Gracie's chopping carrots like the knife might bite her back when Nicholas answers another work call. Polite as a preacher on speakerphone. The second he hangs up he snaps his fingers and Gracie drops the knife, wipes her hands, and scurries over like a dog who's been trained not to pee on the rug. Same old song, same old dance. Couple days later Nicholas plants his shoes on her back like she's furniture while he scrolls through porn on his phone and shoves a fetish mag in her face. Tells her they're going to do every filthy thing printed on those glossy pages. Gracie's eyes go wide, but she keeps her mouth shut because that's the rule. Nicholas bolts for some meeting and leaves his phone on the counter. Gracie stares at it like it's a live grenade, then grabs it and dials Ellen with shaking fingers. Ellen picks up on the first ring. She doesn't even act surprised when Gracie whispers she wants out. Says she's been waiting for this call for years. When Gracie spills about the footstool routine and the dirty pictures, Ellen goes quiet, then starts laughing. "We're gonna make him regret ever asking for that shit," she says, and tells Gracie to dig out every kinky outfit Nicholas bought but never let her wear. Later, when Nicholas walks back in, both women are kneeling in leather and lace, heads bowed, hands behind their backs, waiting. He stops dead in the doorway, phone still in his hand, and for once he's the one who looks nervous.
Gracie's chopping carrots like the knife might bite her back when Nicholas answers another work call. Polite as a preacher on speakerphone. The second he hangs up he snaps his fingers and Gracie drops the knife, wipes her hands, and scurries over like a dog who's been trained not to pee on the rug. Same old song, same old dance. Couple days later Nicholas plants his shoes on her back like she's furniture while he scrolls through porn on his phone and shoves a fetish mag in her face. Tells her they're going to do every filthy thing printed on those glossy pages. Gracie's eyes go wide, but she keeps her mouth shut because that's the rule. Nicholas bolts for some meeting and leaves his phone on the counter. Gracie stares at it like it's a live grenade, then grabs it and dials Ellen with shaking fingers. Ellen picks up on the first ring. She doesn't even act surprised when Gracie whispers she wants out. Says she's been waiting for this call for years. When Gracie spills about the footstool routine and the dirty pictures, Ellen goes quiet, then starts laughing. "We're gonna make him regret ever asking for that shit," she says, and tells Gracie to dig out every kinky outfit Nicholas bought but never let her wear. Later, when Nicholas walks back in, both women are kneeling in leather and lace, heads bowed, hands behind their backs, waiting. He stops dead in the doorway, phone still in his hand, and for once he's the one who looks nervous.
