by Amy Brent
“Well, you said I should come back when I have the money,” I smile as I shake his hand.
“You don’t need to be so callous. Please come in. Do you want something to drink? Coffee? Tea? Water?”
I nod my head at all of them and then he shuts the door, “I suppose you just want to get down to business.”
I stand near the chair waiting for an invitation to sit down.
“Sit please.”
“Okay so where do we start then. I just need your bank details to transfer the details?”
He takes of his glasses and looks at me. “I suppose you haven’t seen Gary lately.”
His question surprises me, because I didn’t think that he had done either. He made it clear that he needed the money to do anything the last time I saw him.
“Why have you?”
He nods, “It seems that the police have some evidence against him. I need a minimum of twenty-five thousand to get started.”
“I know,” I whisper as the realization that the fifty thousand I took may not be enough. I thought that it was an open and shut case, but if the police have more evidence then this may not be the case. This is going to be more difficult than I thought that it would be. To make matters worse, I’ve already sold my virginity there’s nothing left for me to sell.
“I only have fifty thousand.” I may as well tell him the truth.
He sighs as his eyebrows cross and he folds his arms. “That’s not enough if this thing goes to trial and even the supreme court, but for now we’ll see how far it gets us.”
I have a feeling that it’s not very far and he’s trying to reassure me. I’ll take it for now. I sit and listen to him talk about his investigator and how much he’s going to cost. I feel silly as I think about the fact that Blake asked me how much money I needed and I was innocent and told him the figure that I was quoted when I first came here.
Someone at Olivia’s work place told me that he’s the type of lawyer that takes on difficult cases. He had helped in one or two criminal cases. I never asked for the details back then and shopping around for a lawyer on a thin to non-existent budget was never an option. Maybe I should have shopped around back then and I would have a better idea of how this whole thing was going to go down.
“We’re going to take this one step at a time. I’ll find out what the police have on him with the investigator. For now, keep tight and hold on to that twenty-five g’s, we may need it. But then again, we may need a lot more.”
Those were the words that I was afraid that he was going to say. I didn’t leave his office full of hope, I felt the complete opposite as I started to wonder what else I could sell and the more I thought about it. The more I came up with a big fat zero.
Chapter 19: Blake
I’m at home, ever since dad’s outburst in the car yesterday I don’t feel like going to the office let alone the auction house. I could go there and take my frustrations out on Lourdes. But that wouldn’t be right. Especially when I’m craving Lily so badly.
Sweet innocent Lily until I took it away from her and made her lose her virginity and maybe a little bit more.
There’s two knocks on the door. My cleaner, Maria, left an hour ago which makes me think that it can only be one person knocking on the door and he’s the last person that I want to see right now. I look around in my office, the one that I’d thought was my haven all of a sudden feels cold. There’s no photos on the desk, only the modern art work on the walls. They used to make the place feel alive, right now they’re not doing their job.
“Come in, dad,” I blurt out as I stand and move away from the blank screen.
“Son.”
He says as he opens the door making his presence known, I was waiting for him to ask me, how I knew that it was him, but then again there’s something about dad making small talk that always sets me on edge.
I’ve avoided looking at my emails, thinking that if there’s a law suit on our hands then no doubt he would have been here yesterday saying that it was all my fault.
“Did you just come to stand there and say nothing?”
I ask as I move from my desk. As much as his presence annoys me, he’s still my dad at the end of the day even though I need to remind myself of this factor most of the time.
“No. I came because things are out of hand at the office and I was hoping to have your help.”
Wow, this must be the first. I could act like an arrogant prick and make him grovel for it. Beg for my forgiveness, but that’s not my style.
“I saw you at your mom’s grave yesterday.”
I nod, I did feel as if someone was watching me, but I didn’t look around. I was too lost in my thoughts trying to figure out why Lily keeps entering my mind every time I want to look in my black book and call someone to relieve me of this frustration that’s burning inside of me.
“You were fucking virgins when you were married to mom right?”
He nods, “Yes.”
He doesn’t offer any excuse, but then again, why should he? If anything, he should be giving it to mom not me. I’m not the one who was married to him. I was only his son. The one that he constantly treats as if I’m a disappointment until he needs something.
“But that’s neither here or there now. The company’s in trouble and it needs your help.”
I don’t say anything as I head to the bar and pour myself a whiskey.
“Give me a shot too.”
I look at him and think that it isn’t an open invitation, I’m getting a drink to give me the strength to throw him out. Not for him to join me. I sigh as I start to take out two glasses and start to pour and then I put an ice-cube in both of them.
“It’s so dark in here, how can you see a thing?”
I know this room at the back of my hand I don’t even think about it until he points it out. He’s right there’s only the side light near my desk. The shutters are down apart from the small crack in one of them.
“Maybe introducing you to the auction house was a mistake?”
I hand him the glass and he takes it in one shot and then sighs and says, “Another one.”
