Idol
Page 9
‘I haven’t done anything!’ yelled Jenna. ‘Jesus, why is everyone treating me like I’ve committed the crime of the century? Nothing happened, Gerry,’ she stated, slowly and deliberately. ‘I was upset, Ryan was nice to me, he brought me in, we drank tea. How is that a story that requires half the world’s press on my doorstep?’
‘Come on, Jenna, you’ve been playing this game for long enough now. Didn’t you think about what it would look like? Christ, if only you’d given it another half an hour before bursting into tears, it might have been too late to make the morning editions.’
‘Fuck you!’ retorted Jenna, feeling adrenaline surge through her. ‘Don’t you dare speak to me like that. You think you’re having a hard time? All you have to do is sit in an office playing games with the press. I’m the one who has to go out there and get labelled a slut and a home-wrecker. I don’t know what my mother would think,’ she added.
‘She’d probably think it was good publicity.’
There was a loud crack as Jenna slapped him.
Gerry held his stinging cheek, his breath coming fast as Jenna glared at him, her eye contact unflinching.
‘I’m sorry,’ Gerry said finally. ‘That was out of order.’
‘Damn right it was,’ shot back Jenna, her green eyes blazing.
There was silence as they stood glaring at each other, the tension heavy in the air.
‘This is really not what I need right now,’ Jenna said quietly, her voice threatening to break.
Gerry sighed. ‘Okay sweetheart, I’m sorry,’ he apologized. ‘This is getting us nowhere. I came over here to sort out how to get us out of this mess, not to have a slanging match.’
‘I know,’ Jenna agreed grudgingly.
‘What were you upset about?’ asked Gerry, and Jenna knew he was asking less out of concern for her and more from a managerial point of view. If something was affecting his client, he needed to know.
Jenna paused, wondering how to answer. She didn’t want him to pull the whole Phoenix venture after she had worked so hard to get him to agree in the first place.
‘Zac …’ she began hesitantly. ‘We’re having a few teething problems – a sort of … clash of personalities. It’s not my fault, Gerry,’ she protested, seeing the look on his face. ‘I’m working really hard, but he doesn’t appreciate it. He doesn’t seem to like having me around. The rest of the guys say it’s because he’s used to working with Josh, but I don’t know. Anyway, Ryan gave me a lift home, we talked about it, and I got upset,’ she shrugged. ‘He was great. And now this …’ Jenna finished, indicating the salacious headlines.
Gerry was silent, digesting this revelation as he followed Jenna’s gaze to the papers on the table. ‘I hate to ask you this,’ he began finally, ‘but I have to know, Jenna. You have to be entirely honest with me – did anything happen with Ryan?’
‘Gerry! How can you even ask me that?’
‘Okay, okay,’ he backtracked quickly, holding up his hands. ‘I just needed to know.’
‘Well now you know,’ Jenna snapped back petulantly.
‘I heard you spoke to Clive Goldman earlier,’ Gerry continued, acting as though she hadn’t spoken.
‘That’s right,’ Jenna said breezily. ‘You’ve got your finger on the pulse as usual. Can I even go to the toilet without you knowing about it?’
‘That wasn’t a clever thing to do, Jenna,’ Gerry reproached her, ignoring the outburst.
‘Well, I guess I’ve done a lot of things that aren’t so clever this past twenty-four hours,’ she snapped.
‘He said you wanted to speak to Ryan?’ Gerry pressed.
‘So?’
‘Jenna,’ began Gerry, rubbing his forehead with exasperation. ‘What the hell are you playing at?’
‘I was lonely, Gerry,’ Jenna yelled back. ‘There was no one here for me and I was going through hell. Ryan had been so great last night and I thought he was the only one who would understand. I wanted to make sure he was okay – that it was all okay with Kelly and everything …’ she trailed off lamely.
Gerry looked back at her wearily. Her eyes were red from crying, and she looked as though she might burst into tears again at any moment. There were times when he forgot how young she was and how much she’d been through.
‘I’d leave it for a while,’ he said lightly.
