Sherry's Story

Confrontation

Disclaimer: This plotline of this story has nothing to do with the “Sin City” series of graphic novels. It’s just my interpretation of the life of Marv’s mom before she gave birth to him.

A/N: This chapter contains strong M/F, Oral, Language and substance warnings.

lll

As I suspected, Momma made me pay for spending the night at Ben’s. I was given to the men that no other girl wanted. Mostly smarmy salesmen from who were in town for a convention. When they called for a girl, I was sent and usually got fucked by two or three guys. The ones I really hated had cold hands and wanted me to say things like: “Fuck me harder, Daddy!” They’d want me to put my hair up in pigtails, wear knee-high socks and a plaid skirt.

What was it about men who subconsciously wanted to fuck their daughters?

Slowly but surely I built up a steady reputation and to my relief, the class of men I serviced were of better quality. It was hard keeping a straight face when men who owned the biggest corporations in the city wanted me to spank them with their own belts! Not only that, they called me “Mistress” and wanted me to tell them they deserved to be punished for being naughty!

As time went on, I discovered that not every man who paid for my company was sadistic or mean. There was many a time the man would only want to talk. Those dates usually followed a pattern: we’d go out, have a nice dinner somewhere and go to his hotel room, drink and talk until dawn.

These men were much, much older than I was. Most were at least fifty but I didn’t mind. They were doctors, lawyers or bankers. They had everything—money, success, power--but their wives were too busy with their charity events or whatever to pay any attention to their husbands. Their children had grown up and moved away and were concentrating on raising their own families. They came to me because they were still in the prime of their life but they still needed female companionship. They yearned for someone to listen to them.

When they wanted sex, I obliged them gladly. At their age, they were tender and considerate, since they couldn’t smack a woman around, especially a hellcat like me. Ever since my brutal rape at the Roarke estate, I vowed never to let a man hurt me again. If the guy I was with starting hitting me, I gave as good as I got.

Because they were considerate with me, my body responded with pleasure when we got together. It was never Wham Bam Thank you Ma’am with them. Most people think that older men can’t perform in bed. For the most part that was true, but I discovered that some of them could give younger men half their age a real run for their money. Because of their age, they had learned over the years how to really please a woman. Sure, younger men could fuck me twice in a night but these older guys gave quality not quantity.

I didn’t hear from Ben after I spent the night at his place. He never called or came over to Momma’s anymore. From the grapevine that ran rampant through Old Town, I found out that Ben had been seeing another girl at a different brothel. It was obvious that he had forgotten me but I never told anyone about how hurt I felt, not even Sable.

I started drinking and taking pills every day to ease my pain. The booze and pills were a godsend and for several hours at a time, I could almost forget about Ben and what we shared. I had to face facts: Ben had abandoned me for the charms of another woman and he didn’t care about me anymore.

Nearly a month after Ben’s desertion, I discovered how wrong I was.

One night I was staying at a hotel with Richard. He was a lawyer in his late fifties and made his millions defending members of the Mob. He was filthy rich and lived in that part of town where all the other people with power lived—Sacred Oaks. He had two bodyguards with him at all times but he still carried a gun, just in case.

He never spoke of his cases and I knew better than to ask. The less I knew, the safer I was. Even so, I learned more about organized crime than I ever wanted to. When he got really drunk, his tongue was a bit loose and told me things a woman wasn’t supposed to know. And sometimes at night, he talked in his sleep.

I liked Richard a lot, both as a person and as a man. Usually I looked forward to being with him again but ever since I got the call that he wanted me, I dreaded it. All I wanted to do that night was stay in my room and drink. However, Richard was a big tipper and I couldn’t afford not to see him.

Once we went into the room and his guards took their usual stations on either side of the door, he reached for me. I felt myself cringe when I felt Richard’s hands on my flesh.

