by Jessie Cooke
He looked like he didn’t want to smile at me, but his lips quirked up anyways as he said, “That explains my ravishing good looks now, I guess.” Such an Axel thing to say. I took a seat on the sofa and said,
“Your name is Gabriel?”
He sighed and shook his head. “No. My name is Axel. I had it legally changed years ago. Ma refuses to accept that.”
“I like Gabriel. It’s nice.”
His eyes went to one of the photos of the man in the uniform and without looking at me he said, “It’s a name I’d rather not be associated with. My mother doesn’t understand. Ma! We need to get back to work…” She came into the room with a tray full of cookies, a tea pot and three cups.
“Don’t shout, Gabriel. I can hear you.”
“Ma will you please just sit down for a second…”
“You sit. I will sit after I pour our guest some tea.” He pouted again but he did what she told him to and took a seat next to me on the couch. After she poured the tea and made sure we each had a cookie, she took a seat in one of the wing-backed chairs and said, “Okay now Gabriel. What is this visit about?”
“Victor Lee is out of prison.”
“I realize that.”
That must be why Jesse came to see him this morning. He looked worried. I’m not sure I’d ever seen him genuinely worried. He was worried about his mom. How sweet is he?
“I’m sending two of my security officers to keep an eye on you until we can figure out how to get him out of the neighborhood…”
“Oh posh! I don’t need security, Gabriel. I’ve lived here my entire life…with the front door wide open.” She smiled as she said that.
“Ma, you do remember this man, right?”
“Of course I do. He was terrible to poor Jesse and his own mother. But, he never hurt me and I can’t see any reason why he would start now.”
“You helped put him in prison.” She shrugged and said,
“He’s served his time. Maybe he learned something in prison. Maybe he’s a better man.”
“I doubt it, Ma. You want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt but some people just don’t deserve it. If he would do what he did to Jesse that last time he beat him…he would do just about anything. He knows that we helped Jesse…”
“How is Jesse?”
“Ma, you’re not listening to me. I’m sending two guys. They’ll be here in about an hour. Their names are Wes and Chris. Neither are the brightest tools in the shed, but you can trust them.”
“I said no, Gabriel.”
“I’m not arguing with you, Ma.”
“Good, you know I hate it when you do. So Holly, tell me about yourself.”
“Ma!”
“Do not raise your voice to me, son.”
“Now Holly, where are you from?”
26
Axel
My mother gave me a headache. When Holly and I finally got out of there Wes and Chris were just pulling up out front. I warned them that she was going to try and send them away. I also warned them that if they went, they wouldn’t work in this city ever again.
I spent the drive back to the office fending off Holly’s questions and listening to her gush over how “nice” my mother is. She is nice. She’s too nice. People have taken advantage of her her entire life beginning with my father. When we got back to the office she tried to hand me the keys to the Camaro. I refused to take them, reiterating to her that it was hers. She wanted to argue about it. I needed a fat line. I ended up sending her home early to get ready for dinner. She reminded me again that we needed to “talk” before she left. Women! Who turns down a classic Camaro? Who doesn’t want to be with a billionaire?
After she left I started returning phone calls and emails. About halfway through the afternoon I started thinking about Holly again. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to live without fucking a real, live woman. I’ve been beating off on a daily basis for two fucking months. This is torture. Why are people monogamous?
I called Connie. It had been a week since Mark went out to California. That was enough time for Connie to work her magic. Besides, I gave her a little ecstasy to help Mark’s libido along…just in case. “Hola Axel!”
“Hola Consuela. How are things going?”
“I’m doing what I can baby. That Tom is definitely in heat. The other one, not so much. All he wanted to talk about was that mousey little girlfriend of his.”
“Shake your tits or something. Get him interested. Isn’t that what you do?”
“I’ve been shaking them for a week and my ass. Some men are faithful Axel. You might have to accept that.”
