by Mister_Shy
...or maybe a foreign film. The emotions are very strong, even if I'm not totally sure where things are going. It's a kind of weird story about a kind of weird man, and the experiences of a woman who gets close to him. I've started imagining vaguely French sounding music in the back of my head while reading this chapter. The whole thing feels very full of Deep Meaning, though I don't know what the meaning is.
With GimletEdge. Tom is a master manipulator. I don't think he wanted Allison at all. He was most likely pursuing Allison knowing she would talk to Catherine about it. And once a seed (thought) is planted, and manipulated the right way, a person like Tom could get his way and maintain dominance while giving the illusion that the other person is in complete control. Genius. Love the story. the other clues where in in first chapter where he initially turned her down and made her convince him to do it, but then in ch 2, he admitted he wanted her every time he saw her in the gym. He had his sights in Catherine all along. Great plot. Keep it up!
But I'm addicted.
It's clear that Tom is a master manipulator, and that (at least at the time) Catherine was unaware of how completely dominated she was. The money gave her the illusion of control.
Even her little stipulations made her believe that the affair was hers to handle.
There are clues to be sussed out: Tom remains detached despite how passionate he feels. Catherine tries to remain detached by holding onto the boyfriend she's stopped caring about. Tom is controlling how much of himself Catherine has access to. Catherine seems unaware of any future downside to having prostituted herself. Her self respect has a hollowness, as it's all built on the top layer---her appearance.
I'd like to think that Tom is taking a very roundabout way to woo Catherine, but I may be projecting my own desire onto the story.
The author is a prestidigitator, and I haven't been able yet to figure out the trick.
I'm sure hoping that future chapters will give us more clues.
Thanks for this very provocative story.
I must be as perverted as Tom because I love it!
I have lived every chapter so far.