She woke the next morning to the sound of the shower running in the bathroom, the door closed but leaking light around the frame into the darkened room. She sat up and reached for her phone, checking her face in the camera app.
“Fuck! I’m a mess,” she thought and jumped out of bed to fix her hair in the full-length mirror on the wall.
She switched on the lights and looked closely at herself while brushing. She looked good and was satisfied that the light gym work she’d begun over a year before was working. She was toned without being muscular, and her skin was clear and blemish-free. When she turned her hips to check out her behind, she was satisfied that it looked good.
“Nice ass!” Denis said as he walked into the room.
“Thanks,” she said, looking at his naked form as he walked towards her, fully erect. “Nice cock.”
He laughed. “You’re good for my ego. What time do you have to leave?”
“Half eight … twelve hours.”
“It’s eight o’clock now. Can you stay until ten?”
“I can give you an hour – I have a meeting.”
“Another client?”
“No, it’s personal. In fact, I hadn’t planned on working this week at all.”
“Can you push the meeting? I’ll fix you up for the time.”
“How long?”
“How much for two hours?”
“€720.”
“Can you do it for—”
“No, Denis. You know better than to ask that.”
“You can keep the dress,” he said with a grin.
“That’s ok,” she said. “I have plenty of dresses, thanks.”
“Ok, €720 it is. The dress is for you in any case.”
She laughed. “I’d rather have breakfast.”
“Grand, let’s go downstairs.”
That threw her, but she buried it and picked up her bag.
“What’re you doing?” he asked.
“What?”
“What are you doing with the bag?”
“Getting some clothes to wear. What do you think?”
“Wear the dress,” he said.
She looked at her watch. 8:22.
“I should probably leave,” she said, picking up her bag and heading for the bathroom.
“Don’t go. I’m sorry, I was being a tool.”
“What’s gotten into you, Denis? You were never like this.”
“I don’t know, I just missed you so much. Please, wear what you like and let’s eat.”
Her phone dinged with a €1,000 payment while she showered and dressed in the bathroom. She wore the skirt and top from the day before with no underwear. He smiled approvingly when she reappeared, standing at the side of the bed with the dress held on a hanger in his hand as he zipped it into a dress cover protector. He hooked it over a light shade and smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle.
“It’s for you, Elsa. Nobody else could wear it like you.”
She smiled and took his hand, kissing him sweetly.
“Ok let’s eat first,” she whispered. “I need you to fuck me soon.”
They returned about thirty minutes later, rushing into the room and undressing carelessly as the door slammed shut behind them. He kissed her hungrily, his tongue claiming ownership of her mouth as she surrendered to his onslaught. He pulled his trousers off as she dropped her skirt, leaving them both naked.
She knelt on the bed and reached for a condom, his hands caressing her buttocks, testing their suppleness. She felt his hands on her bum as she pulled the condom from her bag, ripping the foil as his tongue entered her from behind. He rimmed her anus before turning her around.
“Anal?”
“No, we didn’t agree to that.”
She carried on and rolled the condom over the head of his tumescent cock, kneeling before him and taking it into her mouth. She brought him deep and used her tongue on the head and shaft as she moved her lips along its length. He stopped her and lifted her onto her feet, turned her around and bent her over in front of him.
“Is this way allowed?”
“Yes.”
He lifted her hips in his hands as she directed his glans to the mouth of her vagina, her forehead low, and pushed into the mattress top. She could see his cock slip deeper inside her, feel its girth as it opened her to its progress until he was fully sheathed in the soft gossamer folds of her vulva and the warm, moist walls of her receptive and accommodating vaginal canal.
She pushed back against him as he withdrew slightly to regain his balance, a strangled moan encouraging a deep, hard penetration and a joyous groan as he thrust fully inside her, slowly at first but increasing to a rapid pace as his passion rose and his climax beckoned. It felt quick and a little incomplete as he pumped his seed into the condom that was deep inside her, his scrotum lying tight against her clit as her hips squirmed in search of any form of stimulation.
He quickly pulled out and fell on top of her, his arms around her and his hands clutching her breasts as his breath heaved. Fearing he was about to have a cardiac event, she quickly turned her body and had him on his back in a flash. His face was red and mottled, and his eyes were tightly closed. His mouth opened and closed as he drew deep breaths, and he smiled as he began to recover.
“You had me worried for a while,” she grinned as she stroked his hair out of his eyes.
“Did you come?”
“Yes.”
“Is our time up yet?”
“Pretty much. I need to shower and dress.”
“Can I keep your thong?”
“No, that cost me a hundred quid, Denis.”
“I’ll pay you for it.”
“That’s alright, you can have it in exchange for the dress. Frame it.”
“I’ll send you some more samples in return,” he said. “Something sexy.”
“You know my size,” she said, kissing him quickly as she left him to go to the bathroom.
She showered and dressed in black jeans and a loose grey T-shirt, tucking it into the waistband quickly before grabbing the hotel hairdryer and returning to the room. He jumped up and ran to the bathroom, showering while she dried her hair in a mirror above the console table that held her bag. She gathered her belongings and packed them efficiently, pulled on her coat and was taking a last look around the room for anything she’d forgotten when he returned, a towel around his waist.
“Have you got everything?” he asked.
“I think so,” she said, holding a plastic bag up for him to see.
“What’s that?”
“Clean-up stuff – used condoms and suchlike. What’ll I do with it?”
“What do you usually do with it?”
“I’ll take it with me and dispose of it. It’s not fair to leave it here or flush it.”
He nodded his head. “Can I call you again soon?”
“Of course, but no more overnights.”
“Are you taking the dress with you?”
They parted with a hug, and she left the room, driving back to her place to decompress and handle other business. Her work phone rang at noon while she worked at her desk – she was distracted because she thought she’d switched it into vacation mode. It was an unsaved number, and she debated whether to answer or not. It stopped after several rings, then started again less than a minute later. She answered sweetly.
“Elsa here.”
