The End Is Always Final

By Mike Upton

THE END IS ALWAYS FINAL
The fifth and final story in the quintology about Sir Mark Watson, international businessman and
serial womaniser. Having extracted himself from the rigours and pressures of managing publically quoted companies on the Stock Exchange and now having his own portfolio of companies that he has bought and personally owns, Mark embarks on the latest and most complex acquisition of his long and varied career.

A moribund multi-site conglomerate poised on the edge of bankruptcy is for sale but the price is high. He must raise 70 million pounds to acquire it. But if he can buy it at the right price and then re-sell their sites he will make a great deal of money to acquire further companies. But refused loans by UK, European and Chinese Banks he seeks to borrow the money from South American and Arabic banks as well as Investors from the USA. While he is tackling those challenges he still finds time to bed several women and plans to get re-married.

A fast moving story with a surprisingly unexpected ending.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jan 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504936385

Mike Upton

MIKE UPTON is a retired businessman who for many years worked extensively in industry as Managing Director or Chief executive running several companies in Britain and America. This, his second novel (like his first AMBITIONS END) is a work of fiction, but it again draws from his extensive knowledge of business and large multi-national corporations and their involvement and approach to selling off parts of their business, or acquiring competitors. Living in Norfolk he has been married to Brenda for 42 years and has tw daughters and one granddaughter.

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© 2015 Mike Upton. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 01/24/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-3637-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-3631-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-3638-5 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Cast Of Characters

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

References To Previous Books In The Quintrilogy

Ambitions End©

Winners Never Lose©

Arrow Of Truth©

The Boss©

A Twist In The Tale©

Footprints In The Snow©

Vortex Rising©

Open To Persuasion©

The Last Change©

A Surrogate Dilemma©

THE END IS ALWAYS FINAL is dedicated to several people:-

• To my wife Brenda, my daughters Catherine and Victoria and my Granddaughter Holly

• To Sarah my ever cheerful and helpful former secretary and pa, whose humour is always delightful and who never fails me when I need help

• To all my friends who encourage me to go on writing

• To the whole AuthorHouse team for their willing support and cheerful efficient help in turning the manuscript into a finished book

• And last and most importantly to all my readers. I hope you enjoy reading this my latest book - The End Is Always Final.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

PROLOGUE

Chloe was feeling warm, happy and contented in her boyfriend’s flat in Northampton where she’d spent the night after they’d been to the theatre and then had a late dinner in a newly opened rather smart restaurant before coming back and making love.

She’d known him for about ten months and they’d been going out for about six, but it was only a month ago she’d agreed to sleep with him. She’d been a virgin until then but Jeremy knowing it was her first time had been kind, considerate and very gentle with her. So now each time they made love it got better and better as they became more used to each other’s bodies and likes.

This Sunday morning they’d woken up late, made love then stayed in bed enjoying the pleasure of cuddling and just being with each other. But eventually they’d got up, made bacon sandwiches and coffee which they’d taken into his sitting room. Finished eating they were drinking coffee on the settee.

Jeremy was just in a pair of red boxers while she, naked apart from wearing one of his shirts, was sitting on his lap sipping her coffee as he licked her ear and gently stroked her breasts through the fabric of the shirt occasionally also kissing her neck. However his erotic attention to her as well as feeling his penis beneath her had erected made her suggest they went back to bed.

He’d just slid a hand inside her shirt and begun gently tweaking a nipple when her mobile rang. ‘Leave it darling’ he whispered but picking it up she saw Mum Mobile on the screen.

‘No it’s Mum. I’ll just see what she wants’ and putting the phone to her ear she said brightly ‘Hi Mum’.

Some months earlier

CHAPTER 1

The need is not to understand the world, but to change it.

Engels.

Natalie watched Mark get out of bed and walk to the en-suite. As he did so she wriggled up the bed a little, leant back against the headboard, ran her fingers through her hair and pulled the duvet cover up to cover her chest. When he came back out she smiled as she looked him up and down. He may have been sixty years old but his body was that of a younger man, fit and lean, his legs were strong as were his arms and his penis was outstanding. Significantly larger than average and as he’d demonstrated last night and again this morning he was not only possessed of a large appendage but he knew how to use to give a woman full satisfaction.

