by Nicole Fox
“Go on and get ready,” he said. “We’re leaving in forty minutes, and I want to go over some ground rules before we leave.”
“Sure,” I said.
With that, he left and shut the door behind him. I walked backward to the bed and fell down on top of it, letting myself stretch out and enjoy the cushiness of the mattress and the softness of the sheets. After spending nearly a week in my car and last night on a futon, this bed was like heaven. Part of me wanted to curl up and drift off into a deep, half-day sleep.
But I had business to attend to. After another minute of comfort, I went through my bags and removed the dress that I’d picked out for tonight, along with a black lace underwear set. The goods in hand, I headed to the walk-in and stripped down. Stepping into my panties, I looked at my body in the five-panel mirror, a soft, flattering light glowing from above. Was I really good enough to be a temptress to these men who I was going to meet tonight? I’d never thought of myself as anything special, but according to Russell, I was primo arm candy. I hoped he was right.
I put on my bra and stepped into the dress, taking care not to disturb my hair. Once I was dressed, I slipped on my heels and took one last look at myself. It was strange to see the woman staring back at me in the mirror; I usually wasn’t much for dressing up to show off the goods, both because I was typically the modest type, and because Logan had had a tendency to show his jealous side whenever I’d put too much time into my appearance.
When I stepped out of the dressing room, the room was slightly darker than it had been. I walked over to the window and saw that the sun was sinking low into the sky, the night beginning to show. Taking my new clutch out of one of the bags, I took a deep breath and headed downstairs.
Russell was sitting at the long, dark brown dining room table, a cocktail in front of him and a cigar in his hand, the smoke curling in the air above his head. His eye snapped to me as I walked into the room, and though I might have been imagining it, I was pretty sure his eyebrows rose a little.
“Very nice,” he said, looking me up and down. “Everything’s on display, but you’re not being too obvious about it.”
“Glad it works,” I said, giving him a little turn.
“So am I,” he said, his voice low.
When I finished turning I saw that his eyes were still locked onto my body. I wondered what was going on behind those icy eyes of his. But before I could think about it for too long, Russell gestured to one of the open chairs.
“Take a seat,” he said. “We’ve got some business to discuss.”
Chapter Eleven
Alyssa
I settled into my seat, and Russell’s gaze turned hard.
“You’re going to be meeting with some serious men tonight, the types that, one way or another, have more blood on their hands than most military units.”
I gulped.
“But you don’t need to worry about any of that.”
Russell took a sip of his drink, followed by a puff of his cigar. His eyes flicked to the table in front of me, and, apparently noticing that he hadn’t offered me a drink, he got up and walked to the bar at the far end of the room.
“Most of these guys are gentlemen, not really the type to do any harm to women. The hair-trigger assholes tend to get weeded out before they make it up to this level.”
“Like Cory?” I asked, immediately regretted what I’d said.
Russell said nothing, instead dragging his finger along a series of wine bottles, eventually settling on one. With a wine key, he opened the bottle, poured me a glass, and set it down in front of me. Silence hung in the air, and I wondered if he was saying nothing purposefully, in order to make me mull over the faux pas that I’d just said.
“Cory’s his own thing,” said Russell finally, making it clear that Cory wasn’t to have anything to do with this conversation. “But, yes, generally, hotheads have a short career in this industry. One way or another.”
I nodded and took a sip of the wine. It was rich and delicious.
“So your job is to look good. You stay at my side unless I say otherwise. These guys are going to be trying to lure you with all manner of pick-up lines, telling you they’ll fly you to Paris for the week, take you out on their private yacht, tell you they’ll introduce you to the president of fucking Japan, whatever they think it’ll take to get you to give their 1 ohnson a little tug. But your job isn’t to do any of that. No, your job is to attend to just about every other need they have aside from those that end with them making sticky little puddles in their shorts.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Talk to them, charm them, maybe even get information out of them, if you can.”
“How do I get information out of them?” I asked. “I mean, I’m not exactly a CIA agent.”
“Don’t worry about prying,” he said. “Lots of these guys will just offer up shit in order to impress you. Say, for example, one of these bigwigs mentions he’s going to Moscow next week, says he can get you into some exclusive club or some shit. That’s the kind of thing I might want to know. But don’t go out of your way; I’d rather you just smile and look hot than risk getting found out scoping for info.”
“Got it,” I said, feeling a little better.
He took a sip of his drink and considered the matter.
“You know what a geisha is, right?” Russell asked, tapping his finger on the table.
“Vaguely,” I said. “They’re the Japanese women, right? They serve tea to people and wear all the makeup.”
