by Alice Tribue
“I still have the spa to run, Ivy. Mirage is doing remarkably well, and I wasn’t kidding when I said I was looking to expand. You still have a job if you want it.”
She beams at me; her dazzling smile would bring any man to his knees.
“Of course, I want it, I just wasn’t sure…”
“You aren’t just my employee, all right, you’re my best friend. You are the most trustworthy person I know. You know all about me, everything I’ve done, and through it all, you’ve stood by me.”
“Because I believe in it. I believe in the reason for what you do. Right or wrong, you have done some good here. You have saved some girls here, and no one who knew your history would blame you for your choices.”
“Even Nathan?”
“Even Nathan. I think it would be a shock, but I think ultimately he would understand.”
Bullshit, I think to myself of what she’s just said, but I don’t say anything. I have too many other things to deal with right now. What to do about Brandon is one, and what to tell the girls who are currently waiting for me in the rarely used conference room is another.
Walking to the door, I stop and wait for Ivy. “Let’s just get this over with.”
The walk down the corridor is a short one, but it’s filled with nervous energy, a little bit of sadness, and more relief than I would’ve ever thought. I’m ready; deep down, I’m ready to put an end to this.
The chatter when we walk into the room is as it always is, these girls can talk, they can gossip, and I know all the conversation is about Katie and what happened to her.
“So, I have a few things I want to go over with you all.” All eyes are on me and I take them all in, thinking about all of their individual stories, the reasons why each of them is here, and I hope that they’ll be able to move beyond this.
“Let’s start with the dress code. Some of you have walked in here this morning looking as if you just got done working your street corner. This is not that type of service; I shouldn’t be able to see your ass cheeks hanging out of you shorts. I should not see the entire MAC spring line painted all over some of your faces. When it comes to appearance, ladies, simple and clean are best. Leave a little to the imagination, and as for the make-up, less is more. We sell fantasies here, desirability, we make the unattainable attainable. If these men wanted trashy, they wouldn’t be coming to me, so please take pride in your appearances.”
I sigh, taking a look around the room and giving time to let my words infiltrate through some of the more thick skulls.
“On a different note, I know a lot of you are worried about Katie, but I promise you that she’s okay, and she will be fine.”
“What happened to her?” Tiffany asks; she’s been working for me for two years now and is probably the most easygoing of the bunch.
“She was assaulted, and she’s still in the hospital, but she’s doing better.” I give them a minute to talk amongst themselves before proceeding.
“In light of this and other situations, I have to stress that you girls be extremely cautious when you’re out and when you’re with your clients. We’ve been lenient in the past, but now, more than ever, we want you checking in before and after your scheduled meetings. You text me or Ivy and you let us know.”
“How long are we going to have to do that?” comes from Megan, one of the youngest girls.
“One month. You will be doing this for one month, beyond that we will begin having individual conversations with you about your future.”
I can almost hear a collective inhalation of breath. They all brace and look at each other with confused glances.
“Exactly one month from today, we will be shutting this service down.”
Voices erupt, so loud that I can barely make out anything that they’re saying. I cross my arms over my chest and stare at the ground, taking a moment to regroup and giving them a moment to settle down. Ivy moves to stand next to me.
“You all need to hear us out; this isn’t something that was entered into lightly,” she says, her voice firm, demanding their attention. I look up at her and nod, ready to take the reins again.
“This is something that I’ve been thinking about for a long time now, and like Ivy said, I didn’t make this decision lightly. We’ve grown far too big over the last few years, too big for me to control, and the more incidents that happen, the more likely it is that somehow at some time, all of this is going to fall into the hands of the wrong person. And if that happens… well, if that happens, we’re all screwed, ladies. It’s time; it’s time to cut our losses and move on.”
Megan pushes to her feet. “Where does that leave us?”
“Megan, you know me. You know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t leave you girls with no options. I have many contacts, many business owners, who I can call to get you placements. Ivy and I will be starting work on a second day spa soon, and there will be opportunities there as well. For those of you who are happy with your current occupations, then we can discuss that further in private on a case-by-case basis.”
The silence is eerie. You could hear a pin drop in this room, but I have their attention and I can only hope that I’ve gotten through and that I’ve managed to reassure them. I know I’ve probably already lost a few of them, but I can’t think about that now. I’ve made my decision.
“Our clients will be notified immediately that their contracts will be terminated at the end of the month. This news will come from us, not you. You are not to mention this to anyone.”
The words are out of my mouth. I’ve spoken them into existence. It’s too late to take them back, too late to change my mind or think twice about it. I’m forging a new path, taking a different route to what promises to be a much easier existence—a freer existence. I can live my life surrounded by truth instead of shrouded in lies. But the craziest thing of all, the thing I can’t explain, is why at the exact moment that the words left my mouth, Nathan’s face popped into my head.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The headline on the paper this morning is extremely gratifying.
