Under New Management Ch. 03

Again she nodded, responding to him taking charge with instant compliance. It was always easier for Bubbles to do as people told her -- this way it wasn't her fault if something went wrong...

---

"Hey Hugh?" Bret asked five minutes later, meeting up with two of his bouncers, Hugh and Clay, "got a minute? You too, Clay."

"Sure, Boss, what do you need?" Hugh asked. He liked his new boss though he did usually prefer the company of more masculine guys. Still, the young boss had an air of honesty about him, and he was quite smart as well. Hugh could respect that.

"How much am I paying the two of you?" Bret wondered. The muscle-bound men exchanged confused looks, before Hugh answered: "Eh... fifteen bucks an hour, I think."

"Want a raise? And a... let's call it a promotion."

"Hell yeah!" Clay exclaimed. Hugh was more mistrustful though.

"What'd we have to do?" he looked down at his boss from his considerable height with suspicious eyes.

"You've seen Bubbles tonight?" Clay shook his head but the pieces suddenly fell into place for Hugh. He hadn't seen her -- she'd gone in the backdoor -- but he knew what kind of troubles she got into. And Bret did look like a guy with a hero-complex. Hugh spent a lot of time lifting weights but he was far from stupid...

"You know where she lives, Hugh?" he asked, and the bouncer nodded, silently striking an accord with his boss.

---

It turned out Bubbles and Kurt lived in a shabby apartment in an even shabbier neighbourhood. Considering how Bubbles was one of the most popular girls at the club, she should be able to afford a better place... but then again, if she had support a loser boyfriend and his heroin-addiction, perhaps this was the best she could get.

"So, what's the plan, Boss?" Clay asked, eager to show his boss, his colleague and himself how big and bad he was.

"We'll go in, have a little chat with him. Tell him to stay away from any of my girls," Bret said, feeling like a powerful mobster. Then as an after-thought he asked: "Either of you guys read the Bible?"

"Pff!" Clay exhaled in contempt but Hugh nodded, "now and then..."

"You remember that passage 'eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth'?" Bret continued and both the bouncers turned enforcers nodded.

"A black eye for a black eye, a broken lip for a broken lip..."

It was easy getting in. Bret suspected that if Clay had kicked the wall instead of the door, it too would have burst open, but as it was, they went in through the door.

The apartment was small and messy. They walked quickly through the small hall, through the kitchen until they found the bedroom, where a tall, dark-haired man was just waking up, looking extremely confused. Quick as cats, Bret's two sidekicks were on him, overpowering him with ease and dragging him into the small living-room where they forced him to his knees between them.

"Hey! Hey, what the fuck!?" he shouted, trying to tear himself free but their grips were like steel.

"Shut up!" Hugh told him loudly in his threatening, deep voice. Kurt was violent and abusive but he wasn't that stupid. He shut up.

"Now," Bret said, pumped full of adrenaline. This was the first crime he'd ever committed and it was oddly exhilarating, "we're gonna have a little chat." He stood in front of the little creep, feeling mighty compared to him -- like a king looking down on his court-jester.

Kurt looked up at him, having no clue who any of them were. He was scared and angry, and he needed a new fix. He'd slept most of it off after fucking Bubbles, but somehow he didn't think these guys were in the mood to let him have a quick one...

"What-what do you want?" he dared ask.

"Bubbles..." Bret said, loving the mysterious power he got from having two strong men at his back. Money was... pretty good to have.

"What about her!?" the scared Kurt asked. He was a big, strong man when confronting a frightened girl like Bubbles -- but these guys were huge!

"I think you know," Bret smiled, really getting into character. I could have this fool killed! he suddenly thought. Wow! The police wouldn't even care -- a low-life druggie dying in a crappy apartment.

"Okay, okay," Kurt said, speaking very quickly, "we can make a deal. Eh... 50 bucks! I'll get her back here and leave for the night. You can have her all night for a fifty, and I won't care what you do to her!" If it was just the slut they wanted, he might get out of here in one piece! And even with a little cash...

He didn't stop to think that powerful guys such as these could afford their own whores and wouldn't have to break into strangers' houses to get them -- he wasn't thinking too well with shock, fear and heroin-need clouding his mind.

Everything went red for Bret for a moment, and he slapped Kurt's face as hard as he could. It flew to the side, and a strong, burning pain erupted from Bret's hand where it had connected with the creep.