“Oh hi, Elsa,” a thoroughly nerve-wracked voice sounded in her ear. “My name is Bradley O’Connor. I got your number from Alan Thomas.”
“Hi, Bradley, I know Alan. How is he?”
“Busy as always – he’s out in Turkey this month.”
“He certainly gets around. What’s he doing out there?”
“Something with apartments.”
“Ah! So how can I help you?”
“I was hoping I could book some time with you,” he said. “Are you available?”
“Now?”
“No, no, ehm … in general.”
“I’m out of town this week.”
“Oh, I see. I didn’t know.”
“How could you? I’ll be back on the weekend.”
“Will I try again on Friday or Saturday?”
“I don’t know my schedule yet – maybe just a text I can reply to first?”
“By WhatsApp?”
“Perfect.”
She ended the call, switched off her phone, returned to her computer, and continued working. At 12.30, she checked the time in Kusadasi and delicately dialled the number. Alan Thomas answered on the second ring.
“Elsa, my dear,” he said, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Hi Alan, how are you keeping? I hear you’re busy.”
“Yes, as always, I’m just finishing lunch.”
“At this time of day? What is it, 2:30 in the afternoon there?”
“Yes, it was a late lunch, so how can I be of service?”
“I got a call from a chap called Bradley O’Connor. He said you told him he should call me and mention your name.”
“Ah yes, young Bradley. I meant to contact you about that, sorry, Elsa.”
“No need, Alan, I’m just making sure he wasn’t blowing smoke at me.”
“That’s wise. We need to be very careful these days. No, you have no worries on that score, Elsa – Bradley is one of the good guys. He’s young, accomplished and respected in his field.”
“Is he a farmer?” she said with a giggle.
Alan laughed loudly. “You always have an answer, don’t you? Bradley is in finance. He’s an executive with IIF. He’s the youngest in the industry, has brains to burn and is rotten with money, so make sure you don’t leave yourself short if you take the booking.”
“What’s he like personally? Is he married, single, attached?”
“He’s a very eligible bachelor and spends his time living between New York, LA, Vancouver and Dublin – it’s not easy to conduct a relationship when you’re permanently on a plane. I met him about a year ago. he was on the due diligence team for an application we submitted for our hotel project at Heathrow Airport. Do you remember meeting me there at that time?”
“Is that when we stayed at the InterContinental beside Hyde Park?”
“Yes, awful place, wasn’t it? Bradley was the one who made the final recommendation for acceptance of the proposal, waving the green flag in the process.”
“He sounds nice, Alan.”
“He is, and he’s popular with the ladies too, probably because of his reputation in part.”
“Reputation?”
“Yes, he’s … no, I won’t spoil it for you in case it’s not true.”
“What is it, Alan? You have to tell me now.”
“Ok, but if it’s not true, please don’t hate me.”
“You know me better than that.”
“I know. The rumour is that Bradley is decidedly well endowed in the trouser department.”
“Oh. Is that all?”
“Ha-ha, no it’s not, but that’s all I’m saying.”
“Ok, thanks for that, Alan, and thanks for the recommendation. Talk soon.”
“It’s a pleasure, my dear. Bye for now.”
At 2:20, she swore and jumped to her feet, brushed her hair, and pulled on a coat as she ran out to the car to visit Brigid. She’d turned it around before she remembered the perfume for her sister, and ten minutes later she drove out the gate on her way to Naas.
Thomas Senior looked at her angrily from his chair beside the bed as she walked into the room. Her gaze didn’t waver as she stared directly into his dead eyes, pulling a spare chair out from under the bed and floating into it.
“Hey, Sis,” she said, smiling at her sister in the hospital bed. “I brought your perfume. Jilly said you liked it.”
“It’s lovely, Madeline, thank you. What’s it called?”
“It’s on the label.”
Brigid read it carefully. “Is it French?”
“I think so – you can’t get it here,” she said. “How are you today, Brig?”
“Tired but alive for now. What did you do last night?”
“I was in bed by nine.”
“You must’ve been tired, pet. You have to look after yourself.”
“I do. I think I’m going out with Jilly later.”
“She told me you might be – she’s excited.”
“Is she working today?”
“Yes, until six. What are you working at now, Madeline? Still at the clinic in Dublin?”
Maddie tried to recall what she’d told Brigid the last time they’d spoken.
“No, I’m in a property company now.”
“Oh, doing what?”
“Design work amongst other things. I bought an investment property, too, and rented it out.”
“Where? In Dublin?”
“Yes, it was a fire-damaged apartment on Baggot Street.”
“And you rent it?”
“Yes, I get €4,000 a month for it.”
“What? From whom?”
“I have a ten-year lease with an American Tech company. They use it for their employees coming into the country from abroad. Baggot Street is close to their offices.”
“Four thousand … isn’t the world gone mad? And where do you live?”
“I have a little townhouse off Mespil Road.”
“How much is the rent on that?”
“I don’t rent it, I own it, Brigid.”
“How can you afford that, Madeline?”
“I got a mortgage on it, and the rent from Baggot Street covers that and more.”
Brigid patted her hand. “You’re doing well – we all worry about you.”
“There’s no need to worry, I don’t do too badly.”
“And do you think Jilly will be alright up there in Dublin?”
“I’ll look after her, don’t worry. I’ll even get her a little part-time job to help her with expenses.”
Her eyes flicked to Thomas. He was looking down at the bedcover. Maddie took that as a cue to leave. She stood beside the bed and took Brigid’s hand, her thumb stroking the parchment skin.
“I’ll drop by for a few minutes this evening, Brig. I have some errands to run in town.”
“Make sure you give Jilly a ring, love.”
“I will,” she said and kissed Brigid’s cheek. “Do you need anything brought in?”
“Can you get me a magazine? Tommy never remembers.”
She nodded and smiled as she left the room, sad at her older sister’s weak state. She drove home and reclined on her bed, dozing off into a fitful sleep and waking, still semiconscious, a little before 6:00.
