Hello! This is my first fanfic – well, my first published one. I wrote it in one day, and edited it in a few hours. It's not beta'd either, so please excuse any mistakes. It's inspired by the show The Girlfriend Experience and the book Girls by Nic Kelman. I was also listening to Money Power Glory by Lana Del Rey as I was writing it. (Are you sensing a theme here?)
Anyway, reviews are welcome. I would really love to know what you think, since this is the first time I've ever posted my writing online. Should I continue this?
Just a warning: this contains an explicit sex scene. There's a major age gap between Edward and Bella, there's cheating involved, and the characters have very questionable morality…so if those are not things you're comfortable with, please don't read this.
"You're screwed up and brilliant and look like a million dollar man." – Lana Del Rey
"Good evening, madams. Welcome to The Wolfgang. Do you have a reservation?"
"Hello. Yes, it's under…"
Bella looked around as Tanya gave the maître d' their names. The place was dark, detached, bordering on minimalistic, and air-conditioned to crisp coolness. She liked it. The low, dim lighting and black, shiny furniture were sexy in a subtle, but proud way. Everything, from the delicate but magnificent chandelier, to the fine crystal glasses glinting and winking elusively, to the leather and velvet of the upholstery and dark wood and glass paneling gently reminded you, at every turn, of its grandeur.
To fight the dark walls and interior, small, pale lamps were placed at the center of every table, and the hushed, suppressed conversation, along with the quiet, classical music provided an ambiance of secrecy and opulence.
She smiled involuntarily. She knew she was romanticizing it a bit, but oh, if only she had the means to live like these arrogant, indifferent beings. Wealth was lavished on such undeserving people, but their nonchalance was equally fascinating to her. She watched a couple who were sat at a table to the right of the entrance enviously. A woman, with shiny blonde hair whose back was to Bella was leaning across the table talking to an older, balding man in an expensive looking grey suit. She was wearing a vibrant red dress which, along with her hair, brought out a little more color and blended and contrasted beautifully with the warm lights of the lamps. From where Bella was standing, she heard the low tinkle of her laugh, and, a second later, the baritone chuckle of the man. Their postures were comfortable, relaxed... content. The woman held a wine glass negligently between long, pale fingers and gestured with her other hand as she talked, while he sipped from a triangular glass holding an amber liquid and occasionally nodded with his head down.
Bella felt a pang of melancholic longing. This place – it symbolized everything she wanted in life. Luxury. Affluence. Diamonds and suits and expensive drinks.
Well. That was why she was here, wasn't it? She felt her unease fade away, to be replaced by a new set of nerves, the good kind, the excited, buzzing, butterflies-in-your-stomach kind. Her uncertainty softened its grasp on her chest and she took a deep breath in the cool, fragrant air of the restaurant, bar... whatever this place was.
"If you'll follow me," said the man politely.
Tanya looked at Bella and smiled at her starstruck expression, and Bella smiled too, aware of her naivety. Tanya had been doing this for a while, but it was only yesterday that Bella had finally agreed to come along with her.
They'd been roommates, the two of them. Bella still remembered how miserable and lost she'd been those first few weeks at NYU. Tanya had made her feel less intimidated of the big, bustling city, showing Bella around, taking her to bar after bar, club after club, until her homesickness was a distant memory and the mere thought of going back to Forks – the small town where her small family of humble income and humble expectations lived – sent nasty shivers down her spine.
She used to marvel at it, it can't have been a coincidence that the two of them were placed together. They were too similar. They understood each other, helped each other out, had the same crude, dark sense of humor – if their colleagues and professors only knew what nicknames Bella and Tanya had invented for them, they would die of shock – and best of all, they respected each other's privacy and knew when to leave the other alone.
That was why Bella hadn't asked Tanya about any of this and had waited until she felt comfortable enough to share it with her, even though she was dying of curiosity. She remembered the first time she'd overheard Tanya talking to one of them on the phone, all but confirming Bella's suspicions.
"Yeah, baby, I love it," Tanya moaned in a sleepy, put-on girly voice, lying in bed with her pajamas on and her head bent over the edge, upside-down and invisible to Bella. "I like getting paid for sex. It turns me on. It makes me so wet and dir–" Bella had hurried off quietly.