‘Morning .….. again’ he grinned as he leant down and dropped a kiss onto her lips. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on. Would you prefer tea or coffee?’

‘Tea please’.

‘Although I drink gallons of coffee during the day I also prefer to start off the day with tea’ he said over his shoulder as he walked out of the room collecting his mobile phone on the way. With the kettle filled he switched on the phone and stared at the screen as it beeped three times indicating two e-mails and one text message had arrived. Looking at the text he saw that he had a voice message. Listening he smiled as he heard Abi’s somewhat disjointed message.

‘Mark good morning. This is Abi. I’m sorry you’re not there at the moment and that I’m having to talk to an answering machine because as you know I hate doing that’. She gave a little, almost nervous laugh. ‘You have been very patient with me and I am so grateful to you for that’. She paused. ‘Any rate I wanted to tell you that I have finally made up my mind. About time too I expect you’re saying to yourself. Or what took you so long is probably what you are thinking?’ Another hesitant laugh. ‘Any rate it hasn’t been easy. In fact it’s been damn difficult but I’ve got there in the end. As I said I have decided and .……. oh look this is much too important to just leave a message with what I want to say to you so can you please ring me as soon as you get this and then I can tell you my decision. Bye. Speak soon’.

Pressing the re-dial button he waited while it rang until she answered.

‘Hello?’

‘Abi good morning. This is Mark’.

‘Oh hi. I rang you a little while ago’.

‘I know that’s why I’m calling. So come on then put me out of my misery. Are you going to make me the happiest man in the world? Tell me your decision?’

‘Can I just ask you a question?’

‘Of course’.

‘I can trust you now can’t I? I mean really trust you where other women are concerned?’ You won’t cheat on me again will you?’

‘Abi look how many times do I have to tell you’ he began irritation obvious in his voice but she interrupted him.

‘I know. I know. Sorry. Don’t get cross with me only this is very important’.

‘Of course’ and as Natalie walked into the room he put his finger to his lips. Nodding she mouthed ‘I’ll make the tea’ pointing at the kettle and he watched her walk across the room looking very attractive in a high necked, calf length semi see through cream trimmed with white lace nightdress.

‘It is really important to me Mark. I simply couldn’t go through all that again. The betrayal, cheating, lying. I have to be absolutely certain’.

‘You can be’.

‘Promise. Really promise?’

‘Yes really promise’.

There was a pause then realising she’d been holding her breath Abi exhaled and said softly ‘Ask me again’.

He nodded as Natalie handed him a mug of tea and then he watched her leave the kitchen and head to the large sitting room. When she had he spoke again.

‘Abi will you marry me. Please?’

She paused and then said slowly ‘Yes I will and thank you for asking me. I would love to marry you’.

‘Darling you have made me so happy. All the weeks of waiting, worrying and hoping have finally come good’.

‘Can you come down here today so we can celebrate and begin to plan the wedding? There’s so much to organise’.

‘I can’t today. I’m doing some charity stuff tonight which I promised I’d do and I simply can’t let them down but I’ll come and see you tomorrow if that’s okay?’

‘That is very much okay. What time will you get here?’

‘About lunch time I think’.

‘Oh not earlier? It is a Sunday’.

‘Yes I know, but I’m working all night with some of my charity staff out on the streets of London so I’ll be knackered by the morning. I’ll come back here, have a short sleep and then head down to you’.

‘Okay fine. Will you like to stay the night?’

‘Yes and then as Monday is a Bank Holiday we’ll have that together but I’ll have to be away really early on Tuesday morning’.

‘No change there then’.

‘No. No change’ he laughed.

‘This is really exciting isn’t it? Getting married again. Registry office of course’.

‘Of course’. They chatted about a few things until after another minute or so he said ‘Right bye then. Till tomorrow’.

‘Come as early as you can. I can’t wait to see my husband to be’.

‘Sure will do. Thanks. Bye’.

