2019-05-28 - Of Cords and Cards

It was half past eleven when Byron finally returned home after dropping Lilith off at her shop for the evening. It was still a Dark and Stormy Night when they finally left the bar. Of course, it was. Welcome to Gray Harbor, folks. At some point during his drive back to the Apartments, his client in town even sent him a text message pointing out this fact: 'It's the end of Day 2 and it's still raining.'

If Byron could, he would do something about that. But alas, while he has strange and odd abilities of his own, controlling the weather was not one of them. Or could he do something about that? It's something for him to ponder on.

Once inside of his penthouse apartment suite, he can clearly see the sheets of rain washing over the town through those elegant glass French doors that lead out to the terrace. It did not look as if the rain would let up anytime soon. If worse comes to worst, he may very well just have to do some extra convincing of his own. Who doesn't have the spontaneous urge to sign an incredibly expensive rental agreement contract on a whim? Checking the hands on his Rolex, Byron considers taking the client out for a nightcap after the man's wife and kids are asleep. Two if by Sea will still be open and yet, the late night drinking will be as dark and wet as ever. He'd think on it.

Digging into jeans pockets, he sets his keys down into the entryway tray, before considering doing the same with his pack of cigs and gold lighter. Something tells him that he might need a smoke after what he's about to do. Thus he keeps them in hand as he turns on the main lights before crossing the room to make himself comfortable upon the long leather couch.

Leaning forward to put both his cigarettes and lighter onto the coffee table, Byron then settles back deeply within his seat. Once more, he has his hands in his pockets, but this time, like as with before at the bar, he's careful with how he handles these items. Carver's card is merely looked at before it's simply discarded to be placed down beside the other objects on the table. Look, there really wasn't much to see here, though he wasn't at all surprised by its crudeness.

It's the black tie-knotted length of silk that's he's most interested in, primarily because this is what Lilith really wanted him to... experience, would be the best word for what he does. She wanted him to experience her own darkness, play witness to the, he can only imagine, twisted things that her urges forces her to do. This is what she was initially ashamed of but grew to accept once her dirty little secret was revealed.

Rather than having a go at it immediately, Byron decides to light up. Tapping out a cigarette from the soft pack before lighting the very tip. Slipping the thing between his lips, he leans back completely against the sofa, as he takes a very long initial drag, just before sending forth a stream of smoke from both mouth and nostrils; all while his relaxed gaze staring at the darkened reflection of himself through the flat screen of his television. Now he was ready. Maybe.

Setting the cigarette into an ashtray, he slowly draws himself up into a forward seated position, his posture straightened. He then begins this examination of the slip of silk, running his thumb along its smooth length and over every knotted bump.

Like with any object that Byron tries to get a read on, the emotional intensity felt depended solely on just what events the item in question had witnessed and just how much of a powerful emotion is attached to those events. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Lilith was the one in charge and yet, he can feel the danger that she's in when the tables are not only turned but pressed hard against you to pin you against a wall.

Just as with the emotions rocking through him due to his contact with the silk cord, his own anger also rises, having this need, all his own, to lash out at this invisible aggressor. He can feel and smell the man's breath on him, being this close. His frame shifts and jerks in place, where he is seated safely upon the leather couch, yet his movements are confined as if he were truly bound. "You son of a bitch." Comes as a low growl through clenched teeth, tasting that blood at his lips.

Hearing that grunt of annoyance in his ear, Byron can't help but flash this hungry smile. There's more where that came from. There a twist of emotions, blending both Lilith's experience of the past with his own vengeful anger. Something which stays with him even as he comes to his senses, his eyes quickly blinking to pull himself out from those thoughts and feelings. There's an idle licking at his lips, there was no blood to be found there.

His hand still wrapped tightly around the silk cord, he gives it another look before setting it down upon the coffee table and reaching for that cigarette once more, breathing in that all too-comforting poison that is nicotine. He's completely relaxed now, made all the more better due to the smoke. And yet his mind lingers on this experience. This was not the Dominatrix lifestyle that he'd expected to play witness to. Was that something that he was really anticipating? To know Lilith in possession of that much power, real or not, over others? This idea comes to mind too, in fact, and as he once more stares at his reflection through the blank wide-screen on the wall, he just has to shake his head slowly, "How fucked up are you?"

Taking yet another hit, breathing in the heavy smoke, he leans forward to set the cigarette down again, eyes now turned to the 'business' card on the table.

Taking up the card, he turns it over once, noting that nothing was written on the back. Sure, he'd read the thing when he first got it. Found it a touch amusing when he'd seen the company name printed there in person. This Byron takes the time to read aloud to himself as he raises it to idle hold it just before his eyes,

"Alistair Carver. "Fuck If I Know" Inc." He tacks that last part on.

"Well, Mister Carver, what do you have in store for me tonight?"

"All this time I thought the drunk Brit was just trying to be a smart ass. Looks like the joke was on him." Byron murmurs to himself, blinking back down at the card i hand. "Not that I expect him to have cared all that much." And with a flick of a wrist, the card is tossed down, sent sailing haphazardly to land on the coffee table somewhere.

Now that he know what Alistair Carver looked like, he knew who to keep an eye out on. That part of the job was done.

That's when his gaze falls back upon the silk tie once more. She'd told him to burn it after he was through. And yet... he wanted to learn more, to peer even deeper into Lilith's past away from home.

Looking down at his watch, it was a little pass midnight now. As he lifts himself to stand, he reaches for his phone to tap out one quick message: 'Bill, if it's not too late, I wanted to invite you out to a nightcap. There's a cool local bar just down the road. If you're game, I'll meet you in the lobby.' A pause, before he adds, 'Let's hope that tomorrow brings clearer skies. Then we'll take your kids to the park. There's a carousel and all.'

Slipping the phone back into his pocket, he's about to head towards the entrance to grab his key and coat, before he's drawn back the silk cord again.

He won't burn it. Or at least, not today.