Why was I feeling this way? What was wrong with me? I tried to answer both questions in my head as my clothes were removed. The only conclusion I could come up with I was still hurt from Ben’s desertion. The last thing I wanted was to be here but Richard paid for me and it was my duty to make sure that he got his money’s worth.

I knew better than anyone what made him hard and I went to work. My mind was a million miles away but my hands and body acted for me. I unbuttoned his jacket and slid it from his body, taking care to fold it neatly and put it out of the way. Richard only wore custom-made clothes and he wouldn’t be too pleased if I tore any of his garments.

As I kissed him, I felt his groin tighten. I slid my hand downward and stroked him through his trousers. He pushed his hips against my hand. I unzipped him and slid my hand inside his fly so I could touch him. He was completely hard now and his moaned as I caressed his balls.

I went to my knees and took him in my mouth, knowing that it drove him insane with lust. He buried his hands in my hair and I took as much of him into my mouth as I could.

“Oh God, Sherry. If you keep this up, I’m going to come,” he whispered but I didn’t care. The sooner he came, the sooner I could go home and drown my grief with drugs. I doubled my efforts but was disappointed when Richard pulled me to my feet. He kissed me, his lips hard and unyielding against mine. He was an expert kisser and normally, kissing Richard was a huge turn-on for me but not tonight.

When he had had his fill of my mouth, he dipped his head and I felt his hot breath against my skin as he whispered endearments into my ear. I didn’t respond when his teeth nipped at the sensitive area between my neck and shoulder. I felt nothing. My body felt encased in ice. The only thing I felt was my hot tears as they trickled from my eyes and down my temples. As if in a dream, I dimly heard him remove the rest of his clothes. I lay back on the bed and spread my legs and waited for it to be over.

Richard positioned himself over me. Proceeding as gently and slowly as always, he entered me but I still felt nothing. I experienced no joy and no pleasure in being with Richard. Automatically I moved my hips so that they counter thrust against him until he was buried to the hilt inside of me. Because of the blowjob I gave him, he was already close to his having his orgasm.

As Richard began to moved faster inside of me, I stared at the ceiling and counted each thrust. It would be over soon and I could go back to my room, take some pills and wait for the pain to fade into forgetfulness. In the throes of his climax, he groaned and I felt his penis shudder inside of me. When his breathing returned to normal, he slid off my body and lay beside me. He was the kind of man who wanted to cuddle in the afterglow. I lay stiffly in his arms afterward, wondering how soon it would be before I could leave.

“You usually enjoy our lovemaking, Sherry. What’s wrong? Your body is here, but your mind is a million miles away.”

All the pain I had felt during the last month hit me like a gigantic tidal wave and it was too much. I curled into a ball on the bed and started crying. Once the floodgates were opened, there was no turning back and no way to stop it.

“Easy, easy,” he said softly, and he took me in his arms. “Let’s see if we can’t figure this out. What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing.”

Richard chuckled. “Sherry, I am a lawyer. And a damn good one too. I’ve questioned enough people on the stand to know when someone isn’t telling me the truth. No matter what it is, please tell me what’s bothering you. Maybe I can help.”

I shook my head and didn’t answer. No one could help me.

“It’s not me you wish was in bed with you now, is it?” Richard asked. “Listen, I’ve been with enough women in my time to know that you were not enjoying what I was doing to you. You usually are very wet when we make love but tonight, you weren’t. I probably injured you and for that I am very sorry. You are the last person in the world I’d ever want to hurt.”

He was right. My pussy had been dry and he did hurt me but it wasn’t intentional. In my line of work, getting fucked when you weren’t ready was an occupational hazard. I’d suffered much worse pain than that.

A lifetime ago, Ben had said something about never wanting to hurt me. But he did and my heart was broken because of it.

“If I had to guess, I’d say you’ve got something—or should I say someone—on your mind.”

“I’m sorry, I—” I stared at him in surprise at his astuteness. That was the problem about being with a lawyer—they were trained to figure out the truth without you having to say a word.

