by Tammy Lewis
I began to untie.
Hearing him exhale with relief, he whispered, “thank you.”
Staring straight into my eyes, gazing deep into my soul, he
lifted my whole body up with his. Placing me on to the floor,
he began collecting his things like a man possessed.
Furiously yelling, “I have no idea what this is, but be sure that
you will all be hearing from my lawyer!”
Sitting down on the bed, slumped, gazing over at Marcus,
filling the doorway. It was obvious that he could see the
despair in my eyes, I had been duped. Turning on me,
Cynthia pointed and yelled “you were supposed to lure him
here, tie him up and then leave.”
Watching Quinn’s face exceed boiling point, he yelled, “what!
So that you could try and rape me and keep me against my
will? We went on one awful dinner date, as friends, over two
years ago. Get over it, you can watch me, follow me, turn up at
my home, but we have nothing. All you have is some dire
infatuation, you don’t need a boyfriend, you need a shrink!”
Hearing Marcus sternly demand from the doorway, “Honey, I
think that it’s time to go.”
Watching Quinn’s eyes fixated on me, I left, sure that this was
far from the end.
Chapter 4
Tears of anger streamed down my face, the entire car journey
home. In all of the years that I had been providing this
service, this was the first time that I had been caught out and left to feel like a fool. Glancing over at me, taking his eyes off
the road only momentarily. Removing his hand from the
steering wheel, Marcus placed his hand on mine in a
supportive manner, as he suggested “Domini, you followed
protocol. You were thorough, everything checked out. It’s not
your fault. You did nothing wrong.”
Squeezing his hand of reassurance tightly, feeling his words
lighten this god-awful feeling that had taken over me,
curdling and churning in the pit of my stomach. With only
enough strength and enthusiasm left to force out a half-
hearted smile, sensing my mood slowly lifting. Retaining my
gaze over at Marcus, all that I could think of right now, was
how thankful that I was to have him with me. Because as
always, he managed to keep my head in check.
Watching the expression change on his entire face. Sure, that
he was cooking up some kind of plan, to be revealed at any
moment. Beaming from ear to ear, with a wicked gleam in his
eye. Breaking his silence, he asked “so Dom, do you want to
go and shoot some pool?”
Nodding slowly, feeling a smile take over my whole face, I
replied “hell yeah!”
Climbing into the back of the car, sure that I couldn’t enter
the bar dressed like this. Hearing Marcus call out “that’s my
girl!”
Tugging the flowery dress up over my head, tossing the court
shoes across the seat. Taking a spare set of clothes from a
holdall in the back, I wriggled into an old pair of ripped jeans
and a tank top. Tying the laces of my heavy, sand nubuck
boots. Scraping my long, dark, loose curled hair into a
ponytail, it was at that precise moment, that I felt that I was
ready to go.
Inside the bar, setting up the pool table, I heard Charlie the owner, call over from behind the bar, “hey you lazy bums,
aren’t you working tonight?”
Unable to hide my grin, turning to face Marcus, taking my
shot, I watched him swig his beer. Looking me dead set in the
eyes, not losing focus, with a grin as big as mine, he replied,
“no, not tonight, Dom’ needed the night off.”
Hearing Charlie call back over, “and you brought her to this
dump. A young couple like you, I’d have thought that you’d be
out on the town.”
Sure, that Charlie thought that we were some oddball couple.
That lived within close proximity of the bar, in one of the
most rough, undesirable areas, in the dark outskirts of our
great city. Not the grand penthouse apartment that we
shared, living separately. Almost roommates, in one of the
most expensive, sought after, prestigious areas, surrounded
by the fast-paced world of the elite.
“She loves the place, she can’t stay away,” Marcus called back
over to Charlie, his grin still evident to see. With a hint of
boyish charm, glaring over at me, finally, he took his shot.
Even though Charlie looked unconvinced, Marcus was right.
Here slumming it, in this dark and dingy old bar, I felt relaxed
and at ease. Marcus and I spent most of our days, in the heart
of the city, surrounded by some of the most pretentious
people known to man. But here, in one of the sketchiest
neighbourhoods that I had ever come to know, it was a
completely different world. The people here felt real, genuine,
salt of the earth. And on the plus side, when you have your
own personal bodyguard on hand, no one tends to bother you.
No matter how tight your skinny jeans are, or how low your
tank top falls, every time that you take a shot at the table.