She had been intrigued for a while, fantasized about it for hours at a time, especially after Tanya finally came clean about the whole thing, but she'd only started considering it seriously when Tanya moved out and bought her own apartment, one that no student of moderate income would ever dream own.
Tanya had sensed Bella's fascination and suggested a while ago that she come along ("you don't have to do anything, just come along, see what it's like"). She latched on whenever she saw a sliver of weakness in Bella:
"Come on, Bella," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "Look, I wouldn't be saying this if I knew you weren't already interested. But I know you are, okay? You forget I know you better than anyone. I know you wanna do it." Bella bit her lip. "Look at you – you're miserable. When was the last time you had a good night's sleep? Or ate something besides those disgusting noodles? Do it once and you wouldn't need to go back to that shitty job you have ever again. Do it a few times and you can finally be rid of that bitch of a roommate you're stuck with. It depresses me seeing you like this. Jesus."
"My parents, our classmates–"
"They'll never know. What, you think they hang around five star hotels and restaurants all the time? As far as they're concerned, we're still living in this apartment together. Aren't you tired of living like this? I was. And now I have everything I've ever wanted, just for a few tumbles in bed with some men. So what? I don't feel bad about it. I like it. And it would be so much more fun if you were with me."
For Bella, it wasn't a question of morality – her best friend didn't call her a sociopath for no reason (albeit, jokingly). No, it wasn't misguided sense of self-worth that pulled her back. Everyone had a price; it was just a matter of how much. Besides, it was only her body, and the way she looked at it, if a man was stupid enough to throw away thousands of dollars for a few hours of pussy, then who really was the loser here? If being a thousand dollars richer made her immoral, a whore, then so be it.
But she'd still been afraid for some reason, hesitant.
… until a few days ago, when Tanya had shown up to class in a sleek, black Mercedes. Pangs of envy had shot through her – the closest thing to a car she'd owned was that ugly, orange piece of junk of a truck her parents had given her for her birthday; she'd sold it as soon as she could without seeming rude or ungrateful – and she'd made her decision right then and there.
Yesterday, in the middle of a lecture, her professor's droning voice making her want to scream or throw one of her heels at him, she had finally snapped and leaned over to Tanya.
"I wanna come with you tomorrow night."
Tanya tried to keep herself in check, wary of catching the professor's attention, but her eyes burned with excitement. Bella, too, was suddenly almost trembling with nerves. God, was she really saying this? Was she really doing this?
Anxious, Bella felt the urge to lay down some rule or clarification.
"This doesn't mean that I have to do anything, right? Because I'm still not sure."
Tanya nodded emphatically. "That's okay, that's fine," she whispered. "Whatever you're comfortable with. We'll just sit down, you feel the guy out, and if you don't like him you can leave."
Bella breathed out. "Okay, that sounds good."
They looked at each other, and it took everything in them not to start tittering stupidly.
"We're bad. Oh, God," Bella squeaked.
"I know."
"Okay, the sloth is giving us the evil eye. We'll go to Al's later?"
"Sure. We'll talk about it there."
"This way, please." They were heading toward a separate, more private lounge, one with closed-off booths. They walked toward one at the very back of the room, in a corner where two middle-aged men sat talking.
"Relax," Tanya whispered to her as they followed the server. "I told Peter to tell his friend that this was your first time doing this and not to expect anything."
"What if he doesn't like me?" Bella whispered back, her heart pounding again. This hadn't occurred to her.
"Of course he'll like you. You're hot. Stop being so insecure."
"This is your table," said the server, and the two men raised their heads and turned to look at them.
"There you are," said the bulkier of the two, standing up. The other one followed, more slowly.
Tanya grinned. "Hiii," she murmured breathily. The man put his arms around her and gave her a languid kiss that lasted a few seconds too long. "I've missed you," she said in the same slow, breathy voice when they parted.
He nipped at her chin. "I've missed you too, kid," he murmured, then turned to Bella. "And you've brought a friend. You must be Bella," he offered his hand, smiling genially.
"Yeah," Tanya said, laying her head on his chest. "Bella, this is Peter."