That’s when I notice that my dad’s casual. He’s always in a suit. Sometimes I think that he sleeps that way. I study him as he moves to the switch and puts the light on. He’s wearing jeans and a shirt. Damn, it’s as if he’s a different man. I should act like the concerned son and ask him what’s up, but I assume that it’s the company law suit. The company’s been up against the IRS, the Feds for fraud and all sorts of irregularities but that’s never stopped dad from looking as if he’s in charge. Now, with his shoulders slouched I wonder who looks bad, me or him?
“Maybe introducing you to the Auction house was a mistake. Whoever you ended up fucking has got your mind where your cock is.”
He says as if he knows me. Knows what I’m thinking when up until now I haven’t said a word. I try and pour him the whiskey the same way I did a few minutes ago. Yet, with the light stinging my eyes I spill a bit. And then he laughs, “Who is the virgin that got you thinking with your dick?”
He takes the bottle from me and I look him in the eye thinking that he can think whatever he wants. It has nothing to do with her. Nothing at all, this whole shit is fucked up. I’ve never thought twice about my path in life, I’ve just moved from one stage to the next thinking that I’m a Fisher and I need to carry on the fucking tradition.
I smile at him seeing as he’s so curious about her, “Lily Sinclaire, and she’s not the reason I’m feeling this way.”
The only sound I hear is the sound of the bottle shattering on the floor. Damn, when did he get so careless.
“Fuck!”
I blurt out as I move out the way seeing the broken glass all over the floor and the room reeking of the whiskey on the floor.
“Dad!”
He shakes his head and says, “I need to go.”
What the fuck?!
“Do you know her? Why did you drop the fucking bottle?”
> He doesn’t even answer me, because the minute I said her name he was out of here at the speed of light. Shit, she was definitely a virgin before I had her, now she’s probably feeling like shit about the idea that I left money on the bed as if she was some kind of prostitute. I was never good at saying goodbye, which is why when they called and told me that my mom was taking her last breath, the only thing I did that day was turn off my phone. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her. I wanted to remember her the way that she was, not the way that she’d become after she became sick.
Chapter 20: Lily
Olivia went to work and I told her the good part about my visit to the lawyer. I missed out the issues with the money not being enough and even gave her some rent. I’m going to work tomorrow so I know that I’ll be paid and then I can give her more money.
Someone’s ringing the bell like crazy. I think that maybe it’s the lawyer with some news. I haven’t got a clue what’s going on. I’m in my sweats and my hair looks like a bird’s nest. I don’t even have time to sort it out as I just run to open the door.
“What?”
I blurt out and I’m shocked to see him facing me.
Blake.
The man that left bills by the side of the pillow is in my house.
“How did you know where I lived?”
That’s the only thing that I can think to say. It’s a silly question.
“Can I come in, or do you have company?”
I shake my head and I forget about the frustration and how upset I was about him leaving the bills. It’s been three days and he’s knocking on my door like a raging bull. That means it wasn’t all in my imagination. He missed me. That must be why he’s here. What else could have made him come here like this? Made him look the same way that he did when we were alone.
I knew that it wasn’t all in my head.
I close the door and feel small, it’s one thing being in his home. On his grounds. The small one-bedroom apartment that I share with Olivia feels like a little box. Especially, because I sleep on the sofa. Olivia’s been kind enough to give me some space in her room, but I have nothing.
The money I earn goes on bills and a little towards rent. Everything about my life is pathetic in comparison to his and I can tell by the look on his face that he’s probably thinking the same about it as he looks around.
He lifts up a photo, “Why are there no photos of you in this place? Is this whole thing a scam? Did you and my dad set this all up for me?”
He drops the photo and then I see that the man that’d been spending time with different to the one that was in front of me. This one was intoxicated and was slurring his words. He’s roaming the apartment and part of me doesn’t know what to do about it.
“I don’t know your dad. Apart from his photos in the papers,” I say innocently trying to get to his better nature. I know that in his rage that it must be there somewhere. He slumps on the sofa and runs his hands through his hair.
“So, why did dad flip when I mentioned your name?”
I bend down and say hoping that I can plead to that better nature. The frightened little boy that’s inside of him. The one that he revealed to me, but doesn’t want to show to anyone else.
“I don’t know. I just came to the house to sell my virginity…”
“To help your brother, we know all this.”
“Yes, but he’s facing a murder charge.”
* * *
“Oh,” his eyes light up, because I didn’t tell him that part. The way I described my brother was more as if he had a gambling problem and this would pay off the people that he owed.
I back away, “I wasn’t exactly open about that.”
“So, you do know my dad.”
“No. Not about that part. More about why I needed the money for my brother.”
He looks disappointed, but that doesn’t stop me continuing.
“He’s facing a murder charge for killing his ex. If I’d told you that then that would have scared you away.”