"Auch! Son of a bitch!" he cried, not anticipating how much it would hurt!

"What the hell?" Kurt gasped, the entire right side of his face burning with pain.

"Eh... Boss, maybe you should let us do that..." Hugh politely suggested, managing not to laugh at his boss's attempt -- though he applauded the thought. Clay wasn't as respectful and openly grinned at Bret's pain.

"Okay, fuck this," the young man muttered, not really enjoying his role anymore, "Bubbles works for me. I saw what you did to her, and it ends now. She's moving out, and if you ever, ever come near her again, we'll come back. You got me?!"

"What?" Kurt said, completely confused. What did these guys care about a lowly stripper getting slapped around a bit?

"Stay... away... from... her!" Bret hissed slowly and convincingly into Kurt's face, "or we'll come back and break your freaking neck, leaving you to live the rest of your worthless life in a wheelchair. Got it?"

Kurt would have liked to tell the little pipsqueak to go to hell, but there was something serious in his eyes that stopped him. He might actually mean it... would he really kill him or maim him over some stupid cunt?

"I got it," he spat, "I was tired of her anyway!"

"Good! Then we understand each other!" Bret declared with a smile. Then: "Hugh... eye for an eye..."

The huge bouncer looked down at the pathetic little man on the floor, raised his fist and pounded it into Kurt's face, knocking him to the floor.

"Impressive..." Bret muttered as he looked down on Bubbles ex-boyfriend bleeding on the floor.

---

When Bret returned triumphant to his office, he was starting to have doubt once again. Had he just fucked up everything for the young woman? What would she do now? He really, really hoped she'd let him help her.

She awoke with a jump as he opened the door, having been sleeping on his couch.

"Boss!" she exclaimed, nervous and happy at the same time. It had been very worrying that he'd just left all of a sudden. What had he been doing? Did it have something to do with her?

Steeling himself for a confrontation, he decided to tell her everything. She'd find out anyway, might as well be open about it.

"Bubbles," he said, suddenly wishing he knew her real name -- oh well, it could wait -- "I eh..." Don't ask her, tell her, Tina had told him. Well, might as well follow her advice.

"You aren't going to sleep here," he told her, watching her face contract in first surprise, then disappointment. Her beautiful, blue eyes turned sad, as she realised he didn't want to help her, and it almost broke Bret's heart. He wanted to be her hero, not cause her pain!

"And you aren't going back to your apartment or Kurt either," he continued in the same determined tone of voice, "you are worth better than that."

"But..." she said and stood up, the sadness in her face getting replaced by confusion, "but what am I going to do then?" She sounded so frail and small, so alone in an uncaring world that the side of Bret that needed to be the hero instantly got a boost.

"In..." he looked at his watch, "ten minutes you and I are going home. To my home that is. And you'll live there for the next couple of days until we figure out what should happen from there on..." He kept staring into her eyes, wanting to ensure she understood him and that she trusted him.

"I..." she tried to speak and failed, not knowing what she should say.

"You'll sleep in my bed," he graciously offered, "and I'll have the couch." He needed to make sure that she knew it wasn't about sex; it wasn't about him taking Kurt's place. It was about doing the right thing.

Again she attacked him -- in two fast steps she was on him, wrapping her arms around him in a crushing hug.

"Oh, thank you!" she gasped against his chest, pressing her ample bosom into him. Bret swallowed -- now that he (in his own opinion, at least) had saved her, it was difficult not to notice the woman in her.

Earlier, she had been a little girl that needed his protection -- now she was certainly back as an extremely sexy stripper who appeared to be very grateful to him. An anatomical reaction followed, one he was very much hoping Bubbles couldn't feel! It was quite embarrassing, everything considered.

"So, why first in ten minutes?" she wanted to know, wanting to get back to his home immediately. For the moment, any thought about Kurt had vanished, being replaced by her knight in shining armour. She had that little-girl look in her eyes again, though her blackened one diminishing the effect somehow.

"I gotta talk to Tina first," he explained, and she nodded in understanding, "so wait here and I'll be back soon."

"Ah, okay..."

"So... I'm gonna take Bubbles home for the night. Then we'll figure what's gonna happen with her," he explained Tina, trying to sound nonchalant. Trying to pretend he hadn't done anything out of the ordinary.

