In all of history there have been countless examples of luck changing people's lives. Good luck could turn a battle, change fortunes and save lives while bad luck could end marriages, force ruin or cause the death of millions. Sunday morning, Emily Bradford had the fortunes of luck smile down upon her as she sat eating Rice Chex in her bedroom. Her luck came as a picture message. A gentle tone announced the arrival of the picture and Emily could only stare at it in silent disbelief. The picture was of Kimberly Turner wearing an extremely short skirt holding her tiny t-shirt up to her chin. In the picture, Kim's breasts and the hard points of her nipples were clearly visible as was the crimson flush on her face.
Emily pushed her cereal bowl away, the Chex growing soggy as they sat uneaten in the bowl. Her eyes were glued to the picture in the small display. Why would Ms. Turner do that, she wondered? The blush on her face implied that she was at the least embarrassed by what she was doing. Was she coerced? Forced into the lurid display? It looked exactly like the skirt she had been curious to see Kim wearing on campus Friday and she could not help but wonder if there was a connection. Countless questions raced through her mind. It was, she knew, the best story a second year Journalism student could happen upon. She pressed a button, saw who sent the message, and dialed the phone.
Sharon Reed stood next to Jason Norgan, her boy-toy, as he crouched beneath Kim's desk. "So can you do it?" She could hear the excitement in her voice.
Jason nodded, "easily. Are you sure you want to do this? It seems, I don't know, wrong?"
Sharon loved how naïve the boy was. Sharon moved closer, pressing the crotch of her jeans into his face. "It'll be okay," she said.
He glanced at Sharon and ran his arm up her jean-clad leg to cup her ass.
She slapped his hand away, "First, finish what you're doing and then you can do teacher on her desk."
He needed no further encouragement.
It took Kimberly Turner less than twenty minutes to empty her car. She could not help but wonder where she would be driving; she knew she'd be naked. Why else would Sharon insist that there was nothing in the car that could be used to shield her body from view? Sharon had said she'd by driving Tuesday but Kim doubted that with her car clean it would be the only time she'd be driving. But, really, she wondered, how bad could it be? Could it be any worse than riding in the back of Sharon's car with her legs obscenely spread, flashing her pussy to whomever could peer into the confines of the car? Kim thought driving herself would be tamer and was actually looking forward to the solitary embrace of her car. At least, if she was driving, her legs would be closed.
Jason donned his shirt and watched Sharon fasten her jeans. He picked up his pants and slid them on. He wondered if he was the luckiest man alive; and he had to be a man, didn't he? He was having sex regularly, with a woman nearly twice his age, and doing things that could be considered illegal, conspiratorial and was definitely immoral. Doing it, he felt powerful. He felt like a man.
Sharon finished dressing, "Show me how it works."
Jason sat in Kim's chair and opened the lower left hand drawer of her desk. When Sharon had searched Kim's desk, the drawer had been empty, now a laptop computer sat there, its lid folded and four wires snaking out the back. Jason lifted the lid and the blank screen cleared and the log-in prompt appeared. Jason typed the password Sharon had chosen and a small black video screen appeared.
"The program is always running," Jason explained. He pointed under the desk and Sharon crouched down to look where he indicated. "This switch here," he touched a tiny footswitch, "starts things up." He pushed down on the switch with his right foot. Under the desk a tiny lamp illuminated the recess under the desk and on the computer screen the black window changed to show Sharon looking at the switch and Jason sitting in Kim's chair. He nodded to the screen, "As long as the switch is pressed, the video camera is on and recording and the video is being uploaded to a web page, just like you asked."
He had enjoyed making the web page and more than once he had masturbated to the pictures and videos that Sharon had given him. On the screen Sharon watched everything that Jason was showing her. She was elated at the quality; the light helped to obscure any shadows. Jason released the switch and the video display on the laptop's screen once again went black and the running counter in the video window stopped incrementing.
Jason reached into the open drawer and opened the web browser on the laptop. He typed in the URL and the page he had created opened. On the screen a picture of Kim appeared, one from her dancing at the club. Her legs were spread and her arms above her head. Her breasts were displayed, only a small box concealed Kim's pussy. On the box a caption read, "Open me up and come on in." Jason clicked the box and the main page appeared. Across the top were icons labeled "Pictures," "Video," and a third labeled "Live." Jason clicked the "Live" tab and the screen changed to a black box.
Sharon stared at the screen.