“That’s okay. I understand. So, what is he like, this young man of yours?”

“He’s not that young. He’s much older than me but….how I feel about him doesn’t matter. He doesn’t feel the same about me.”

“But you want him.”

“I love him and I thought he felt the same. I was wrong.”

“What happened? Talking about bad things in one’s life to someone else helps, believe me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt better after unburdening myself to you.”

I told him everything. My stepfather’s nightly rapes. My running away to Sin City, meeting Momma and signing away the best years of my life in return for her “protection.” The gang-bang at the Roarke estate. Ben’s tending to me after it was over. My recuperation at the hospital and the awful news that I could never bear a child. Ben’s coming to Momma’s to see how I was. Our two dates and how I haven’t heard a word from him since.

Richard took my hands in his. “He’s a fool for letting you go. If it were me—well, that’s neither here nor there. But that doesn’t help your pain, does it? Now tell me about this agreement you have with Momma.”

He asked me all kinds of legal questions and even put them in layman’s terms so I could understand what he meant.

“Let me see what I can do about nullifying that so-called contract of yours,” Richard said, wrapping his arms around me and holding me for a long time. “If there is a loophole, I will find it and use it to set you free. There. You can’t doubt me now when I tell you I love you, can you?”

“I love you too,” I said. I knew that for his own reasons, he needed to hear the words spoken by a woman he cared about. For all intents and purposes, that woman was me. For everything he had given me, it wouldn’t hurt if I said a few words to appease him when he wanted it.

“I’ve got something that should help you feel better,” Richard said. He got out of bed and picked up his jacket, rummaging around in the pockets before he found what he was looking for. He held a vial of white powder in his hand.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Cocaine. I take it when I need to feel better and forget about the outside world sometimes. Right now I think you need it more than I do. Let me show you.” He poured a small amount of the powder on the nightstand and carefully arranged it into two thin lines. He took a one hundred dollar bill and rolled it up into a thin tube. He put one end in his nose and the other on the line he’d made before taking a deep breath and inhaling all of the drug. “One hit of this and I guarantee you will forget all of your problems. It’s perfectly safe. Go on. Try it.”

I did as he showed me and was rewarded with a rush as the drug started to work. My pills never made me feel like this! It was wonderful! He was right—it did make me feel better!

We had some more to drink before making love again. The cocaine heightened my senses. The pleasure I felt from everything he did to me rose exponentially because of the wonderful drug that was flowing through my veins. Every inch of my body felt it was on fire—my nipples, clit and lips needed to feel my companion’s touch and Richard did not disappoint.

This time, his lips on my neck drove me nearly insane and I heard him chuckle deep in his throat when his fingertips found my aching, rock-hard nipples, silently begging to be suckled. When his mouth closed around them, I gave out a long and loud moan, threading my fingers through his hair. He tormented me to the brink of insanity as he teased first one nipple then the other. I loved what he was doing to me and in a breathless whisper, I told him where else on my body I wanted to feel his mouth.

As he nipped and sucked my clitoris, I grabbed him by the ears and shoved his face against my pussy, trying to get as much of his flesh against mine as possible. When I came, I screamed so loud I was sure the cops would be pounding on the door at any minute, investigating why I was making noises like someone was killing me. When he came up for air, I devoured his face, nearly biting his lips off. Richard retaliated by shoving his penis inside of me hard and fast but that was exactly how I wanted him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and we rode out our orgasms together.

It took a while before my body would stop shaking from the indescribable bliss I’d just experienced but eventually I got the strength to stand and walk; but even so, my knees were wobbly.

As soon as we left the hotel room, we were immediately flanked by his two massive bodyguards, Brown and Jones. It didn’t bother me that they’d heard everything that went on between Richard and me. Their discretion was part of the job requirement and they were compensated well for ensuring Richard’s safety and keeping his extra-marital affairs secret. They had been standing patiently on either side of the door until we came out. Jones was the bigger of the two men and I gave him a leer and a wink. I couldn’t see his eyes behind his dark sunglasses but his mouth twitched in response before his face resumed its usual stern expression.