“More or less,” said Russell. “But there’s a little more to it than that. Geishas are essentially professional entertainers. See, back in the day it was common for women to actually be skilled in the arts of entertainment in conversation. Women would take lessons on how to speak with men, how to flatter them, how to make them feel good, and how to put them at ease in a social setting. Sex wasn’t really a part of it, though it could be.”
He took another sip and leaned forward.
“What you’re going to be is like that. You’re going to be an urban geisha, pleasing the men with your looks and charm. You’ll talk with them, laugh at their bad jokes, fetch their drinks, and take it in stride when they’ve had one too many and give your ass a squeeze or two. Moving up in this world and getting information is my goal, and that body of yours is what I’m gonna use as the carrot on the end of this particular stick.”
“So … they can touch me whenever they want?” I asked.
“They’ll try for an ass pinch here and there, but these guys know better than to get too handsy. And I’m glad you mentioned that because there’s one rule here that I want you to remember above all others.”
He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he did.
“Don’t forget even for a second that until I say otherwise, you’re mine. You belong to me. Any of these guys promise you the moon made out of diamonds, you laugh and tell them you’ll think about it. Because you’re as taken as it gets.”
There wasn’t a hint of levity to what Russell had said. He was serious as a heart attack about me belonging to him.
“Now,” he said, his eyes moving along my body, “I think you and I are both more than ready to go.”
I gulped, the anxiety of the evening to come settling in my stomach like hot wax.
“Sure,” I said. “Ready to do this.”
A pleased grin spread across Russell’s face.
“That’s the spirit.”
A little bit later, we were both dressed and ready to go. Getting back into Russell’s car, we pulled out onto the streets and were soon headed through Central Park.
“Where are we headed?” I asked, watching the rolling green of the park pass us by, a little envious of the men and women out spending their evening taking a carefree stroll.
“Upper West Side,” he said.
Soon, we cut through the park and arrived on one of the streets in the Upper West Side lined with tall towers of stone. Down the road, I spotte
d a particularly stately building with a gathering of men and women in front, luxury cars pulling up to valets who buzzed around like bees.
“That’s it,” he said. “Just stay by my side at first—get comfortable.”
We pulled up in front of the building, where I watched as the wealthy-looking men and women filed into through the tall, ornate front doors. Russell pulled to a stop, and a valet quickly took the car off our hands. Russell stepped out of the car and walked to my side, opening the door and offering me his arm to take, which I did.
I scanned the crowd, noting that most of the men were a little older and very well-dressed. All seemed to have a vaguely European look to them. And, of course, nearly all of them had a stunning young woman—or two—on his arm.
“Pretty out in the open for a party of criminals,” I said.
Russell snorted. “Between everyone here tonight they’ve probably got more than half of the NYPD on their payroll. They could get drunk and fire their guns into the air and likely get away with it.”
The two of us ascended the grand stairs leading to the front door. There, a pair of burly guards with faces like shaved pit bulls stood on each side of the door, their beady eyes scanning each person who walked in.
“Penthouse,” said one of the guards after confirming Russell’s identity. “And go straight there.”
Russell gave a nod, and soon after the two of us were strolling through the impossibly luxurious lobby of the building, a grand space built in the old Gilded Age style.
“You think this is impressive, just wait until you see the apartment,” said Russell. “But try not to look too impressed; letting your jaw drop onto the floor at the sight of all the money on display is an easy way to look like you’re out of your element.”
“But I am out of my element,” I said as we stepped through the tall gold doors of the elevator.
“Sure,” he said. “But you don’t want them to know that.”
It all seemed like too much. But I resolved to do my best.
The elevator rose quickly, and after a few moments, it opened to reveal what had to have been the most amazing apartment that I’d ever seen in my life. It was a penthouse with ceilings that seemed to stretch up into infinity, the glass back walls of the place looking out over Central Park and the Upper East Side beyond. Gold and marble dominated the apartment, and classical-style sculptures and paintings comprised most of the décor. It was less like an apartment and more like a gorgeous estate placed on top of a building in the city. At least a hundred men and women were there, black-clad servers darting here and there among them. There was even enough space for a small string group to play music on a stage.
“Remember what I said about not letting your jaw drop,” Russell said.
“I know,” I said, “but this apartment is just incredible.”
Russell nodded. “This is the kind of place the arms trade allows.”
“Who’s the owner?”
Russell scanned the crowd, looking for a familiar face.
“There he is,” he said, gesturing with a subtle nod towards the crowd.
