by SE Chardou
“You duplicitous, self-righteous prick. How dare you enter my residence and pretend like you have any right to be here. You have your tongue down my fiancé’s throat and your hand down her pants and I am supposed to be okay with this?” Gray’s cold, icy blue eyes met mine. “And you, I trusted you and this is what I get? A trampy little slut who can’t wait to spread her legs for the sick fuck that probably had a hand in her sister’s death. Was it good? Did he fuck you every which way and did it have you moaning out for more? Both of you are so fucking disgusting I can’t stand the sight of either one of you. Get what you came here for and leave my house as soon as possible.”
I wanted to say something but Rory held me to him. “Go pack. I’ll take care of this—”
“But, Rory . . . he hates me.”
“I said I would take care of this, all right? Do you trust me?”
Did I know him well enough to trust him was the most appropriate question but my feelings caved and I nodded in reply.
“Good, then go get your stuff and let me handle Gray, okay?” Rory tilted his head and kissed my nose. “Give me a smile, huh? It’s not the end of the world.”
I laughed softly instead. “Fine. I will go pack.”
“Thank you,” he replied before he disappeared down the hall after Gray who had headed towards the bar on the opposite side from where the bedrooms were located.
It was strange entering the suite, which had belonged to Gray and I but I pushed all the memories to the back of my mind and got to work. I only packed what I had bought or brought and left everything behind Gray had purchased for me. In that case, my shoe collection was paltry since he’d purchased all the pairs of Christian Louboutin, Gucci, Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik and Yves Saint Laurent heels in my collection.
He’d also purchased most of my clothes and jewelry as well. I stared at my left ring finger, which still wore the platinum band with a tasteful white diamond surrounded by yellow diamonds. I slipped it off and put it in the jewelry box. It no longer belonged to me, and I didn’t want to be reminded of a failed relationship or the person who gave me the ring to wear.
I was a cheater and worse than that, I had never loved the man I had agreed to marry and become his wife. Furthermore, there was no use pretending there had been something special that’d existed between us when our relationship had been very much like my chosen profession: a fraud and a lie.
Rory walked in just as I was finishing up accompanied by a rather calm yet reticent Gray.
“Your ex-fiancé and I have talked it over and everything is fine,” he commented in a dismissive fashion.
I stood and looked at them both. “Oh, how’s that?”
“Claudette is looking for a way out. She is . . . exhausted by Severin and he has his eye on another woman so she has agreed to be the blame for your relationship’s demise. Gray finds Claudette quite attractive and her bedroom skills are unmatched so he will be quite happy with her. She is ready to settle down in a normal, vanilla relationship. Severin has been trying to find a way to dump her for ages but she is not the type who can be on her own.
“In other words, your fiancé gets an out and officially, he left you, not the other way around. Claudette gets a life of respectability and all the trappings she so desperately craves without the pain involved. Everyone is happy. I didn’t trick Gray into doing anything he doesn’t want to do so please don’t feel guilty. If he is not happy with Claudette then he can leave her at any time. She understands this but she is willing to take the risk.”
My mouth, suddenly dry as the Sahara, failed to work properly as I glanced deeply into Gray’s blue eyes with both shock and awe. “I’m so very sorry this arrangement didn’t work out between the two of us.”
He smiled and approached me in a weary fashion. “It isn’t your fault, Aurélie. We both know you are in no shape to do this and you never really wanted what I could offer you anyway. The money doesn’t mean anything and I always have respected you for that. I will forward your clothes, shoes and jewelry to your future place of residence through our respective attorneys. I don’t know where it is located and Robert will not tell me since it is a deal bartered on your behalf. He and Gabriel will work everything out.”
I embraced him and noticed he was taken aback by my reaction. “I wish you happiness and all the love in the world, my dear. I am just so sorry I couldn’t give it to you. You know that is the truth, don’t you?”
“Of course. Renaud fucked you up royally but you will have to let all that pain go eventually, Aurélie. You deserve to be happy and I know I am much more concerned with how you will be in the end than I am with myself. I am a survivor. I always make it and this is no exception, you know that.”
We separated and I smiled at him again.
Several housekeepers loaded the items, including Trésor’s jewelry box and personal effects into the back of Rory’s Porsche before we took off in the night towards the direction of the Waldorf Astoria. I didn’t know quite what I was doing but it felt good to be out of the duplicitous situation, which in the end, would have caused nothing but hurt and bad feelings for everyone involved.
THE WALDORF ASTORIA WAS A grand building of luxury, beautiful gothic architecture and sheer opulence. I had stayed there before but never in the Waldorf Towers that were a separate entity from the elegant Waldorf Astoria.
The Historic Suite, which belonged to the Krieger family, had lots of personality and didn’t feel cold or sterile at all. It was large, sumptuous and spacious with every amenity a five star hotel could provide including concierge service and large, airy rooms that overlooked some of the best views in Manhattan.
“This must cost your parents a small fortune. Why don’t they just buy an apartment here?” I inquired as we walked around.
