Chapter 3

Dom

The room was bathed in twilight even though it was morning. The drapes were on a timer and more often than not, I wanted them closed. As awareness flooded back, I spotted the thick strands of blonde hair around my arm, but for once I didn’t panic as I tried to recall her name and how she’d come to be in my bed. It was Samantha and she’d come because she wanted to be with me.

As corny as that sounded, it was rare. I knew I could have almost any girl I wanted, that I was rich and that I had the connections to make anything happen. That wasn’t why she was lying serpentine against me. She was there because she’d kissed me. I had to chuckle. Such a simple beginning to a night I didn’t want to end.

I slid out from beneath the petite woman and the remnants of the night to step into the temperature-controlled shower. I wanted it hot—as hot as the night had been. When I emerged, the towel around my waist, Samantha was waiting for me. She was wearing her uniform, sans socks or shoes, and held a cup of coffee out to me with a smile. How did I get so lucky? She was visually innocent, but I knew it was layered over a woman’s body and needs.

“Well, good morning,” I said, letting the towel drop to the carpet.

“Good morning yourself, and don’t be dropping any towels around here with a motive. I’ve got a casting call, remember? Anyway, you caught me off guard last night.”

“I did?” I said with mock defense.

“Okay, so maybe I wasn’t fighting you off, but still—I’m a working girl and not in the way you might hope.”

My face went serious. “I would never hope you’d be that kind of girl.”

There was a gentle tinkle—the housekeeper coming to prepare breakfast, I expected, but I was surprised. She generally just let herself in. I pulled on a robe and went to check it out.

It was George on the intercom. “A Mr. Eric Carter to see you, sir?”

What the hell? “Thanks, George. Send him up.” I stuck my head into the hallway. “Samantha, we’ve got company; Eric.”

“Should I leave before he gets here?” she called back, coming toward me with my cup of coffee.

“Kind of hard to do,” I said, plodding down the hall toward her to pull on some pants. “There’s only one elevator and he’s in it. Well, at least, public elevator. I’ll explain that another time. Anyway, there’s no reason for you to hide.”

The look on her face told me she was happy to hear that. I kissed her. “Let him in, would you, while I get some clothes on?”

I could hear their voices and then another as the housekeeper arrived. I sauntered down the hallway. “Eric! What brings you out before nighttime?”

He shook my hand. “Very funny. Listen I need to talk to you and it’s serious.”

“Okay, talk.”

“No, this is a sit-down kind of talk,” he said, eyeing Samantha.

“Well, I’ll be going,” she said, taking his cue.

“No, actually, I’d prefer if you’d stay,” I said.

“I have an appointment,” she said hurriedly.

“Ahhh, yes, well good luck with that and let me know how it goes. If you get the role, I’m buying up the front row of seats,” I told her. I kissed her and slipped my business card with my private number on the back into the palm of her hand. Marta, the housekeeper went about her duties, ignoring the rest of us. I walked Samantha to the elevator and kissed her again. “My number’s on the back. Call me later today when you can,” I whispered, not because I cared what the others thought, but because I wasn’t sure she wanted the others to know her business.

She nodded and stepped into the recently-arrived elevator, waving briefly as the doors slid closed and began its descent.

I walked back into the living room, pausing to snap on my monitors as I passed. “Okay, what is it that’s has you all worked up?” Eric was holding a cup of coffee, his features flushed and his eyes darting around. I knew he was flustered.

“Marta, could you tidy up the bedrooms and baths and come back to the kitchen later?” She nodded without looking up and disappeared to the back of the apartment. “Okay, Eric, let’s go into the study and you unload on me. I warn you, though, I’ve not had my breakfast yet and you might get claws.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know how you are,” he muttered as we entered the study and I closed the door. I motioned him to a side chair and I took up my station behind the desk where I could watch the computer screen, checking the opening numbers.

“So? What’s wrong?”

Eric was spinning his wedding band on his finger; a sure sign he was upset. “I went to the office this morning and got called on the carpet.”

Eric worked for his father-in-law, but in that case, he was asked to super perform instead of riding coat-tails. “Over…?”

“Satterly.”

“What happened?”

“Satterly called my father-in-law and complained about last night.”

I looked up momentarily. “Why? Didn’t you sell him?”

Eric shook his head. “He didn’t come to do business, you know that. He came here looking for a memorably wild night fucking his brains out.”

“So? Jesus, Eric, are you asking me for my little black book?”

“No, well, at least not all of it.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Just one page,” he ventured.

“Who? Not Mary Beth. I’m working on her daddy myself.”

“No, not her. The girl you brought last night.”

I nearly choked as I realized who he meant. “Are you talking about Samantha?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I seem to remember that was her name. The one who just left.”

“Yes, that’s Samantha and no, she’s not on the table. Not for Satterly, not for you and not for anyone.”

“Shit, Dom, you can’t do that to me. Look, my numbers are down. Really down. My father-in-law is ready to can me as it is, and I’ve been holding him off with the promise of landing Satterly. Then after last night, the bastard called and waved all his business under Father Butram’s nose, as long as Samantha is his—well, his personal escort—when he’s in town.”

“Not going to happen, Eric. You’ll have to find some other way to bail your ass out this time. I don’t deal in human sacrifice.”

“He’s not that bad. Maybe a little arrogant, but he stays on the side of the law.”

“I’m going to pretend we haven’t had this conversation, Eric. The answer is, was, and will always be no.”

“You can’t speak for her.”

“No, you’re right, I can’t. But, I don’t need to. She’s not that kind of girl.”

“Really? Wasn’t that her I saw walk out of here a few minutes ago with her delivery cap stuffed in her back pocket and a head full of hair needing to be combed?”

“I’m telling you, it’s not going to happen.” I let my voice rise and Eric stiffened. I had to keep it under control. “Why don’t you get Satterly another girl? Someone more like Samantha and less like…Zelda? Was that her name?”

“Okay, so I got his type wrong. You know men like him. They want what they can’t have.”

“Don’t care. Find him someone else.”

“I can’t, Dom. It’s her or I’m done. I’ll lose my license and Father Butram will see to it I’m ruined on The Street. I’ll never get another brokerage.”

“When did you become such a pussy? What’s with this ‘Father Butram’ stuff? Hell, I’ll throw business your way.”

Eric shook his head. “Not that easy. Satterly was a test. It’s him, or nothing.”

I got up and walked toward Eric. I could see him shrink in his chair as I approached. He really was a pussy. “Let me say this one last time,” I said solemnly, but only a foot or so from his face. “It’s-not-going-to-happen. Have I made myself clear? And don’t be bringing up old favors. I’ve paid you back a dozen times over for that.”

“I’m sorry to hear you say this, Dom. This is my survival, maybe even my marriage I’m dealing with here.”

“Okay, you’ve said your peace. I’ve got work to do, Eric.”

He stood up, gave a couple of half breaths as though he’d thought of something more to say, but decided against it. I heard him close the front door and went back to my work.