Ilaria
The first time is always a lie … and we do it anyway
Natalie said nothing as she directed me up the stairs to the second floor of the house. She ignored my shame-filled expression, the way my legs shook, and how unsteady I was on my feet. I wasn’t sure if her attempt to give me a sense of privacy in a house made of glass helped or made it worse.
So many thoughts raced through my head. Had I done something wrong? Was I not the right type? Did my body not please him? What was it that made Elliot leave me on the floor like trash when he’d given me the most explosive moment I’d ever experienced? There were no answers to be found in the silence as Natalie directed me into a sumptuous room with cream and brown décor.
Once inside, she spoke for the first time. “Your bathroom is through the door to the left. It is completely enclosed, and there is a walk-in closet there. Tomorrow, after we go shopping, you’ll have that filled. I’ll alert the staff to not disturb you until I come for you.”
With that, she bowed and was gone. Lost in my thoughts, the exposed nature of the bedroom I’d found so breathtaking when we initially drove up had lost its splendor and left me uncomfortable. I padded quickly into the bathroom and found a large clawfoot tub inside. Expensive skin care, bath products, and white candles lined a shelf built into the wall and extended to the tub. I grabbed a set of matches tucked behind the largest candle. I needed low light and the ability to hide away. Turning the lights off the minute I got the candles lit, I filled the bathtub with fragrant orchid-scented water.
It was easier to take my clothes off in the dark and ignore the pang between my legs. My ass was sore, and the reminder of Elliot’s spanking only made me angrier. He’d chosen me. He’d seen me in the club and directed me to Infidelity. There was no way he hadn’t known I wouldn’t fit the normal clientele there and he’d be the perfect choice for me. And Elliot had seemed so intrigued and pleased when I told him I’d never been with a man.
Maybe the old saying was true. If you give the milk away for free, who would be interested in buying the cow? But, in essence, I was being paid handsomely to play the part Elliot wanted me to play, but tonight left me reeling. I didn’t know if he wanted me, or if he was disgusted by me. The idea of the latter made my stomach clench. I may not have been rich or beautiful, or even the most educated woman in the word, but I had a heart and soul. I loved and provided for my mother and earned my GED when no one had ever cared if I was smart enough to do more than smile big and pour a stiff drink. I didn’t deserve to be belittled or mistreated.
Still, it hurt.
The first man I’d ever allowed close to me, whatever the reason, had shunned me the minute he was finished. I let the water cover my body and soothe the aches. Maybe if I could erase his touch on my skin, it wouldn’t hurt so bad. If I could sleep away the memory, ten it wouldn’t hit as hard.
I knew I was fooling myself, but I tried anyway.
*****
The sun was bright, filtering through the clear windows, and it hadn’t allowed me to sleep as long as I wanted. I dressed in my attire from the night before, brushed my teeth with what was supplied in the bathroom, and was waiting for Natalie by the time she arrived.
When she stepped into the room, she squinted. “I forgot to show you the shading mechanism. I’m sorry.”
She picked up a slender remote next to my bed and pressed a button. The walls frosted before my eyes, blocking out the bright sun and leaving the room darkened. Recessed lighting kicked on and brightened the room again.
“Next time, tap this before bed, and the lights are timed to go off after a certain hour unless you hit cancel. No one expects you to sleep with the windows on clear.”
It would have been amazing to know that the night before, but I couldn’t help marveling once more at the ideas generated in the design of the house. This sort of money was what people dreamed of. But then, what happened the night before wasn’t a dream and felt more like a nightmare.
I didn’t see Elliot as Natalie escorted me out of the house and to a sleek sedan that wasn’t as flashy as the previous one. We passed the ride, with me just behind her in the backseat, in silence. By the time we made it through several of the stores, I was nothing more than a mannequin. Dresses, skirts, tops, and pants were piled into bags. She made sure I had shoes for every occasion, more than I could ever hope to have in my lifetime.
“This will have to do for now.”
“For now?” I stared at her, a hand over my heart. Who needs more than this?
“We will see what Elliot may require after he’s gone through your purchases.”
I swallowed the question on my tongue and didn’t ask when I may see Elliot again. It seemed pathetic to wish he wouldn’t have been able to stay away from me after what we’d shared. As we packed my things into the car, I chose to focus on what I could handle.
“Can you take me to the nearest internet café?”
Natalie paused. “What do you need? I may be able to assist you.”
“I just want to check up on my friends online.”
I wasn’t sure if she’d report everything back to Elliot, and right now I was in the prime mood to ignore him completely.
Natalie watched me for a moment. “Fine. Afterward, we’ll purchase you a laptop to use.”
It wouldn’t matter. By then I’d know exactly who Oren Demetri was, and maybe we could stop by his office before I even returned to Elliot’s home. We traveled a short distance before we pulled into a chic area of outside restaurants and people walking up and down the road. It didn’t take much longer before I was clicking may way through the internet.
OREN DEMETRI – FORMER CEO OF DEMETRI ENTERPRISES
Demetri Enterprises was much larger than I expected, a global company with their fingers in quite a few businesses across the United States as well. The headquarters was in New York and was now run by his son, Lennox Demetri. I clicked on Lennox’s picture, and for a moment vertigo assailed me. He and Elliot could have been twins, save for the slightly different colors of their eyes and a bit of difference in their builds. But the logo for the company didn’t look like the emboss on the medallion I had from my mother. Still, this man, or more aptly his father, was important to my future, and I needed to find a way to get to them.
A few more clicks and I had his information printed out to look over later. Natalie lifted her brow at the pages I clutched in my hand but thankfully said nothing. I’d make a plan, and I’d face whatever Elliot threw my way. He wanted to ignore me, toss me aside like I meant nothing after I’d shared myself with him? Then he could deal with it. Last night pushed me to a level I’d never been before, but I understood men. They played games, tossed aside women when they were done, and looking for the next one. Elliot, it seemed, was no different. I could play the game too. I could find my way, make my money, and get a new life. None of my thoughts mattered though.
I didn’t see Elliot for a week.