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"Welcome to Aurelius. Would you like something to drink? Coffee, tea, juice?" The woman shrank back against the damask settee. She was barely more than a girl. A girl with a nice fat bank account and a rich, ever-absent husband. She watched, eyes narrowed as the girl brushed back a fall of dark red hair, the enormous pink diamond ring on her hand glinting in the sunlight seeping in through the windows. "N-no. Thank you." The girl laughed self-consciously. "I can't believe I'm here. If my husband knew..." She sat back in her armchair and smoothed a hand over the folds of her silk crepe skirt. Always these justifications. It was really quite dull. "This is not about your husband. This is about you and making sure that you have what you want. That's what we offer here at Aurelius, freedom, desire without duty, pleasure without pain. Unless...that is what you enjoy in which case, I'm sure we could accomodate." The girl blushed crimson to match her hair. "Oh! No, no I just...it's just that my husband is so often away on business and I..." She put a well-manicured hand over the girl's small soft one. "Mrs. Finn, I understand perfectly. A wife, no matter how devoted, is still a woman. A woman with needs. After all, we are human, are we not? We all need to be touched, to be seen. There is no reason for embarrassment." The girl slumped in relief. "Yes, that's it. I just need to be seen. My husband doesn't see me." "Then, Aurelius can provide that." She opened the leather binder on the Queen Anne coffee table. "Please, take a look." She watched as the girl flipped through the pages of glossy photographs. Watched as the girl's eyes widened in admiration and desire. "They're all so beautiful." "Of course. We only offer the best." The girl's hand halted. "He is very handsome." She looked at the picture that had the girl so entranced. And had to bite back laughter. These girls, these spoiled rich society girls were all so typical. "Ah yes, William. You have excellent taste. He is quite charming and skilled." A young man smouldered up at them from the photograph. Hair impossibly unnaturally blonde, eyes blue and alight with forbidden promises. Lounging on a cream-colored divan, cigarette dangling elegantly from one pale long-fingered hand. Dressed in a crisp white dress shirt and slim-cut black trousers, barefoot. He was her greatest asset. Magnificently depraved. Beautifully ruthless. He could be a loose cannon though. Too many tearful phone calls from clients begging her to relay messages. They knew love was not part of the agreement. But the foolish girls fell anyway. She flipped the page and pointed to another photograph. "However, may I suggest Alexander? I think he would be more suitable to your wishes." Xander knew better than to let them fall in love with him. Xander was never problematic. The girl's pink lips curved into a slight pout. Stupid child. Stupid spoiled child. "He's very good-looking but I prefer the other one." She tried not to sigh. "Of course, whatever you wish. William is quite..." The girl opened her leather checkbook and uncapped her gold Mont Blanc pen. "I'll take him. Money is no object." "Three thousand." "Per day?" She smiled. "Per hour." The girl's eyes widened a little at that. But she wrote the check and handed it over. She inspected it. Almost a quarter of a million dollars. "Thank you, Mrs. Finn. Come back this afternoon at four. He will be waiting here for you. I hope you will enjoy your three days." The girl flushed in anticipation. "Yes. I'll be here at four." She walked the girl to the door and watched her get into her silver Jaguar convertible. She closed the door and picked up the old-fashioned ivory telephone in the foyer. *** "Oh! Oh! Oh, Spike! Yes!" He smiled down at the red-faced girl beneath him and thrust harder. Pushed her tanned legs over his shoulders. Her pink lips opened in a silent wail, eyes scrunched shut in ecstasy. She started to shake around him and he tugged on her dark hair, giving her that last bit of pain to push her over. He had been well apprised of her personal proclivities. She screamed. And then his cell phone beeped. Fucking hell. He gritted his teeth and waited for the girl to finish. When her head fell back against the pillows exhausted, he pulled out of her. Unrolled the condom and tossed it into the trash can with one hand, grabbing for his cell phone with the other. "Yes?" "William, finish up there and get the hell back here. You have a new client at four." "Fine. I'll be there soon." "Oh, and William?" "What?" "This new girl's delicate. Try not to let her fall in love with you." He punched the end button savagely when she started to laugh. Fucking cunt. He sat on the edge of the bed and started pulling on his boxers and dress shirt. The girl snuggled up to his back and ran her hands down his arms. "Can I see you again?" "You know the number to call." "Okay." She bit his shoulder playfully. He patted her thigh. "Kitten?" "Yes?" "Don't bruise the merchandise." He finished dressing under her hurt gaze and slipped out. |