Marcus hadn’t always been my personal bodyguard, I met Marcus on my first day at my new job, at Hassel and Viola
Models. Where he was already head of security. I have to
confess, hand on heart, I instantly found Marcus visually
appealing on our first encounter. Though we didn’t become
friends until I was hired by his then girlfriend, to oust him as
a cheat. It was just pure coincidence as I thought, that we
worked together. It had to have happened at some time, to be
hired to out someone close. Under the circumstances, with a
huge conflict of interest, regrettably, I couldn’t take the case.
Though I felt that I had an obligation to him, to come clean,
explaining my out of hours side-line.
Unsure what shocked him more, learning that his girlfriend
had hired me, convinced that he was a cheat. Or my alternate
line of work. Marcus soon became single, finding himself
homeless, thrown out onto the street. Feeling somewhat
responsible for their split, I offered to let him stay with me.
When learning the structure of the honey trap business,
concerned for my safety, he offered to tag along on my
escapades. Jointly coming to the conclusion that we valued
our growing friendship. Despite a physical attraction, we set
the rule to never mix business with pleasure. Which
progressed into something even greater between us. A deep
feeling of admiration, commitment, understanding and trust.
We both dated other people, with myself finding it hard to get
past the second date minefield, feeling that relationships were
just impossible. Marcus being my polar opposite, oozing
confidence, he certainly didn’t have any issues in that
department. Being a handsome guy and a perfect gentleman,
he certainly had no problem attracting members of the
opposite sex. For a guy, soon to be approaching 30, he was
most definitely in great shape. Plus, being surrounded by hot
models on a daily basis, really did help his cause.
T
aking his final shot, before I beat his ass, to win the game.
Marcus asked, “so do you think that’s the last that we are
going to hear from Mr bigshot? Or do you think that he’s
going to try and press charges.”
Trying not to even think about it, still feeling the wounds that
tonight had caused. I cleared every last ball from the table,
standing upright only to grin over at him. Ignoring his initial
question, I replied, “you know the rule, loser sets up the next
game.”
The following day, sat at work, debating the end of the whole
honey trap side-line, deep in thought. Weighing up
everything, I began wondering, what great lengths I would
need to go to, to determine that each case had not been
fabricated. Though sure that the case of Quinn and Cynthia
was only a one in a million chance, never to be experienced
again. Certain that I couldn’t bear to go through it all over
again, new rules had to be set. Evidence had to be provided
and when and only when that I was satisfied, then I would
take the case.
Consumed by my trail of thought, checking my personal
emails, feeling a little apprehensive, I noticed that once again,
my services were required. Calling Marcus into my office,
filling him in on our latest case study, alarmed by his silence,
I glared up at him.
Shaking his head, he sighed heavily and spoke only to say,
“I’m done, I’m not doing this anymore. Didn’t the Cynthia
case teach you anything? Dom’, you are not invincible. You
need to give this up before something happens and you can’t
charm your way out of it.”
Furious I stood, shaking my head with pure disappointment, I
called over to him, “fine! I never asked for you to tag along in
the first place. I am more than capable of doing this all by myself.”
Folding my arms, slouching myself down on to my office
chair, I turned away from him.
Hearing him call out, “suit yourself.”
Followed by the sound of my office door closing shut. Highly
frustrated, feeling like I wanted to scream. I threw myself into
playing super sleuth, finding out all that I could about my
next case. The elusive businessman Jerry and his wife of 10
years, the lovely Janine. Sure, that I was going to show
Marcus, I didn’t need him, I had been doing all of this before
him and I was more than capable of being a lone wolf.
Days later, noticing Marcus in my mirror’s reflection, stood
filling the dark space between the corridor and my room.
Glaring at him, applying my eyeliner, sure that I still wasn’t
speaking to him. Standing, pretending that he wasn’t even
there, I began to straighten myself out; before my mirror.
Hearing him call over to me, “reconsider.”
Ignoring him once more, his voice became louder, “ignore me
all you want, but you shouldn’t be going tonight.”
Walking over to him, my face consumed with a deadly glare, I
stood directly in front of him.
Looking up at him, I asked “why?”
Shaking his head, watching him almost buckle under
pressure, he replied “I have a really bad feeling about all of
this.”
Exhaling deeply, ignoring his warning, I walked straight past
him and towards the elevator doors.
Hearing him call out, “at least let me take you.”
Turning only to glare back at him, stubbornly I replied, “no thank you, I have my own cars and a drivers licence. I am
more than capable of driving myself.”
Chapter 5
Arriving at the club, requested by Janine, handing the keys to
my exclusive, two-seater sports car to the valet. Noticing his
nerves consume him, crippled with fear. I found myself lost
for words at his initial reaction, struggling to say something,
anything to try and ease his mind. Feeling his plight, not
wanting to add to his heightened anxiety. I knew just as he
did, the car was worth more money than most would see in
their entire lifetime.