Once again Jason stepped on the footswitch and after about a twenty second delay Jason's legs and Sharon's face appeared in the box. Jason pulled his foot from the switch and Sharon watched the display go black. "As long as this switch is pressed, the video will be running and whoever is sitting here will be live to the world." He did not know the woman's name but he knew what she looked like. "I will take the live feed and turn it into videos that can be downloaded and saved." To Sharon he sounded like an excited child. "It shouldn't take too long until there are lots of people seeing this page."
Sharon stood up and pulled Jason to her. She kissed him, her hands pulling his hair. She was wet, the thought of Kim's humiliation fueling her desire. She plunged her hands into Jason's pants and within ten minutes of dressing they were naked again.
Sharon arrived as Kimberly's house at twenty before seven Monday morning. Kim greeted her at the door with her brown hair still wet from the shower. "Good morning, Miss Reed," Kimberly said with a subservient tone in her voice. She hated the way Sharon made her feel; owned, abused and small.
"Good morning, Kimmie," Sharon said with a grin. She looked at her little dress-up doll, standing naked in her own foyer. It must be humbling to be so out of place in your own home, she thought. The thought made her grin expand. "Let's get you dressed, shall we? We need to get to class early today. I have a surprise for you."
Kim knew she would not enjoy it. "Yes, Miss Reed."
Sharon led Kim into Kim's bedroom. It was amusing how things just clicked into place, Sharon mused. Kim was acting as the slave she was, taking a submissive tone and following Sharon as a pet should. Sharon reveled in the power; it was better than sex. Sharon poked through Kim's skirts and grabbed one of Kim's original skirts made of black cotton. She handed it to Kim and pawed through the blouses and grabbed a white blouse with a soft lace collar. "Here you go," Sharon said as she left the bedroom. "Hurry up. We don't have much time."
Kim followed Sharon to her Dressing Rug and donned the skirt. Her face fell and her mouth opened in shock at the length of the skirt. The skirt she had worn on Friday and Saturday had been short, the edge of the skirt playing peek-a-boo with the rise of her ass. This skirt was a full inch shorter, but to Kim it felt a mile more revealing. Her ass was not fully covered; a good portion of her naked backside was displayed. The front was hardly better, the fabric ended just below the apex of her thighs. Looking at herself in the mirror, Kim's face was white with shock. Her pussy, while covered, was just barely hidden from view, the fabric of the skirt ended at the edge of her sex. Any movement on her part and her sex would be revealed. She wanted to scream, she wanted to hide, and she wanted to flee the evil grin that crossed Sharon's face. But she couldn't. Her home depended on her going along. Swallowing heavily she pulled on the blouse and with a forced smile she followed Sharon from her home.
The warm air caressed her pussy like a lover and her skirt rubbed teasingly against her ass. Her head was bowed in shame until Sharon called her on it and with the harsh words she raised her blushing face to the world. The sounds of the morning went unnoticed, only how she was dressed crossed her mind.
"Get in and spread," Sharon commanded.
Kim climbed into the back seat. The first thing she noticed was that the skirt pulled up as she sat and even with her legs held together her pussy was displayed as was her lack of panties and pubic hair. The skirt was too short! Sitting demurely still revealed her sex. Red-faced, Kim parted her legs, her nakedness displayed, and her pussy gaping and demanding her attention. Kim's pussy opened with her legs in its own parody of a smile.
Sharon watched her struggle with her pose and savored the humiliated look on her face. Grinning with how easy things were, Sharon said, "New rule, Kimmie. You are not allowed to cross your legs. Got it?"
Kim hated those two words. "Yes, Miss Reed." Dressed as she was, she could not wait to get to class to hide behind the safety of her desk; it wasn't as preferred as her home or the strip club, but at least it was one of the few places she felt hidden from view. The humiliation was still there, only the exposure was absent. She wondered at the realization that a strip club, naked in front of countless strangers, was a reprieve from her almost constant embarrassment.
Sharon backed from the driveway and drove to the campus. "Remember, keep your head up. If I have to tell you, you'll pay for it. Got it?"
"Yes, Miss Reed."
It took ten minutes to get to work and when they parked Sharon was almost bouncing in joy. She was looking forward to showing the bitch her surprise and she had not asked to be humiliated. Monday was shaping up to be a very good day. She parked the car and barked, "Let's go."