A few years ago, Richard’s car broke down late one night on the wrong side of town. A part of town that made Old Town look like a retirement community. He went into a run-down titty bar where Jones was a bouncer and asked to use the phone and call Triple A for a tow truck. The local tough guys saw Richard in his expensive clothes and decided to roll him for his wallet. Richard refused and he would have been knifed if Jones hadn’t stepped in and saved his life. Richard hired him on the spot and now Jones was Richard’s most loyal employee and his right-hand man. Jones, like Ben, was intimidating both in size and demeanour and it would be a stupid man who got in the way of his formidable fists when he was pissed off.

It was thanks to Jones that I even met Richard in the first place. Jones was attending an all-night poker game and he lost a lot of money. Six thousand dollars, as a matter of fact. As compensation, his fellow players chipped in and hired me to give him some comfort. I felt sorry for the big lug; I’ve known men who got mean when they lost big like that but Jones wasn’t one of them. He was disappointed and angry at himself but he didn’t take it out on me. I went out of my way to give him the best fuck and blowjob of his life that night. We’d seen each other a few times since then.

One night when his wife was out of town, Richard was horny as hell and asked Jones if he knew of a girl who was a good fuck and could keep her mouth shut about her customers. I fit the bill on both counts and that’s how our relationship began.

Richard dismissed Jones and Brown. “Sherry and I will wait for the elevator. You two go ahead and we’ll join you by the car.”

Both men nodded and took the stairs, leaving us alone in the hallway.

“How is your divorce coming along?” I asked with a smile. We were standing outside the elevator, waiting for the car to come to our floor.

“She’s being a real bitch about it. She’s going to take me to the cleaners, I’m afraid. Will you still love me when I’m poor?”

“Even if she takes every cent, I’ll always love you.” I knew damn well he had no intention of ever divorcing his wife—he loved her too much but still, it was fun to dream of what might have been. If I had been ten years older and he had been thirty years younger, who knows what might have happened?

“And you’d still want to be married to me?”

“Definitely,” I murmured.

“Well, we’ll do that once you get old enough. Can you wait until then?”

We were both high from the drugs we’d taken earlier in the evening. I giggled and nodded my head, saying the words he was waiting for. “I’ll wait for you forever.” Our banter was harmless but to anyone who wasn’t in on our joke, they’d completely misunderstand what was going on. I ran my fingers through his salt-and-pepper coloured hair and I knew by the look in his eyes that he wanted me again. But the sun was coming up and he had to be in court at nine a.m. Still, one last kiss wouldn’t hurt….And I did owe him—both for listening and for giving me the drug.

Our lips had just met when suddenly Richard and I were wrenched apart. Through a dim, drug-induced haze, I saw him stagger back from the force of a powerful punch. He fell to his knees. I looked up at the man who done the unthinkable: stupidly assaulting the number one lawyer for the Mob. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was Ben!

“Get your damn hands off her!” he snarled. Ben appeared out of nowhere; but then again, Richard and I had been too occupied with each other to pay attention to anything around us and we hadn’t heard him.

“Get out of here, Sherry. I’ll take care of this guy!” Richard quickly got to his feet and pushed me out of harm’s way.

Ben stood in front of Richard and it was terrifying to see the anger emanating from him. “You goddamn ambulance-chasing shyster! If I ever catch you near her again, I’ll kill you!” Ben reached inside his jacket and pulled out his gun.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Richard yelled back. Even though Ben towered over him by a head, Richard stood his ground. “Do you know who I am? Do you know who I work for?” He scoffed when he saw Ben’s gun aimed at his heart. “Do you think you’re the only one who carries a firearm?” Before I could even blink, his gun was out as well.

I knew that if I just stood and watched, one of them would end up dead and I wished harm to neither. “NO!” I yelled. As fast I as could, I put myself between them.

