Rose Blood

by Jessica Miles

  “You will?” His eyes opened in surprise as he turned his head towards her. Then he walked off in a daze with his sickly chocolate drinks in his now rather unsteady hands.

  She made the two drinks, delivered Mike’s to him and sat down at her desk.

  The morning started as per usual. Checking their funds, confirming their positions and prior day profits, reading emails, dealing with paper correspondence…

  Mike came out of his office and suddenly shouted loudly in his booming voice. Rose started a little as he was standing right next to her at the time.

  “Team announcement everyone.”

  The eight of them gathered around him, next to Ro’s desk.

  “Okay, listen up guys… Clara has given us a new target to meet. Our income budget has been raised somewhat, due to internal political reasons the details of which I’m not privy to as per usual… So, long story short, we need to pull up our game. All of you need to make more or we could face staff cuts and maybe even heavy investigation into our expense accounts… and we don’t want any of that kind of thing, do we? I’m going to email you the new planning figures later, so you’ll all know your revised targets. Sorry guys, I know you work hard, but you gotta work harder from now on. Okay… bad news over…. Get on with it, time’s money and all that…”

  They all thoughtfully dissipated, grumbling and swearing amongst themselves as he turned and went back inside his room. He sat down and ran his hands through his short greying hair. It was a lot to ask to make that kind of extra money. They weren’t going to like it when they saw how much more! The markets were almost flat lining this time of the year. He hoped they could pull it off somehow. He wasn’t sure he could make a penny more from his own remaining few clients in truth, he was pushing it with risk levels already. He’d have to get shot of them to the others soon, he shouldn’t be trading anymore, not in his position. He needed to relieve some of the pressure on himself before his head exploded.

  He hadn’t been exactly truthful with them today. The staff cuts he mentioned were entirely focused on him. Cut-throat Clara had said that he was personally in the line of fire if he failed to deliver. He couldn’t pass the buck unless someone underperformed really badly, and they hadn’t so far. Markets were flat and margins were so tight across the board nowadays… The Proprietary desk was really struggling, he didn’t know how they managed to meet their targets, if it wasn’t for the somewhat risky futures market, they’d be sunk.

  He needed to sort out the other thing too. He had finally come to a decision about that. This could be a real life saver in fact, if it went off as he planned…. and he did feel he had just about all his ducks in a row…

  He looked through the glass at Rose who was currently scanning her three market screens. He watched her a lot. She definitely brightened up his view. And he wasn’t the only one who she brightened up either. Harrison’s eyes were on her all the time. In fact he wasn’t completely convinced those two weren’t screwing around as she seemed to watch him an awful lot too. He must stop his mind wandering down Rose lane yet again, he thought sighing out loud.

  He stretched and drew in a deep breath. No time like the present to deliver the good news…

  “Porter… Get your ass in here!”

  They spoke to each other so nicely in here, Rose thought wryly. He could have said ‘Miss Porter please may I have a moment of your time’ or ‘Rose would you come into my office please…’

  She got up and took her ass in his office as requested.

  “Shut the door Ro.” He said quietly.

  She shut it and sat down in one of the guest chairs opposite his desk. A few of the other traders were curiously looking at them through his partition window. Mike never shut his door unless it was private or serious. Usually a very bad type of serious. She was a little worried but knew she shouldn’t be. Her accounts were on target and just over income budget, in fact she knew she was doing rather better than most of the others were, so what was this all about?

  “Right, let’s get on with it shall we …” Mike began brightly “We have a new client coming on board. It’s a trial period of one month. If he likes us, we are sorted. All this shit with the budget is over. This is a big dog Ro. The biggest private client yet. At first I thought this might suit the Corporate desk as they are more used to this level of fund but I don’t think they have the right structure and approach for this client so I have changed my mind.

  As you and Harrison look after the privates, the ball is in your court. I was going to give this to Harry to be honest, being more experienced and a touch your senior but he has a lot on his plate; the two new Australians and that Spanish golfer last month on top of his shit load of other clients, he’d be overloaded with this one as well. Anyhow, it’s not just that… I feel this one needs your special kind of personal touch. So I’ve decided it’s going to you.

  The client is Marcus DeVere… You know… DeVere Casinos and the DeBar chain? It’s his own personal fund… and it’s a biggie Ro. How does 1.5 billion sound?” He stared at her watching her reaction closely.

  “Jeeesus Mike! Marcus DeVere and 1.5 billion… that’s a helluva lot of client! I don’t know about taking that much on, my biggest fund is the Carmichael’s as you know. A paltry 165 million…”

  “Well, it’s just a matter of scale… do everything 10 times bigger! And let’s put it this way… You are managing 1.5 billion Ro whether you like it or not. Now let me tell you something else. Clara has taken this client on personally, through her own connections. She has promised him a ten per cent increase in his personal fortune within one year if he stays with us. That is a massive amount of cash coming to us in commission… work it out!”

  “But that’s a ridiculous promise, how can we possibly guarantee that kind of increase Mike, we usually offer new accounts 4%, don’t we? The markets are so flat lately. It’s so risky…”

  “Well the fund is badly run at present. That’s why he’s been persuaded to move it away from Smith & Co. There are some immediate improvements you could make and with a little bit of luck and whatever, it could happen. If anyone around could make it happen it would be you Rose. I’ve seen you make a lot more in difficult times. I have faith in you.”

