looked at Prometheus, who just smiled and waited for the psychiatrist to finish. Eric wondered what he had up his sleeve.
“There is the matter of mitigating circumstances, and again, I have Jessica’s permission to reveal the following to you, which came out in my discussions with her.” He went on to say, “She was mentally abused as a child. She had always been told she was fat, ugly, and unwanted. This caused her to react by overeating. She became the fat, ugly girl her mother had called her, and consequently, she was bullied at school. It was not until she left school and took a job that she managed to pull herself out the spiral. Unfortunately, she overreacted and became obsessed by weight gain. She was needy and sought attention wherever she could get it. She needed the attention to feel worthy.”
Here there were some snorts of derision from some of the Doms, who clearly did not believe in any such thing, and when he had finished it was plain to Eric that for most of the Doms, what he had said had made no difference at all. He heard a growl from Torquil.
“That is no excuse for inflicting the same on someone else who she did not even know and had not hurt her.”
The psychiatrist sat down and waited for Prometheus’s solution. Eric was keen to hear it, too, as he wanted Jessica out of the way of his Emma.
“I introduced you all to Master Rhys before. He is a recently trained Dom, and he lives in Cardiff. He is willing as a personal favour to me to take Jessica in hand. He wants a slave to complete his triad and is willing to train her. I should tell you that he in his turn was trained by my friend Master Llewellyn.”
There was some laughter at that, and the Doms obviously knew who and what Master Llewellyn was. Eric certainly knew him by reputation. Jessica was in for it all right.
“In case you were wondering,” he said to the psychiatrist, “he is a very strict Dom with a fearsome reputation, and he will be overseeing Jessica’s training. I am sure she will not be reoffending, as she will have more than enough on her plate. As for attention, she will get more of that than she wants. However, it is take it or leave it. She accepts, moves to Cardiff, and is trained as Master Rhys’s slave or we prosecute,” Prometheus said.
Eric knew that Prometheus did not want to do that, but neither Jessica nor the psychiatrist knew that. The psychiatrist left and after about ten minutes he returned a very chastened Jessica with him. The terms were explained to her, and the documents prepared by the lawyer, in case she had any idea of going back on the agreement, were read to her and signed by her and witnessed.
“Master Rhys will take you home to pack. You leave today. Anything that cannot be packed today will be sent on to you. I understand your flat is rented, and the club will deal with the notice to the landlord. We all hope you will take this chance to make a new life as you will not be offered another one. Do you accept what I have just said and agree to abide by the conditions and undertake not to return here? I will be keeping your signed agreement under lock and key and I will use it if you do not.”
“Yes, I accept that what I did was wrong, and I will not come back here or try to contact the members of the club. I will abide by the conditions you have set out.” Jessica looked cowed and subdued now as she left with Master Rhys. They were all glad to see her go.
Eric was delighted it was all sorted. Now he could pursue Emma in earnest.
Chapter Twenty
Eric helped Emma into the car and closed the door after she put on her seat belt. He drove them to her house and said, “I’d like to stay tonight if that is all right with you, kitten?”
She smiled up at him, her nose wrinkling in the way he loved, and he gently kissed the tip.
“I’d like that, too.”
They ate sandwiches and drank a glass of chilled white wine, and then she went upstairs to take a bath. He followed her but went
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