“I know who pays you and I don’t care,” Ben snarled. “I’m not afraid of him. I’ve got connections too.”

Ben peered speculatively at Ben. “I knew I’ve seen you somewhere before. You’re one of the Senator’s goombahs, aren’t you? Well, I’ve got news for you, pal, my boss is the one who got your boss elected. And he can get Roarke thrown out of office just as easily.”

“What did you just fucking call me? Huh? You think that because you got an expensive education from some Ivy League law school and you wear fancy suits that you’re better than me? I’m not afraid of you or your boss—that fat, wine-guzzling Wop! Goddamn it, Sherry, move aside so I can shoot this bastard.”

“I’m not moving until you put your guns away. Both of you,” I ordered as bravely as I could. To be honest, I was scared shitless—I was between two very angry, very powerful men who were both armed. I could feel Richard’s gun poking me in the back and the cold barrel of Ben’s was resting between my breasts.

Both were powerful in their own way: Ben could easily pound a man until he was a bloody smudge on the pavement while Richard had connections that could make someone disappear from the face of the earth without a trace. If the tittle-tattle I heard was correct, the tar pits were full of bodies. Full of people who had had the misfortune of pissing Don Battaglio off once too often were taken there for a drive and never heard from again.

I was secretly thrilled that these two men were fighting over me but I wanted no blood shed between them especially on my account. I breathed easier when the moment passed and they holstered their weapons.

“If you think I’m going to leave her alone with you, you’ve got another thing coming!” Richard fumed.

I turned around and faced him. “Ben’s not going to hurt me. He’s a friend. I’ll be fine. Same time next week?”

“Yeah, sure. Listen, Sherry, if he gives you any trouble, you call me, OK? This is for you,” Richard murmured as he bent down and kissed me on the lips before slipping the vial into my hand. “You and I,” he said, staring at Ben over my head, “are going to have a little talk. Count on hearing from me soon.”

“I’ll meet you anytime, anywhere,” Ben replied. “Why’re you staring at me like that?”

“I’m memorizing your face so that I’ll know I’ve got the right man in my sights before I pull the trigger,” Richard said. He smiled and nodded at me before turning and walking to the waiting elevator.

Ben waited until the car was on its way down before turning on me. “Who the hell does that guy think he is, talking to me like that? Why were you with him in the first place? Don’t you know how dangerous he is?”

I was about to make a joke but the look on his face stopped me. Saying that he looked pissed was an understatement.

“What was he talking about? I heard the two of you. Are you and him getting married or something?”

I couldn’t believe it. Ben had been eavesdropping! Now I was the one who was mad. “You’re a fine one to stand here and demand answers from me! Are you following me around?”

“Yeah. So what?”

I couldn’t say a word as I was too furious. Who did he think he was anyway—ignoring me for months and just when I’d started getting over him, he was trying to meddle in my life?

“Answer my goddamn question! Are you getting married?”

“So what if I was? What’s it to you?” I demanded, my hands on my hips.

“Sherry, I won’t let you get hurt by that guy. I demand that you stop seeing him!”

“And who are you to give me orders? You find someone else to fuck but I’m not allowed to do the same thing? Did you expect me to sit by the phone and wait for you to come back? No! I’m getting on with my life and I suggest you do the same!”

“You can’t marry him! He’s old enough to be your father!”

“So are you!” I shouted. As soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I hadn't said them but it was too late. I saw the hurt look that flashed over Ben’s face. The damage had been done. I saw Ben’s lips tighten and he raised his hand. I flinched in a reflex action—all those times my stepfather had hit me made the reaction a perfectly natural one. “No, Ben, don’t hit me! I’m sorry!” I shrieked.

“Aw honey, I wasn’t gonna…”

“No! Leave me alone!” I was about to cry for help when Ben clamped his hand over my mouth. I tried to break his grip, but he was too strong and he wasn’t going to let me go. He pulled me toward him and before I knew what was happening, Ben’s lips were on mine and my arms were around his neck.