Closing my eyes tightly, taking a deep breath and putting all
of my trust in him. In sheer desperation, I asked “please look
after her.”
Heading in, making sure that everything was in place, set up
ready, for when my subject was in clear sight. Taking a seat
up at the bar, ordering a white wine spritzer, glancing around,
only to scan the room. Head strong and sure, wanting tonight
to go down like clockwork, just so that I could go home and
gloat. Finally prove to Marcus that he was no longer needed, I
was more than capable of working alone.
Going over the particulars in my head, I felt someone seat
them self-beside me. Not wanting to look, not wanting to
attract any unwanted attention, I kept focus.
Hearing a slightly familiar voice say, “I am sorry, but Jerry won’t be able to join us tonight. He’s in Maine, with his lovely
wife Janine.”
Turning to face Quinn, seated beside me. Knowing that once
again in the space of days, despite my extensive research, I
had been set up yet again. Catching Marcus appear in the
corner of my eye, I stood, only to be summoned by Quinn to
take a seat. Demanding that my “pit bull” as he called Marcus,
to go and sit himself back in the corner, where he had
originally been seated.
“Or what?” I asked sternly, maintaining my nerve.
Watching a smirk appear on Quinn’s face, he replied, “well,
I’m glad that you asked. Let’s see, firstly there is kidnapping
and holding someone against their will…”
Knowing that he had no case against me, he had gladly
adhered to my request, to join me at the hotel. Happily
participating in whatever I had in mind. Gesturing to Marcus
to stand down. Feeling extremely curious, to why he had gone
to so much trouble. To hire me under a fake profile, conjuring
a fake life, just in order to draw me out.
Feeling silence fall, Quinn began to speak…
He asked, “so your job is to tear couple’s apart?”
Instantly jumping to my defence, I replied, “NO! My job is to
out all of the cheating, lying, vindictive, sleaze balls out there.
The guys that prey on a woman’s lack of self-worth,
confidence and insecurities. Building her up, while secretly
having their cake and eating every last goddamn bite.”
Studying my entire face, curiously he suggested, “sounds
personal?”
He had no idea!
Breaking the silence once more, Quinn spoke, “so, Ms Domini Stone. Only daughter of the highly exclusive socialites, Mr
and Mrs Henry Stone. Wealthy creator and CEO of Stone
enterprises… Please stop me, if I’m wrong… But aren’t you the
ex-fiancée and childhood sweetheart of Baron Hessian? The
shamed billionaire, exposed and degraded into handing over
his entire share of his family business… The result of being
caught in the act, so to speak, at one of his drug fuelled sex
parties, by none other than his devoted bride to be… Must
have hurt pretty bad…”
�
��Why else would you resort to this secret life?… Ignited and
fuelled by vengeance and revenge… I am sure that money is
not a factor… I’m certain daddy’s allowance pays pretty well…
Along with that cute little setup you have, over at the
modelling agency… I bet it’s more than enough to pay for that
picturesque penthouse overlooking the park, with live in
security guard,” he concluded.
I was pretty impressed, he had obviously done his homework.
Catching my breath, I asked, “I see that you have gone to
some great lengths, to get some pretty personal information
on me. So Mr Hamilton, what do you want?”
Smiling heavily, changing his tune, he replied, “a few
moments of your time. A drink maybe. Even though it was
you who single-handedly led me to that hotel room. You were
only doing what you had been contracted to do, but when you
saw my plight, you released me. Despite what you did
initially, I believe I at least owe you a drink. A small token for
freeing your captive.”
Sure, that I had heard quite enough, overwhelmed at the
knowledge that he had gained, concerning every last detail of
my life, I stood to leave. Feeling him reach up and grab hold
of my forearm, holding my composure, I demanded “let me go.”
Only for him to lift both of his hands into the air, allowing me
the freedom to leave. Feeling Marcus’s presence once more,
following me close, he asked “what the hell was all that
about?”
Sighing heavily, shrugging my shoulders, I replied, “I have no
idea.”
Returning home, entering the lift from the underground
garage. Marcus demanded “ring your father, I think that
you’re going to need a lawyer, no one digs up that amount of
information on someone, unless they are going to use it.”
Feeling my head spin, taking off my heels, I demanded “no
one is calling my father. I got myself into this mess and I am
going to get myself out of it. It’s his word against ours, all that
he can do is reveal my identity. The worst-case scenario
being, no more catching the bad guys out.”
Throwing my keys on to the sideboard, I heard Marcus say,
“maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Dom’, you’ve had a good
run. Maybe it’s time to call it a day.”