Rory had decided to give me a tour and although I was bone tired, I could barely hide my excitement. Everywhere I turned, there were magnificent displays of old money and old wealth around me. From the precious art works of Monet, Van Gogh, Degas and Vermeer to expensive Baccarat crystal and Dresden china, I was overwhelmed with all the precious works of art surrounding me.
“They do own this place. It was a private transaction worked out with the hotel. They weren’t happy but alas, my father made them an offer they couldn’t refuse,” he explained in a casual manner.
“Please don’t let it have been the head of someone’s thoroughbred horse in the main shareholder’s bed,” I joked.
He instantly made the connection to The Godfather and laughed out loud. “No, it was nothing as dramatic as that. We’re Germans, remember? We would never have done something like that. My father probably blew up the owner’s new BMW or something. Much more subtle and it sticks it to one of our prized competitors’ automobiles.”
We sat in the dining room and both of us had a champagne flute full of Cristal. The formal area had a large dining room table, which sat at least eight people and the whole place smelled like fresh flowers which were everywhere in elaborate vases. I could see what the appeal would be to live in a hotel when you didn’t have to worry about upkeep and knew the sheets would be changed on a day-to-day basis.
“I noticed there’s more than one bedroom so if you wish to have your privacy, I can sleep in the guest room—”
“Nonsense.” He smiled at me and although the look in his blue-green eyes tried to appear nonchalant, there was a brief air of neediness right below the surface. “I don’t want to hide anything from you and one day, I won’t. I will be able to tell you all my secrets and some of them are so awful, perhaps they will push you out of my life for good.
“However, you truly make me feel like a better person . . . and I haven’t experienced that feeling in a very long time. It makes me feel rather noble and perhaps I’m not damned after all. I feel a sense of peace when I am around you. More than all the money I have shoved at all your precious causes, to see you smile makes me feel even better. I want you to be happy . . . even if it isn’t with me.”
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I set my champagne glass down and reached over to stroke his gorgeous hands. “You’re lovely and much too good for me. I want to be happy again too but I need to do this for my own peace of mind. I won’t lie—you’ll be quite the distraction. As long as you let me have some alone time and allow me to do what I truly feel needs to be done then there is no reason why this can’t work. I will establish my laptop in the guest room and work there during the day. Are you needed at the club any time soon?”
“No. Severin is here so he can check in on the club. Besides, there is a young woman who has caught his eye. She belongs to another but he doesn’t really want her now. She’s too young and inexperienced. She happens to be German and my brother has a special weakness for our women when they are so young and virginal and fresh. He wants to break her himself and he has every reason to hang out at the club until he’s secured her.”
Rory’s sudden talk about the lifestyle jolted me out of my relaxed state. It would always hang over our heads, wouldn’t it? Like dark clouds that refused to dissipate, the community and his various sexual predilections would always color our relationship. He might want to appear like he could just up and leave the life but could he really? How often did people truly change?
I sipped from my champagne for liquid courage and traced the rim of my champagne flute. “How did you do that tonight? With Gray I mean? What exactly did you say to him?”
His aquamarine eyes fixed on me intently before he smiled. “Do you really want to know or are you surprised he gave you up so easily and without a lot of fuss?”
“Both, if I am to be honest with you . . . and myself. Though part of me doesn’t want to know Gray’s reasoning. I wasn’t happy with him and I know I’m better off without him.”
Rory stood and walked over to me. He grabbed my hand and led me to the sitting room where we sat next to one another on the cream sofa. I wanted to move over if only to reclaim some of my own space but every time he touched me, my skin felt absolutely electric and I couldn’t imagine not being in this man’s arms.
One of his hands clutched my breasts possessively and he nibbled at my neck.
“Stop it. If we continue at this pace then you’ll be tired of me by next week,” I murmured.
“No, I don’t think so.” He continued to suck and bite at my neck—undoubtedly leaving marks I wouldn’t want another soul to see. “I used his weaknesses against him, Aurélie. Can you guess what they are?”
“I wouldn’t have a clue. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be asking you.”
“Would it surprise you if I told you Gray has always wanted to be a part of the life but never had the balls to do it? You’ve been with him in bed. Is he a particularly good lover?”
I scrunched up my face remembering the times we had sex. “No. I thought perhaps I was being selfish and holding back from what he was trying to give me but if I am honest with myself, he was barely adequate at best. I have never had any problems coming with you…or Renaud for the matter.”
Rory leaned on me as his right hand worked its way into my Juicy Couture sweats and caressed my clit over the wispy lace material of my expensive La Perla lingerie and I involuntarily moved towards his fingers. “You mean he never made you do that?”
“N-no,” I stuttered as my breath caught in my throat.
“Or what about this?” He slipped my thong to the side and slid two fingers inside me where I was embarrassingly soaked in my own juices and caressed me gently.
“Oh, God no!” I exclaimed.
He removed his hand and sucked on the two fingers, which had previously been inside me. “Too bad for him. As I have stated, he’s a selfish lover and those are usually the type ripe for the community. Take Severin for instance. I don’t think I have ever seen him bring anyone to orgasm without all the games and orgasm denial techniques he excels at beautifully. However, with Trésor, his feelings for her were so complex, I couldn’t even begin to understand them.”