Jenna swallowed. ‘What’s going to happen?’ she asked after a pause.
‘I think you need to get away – leave the country for a week or two until it all blows over.’
‘But what about Phoenix?’ Jenna asked, panicked. She’d worked so hard to get Gerry to agree to the collaboration in the first place, she couldn’t have it snatched away from her now.
‘Do you want to carry on working with them? You think you can sort out these problems?’
Jenna nodded vigorously.
‘Are you sure? Because I’m not willing to put both our reputations on the line for something that could be a total fucking disaster.’
‘I’ll sort it, Gerry,’ she insisted.
‘Right.’ Gerry looked at her closely. ‘I’ll contact Clive while you’re away, speak to the band and see what they’re saying.’
‘Why can’t I speak to them?’ Jenna asked, suddenly suspicious.
Gerry sighed. ‘Look Jenna, I don’t know exactly what’s gone on here, but it’s clear there’ve been some problems. I just think it’s better, for the time being, if you give the guys some space, let the dust settle. Then everyone can decide what they really want to do. Okay?’
‘But—’
‘Just trust me on this one,’ Gerry said firmly.
Jenna took a deep breath, but kept her mouth shut.
‘How about if you borrow my villa?’ Gerry suggested. ‘Hide out there for a few days?’
‘Thanks, Gerry. That’d be fantastic.’
‘Get out there, get your head straight, then come back and make me a hit record. Okay, kiddo?’
Jenna started to smile.
‘That’s my girl,’ Gerry winked. ‘You, sweetheart, are going to be fabulous. Trust me.’
10
Sadie was completely naked beneath her short, beige trench coat. As she keyed in the entrance code to the exclusive, gated apartment block in London’s Docklands, she felt sure that everyone must be able to tell, from the porter who gave her a lascivious wink, to the overly Botoxed woman who eyed her with suspicion as she passed her in the lobby.
Self-consciously, Sadie waited for the lift to the penthouse. She pulled her collar more tightly around her, hoping she hadn’t just given the concierge a glimpse of her breasts. Her long, bare legs tapered down into sky-high Louboutins, the latest present from Paul.
He’d sent her numerous little gifts over the past couple of weeks, each with detailed instructions on what she should do with them. First there had been the set from Agent Provocateur – French knickers, peephole bra and garter belt, all in red, which she had been told to wear with black stockings and a dress that was ‘easy to remove’. Paul sent a taxi to pick her up and she had spent the journey across London feeling horny as hell, squirming into the back seat. Paul evidently felt the same – he was pacing the room as she arrived, his erection clearly visible through his trousers. He’d taken her as soon as she entered the room and she’d been ready for him, her body on fire, slick between the legs. She’d come within seconds.
Two days later, a courier delivered the most beautiful silk dress by Issa. Full length and midnight blue, it poured over Sadie’s stunning figure like water. She stood in front of the cracked, three-quarter-length mirror in her untidy bedroom, a world away from the sumptuous room at the May Fair, and gazed at her reflection. She wanted to cry. She didn’t think she’d ever looked so elegant in her life. She looked like a movie star.
The note simply said Look beautiful – and Sadie didn’t disappoint. She swept her dark hair up to show off her superb bone structure, and added drop earrings with a turquoise stone. She kept her make-up l
ight and fresh; she knew that her youth was her asset and didn’t want to smother it beneath layers of foundation and powder.
As she was dressed for dinner, she assumed they would be going out for a meal. She was excited, wondering how it would feel to be seen in public with this handsome, powerful man. Would he flaunt her brazenly, or would they go somewhere discreet and secluded? But Paul’s appetite wasn’t for food – it was for Sadie.
This time she entered the hotel room to find him sitting casually on the bed, as though waiting for something. He was still wearing his work suit but had removed the jacket and tie. His white shirt was unbuttoned, offering a tantalizing glimpse of that strong, tanned chest with its smattering of dark hair. He was the kind of guy that Sadie couldn’t imagine ever slobbing out in jogging bottoms or jeans. He radiated authority and control, and the well-groomed image was an integral part of that.