He wandered into the sitting room where Natalie was lounging on a settee sipping her tea. As he walked to her she kissed her finger then leaned forward and transferred it to his flaccid penis.

He smiled and said quietly ‘Now Natalie you look really rather delightful wearing that pretty nightie but I think you’ll look even better without it. Don’t you?’

‘But you wouldn’t let me wear it in bed last night and I’ve only just put it on’ she protested with a smile.

‘So what? It’s you and your body that I’d prefer to be looking at not a nightie’.

‘Oh would you indeed?’

‘Uh huh. So are you going to indulge me and take me to heavenly bliss?’

‘Hmm .……. maybe?’ she said taking a deep sip of her tea then he grinned as putting her mug of tea down on a side table she tilted her head a little to one side and asked quietly ‘Here on the settee, on a chair, the floor or shall we go back to bed?’

‘Where’s best for the heavenly bliss?’

‘Oh definitely the bed’ she grinned standing up and holding out her hand.

She was right. Their lovemaking was passionate, prolonged and deeply satisfying for him but hearing her loud and prolonged groans as she climaxed he was sure that it had been equally good for her. Of course the groans could have been faked but he didn’t think so and so being unsure whether she had properly climaxed, as soon as he’d clambered off her and rolled onto his back he asked if she had.

‘Of course. With that lovely dick inside me it wasn’t difficult’.

‘Good. Now then are you hungry?’

‘Hadn’t thought about it but now you mention it then yes actually I am. I wonder why? Must be all that humping and bumping I guess. Gives a girl an appetite’ she grinned. ‘You going to cook something or do you expect me to drop into cooking and serving wench mode?’

‘Neither. There is a French restaurant I use from time to time for breakfast not too far from here and they serve the most divine scrambled eggs. I think they add some cream, chopped chives and even a touch of very finely grated onions and other herbs into the mixture. With toasted bagels, ground coffee, a selection of delightful jams and honeys it truly is a feast fit for a king. And queen’.

‘Sounds wonderful. Can I have a quick bath first though?’

‘You can have a slow bath if you like’ he chuckled. ‘No rush. I’m going to shower’ and with that he swung his legs out of bed and walked to his en-suite where he turned on the power shower and luxuriated under the pummelling water as he reflected on Natalie’s lovemaking.

There was no doubt she was bloody good at it, but then she’d be bound to be having previously been an extremely high earning call girl. However she’d given up providing sex for money herself and had bought the call girl business which she now ran with the help of her secretary Stella, also a previous call girl. She had around forty regular girls on her books plus some occasional casuals together with a few male call boys.

Almost always after completing a major deal Mark felt the need for sex and last night she’d made an ideal companion being very attractive with a lovely figure, highly intelligent and possessed of a bright intellect and naturally cheerful disposition.

Having finally succeeded in competing a complex deal with a group of Chinese businessmen he’d rung Natalie to thank her for providing the three girls and one boy for them which undoubtedly helped in concluding the negotiation favourably.

She’d said it was no trouble and willingly accepted his invitation to take her to dinner in an expensive restaurant in London’s West End so he could show his appreciation of her help.

It hadn’t been the first time he’d used the services of her agency as over the years he’d used them to provide women for people he’d wanted to influence. But it was the first time he’d met her face to face as previously all his contact had been by phone and e-mail. It was also the first time he’d slept with her!

The evening had been a terrific success. She was a good conversationalist, intelligent and fun and when he’d invited her back to his apartment she’d immediately said yes and as he’d discovered last night and this morning she was astonishingly good in bed. Innovative, exciting, stimulating she’d made the sex with him outstandingly good, if somewhat exhausting!

Stepping out of the shower he dried himself and had just pulled on his pants when she walked into the bedroom, naked and smelling of bath foam.

‘Hi’ he smiled. ‘You really are a very pretty lady you know’.

‘Oh thank you sir you are just too kind’ and looking intently at him for a few seconds, she turned away and began to rummage in her suitcase in so doing pointing her naked bottom straight at him. But sensing that he was approaching she twisted her head and pointing a finger smiled but warned ‘Keep your hands and especially that cock away from me. We’re going to have breakfast aren’t we?’