I tried to block out my throbbing sex that still clung to the memories of his caress and turned toward him. He slipped off his shoes and lay on the sofa while I lay on top of him between his parted legs, his achingly hard cock pressed against my stomach.
“What do you mean, exactly? You . . . you said you weren’t here when Trésor was punished and he did it instead of you. Do you think she was aware?”
His hands caressed my hair with a gentleness and familiarity I didn’t think we should have after such a short time of knowing one another. “No,” he answered in a truthful manner. “She was a model after all and therefore not as cognizant as you. There were times she would get us confused if we were in the same room unless she actually watched me dress and knew what I was wearing. I think she seriously thought I was bi-polar though she would have never admitted to thinking something like that. A good submissive knows when to open her mouth and when to keep it shut.
“We didn’t talk much about him to be honest and she would often mention incidents where Severin was involved therefore I wasn’t aware they’d happened at all. She would then tease me about suffering from early Alzheimer’s but that obviously wasn’t the case. I didn’t participate in some of the sexual escapades she had because Severin stepped in and pretended to be me.
“He obviously allowed her to think I was the one who did those things to her. Although I can’t be one hundred percent sure of anything—I know Severin and Trésor had a relationship but I cannot know the extent of it. Just keep in mind when you are reading her journal, if you ever have any questions about what she writes down, you are free to ask me and I will let you know if I was there or not.”
“But why would he do that? To get back at you? For the sheer sake of mind fuckery? What was his game plan?”
“Why did he trick you, sweetheart? You weren’t aware at first it wasn’t me so what tipped you off?”
My right hand touched his face and the rough two-day stubble sent chills down to places that should have been more than sated with all the sex I had indulged in during the past twenty-four hours.
“When you touched me. It was so smooth and almost reverent. I knew then I was sucking off the wrong brother but I wasn’t exactly in any place I could object either.”
“You were smart not to object either because sometimes I don’t even know what he will do. Not to mention he hasn’t been in the best mood lately.”
“You still insist he had nothing to do with Trésor’s murder though?”
“I want to say yes because he cared deeply about her too so what would he have gotten out of killing her? It makes no sense. He could use her when ever he liked by pretending to be me and supposedly, he showed up at several of her photo shoots and after shows to take her out on the town. I know it wasn’t me because I was probably in Vegas or checking out our other clubs.
“In retrospect, I wished I had made time for her shows but fashion isn’t a huge passion of mine. I go to mingle and hook up with contacts but it’s not something I live for season after season and I don’t really give a damn about the latest spring or autumn clothes anyway. It’s the precise reason why I have a shopper who does all that tedious shit for me.”
I crawled onto his lap and sat astride him. “You have a shopper and you say this with a straight face?”
“Well, of course. I don’t know all that much about fashion but I trust Sonja. She’s very thorough and she knows what I like. Every season, she flies to me—regardless where in the world I am. She comes prepared with samples and I choose what I want but she innately knows my style by now. Sometimes I send her away to buy nothing at all if I don’t think I need anything. Other times, she has to go to several different specialty stores because of my tediousness but she is a gem and she is paid well never-the-less.”
I bent over and my lips hovered above his as I studied the smooth pores on his face. “Should I be worried about this . . . Sonja character?”
“Only that she might jump your bones and not mine. She’s a lesbian and she’s definitely not into
the lifestyle. I plan to hide you when she comes over to ask me about what I want for winter,” he murmured as his hands cupped my ass.
“And when is she expected?”
“The day after Trésor’s funeral at our house in Vaucresson.”
The way he proclaimed the house was “ours” sent a shiver through me. Surely that was a slip of the tongue and he didn’t mean it the way it sounded. It was his house and I merely confirmed I would stay there for however long I felt like it.
I still liked the sound of it though things were moving at a lightening quick pace and I didn’t think we had time to breathe. Surely he would soon be tired of fucking me every which way and he would dispose of me? My sister and I didn’t look a damn thing a like and I was only reminded because there was a photo of her we’d passed on the mantelpiece when we walked into the sitting room.
She didn’t smile but her look was still sultry. Her pale green eyes were magnetic and she looked like the perfect French girl next door with her long medium brown hair, lithe figure and perfect face. She didn’t look the least bit exotic like I did. No one would have ever guessed our mother was Creole from the bayous of New Orleans because she didn’t have that otherworldly look about her. She was simply beautiful with good cheekbones, a slim figure and tall where as I had something extra, was shorter and more voluptuous though still slender.
I was a carbon copy of our father except for my mother’s lips and coloring. I had inherited her deep olive skin where as Trésor had resembled our mother except for our father’s lips and his coloring. Two sisters, so incredibly different but united by parentage, and now separated by the vast abyss known as life and death.
I wondered if we would ever see one another again and my eyes began to tear up on their own.
Rory didn’t ask me what was wrong, he merely looked at the photograph on the mantelpiece and sighed. “Shit. I should have removed that.”