“Brighton for the millionth time, I’m not giving you an internship at the theatre! You’re not even studying drama” Mr. Sheffield held firm with his son pressing him to reconsider. “But, Dad I’m about to be a senior in college and everybody else I know already has one lined up!” Brighton pointed out with a whiney tone in his voice despite being 21. “Then get an internship somewhere actually related to what you’re in school for. I’m not signing off on you ‘working’ at the theatre so you can sit around all day” Max answered. “I could always help cast the shows or something. I think I could really have an eye for talent; a chip off the old block” the preppy blonde added with a wink but his father wasn’t buying it. “Brighton, the answer is no and I do not want to say it one more time. Besides, I have my own problems to deal with right now” Mr. Sheffield stressed as he fiddled through papers on his desk.

“What kind or problems?” “It’s just business dealings, son, far too complicated to try and explain” “Come on, Dad. I’m a grown man now; you can talk to me” Brighton tried to assure with a look from Maxwell like he didn’t have the energy to combat the statement. “Fine. The investors in my new show seem to be more difficult to please than I’d anticipated. I thought they understood it was a play about one man’s rise from a criminal past to a better life but they keep wanting to change things that I fear might tank the whole story” the salt and pepper-haired producer answered. “Then just find new investors” Brighton suggested. “It’s not that easy. These people possess a substantial amount of money and losing them at this stage would tank the entire production” Max explained. “Hmm…well I tried but this does seem too complicated. Later” Brighton answered with a carefree goodbye, leaving the Englishman to rack his brain to find a suitable compromise that wouldn’t tarnish his reputation.

Roughly 10 minutes later the front door rang of the Sheffield residence, prompting Niles to answer it and find three men waiting on the stoop. “May I help you, gentlemen?” “We’re looking for Mr. Sheffield; we’re his new business partners” the middle, shortest man said with a confidence to his delivery. “Is he expecting you?” “He sure is” “Alright. Well, right his way” Niles obliged and led them up the stairs to Maxwell’s office. “Sir, these gentlemen said you were expecting them” Niles announced to his boss. “Mr. Sabrinni, good to see you again” Max greeted with a look of subtle surprise as Niles closed the door behind him on the way out.

“Please, don’t get up. This is your home; you should be comfortable” Leo, the main man answered with the two larger men behind him like tall shadows. “And you brought friends…how nice” Mr. Sheffield tried to make sense of from his chair. “These are my associates; Dom and Nicky” Leo introduced. “Nice to me you both. Not to be rude, Leo but why are you here, at my house? We didn’t have a meeting planned for today” Max questioned. “I like you, Max…you’re a nice guy and easy to talk to but we seem to be running into a communication problem. You see, I told you that I wanted the main character of the play to rise up in the ranks of his original job but I went by the theatre yesterday and you’ve got him becoming some schmuck working for a bank” Leo explained as Nicky and Dom casually moved around to the sides of the desk. “Mr. Sabrinni, I’m trying to rework the story to satisfy both of our ideas of what the show should be but it’s proving rather difficult” Maxwell added with a mild sweat starting in his light blue button-down.

“Well, let me help make things a little simpler for you…” Leo answered just before Dom and Nicky grabbed Maxwell with a hand on each shoulder to keep him in his seat as one of them untied his tie. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” Max demanded to know but Nicky forced his arms behind his back around the chair and used Maxwell’s stapler to staple his shirtsleeves together about 20 times while Dom put his legs on the desk and tied his ankles with the silk tie before planting his hands on the shins to keep his legs in place. “What is this, Leo?! Get off of me!!” Max protested as he writhed in the chair with intense concern all over his face.

“Let me explain something to you…” Leo started while Nicky began unlacing his loafers. “…I don’t usually invest in theatre productions; they’re not in line with my typical interests but yours got my attention. I put some money behind it and trusted that you understood what I wanted then you go and ignore my input so now I’m going to make sure we understand each other; you’re going to go with my plans for the show” Leo explained as Mr. Sheffield’s sheer socked feet now rested atop his wooden desk. “…I’m not going to be bullied into changing my show! Your ideas don’t make any sense; they’ll ruin the whole thing!” Max asserted against his better judgement considering his position. “I thought you’d be more reasonable, Sheffield but I guess you just haven’t had the right encouragement yet. Go ahead, Nicky” Leo announced and Maxwell watched in anticipation as the hired muscle started fluttering up and down his socked feet.