“Shake them harder. I didn’t expect him to jump in bed with you the first day but it’s been a week now and it needs to be soon and I need pictures…wear him down.”
“We’ll see. Maybe he’s really in love with that girl…you know, the same one you’re in love with. If that’s the case baby, no amount of shaking my fabulous tits will work.”
“Stop saying that I’m in love with her. And I haven’t met the man yet who can resist burying his face in those tits.”
She laughed that deep, hearty laugh of hers and said, “True. You won’t fuck me but you have never turned down a chance to play with my tits. Why don’t you want me to say you love her? It’s true. I could see it all over your face at your house the other day.”
“I’m hanging up now Connie. Do your job. I’m paying you a lot of money.”
“You are paying me a lot of money. You’re paying me to take this girl’s fiancé away from her so she’ll be free to be with you. Then what, Axel? Will you admit you love her?”
“Goodbye, Connie.”
“Bye love!”
My head hurt all over again after I talked to her. Why do all the women in my life have to be so damned hard-headed? I did another line and then I went home early myself.
Just before seven I showed up at Holly’s apartment. As I knocked on the door I realized this was the first time I’d shown up at a woman’s apartment to pick her up myself since I was a kid. I usually just sent a car. What is it about this woman? Every question I had was answered as soon as she opened the door.
“Hi Axel,” she said with a smile that I would sell my soul for. She was wearing a peach colored cocktail dress that stopped just below her upper thighs and a pair of matching heels that I wanted to feel digging into my sides as I held her up and buried my cock deep inside of her. Fuck! She’s killing me.
“Hi. You look nice.”
“Thank you,” she said. She blushed. Damn! “So do you, but you always do.” God I want to kiss her. I want to suck her bottom lip into my mouth and run my tongue back and forth across it… “Axel? Are you okay?” Shit!
“Yeah,” I croaked out. “I’m fine. Ready?”
She locked the apartment door behind us and I held out my arm. She took it without hesitation and just that small touch through the fabric of my jacket made my blood heat to nearly boiling. When we stepped out front and she saw the limousine she said,
“I thought this was a “working dinner.”
“It is.”
“Then why the limo?” The driver was holding the door open for her. When she said that, he smirked. I hope he doesn’t need his paycheck too bad because this is his last job…
“I like to go places in style, Holly, that’s all.”
She didn’t look like she believed me, but she got in and I got to watch that fine ass as it disappeared into the car. I gave the driver a look that I hope drove fear into his heart and then I slid in after her. “I’ve never been inside of a limo before,” she said.
“Never? Not even for prom in high school?” She looked sad and then she said,
“No. I didn’t go to the prom. Where are we having dinner?”
“Tony’s in SoHo.”
“Oh I love that place!” she gushed.
“Really? I do too.” I’ve never actually been there. I called ahead tonight to have everything set up befo
re we got there so I would look like I knew what I was doing when I ordered. I’d never even heard of the restaurant before I checked her Facebook page and saw that she had it listed as her favorite eatery in the city.
When we got to the restaurant, the owner himself met us at the door. The man deserved an academy award.
“Mr. Maxwell! How nice to see you again. Who is this beautiful lady?”
“This is Holly. Holly, this is Antonio. He owns this fine establishment.”
“I am so pleased to meet you Miss Holly. Any friend of my good customer Mr. Maxwell is a friend of mine. I must say that I’m surprised. Mr. Maxwell has never brought a lady to dine here with him. You must be very special.” Holly blushed and as we set off after the hostess towards our table I slipped Tony another hundred. I’d already billed five hundred dollars to my card for his little performance and another five for the rest of the evening’s surprises. The hostess led us out to the small, enclosed patio. There was only one table set up there as I specified. The lighting was dim and candles flickered in red sconces. There were dark green plants in big pots everywhere and some of them were bursting with a dark red bloom that made the air smell like perfume.
Holly looked confused, but she didn’t say anything until the hostess left us. Then she said, “I’ve never eaten out here before. Did you request this?”
