by Lola Swain
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I thought it would be nice to get to know one another a bit more since we will soon be doing you-know-what together.”
Luca stared at Lena and cocked his head. Before he got to her, he assumed she was tougher than what she showed of herself.
“I have no idea what you-know-what means. I don’t think I want to. We can get to know one another, sure. But not through this line of questioning. Too intimate.”
Lena crossed her arms and waited for Luca to laugh. He did not. And that angered her.
“Too…intimate? You apparently didn’t think that telling me the story of Mariella the hooker was too intimate while your face was between my legs forty minutes ago, did you? I hope you see a therapist when you gain your freedom, you immature asshole.”
“Really? I hope you one day realize that had you seen a therapist three years ago, you might have been spared yourself an evening with…what was it…oh, an immature asshole.”
“Nice,” Lena said and pulled her chair closer to his. “Thanks for the advice. If only I had the benefit of your instruction in fucking people over three years ago.”
“If I knew you in life, my dear, I have a feeling our union would have been very short-lived,” Luca said and sipped on his scotch.
“Please, if I knew you in life, I wouldn’t have given you the time of day!”
Luca tried to stifle his laughter and choked on his drink. Scotch dribbled out of his mouth and pooled in the dimple in his chin.
“Jesus,” Lena said and flung a cocktail napkin at him, “wipe your face. And stop laughing!”
Luca wiped his mouth and the tears on his cheeks as he shook his head.
“I needed that, thank you,” he said as he laughed.
“What? It’s true!”
Luca balled up the wet napkin and threw it on the table. He grabbed the edge of the table cloth and pulled it over Lena’s lap. He leaned into her and brought his lips to her ear.
“Look straight ahead and do not move,” Luca said into Lena’s ear.
“What’s wrong?” Lena said as her eyes darted around the room.
“Keep that pretty mouth shut!” Luca said through clenched teeth.
Luca reached under the table cloth and pulled the hem of Lena’s dress up her legs.
“Luca?”
“Shut the fuck up!” Luca whispered in her ear.
He leaned over and parted her legs with his hands. He dragged his hands up the inside of her thighs and worked them in between her legs.
“Move forward,” Luca whispered. “Scoot that beautiful ass to the edge of the chair.”
Lena did as he instructed and his fingers probed her skin. She turned her head and stared at him and he looked at her and winked. He popped two fingers inside Lena and she sighed.
“Eyes ahead,” Luca said as he worked his fingers in and out of her vagina. “That pussy is as wet as your beautiful eyes. Do you like that, baby?”
“Y-yes,” Lena said and gripped the top of the table.
“Eyes forward, Lena,” Luca said and breathed heavily into her ear. “Control is key.”
Lena tried to focus on the older man standing a few feet from the table in front of them. She wanted to rip her dress off, clear the table and pull Luca on top of her. She wanted more than his fingers inside of her.
Luca removed his damp fingers from inside Lena and rubbed them up and down against her skin. He smiled when he felt the muscles in her leg tremble.
“Ah, she definitely likes that, hmm?” he said into her ear.
Lena licked her lips and nodded.
“Yes, I feel. Now, where is it?” Luca said as his fingers explored Lena. “Oh, there it is! Nice and swollen.”
Luca pinched the hood of Lena’s clit between his thumb and forefinger and tugged up and down. Lena slammed her hands down on the table and a couple standing close to the table turned and stared at her.
“That wasn’t a good example of control, baby,” Luca said into her ear. “Shall I stop?”
Lena shook her head.
“Or maybe ease off a bit?”
“No!” Lena said through clenched teeth.
“Do you want me to make you cum?” Luca said as he tugged up and down on her swollen skin. “Can you do it without everyone knowing?”
Lena held her breath and nodded. She felt like she was about to pass out.
“Breathe slowly…deep,” Luca said. “Now, turn your head and look into my eyes.”
Lena turned her head and she and Luca locked eyes as he pinched a little harder and moved his hand faster.
