Sterling Douglas stood at the head of the massive mahogany dining table.
"Gentlemen, this night has exceeded all expectations. The collective work necessary to gain the New York account was phenomenal. I hope you have enjoyed your first reward."
There was general agreement among the men.
"And now, champagne." Douglas clapped his hands, and servants appeared, carrying trays of champagne bottles in ice buckets. They began popping bottles, and serving the guests.
Magdalena sat on a bench near the main door. She was exhausted, but fully satisfied. All she could think about was climbing into bed for a few hours of sleep.
Douglas turned from the table, and approached Magdalena.
"Ready for Round Two?" He smiled.
She smiled back at him.
"No, I think I'm finished for the night. Thank you for this."
Douglas frowned.
"That was not the deal. You agreed to be available for the entire evening."
"I know. I'm sorry, I'm just so tired. This was exquisite. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did."
Douglas leaned down, staring daggers into her eyes.
"What you want is immaterial to me. You agreed to be the reward tonight, no time limit, no 'I'm so tired' escape clause, no excuses. You knew the rules before you agreed."
"Well, yes, but-"
"Fine." Douglas was suddenly very calm. "You know the consequences, as well."
"Wait, Sterling, I-"
Douglas had left the room. He spoke quietly, pointedly, to the security staff. He then spoke to one of the servants, who scurried off towards the storage room.
Magdalena watched nervously. She knew the consequences, but did not believe Douglas would deliver on his promise. He frequently threatened repercussions for her behavior, and had not had reason to ever follow through.
Tonight was different. Douglas was furious. The angrier he was, the calmer he became.
Two servants entered the dining hall, followed by security staff. The servants pushed a large, waist high wooden tea cart. The cart had a black box on top.
The security personnel entered the dining hall, surrounded Magdalena, and pulled her to her feet. They stripped her of her blanket, leaving her naked again. They brought her to the tea cart, where the servants unpacked the box. They kept the contents hidden from Magdalena, as it contained multiple restraints and a ball gag. Holding her arms, the security guards forced Magdalena to bend over the cart, and fastened her arms and legs to the cart. She was frightened, but too tired to put up a fight.
Douglas returned to the head of the table.
"Gentlemen, there has been a slight change of plans," said Douglas. "Prior rules are no longer in place," continued Douglas. "The only rule in place now is do not make Magdalena bleed."
At this, Magdalena tensed. She never imagined Douglas would allow her to be harmed. She worried about what was to come.
"Sterling, please, just-" she began.