"Aha..." she said, not buying the act at all, "and ehm... where've you and Hugh and Clay been for the last hour? Hmm?"

"Ehh..." he said, realising she was smarter than he'd planned on. But that was probably a good thing in his administrator.

"If you've been where I think you've been," she continued and opened one of her desk-drawers, picking out a black, evil-looking pistol, "you might wanna start carrying this."

"What?" He stared at the gun with huge eyes, frightened and excited at the same time. First saving a woman and now getting armed?

"It's registered to me but you can get a licence fairly easy," she went on, "here's the safety. It's ON now, so you can pull the trigger without anything happening. You ever hold one of these before?" she asked as she handed it to him. Fascinated, he accepted it, studying it curiously. He put it in the inner pocket of his suit.

"Thanks, Tina," he smiled.

"You did a good thing," she said earnestly, "just don't get yourself killed because of it."

"Will try not to..."

Bubbles and Bret walking out of the club gathered a lot of curious looks, even though they took the back-entrance, leading directly out to the employees' parking-lot. A couple of eyes weren't just curious though.

Lia stared at Bubbles back as she left, her arm intertwined with Bret's. And he calls me a whore, she thought with a bitter stab in her heart, apparently he'll do anyone... anyone but me. She shook her head, determined to forget him... only she couldn't get the image of him sitting with Michelle in his lap out of her head. It had been too good to be true, she guessed.

"You have a really nice car!" Bubbles said as they reached it in the parking lot. It wasn't that nice but it was certainly miles better than the old wreck Kurt drove. Also better than her own but that wasn't as important in her eyes.

"It's okay," Bret said modestly, "I've been thinking about buying a new one though." The basic, male need to brag a little to an attentive, beautiful woman couldn't be denied. She smiled admiringly at him, loving having a man of means for once. In her mind, he was hers, maybe not sexual or in boyfriend/girlfriend kind of way... but he was still hers, somehow.

"So... where do you live?" she asked, once they'd gotten in the car and where on their way.

She was still smiling that flattering smile that made him want to tell her everything, made him want to brag about how well he was doing, how much money he had.

"I've got an apartment down on fifth," he answered. It was in the nicer part of town, though not overly expensive. Again though, it wasn't in a neighbourhood Bubbles usually got to see.

Ten minutes later, he parked outside his apartment-building; a three-stories house with 6 apartment all in all. He led her up the stairs and into his home.

"So, let me give you the tour," he smiled and she nodded eagerly, very curious to see how he lived. Well, it was pretty dirty; working two jobs lately, he hadn't had the energy to clean up after himself -- but otherwise the young blonde was very impressed. Three rooms, a kitchen, bath (with a bathtub!) and nice, not-overly-cheap furniture.

"Very nice, Boss!" she smiled when he ended the tour in his bedroom, where dirty clothes littered the floor (though his bed was still made).

"Thanks," he muttered. It was difficult to think with this gorgeous creature of pure, available sexuality standing in his bedroom. The way she stood, the way she looked at him, Bret had a fairly good idea that if he kissed her or led her to his bed, she'd only be too happy to continue his sexual education. Oh, she smelled good. And she was so close... and he was so hard!

No! he screamed at himself, not wanting to be a new Kurt. With self-discipline he didn't think he had, he grabbed the spare quilt.

"I'll just put this on the couch," he smiled weakly at her and hurried from the room, afraid of the constant temptation she was. Crestfallen, she watched him leave. She was sure he'd shown her the bedroom last because tour ended in the bed. Why had he left? Why didn't he want her?

She'd never cheated on Kurt, never ever. Not just because she knew how much he'd hurt her if/ when he found out, but because... well, she couldn't betray her man like that. She wanted to be his good girl, wanted to show him how good for him she was.

But now she was all confused. Kurt wasn't here, and Bret had been so kind to her. Had taken her in, had comforted her, hadn't fired her... she wanted to show him how thankful she was. And, well, there was really only one thing she had that she could give to show her gratitude.

But evidently he didn't want her. Why didn't he want her?!

"Too dumb and ugly," she muttered to herself, her low self-esteem answering the question. And she'd told him how she'd disrespected her boyfriend -- of course he didn't want to be with a girl like that! Men wanted pliant, obedient women who didn't talk back. If her father had taught her anything, that was it.

