I guess we'll get to that later. There's so much to be done now, but we'll just take things one step at a time. God, I'm so lucky. She's so perfect. And now she's mine. Whatever It Takes Ch. 04 SO sorry for the wait! School was kinda kicking my butt, you know? Anyway, everyone's feedback made me so incredibly happy that I decided to get this out as quickly as I could, so I hope you all enjoy :) :) :) ################################## On the way back to Phillip's suite, both he and Nicole had a million thoughts running through their heads. His were focused on how his future with Nicole would be, hers were on how to get away from the psycho sitting next to her. When they finally arrived at the hotel, the couple immediately proceeded to the lavish penthouse. It's even more amazing than I remember, Nicole thought, wide eyed. Phillip walked past her as she looked around. "Leave your coat anywhere," he said. As Phillip got farther away from her, Nicole seriously contemplated turning around and bolting out the door. Unfortunately, Phillip's threats nagging at the back of her mind prevented her from summoning the courage to do so. "Over here," Phillip called from the bar. Nicole cautiously walked over while taking note of the layout of the room. She did her best to keep track of every turn, hallway, door, etc., for future reference. "Why'd we come here? I wanted to go home." "We're celebrating, baby. And as of now, mi casa es su casa. Literally. I want to have you moved out of that dingy little apartment, ASAP." He sighed. "So much to do, so little time. But at the moment the only thing that matters is that you're here with me." Nicole remained silent, and looked away to hide her glare. "Any requests? What do you usually drink?" he asked. "I don't." "Anything you want to try?" "Just give me whatever you're having." He started preparing their drinks. "Are you alright? You should be ecstatic. You're not having second thoughts or regrets, are you?" The only thing I regret right now is not pushing you in front of a speeding taxi, you asshole! She wanted to scream. But if I don't keep some sort of charade going, he might get suspicious. Phillip looked at her as though he were genuinely concerned. Nicole took a deep breath and looked straight at him. "No, of course not. I'm sorry," she said. "I...I'm not regretting anything, and I am happy to be here with you, but I'm just a little worried about where we go from here. There's a lot to take into consideration." "Don't worry. Whatever happens, we'll get through it together, okay?" "Okay." She did her best to not look like she was going to throw up. "Drinks are done," he said, moving around the bar to sit by Nicole. He looked at her, gave her a handsome, radiant smile, and raised his glass. "To better halves." "Uh, yeah." She took a swig of drink that had been handed to her and gagged as she struggled to keep it down. "Something wrong?" "No, no, it's fine. Just a lot stronger than I expected. The most alcohol I've had was a sip of my friend's wine cooler at a party." He laughed, "It's a Manhattan. Just sip it slowly." He got up and walked away. "How about a little music?" "Sure." Seconds later, the lights dimmed, and the room was filled with Frank Sinatra's "The Best is yet to Come" "This okay with you?" asked Phillip, smiling at her. "Of course." Nicole automatically responded as she discreetly rolled her eyes at the very inappropriate song choice. She had to give him a little credit though. He definitely knew how to create a mood. "I've always loved Sinatra. When I was younger, James and I found some of our father's vinyls in the attic. We spent quite a few afternoons listening to them," he said, reclaiming his place next to Nicole. He put his arm around her shoulder and scooted closer to her. "Really?" She was getting nervous now. She moved away when he got too close, but it got to the point where she would've fallen out of the booth if she went any further. "Yeah." He appeared not to notice, or care, about her responses to his actions. "He sort of became our role model. We always said we wanted to grow up to become classy gentlemen just like him..." he chuckled, "I did pretty well, in my opinion. What do you think?" "I-," before she could answer, he leaned in, lowered his head, and inhaled deeply. "Go on," he urged as he began to kiss her neck. Nicole was busy fighting back the urge to moan. Well this escalated quickly. She had never been touched like this. In fact, she still hadn't had a first kiss. Under different circumstances, she might've decided to let loose a little. But as it were, this was not the time to let her hormones get the best of her. She tried to push Phillip away, but he held her in place. "God, you smell so good." He brought his lips to her earlobe and began to nibble on the soft flesh. "Phillip, no," she said calmly, "You need to stop. I don't want this, not now." Phillip backed off, but still held onto her. "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for this? How long I've wanted this? I'm not used to working this hard to get a girl in my bed. Most girls would've slept with me after the first date. Hell, they