He’s rubbing his head again as if he’s trying to make sense of it all, or maybe something else is bothering him.
I’m appealing to the side that I spent time with, the one that appeared to be hurting and treated me as if I was a resolution to his pain.
“Anyway, Gary never killed Alexa. That’s for sure. If anything, he loved her.”
He held my hand, “What did you say?” “Gary never killed his ex.”
He shakes his head, “What was her name?”
“Alexa Grey, it was in the papers everywhere, her murder.”
He lets go of me and stand up. “Yes, a few weeks ago. Brutally murdered and found in the woods. I remember that name.”
“Yes, but it wasn’t Gary.”
“They said that they had a suspect recently, I saw it, but I never realized that it was your brother that they’d held in custody for the murder. Gary Sinclaire right?”
I nod wondering what this has got to do with Blake, it’s as if he’s putting the pieces together and I think about the hope that I had yesterday when I went to the lawyer’s office.
“Why do you know him?” I ask in desperation as he seems a lot calmer then he was a few minutes ago when he entered the apartment.
“No, but her name. I remember seeing it somewhere.”
“Where?” I blurt out, but he’s not listening to me as he leaves the front door. I chase after him, but I can tell that he’s a man on a mission and I just hope that it includes setting my brother free. He’s erratic and muttering something to himself, I don’t know what’s going on, but my heart’s no longer racing and giving up hope. In fact, it has the complete opposite as I think that maybe Blake can find out something. Something that the lawyer may not be able to find. I whisper to his car as he drives off, “Please be my knight in shining armor.”
Chapter 21: Blake
I’m driving and thinking where I’d seen or heard that name before and then it dawns on me. I was sitting waiting for the men to come to start the auction and I started to flick through the books. It was the auction house, that’s where I saw her face, Article 8790. I remember being curious if there was a way that I could match their numbers to their names.
That’s when I went on the database. The one that I shouldn’t have access to and by entering my mom’s year of birth, I saw her name. Alexa Grey. She’d been a virgin maybe around five years ago. She had stunning red hair and emerald eyes. Such beauty one doesn't forget. Especially, when I was too busy thinking about the roles of the ex-virgins and why they were still at the house.
Lourdes was on the list and seeing as I saw her as dad’s right hand lady. I was distracted with her trying to figure out what she was still doing there.
As soon as I arrived at the house, my head was throbbing from drinking too much in my study and driving. I was above the limit, but my visit to Lily soon sobered me up.
I want answers and I know that I’m not getting them from my dad. Besides I called him as soon as I left Lily’s and whatever I said to him earlier seemed to have shocked him into an oblivion. Her name meant something to him and as I entered the code to the house and the gates opened. I decided that the only one that could answer that was Lourdes.
She was the ears and eyes of this place that was for sure. She wasn’t just running it, but knew it’s secrets too and I was about to find out what was really going on.
Lily’s brother being in jail couldn’t be a coincidence, the whole thing had to be tied up, but how?
As the lights lit up as soon as I parked in front of the house, there was something creepy and authentic about this house. It had seen things that I’m sure if the walls could talk they could probably shock me. But right now, I’m not in the mood to be shocked, only wanting to learn the truth.
“Good evening Mr. Fisher we weren’t expecting you so soon,” a dark-haired girl says as I arrive at the front door. I didn’t even press the bell, even though I had a key. Where it was, was beyond my comprehension right now as m
y headache starts to take over my senses.
“Is Lourdes here?”
She nods, “She’s always here.”
I’m about to ask what she means by that as she steps to the side and I enter the hallway. The lights are dim as if they’re preserving energy, but as I progress into the hallway, it lights up. The marble flooring feel as if they’re a map and if I look closer then I will know the direction to follow.
She’s wearing an apron and maybe there’s something else going on in the house right now. As if she’s playing some kinky game with someone. She has a feather duster in her hand and then I shake my head, because I don’t give a fuck.
I came here for answers. Not to find out why the auctions only take place every six months. That never made sense to me, such a big house and with the membership list, why pay so much to be a member to possibly have access to a virgin once per year.
“This way. Follow me.”
I do just that as we walk through the hallway. I’m not sure why I never noticed all the pictures before. Men. Most likely portraits of family members. I recognize the one of my granddad as soon as we progress and then it hits me like a ton of nails. I never entered through this door when I first came. I came through the other entrance, it’s as if this house has so many and the gate that I entered was different from the other side.
“Did I take a wrong turning or something?”
“Excuse me?”
“The door, I don’t remember coming through here before.”
She smiles and says, “That’s because you didn’t.”
Then she continues to walk and I follow like a little child being taken to the principal’s office. She could be tricking me and leading me to a trap. My head is throbbing and then she stops and opens another door. There I see Lourdes on all fours, sucking Mr. Johnson’s dick as if her life depends on it. His head is back and he’s grunting as she uses her duster on his head and then her heads bobbing up and down like a bobbing doll.