Paul commanded Sadie to stand in the middle of the room, where he could see her. Sadie did as she was told, as Paul went on to give her step-by-step instructions of exactly what he wanted her to do. On his order she unzipped the dress and let it fall, slithering down her body to land in an expensive heap on the floor, and revealing the strapless bra and delicate lace thong beneath. Paul did nothing. He merely watched, yet his eyes were eating her alive and his cock was straining against his trousers. Slowly, he ordered Sadie to fully undress, and then to turn around so he could view her from every angle. The exposure was torture, yet the anticipation of what was to come was exquisite. Finally he told her to touch herself.
Sadie moaned as she gently slid her fingers inside the damp triangle and began to slowly stroke herself. She knew exactly where to touch, able to do the things that turned her on the most. Sighing, she closed her eyes.
‘Open them,’ Paul snapped.
Her face was flushed with desire as she looked at him. She could make out the lines of his firm, hard body where his shirt was pulled taut against the strong muscles. With longing, she gazed at the bulge in his trousers and slipped a finger inside herself. Her knees began to give way but Paul wouldn’t let her fall, commanding her to stay upright. He was mesmerized, loving the power he had over her. She would do anything he said at this moment, and he knew it.
‘Now come for me, Sadie,’ he whispered hoarsely. And she did. It was blessed, sweet relief as she felt her body tighten and explode into black. Paul watched as her stomach muscles convulsed and then relaxed. He finally allowed her to drop to her knees before he strode over and found his own release, his warm, clear juices flowing over her neck and breasts. The dress on the floor had been stained worse than Monica Lewinsky’s.
After that, he’d sent Sadie an oversize Prada bag containing a spanking paddle and a pair of handcuffs. They’d certainly put those to good use. There had been bondage clothing, and a variety of oils and lotions. And now Sadie had received his most extreme request yet – the sexy-as-hell Louboutins, with their fuck-me heels and a note saying: Wear these. Nothing else.
It was as though he’d been building up to this. Testing her boundaries and seeing how far he could push her. Yeah, having a secret lover who was filthy rich was certainly a way to get some excitement into your life, Sadie reflected. It was thrilling. Addictive. She was seeing him every other day during the week – the weekends were for the kids, he’d reminded her, always making sure that she didn’t get too attached, that she knew what the score was.
Sadie was fine with that – it suited her perfectly. It meant she still had time to herself, time to pursue her other great passion: her career. She firmly believed that her relationship – whatever it was – with Paul had made her dancing even better. It had revealed a sexual, provocative edge that came out of knowing her own body and being confident in her sexuality. That, and walking around like a bitch on heat the whole time.
‘Wow, Sadie, that was hot!’ commented Carla, after they took a class together.
‘Yeah, you were on fire,’ agreed their friend, Leonie.
Besides, Paul had hinted that he might introduce her to some of his clients. He was always bragging about his contacts – that he knew this television executive or that record producer. His social and business circle was wide. He had friends in the entertainment industry, in the arts, journalism, law and banking. And he’d told her with pride that even when his clients lost out on the deals he made, he always made money.
‘It’s a win-win situation for me,’ he’d boasted.
Vaguely, Sadie wondered when he found the time to work. They seemed to lose whole afternoons in one hotel or another, never tiring, never satiated. The sex was undoubtedly incredible. They delighted in discovering each other’s bodies, pushing the boundaries and exploring their limits. Paul was so masterful, so assured, that Sadie, at 23, felt like a novice beside him, yet she was loving being taught by this handsome, older guy. Paul, in return, found himself unbelievably turned on by how responsive she was, by how absolutely he could dominate her.
And now she was walking down the long corridor on the top floor of the apartment block, her new heels sinking into the plush carpet. Standing outside the door, Sadie brushed down her coat, checking her appearance one last time before she raised her hand and pressed the buzzer. She felt excited and strangely nervous as she wondered what Paul had in store for her today. Her heart began to beat a little faster, the familiar anticipatory heat flooding her belly.
