COLE

“What do you want to do with your life?”

She was sitting opposite me on the long sofa by the window, glass of champagne in hand, her eyes half closed. She looked as if she thought she was dreaming and that she really didn’t want to wake up. She blinked and frowned when I asked the question. “Huh?”

“What do you want to do with your life?”

“Open an art gallery.”

Was that Melissa or Karina talking? Was she playing the part she’d been given or had she forgotten? “Really? Why haven’t you done it yet?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Course it is, you want to do something, do it.”

“That’s easy for you to say, Mr Billionaire. I need to sell a few paintings first.”

“Got any on sale?”

“A couple in the Simpson Gallery, do you know it?”

I nodded. “I’ve heard of it. Any interest?”

“I sold one last year. Nothing so far this year. I should probably give up.”

I leaned forwards on my seat, pointing a finger at her. “Listen to me. Never, ever give up. If I’d given up on my dreams I wouldn’t be where I am now, sat here across from a beautiful woman, surrounded by things I love.”

“I’m not like you.”

“You’re more like me than you think. I was where you are ten years ago. Would you believe I made my fortune in under a decade?”

“How? Give me your secrets!”

“There’s no secret. I took some risks and they paid off. I took more and they paid off too. Sure, in some ways I was lucky but I also worked damned hard. For the first two years I barely slept but now I can do what I want. Fate is a funny thing. Life is a game, you roll the dice and see what happens.”

“I’d roll two ones.”

“Stop talking like that,” I snapped. “You’re here now aren’t you. That was a roll. You said yes to working at the club, you said yes to dancing with me. All of those were rolls of the dice. You’re playing just as much as I am. Here.” I topped up her glass. “To the game of life.”

She raised her glass, frowning as she did so. “Why’s that poster on the wall?”

I turned my neck to look behind me. “A Week of Sundays? Have you seen it?”

“Seen it? I loved it! It’s one of my favourite films. It’s funny though, I didn’t think you’d be into a film like that.”

“I produced it.”

“Bullshit.”

“I did. Look for yourself.” I stood up and she joined me by the poster. I pointed to the writing at the bottom. “What does that say?”

“Executive Producer Cole Ford. Wow, you really did produce it. That’s incredible. It’s such a good film. What was that line? Something about taking chances.”

“No idea.”

“Don’t you know?”

I shrugged. “I can’t remember that much about it. I’ve produced a lot of films.”

“Supper, Sir,” a voice said from the doorway behind us. I turned to see the butler carrying a large silver tray. He set it down on the little table next to the sofa and then vanished as if he’d never been here.

“Excellent,” I said, turning to see Karina burst into tears. “What’s the matter?”

She sank onto the chair next to her, slumping downwards. “Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Come on,” I said, taking her hand in mine. “Tell me.”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Yes you can.”

“It’s just I know it’s all only a game and I’ll have to go back to my boring old life when it’s over. I know I’m not supposed to say anything, I’m just supposed to pretend but I don’t think I can do it.”

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Yes, of course I am.”

“Well, then that’s what matters.”

“But…”

“But what?”

“But you brought me here for sex and it’s just a game to you and you probably do it with ten different women a night but I’m not like that.”

I couldn’t tell her I did want sex. If I told her the first truth, I might end up telling her the bigger truth. That I wanted a hell of a lot more than just one night of sex with her. I wanted her. I wanted to worship her body and have her obey my every command but I couldn’t tell her that, not yet. It would terrify her.

Instead I said, “You have made me very happy this evening and I want to make you happy. There are three doors over there. One is my bedroom. One is a guest room and the third, well you can see for yourself. I want you to go and choose where you want to spend the night.”

“But…”

I waved away her protest. “Don’t think about tomorrow. Don’t think about anything but now. Go and choose. We are playing a game, and it’s your move.”

She opened her mouth as if to say something and then closed it again. I watched her walk over and open the first door. I gave her a few seconds before following, standing behind her as she looked in. “That’s my room,” I said.

“A house this big and you sleep downstairs?”

“Sometimes.”

She walked to the next door and pushed it open.

“The guest room.”

She nodded, glancing in before moving to the third door. I held my breath as she opened it, her face white as a sheet as she turned to me. “What’s that room?” she asked in a quiet voice.

“The play room. All the best games take place in there. See that swing?” She nodded. “That’s for you to sit in while I fuck you. That chair? The dildo would be inside you from the moment you sat down. Those buttplugs on the shelves, they’re for me to reward you if you’re good. The canes for if you’re bad. I’ve shown you the play room. Now do you want to go to sleep alone or play with me? Time to roll the dice.”

I watched her closely as she screwed up her face, shook her head, sighed, and then walked into the play room just as I heard a knock on the living room door.

I glanced over in time to see Reginald leaning in. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Sir but there is a lady who insists on speaking to you.”

“Let me in!” a voice screamed and I sighed, looking at Karina and rolling my eyes. I knew exactly who it was.

“Wait there,” I said, pulling the door closed on her confused face. “I’ll be right back.”