  “Well I am touched by your faith Mike. But I don’t know… it’s a little daunting to be honest.” Alarming was probably a better way to describe how she felt … what a massive responsibility!

  “Well get used to it fast because it’s already yours. Now listen up, this is the part you need to take notice of most of all… Marcus DeVere is a well known ladies man… a playboy if you like. I want you to give him some attention Ro. Your best attention in fact…”

  “Well of course I always make sure my clients are well looked after Mike. That’s my style. You don’t need to tell me that.”

  “No, I don’t think you quite understand what I mean. When I said attention, I meant outside the office… very personal like.”

  “Mike, I don’t believe you just said that…! You’re asking me to sleep with him too?” Rose was rather shocked…

  “No, not asking you, telling you … and just make sure to give him exactly what he wants, all the nuts and bolts, if you get me… He’s not exactly ugly, so you might enjoy it once you get started. I want to keep this client really, really happy… it could be a great earner over a few years. More money in all our pension pots and all that.

  “Mike!” This was unreal! She was more than stunned… All the nuts and bolts…? He’ll be giving her a check list any minute…

  “Anyway… let’s cut to the chase shall we… as you know it’s half year bonus time coming up soon and staff cuts are looming on the horizon and all that Clara crap… and, now how can I put it…? Things could go a little pear shaped for you if this doesn’t work out how I plan.”

  “For God’s sake! I’ve just about had enough of this… this is not happening…”

  “Worse things could happen Rose, there’s a shed load of money involved here
. You can stop looking so fucking outraged, you’re a woman of the world, you know what goes around in our business… the guys on the Corporate desk deal with far worse than this all the time. The kinda things those company guys want on the back hand is either obscene or illegal… So Rose, you’re gonna drop your standards to rock bottom just this once to get the job done.”

  “Look, just because I’m a woman you have absolutely no right to expect … ” she started to object again but he cut her off .

  “I’ve set up a meeting tomorrow morning at 10.30 at his Mayfair office. I’m sending you his address and other things. I have all the files on his company so you know some background and then there is a mass of stuff on his current private fund that you are going to manage. You need to study everything about DeVere tonight and get an A star tomorrow when you meet him. Oh, and Ro… you could do extremely well out of this deal if you pull it off. You’ll save us all and line your pocket big time. How does triple bonus sound?”

  “I’m fucking speechless!”

  “I’m giving you the rest of the day off, so go home and study DeVere’s assets. I’m real busy Rose so push off and get started.”

  She left his office in a stormy daze. No way… How could he have asked all that of her? Blackmailing her and threatening her job too…

  She was shaking with a mixture of shock and absolute fury as she sat down at her desk next to Harrison.

  “Fancy lunch?” he asked her “You can tell me all about that cosy little closed doors meeting in there”

  “Oh go fuck yourself!” she snapped in a highly annoyed tone. That little meeting had got her so riled up. She felt like stomping off to human resources and putting in a sexual harassment complaint. Not that there was any point. Mai Lin, the only other female trader who had worked in the room had tried that over the general treatment women got in here and it didn’t get her very far. Just a lot of hassle and her job being lost at the end of the day.

  “There’s no need to bite my head off like that Rose!”

  “I’m sorry Harry… I’ve just had a bit of a shock. Mike’s put me in charge of Marcus DeVere’s 1.5 billion private fortune if you must know and I’m meeting him tomorrow. He’s told me to go home now and gen up”

  “WHAT? NO WAY! I should have had first pop at that! I’m your senior Rose. Mike’s a complete bastard doing me over like this… It’s the private account of a lifetime! Why the fuck did he give it you…?” Harrison said angrily.

  The penny suddenly dropped in his very sharp little mind.

  “Oh no way… No fucking way… Please tell me you’re not gonna do what I’m thinking Rose…”

  “Apparently it ‘aint up for negotiation Harry… I’ve been given my orders and my job’s on the line. Extra special duties are compulsory with this one. In fact the whole account is a bloody nightmare if you ask me, the growth target is a massive 10 … Still fancy it, do you?”

  Chapter 4

  Rose downloaded the DeVere files on a memory stick and took them home. She would sit and study them all day and all night long if need be. She was going to know every nook and cranny of Mr Playboy’s hot assets like the back of her hand. Maybe she could avoid the other stuff she was expected to do somehow. She’d have to meet him first and suss things out. She’d seen him in the celebrity columns online on numerous occasions. He was always being photographed with some or other hot actress, glamour or super model… very girly girls in fact… She could definitely do that look as she had plenty of girly assets to offer but she wasn’t going to try and attract him. No, she was going to try a different look and a different approach entirely. A non attractive one. She would put herself in the manly mould…. She smiled to herself as she thought about it. Yes, a manly woman was what she needed to be!