Then Paul opened the door and all her nerves evaporated. He looked delicious, in a charcoal grey suit and his usual crisp, white shirt. He pulled her to him, kissing her deeply before showing her into the apartment.
‘Paul, it’s beautiful,’ Sadie breathed, as she stared round, open-mouthed.
It was a split-level duplex, 2,000 square feet with huge windows that flooded the room with light and overlooked the Thames below. The living area boasted an enormous L-shaped sofa that could easily have seated twenty, and the whitewashed walls were hung with large pieces of abstract art.
‘My bachelor pad,’ Paul grinned, as he strode over to the glass coffee table where a bottle of Krug and two glasses nestled inside a silver ice bucket. ‘My wife doesn’t even know this place exists. It’s for very close friends only.’
The bottle opened with a pop, the liquid foaming up as Paul poured them each a glass.
‘To us,’ he toasted.
‘To us,’ Sadie agreed, unable to keep the smile from her face. As she drank the champagne, feeling the tiny bubbles tingle in her mouth, she couldn’t remember a time when she’d ever felt so happy. Sadie had sworn to herself that she wasn’t going to fall for this guy – that it was purely about the sex, and she wasn’t going to get involved – but it was pretty hard to keep that promise when Paul was behaving like this. She didn’t think any man had ever made her feel so special, so loved. He treated her like a goddess.
Sadie drained her glass, licking her lips. Paul watched her and smiled. He poured her another, then led her out onto the terrace. It was small but perfect, with just a few potted plants to break it up, and a round table with two chairs. Paul’s building was a little higher than those around it, so the balcony wasn’t overlooked. Trellises had been placed at either end, ensuring complete privacy. Sadie put down her champagne, and gazed out over the view, the low, grey skies seeming to stretch forever over London and east to the suburbs beyond. Below them, the muddy brown waters of the Thames flowed past, the imposing structure of Canary Wharf looming up just round the river bend, with the City skyscrapers in the distance.
Sadie gasped as she felt Paul come up behind her, running his hands slowly along the inside of her legs underneath the trench coat. His thumbs pressed into her inner thigh, his strong hands sliding firmly upwards, caressing her butt cheeks. Then his hands slid round to the front, his palms gently parting her legs as he began to stroke the slick nub.
She pressed her body back against him and Paul held her close, his mouth next to her ear as he growled, ‘Do you want me to fuck you here, hmm? Is that what you want, sexy Sadie?’
Gently, he turned her round so she was facing him. In the six-inch heels, Sadie was the same height, and they stood eye to eye. He could see the way her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted.
‘No,’ he said finally. ‘Not out here. I have a surprise for you.’
‘A surprise?’ Sadie’s eyes lit up. ‘What is it?’
‘You might find out if you’re lucky. Now be a good girl and drink your champagne.’
Sadie giggled and did as she was told, following Paul back inside where he promptly poured her another glass, draining the bottle. At the back of her mind, Sadie had the thought that she should probably slow down. It was just after lunch and she’d barely eaten; already she was beginning to feel light-headed.
Paul took her by the hand, leading her up the spiral staircase to the mezzanine level. Idly, Sadie wondered what the surprise was. Perhaps he had scattered the bed with rose petals, and was planning a romantic afternoon. Or maybe the bathroom contained a fabulous Jacuzzi, surrounded by candles and filled with scented bubbles.
Paul opened the door and indicated Sadie should go through. She smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling happily. As she walked into the bedroom, it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness; the blind was pulled down, and the lights were dimmed. Then she saw. Sitting on the bed was another woman.
‘Paul …?’ Sadie began uncertainly, turning to him. The woman was of Oriental appearance – Malaysian, Sadie would have guessed – and she was in her late twenties. She was wearing a black latex basque, with thigh-high boots that made her legs go on forever, and she had very long, very black hair slicked back into an excessively tight ponytail.
‘Do you like your surprise?’ Paul smiled.
‘I’m not … What’s going on?’
‘This is Leilani,’ Paul began easily. ‘I thought it might be fun if you two got together.’