wouldn't have even needed a date! But you're not most girls, are you? For that, I love you, but now I'm done waiting." He quickly leaned in again and roughly pressed his lips against hers, trapping her in a deep, passionate kiss. Nicole didn't know what to do, but she knew that if she didn't do something soon, things were definitely going to get out of hand. When she felt his tongue trying to make its way past her lips, she balled her fist, and punched him as hard as she could, which wasn't all that hard, but it was enough to get him off of her and leave him momentarily stunned as she tried to make a break for it. She tried her best to run in heels while navigating through the labyrinth of a room. This place is huge! But I think I remember where the front door is. She knew she only had a slight head start, and that he was probably right behind her, but this was her only chance. When the door came into view, she broke into a full-on sprint. As her hand reached out for the doorknob, her body was roughly slammed against the door. "Fuck!" she screamed, more so because of her failed escape than because of the pain that wracked her body. No! No! No! I was so close! She began to panic as she felt Phillip's hot breath on the back of her neck, and felt her body shudder when she felt his lips. "Why did you do that?" he asked. Nicole struggled. She wasn't going down without a fight. "Get OFF of me you psycho bastard! I hate you! You make me sick!" She screamed. His assault on her continued as he used his body to pin her against the door, and moved his hands around her to fondle her breasts. She continued to scream and struggle against him, all to no avail. "It's okay, I know you don't mean that. You're just a little scared, that's all. Everyone's first time is scary, but still, I'd change that tone if I were you." She strengthened her efforts to break free of his grip. "Go to hell, you sick freak! If you try anything else, I WILL call the cops!" "I'm afraid that wouldn't be the wisest move. It would only make things worse, for yourself, that is." "...what?" "I'm not afraid to follow through on my threats, Nicole." "I don't care anymore!" she sobbed. He laughed as though she had made joke. "I think you do. I never did talk about my family too much, did I? Well, my mother isn't too important, but I believe my father will be of interest to you. The man I call dad is known to the world as William Harrison III." Nicole was too shocked to continue fighting. "You're lying." "Afraid not, baby doll. And don't forget what I said earlier. I can make or break you, and I don't think I have to explain to you how much power my father has." Nicole furrowed her eyebrows as she contemplated this sudden revelation. I guess it wouldn't make too much sense for him to lie about something like this. Goddamn it! Why hadn't I known about this sooner!? A fucking google search would've told me that! As she accepted this truth, she lowered her head in defeat. "That's my girl." His hands returned to her back as he began to unbutton and unzip her dress. "Please Phillip, I'm begging you. I'll do whatever you want, but not this. I can't do this. I'm not ready." Her dress dropped to the floor, leaving her in her in her underwear and pumps. "Don't worry, I'll make you ready." He pressed his body to hers, and began to grind against her backside. "Can you feel it?" he whispered. "Can you feel what you do to me? Nicole, I want you so badly." Phillip spun her around to face him, and whistled. Nicole turned bright red, and wanted nothing more than to cover herself up. However, Phillip prevented her from doing so as held her arms against the door. "Please, please, please Phillip. Just let me go! I won't tell anyone, I promise. I just want to go home..." she continued to beg as his eyes slowly roamed over her body, taking in everything from her pert breasts to her sexy, stocking-clad legs. "Nicole, this is going to happen, so I suggest you just relax and enjoy. I'll make you feel good, I promise," he whispered against her neck. He took both of her wrists in one hand, and lowered his free hand to her thong. "Phillip..." she couldn't think of anything she could say or do that would make him stop, and the alcohol was making it harder and harder for her to fight back. They locked eyes as he lightly traced her lower lips through the thin, silky material. "Ah! N-not there!" Nicole threw her head in back in pleasure as Phillip's skilled fingers pushed the underwear aside and began exploring the place no one but Nicole had touched. Despite all of the new sensations, however, Nicole took a deep breath and tried to keep her mind clear. "You know, maybe we shouldn't rush this," she tried to reason, "I mean, we have all the time in the world now, so surely we can wait until after we're married?" "You're such a prude, you know that?" Nicole's eyes widened at his sudden change in attitude. "A woman your age shouldn't still be virgin. In fact, you should be honored to have someone like me take all your firsts. A lot of guys nowadays won't even bother with girls who don't have any experience." Phillip's harsh words hit a nerve within Nicole, but instead