She sat up in bed and picked up her phone. Ignoring the few messages it contained, she pulled up Jilly’s number and dialled it quickly. It rang six times, and she was about to hang up when a breathless Jilly answered.
“Hi, Aunt Maddie, sorry I’m at work today.”
“Oh, I didn’t realise. Will I call you later?”
“No, I have a minute.”
“What time do you finish?”
“Eight. I have to take a training shift twice a week.”
“I remember those – I hated them. Your Mam asked me to call you. Would you prefer to go out another night?”
“No, tonight is grand, please.”
She detected a note of panic in her niece’s voice.
“What’s the matter, Jilly?”
“Nothing,” she said too quickly.
“Jilly?”
“There’s nothing—”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I … it’s just … I already told everyone I was meeting you.”
“Had you arranged something with your friends already?”
“No, nothing like that … it’s … I’d rather not say. Just don’t cancel … please.”
“Ok, will I pick you up outside work?”
“Yes, I’ll meet you at the main entrance – you can drive right up to it.”
“Grand, I’ll see you then. By the way, Jilly, does Shaun Metcalfe still consult there?”
There was a long pause before she said, “Yes.”
“Ok, I’ll see you at eight.”
“Shaun fucking Metcalfe,” she muttered, and swore inwardly as she ended the call.
Maddie left Brigid’s room and made her way to the car park, collected her car and drove around to the hospital’s main entrance. She arrived a few minutes early and hoped Jilly wouldn’t be late, given the number of security people outside. She spotted a red-faced guard walking toward her and started to move, but Jilly came bounding out of the building. Maddie flashed her lights, got her attention, and was almost in motion when Jilly reached the passenger door.
“Kavanaghs?” she asked as she watched the security guard bend over to catch his breath.
“No, the Monread,” Jilly said quickly.
They walked into the sparsely populated music lounge and found an unobstructed table in a corner near the window.
“Busy day?” Maddie asked.
“Yes, I thought it’d never end.”
“Do you like nursing, Jilly, love?”
“I don’t mind it, did you?”
“I hated it – couldn’t get out of it quick enough. Your Mam had a fit at the time,” she laughed.
“She's very organised, hates surprises.”
“Who are you telling? Here, what are you having? I’m getting a glass of Heineken.”
“I’ll have the same, thanks.”
She took her purse out of her bag and stood to leave. “Keep an eye on my bag, will you?”
“I will, but it’s grand. You’re not up in Dublin now.”
Less than ten minutes later she returned with the drinks. She noticed a strange look on Jilly’s face.
“What is it, Jilly?”
Jilly reached for her drink. “Nothing.”
“Jilly?”
“Your phone rang while you were at the bar, and I answered it for you. A man was looking for someone called Elsa.”
Maddie sipped her drink, her eyes watching her niece. “Did he leave a message?”
“He said he’d call back later. Who’s Elsa?”
Maddie looked at her and moved a coaster across the table, trying to buy some time to decide how honest she should be,
“That’s not important. I want to know why you were weird on the phone today.”
“I wasn’t weird. I just had something on my mind, that’s all.”
“Tell me.”
“It’s fine, Aunt Maddie.”
“Is it something to do with Shaun Metcalfe?”
Jilly’s eyes shot up in surprise,
“It is, isn’t it? You can tell me, Jilly, nothing about that man would surprise me.”
Jilly shook her head, her eyes glued to her knees.
Maddie nodded her head and stepped into the silence. “When I was a student like you, Shaun Metcalfe was the biggest pussy hound I ever met. He had most of the girls scared shitless.”
“He hasn’t changed.”
“Is he still chasing the students?”
“Yes.”
“Has he tried it on with you?”
“Yes, but don’t tell my Dad. Please.”
“Is there something to tell, Jilly?”
She nodded her head as she sniffled and wiped a tear from her eyes. Maddie took her hands in hers.
“It’s ok. Now that you know, you can take steps against it.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not? He’s just a—”
“I let him.”
“What? Let him what?”
“He told me he could have me taken off the course if I didn’t … you know.”
“Fuck him?”
“Y-yes.”
“And did you?”
She nodded her head, ashamed of the words.
“When? Where? How many times?”
“Twice last week in his car.”
“Was that your first time?”
“No.”
“Ok.”
“He saw me naked the second time.”
“Ok, is that why we came here instead of the Monread?”
She nodded her head.
“What was supposed to happen there tonight?”
“Nothing. I wasn’t supposed to be going out tonight.”
Maddie placed her drink on the coaster. “I’m going to tell you something, and then we’re going to see him.”
“No, please, he’ll get me thrown off the course.”
“He fucking won’t. I’m going to tell you something, Jilly. Nobody is to know about this, not even your parents.”
“I won’t say anything.”
“Good, but I need you to answer a question first.”
“Ok.”
“When you were naked in his car, did he tell you to do anything?”
She shook her head before nodding slowly.
“Did he tell you to suck his cock?”
“Yes.”
“Did he open your legs and lick your pussy with his tongue?”
“He tried, but I couldn’t. He used his fingers on me.”
“Did you suck his cock?”
“He pushed me down to do it, but I couldn’t.”
“Did he fuck you?”
She nodded.
“Both times?”
“Yes, and once in the clinical examination room.”
“How did it feel?”
“What?”
“Did you like it?”
“But—”
“I’m asking for a reason.”
“I did it with my boyfriend two years ago, but he was better.”
Maddie laughed. “Good for you. Did you like it?”
“Yes.”
“Did you come?”
“Not the first time, but yes.”
“Did you come with Metcalfe?”
“No, he used a condom. He said I couldn’t come if he used a condom.”
“Did he? And did you use a condom with your boyfriend?”
“Yes, every time.”
“But you came with him.”
“Yes … what does …”
“Metcalfe couldn’t make any of the girls in my year come either.”
“Did ... did you—”
“Fuck Metcalfe? Yes, but I made him pay.”
“How? What did you do?”
