Chapter 4 - Bad Choices

The last 2 years had been intense. Who knew you could keep such a rigorous training schedule, compete in a tournament or endurance run every weekend, and run a multi-million dollar business; all at the same time. There had been so many times when life became overwhelming in the first 6 months that Kai wasn’t sure how she made it to here, maybe that’s why she needed to give up control again.

Sara brought her to a club, Lux, not long after the first of the 4 new cafe’s opened. Kai did nothing but eat, work, train and maybe sleep for a couple hours a night; not to mention near daily panic attacks even though everything from the outside was running smoothly. That first night at the club, Kai pulled out her old Angel mask, the one she always wore at Midnight to hide her identity. Where once she felt she was suffocating with it on, tonight it was her freedom to be her true self again. Sara walked her around the club introducing her to different men and women, each offering Angel anything and everything she could want.

It was the quiet and broody man that finally caught Kai’s attention, Preston who was a real-estate giant, who was married and had an agreement with his wife. She could not give him what he needed any more since she fell ill, so he was allowed to find himself a pain submissive who could fulfil his need to punish and inflict pain; and that is all it would be. After any scene he would do with his pain slut, he would come home to his wife to fulfil all his carnal needs.

Kai wasn’t surprised, a lot of people in the kink community where swingers and the idea was intriguing to her. She only had to be a canvas for him, something that she felt she had been missing in her life for some time, a dominant who can take away the pain and chaos in her head, to replace it with a different kind of pain.

She wasn’t ready to be completely intimate with anyone, that’s why a guy has hands and dildos existed. It couldn’t hurt to give this a chance and see how things turned out.

Turns out Preston and Kai fulfilled each others needs perfectly. They would meet every Friday night at Preston’s house, his wife would most often be present while Preston suspended, shackled and strapped Kai in any way he saw fit, before turning her skin a deep red color with lashes, clamps, and the bite of his practiced hands. Kai took it all with a blissful surrender, absorbing every strike, every cruel touch, until she was nothing but raw nerve endings and endorphin highs. And when it was over—when Preston had spent his hunger, and his care on her body—he would unbind her with the same precision, murmuring a quiet, satisfied good girl before sending her on her way and returning to his wife. She left every time with bruises blooming under her clothes, a deep ache settling in her bones, and an unspoken understanding that next Friday, she would be back for more. The arrangement worked for both Preston and Kai for over a year.

It helped Kai to focus, to use the clarity that after a session brought to build a business plan that would serve not only the first 2 years of her rule as CEO of D.A.R.E and VCafe but the next 10 years as well. She became a top athlete in CrossFit and International Meibukan Karate, there were tournaments that people showed up to the open divisions just to prove themselves against Kai, men and women. Her students were also some of the best fighters in their divisions which brought more sense of pride to Kai than anything else.

D.A.R.E had evolved in 2 years, instead of everything being individually made, the factory kitchens could turn out thousands of individual pastries in a day. Not only had the company become the go to source of treats across Sydney; the company was on track to launch as a national commercialized production company by the end of January next year. Sweet treats delivered not only to cafe’s across the nation but a line of cookies that would be released to grocery stores across the country as well.

They were in the final stages of closing the deal with Woolworths and IGA, Kai still managed this particular project while many thought she was insane for not taking on a project manage specifically for the national launch. She probably was but this was something that she had created that was all her own, and she was going to see it through to the end.

It was August 2014, almost exactly 2 years since Kai had been presented with the opportunity to take over the franchise of VCafe and become its CEO. 2 years since Richard put his faith and trust in her to not only expand but improve the legacy of the cafes across Sydney. It was a legacy that she could use to support the high risk teenagers her dojo had started taking under their wing a few years ago. Making sure that they had everything they needed, especially if they were in the foster system and often went without basic necessities in overcrowded group homes and guardians who didn’t care about the trouble makers.

High risk youth like Damian, a kid that narrowly escaped going to Juvi for 3 years because Kai got a call from the local magistrate saw a kid that had been led astray by his supposed friends, yet at his core was a good kid. He called Kai before the hearing even took place, telling her this boy was a hot head that needed a strong hand to make the right decisions and not be led astray by others. Kai showed up at the courthouse that day to officially proposition the magistrate to give the boy a choice, juvi or 12 months probation in her anger management program. Of course the kid took the second option which made Kai his emergency contact should anything happen at school or if he got into a situation and needed to get out.

That’s what she was doing right now. Damian had called her 20 minutes ago saying that some of his old friends were holding him in a trap house because he owed them $500 from before his court hearing and they weren’t going to let him off nicely. Kai didn’t give a damn about the money, she cared that this kid had put himself in a situation that was both dangerous and unpredictable.

Pulling up outside the apartment complex, Kai called Damian to let him know she was outside and which apartment she should go to.

“Its 217,” Damian groaned down the phone line, “Ugh there is someone coming down now.”

“I think i already see him,” There was a bloated muscled jar head waiting at the front door.

Kai got out of her car and walked over to the perceived intimidating man following him inside and up the three flights of stairs to apartment 217.

Kai stood in the center of the filthy living room, her body coiled like a steel spring. The cash she’d tossed on the table was still fluttering from the air, and yet she knew it wasn’t going to be enough; these idiots still wanted a fight.

“You think that’s all we want,” the greasy haired, skinny stick of a man sat in the filthiest armchair Kai had ever seen, “This little punk probably sold us out to the cops. Its the only reason he isn’t sitting in a jail cell right now. He is a rat.”

“No he isn’t in jail because the judge called me and asked if i could take him into my anger management program rather than sentencing him to something that could ruin his future,” the 7 goons in the room all laughed. Kai positioned herself right next to Damian, one hand on his shoulder. He stared up at her and all she saw was fear and guilt.

“Anger management program,” the leader, pretty sure his name was James was laughing so hard he was choking on air, “What you sit around and talk about your feelings in circle time.”

“No it’s not, now you have your money i am taking Damian with me,” Kai gripped the back of Damians arm, pulling him to his feet and pulling him behind her body backing up slowly towards the door.

“Sorry sweet heart i think we want something else before you leave,” James and his cronies all stood from the various chairs and couches they had been lounging on, starting to move towards Kai, vicious smirks sliding onto their faces.

"Bad choice," she muttered.