Kim followed Sharon into the school, tugging her skirt lower with almost every step just to keep her pussy covered. Her nether lips peeked from beneath the skirt with each step. Sharon watched her and on the spot made up another rule, "Kimmie, stop tugging at your skirt. In fact, you may only adjust your skirt at each end of a trip. So, you can adjust it when you get out of the car and again when you get to class. Or you can adjust it when you put it on till you get into a car. Got it? You will not adjust it while you are walking. What is the rule?"
She enjoyed the humiliation as Kim repeated, "I am not allowed to adjust my skirts while walking."
Sharon smiled cruelly, "Let's change that to clothes, shall we?"
Kim nodded with her eyes wide, "I am not allowed to adjust my clothes while walking."
"Perfect."
Sharon led Kim into the English wing of the campus. There were few students around to witness her humiliating walk. Kim could feel the skirt riding higher as they ascended the few stairs into the building. She could tell without looking that her pussy was clearly visible to anybody that happened to be present. It took all her concentration to not tug her skirt lower and cover her naked pussy. She could feel the skirt tickle her ass and knew that half her ass was on display to the world as well. Her face was crimson and tears tickled her eyes. She breathed a sharp sigh of relief as she entered her classroom and was able to tug her skirt down over her sex, even if it was just barely covered.
"Sit down," Sharon commanded.
Kim sat.
Sharon opened the lower drawer of Kim's desk and logged into the computer that Kim was surprised to see there. The small black video screen appeared, "This is gonna be so much fun," Sharon exclaimed and the tone in Sharon's voice frightened Kim. "You see this?" she indicated the footswitch.
"Yes, Miss Reed."
"Well," Sharon was smiling broadly. She savored the power she was feeling and knew it would be a long time before she tired of toying with this proper little bitch. "When you are sitting, you will keep your legs spread as wide as you can, and one foot will be pushing down on that switch. Try it."
Kim inched her chair forward and spread her legs as far apart as the desk would allow. With her right foot she pressed down on the awkwardly shaped pedal. She could feel the cool air of the classroom caress her sex and the fabric of the skirt bunch at her waist. The desk hid her from view but she still felt exposed. She glanced at Sharon and seeing the picture on the computer screen she pushed back from the desk and stood up. It was too much. Filling the screen had been an image of her wide-open and naked pussy.
"Sit down!" Sharon's voice was iron. "You are going to sit her every day with your legs spread like a woman about to get laid. There is a counter and if the time doesn't add up to at least ninety percent of your day, then kiss your house goodbye. Got it?"
Crying now, the last bit of control she may have had slipping away like time, Kim replied, "Please?"
Sharon just grinned her evil little I-own-you grin. She waited, her eyes raised, for Kim to retake her sinful position at her desk.
Kim sat back down and slid her chair forward. She parted her legs, feeling the burn in her thighs and the walls of the desk hitting her knees. Once again she stepped on the footswitch. As she did the light under the desk came on and the video camera captured the image of the open pussy. On the screen Kim could see her nakedness and she could feel her face burn with shame. She shifted in her chair and on the screen she watched her body move. It was a video, she knew and the view was obscenely blatant. Once again she tried to reason with Sharon with a simple, pleading, "Please?"
Kim Turner went live on the internet.
Sharon just smiled, "It's just so I can keep track of you," she lied. "The counter," she pointed to the run time that incremented on the screen, "will show me that you're obeying me. You're students won't see anything."
Kim wiped her eyes, struggling to stop the tears, knowing her students would be arriving shortly. She tried to calm herself, her eyes never leaving the computer screen and the humiliating display of her naked sex. She was desperate to close her legs but knew the counter that Sharon had shown her would reveal her disobedience. First Sharon, then the phone and now a computer; each day she lost more of herself and sunk further into slavery. She struggled with the knowledge.
"Enjoy your day," Sharon mocked. She walked from the room and paused at the door to watch the bitch struggle to hold her pose. Smiling she looked at Kim and said, "Oh, when you get home, move your dressing rug onto the porch. Got it?"
Shit, Kim cussed herself, how could she have forgotten. With the humiliation of holding her legs so wantonly spread she was surprised she could blush even more. "Yes, Miss Reed." The tears threatened to return.
They did.
Emily sat at her desk staring at the picture of Ms. Turner flashing her naked breasts. She could not shake the feeling that the attractive teacher's exposure was not voluntary. Was it the flush on her face or was it the tension etched around her blue eyes? Emily wasn't sure but she knew she'd do what she could to find out. Journalism appealed to her; it seemed the perfect career choice for her inquisitive nature and now, a story (and she knew it was a story) fell into her lap. All day as she struggled though her four classes. She found it hard to concentrate on anything other than the picture on the tiny screen of her phone.