“I made him pay to fuck me, €50 each time.”
“What? But that makes you a—”
“No, it doesn’t. It just makes me a savvy businesswoman. I charged him €50 for a fuck or a blowjob. €25 for a handjob and €40 to go down on me. And I told him I’d tell his wife if he didn’t pay up.”
“And he agreed?”
“Yes, I had pictures of him fucking one of the girls in that same examination room. I told him I’d send them to his wife, his mother, his wife’s mother and to the President of the College of Surgeons – I still have them.”
“And you kept fucking him?”
“In for a penny … I did it for a year and left the programme with a car and a job.”
“What kind of job?”
“Remember the man on the phone looking for Elsa?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Elsa, that’s the name I work under.”
“Are you a pro—”
“I’m a sex worker or an escort, Jilly, and I love it.”
“But …”
“I know it’s a shock, but I actually love sex. And I’m very good at it.”
There was a stunned look on Jilly’s face.
“So you like sex, Jilly,” she said with a smile.
“Yes, but not the other stuff.”
“It’s all sex.”
“Maybe, but I don’t know how to do it right.”
“You can learn that easily enough.”
“So how do I get out of this with Dr. Metcalfe?”
“The first thing you need to do is to stop calling him Doctor. His name is Shaun or Caffy.”
“I don’t think I can.”
“He fucked you illegally. You need to stand your ground.”
“But—”
“No more buts. If he were to pay you for sex, would that make it better for you?”
“I don’t know.”
“It’d mean that you’d be in control, not him. You can set the time and the place. I made him book the Keadeen or The Burlington in Dublin. It was better than the back of his car or the examination room.”
“And he paid you €50 every time?”
“Yes, for five minutes' work.”
“Would I charge him €50?”
“No, that was years ago with me. You’d be charging him at least €200 now.”
“What?”
“You heard me. You’re a beautiful girl, and you need to know your worth.”
“What if I get caught?”
“He’s still an old pervert preying on a young girl. He’d be the one with the problem, not you.”
“I could make €400 in one week?”
“Minimum, plus sometimes there are parties. We’d make €150 or €200 at one party alone.”
“We?”
“Yes, I had to tell one of my friends about it. Usually four or five men were there, and they all paid. They still go on today, and the girls can earn up to a grand if they allow it to be filmed.”
“Filmed?”
“Yes, we didn’t have camera phones then – we’d have cleaned up if we had.”
“I don’t know, Maddie, what if my parents found out?”
“That’s for you to decide whether you care or not. It didn’t bother me, but you might be different.”
“I wouldn’t do it if my Mam was still alive.”
“Do what? Metcalfe or sex work?”
“Sex work.”
“But you’d do it with Metcalfe?”
“I don’t think I can avoid it – he’s very persistent.”
“This place is dead. Let’s go over to The Monread.”
“But he’ll be over there.”
“All the better. I’ll let you go in first and see if he approaches you. I’ll take over then.”
Jilly groaned and downed the last of her drink in one swallow. Maddie packed up her bag and held Jilly’s hand as they walked to the car. They arrived outside the Monread five minutes later, and Jilly pointed to a red Mercedes parked outside.
“He’s here,” she said quietly, her hand shaking as she pointed at the car before walking into the bar.
Maddie gave her five minutes before following her in. Metcalfe and Jilly were at the bar; he seemed to be doing all of the talking. Maddie approached from the rear, catching Jilly’s eye and shaking her head silently. She stood quietly within earshot as Metcalfe spoke as softly and persuasively as he could, while a red-faced Jilly tried to avoid his eyes.
“The car is outside, Jilly – let’s take a spin out to the Curragh. We can park in the whins, where nobody will see us.”
“My father is expecting me home.”
“You’ve such a sweet pussy, did you not enjoy the last time? I could make you come with my tongue.”
Maddie took a step forward. “Some things never change, do they, Caffy? Still perving on the students, I see, you dirty little bastard,” she said as she picked up a bottle from the bar and took a deep draft.
Metcalfe spun around and tried to place her face.
“Madeline Byrne, surely you remember me. You treated me like a whore.”
“Madeline! Jesus! What the hell are you doing here?”
“I’m out for a drink with my niece.”
“Where is she?”
“You’re trying to fuck her,” she said, pointing a finger.
“But she’s a Moran, not a—”
“She’s my sister’s daughter, and you fucked her in the same way you fucked me for a year. Remember that?”
His eyes swivelled around the bar quickly as his face turned a strange beetroot colour.
“I—”
“Look, I don’t care who you fuck or who you don’t, but if you’re going to fuck my niece, you’re going to have to pay the proper rate, otherwise I’ll have to dig out those pictures of you with your face stuck in Sorcha O’Connor’s pussy.”
“Madeline, no, you can’t … that was years ago.”
“They’re still relevant.”
“But you said—”
“I know what I said, but I also know what you said. Now if you want to keep fucking my niece, you’re going to have to pay her properly, don’t understand?”
“Yes, €50 wasn’t it?”
“That was a long time ago. You could drink for a week on €50 then. It’s more like €250 now.”
“For what?! A fuck?”
“Yes, a fuck, a blowjob, anything. I know you visit escorts, so you know what the rates are.”
“Yes, but €250. It’s a bit much.”
She turned to Jilly, who was looking mortified as she stood beside the bar.
“Jilly, love, would you accept €200 an hour?”
Jilly nodded her head.
“Ok, Caffy, €200 for one hour – final answer.”
“I’m not sure I want to now,” he said.
“I see, you think you’re surrounded by enough free tail already, don’t you? Well, I’m your worst fucking nightmare, and I’ll find every last one of them, then I’ll let your lovely wife and kids see the album of your conquests.”
“Ok, you win.”
“And none of this happens in your car. You’ll book a room somewhere and treat her like a lady.”
“Ah, for fuck’s sake, Madeline.”
“Take it or leave it.”
“What about tonight?”
“What about it? Have you made an appointment?”