TELCOM CEO CHARGED WITH MONEY LAUNDERING
Chief Executive Officer Brandon Miller was arrested this morning on suspicion of money laundering. It has been alleged that Miller deliberately defrauded customers of more than $14 million. Miller was arrested early yesterday morning in his New York City penthouse. Records show that he pleaded not guilty to eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, and six counts of money laundering in U.S. District Court.
I toss the paper down on the kitchen counter and smile broadly, picking up my cell phone to type out a quick text to Sage’s husband, Jackson Stone.
Me: Read this morning’s paper. THANK YOU!
Jackson: No idea what you’re talking about.
Me: Of course, not.
I reply, placing the phone down and taking my now empty coffee cup to the sink. I’ve been waiting for this moment for almost two weeks now, and it’s finally happened. Payback is a bitch, and Brandon Miller is about to regret everything that he did to Katie. My plan is to pull up a chair and enjoy watching every minute of it. My cell phone alerts me to another text message.
Nathan: Morning, baby. Have you had breakfast?:)
Me: Morning :) Just coffee.
Nathan: I just got out of work. Meet me for breakfast?
Me: Sure, same place as last week?
Nathan: Yes.
There’s a smile on my face when I put my phone down, just like there is anytime I think of or talk to Nathan. Everything about being with him feels right to me and the more time that passes, the more invested I become. I’m entering the danger zone of relationship territory, and I don’t even care. If Nathan ever decides to walk away, I’ve left myself wide open for heartbreak. The thing is—I don’t care. For once in my life, I’m not worrying about the what-ifs because, right now, at this moment, I think I’m falling in love, and I’ve never felt anything better. Now, the need to quickly and quietly get out of the escort bus
iness has only been intensified by those feelings.
It’s only a quick walk to the restaurant; Nathan is waiting outside for me when I get there. He pulls me into a hug and I go willingly, letting him wrap me up in his arms.
“I missed you last night,” he whispers in my ear and squeezes me tighter.
“I missed you, too.” I bury my face in his chest, letting his natural scent envelop me. I melt into him even more, and when he kisses the top of my head, it’s like I can’t get close enough. It’s like I don’t even recognize myself anymore.
“Come on. Let’s eat.” We come apart but stay connected through linked hands. Nathan leads me into the restaurant, not letting go until the hostess shows us to our seats.
“How was work?” I ask after our orders have been placed.
“Boring. I filled in for one of the guys at a building downtown. They normally have twenty-four-hour security onsite so I just sat behind a desk and did nothing all night.”
“Sounds fascinating,” I joke.
“No, it’s really not. I’d rather have been holed up in your apartment with you.”
“How come you’ve never shown me your apartment?” I didn’t mean to ask that, don’t know why I did, or how the words just left my mouth. But now that the words have left my mouth, I realize that I really want to know the answer.
He looks surprised by my question. “Uhh, I don’t know. I guess I never really thought about it. I have a tiny one-bedroom apartment; it’s just not as comfortable as your place.”
“I see.”
“I haven’t made millionaire status yet, and even though I’m making good money now, rentals in Manhattan are expensive.”
“No, I understand. It’s totally fine. I was just wondering.”
“You can come see my place anytime you want, babe. I’m sorry; I should have offered a long time ago.”
“It’s okay,” I say, wanting to reassure him that I get where he’s coming from. “What are you doing after this?”
This earns me a wicked grin. “I was hoping I’d be doing you.”
“Haha, you’re funny.”
“I’m dead serious.”
I glare at him with little conviction. “I have something to do, and I was hoping you might want to come.”
“Sure, where are we going?”
“I’m checking out an empty building as a potential site for the new spa.”
“You’re finally doing it?”
“Timing feels right now.”
“In that case, I’d love to go with you.”
“Thanks.”
“Can I do you afterward?”
“Nathan.”
“What?” he questions, feigning innocence at the same moment our breakfast is brought out. When it’s just the two of us again, I quip.
“I’m starting to think you only want me for the hot sex.”
“Would that really be a bad thing?”
“I can’t believe you just asked me that.”
“Baby.” The humor is gone, replaced with something else, tenderness maybe. He reaches across the table and grabs hold of my hand. “This thing between us is so much more than sex. This thing between us scares the fuck out of me, but I want it anyway; I want you anyway.”
Everything about his words hit me with an undeniable force; they rock me in a way that both terrifies and excites me because he’s pretty much vocalized word for word how I’m feeling. The desire, the need for something more, and the fear that comes with all of that. He makes me feel alive in a way that I haven’t felt in a long time. Not since the years I spent with my mother—but then that was a different kind of living. A thought hits me, and it’s stunning. I’m happy. I’m happy and the revelation is stunning because I didn’t know until this very moment that I wasn’t happy before. I didn’t realize that all this time, I was just pretending to be something that I wasn’t.
“I feel the same way about you.”