The man he nodded towards was a trim older man with silver hair and a tight beard to match. He was dressed in a simple but expensive-looking tuxedo and a pair of black dress shoes polished to a mirror sheen. A small half-circle of men and women were gathered around him, and they all seemed to be held in rapt attention as he spoke to them, his hands waving expressively as he spoke. And, of course, two impossibly gorgeous women in glamorous dresses tight enough to show off their youthful bodies were at his side.
“That’s Sandor Szsavost,” he said. “Hungarian, I believe. “Started out as a gunrunner in Budapest when he was fifteen and, over the decades, rose to become one of the wealthiest dealers in the business.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off the man. He wasn’t especially attractive or anything like that, but something about his bearing and the way he spoke commanded the eye.
“And he’s the exact type of man that you’re going to be fraternizing with.”
My eyes went wide as I turned to Russell.
“Are you serious?” I asked. “What the hell is a girl like me going to have to talk about with a man like that? He’ll think I’m some bubble-headed ditz.”
“Oh, and I forgot to tell you about the girls on his arms,” said Russell. “The blonde in the yellow dress is a Nobel laureate in literature, and the brunette with half of her tits hanging out is a visiting molecular biologist at Columbia.”
“Jeez,” I said, “even the women ar—“”
Russell’s smart-ass smile tipped me off before I could go too far.
“Oh,” I said. “Ha ha.”
“Trust me,” he said, “these girls aren’t here for their brains; they’re here for … the other things they bring to the table.”
I could only imagine what those things might be.
“But don’t get me wrong,” he said. “Remember what I said about geishas? These girls aren’t just here for their … ah, bedroom skills; they’re skilled conversationalists and pleasant company. Plenty of these guys are married to overbearing housefraus or bratty trophy wives; while they enjoy a glass of very, very expensive wine, just having a pretty girl to provide some good conversation is all the female companionship most of them are really looking for. And that’s why I think you’ll be a natural fit for this: you’re bringing more than just your good looks.”
“But what if I’m not a good conversationalist?” I asked, feeling a little warmed by his compliment. “What do I even say to these guys?”
“You know the first rule of good conversation? Just let the other person talk about themselves.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Yep,” said Russell. “Most people are just waiting for their turn to talk in conversations anyway. Cut right to the chase and let them yak on about whatever they want; they’ll walk away thinking ‘my, what an interesting person that young lady was’.”
I smirked, taking a little pleasure at Russell’s take on things.
“Trust me,” he said. “You’re going to charm these guys like they’ve never been charmed before.”
He stepped forward, closer to the party. But just as I began to follow him, I felt his hand grasp my upper arm and squeeze it in a way that sent my heart racing.
“But remember one thing above all others,” he said in a low purr into my ear. “You belong to me.”
I took in a sharp breath, my skin turning to gooseflesh and an excited shiver running up my spine. I couldn’t believe the hold that Russell had on me.
With that, we walked into the party. Eyes flicked to both of us as we strode further into the crowd, many of the men’s eyes lingering on my body in a way that left me unsure of how to feel. Russell took a pair of champagne flutes from the passing tray of a server and handed one to me. I took a sip, my eyes lighting up as I let the delicious bubbling wine dance on my palate.
Eventually, a stocky man in a tight-fitting tux approached us. He was bald as could be, and his face was fleshy, almost giving him the appearance of a big baby. The sides of his mouth pulled up into an odd smile as he laid eyes on the two of us.
“Russell Carrick,” he said in a posh British accent as he extended his hand toward Russell.
“Alexander York,” said Russell, taking his hand and giving it a solid shake.
“Please,” said the man, his eyes flicking over to me as he spoke. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me ‘Alex’?”
“Just this last one,” said Russell with a sly smile.
“And who is this lovely little specimen?” he asked, turning his full attention to me.
“This is Alyssa Culverton,” he said. “My companion for the evening.”
“‘Culverton’,” he said, looking away thoughtfully as he let the name hang in the air. “A fine Anglo name. Is your family from the UK, by any chance?”
“Um, I don’t know,” I said, the words tumbling out. “I think I’m some kind of mu
tt. German, English, maybe some Swedish. Um, don’t really know.”
Alex expression sank a little, as though he’d been expecting a more exciting answer than that. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Russell flash me a look, one that seemed to say “come on; you can do better than that.”
Alex turned his attention back to Russell.
“Now, I know talking shop is a little passé at Sandor’s soirees, but I can’t help but notice how far up you’ve come in our little industry. More and more I’ve been hearing your name on the lips of some very important people.”
“Pleased to hear that,” said Russell. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hope to one day be counted among the esteemed businessmen here.”