“No, I—”
“Here are the rules. You’ll make a proper appointment. You’ll book somewhere nice, Revolut her the money and hope she wants to go out with you. Jilly tells me you fucked her three times already.”
He groaned and checked that nobody could overhear them before nodding his head.
“So the first thing you need to do is pay her the €600 you owe her for that.”
He nodded his head.
“Now, you bastard!”
He took out his phone, asked Jilly for her number, saved it, then sent her the money by Revolut. She checked with Jilly, and Jilly showed her the notification.
“Good. We’re going to leave now, Caffy, but I’m here to tell you that if you don’t behave yourself, I’ll cut your balls off and hang them in the examination room you love so much.”
“Ok.”
Maddie took Jilly’s hand, and as they turned to leave, Metcalfe cleared his throat. “Can I ask you something, Madeline? Someone told me that you were an … ehm … one of the girls.”
“You can’t afford me, Caffy,” she said and left the bar, wondering how he knew that.
When they reached the car, Maddie asked Jilly if she was ok.
“I’m not sure.”
“He’ll leave you alone if you just tell him no. If you want to fuck him, that’s your choice, but you’re in control now, and he can never get that back. Your first rule is no freebies to anyone ever. You have my number that you can call if you’re ever unsure, but no matter what, Jilly, I’m in your corner. Brigid asked me to look after you, and I’m going to.”
They sat into the car and drove back to Kavanagh’s. Metcalfe called Jilly an hour later and Revoluted her €200 for an appointment the next night at the Killashee Hotel.
“What do you think, Maddie? I’ve never been there.”
“I was there last night – it’s a nice place.”
“Will I do it?”
“Tell him it’s a one-hour appointment – any more is extra.”
“How much extra?”
“Every hour, or part of an hour, is €200.”
“What if he wants me to suck him?”
“That’s up to you, Jilly. You’re in charge, but you could do worse. Just don’t let him near your arse. That’s a big no.”
Jilly’s fingers hovered over the phone while she thought about it. Maddie reached for her drink and smiled when she saw the phone light up as she typed her reply. She reached into her bag and removed a white enamelled box with silver piping around the edges.
“What’s this?” Jilly asked as Maddie placed it in her hand.
“I got this from a client, and I’m giving it to you. Open it.”
Jilly smiled childishly, took it, and lifted the lid.
“What are these?”
“French condoms. The box holds twenty, but there are only eleven there. Use one every time you do something that involves Caffy’s cock, or any cock for that matter.”
“Even if he … you know.”
“Wants a blow job? Yes, always carry your own, just in case.”
“He wants me to shave down there.”
“It’s your body, Jilly.”
“Do you?”
“Yes, but it’s a personal choice.”
“Should I?”
“Only if you want to, and not because Caffy tells you to. You’re not his girlfriend, remember that. What time are you meeting him?”
“4:30 tomorrow.”
Maddie smiled and nodded her head. “He’s a creature of habit. You’ll be home by six.”
“How do you know that?”
“He was the same with me. Is he meeting you outside the AIB?”
“Yes, he’ll leave you back there no later than 5:30 – that’s his MO, and he’ll drop you like a hot potato when the next set of students come in.”
“Was it the same with you?”
“Yes.”
“Bastard!”
“It doesn’t matter, Jilly, at least he’s quick, isn’t rough, and his dick isn’t huge.”
Jilly nodded in understanding as she turned the box over in her hand. “How often do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You know.”
“It’s called fucking, Jilly. You need to start calling things by their names. Probably four days a week, seven when I’m touring, although I don’t tour so much anymore.”
“Touring?”
“Yes, we generally rent an apartment, an Airbnb, or a hotel room in a city for a period of time, usually a week, but some take it for longer. We call that being ‘On Tour’. I don’t know why.”
“Are you touring now?”
“No, I don’t do that as much now. I take outcall appointments, mostly to a client’s hotel.”
“It’s a whole other world, isn’t it?”
“I suppose it is, but that’s not what you’re doing.”
“Do you think that’s why Dad doesn’t like you?”
“No, he doesn’t know what I do.”
“Will you tell me why?”
“When you qualify.”
Maddie dropped Jilly home a little after ten, warning her to check in with her before and after her ‘date’.
She asked, “Can I call if I just need to ask you something when I’m with him?”
“Yes, you should, love, and try to have fun – it’s only sex, remember that.“
Jilly thanked her profusely and waved as Maddie drove away. She ran into the house, straight up the stairs into her bedroom, and opened her bag. She kicked off her shoes and was picking out a change of clothes when Thomas Senior knocked quickly and pushed the door open.
“Where were you, Jill?” he said.
“Out with Maddie.”
“She’s a bad influence – you should keep away from her.”
“But she’s my Aunt.”
“When she feels like it. She’s never around, Jill.”
“That’s because you hate her.”
“I … ah fuck it,” he said and left the room in frustration.
Maddie drove back to Sallins, her nerves jangling and hyper-alert as she worried whether she’d done the right thing. She pulled over and texted Jilly.
Nerves quieted, she returned to the road and drove home. She got out of her car and checked her watch. It was only 10:20, and she wasn’t of a mind to sit in the house watching TV. Lock 13 was the closest pub and just a short walk from the house. She was hungry after the two drinks in Naas, so she walked across the bridge to see what was available. She’d just bitten into her sandwich when she heard her name.
“Elsa?”
She looked up at the wide-open face of a tall young man and realised that she didn’t know him.
“I think you have the wrong person.”
He took a step back. “Oh! Jesus, I’m sorry, you look just like her.”
She smiled and watched him back away to his stool at the bar. It happened sometimes, and she was used to it, just another random guy who’d seen her picture on a website. The rule was to play dumb, so she continued eating and ordered another IPA. The same girl brought it to the table, and Maddie handed her the money.
“James paid for it,” she said, pointing at the young man at the bar. “James Mallen, he said it’s an apology.”