“This is my table.” I wasn’t exactly lying. I had paid for it…earlier today.
“Oh…it’s really nice out here, but kind of dark for a business meeting.”
“I’ll have them flip on the lights when he gets here,” I lied again. He’s not coming. That’s Tony’s starring role in Act II of this little drama.
The waiter brought our wine and I poured us each a glass while we “waited” for the manager to show up. After we were there about fifteen minutes, Tony came back and said, “I’m so sorry Mr. Maxwell but your dinner companion Mr. Bell won’t be joining you tonight. He asked me to give you his sincere apologies and to say he would have called you himself but he didn’t have your private cell number.”
Bell and I had already re-scheduled for lunch tomorrow. “Okay Tony, thank you.”
Tony gave us a little bow and scurried off. Holly was looking at me with a skeptical look on her face. “What?”
“Did you arrange all of this for me?”
I laughed. “We are a little full of ourselves, aren’t we?” Her face fell with embarrassment then and I suddenly felt like shit. That propelled me into doing something I would have and should have never done…I confessed. This is why feelings are so bad. “Okay, the truth is that I did. I set this all up and I cancelled Bell and rescheduled him. I’ve never been to this restaurant before in my life.” Her jaw was hanging open like it had come unhinged.
“But…they know you. The owner knows you…”
“I paid him,” I said simply. The confusion in her face was rapidly being replaced with one that looked mildly angry. I guess as long as it’s only mild…
“How did you know I like this restaurant?”
“Facebook.”
“Facebook? We’re not even friends on Facebook.”
“You really should change your privacy settings.”
“What the hell is wrong with you? This is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. You have to stop, Axel. You can’t give me expensive gifts and arrange for us to be alone together like this and…” she lowered her voice to a whisper although no one was anywhere near us and she said, “And spank me!”
“Why?”
“Because I am in a committed relationship!”
I raised an eyebrow and then I said something that I wish like the devil I could take back. “How committed is a person who places his career over his fiancé and agrees to take a job across the country…knowing that she can’t go with him?” Tears filled her eyes and she stood up and turned on her heel towards the door. “Holly wait! I’m sorry. That was a shitty thing to say…” She kept walking, not even looking back over her shoulder at me. I think I may have done it this time. She walked right past the limo. The driver saw her and then me and jumped out of the car. He looked confused too. “Get back in the car,” I told him, “We’ll be back.” I had to almost run to keep up with her. Her little legs could travel. “Holly please stop. This is ridiculous!”
She turned on me then and I could see fire shooting out of her eyes as she came towards me. I may have cringed in the face of these five feet nothing, 100-pound girl. “You want to talk about what’s ridiculous? I’ll tell you what is ridiculous. Ridiculous is a man who has to lie and manipulate and bribe a woman to try and get her to sleep with him.”
That one hurt…but she was right. I was guilty of all the above…Well; I was with my original plan anyways. Now I don’t just want her to sleep with me any longer…I want so much more. “Holly, can we just calm down, go back to the car and talk about this?”
“No! You’ll just tell me more lies. I’m not sure if you even know how to tell the truth.”
The next thing that came out of my mouth told me I’d truly lost it. Maybe I need a psych consult. “The truth Holly is that I am falling in love with you.” Her mouth fell open and then she turned and walked away again. By the time she got to the corner she’d hailed a cab. This is why I’ve never told a woman that before. Those three words drive even the most stable person insane.
27
Holly
I sat in the back of the Taxi…too stunned to even think. When I got out in front of my apartment building I realized that I couldn’t go inside. I needed air. I started walking towards the park. I was glad Mark wasn’t there because I wouldn’t know if I’d be able to face him. This was my entire fault. I should have nipped this thing with Axel in the bud a long time ago. I was flattered and curious and horny…none of which are excuses for leading one man on and cheating on the other. I guess a spank and a lot of flirting and fantasizing isn’t the technical definition of cheating…but it all made my soul feel black and ugly inside. I regret the day Maggie ever gave me this job.