Bella smiled and shook his hand.
Despite his fatherly tone and warmth, he gave her a completely obvious, completely suggestive once-over, staring at her dainty high heels and legs, stopping at her hips and breasts and finally meeting her eyes, not caring at all about his transparency.
And why should he? Bella thought. It's not like he's here for the conversation. Besides, it didn't bother her. She was wearing a tight, white bandage dress that ended just above her knees and pushed her cleavage up in a way even she couldn't stop admiring, along with sleek, milky-white, pointed heels. She looked good enough to eat. She wanted him to look.
In the span of those few seconds, she checked him out herself. He wasn't bad-looking. His hair was balding and he had a hint of a belly peeking out, but he exuded confidence and charm, which made up for his average appearance. He had nice teeth.
"What a lovely surprise. What a coincidence. I've brought a friend, and you've brought a friend," he teased affectionately, looking down at Tanya, and Tanya laughed, giving him a quick peck. "We're gonna have a splendid time. This is Edward."
"Ladies," Edward nodded, stepping forward. Bella's breath hitched nervously even before she looked up at him. And this one is for me.
Now he was sexy. Not in an obvious way, but everything about him screamed wealth and vitality – his height, his tailored black suit, his salt-and-pepper hair. His smell, oh Lord, he smelled so good, so sharp and clean. His voice, gravelly but smooth, like rock covered in silk, like he had a cold. His powerful built.
This man was paying her for sex? She would've done it for free, she decided. Just to be around him. Just to hear him speak in that voice. She'd only known him for a few seconds, but she was positive. Bella was not conservative about sex. In fact, she preferred casual flings to relationships. A line from a book she'd read recently came to her, and she marveled at how fitting it was for her at that moment. She cared not for substance, that was her big flaw: a morbid longing for the picturesque. This man represented everything she had longed for her entire life. This was a guy she wouldn't mind being seen in the arms of.
A brief image flashed in her mind, of them tangled in bed, of his impressive strength focused in between her legs, him breathing against her ear, whispering filthy things. Her legs shook. She felt a string being plucked somewhere in between her navel and crotch.
She smiled and stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Bella Swan." Tanya had told her to use an alias – hers was Claire – but Bella had chosen her middle name. Besides, even though she preferred it, no one but her parents and Tanya called her Bella. To everyone else, she was just plain old Marie. She'd picked Swan as her last name, simply because she liked the way it sounded with Bella.
Edward smiled too, a dry, lopsided, ironic smile that made him look that much handsomer. He removed one of his hands from his pocket to shake hers. It was big and warm and tan compared to her pale one, which felt delicate and tiny in his grasp. The image flashed again.
"Bella," he shook his head, and made way for her to sit down. "Your name doesn't quite cover it."
Bella blushed and sat down primly. "Thank you."
As she was making herself comfortable, Edward leaned in to whisper something in Peter's ear, to which Peter laughed and replied, "Of course."
Edward looked to be in his late forties, maybe forty-six, which made him at least 20 years older than her. She made a mental note to watch her words; she'd hate to look stupid. The young part was inevitable.
He raised his hand and gestured to a waiter. "What're you drinking, Bella?"
She bit her lip. "Pick something for me?"
He smiled that same dry smile; she caught his eyes flickering quickly to her cleavage, before he turned around to talk to the waiter. After their drinks were brought, Peter and Tanya fell into easy chatter, Peter's arm was curled around the back of Tanya's seat and she leaned into him a she spoke quietly, their faces inches apart. He listened to whatever she was telling him attentively, his eyes roaming over her face. Easy familiarity.
Edward leaned back comfortably. "So, Bella, where are you from?"
She took a sip of her drink. Tanya had told her to be truthful, but not too specific. "Washington."
"What are you doing in New York City? Are you a student?"
"Yeah, I'm in law school," she said, trying not to look too proud.
He nodded approvingly. "I went to law school myself."
"Really?" she said, a little excited. "It's hard, isn't it?"
"Well, I hope it is hard. We don't want anyone in court with a manual."
She giggled.
"And what made you wanna become a lawyer?" he asked, smiling.