“aAOoahoOAhAOWWhAATT?! ahhAooOAOhAohAYYoOOuUCCANnTTbBEESSEERRRiIouUUS! AhoAOhOAHAoHAacCcoOOmMmeEooONN!” Max immediately burst with bubbly laughter he didn’t have time to try and contain. He quickly realized how firm Dom’s grip was on his legs when he could’t move them at all or avoid Nicky’s fingers wiggling along his fresh soles. “Oh I’m very serious; this may seem childish or ridiculous but you’d be surprised how many men buckle after a little tickling” Leo explained with a straight face, watching the 48 yr. old’s lean yet lush soles flex and wrinkle on the desk trying to get away. “Are you going to do what I want or not?” Leo asked again. “AhOhAaiIiCCAAaANnTT!! AhoHAohAIIITtoOLlDDYYoOoUU!! NnOoOWWSSTTOoOpPPTThHiIiSS!!” Maxwell answered, trying to not give into such silly tactics. “Sooner or later they all crack” Leo assured as Nicky shifted slightly to start raking up both tender soles, dragging his short nails across the thin socks with an increased enthusiasm.

“OOoHOAhOAHNnOONNOO! AhoAOhAOHAAAEEENNNoOOUUGgHH! AhoAohACCAaALLTTTthHIiiSSSOOoFFF!!” “Sure, as soon as you agree to do the show how I want” Leo answered. “AAohAohAaNNnoOoOoO!!” “Suit yourself” Mr. Sabrinni replied as if he was willing to go as long as it took but the well-to-do producer was obviously already in trouble. Max tried to fan his toes out or crunch them to hinder the tickling but this wasn’t Nicky or Dom’s first rodeo and Dom soon reached up with one hand to pry them back by both big toes, only needing one hand to pin the legs down. “AhOhaANnOoO! AoHOAOhAAADdDDoOONnTTDDoOoTthhAATT!! AhAohAOhAOHaA!!” Mr. Sheffield’s laughter raged higher once his toes lost the quick fight and his barely covered feet were even more vulnerable. Nicky started clawing in opposite directions, going down on his left while raking up the right which forced Max’s head back with heavier laughter he wasn’t expecting.

“Most of the guys that’ve been in your position were street guys or had lived a pretty rough life, none with feet like yours; all nice and smooth. It was bad for them so I’d hate to see how bad it gets for you” Leo taunted in hopes of diminishing Max’s resistance. “AhoHAAOHA IITTSsSmMYybBBLLOoOoDDyyYSSHHOOOWW!! YYOoUUDDoOnNNTTTcCAAALLTTHhHEEsSHHOOoTTSS!!” “We’ll see about that” was all Leo said as Nicky intensified his approach with a more focused scratching just on the balls of both feet now that they were good and taut. Maxwell watched with wide-eyed horror as Nicky concentrated the tight scribbles right on the meatiest part of his feet, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop it besides giving into Leo’s demands.

“AhoAohAAohLlEEeEoOOCCCoOmMMEEOOoNN!! TTTHIiISIISSAABbsSUURRDd!!” Max tried to reason as he squirmed in the desk chair and laughed harder than he probably ever had. “I’m a man who knows what he wants and also happens to know how to get it. I don’t find that absurd at all. I should thank you though; for some reason sheer socks like that seem to make your feet more sensitive, more receptive to tickling. You’ve made my job even easier” Leo pointed out with a cruel truth Max never knew until now but couldn’t dispute, not while Nicky proved him right with every scratch across the thinly veiled soles.

Leo couldn’t help but admire Maxwell’s feet as Nicky took advantage of their obvious softness; the way his low, creamy arches complimented the berry pink balls and heels for a handsome pair of mature feet that were used to soaking in loafers all day. Years of wearing these same type of socks and baking in leather shoes under a desk or walking around a theatre had left them uncharacteristically blemish-free for a man his age and delightfully supple. Truthfully Nicky didn’t need to do much at all to get a solid reaction but Mr. Sheffield was getting the full treatment.

“Come on, Maxwell…you can’t handle this much longer or you’ll have to get a new office chair” Leo tried to encourage. “AAaOhAohANnoOOo!! AohAohAAohA IIiWWoONnnTTDdoOOIIiITT!! IILLBbBEeAAJJJOOkkKEE!!” the seasoned producer refused through the now wild laughter pouring out of him as his head shook against the back of the chair. “Nicky, why don’t you focus on his toes and I’ll get the rest. Dom, keep holding his legs and try somewhere else” Leo instructed to Max’s surprise as the leather-clad man leaned across the desk from the side until he was comfortably in front of the tangy feet and grabbed a nearby letter opener. “NnnNOO! NOOoOmMOOoRRee!!” “You’re the one drawing this thing out, Maxwell” Leo answered before bringing the tip of the letter opener to the top of the right foot and winding back and forth down the entire sole. “OoHAoAHoAohAAOhYyYYoOoUuCCAAaNNTTDdoOOTTHIIISS!!” Max tried to object after the yelp Leo got out of him but Mr. Sabrinni just grinned to himself and repeated the same motion down the other foot while Nicky scratched along the undersides of all ten silky toes and Dom kneaded into his stomach.