‘Yes’ he grinned changing direction to head for his walk in wardrobe ‘mind you that bum of yours is really delightful’ he stated over his shoulder as he disappeared from view.

Selecting a cream shirt and some very dark green slacks he dressed and emerging back into the bedroom watched as Natalie who was now wearing a pair of cream skin tight slacks, fitted herself into a white bra then shrugged herself into a maroon tee shirt before sitting on the dressing table stool to begin brushing her hair. As he stared at her slacks covered bottom he asked ‘Are you wearing any knickers?’

‘Yes of course. Why?’

‘Well there’s no panty line visible’.

‘My my! What nasty sharp eyes you’ve got Mister Wolf’ she grinned looking at him in the dressing table mirror. ‘When I wear slacks this close fitting I just put on a tiny thong. Does the hygiene bit okay but doesn’t show. There satisfied?’

‘Yes thank you’ he chuckled. ‘Just curious you know’.

‘Pervy more like’ she chuckled continuing to brush her shoulder length blonde hair.

He pulled on some socks, slipped his feet into a pair of light brown leather shoes then watched as she finished doing her hair, applied a little mascara and eye shadow then lipstick. Finally a squirt of perfume behind each ear, on each wrist and lifting the tee shirt she gave a little spray on her tummy before standing, rummaging in her case for a pair of flat heeled shoes then twisted round, gave a twirl and said ‘Ta-dah’.

‘Beautiful’ he said and meant it. ‘Right off we go then’.

There was no doubt that when they walked into the restaurant they created an impression. Not just because at five foot three and in flat heels she was considerably shorter than his six foot one inch; or even that at sixty he was a strikingly good looking man, but because she was simply stunning.

It didn’t seem to matter whether she was dressed up as she had been for dinner last night; stark naked; parading around in a nightie; or as now dressed casually, she was a definite head turner. And lots of heads turned, both men and women.

The restaurant was French owned and the chef and maitre d’ and waitresses were all French. Mark was well known there and Giselle one of the prettier waitresses showed them to a table at the back of the restaurant where they sat in a little booth side by side and gave their orders.

‘This is nice’ said Natalie looking around.

‘Yes I come here from time to time at weekends but usually on a Sunday when I don’t need to rush and can enjoy the food, read the paper, and people watch’.

‘I like people watching too’ she replied. ‘Now let’s guess who and what the other people here are shall we?’

‘If you like’.

‘Right then here goes’. There were eight other tables occupied. ‘Married couple’ she said nodding towards a middle man and woman. ‘Gay businessman with boyfriend or maybe paid companion from last night and now giving him breakfast’ she announced indicating two men, one in his fifties and one in his twenties holding hands. ‘Two girls about to go shopping in the West End’ was her next pronouncement; ‘two guys meeting up for coffee and a chat; another married couple; pair of lesbians .…….’

‘How do you know that?’ he queried.

‘Because of the way the older one of them was looking at me almost making an implied pass, and they were stroking hands just now’.

‘Looking at you?’

‘Umm in a kind of I’d like to get into your knickers sort of way’ she said softly.

‘Surely not’ he protested.

‘Definitely’ she confirmed smiling at the woman about whom they were speaking.

‘And the other two tables?’

‘One couple, not married as she isn’t wearing a wedding ring and the other solitary chap is like you are when you’re here on your own. A single man treating himself to breakfast’.

‘You sure about the woman making a pass at you?’

‘Oh yes. Positive’. In fact if I got up to go to the ladies I can guarantee she’d follow’.

‘Really?’

‘Uh huh. I’ll prove it. Watch’ and sliding out of her seat she walked slowly across the room, smiled at the woman in question and approaching one of the waitresses asked in a clear voice ‘Which way to the ladies?’ and then followed the directions.

But almost as soon as she’d disappeared from sight the woman in question spoke to her companion then got up and walked after Natalie, who reappeared after a few minutes and returned to sit with Mark.

‘So?’ he asked.