She had called her friend Theresa the day before and asked her the probing questions that Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters would ask; she felt like a journalist. "So, where did you take the picture?"
"The mall."
"What time was this?"
Theresa was short with her answers, "I don't know. Early afternoon, maybe?"
Then, "was she alone?"
"Yes." Theresa paused, "I may have seen Miss Reed there too, but I don't think they were together."
And just like that, part of the story unfolded. She felt goose pimples race up her arms. She was a journalist getting to the bottom of a story. She never felt so alive.
Kimberly Turner could not concentrate on her lectures. Her mind was on her parted thighs and the computer that sat in the drawer to her left recording her shame. She had no idea that her pussy was being displayed live on the internet and by the time her lunch hour had arrived nearly forty different people had logged onto the free web page and had watched the open pussy stare back at them. Her students had asked if she was okay, commenting that she seemed distracted and distant as if she was not there with them. And she wasn't; she was hiding away inside herself, trying to will herself away from the college campus and out of Sharon's life. She could not imagine things getting worse than they already were.
She skipped lunch; she had not brought a meal and the thought of walking across campus to the cafeteria dressed as she was caused her to lose what little appetite she had anyway. How was she going to get out of this? She couldn't keep doing what Sharon commanded; each day seemed to be worse than the day before, but if she quit, if she walked away then Sharon would, without hesitation, ruin her teaching career and with it any chance she had of saving her house. But, she wondered, would it really? She had begun making a lot of money at the strip club. Was that the norm? She didn't have any more pubic hair to sell, but if she did lose her teaching job, why could she not sell her panties? She'd no longer be under Sharon's thumb. Could she make enough money stripping to afford to lose this job? David seemed to think so. Still, uncertainty kept her legs widely spread.
And arousal. She was embarrassed by her display but part of her; the kinky, sexual creature buried inside her was extremely aroused at the humiliation she was feeling. She was not able to expose herself at her own bidding, she could always back out of that, but being forced into it seemed to pull some of the shame away and make everything tolerable and even exciting. She had enjoyed the public games with her ex-husband more than she did with Sharon, but admittedly, Sharon was better at it and a lot more cruel. Perhaps her ex-husband really had loved her.
For the entire lunch hour, Kim sat, shamefaced and spread at her desk, unknowingly baring her sex to the world.
Sharon had a busy lunch. She left the campus and drove into town. She stopped at the post office and paid eleven dollars for a small post office box. With the key in hand she made her way back to the car and drove to her house. She logged into her computer and pulled up the web page with Kim's brazen display. There in all her color and glory was little Miss Perfect's naked, nude and gaping pussy. Sharon smiled at the screen and made a note to ask Jason if it was possible to find out how many visitors the site was getting and if it was possible to advertise the site on search engines. If anyone would know, Jason would.
Satisfied that Kim was still obeying her, Sharon drove from her house to the opposite end of town. This time she pulled into a different post office and as before she purchased a post office box. She had such a fun game in store for little Kimmie that her pussy was dripping by the time she made it back to campus for her last class of the day.
The last class ended and all her students left for the day. Kim sat at her desk reading the papers her students had turned in. Her legs were still held apart in a lurid display, part of her had forgotten about the video camera until Sharon arrived and logged into the computer. She checked the counter and was impressed, Kim had kept her legs spread and her pussy visible for more than five hours, almost the entire day. Sharon wasn't sure it was ninety percent; still it was close enough that she decided to not comment about it. "Stand up and lets go."
Kim climbed from her chair and tugged her skirt as low on her hips as she could. She knew she was not allowed to adjust it during the trek to Sharon's car and she wanted to be covered as long as possible during the journey.
Sharon could only laugh. She thought of telling Kimmie about her web page but then thought better of it. She decided that after a few more pictures and videos were posted, she'd have the address of the web page distributed around the campus. Let rumors get the information to Kim, she thought with malicious glee, that should be much more humiliating for the little bitch.
Kim climbed in the back and spread her legs; she knew she'd be ordered to anyway. Sharon watched her and drove them across town to the mall where Kim had played horrible game of "tits, ass or pussy," and where Sharon had made her streak naked from the Macy's dressing room. It was turning into Kim's least favorite place on earth.