Maddie caught James’ eye and raised her glass in thanks. He smiled, nodded and returned the toast. He turned away and carried on with his evening as she finished her meal. As she stood to leave, she decided to take a step over to where he sat. He was chatting to one of the bar staff when she touched his arm.
“Thank you for the drink, James – it wasn’t necessary.”
He spun around to face her.
“Yes, it was. I feel terrible about it.”
“There are worse things to feel terrible about, James.”
“Madeline,” she said, and they shook hands.
“Can I get you another drink?”
“No thanks, I have to get home. I need my beauty sleep.”
“You must do a lot of sleeping then,” he grinned.
“And you’re eating too much cheese. How old are you?”
“Twenty-six.”
“That’s too young for a handsome chap to be using such cheesy chat-up lines.”
“It’s dark outside – will I walk you home?”
“I’m literally staying next door.”
“It’s better to be safe.”
“It’s fine, but thank you, and for the drink.”
She left the bar and began the walk home – it wasn’t quite next door, but it was well lit and safer than where she lived in Dublin. Halfway there, she heard his feet on the gravel behind her.
“Are you following me?” she asked.
“No, I’m just making sure you’re safe.”
“You could be a stalker for all I know.”
“Honestly, I’m not, Madeline. Everyone knows me around here. You can ask anyone.”
“Ok, I believe you. You can walk beside me.”
The five-minute walk took ten as James told her everything about his life. He worked in the local bank, lived at home with his mother, had broken up with his fiancé over a year previously and liked hurling.
“I find it hard to believe that a good-looking chap like you hasn’t had a girlfriend in over a year.”
“Why?”
“You’re tall, young, you have a good job, a car and obviously enough money to be buying drinks for people you don’t know.”
“What about you?”
“I’m single, self-employed, and I’m here because my sister is dying in hospital.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Madeline.”
“Thanks, James,” she said, holding up her hand for him to kiss as they reached her gate. “This is me – thank you for your chivalry, good knight.”
He laughed and kissed her hand gallantly. “Good night, beautiful maiden – parting is such sweet sorrow.”
“Good night, Romeo,” she laughed.
“Will you be in the Lock tomorrow night?”
“Possibly, if I’m around.”
“Hopefully I’ll see you there.”
“We’ll see,” she said and kissed his cheek before leaving him outside the gate.
Maddie woke late the next morning. She sat up in bed and stretched while checking the time on her watch. Her initial fright at the time vanished when she realised she had nothing planned except a visit to the hospital. She eased herself out of bed and pulled the drapes back to allow the sunlight to enliven the bedroom, pausing to watch the inactivity outside her window. She made toast and a cup of tea and read through her overnight messages. Nothing important except a few potential appointments, so she closed her phone and opened her email. She read the first – an agency making a final enquiry about her availability in Paris and London a month hence, and replied immediately.
There were several more that weren't as urgent, so she ignored them and brought her tea and her phone back to bed. She spent an hour trawling through Social Media and felt her eyes grow heavy, so she surrendered and fell asleep, waking at 4:20 in the afternoon to a grey sky and threatening rain outside. She decided she needed a shower and maybe a plan for dinner later that evening. Lock 13 traversed her brain, but she put it aside, trepidatious of a potentially awkward encounter with James.
She smiled when she thought of him kissing her hand and wondered what would have happened if she'd brought him home with her. She felt he might have been a little too innocent for her liking, but experience taught her never to judge anyone too quickly. His Elsa remark, however, raised some questions.
Where had he seen her picture? She was sure she had never met him in the flesh, so did he see it on an escort site somewhere? If so, what was he doing there? Was he just curious, or was he looking for a potential booking? If so, was he a regular punter or a novice, and would it be worth broaching the subject with him to tease it out more fully?
She heard her phone ringing as she stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her to catch the call in case something had happened to Brigid. She saw it was Jilly’s number and answered it quickly.
“Are you ok, Jilly?” she asked.
“Hi Maddie, yes I’m grand. Caffy wants me to ask you a question.”
Maddie almost laughed when Jilly called him Caffy. “What is it?”
“He wants me to go to a party on Sunday night, him and three men. What do you think?”
“Who are the men, and are you the only girl?”
She could hear Jilly asking the questions and Caffy answering her in the background.
“Gerald Smith, Marcus O’Kelly and Paul Harper are going.”
“They’re all consultants, aren’t they?”
“Yes.”
“Marcus O’Kelly is a coke head, so it’s a no to him. I haven’t heard anything about the other two. Ask him how old they are.”
A muffled conversation ensued. “Gerald is fifty, and Paul is thirty-nine.”
“Are they married?”
After a pause, she said, “Yes.”
“Are you the only girl?”
“No, they want to bring one more.”
“Ok, how do you feel about that?”
“I’m fine with it once there are two of us.”
“Ask him what they want you to do.”
“Just fucking and blowing them.”
“Covered?”
“Yes, everything is covered.”
“Ok, it sounds cool. How much are they offering?”
“€1,200 between us for two hours.”
“That’s just a flat fee, Jilly. It’s usually the flat fee plus a couple of hundred for each extra man.”
“So sixteen hundred?
“Yes.”
Jilly told Caffy, who replied unintelligibly.
“He said they’ll do two thousand if you are the second girl.”
Maddie laughed. “I’d want that on my own, Jilly.”
“Would you do it for that?”
“I’m not going to fuck someone in front of you, Jilly, and I’m certainly not going to watch you getting fucked or sucking a cock either. You’re my niece, for fuck’s sake!”
“He wants to film it too.”
“This is getting out of hand. Tell him to fuck off and see if he backs down.”
Maddie heard her saying, “She said no to being the other girl and that you were to fuck off with the film.”
“Ask him who the second girl is.”
“It’s Sabrina O’Shea from our year.”
“Ok, are you happy with all that?”
“Yes, but I wouldn’t be grossed out if you were there too.”
“Yeah, but it’s still a hard no. Did you fuck him yet?”
“No, we’re going to do it now.”
“The clock is ticking, have fun!”