She sighed heavily. She'd really thought he'd want her. Maybe she should call Kurt? At least she knew he wanted her -- when he slapped her, he showed her how he cared about her and wanted to improve on her manners.

"Boss?" she asked as she went back into the living-room to him, "can I borrow your phone? I wanna give Kurt a call, to tell him where I'm staying tonight and tell him I'm sorry for what happened."

He looked at her with a deer-caught-in-headlights-expression and swallowed noticeably. He'd been making his bed on the couch -- even though it was barely six o'clock, he was already tired. A hard week, working two jobs and the adrenaline-ridden trip to Kurt's not an hour ago had drained him and left him wanting sleep...

"Ehm... I'm not sure that's a good idea," he said, avoiding her eyes, a heavy weight of guilt and fear pressing down on him. Had he done the right thing? How'd she react? Had he messed up her life?

"Why not?" she asked, not really understanding what was going on.

He patted the couch next to him and she went and sat down.

"That errand I had to run?" he said and looked at her. When she nodded, he continued in a rush, "well, I took Clay and Hugh back to your old place. We beat up Kurt, and I told him if he ever came near you again, we'd kill him." He looked her straight into her eyes -- now it was his turn to try and gauge her reaction...

"You... beat up Kurt?" she asked, not really believing it. Her heart-beat and breathing both sped up, and she felt a tickling sensation in her pussy, as she realised he told the truth.

"Yeah," he nodded, not having much else to say until he knew whether she was happy or angry.

"For... for me?" she needed to know and held her breath expectantly, hoping... well, not really knowing what she was hoping for, but she somehow sensed that Bret had done something important.

"Yeah," he agreed again, wishing he had something else to say.

"Because... because I'm yours, and he shouldn't lift a hand against your girl?" she continued. Oh, this was so hot! God, had he really done that for her?

"Well... yeah," he said, although he probably didn't mean the same by her being 'his girl'. All the girls at the club were his girls, after all. But he sensed that she wasn't angry with him -- if he read her correctly, it was quite the opposite, so he let it slide.

"I... I want to be your girl very much," she breathed and leaned into him. She stared up at him, trying her best to convey how badly she wanted him -- and how, if he'd just give her the tiniest hint that he wanted her too, she'd rock his world.

He opened his arms, and she crawled into his embrace, more aroused than she could remember ever having been. God, she wanted him to take her! He closed his arms around her, and she felt so safe, so protected.

"You are my girl," he whispered to her, not knowing what fire in her his words fuelled. It just felt like the right thing to say...

She expected him to make a move on her -- she was so available after all. If he just slid a hand down her back, he could get a feel of her ass, if he just bowed his head a bit, his lips would meet hers... if he just threw her on her back on the couch, he could have all of her!

But he just hugged her... and after a while, he asked, "you hungry? Want a pizza?"

Confused, disappointed and rather disgusted with herself, she nodded. He didn't want anything to do with her, despite her being his girl...

"Good," he said relieved and carefully freed himself of the needy woman.

Two hours later, they were watching a movie, the pizza eaten, Bubbles quite distressed and Bret incredibly horny. For the last two hours, she'd tried to tempt him to just forget about everything else and take her. She'd made sure to sit in compromising positions, showing off her ass and boobs whenever possible, she'd been sitting to his right so her black eye didn't repulse him whenever he looked at her, when she went to the bathroom she'd pinched her nipples till they were hard and clearly visible, she'd laughed at his jokes, she'd acted all impressed when he told her about his job, his money or his plans (okay, not acted impressed, she was genuinely impressed by his prospects)... in short, she'd done everything she could short of writing 'FUCK ME!' across her forehead.

Well, everything except telling him that she wanted him. She... she couldn't. She wanted to -- she wasn't stupid or inattentive, and she'd noticed how he was looking at her when she pretended to watch the TV. She figured there was some other silly reason why he didn't act on his desire, and several times she was about to ask. But... what if he told her he didn't want her? What if she wasn't pretty enough for him or too stupid?

No, better to live with the hope than risk the disappointment. So she kept tempting him, trying to prod him into action.

Bret, on the other hand, was in a sexual hell. She was sooo tempting, so hot! When she'd dropped her napkin and bent over, her ass right in his face in those short, tight cut-offs, he'd almost exploded.