"You're working here tonight," Sharon informed Kim.
"Miss Reed?" Kim was confused.
"Follow me and you'd best do as you're told."
"Yes, Miss Reed." Kim followed Sharon through the mall back to the Abercrombie's they had shopped at the previous week. Kim could only look around, thankful she did not recognize anyone. Her display in the store had been humiliating and she worried that she'd be reliving it today.
"Hi," a voice called out. "I am so happy to see you two!"
Sharon shook Vera's hand and said, "Pose her however you want. If she disobeys you in any way call me and," she looked at Kim, her eyes hard points, "she'll be homeless in the morning." The threat was evident even if the young woman did not fully understand the comment. "You have my number, Vera," Sharon said. She looked back at Kim and said, "Don't make her use it."
Vera stood next to Kim and said, "Follow me." She led Kim past the register and into the back of the store. Stacks of boxes and racks of clothes stood in cardboard boxes waiting to be put out on the main floor. Various fashion magazines were stacked on a small table next to a small bathroom. Vera looked at Kim and said, "Take your clothes off and put them in there," she indicated the bathroom.
Kim thought of refusing and knew that no matter what happened; tonight she was this new woman's plaything. Vera stood nearly five feet tall with light brown eyes, small breasts hidden behind a white halter top. Her jeans were tight and revealed a small, perky butt. Kim sighed in resignation and pulled the blouse over her head and stepped out of her tiny skirt. She stood naked save for her shoes on the concrete floor amidst clothes that she wished she could wear.
"Wait here." Vera darted into the store and came back after about four minutes carrying two t-shirts. Vera looked at the blush on the woman's face and wondered what the woman was feeling. She'd give anything to be doing what she was about to have this woman do but she lacked the courage. This was an opportunity that she just couldn't pass up even if it cost her her job. She would get her shameful exposure even if it was at another's expense.
Vera handed Kim the two shirts. "You'll hold one in each hand. Don't drop them, okay?"
Kim nodded.
"Good follow me." Vera walked into the store.
Kim stood motionless. She couldn't mean it? Could she? Did this stranger really think she'd be able to walk naked that easily into the store where who knew how many shoppers were present? Her face flashed red and still she remained in the back. Vera returned a moment later and said again, "Follow me. Hurry, it's not busy now."
The last sentence made Kim feel a little bit better; Sharon would not care how many people were present. Slowly, almost inching along, Kim walked naked, carrying the two t-shirts into the store. As Vera had said the store was not busy, Kim could see only one shopper. She spotted Vera near the front of the store and made her way to the small woman, hiding her naked body behind the racks of small and over-priced clothes.
Vera pointed to a chair in the window that faced into the central corridor of the mall. "Sit in the chair and hold the two shirts in your hands, one in each. Look at one of the shirts and don't move. People walking by will think you're a mannequin."
Kim read a sign that read, ‘decisions, decisions,' that Vera had placed in the window next to the chair.
"People will just think you're a display. Don't move too much and you'll be fine." Almost as an afterthought, Vera said, "Don't cover up or I'll make it worse." It was definitely not an afterthought; Vera was nearly bursting in horny need.
Why, Kim wondered, was she always being threatened? She climbed into the open window, conscious of the motion beyond the glass and sat in the chair. She kept her knees clamped together and held the two shirts out in front of her as Vera had commanded. It seemed oblivious shoppers did not notice her climbing onto the cold plastic chair and she was happy for that. She did indeed look like a store display, one where a plastic figure had been posed as if trying to decide what to wear. But she wasn't a mannequin to be posed and surely plastic did not have as much color on their cheeks.
Kim's face burned at her display. She was naked, sitting in a storefront window, staring out at the countless shoppers that raced by. Very few took notice of her and for that she was thankful. Staring out into the mall she watched, trying not to blink and struggling not to move, the shoppers rush around like ants on a mound. Most were seemingly oblivious to their surroundings; men would rush from one place to another with a single destination in mind, all other shops and kiosks as invisible as air while women would typically be with friends, chatting and gossiping and laughing and not really paying attention to their surroundings. It was a small consolation but one that kept her sitting naked and posed as the model in the window.