I walked slowly and thought about those words: “I’m falling in love with you…” Are you kidding me? Why would he fall in love with me? I’m average looking at best. I’m not half as smart as he is…. what is it that he sees in me? I walked on into the park and it suddenly dawned on me that it didn’t matter. None of that mattered. If there were twelve rich gorgeous men standing at my front door waiting to take me out…I shouldn’t even be tempted…right? Mark deserved better than that from me. He is such a good man and Axel is a cocaine using…manipulative…lying…I don’t know why those things alone are not enough to make me want to run far and fast away from him. He’s also kind (although he hides it well) and generous and funny…he makes me smile ten times a day at least. He loves his mother and since I’ve been working for him I’ve found out that he gives away half of the money he makes every year to people who need it. None of that should matter. That should all be overshadowed by the lying and manipulating…Then why was my heart about to beat out of my chest thinking about him being in love with me? What the hell was wrong with me? I have a man who is in love with me…a good man who would never cheat on me. Axel would cheat…wouldn’t he? Oh Jesus Holly! It doesn’t matter what Axel would do, you’re going to walk into work tomorrow and you’re going to quit. If he wants to fire Mark over it…then so be it. Hopefully the self-castigation works. I can’t afford to sell my soul for a job.
I walked for almost an hour before finally turning around and heading back to my apartment. I was almost there when my phone rang. It was Tom. I pressed accept. “Hi Tom! Is everything alright? Is Mark okay?”
“Hi Holly,” His words sounded slurred like he was drunk.
“Tom…is Mark okay?”
“He’s peachy!” Tom said. “But I love you Holly so I felt like I had to tell you…”
“Tell me what, Tom? You’re scaring me. What happened? Did something happen to Mark?”
“No…nothing bad…I mean, you might think i
t’s bad…”
“Shit! Just tell me Tom! What is it?” I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown at this point.
“I have pictures. I’m going to send them now. You and I should get together some time Holly. I think we’d be great…” I hung up on him and called Mark. It rang four times and went to voicemail.
“Mark, it’s Holly. Call me please. Tom called me, drunk. He has me worried. Are you okay? Call me!” While I was talking, my text message beeped. I looked at the face of the phone and saw that it was two picture messages from Tom. Aggravated, I pushed open. When the pictures opened I dropped the phone onto the ground. A man who happened to be walking his dog by said,
“Miss, are you alright?” I realized I couldn’t have a public breakdown. I needed to get home. I didn’t answer the man…I just scooped up my phone and took off. I could hardly run in the heels I was wearing…but I did my best. When I rounded the corner to my apartment I stopped dead in my tracks. Axel was sitting on the steps out front. I slowed to a fast walk and intended to just pass by him and leave him sitting there.
“Holly. I’m so sorry…for everything.”
“I quit, Axel.”
“Holly please.” He reached out and took hold of my left arm. I brought my right one up and slapped him hard across the face. He barely flinched but I could see fire in his eyes as he looked at me. “Okay,” he started, “I deserved that.” That was the point where I lost my mind completely. I lunged at him, literally. He did flinch that time because he thought I was going to hit him again. When I crushed my mouth to his instead, his eyes opened wide and his mouth stayed clamped shut. I pulled back and said,
“What the hell is wrong with you? You can’t get it up unless you’re the aggressor?”
He grabbed me by the shoulders and looked into my eyes and said, “Are you sure about this Holly? One hundred percent sure?”
“Maybe not. Maybe if you’re going to talk it to death I’ll go find a real man who isn’t afraid to fuck me.” That pushed whatever button needed to be pushed. He pulled me into his chest and off my feet and then he shoved his tongue into my mouth and kissed me long and hard. When he let go, I was gasping for air. He let me recover for a second and then he scooped me up off my feet and carried me into the building.