“There’s my good girl,” Luca said and bit his bottom lip. “Oh, you’re so close. Beg me. Beg me to finish you off. Quietly.”
Lena nodded her head and opened her mouth to speak. Her tongue was thick and her mouth dry.
“P-please,” she whispered as she dug her fingernails into her thigh.
“Please what?” Luca said and eased off her a bit. “Please stop?”
“No!” Lena said and grabbed his hand. “Please don’t stop.”
“What do you want me to do, Lena?”
“Please make me cum,” Lena said. “Please, I will do anything if you just make me cum.”
And as quickly as he put his fingers on her, Luca took his fingers away.
Lena reached out and grabbed his wrist and shook her head.
“What happened? I did what you told me to do!”
Luca ran his finger, still glistening from her dampness, back and forth across his bottom lip and smiled at her.
“We are Inquisitors. We never beg. We always command. Remember that and you will be quicker to get back to this life, Lena. Back to the begging side of life you seem to miss so much,” Luca said and licked his lips.
“What the fuck?”
Luca reached around Lena’s hair and gripped the back of her neck. He pulled her in closer to him and narrowed his dark eyes.
“This is what the fuck, Lena. Get your head out of the past and into the present. We are here on a goddamn mission not for you to relieve the pathetic glory days of your old life. If you are not on board with this, if you hesitate in any way, I will see that you get the rack for this, kitten. No one survives the rack. Do you understand what I am telling you?”
The sexual frustration that Lena felt was quickly replaced with terror. She knew Luca was not teasing her this time.
“Yes,” she said and hung her head. “I understand. It won’t happen again. I just wanted to connect.”
“Look at me,” Luca said and placed his fingers under her chin.
Luca tilted Lena’s head up until her eyes met his. She was crying. He did his best to fight back his anger. He knew that it would serve no purpose as he felt the mission was already in danger of failing miserably.
“I’m sorry,” Lena said softly. “It won’t happen again.”
“Okay, now,” Luca said and handed her a napkin. “Let’s just forget about all these other things and focus on this: can I trust you, Lena?”
Lena wiped her face and nodded.
“Yes, I promise. I will not let you down.”
“Good,” Luca said and stood from the table and looked into the ballroom. “I won’t let you down either.”
Luca walked away from the table and gestured for Lena to follow him. She stood up and stared at him as she tried to plaster a smile on her face.
“You just did let me down,” Lena said as she walked toward Luca.
Lena and Luca stood on the balcony above the grand ballroom and tried to spot Paul and Katy below.
“I don’t see them,” Luca said and took Lena’s hand. “Maybe near the bar? And then we can get you your second drink. I could sure use one.”
Lena nodded and let Luca lead her down a dramatic, carpeted staircase that ended at the marble floor of the ballroom. The room was richly decorated in velvet jewel tones and gold gilding.
“It’s like a baroque nightmare,” Lena said as they walked across the floor toward the large bar.<
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“Yes, it seems some people never released the thought that fake gold and napkin rings equal status,” Luca said.
He ordered two drinks and resumed his watch for the Kirschners.
“I don’t see them dancing,” Lena said as she watched the couples on the dance floor. “Oh look, there’s the hooker enclave.”
“Yes,” Luca said and handed Lena another vodka soda, “like panthers stalking prey.”
Luca and Lena quietly drank and watched, craning their necks and hoping they didn’t miss the Kirschners leave when they were carrying on in the foyer. Lena was especially nervous. If they lost this opportunity, there would not be another and the threat of the rack, had her extremely motivated to locate Paul and Katy.
“Ooh,” Lena said and put her drink on the bar as she stared into the balcony, “there’s Paul. He’s watching.”
Luca turned his back to Lena and pretended to engage in conversation with the man next to him.
“Give him a smile and a little wave,” Luca said.
Lena waved at Paul Kirschner and he made a gesture to indicate he wanted her to come to him.