Vera raced to the employee's bathroom and masturbated herself to a wonderful orgasm. She wished she had the strength and courage to do what Kim was doing, or she wished she had someone forcing her to. That was better, she thought, to be forced into it. She wondered if she could convince Sharon to do things like this to her. Twice before she had stocked the racks in the store after hours naked, but there was no risk. It was the risk and the humiliation that excited her. She almost wished she was brave enough to ask Sharon to help her. She seemed so capable of doing what Vera needed to be done.
The thought fueled a second orgasm and with her pussy throbbing she picked up the phone, horniness and arousal overruling rational thought and before she could change her mind and reconsider she dialed Sharon's number. Sharon answered on the second ring, "Hello?"
Breathlessly, her fingers still buried in her pussy, Vera made her request.
Sharon was speechless. She had recognized the number and was certain that she'd be giving some photos to Dean Water's in the morning. This conversation took her totally by surprise. "Are you sure?" It was all she could manage.
No, Vera thought, "Yes," she said.
"We'll talk about it after I take Kimmie home." She was speaking slowly.
With weak knees at what she'd just done, Vera hung up the phone, pulled up her jeans and went to see how Kim was doing.
Kim sat as motionless as she could even when people stared at her through the glass. It was obvious that she was not a mannequin and when people did happen to notice they lingered as long as possible a few even snapping pictures with their phones. The first time the flash had gone off; Kim had nearly dropped the t-shirts and if she had the ruse that she was trying to pull off would have been revealed. Still she sat, knees held together, breasts exposed to the world beyond the glass; her face the color of Mars.
Vera walked up behind her and whispered, "You're doing great."
And she was. She sat in the window for two hours before Sharon appeared in front of the glass. She raised her camera and snapped a dozen pictures of Kimmie sitting naked in the store window holding the two shirts beside the sign reading "decisions, decisions." Sharon was happy with how well Vera had done and she wondered what Vera would say if she were ordered to take Kim's place. What was she going to do about Vera? The funny thing was, the answer was yes, she would take control of Vera and force her to expose and humiliate herself. She got such a rush out of dominating little Kimmie, that the thought of refusing Vera never even crossed her mind. It was how to make her obey that troubled Sharon. Kim obeyed because she knew if she crossed Sharon then she'd lose her house. What would it take to get Vera to obey? That was what occupied her thoughts as she retrieved Kimmie from her window display.
Vera was shaking as Sharon entered the store, Sharon could see the look of fear on the young woman's face. It was a look that made her pussy throb; power was an incredible aphrodisiac. "Get her out of the window and get her dressed."
Vera obeyed and within moments a thankful Kim stood in her tiny skirt and white blouse by Sharon's side. Sharon looked at Vera, "I'll be back in an hour. You'll be here, right?"
Vera nodded.
"Let's go," Sharon said to Kim.
Kim followed Sharon from the mall, wondering about the flushed look on Vera's face and the humorless tone in Sharon's voice. What, she wondered, was going on between those two?
The sun had dipped below the horizon, another day passed. Kim sat in the back seat, her legs spread wide and her eyes closed, thankful that the day was spent. She knew she'd be driving herself to work the next day and was looking forward to the time alone and away from prying eyes. She was nearly smiling when Sharon stopped the car in Kim's driveway. "I'll see you in the morning," Sharon said. She stared at Kim, "Don't forget to move your dressing rug onto the porch."
Kim climbed from the car, "Yes, Miss Reed." There was nothing else she could say. She grabbed her purse and made her way into her home, shutting the day away.
"This will be the last time I ask this. Are you sure?"
Vera nodded, "I am." Her voice was small.
"Here's my dilemma," Sharon was speaking slowly, trying to piece together what was happening as she spoke, "I don't know how to get you to obey. It's all well and good that this is something you want to do, but if I do this, I will have you doing things you will most certainly not want to do. What's to stop you from just stopping, saying ‘nope, I'm done,' and just giving up?"
"I wouldn't do that," Vera said sounding shocked at the suggestion.
Sharon continued, "You may think that, but I need a guarantee." She exhaled. "Okay. Tomorrow I'm going to come by and you are to give me something that will ensure your compliance. It had best be something that if I reveal it, the consequences to you would be worse than anything that I'd have you do? Is that understood? If it's too tame, then I will withdraw my offer to help you and you'll never hear from me again."
Vera was trembling; Sharon took it as a good sign.
"Okay."
"Call me Miss Reed."
"Okay, Miss Reed," Vera said. She knew just the thing. "I already know what it'll be; I just have to get it for you."
"Then I'll see you tomorrow. All of you."
Vera knew what she meant and smiled.