“This is killing me, Sherry! Watching you go out, knowing men like him are kissing you, touching you, fucking you….I can’t take it anymore. I can’t get you out of my head. I think about you all the time.”

“I think about you too, Ben,” I said. “When I’m with them, I see your face, not theirs.” Now that all the excitement was over and I didn’t have to think too hard, I could feel the effects of the booze and pills. It took a lot of effort not to slur my words and my head wouldn’t stop spinning.

“You do?”

“Yes. I wish to God I didn’t have to...” My throat closed and I started to cry. It wouldn’t solve my problems but it helped to get it out. “I hadn't seen you in a while. I thought you forgot about me.”

“You thought I’d forgotten about you? There’s no way in hell I’d ever be able to do that! Never!” Ben said forcefully.

“But why did you stay away? I thought you didn’t care anymore.”

“No matter what I did, I couldn’t get you out of my head. I’m not proud to admit this, but I’ve been with other women but it didn’t do any good.” Ben leaned closer for a moment then looked at me. “You’ve been drinking, haven’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“How much?”

“We had a few glasses of wine with dinner.”

“Let me look at you.” He tipped my head back and looked into my eyes. “You’re on something. Your pupils are so small I can hardly see them.”

“Are you an eye doctor now?” I said with a laugh, trying to lighten the situation but Ben didn’t smile back.

“Tell me the truth: are you high?”

“Yeah,” I mumbled. My mind was fuzzy and the only thing I wanted to do was go home.

“When did you start taking drugs? Tell me!” Ben shook me and I snapped back to wakefulness.

“I thought you didn’t want me any more. I took them to make me feel better.”

“Take it from me--pills and booze aren’t the solution to anything. They cause more problems than they solve. Did that guy get you started on that junk?”

“No. I was already taking them when we met. What’s the big deal, anyway? Everybody does it.”

“I don’t care about everybody else, I care about you! Don’t you realize what could happen to you? You could die!”

“I’m not gonna die, Ben. Don’t worry, I'm careful. I only take a few at a time.”

“And I bet you can’t wait to go home right now so you can take some more pills, right? Be honest.”

“Yeah.”

“Kid, I’m gonna do something that you’re gonna hate me for but I have no choice. You’re coming to my place for a few days and I’m not taking no for an answer. No matter how long it takes, I’m gonna get you off of that stuff.” Ben hoisted me over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and walked down eight flights of steps until we got to the garage where Ben’s car was.

Some movement in the distance caught my attention. It was Richard. He was standing by his limousine and talking with his bodyguards and driver. They all turned to look at us and they paid particular attention to Ben; it was as if they were memorizing what he looked like for future reference.

I smiled to myself when I realized that Richard did not leave until he was sure I was all right. I waved at him and made an ‘I’m OK’ sign with my index finger and thumb. He nodded and got into his car.

lll

“How did you find me?”

Ben shrugged and turned his attention to the road. “Remember the night I came over and you saw me talking to Sable? Well, I asked her to keep tabs on you for me. She’s told me about every guy you’ve had a date with and where you go. But when she told me you started seeing that lawyer, I knew I had to do something.”

“So you’ve followed me around all this time? I never saw you.”

“If I don’t want to be seen, no one will see me.”

“But what about tonight?”

“Tonight was different. I guess I went a little nuts.”

“A little nuts?”

“OK, OK. I went completely ballistic but can you blame me? I mean, you’re smooching that sleazy money-grubbing lawyer and talking about marriage….”

“What about your girlfriend?” I said sharply. “What’s her name?”

“Girlfriend? What are you talking about?”

“I heard you were seeing someone else!”

“It wasn’t true. Not a word of it. The only girl for me is the one who is sitting next to me right now.” He took my hand and brought it to his lips.

Me! He meant me! He hadn’t forgotten me after all! After so many long lonely weeks, my heart was whole again.