“He wants me,” Lena said as she turned away from Paul’s eyes. “Turn around and talk to me.”
“Okay, this is perfect,” Luca said as he gave Lena a hug. “Take the pills out of your purse and put them in my jacket pocket.”
Lena did what Luca told her to do and they pretended to speak for a moment as they summarized the plan. She hugged him again and spotted Katy Kirschner standing at the edge of the dance floor by herself.
“Holy Sadie Hawkins, there’s Katy,” Lena said as she tried to discreetly turn Luca in Katy’s direction.
“Wonderful. And she has no drink. How lucky. Okay, get up there. Work on him and I’m going to get to her. Try not to dawdle; I’d like us to be back at the Waldorf in an hour, okay?”
“Okay,” Lena said and grabbed her drink.
“Good job,” Luca said and gave Lena a peck on her cheek.
Lena felt proud as she walked away from Luca and back up the stairs toward Paul Kirschner.
As Lena made her way around the corner toward the spot he was standing when she was downstairs, Paul walked behind a large marble column at the far end of the room and waited.
“Jesus,” Lena said as she walked toward him, “he’s getting all clandestine.”
When she arrived near the column, she peeked around and smiled at Paul who was sitting on a velvet loveseat waiting. He patted the spot next to where he sat and watched her walk toward him.
“Wow,” he said, “my night is made. You joined me.”
“I was looking for you,” Lena said and sat down next to Paul.
She sensed his eyes burning into her dress and felt very powerful.
“I hope you don’t mind the seclusion,” Paul said.
“Too crowded down there?”
“Too married,” he said and held up his left hand.
Lena held up her hand to show Paul her gold band and they laughed.
“Where did you tell your husband you were going?” Paul said and turned toward Lena.
“Up here to speak with you. Why? Where does your wife think you are?”
“I’m not sure, actually. I just needed to get away from her. I wish she was as liberal with my time as your husband is with yours. Although I have to say, if you were my wife, you’d never leave my side.”
“You say that now,” Lena said and placed her hand on Paul’s muscular thigh, “but you say that only because I am not your wife, I’m sure. Your wife is very pretty.”
“When did you see my wife?” Paul said and stared down at Lena’s hand.
“Oh, at the entrance. She walked ahead of you. I’m sorry, should I remove my han—”
“No!” Paul said and pinned Lena’s hand to his leg. “I was just thinking about how incredible your hand felt. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been touched in a loving way.”
“Really?” Lena said and tried her best to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “Well, that’s too bad. You’re such a handsome man. If you were my husband, I’d never leave your side. Or your bed.”
“Seriously, your husband isn’t going to come running up here ranting and raving is he?”
“Don’t you worry about him,” Lena said and nibbled on Paul’s earlobe. “My husband and I like to have fun with one another and fun with others…together.”
Paul looked at Lena and shook his head.
“You mean you’re swingers?”
“Is that a problem?”
“Why would it be?”
“Just the way you said it. I felt a bit of judgment.”
“Definitely not. I’m the most non-judgmental person you’ll ever meet.”
Paul chuckled and spread his legs a bit and moved Lena’s hand to the inside of his thigh.
“That’s better,” he said and exhaled. “I find you incredibly attractive. Can you feel that?”
Lena ran her hand up Paul’s thigh and rested her palm on his penis.
“Yes, I do feel that,” Lena said into Paul’s ear. “I’d really like to feel it without these pants in the way.”
“When?”
“You’re an awfully eager boy, aren’t you?” Lena said and ran her tongue around Paul’s ear.
“You have no idea. Get your tits out.”
Lena’s muscles engaged. She wanted to knock him out.
“Um, here? I don’t know if that would be a good idea. It wouldn’t be good for a man of your prominence to be seen doing such things.”
“I suppose. Later?”
“Yes, later.”
“Where?”
Lena took her hand away from Paul’s lap and smiled at him. She stood up in front of him and stretched.
“I’m thinking about that,” she said and walked to the balcony railing overlooking the dance floor.
