Penny had to swallow back a sigh of relief when Dan instructed their pretty little traitor to sit down. It was instant approval. He was okay with her staying. She met his eyes for a long minute. Was that suspicion in his gaze? He thought that she had orchestrated this? Such perfect timing. Depending on how the evening progressed, she would decide later whether to take credit for the unlikely coincidence. Yes, she’d known that Miss O’Rourke was still in the building. Yes, it had been her who had been watching her actions and frozen her privileges. But she honestly thought she’d go home.<br/><br/>But to come to them?<br/><br/>To the very people she was betraying with her idiotic thievery?<br/><br/>She had balls, Penny had to give her that.<br/><br/>As the young woman sat down, Penelope sat back in her seat. Watching her. Katherine shifted beneath her unwavering gaze, she watched a range of emotions pass of her face. Did she know how easy she was to read? How quickly would she break? Penny’s painted lips curled into a predatory half-smile. She listened indulgently as Katherine waffled on. Explaining her cause. Her purpose.<br/><br/>After she finished, she let the silence stretch on just long enough to be poignant and then smiled warmly and picked up the receiver on her phone. Then, dialling out, she brought the handset to her ear.<br/><br/>“I am very aware of your predicament Miss O’Rourke. It was I who locked your terminal.” With the statement out she turned her attention away, letting Katherine stew in her own guilt for a moment.<br/><br/>“Hi. Stephen,” she purred softly, her tone low and dangerously smug. Stephen was the head of security, sitting in an office not too far from them. “Please send up Frank, and get Detective Arnold on the line. Thank you.” And then she hung up, keeping her eyes on Katherine. It was practised. She was prepared. Placing her palms on her desk, the façade of gentle professionalism crumbled.<br/><br/>She pursed her lips.<br/><br/>“Miss O’Rourke. I have been following your activities for a while. Thanks to you I have a contact list to pass to our legal department.” Moving her hands, she stood up and walked around to the other side of the imposing desk. “I apologise for the deception. We needed to give you enough time for us to compile a full catalogue of evidence against you.”<em>Enough rope to hang yourself,</em>as her Daddy dearest would have said. Leaning against the expensive wood, she crossed her legs and placed her palms behind her. She was the visage of calm indifference. “As it stands, that catalogue concluded tonight and you are no longer allowed access to our systems. I’ve emailed a pathway of your actions, emails sent, files accessed, that sort of thing, to our lawyer. So you see, there really is no need for me to restore your privileges." A moment's pause. "Did you really think that we wouldn’t notice?” That question was genuine, but she didn’t really wait for an answer before she shrugged it off.<br/><br/>“No matter. I’ll have Frank escort you to an office and the police will be here within the hour to take you in. After that, Harper-Dasse will prosecute you to the full extent of the law. Theft. Fraud. The list goes on. I believe that the last time we added it up, you’re looking at thirty years. Perhaps twenty if you can afford a good lawyer." She'd seen her bank accounts, she knew that she couldn't. "We plan to make quite the example of you Miss O’Rourke.” Penny shrugged helplessly, and plucked the contract from her husband’s hands. Leafing through it absently whilst letting the information sink in, allowing Katherine time to plead her case. Or panic. Or try to run, a hopeless endeavour considering the guards on all the doors.<br/><br/>“Of course,” she looked up again. “You do have many qualities that Harper-Dasse is very reluctant to part with. Your actions show a great resourcefulness. Tenacity. Independence. Not to mention sheer and utter manipulation. To bite the hand that feeds you,” she looked to her husband, wondering how he felt. He’d hired this woman. Cultivated her career.  “Well. It’s not very smart. Luckily it just so happens that we have another job opening. One which, I personally believe, would utilise your particular traits perfectly.”<br/><br/>“It does mean less pay, more hours, but the contract comes with a fantastic little liability-clause. In which, should we both sign, means that Harper-Dasse can<em>not </em>prosecute you. Not now<em>or </em>in the future.” She held out the contract for the younger woman. “Do have a read. I believe you’ve got another ten minutes or so before Frank gets up here. I will just add that once he arrives, the contract becomes void, you’ll be alone with the lawyers and Mr Dasse and I will have no more sway in your case.”<br/><br/>Her nonchalance was perfectly feigned. Inside she was alight with excitement.<em>Anticipation</em>. It took all of her self-control to turn her attention away from Katherine and back to Dan. As if the other woman reading her words wasn’t a matter of great interest.<br/><br/>Would she be outraged?<br/><br/>Horrified?<br/><br/>Aroused?<br/><br/>Penny certainly was. The fact that Dan had left her frustrated merely added to that.<br/><br/>She could imagine Katherine naked, all too easily. Tied to the chair. Completely at her mercy. Begging. Standing up in a bid to try and convince herself that she was composed, patient, and indifferent, she gathered together her things from her desk. Phone. Keys. Dropping them all into her purse she made a point of checking her watch before finally allowing herself to look once more at Katherine.<br/><br/>The job in question was given the rather apt title;<strong>Pet</strong>.<br/><br/>The contract extensive. It basically signed over Katherine's body to them. To be their willing slave. Her forewritten consent to any and every filthy and depraved act that she or Dan could think of. One year. One year as their submissive in which she would obey, enjoy and play with them. In any and every way they asked. In turn she would get a penthouse apartment in the city. An allowance. Even medical insurance. She would always be on call. And after the year completed, they would part ways. The apartment would be signed over to her, mortage fully paid, and one-million dollars in cash to do with whatever she wanted. Entirely resindable should she go to the press or release details publically. Ever. If any details emerged the apartment would be seized and Miss O'Rourke liable for repaying the million tenfold.<br/><br/>Katherine was exceptionally proud of herself.<br/><br/>And after that one year? One simple year. Then she would hang up her freedom and submit to the inevitable. Children. Monotony.<em>Adulthood</em>.<br/><br/>One last hurrah.<br/><br/>And what a hurrah it would be.<br/><br/>Assuming that Katherine would agree.