The Lisa Series Read Online Free PDF Page A

tonight,” he whispered tightening his grip. “Tell him Lisa.” Frank stared at me. Lisa looked down at the table.
    “I’m Frank’s,” she said in a small flat voice. “I belong to Frank.”
    “And you better not forget that. For the next thirty days you better damn well remember it every fucking minute.” He paused. “Billy, you’re just there to watch. You go on over to Ryan’s and sit at the far end of the bar. You don’t open your mouth except to drink your beer. I’m going to put this wife of yours through a little test and if she fails...well, you both know the rules. Got it?”
    “I understand,” I said. He looked at Lisa.
    “Yes, honey.”
    Frank gestured toward the door. I went out into the bitter cold. A strong wind was blowing the snow around in circles. I thought about Lisa’s bare legs and her bare body under the thin dress.
    Ryan’s is a hangout for young jocks and the old macho types, mostly guys who wear caps and drive pickup trucks. I never go there. The place is usually filled with loud, crude drunks. Tonight was no exception. They were yelling at the huge television screen which Ryan, the bartender, kept switching from boxing to basketball to wrestling.
    Following Frank’s directions, I sat at the end of the long bar. I ordered a beer. Two fat heavily made-up women wearing boots and short, tight skirts sat at a table in the corner. They were in their late forties and obviously on the make. The men ignored them. There were no other women in the place.
    After five minutes, the door banged open and Frank, holding Lisa close against him, shouted a greeting to Ryan and several of the men. Lisa quickly spotted me and just as quickly looked away. She seemed like a frightened deer, so frail and small. I thought she was about to bolt back out into the street. Her lovely face was pale, making the gloss on her lips shine in bright red contrast. Once more, I was struck by her beauty and her almost childlike innocence.
    Most of the men turned away from the television to stare as Frank led her to an empty stool near the middle of the bar. He was obviously pleased with the reaction their arrival had caused. “Hey, Frank,” one of the young guys yelled, “who’s that, your daughter?”
    Frank was about to answer, but instead he leaned over and said something to Lisa. I saw her hesitate and glance at the door. Then she turned to face Frank and reached up to put her hands on the back of his neck. She drew his face down to hers. Her lips parted as they kissed.
    By now, all of the men were watching. They shouted their approval. Frank raised his arms, laughing. “Any of you guys got a daughter who kisses you like that?” he shouted. “Yeah, right!” He laughed again. The men at the bar joined in.
    “Goddamn! That’s one hot looking little woman, Frank,” someone called out.
    Frank winked at the admiring onlooker. “Take your coat off,” he said to Lisa, “and show these poor horny bastards how sexy you got dressed up for old Frankie.” Lisa removed her coat, revealing her bare shoulders and naked back to where the ‘V’ ended at her waist. The men whistled and shouted. I could see the color rise to Lisa’s cheeks.
    An older man sitting alone at a table pointed at her legs, “Jesus!” he exclaimed, “she’s got no stockings on. Her feet must be froze.”
    “Yo, Frank, she got panties on?” The speaker was a husky young man standing next to me.
    “I don’t know, Al,” Frank grinned. “Maybe she’ll let old Andy here find out?” He put his hand on the shoulder of a grizzled drunk who was sitting next to Lisa. Andy smiled up at Frank with a toothless grin, not sure of anything except that they were talking about him. The room became suddenly quiet. The men sensed that Frank was serious. Everyone waited for Lisa to respond. I could see Frank’s fingers tighten on her wrist.
    She nodded her head, the color once more coming quickly to her cheeks. Then, slowly she slid off the stool