She tried to imagine Jilly getting fucked by Caffy but pushed the mental image away, preferring to talk to her afterwards. Maddie dressed quickly and drove to the hospital. She stopped on the way, picked up a couple of magazines and a bottle of Lucozade for Brigid, and tried to smile as she walked through the corridors to her room.
Brigid was on her own, her face a mask of discomfort. Maddie pressed the call button, and two young nurses appeared a short minute later. They called for Brigid’s doctor and got his registrar instead. Several furtive phone calls ensued before they prescribed a morphine pump to manage Brigid’s pain. It took most of an hour, but she was a little more comfortable by the time she fell into a deep sleep as Maddie held her hand and chatted to her quietly.
Maddie left the hospital at 7:30 and drove straight to Brigid’s house. She stormed into the garden and banged on the door until it was opened by Thomas Senior, with Jilly looking over his shoulder.
“What the fuck, Thomas? Brigid was suffering on her own up there, and she had to be put on a morphine pump. Where the fuck were you? Why didn’t you answer the phone? Are you up to your old tricks again?”
“Be quiet, slut! Don’t you dare speak to me like that in my own home.”
“Well, you’d better get your useless fucking arse down to that hospital and make sure she’s comfortable. You’re her emergency contact, and you won’t even answer your fucking phone.”
“I won’t take orders from the likes of you. I’ll go when I’m ready to go and not a minute beforehand.”
“Yeah, like always, Thomas, it’s your way or no way, isn’t it? Your wife is on her deathbed – will you at least try to show that you actually give a fuck about her for once in your miserable life.”
She returned to the hospital but wasn’t allowed into Brigid’s room. Thomas had filed a notice that she wasn’t to be admitted. She left the building and drove home, tears of rage and futility streaming down her face. Her phone rang from a number she didn’t recognise. It wasn’t her work phone, so she answered it.
“Thought you were smart, didn’t you, bitch,” Thomas’ voice snarked down the line.
“I still have those tapes, dickhead.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“You’re bluffing. You gave me those fifteen years ago.”
“Did you ever play them?”
“No. I burned them.”
“You should’ve listened to them – that was a really good concert.”
“I’m not paying for them again.”
“Oh, they’re not for sale, Tommy boy, at least not to you.”
“What do you want?”
“You have nothing I need.”
“I’ll lift the ban on visiting Brigid.”
“Brigid is comatose – they’ll leave her for a few days and, if she doesn’t pass away naturally, they’ll pull the plug.”
“Not without my permission, they won’t.”
“Hah! You might as well dream here as in bed, Thomas. You’re just an insignificant little piece of shit, and it’s time your children heard just what kind of scumbag you really are.”
“I’ll find you, I’ll—”
“Before you finish that sentence, I have to warn you that this conversation is being recorded. But if it makes things easier for you, you’ll see me at the funeral, at the church and at your house looking after your kids. Brig wants me to stay there, and I think it’s time I did.”
There was no comeback down the line, just the heavy sound of a broken spirit and the sigh of a man who had reached the end of the line.
“You can see Brigid, Madeline. I’ll tell the kids myself after the funeral. I’m sorry for everything – I’ve no excuses.”
The line went dead, but Maddie kept driving out of Naas and onto the dual carriageway heading for Dublin. She had no plan, just a desire to leave that place behind. She was halfway home when the phone rang as she reached the turnoff for Rathcoole, Jilly’s name displayed in bold black letters on the phone's blue screen. She debated whether to answer or let it go to voicemail, but she had promises to keep.
“Hey, Jilly.”
“What’s going on, Aunt Maddie?”
“Your father and I have a difference of opinion, that’s all.”
“Why did he call you a slut?”
“It’s just a pet name that he uses.”
“Alright, don’t tell me then. Are you at the hospital?”
“No, I’m on the way home.”
“Can I stay with you tonight?”
“Where?”
“In Sallins.”
Maddie cursed under her breath.
“Yeah, if you like, where are you now?”
“At the hospital. Mam’s unconscious. Will she wake up again?”
“I don’t know, love. I hope so.”
“I have my bag with me. I packed it after you left. I can’t stay here.”
“Ok, I’ll call you when I’m closer. Meet me outside the hospital main entrance again.”
“Thanks, see you then.”
She took the Avoca exit, drove across the overpass and exited onto the southbound lane back to Naas. She met Jilly outside the hospital fifteen minutes later. Jilly began to say something, but Maddie stopped her, and they drove home in silence.
“Hungry?” Maddie asked as they stood in the hallway removing their coats, “I was thinking of ordering a pizza.”
Jilly nodded.
“Sardine and banana?”
Jilly nodded again.
“Where are you, Jilly?”
“What … sorry … pizza, yeah, I don’t mind.”
Maddie showed her around the property after ordering the food. She showed her the bedrooms and told her to pick one.
“Anything will do, Maddie,” she said quietly. “Which one is yours?”
Maddie laughed, “The messiest one.”
“Is Mam going to die?”
“We’re all going to die, Jilly.”
“You know what I mean.”
“They have her on morphine. That’s usually a sign.”
“How long?”
“They won’t let her go longer than a few days, three or four, I’d say.”
“So what do we do?”
“Sit beside her bed and talk to her – that’s all we can do. Someone should be with her at all times.”
“My Dad is with her now.”
“Good. Come on, do you want a drink of something?”
She followed her to the kitchen and then into the lounge, a bottle of water each in their hands. They sat quietly, no words passing between them and none necessary, the only sound being the occasional calming swish of a vehicle driving past outside. Jilly jumped in her seat at the sound of the doorbell when the pizza delivery arrived, and they both giggled at the reaction.
“Take out some plates,” Maddie said, “I’ll get the door.”
Maddie watched as Jilly tore a slice off the pizza and wolfed half of it down.
“So how did you get on with Caffy?” she asked.
“It was ok.”
“You got through it safely?”
“Yes, he’s a bit weird, that’s all. I think he’s afraid of you.”