She didn’t speak just pushed a small business card across to him where he read the woman’s name as Marion Fraser with her mobile phone number. ‘See!’

‘What she just gave this to you?’

‘No she said she couldn’t help noticing me and thought I was very attractive and wondered if I’d like to meet up with her? I asked just meet? ‘and she said no more than that’.

‘So I teased her by pretending not to understand and asked what she meant by more than that?’

‘She said she’d like to take me to bed. So there you are. Believe me now?’ she chuckled as Marion returned to her own table giving Natalie a smile.

‘Well well. Ah here’s our food’ said Mark as Giselle approached carrying a large tray.

He and Natalie ate, chatted, laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. At least Mark enjoyed hers and he thought that she did his, although every now and then he couldn’t help wonder if her past professional life gave her the experience and expertise to enable her to easily show this level of interest in a companion without any real depth or meaning to it. A facade which she could switch on whenever she wanted.

Nevertheless he enjoyed her being with him. When they’d finished and were walking slowly out of the restaurant, passing Marion’s table she looked up at Natalie and said softly ‘Call me’. Natalie paused momentarily, smiled and nodded. ‘Maybe’ she said quietly.

Back at his apartment she put her arms around his neck and said quietly ‘That was lovely thank you’ she said ‘but I’d better think about going. I’m meeting my sister for lunch and then we’re going shopping. She’s getting married in a couple of month’s time and so we’re having a sisterly shop-up so I need to go home and drop off my suitcase first. And what does the rest of the day hold for you?’

‘Bit of work stuff for the rest of the morning, then I’m going to go to bed for a few hours this afternoon as tonight I’m walking the streets of London with one of the people who works for a charity of which I am Chief Executive. It helps young people on the streets’.

‘How interesting. Very laudable and worthwhile. Good luck with that. Be careful though as the streets at night can be rough and quite dangerous especially in the areas I imagine you’ll be going’.

‘I will but thanks for the warning’.

They looked at each other for a moment then she turned and went to the bedroom shortly re-appearing with her suitcase and a coat over her arm.

‘Mark thank you for everything. It’s been great’.

‘Yes it has. I have really enjoyed my time with you. Do it again sometime?’

‘I’d love to but that’s up to you. You’ve got my number. Call me any time’.

‘I will. Now let me get you a taxi’.

‘No don’t bother. I’ll walk a bit and I’ll be sure to flag one down’.

‘Are you sure. I can ring and have one here in no time’.

‘No honestly. I’ll be fine’.

‘Okay well if you’re sure. I’ll at least walk you downstairs’.

‘There’s no need for that either. Just give me a goodbye kiss and then I’ll be off home’.

‘Where’s that?’

‘Not far from here’ she replied dropping the suitcase and pulling his head down as she stretched up on tip toes. The kiss was pleasant, soft and tender but not passionate. ‘Goodbye Mark’ she said softly and picking up her case walked beside him to the front door which he opened, then stood and watched her walk along the thickly carpeted corridor to the lifts enjoying her back view. At the lift she pressed, waited, then turning towards him gave a wave, blew him a kiss and disappeared from sight.

‘Bye Natalie’ he murmured as he went back inside his apartment.

He settled down to some work but around one thirty got up from his desk, stretched his tall frame and walked into the kitchen where he fixed himself a snack lunch comprising some crusty bread, stilton cheese, salad, a glass of white wine but he skipped coffee as he wanted to sleep that afternoon.

In the bedroom he looked at the rumpled bedclothes and smiled then stripped off and slid under the duvet where he could smell Natalie’s perfume. He spent a few minutes thinking about her before turning over and after tossing and turning for a short while drifted off to sleep.

One of his great attributes was the ability to sleep almost anytime and anywhere and over the years many times he’d found it very useful to be able to do that to re-charge or refresh himself before some strenuous activity.

The alarm work him at six thirty and feeling rested he showered then dressed in dark slacks, tee shirt, light sweater, stout comfortable shoes and taking a thicker sweater and a waterproof jacket he left to go to the Finchley head quarters of Lost Teens Help charity ⁴ where he’d arranged to meet with Chrissie one of the charity’s most experienced street workers.

