Not Yours

[Isabel Mayfield]

After accepting the position to be William Slade's mistress, Isabel hade made the decision that she no longer needed to see clients. While the money was nice, it was no longer a requirement. William Slade was now responsible for taking care of her in that department and while Isabel wasn't sure how comfortable she was with it, as she liked taking care of herself, she remembered this was what she'd wanted all along. She had memories of her mother telling her that once she became a mistress, someone else would take care of her. She would no longer have to worry about keeping a roof over her head of having a meal in her belly. All she had to do was keep him happy and after their clandestine affair for so long, Isabel was certain she could keep him happy. 

There were not many clients she still saw, even before she'd become a mistress to Lord Slade. Isabel preferred to spend her time making sure her business was running smoothly and that her girls were taken care of and being treated right. Contrary to what others might think, it took more time than she often had. Isabel had just finished going over some of the books when she heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall and towards her personal apartment within the building. She'd kept her office and own room far from where the other girls conducted their business, not wanting to have to hear their sounds all day and night. So to know that someone was coming down here was intriguing, if not a little concerning. 

The door opened and Isabel turned after putting some of the books within a drawer. She should have known it would be James Vaughn. He was one of the very few clients she still saw these days, someone she'd been seeing back when she'd been at the old brothel. Isabel tilted her head to the side and gave him a rather unimpressed look. "I'd thank you for knocking but . . . " She raised her brows in a small challenge. There was no doubt that her girls had told him she was no longer taking clients and that she was unavailable. Truthfully, she'd thought he would accept it and move onto another girl. "Need a recommendation for a new girl, James?" She asked, a small smirk on her features. 

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Tag: James Vaughn

credit to Laura of Adox | Gif

[James Vaughn]

TAG: Isabel Mayfield

i have sworn

TO DO VERY FOOLISH THINGS

The days of piracy were growing more risky. The age of privateering was starting to become more distance and less in number . . . leaving Vaughn bitter at the bastards who now pretended as if they were too good to enlist the services of his crew. While his privateering endeavours had indeed mixed with that of pirating . . . it still did not lessen the bitter taste left in his mouth. He had returned to London, his men starting to -- as he liked to put it -- defect from this life. He would need a new crew, which he was already loathing to find. The anger and stress of it all had him in strong indeed to alleviate it . . . and he knew just the place and person to assist in the matter. Making his way inside the familiar brothel, the women in there did not even bother to tell him otherwise.

They knew why he was here and they knew whom for. At least, the women of familiarity. The new ones, he gave no shit towards. He made his way to her office, pushing open the door without bothering to knock -- after all, pirates were not known for their manners. Something that she had sarcastically commented on which only left a smirk upon his face. "I shall compensate for the noise soon enough," he told her suggestively, stepping inside her office and kicking the door shut behind him. His smirk had a flicker of a glare when she called him by his first name, for it was not the norm nor desired by him . . . something that she most certainly knew. Stepping closer to her desk, he seated himself on the chair, raising his feet on top of the surface of her desk, uncaring what documents lay there that would be dirtied under his feet. "Must we waste time on the same conversation, Izzie?" He questioned, leaning back in the chair a little as his eyes moved over her. "I am not here to fucking talk," he told her with a mischievous smile.

[Isabel Mayfield]

Under normal circumstances, Isabel would take his comment about compensating for the noise as a challenge and would welcome it with open arms. But that's not how things worked anymore. She was no longer for sale and even her favorite clients, one of which was James Vaughn, could no longer have her services. Truth be told, James was probably her favorite but she would never tell him that. There was something about the time they spent together, how unfiltered and raw it was, that Isabel enjoyed. She was not confusing their relationship for anything romantic, as she knew she provided something to Vaughn and that was it. But she could still appreciate it in her own way.