“He should be – I could destroy him.”
She nodded.
“What time did he drop you off?”
“5:29. He said he couldn’t be late.”
“That’s because his wife has him on a leash. Did he want anything different than normal?”
“Yes,” she said as she reached for another slice.
“Such as?”
“I had to suck his cock.”
Maddie laughed. “You could do worse.”
“I know, but the stuff tasted weird, and he was narked that I couldn’t swallow it all.”
“You swallowed his spunk?”
“I tried to.”
“You blew him without a fucking condom?”
“He said that was the way he wanted me to do it. I didn’t know.”
“That bastard! We’ll have to get you tested. Go on, what else?”
“He licked my pussy.”
“He’s good at that. Did you like it?”
“It was embarrassing at first. Nobody ever saw my pussy like that.”
“I’m sure you have a beautiful pussy, Jilly.”
“He said it was the nicest one he ever saw.”
Maddie took her hand and held it while she spoke. “So you were embarrassed for a while, but did you enjoy it?”
“God, yes. I couldn’t help it – I soaked his face.”
“You’re a squirter? Good for you, it must run in the family.”
“That happens to you too?”
“Not every time, but yes.”
“Then we did a sixty-nine.”
“Uncovered again?”
Jolly blushed. “Yes, but he didn’t come that time.”
“Did you?”
“I couldn’t help it. He fucked me then.”
“How?”
“The normal way.”
“With a condom?”
“Yes, I don’t want to get pregnant.”
“A condom isn’t only to stop pregnancy, Jilly.”
“I know.”
“He talked about me doing anal. He even put his tongue in my arse.”
“Did he try to fuck your arse?”
“No, we were out of time. His tongue felt nice though.”
“There’s a lot of preparation needed before you do that, Jilly.”
“Do you do that?”
“No.”
“Did you ever try it?”
“Yes, twice. I was out of work for over a month on both occasions.”
“Why?”
“Anal bleeding, when my sphincter tore and became infected. I thought I was going to die – it was hell,” Maddie said, a grimace on her face. “What happened then?”
“He took a shower and dropped me outside the bank.”
“Did he give you time to clean up too?”
“I used a washcloth in the bathroom.”
“Did he shower beforehand?”
“No, he said we hadn’t got time to spare.”
Maddie thought things through for a bit, her hand tightened around Jilly’s. She smiled quietly at her niece.
“What did you wear?”
“My white summer dress.”
“No coat?”
“No, he said not to.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did you do with your underwear when you got home? I hope your Dad didn’t find it.”
“I didn’t wear any – Caffy told me not to.”
“Why?”
“He doesn’t like the knickers I wear because they’re not sexy enough. He gave me €50 to buy thongs for next time. He said he prefers them.”
“Does he now?” Maddie spluttered. “Has he got a favourite colour too?”
“Yes, pink or black G-strings. He wanted to take a picture of my pussy, but I told him you said no pictures.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes, he wants me to shave everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes, under my arms, my legs and my pussy.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I don’t know, I don’t know how to do it.”
“You can have everything waxed properly, but it’s not cheap. If he wants that, and you’re prepared to do it, he should pay for it.”
“Do you think he will?”
“You never know. So you survived your first proper experience. What did you like most?”
“I actually liked it all, but the best part was feeling his tongue in my pussy.’
“So you’d do it again?”
“Yes. That hotel room was awesome.”
“It is a lovely hotel. I wonder if he uses it much.”
“I don’t know, but he seems to know everyone there.”
“It’s a pity that he takes the piss, though. We need to sort that out,” Maddie said, picking up her phone and doing a Google search. She wrote down a few things on a pad and dialled Caffy’s number. He answered quickly, the sound of cutlery hitting crockery in the background.
“Caffy, it’s Madeline Byrne here. Can you talk?”
“Not really. Can I call you back?”
“Are you out with the wife?”
“Eh … something like that.”
“I suggest you take this somewhere quieter, because this is important.”
“Ok, give me a minute,” he said quietly, and she heard him muttering something about an urgent call to what she assumed was his wife.
“Ok, you have thirty seconds. What do you want?”
“You stuck your cock in Jilly’s mouth without protection, you bastard.”
“What? How?“
“You shot your load down her throat.”
“She told you?!”
“She tells me everything, Caffy. You know that’s not in the price, and neither is sticking your tongue in her arse.”
“I—”
“Shut up and listen! I’m going to take her to the hospital tomorrow for an STI check, because I dread to think where your cock has been.”
“What hospital?”
“Naas.”
“No fucking way, we work there!”
“Well, she’s not going to spend €600 at a clinic in Kill just to preserve your reputation.”
“But I’m clean.”
“Have you got something on paper to prove that?”
“I’m a fucking doctor.”
“I’m not, and I need to make sure that my niece hasn’t picked anything up. You took advantage of her naïveté, Caffy, and that’s not fair or proper. So, which do you prefer, a free test at Naas or an expensive one in Kill? I’m easy either way.”
“On, Jill, send me the bill.”
“There’ll be no bill, Caffy, it’s €595 for the test, another €600 for my time to bring her up there and €200 for Libby’s anxiety.”
“This is turning into an expensive fuck, and I don’t even get to take pictures.”
“You can take four pictures for €400, but they have to be taken with Jilly’s phone.”
“I’m not agreeing to that.”
“That’s the only way, and if you try to sneak any, I’ll destroy you. Revolut the money to Jilly, and I’ll look after the rest. The clinic will be in touch if she’s positive. Should I name your wife as a contact?”
“Fuck you, Byrne.”
“Never in a million years, Metcalfe. We’ll talk again soon. We also need to discuss your aversion to showering before sex, Jilly’s choice of underwear and girls wearing coats on a cold Autumn evening. Is that a new fetish I hadn’t heard about?”
He cut the call abruptly, and she smiled as she realised just how rattled he’d been. He’d either be more amenable in future, or he’d disappear from Libby’s circle. Either was a decent result in her book.
