Chapter One

The Beginning of the End

 

Bella Lisa Mauricio slipped out of her dress and sat on the bed very close to her Dom, Phillipe Williamson, her ankles tucked under her. She rested her arm on his shoulder, the warm soft flesh of her breasts brushing lightly over the side of his cheek. Back from the dead, Phillipe felt fortunate to be alone with his sub again, naked and unashamed, her youthful pale skin shimmering in the luster of the bright lights. He squeezed a damp cloth in his fist and watched the rivulets of water run through the valley of her cleavage and drip down her torso onto the linen. He traced the wet trail with his finger between her breasts to the entrance of her sex. Like the wings of a butterfly, Bella Lisa slowly parted her thighs to offer access to her most private area. When her moist lips opened, Williamson desired to mount and thrust himself into her like a stallion, but his wounded body was unable to respond. Bella Lisa tilted her head back as he touched her, shut her eyes and softly moaned. Then the lovers heard a discrete clearing of the throat outside the closed curtain surrounding the hospital bed.

"Excuse me, Mr. Williamson. Your doctor is here and wishes to have a word with you," Williamson's assistant Andre Firmin said.

"Please ask the Doctor to wait a moment, Andre," Williamson said.

Bella Lisa stood up, slipped back into her dress and opened the curtain.

"Hello again, Doctor," Bella Lisa said pleasantly, her cheeks flushed.

"Ah, your midnight angel has returned to you, I see. Hello, Ms. Mauricio. And how do you feel this morning, Mr. Williamson?"

"Not too bad, Doctor, for being clinically dead a few hours ago."

"Yes, the whole thing is quite perplexing to me. Apparently, the cardiac monitoring unit was not malfunctioning, according to our technicians. I can't explain it. Forgive the cliché, but I suppose it was just not your time to go. You are a very lucky man, Mr. Williamson..."

"I think you're right, Doctor," Williamson said, winking at Bella Lisa.

"Let me just take a quick peek at your cut here."

The Doctor lifted the bed sheet and carefully removed the large bandage covering Phillipe's pelvis to examine the wound.

"Yes, it seems to be healing fine, no signs of infection. I'll have the nurse come in and change the dressing. You'll have to clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide and apply Vaseline over it twice a day when you change the bandages. Come back in three weeks and we'll have the stitches removed."

"OK, Doctor," Phillipe said.

"Now that you're coherent, Mr. Williamson, I was wondering if you could explain how you received this cut in the inguinal area. It's an odd place for such an injury. I need to ask you this and please answer me honestly... Was the wound self-inflicted?"

"No, absolutely not. As I told the other physician who interviewed me quite thoroughly this morning, it was just a stupid accident. A mirror broke in my condo and I got cut by a shard of glass."

"But why didn't you come to the emergency room right away?"

"I assume I passed out from the loss of blood. My housekeeper found me the next morning..."

"I see..."

The Doctor looked over some papers on a clipboard.

"Well, according to the Psychiatrist who assessed you, your mental state is perfectly normal, Mr. Williamson. Other than your wound you appear to be in exceptional good health, so I see no reason why we can't discharge you."

"Great," Phillipe said, smiling at Bella Lisa.

"That's wonderful news! Thank you, Doctor," Bella Lisa added, relieved.

"I've called down to the pharmacy for a refill of Clozapine and a round of Vicodin to get you through the first few weeks of recovery. You can pick both prescriptions up on the way out. I think you'll be as good as new in a month. Be sure to take the Clozapine twice a day without fail. Your blood test showed you stopped taking your prescribed psychiatric medication, Mr. Williamson."

"Yes. I just got busy with work and didn't have time to refill my prescription."

"I strongly advise you to not let that happen again, Mr. Williamson. Your private physician will monitor your blood levels to make sure you're taking the correct dosage. Take the Vicodin twice a day for a week, and thereafter as needed for the pain. A nurse will be here momentarily to change your dressing and escort you in a wheelchair-"

"A wheelchair, Doctor? Is that absolutely necessary?" Williamson asked.

"I'm afraid so. Hospital policy. You should stay off your feet for at least a week and take your meals in bed to regain your strength. You lost a great deal of blood just the other day, Mr. Williamson. Take a Vicodin as soon as you get home. It's going to hurt like a son of a gun."

The physician gave a sideways glance at Ms. Mauricio.

"And remember... no sexual activity for at least a month, due to the placement of the injury."

"OK. Thank you, Doctor."

The Doctor nodded and left. Bella Lisa crossed her arms across her chest and gave Phillipe a disapproving look.

"Lying to your physician... You're a bad boy, Mr. Williamson."

"If I didn't, they'd never let me out of here."

"Why in the world did you do that to yourself?"

"When you never came back to me, I thought I had lost you forever."

"Of course, I was coming back. You didn't lose me."

"I know. I just lost control. But I promise you. Something like that will never happen again."

"I certainly hope not. You gave us all a scare. I suppose I need to keep a closer eye on you from now on, Mr. Williamson"

"I'd like that, Ms. Mauricio."

The nurse showed Bella Lisa how to properly change the dressing of his wound and gave them some medical supplies to take home. Though embarrassed, Williamson allowed himself to be dressed back into his clothes, helped into a wheelchair and pushed down to the lobby. After picking up the prescriptions, Williamson stood up painfully and used Bella Lisa's body as a crutch to limp out of the front door of the hospital. Firmin followed, carrying Williamson's belongings. Luman and Cogworthy, the security team for Williamson, stood at the curb beside the limo, looking concerned.

"Hi, Boss, glad to see you," Luman said.

"Good to see you, Mr. Williamson," Cogworthy said at the same time.

"Good to be back, gentlemen," Williamson said with a grimace as the two men helped him into the back seat.

As the limo pulled into traffic, Williamson pushed a button on the side panel and a partition rose up, giving them more privacy.

"So what do you think of a little quick sex on the way home, Ms. Mauricio?"

"I'd prefer to wait until you stop bleeding, Phillipe."

"Perhaps that's just as well. I feel a little sore down there this morning."

Beads of sweat appeared on Williamson's brow. He patted his forehead with a handkerchief.

"I'm going to have to hide all the sharp objects in the house. No more playing with knives. You've been a very naughty boy, Phillipe."

"I like it when you call me Phillipe. Say it again."

"Phillipe..."

"May I begin to call you Bella Lisa?"

"I suppose you may. But I also like Ms. Mauricio, or if the mood strikes you, your dirty little sub..."

"Mmmm..."

Phillipe leaned in and tenderly kissed Bella Lisa. She reached out, placed her hand on his inner thigh and bit her lower lip.

"I wish I could, my dear. The spirit is willing, but I'm afraid the flesh is weak."

"Don't worry, Phillipe. I'm sure you'll be better soon. You'll be up and about in no time."

"I certainly hope so. Especially the 'up' part."