of making her angry, she felt embarrassed and immature. He sensed this change in her and continued. "Don't worry, I'll teach you everything you need to know. I'll teach you how to give pleasure," he found her clit, and felt it swell as he began to rub it while gradually increasing the amount of pressure on it, "as well as how to receive it." "Ah! No, please, stop it!" Nicole's knees were becoming weaker and she struggled to keep herself standing. Her breathing became heavier and her low moans were increasingly audible. "You're awfully sensitive. Do you want me to make you come, Nicole?" he asked innocently as he slowly slid one finger inside of her. He began to thrust the finger in and out, pressing against her slick inner walls as he did so. She tried to move her hips away, but he took the movement to mean she wanted more. "You're getting into it now, aren't you?" he teased. Nicole was too light headed to offer a decent comeback and was quickly losing her ability to think clearly. "Let go Phillip. I can't take it anymore. I really..." she let out a loud, high pitched moan when he pressed his thumb against her clit while adding another finger inside her. Her knees finally buckled and the only thing that held her up was Phillip's hand on her wrists. She looked like she was out of it, and kept muttering incoherent nonsense. Phillip removed his fingers and grabbed her chin so that she was facing him. "Ready to take it a step further?" She looked up at him through glassy eyes, "Please..." "'Please' what, my dear?" "My first time- this...this isn't how..." Phillip watched silently as the tears in her eyes overflowed and streamed down her cheeks. "It'll be okay, I promise." Before she could find the strength to struggle, Phillip picked her up, and carried her over to his bed. After laying her down on her back, he proceeded to tie her wrists to the head board. Nicole was too distraught to do anything. She had never felt so helpless in her entire life. Usually, she was great at taking charge of any situation, and making sure things worked out in her favor. This particular situation was a very unfortunate exception. "Believe it or not baby, you're sexy as hell," Phillip said, eyeing his handiwork. "You're perfect," he wrapped his arm around her waist, and planted light kisses all over her body, "And you're all mine." He began to slowly remove the garter belt and stockings. "The lingerie- was it for me?" Nicole refused to answer. "Admit it, this is what you wanted. I've seen the way you look at me," he said, removing the thong and leaving her completely naked before a man for the first time in her adult life. Phillip shifted his clothed body so that he was in between her legs to prevent her from closing them. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and brought her face closer to his. He took note of her puffy eyes, the rapid rise and fall of her chest, and the way her whole body seemed to tremble uncontrollably. He noticed everything, but he kept going. "I'm going to make you feel so good. I'm gonna make you moan, scream, cry...but we'll work up to that. For now we'll take things nice and slow." He began to slowly move his body against hers. The pressure on her clit combined with the way Phillip was talking to her was almost too much for Nicole. She fought hard to keep from coming. Her efforts weren't too effective as her moans became louder and more frequent, and her pelvis moved in rhythm with his against her will. When Phillip, without warning, shoved the same two fingers from before inside of her, Nicole knew that she was getting closer to reaching that point of no return. She was more sensitive than before, and the lightest touch made her crazy. "Oh! Oh, God! Stop, please," she bit down on her lip in an effort to hold back her moans, but her body became more responsive, and she seemed to have lost control. Phillip continued to grind his long, strong fingers into her, drawing out her sweet juices. A few moments later, he lowered his head to one of her nipples, increasing her pleasure. He rolled the nub around with his tongue, getting it rock hard, then bit down just hard enough to elicit a scream from Nicole. After that, he gave her other nipple the same treatment, continuing to blur the line between pain and pleasure. "I know you wanna come, baby. Just wait a little bit longer." He held her close as he continued his torment on her body, repeatedly bringing her to the edge only to deny her the feeling of ecstasy he knew she was beginning to crave. All of the combined sensations were too much. His fingers, his mouth, even the light feathery feeling of his soft hair on her chest, made her desperate to find release. "Jesus, Nicole. You're soaking wet...and you said you didn't want this," he said, flashing her a mischievous grin. He got up and began removing his clothes. Nicole groaned and turned her head to the side as much she could after she caught a glimpse of his erection. There was no way she was going to be caught looking at any part of his naked body. "Nicole." He said sternly. "Don't look away." He got between her legs once again and lowered his upper body until it was