Isabel grimaced at the nickname. She supposed she had it coming given she'd used his first name. It wasn't the norm for either of them, though she knew he used the nickname Izzie when he wanted to get under her skin. His roguish ways of putting his feet up on her desk didn't even bother her anymore. This was Vaughn and she was quite used to his ways by now. "My services are no longer available," she explained to him. "Not seeing other clients is apart of my current deal, not that it is any of your business." Some of her things in her room were even packed up to move to her new apartments that William was going to provide for her. "So again, shall I help you find a new girl to your liking?" Isabel asked, tilting her head to the side.

---

Tag: James Vaughn

credit to Laura of Adox | Gif

[James Vaughn]

TAG: Isabel Mayfield

i have sworn

TO DO VERY FOOLISH THINGS

Vaughn remained in his comfortable position as she told him that her services were no longer available. Well that sounded familiar. She had once said similar words when she first started her own brothel. Vaughn was an unphased then as he was now. Relentlessly so. "Your current deal of . . . what, being a whore?" He said with feigned curiosity and a touch of sarcasm. What kind of current deal could be possibly have that deterred her from taking on clients? No, that deterred her from him.

He did not give a shit about her other clients, but he did expect her to fulfil his own desires . . . especially as he was not one to swindle her business. Shockingly. "I have travelled too far to hear the same fucking nonsense," he dismissed, lowering his feet so that he could sit up more properly and look at her. "Do you think I cannot pay?" He said with a mischevious smirk, along with a tone of aggressive accusation, practically daring her to vocalize such a belief. "Now are we quite finished with the talk. I would much rather your tongue be put to better use." For he knew quite well just how skillful that tongue of hers could be, in more pleasurable ways that delivering sharp words and denial of his needs.

[Isabel Mayfield]

Isabel was not the least bit bothered by him calling her a whore. It was, after all, exactly what she was. It did not hurt her feelings or make her flinch like she assumed he hoped it would Her mother had always told her that she needed to remind herself often that she was a whore, because everyone else would do the same. And if she knew what she was already, then what they said could not hurt her. So at Vaughn's comment, she simply chuckled. "I am a whore," she confirmed. "But the services I offer are no longer open to you." Or any of her other clients for that matter. Being the mistress for William Slade was far too good of a deal to give up. 

Of course, last time she'd claimed such a thing Isabel had continued to sleep with Vaughn. She supposed she wasn't good at sticking to her word when it came to him but this time, she was sure of it. She wasn't going to let him sway her. It was not as if he held affections towards her but instead, he just wanted to get satisfaction out of her. Although, she did continue to be curious as to why he had not found this to be too much trouble and gone to another girl. Isabel knew she was good, but was she worth this much?

He questioned if she thought he couldn't pay and she rolled her eyes. "I know you can pay," she said. This was all feeling like a rather familiar conversation she'd had with him already when she'd first opened her shop. But Vaughn would not stop unless she gave him the real reason. "I've accepted a position as a Mistress for a gentleman, if you must know." Isabel kept her desk between them but sat down in her chair across from him. "So I am no longer your whore. I am his whore, exclusively. Now, would you like me to recommend another one of my girls?" Because even though she was called a Mistress, Isabel was still aware of what she was. Courtesan, Mistress, Whore. They were all the same. 

---

Tag: James Vaughn

credit to Laura of Adox | Gif

[James Vaughn]

TAG: Isabel Mayfield

i have sworn

TO DO VERY FOOLISH THINGS

When she stated that her services were no longer open, confirming that she knew he could pay . . . Vaughn continued to wait for her to get to the point. Already to much time had been wasted talking so he was now waiting for her to spit it out. And when she did, he started at her for a moment before he started chuckling with amusement. Now that, was entertaining indeed.

"A fucking mistress," he repeated, still highly amused at the idea of her being someone's mistress. "I see. You are too good for your clients now." A man who could afford a mistress to pay well enough that she promised exclusivity was no doubt, a noble. And Vaughn despised anyone of nobility. "You have been bought now, no longer rented," he said with a continue gleam of amusement in his eyes. "Who is the fucking bastard?" He asked, still chuckling. He cursed him, not because she now was his, but because Vaughn knew he most certainly had to be of higher rank and that . . . was enough reason for him to hate him.

