Consequences(57)

Claire couldn’t understand how he could behave one way, say something, and then act as if it never happened. She, however, was having difficulty thinking of anything else. Her appetite gone, she barely ate any of her dinner.

Once they were done dining, Tony led Claire to the movie-theater. It was her retreat—a place to escape and watch singing and dancing. Tonight, Tony didn’t intend to watch a musical. He programmed the video system and entered a passcode. Suddenly, the screen was full of dates and locations, such as 2010, May 05, S.E. suite. He had the ability to scroll to different dates and different locations. It wasn’t just her room. There were locations like: garages, kitchen, foyer, stairs, theater, pool, S.E. 2 floor hall, S.E. 1 floor hall, etc.

In some humiliating form of torture, he chose: 2010 March 20, S.E Suite, and then programmed the time. He scrolled up and the time decreased, 9, 8, 7. He returned to approximately 8:00 AM and hit enter. There on the movie screen, bigger than life, was Claire’s suite. She was wearing a white robe and lay curled up on the floor near the hall door. Claire didn’t need to watch, she knew too well what would happen. She also knew the Claire on the screen was covered in bruises, her hair was a mess, and she could see the demolition of the room. Now she heard a beep and the door opened. Claire jumped, also hearing the sound and seeing Tony enter. “Good morning, Claire.” Claire looked at Tony.

“Good morning, Anthony. I want you to know, I’ve decided to go home. I’ll be leaving here today.”

Tony then spoke, his black eyes shining as he smiled, “Do you not like your accommodations?” His smile widened. “I don’t believe you’ll be leaving so soon. We have a legally binding agreement”—Tony took a bar napkin from his suit pocket—“dated and signed by both of us.”

Claire didn’t want to watch anymore. “Please, Tony. I don’t want to see this.” She covered her eyes.

Tony physically removed her hands from her eyes. “I promised a viewing. I said you will watch—and you will watch.”

The video had progressed in real time. Claire looked up in time to hear her own voice obviously filled with alarm.

“It is not the end of this discussion. This is ludicrous. An agreement doesn’t give you the right to rape me! I’m leaving.”

Knowing what was to come. Claire closed her eyes as she heard Tony’s hand contact the screen Claire’s left cheek.

Unknowingly, her own fingers drift toward her left cheek. Opening her eyes she saw herself fly across the floor, and Tony walk over to that Claire. She closed her eyes again, hearing the voice on the screen with the cruel tone, “Perhaps in time your memory will improve. It seems to be an issue. Let me remind you again, rule number one is that you do as you are told. If I say a discussion is over, it is over, and this written agreement which states whatever is pleasing to me, means consensual, not rape.”

The real Claire still had her eyes shut. She knew the Tony on the screen was straightening his jacket. She could hear him continue in a disturbing, authoritative voice, “I have decided that it would be better if you did not leave your suite for a while. Don’t worry, we have plenty of time, 215 thousand dollar—worth of time” She opened her eyes again to see the screen Tony step on broken crystal and speak again in a tone that made the real Claire shiver, “I’ll tell the staff that you may have your breakfast after you clean up this crystal.” Tony left Claire’s room.

“Please stop the video!” Claire cried. She couldn’t help it. “Please, I can’t watch anymore.”

Relishing Claire’s suffering, Tony said, “Oh, there’re so many videos. We can watch for hours.” He hit some buttons and went back to the menu. “For example”—the screen read: March 19, 2010—“how do you suppose your suite got into that condition? I’m sure we could find out.”