just barely touching hers. She jumped slightly at the intimate feeling of being enveloped by his masculine form. He waited, impatiently, for her to obey him. She slowly turned her head and faced him, glaring at him defiantly. His green eyes, the ones that she had thought were so beautiful, were brimming with lust and desire. She knew, deep down, that those eyes would haunt her for a very long time. "Fuck you," she spat. She didn't expect her words to accomplish much, but it was the only thing she could think to say. Her feeling of powerlessness was unbearable, and tears of frustration streamed down her cheeks as she tried to mentally prepare herself for the inevitable. "Just trust me..." he said positioning himself to enter her. "PHILLIP! NO!" Nicole screamed as Phillip fully penetrated her in one hard thrust. She couldn't remember a time when she had been in so much pain. It felt as though her insides were slowly being torn, and it seemed like every nerve in her body was on fire. After he entered her, he stilled for a moment to let her body adjust. It took all of his willpower for him not to come inside of her right then and there. I have to make this last, he thought, I've waited too long for this moment. But damn, she feels so good. And she's mine. That last thought seemed to make him grow even harder. He began to slowly move in and out of her, watching her expressions the entire time. The look of pain that was on her face a moment ago was gradually fading, and her grunts turned into throaty gasps. My angel, I knew she would enjoy this, I knew I would make her feel good. However, the only feeling that stood out in Nicole's mind was shame. How can I be responding like this? This is wrong! My body won't let me deny that it feels good, but-but this isn't how I wanted my first time to be! I never envisioned being forced. The thought made Nicole cry again, and this time Phillip acknowledged her distress. "Shhh, my baby, my princess, my angel," he cooed as he brushed the tears away from her face, all while continuing to slowly gyrate his hips. "You're so perfect, you feel amazing. I know you feel good too, so there's nothing to cry about." As Phillip picked up the pace, his breathing also became more rapid. Mine, mine, mine! He thought as he continued his domination over her body. Images flashed through his mind of the first time he laid eyes on her, of how she looked during their first date, of her heart melting smile and kind eyes. I want to hear her say it...she has to say it! Phillip groaned and struggled to steady his breathing. "Tell me." "Wh-what?" she barely got out. "Tell me you're mine." "I can't." "Say it!" "I'm yours," she whimpered weakly. "Do you feel good?" "Oh, God..." "Answer me!" he commanded through clenched teeth. As a result of his anger at her refusal to obey him, the bed began to shake with the force of Phillip's thrusts. "Stop! I can't do it! Please, stop!" she cried out. She knew that if she answered truthfully, and admitted that she'd never felt so good in her entire life, the very last shred of her pride and dignity would be gone forever. "ANSWER. ME. YOU. SLUT." He emphasized his words by pounding into her as hard as he could, causing Nicole to reach her breaking point. "YES! Yes it feels amazing! Please, Phillip! Please let me come!" Nicole couldn't hold back. As Phillip somehow managed to increase the strength and force at which he pounded into her, she experienced an orgasm that was stronger than anything she'd felt before when she touched herself. Wave after wave of pleasure rippled through her entire body, and it seemed to go on forever. At the feeling of her inner walls clenching around his manhood, Phillip let out a primitive grunt and released load after load of his seed inside of Nicole. He roughly thrust into her a few more times, making sure to get out every last drop, before collapsing on top of her. The two remained speechless for a few moments until Phillip, who appeared to have returned to his still-crazy-but-kinder-self, propped himself up on his elbows to look at Nicole. He gave her a long, sensual kiss, "Nicole that was incredible." He searched her eyes for some sort of emotion, some remaining evidence that he had thoroughly satisfied her. She looked beautiful. Her eyes were glazed over, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were slightly parted as she tried to catch her breath. Whatever It Takes Ch. 04 However, her expression was completely blank. "Please, say something," he begged. Nicole merely turned her head away, refusing to meet his eyes. He pulled out of her, got up, and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Nicole," he began, running a hand through his hair, "I know you might be mad, but you can't deny that you enjoyed it. Actually, I've never seen a girl have an orgasm like that. You must've wanted it more than I thought." He laughed and laid down on the bed next to Nicole, who was still determined not to look at him. "I don't want anything to change between us. We had a great thing going, right? In fact, I was hoping we could become closer by making our relationship more...intimate." The last word made