[Isabel Mayfield]

Though he acted like he was amused, Isabel wasn't entirely sure she was convinced of this. Was he amused or was he just angry over the entire situation? Isabel had never known Vaughn to let things bother him but the Vaughn she knew and the real one could likely be entirely different people. Truth be told, she didn't actually know him and predicting his behavior was not something she found herself particularly skilled in. Isabel sighed and folded her arms across her chest. Did she think she was too good for her clients? Absolutely not. That was not how Isabel thought and she never would. But she could understand why Vaughn might think that was her point of view. 

"I don't have to explain myself to you," Isabel said, annoyance clear in her voice. His desire to know whose Mistress she was made her laugh out loud. Isabel was very amused by the demanding nature of Vaughn. "I don't have to tell you a bloody thing," she said. "Who he is, is none of your business. I don't belong to you and I'm not yours. I never was. So you'll just have to find another whore to get on her knees for you." Why did Vaughn have to be so infuriating? Isabel wished he would just leave or tell her why he seemed to care so much.

---

Tag: James Vaughn

credit to Laura of Adox | Gif

[James Vaughn]

Tag: Isabel Mayfield

i have sworn

TO DO VERY FOOLISH THINGS

The more she spoke, the worse it got. For it reinforced his hatred for those of upper rank. The way they staked claim over whatever they desired, claiming possession of it as if it was their right . . . showcasing their entitlement. It was also why, Vaughn thrived on taking over their ships. To prove, that their ranks, their titles, meant nothing to him. Yet on the ground, here . . . it was a constant reminder of how people bowed to their every whim. And to see a woman that he had once actually thought strong and capable succumb to the control of it . . . was disappointing to say the least. In fact, it was quite revolting.

"No, I never claimed you," Vaughn stated with continued amusement for truly, it was quite comical to know that her of all people . . . had sold her soul to a man. He had never wanted to claim her really. Commitment in such regards with women was after all, not something Vaughn was interested in. "But he has." Whoever this high ranking man was.

"I had more respect for you when you were a whore. At least then you were your own woman." Now, she was not. She was bought, owned by an entitled bastard who held control over her. Disappointing indeed. He rose to his feet, a mocking gleam in his eyes at what she had done. "Fucking shameful, that I ever kept such company." That he had thought she was independent enough to not let any man lay claim to her. But as he had previously said, she was bought and evidently, had no intention of doing anything to upset her master.

[Isabel Mayfield]

Isabel shrugged at his comment. William certainly liked to believe he had a claim over her and she supposed to an extent, he did. He was going to be paying for her lodgings and many other things. But Isabel liked to believe she still belonged to herself and that if she wanted to, she could cut ties with William. "To an extent," she agreed. "But if I wanted to leave, I could. I am not concerned about my future with regards to him. If it is within my best interest to leave, then I can make that choice." She was not entirely sure why she was explaining all of this to Vaughn. It was not as if he cared to hear her excuses.

She could not be sure if he was trying to goad her with his comments about having respect for her or if there was another reason behind it. All Isabel knew was that she would not have been long for this world if she had allowed such comments to get to her the way people often hoped they did. "Is being a common whore not the same thing? Except with that, each night is a different man that one belongs to." She considered putting it into terms he might understand with his ships but found it would be a waste of her breath. He spoke of being ashamed of keeping company with her and Isabel rolled her eyes at him. She would not be poked and prodded into defending herself to him. Vaughn was nothing more to her than an arrogant customer, just as she was nothing more to him than a warm mouth. "I'm simply giving myself more time to focus on my business," Isabel spoke. Again, not sure why she felt she had to keep explaining herself to him. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" She asked, her tone polite as she looked at him, watching as he had risen to his feet to likely leave.

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Tag: James Vaughn

credit to Laura of Adox | Gif