Lena looked down at the dance floor and searched for Luca. The time had come to implement the second phase of the mission.
“What are you doing over there?” Paul said from behind her. “I’m lonely.”
“I’m just looking,” Lena said and rolled her eyes.
Paul walked over and stood behind Lena. He put his hands on her bare shoulders as he looked around to make sure they were still alone up there. He massaged her shoulders as he rubbed himself back and forth against her ass.
“I cannot wait to see your naked body,” Paul said into her ear.
Lena felt like a stuffed animal being humped by a dog. She couldn’t have been more uninterested. She found it ironic because back in the old life, Paul Kirschner would have been Lena’s biggest haul and just the type of man she would have insanely pursued.
She allowed him to use her as his chew toy while she cringed. And when she finally spotted Luca dancing with a smitten Katy Kirschner below them, she smiled.
“I have a feeling that you will be seeing my naked body very soon, big boy,” Lena said as she leaned into Paul’s thrusts.
“How?” Paul said.
“If you slow down a bit and look over my shoulder, you’ll see how.”
Paul didn’t want to stop rubbing against Lena. All he wanted to see was her bent over that railing so he could shove himself inside her. But he looked anyway.
“What am I looking at?”
“Over there, to the right. Your wife and my husband.”
Paul did a double-take at the woman Luca was dancing with. He could not believe that it was Katy out there hanging all over Lena’s husband. He wanted to kill her. And certainly not because he was jealous.
“What the fuck?” he said as he stepped away from Lena and gripped the balcony railing.
“I guess the cat is the only one in your relationship who thinks he plays, huh? Appears the mouse likes to play as well.”
“She looks fucked up,” Paul said as he squinted down at them. “Yes, she’s definitely drunk.”
“You are jealous, aren’t you?” Lena said as she brushed a piece of lint o
ff Paul’s jacket. “Guess she’s getting you back.”
Paul’s jaw tensed as he turned and looked at Lena.
“Make no mistake, honey, I am anything but jealous. In fact, I couldn’t give a shit what she does. This would be the happiest sight I ever saw in my life, if I wasn’t surrounded by 250 of the most influential people in Manhattan and my fucking wife wasn’t down there dirty dancing with some handsome guy. She is fucking humiliating me!”
“Hmm,” Lena said and tapped her finger against her cheek, “you do have a point. And Luca is an extremely handsome man. Not that you aren’t, of course.”
“Of course,” Paul said and shook his head. “If I was down there I’d choke the life out of her for doing this to me!”
Lena knew that Paul meant it.
“Yes, I don’t blame you. My husband would choke the life out of her if he was in your situation and he wouldn’t care who was around to watch.”
“Well, I have to care. I work for the people.”
“Yes, for the people. So, what are you going to do? I guess this puts a damper on our fun?”
Lena looked at Paul’s hands. His knuckles were purple from gripping the railing so tightly. His face was beet-red and he looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel in his head.
“Fuck!” Paul grunted out through clenched teeth. “How could she fucking do this to me? I want to see you, Lena. More than anything I’d like to be fucking you until you pass out tonight, but I have to get this dumb bitch out of here before she humiliates me any further. She’s a goddamn, good-for-nothing, manipulative cunt!”
Lena winced, but managed a smile.
“It appears that way. May I make a suggestion?” Lena said as she stroked Paul’s cheek.
After Lena left Luca at the bar, he ordered a glass of champagne and popped half a pill into the drink. He didn’t want to drug her too much. He wanted her to be pliable enough to agree to go back to the Waldorf, but alert enough to see and feel everything that was going to be done. He waited for a moment as he observed Katy Kirschner while the pill dissolved in the champagne.
She was nervous, he could tell. As she stood at the edge of the floor her eyes never stopped looking around the room. Katy rung her hands together and chewed on her lip as she watched the couples dancing. Occasionally she would check herself and get her nervousness under control, but after a second, she’d sink right back into the tension.