“OAohAoAAohASSTTtoOOOpPPIiITT!! AhoAohAoAHLlLEETTmMMEEGGOOoOoAOHAOHA!!” Sheffield shouted but with Niles downstairs, the girls out shopping with Fran, and Brighton usually with his headphones on there was no one to hear him laughing like a lunatic. Leo dragged the thin metal tip in sharper zig-zags across the balls and down the left arch like he was drawing a picture, driving Maxwell absolutely insane with the steady stroking and with Nicky exploiting his plush toes at the same time, it was a tag-team from hell. Dom’s hand was firmly wrapped around Max’s side so his thumb could dig into his belly through the shirt as if he was working with stubborn dough, helping force out an uninterrupted marathon of laughter ranging from hardy to high-pitched howls of desperation in the posh office.

“Sometimes all it takes is finding the right spot…” Leo said aloud after making Maxwell buck extra hard, returning and staying at the top of his arch with the letter opener. He ran it back and forth across the sweet spot just across an inch of his foot and heard Max boom with newfound panic in his voice, shrieking and raving with ticklish frustration/terror at the simple technique. “AAAAHAOhAoAHOAOAHNNoONNNOO!! AHoAHAnNOOoTTTHHEERrrRREE!!! ahoAHAGGEETToOoOoFFF!! AHoAHAOHAOhAAOHAOHAhoAPpPlLlEEASSEEE!!” “So you agree to do whatever I want with the show??” “AOAhOAHAOYyYeESSS!! AhoAHYYYEESSS!! AoHAoHAAOhAAOhAA JJUuSSTTTSSTToOOPpPTTiIiCCkKLLIIinNGgMmMyYFFEEEETT!!!” Maxwell surrendered after realizing he truly couldn’t take anymore. “I’m glad we could come to an agreement” Leo added as he and his men backed off the exhausted producer and left him to catch his breath.

“Thanks for seeing me on such short notice; I’ll be in touch” Leo added with a stoic satisfaction before leaving the office with Nicky and Dom. Mr. Sheffield was so happy it was over that he didn’t realize he was still all tied up until he tried to stand. “ugh...hello! Leo!! You could at least help me out of this!” Max shouted to catch the shady businessman but it was Brighton who popped his head through the door. “Uhh, Dad…what’s going on?” “Brighton! Thank God, just come around here and help me take off this shirt so I can get up” a relieved Maxwell instructed. “I still don’t understand what’s happening here” “Just help me out and I’ll tell you” Mr. Sheffield tried to persuade but the unexpected sight of his dad’s socked feet so exposed and the rest of him seemingly stuck gave Brighton an idea that he couldn’t not run with.

“Before I help you out, ya know I still need that internship…” Brighton mentioned as he moved closer to the desk. “Seriously!? We’ve already discussed this and the answer is no. Now, come on!” Maxwell tried to redirect with mounting frustration as he fought against the makeshift bondage. “I know you might not think I’m determined or a hard worker but you could at least let me try to change your mind” the inspired college boy added before suddenly wrapping his arm around his dad’s ankles and letting loose on the perfectly trapped feet. “Brighton NnNoOoOhoAohAohAAOhAAOhoAohAAhoAAhA!!” barreled out of Mr. Sheffield, instantaneously confirming Brighton’s devious hunch. “Oh, man…I knew my feet were ticklish but yours might be even worse!” he teased to rub it in while scribbling all over the satin soles.

“SSTToOOOPPpP!! AAHOAoTThHiIiSSSnNnTTFFfuUNNYY!!” Max tried to convince but Brighton’s mischievous side had taken over and his nimble fingers wiggled and scratched as viciously as they could. “I really think you should reconsider the internship” Brighton encouraged while clawing along just the neighboring arches for a brutal back and forth raking. “AAAHoHaOAhAOhOhAaohAAOhAahoA IIIiSsSSAAIIiDDnNnOOO!! NnOOoWWSSTTOOoPPPTTTHHiiISSS!!” “Sorry, Dad I can’t really hear you that well. I think you’re laughing too hard” Brighton answered without a moment of relief for the helpless feet at his mercy, soon targeting just the right foot to really concentrate on that arch after discovering the same sweet spot Leo had.

“AAHAOHAOHAOhAnNOonNNnOoOOO!! OAOhAohAohA BBbRRiIGGhhtTToOnNNpPplLEEAASSEEE!! IIICCAAANnTTTTAAAkKEEANNYYmMOOORREE!!” Mr. Sheffield admitted with the spike in his laughter as he tried his hardest to jerk his legs free of his son’s hold. “It’d only be for a few months and you wouldn’t even have to pay me. Come on, Dad” Brighton pressed with the sheer feet under his ruthless fingers. “AAHAOoKOoKOOKK!! YyYoOuUuCCAAnNIInnTTEERRnNFFOoRRMMEE!! AHoAAaNNOOOWWSSTTOOOOP!!” Max shouted with zero fight left in him and Brighton let the ankles go with a smirk as he turned back toward his disheveled father. “Now was that so hard?” “…I have got to get some thicker socks.”