This earns me a smirk and a squeeze of the hand before he releases it so we can continue eating breakfast. When we’re done and we walk out of the restaurant hand in hand, I feel different, lighter maybe, without so much of the worries that I’ve been carrying around with me. For the first time since all of this started with Nathan, I feel like everything is going to be all right. I feel like just maybe he and I have a chance at something great.
***
“What do you think?” I look at Nathan with anticipation. I’m kind of dying to know his opinion, and I’m wishing that I’d have invited Ivy along as well since this is going to be a big part of her life as well.
“I like it; it’s clearly big enough to be a spa.”
“Yeah, nothing a coat of paint and a few walls can’t fix, right?”
“Right. When would you want to open the doors?”
“Well, it’s going to take a few months to get it looking the way I want it to. I’d like it to have the same vibe as Mirage does.”
“Mirage… I like that. What will you call this one?”
“Illusions.”
“Illusions Day Spa?”
I nod, the words couldn’t be more fitting as they signify everything that my life has been thus far.
“I like it.”
Nathan and I thank the real estate agent, and I promise her that I’ll be in touch in the next day or two then we head out onto the street, walking nowhere in particular.
“So, is that it? Is that the space you’re going to get?”
“I think so. I’d like to show it to Ivy though; she’s going to be managing this one and I want to make sure she likes it, too.”
“Well, the location is perfect.”
“Yeah? Why?”
“I live nearby.”
“How nearby?” I say scrunching my face with curiosity.
“Right there.” He points to a building across the street.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously,” he confirms, dragging me across the street. “You want to come up?”
I pull back against his hold, forcing him to stop and look at me.
“Nathan, I didn’t say that earlier so that you’d bring me to your apartment today. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about it.”
“I don’t feel bad about it but you’re right. I should have asked you over, and we’re here now anyway. I really want you to come up.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
He unlocks the front door and leads me up a flight of steps. The hallway is dark, but it’s clean and well maintained. We reach his apartment and he quickly unlocks the door, ushering me into a surprisingly light and airy apartment. The walls are bare as I would have suspected because, let’s face it—Nathan doesn’t seem the type to spend time on decorating.
“It’s really nice in here. You get great light.”
“It’s all right.” He smirks. “Bedroom’s that way.” He points to a closed doorway. I take the hint and head through the door and into a decent sized bedroom with a queen-size bed in the center. He walks past me and takes a seat on the bed, gauging my reaction the same way I’m gauging his. I don’t know why there’s always so much electricity when I’m around him. He breaks the silence first.
“It’s not much, but it’s home. The bathroom is through that door,” he says pointing to the door on the right.
“It’s perfect.” I look around the room feeling the energy between us shifting; the significance of this moment, of him letting me in, is not lost on me. He looks up at me when I walk over to where he is. His eyes follow me as I crawl onto the bed and move past him, laying my head down on one of his pillows. His lips turn up in an amused smile and he follows me, taking a place next to me.
“Are we taking a nap?”
“Will you hold me?”
His eyes grow softer as he puts his arms around me and holds me close. We lay like this for a while, neither one of us saying anything but still saying so much. His hand lingers, running lazy circles along my back; my eyes close, reveling in hi
s simple touch.
My eyes flutter open. “Can I tell you a secret?”
His lips on my forehead send a sense of warmth throughout me. “You can tell me anything.”
I run my fingers through his soft hair, loving the feel of it in my hand. “I don’t think my mother ever held me, not one single time.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I mean I’m sure she held me as a baby, but as far back as my memory goes, I don’t remember her holding me or hugging me. There weren’t any kisses or any I love you Victorias. I don’t even know what made me think of that.”
“I’ll hold you as long as you want.”
I snuggle closer into him, burying my face in the crook of his neck.
“Did she ever hurt you?”
I think about that question, about how to answer it honestly. Was there physical hurt, no, but to this day, I’m still dealing with the emotional impact.
“One way or another, she hurt me every single day, but if you’re asking if she hit me, then no. She never let any of her visitors touch me, either; I guess I should be grateful.”
“I don’t know if grateful is the right word.” There’s a hint of anger in his voice and it honestly makes me feel good that he would feel that strongly about my upbringing.
“Tell me about your childhood,” I say, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.
“My childhood was easy. I was lucky that way; my parents gave me everything. I played every sport imaginable, and they were proud of me for that. It wasn’t until after I got older that I became a disappointment.”
“How could anyone be disappointed in you?”
“They wanted me in a nice safe job. Something like banking or accounting, it didn’t really matter. When I went into the military, they were beside themselves, and when I didn’t re-enlist, they were relieved.”
“And now you are in security.”
“And they absolutely hate that too, but they still love me. They’re still great parents, and I’ve learned to live with the fact that they always wanted different for me.”
I sigh and think about what it would have been like for my mother to be disappointed by my choices or proud of my achievements.