At the slightly dingy offices he smiled as Reggie Proctor who ran the charity and introduced him to her then he settled down to be briefed and instructed as to what they were going to be doing throughout the night. He also made a mental note to tell Reggie to get the offices painted and smartened up. It needn’t cost a lot but would improve their appearance and make the whole place a nicer place to work.

He listened carefully to Chrissie as she briefed him, asked several questions and said he was ready to work through the night with her. They took the Tube from Finchley to Waterloo and then set off visiting a number of coffee shops to collect free sandwiches, rolls, buns and cakes that were going to be left over at the end of the day and which they were happy to donate to a good cause such as theirs.

Chrissie had brought two large shoulder carried bags and a very large box container on wheels. It held a substantial quantity of sandwiches and other foods. He offered to pull it and carry one of the shoulder bags. Finally they filled several flasks some with tea and others with coffee from the last shop they visited which also provided it free of charge for them.

Leaving the brighter parts of London and plunging into the darker, dingier side and back streets he soon realised that Chrissie knew her way around and he was both horrified and fascinated by what he saw over the next few hours.

At midnight they stopped at an all night tea bar and gratefully supped their strong teas which Dave the stall owner gave them free of charge while he also topped up their large tea and coffee containers which were by now empty.

By four o’clock Mark’s legs ached and his shoulders throbbed from carrying the heavy bags and pulling the wheeled container. He was weary, but also very dispirited from what he was seeing. So many young people living rough on the streets. Sharing filthy squats, basements of condemned houses or just huddling miserably together, often drunk, frequently spaced out on drugs and seemingly without hope.

As it got light around six, Chrissie led the two of them back towards the more salubrious areas and gratefully accepted his offer to buy her breakfast in a McDonalds.

‘I simply had no idea’ he said to her as they sat down and began eating.

‘Most people don’t. If you fall so low that you finish on the streets generally people stay there and many of them die there. From drink, drugs, getting attacked and beaten up. The girls, and the boys, give sex to strangers for the price of a spliff or a shot of heroin, a squirt of ketamin or sometimes just for a pound or two. Many get raped. In fact rape is almost a rite of passage on the streets.

Until the government really takes the problem seriously and does something about it then it’ll only get worse. As you’ve seen many of these vagrants are immigrants and they find it even harder to get out of the despair cycle’.

‘I don’t know if I can do anything to help. I do have contacts at high level in government and elsewhere and I will see if there is any way I can get something done’.

‘Thanks but I’ll bet you a pound to a penny that in spite of your contacts you don’t. It’s a problem that everyone wants to ignore. Most people think it’s the fault of the unfortunate individuals themselves.

They should pull themselves together and get off the streets is the general thought process. In one way they’re right but in another they’re not. It is bloody difficult to get off the streets, off being dependant on drink or drugs. Without a proper fixed abode you can’t get welfare. Without welfare you have no money. Without money you have to exist on the streets. You can’t survive, even on the streets without money so you start to do things to get money. Any things. Awful things. It’s a vicious circle to which there is really no end’.

‘But you did. You were on the streets and got off. Got yourself sorted into a job, a home, kicked whatever habit you had and now are doing this wonderful work’.

‘I know. I got raped once too often. Strangely enough it was that’ she paused ‘the fear of that being done to me again that finally made me pull myself together.

And a kind charity worker who seemed to take special pity on me. He was an old guy who took me to his home in Islington, helped me, talked me through what I was doing to myself, fed me, bought me some clothes, allowed me to use his address to get welfare and totally put me on the path to getting straight again’.

‘That was nice of him. Why did he do that? Why you?’

‘Well initially I assumed he just wanted to sleep with me. Lots of blokes offer help provided you sleep with them, or do sex things for them. You know give them a blow job, a hand job but especially let them screw you. For them it’s a lot cheaper than paying a prostitute.

But he didn’t. He was scrupulously straight, honest and above board and eventually I found out why. I reminded him of his daughter.

He showed me her picture and there was an