  She sat engrossed in her files on her laptop until 1am when she finally felt satisfied with the amount of in depth DeVere intel she had managed to absorb. She had discovered that he had made his personal fortune by going public with his two international companies and still retained a 51% majority share holding and control of each. She could see some reasonable scope for potential improvement in the private fund straight away. She now felt that the account could quite possibly reach the growth target without killing her off with worry and stress in the process too, with a little luck.

  She was suddenly dog tired, no more work related stuff was going to go in her brain tonight. It was late and her mind was wandering elsewhere. In fact she was thinking about Harrison and the look on his face when she told him about all this. He looked angry and upset. About the fund primarily, but it seemed he was also upset about her, when he realised what she was expected to do on top. She felt even more of a warming towards him, in fact a real hot buzz had started. His little bit of male jealousy had really got her going somehow.

  She went to bed in a strangely disconnected mood. This account was going to be a very difficult account to manage. She couldn’t be her normal self with DeVere. She would have to put on an act all the time, to be this manly woman she envisaged. Manly was not in her nature at all. Still, needs must, she thought getting herself comfortable and puffing up her pillows. She drifted off into sleep almost immediately. Her brain was exhausted from the day’s rather unusual events.

  Chapter 5

  She awoke the next morning at seven but lay in bed reading a book till eight, trying to relax a little. She was heading straight to DeVere’s office this morning.

  Two messages popped up on her phone in quick succession.

  Mike had sent her a text telling her to stay as long as she needed, take him to lunch all afternoon and all that, no expense spared. She now absolutely hated his little “and all that” catchphrase he used all the time… it definitely had a none too subtle message today as well. “Will do AND ALL THAT.” She replied sarcastically. She was not a fan of Mike any more… she couldn’t believe she used to feel some admiration for him. He was a complete fucking bastard!

  There was a text from Harrison.

  “Miss you already… keeping your customers warm and toasty for you today. Don’t get too hot over his billions – remember you’re mine”

  She laughed at his possessive joke.

  “Got special orders to follow – hot is what I must do” She text him back. Then she felt mean about it and sent another. “See you later Harry. Lets go ABO, but just us, ok?” She wanted to have a talk with him, on her own…

  She got out a rather shapeless trouser suit from the back of her wardrobe. God knows why she had kept this thing so long but it was finally going to come in useful. She usually wore above the knee fitted skirt suits, despite the comments and lechery she often got in the office as a result. She liked them and liked her high heels too. The cavemen in her office were not going to dictate her clothing choices for her. She was a woman and she liked to look like one!

  But not today…

  She put on a baggy white shirt and large lilac tie that she’d actually worn at a fancy dress party a while back and then put on the black trouser suit. She zipped up a low heeled pair of chunky and very comfortable old ankle boots that she normally wore to go shopping and added a large sized masculine type of silver watch. She brushed her hair thoroughly, twisted it up and clipped it at the back of her head very tightly and severely with a large crocodile clip. She added a tiny amount of makeup, a slick of dark brown eyeshadow and eyeliner and a touch of mascara, no lipstick; that was far too feminine.

  She stood and looked at herself in the mirror. It was quite a harsh and manly look, she looked tougher than nails. She had it down to a T. It was a real don’t mess with me I’m one of the guys look, in her opinion. She smiled widely at the concept. She was going to take this look to her office afterwards. That should raise a few eyebrows!

  Mike had ordered her a chauffeured car for the day. To take her to and from the appointment at his office and she could ferry Mr incredibly rich around in style, should she need to. She couldn’t take him to lunch in a cab now could she…? That just wouldn’
t do. That would be way too cheap!

  She sat at her window waiting for the car to arrive with a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. Never had she met anyone quite so famous or wealthy before. Well apart from the Queen. She had met her once at a charity gala she attended… but that was different. And actually, she thought, even the Queen wasn’t anywhere near as rich as he was.

  He was in another league.

  Chapter 6

  She sat in the back of the black Mercedes as it edged its way through the traffic. She had plenty of time to spare. Plenty of time to get more and more nervous about all the whole thing.

  The driver dropped her off and gave her his mobile number to call. He drove off leaving her standing on the pavement outside DeVere’s office in Mayfair. She went in and walked up to the beautiful young redhead seated at the modern white reception desk. The badge on her suit said Carmel.

  “Rose Porter for Mr DeVere, 10.30 appointment. I’m a little early, 10 minutes or so…”

  “Oh yes that’s right…” Carmel replied looking down at her appointment book “I do have an R. Porter here. From Polygon Investments?”

  “That would be me.” Oh good… It seemed he may not know she was female yet… that was even better. Because she wasn’t going to be very female today…

  “Just a moment and I’ll see if Marcus is ready for you.” She picked up the phone and informed him his 10.30 appointment was already here. “Yes, he’s ready. Go straight along the corridor, it’s the last door on the right. Don’t knock, just go straight in, he’s waiting for you.” She buzzed her in the security door behind her.

  Time for the big act.

  Rose walked down the corridor steeling herself for the show with a few deep breaths. She opened the door and swept into his office. Manly does it, she reminded herself remembering how confidently her male colleagues introduced themselves to others. Her eyes scanned the room quickly taking in the smart modern décor and the pieces of artwork on the walls. She walked up to his desk with her hand out in greeting. Manly styled to absolute perfection.