Nicole cringe. "Look at me, Nicole," he demanded, tired of feeling like he was speaking to a brick wall. Nicole did as she was told and turned her head. She knew she didn't have the energy to deal with him if he got angry, so complying seemed like the best choice. They just stared at each other for a few seconds before Phillip spoke again. "I just want you to know that, no matter what, I have no intention of letting you go. I want to provide for you, and give you a life full of luxuries and opportunities. All I ask in return is that you devote yourself to me." "But, why me?" Nicole finally decided to speak up. "There are plenty of girls who'd be more than willing to follow you around blindly and do whatever you want." "You think I'm that shallow? All of the other girls I've been with have only been good for sex. Maybe I want to be with someone I can have an actual conversation with, someone who I can discuss books and films and good music with. I've never felt this way about anyone before, and I can't risk you running away from me." "That's ridiculous! We barely know each other, Phillip, and you can't just force someone to 'devote' themselves to you! And if you waited a little longer, there's a good chance I would've..." "Goddammit, you don't understand!" He grabbed the back of her head and brought their faces closer together. "There's no guarantee you would've done anything. For all I know, if I waited a day later, you might've decided you were bored with me. Or you could've caught on to who my father was and decided you wanted nothing to do with me." "That's no reason for you to treat me like this. You're stupid insecurities give you no right to hurt me like this." Phillip released his grip on her and got up. "Don't think of it as me hurting you. Think of it as training." He walked over to his closest and started to get dressed. "What?" "Like when you train an animal. You can tame them, teach them tricks, turn them into pets..." She couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "I'm not some fucking animal!" "You're whatever I say you are!" After pulling a shirt over his head and slipping on a pair of shoes, he walked over the bed. "Look, I love you, okay? I love you more than I've loved anyone or anything my entire life. I'm not necessarily asking you to change yourself, I just want you to make me your first priority. I want you to love me as much as I love you." Nicole averted her eyes from his. "I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen." "Just say it. Say you love me." "You're not listening to me!" "3 words. It's not that difficult." She could feel his eyes burning into her, and she knew that she was testing his patience. "Well? I'm waiting." "I...love you." "Again." "I love you." "One more time." She clenched her jaw and swallowed the very minuscule remnants of her pride. "I love you, Phillip." He let out a satisfied sigh and kissed the top of her head. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Even though her pride was basically wrecked beyond repair, there was no way she was going to answer that. "Well, anyway, I'm going out for a bit" "It's so late." A quick glance at the wall clock told Nicole that it was well past midnight. "Don't worry about it. You just get some rest while I'm gone." With that, he turned on his heels and began walking away. "Ahem." He turned around, "Is there something you..." Nicole was laying there with her bound wrists above her face, giving him the puppy dog look. She felt ridiculous, but there was no way she wanted to be left in that room tied to a bed. Suddenly his expression became darker. Should I? I don't know if I can completely trust her yet. I love her, of course, but she'll have to work harder if she wants to earn my trust, too. "Don't worry, there's enough slack. You'll be comfortable just as you are." He continued to walk away. "Wait! Please! You can't just leave me like this." He closed the door without looking back, and she heard the distinct sound of the door being locked. "Phillip! Get back here, dammit! Let me go!" The sudden silence in the room, the emptiness, was maddening. Not to mention that Nicole was definitely not okay with being left alone in the room, tied to a bed, for an unspecified amount of time. Nonetheless, there wasn't much she could do, so she took the moment alone to organize her thoughts. She was confused. Although she tried not to show it, her body still felt some lingering sensations from her orgasm. Part of her wanted to beg him for more, to have him fuck her brains out all night, while the other part of her wanted to cut his dick off for making her feel this way against her better judgment. No, I can't let this continue, she concluded. Maybe it's because he had an unusual upbringing, but that doesn't make any of what he did to me okay. I'll just go back to playing along, and see where that gets me. Besides, it's not like he can do much worse to me. I'll get away from him, so help me God, and I'll make him pay. With these thoughts in mind, exhaustion finally caught up with Nicole and eventually she fell asleep, and had pleasant dreams of her happy, carefree life before Phillip.