She shrugged. "I don't know, it wasn't one specific thing. My parents never went to college; I guess I didn't wanna end up like them." He stared at her, his green eyes sharp and intimidating, waiting for her continue. She shook her head quickly. "I know that sounds bad. They don't have a difficult life, they're very happy and content, actually. But...I didn't wanna live that way."
"How would you like to live?"
"I want to travel and see the world; I didn't wanna be stuck in a small town for the rest of my life. I like…excitement and uncertainty," she looked away from him intentionally, staring at the table with unfocused eyes. "All they know is stability and tradition, like having the same dinner every Christmas, or waking up at the same hour every day, having the same predictable sex every night, I don't want to live like that," she repeated, her face flaming when she realized what and how much she'd just revealed, how melodramatic and naïve she probably sounded.
Edward was looking at her curiously, smiling, but his eyes had darkened, and she had a feeling he was only really paying attention to her now. She knew that because he'd been somewhat repressed before, only humoring her while he nodded and (probably) thought about what was to come. Go figure, she thought sarcastically, the one thing I promised myself not to do is what gets him interested. For a shy introvert, Bella had this weird urge to talk a lot and fill every silence, as if she were subconsciously making up for her timid nature. It had started a long time ago, as a way to stop people – such as her classmates, who were unnerved by her flat gaze and unending silence – from giving her odd looks. She didn't have much control over it now.
His eyes kept roving over her face as she talked, and she tried to see herself through them. Was she his type? No doubt he'd met and slept with hundreds of beautiful women in his life – he was charming and rich. She was beautiful as well, but her features were a bit unusual, and not one one went to plastic surgeons to copy, but that made her a rarer kind of beauty. She had a small, but pouty mouth, which had a purplish-red hue, like she was constantly chewing on it, a short, small nose, and big brown eyes with full eyelashes. Those, coupled with her little chin, alabaster skin, and long, shiny, mahogany hair that framed her heart-shaped face and fell down in loose waves, gave her a distinctly doll-like appearance.
He chuckled and took a sip of his drink absentmindedly. "Does that make me your little rebellious project?" He stared at her and cocked his head to the side, the small, ironic smile now in his eyes. "Is that why you're sleeping with men twice your age?"
She put her glass down. "No. I'm not proving a point. I do what I want…I'm not ashamed of it."
"You shouldn't be. It's a fair trade."
The sudden sound of a phone ringing broke their gazes. Peter fished in his pocket and pulled his out, looking at the screen. "Shit, I gotta take this."
He stood up and walked a little further from the table, but his voice was easily discernible in the hushed corner as it floated over to them. "Hi, sweetheart... no, that's fine... Edward and I are grabbing drinks..."
"It's his wife," Edward leaned back, completely unbothered.
"Ah," Bella nodded nonchalantly.
"So how did you girls meet?" he asked them.
Bella looked at Tanya. "Well...we went to Catholic school together."
"All-girls?"
"Yup." Bella and Tanya said at the same time, which made them laugh.
"Oh yeah? Did you wear those skimpy little schoolgirl outfits and have sleepovers?" Edward's eyes were shining.
Tanya laughed again. "We did."
Bella smiled at her. "We gave our male teachers quite a hard time, actually."
Edward smirked. "I bet you did. I bet you were a hell of a tease."
"We dated each other for a while," Tanya explained.
"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Yeah," Bella nodded. "But then she got jealous, so we broke up."
"Because she slept with our teacher," Tanya finished.
"Bullshit," Edward chuckled, and the girls burst out laughing. "But thanks for the imagery."
Peter came back, the phone still to his ear. "Yeah... yeah... I won't... love you. Bye." He hung up. "Sorry about that," he said good-naturedly. "Are we ready to order yet?"
"I think you should come closer, Bella," Edward said after Tanya and Peter had entered back into their own world.
She smiled. "Okay, Edward." She shuffled over until their faces were inches apart, until she could see the small, grey stubble over his cheeks. The lamp cast shadows across his face, turning his already hooded eyes into two black sockets, the wrinkles around his mouth, eyes and on his forehead turned more severe. His smell was intoxicating. "So what do you do?" she asked.
"I'm a real-estate agent."
"Do you like being a real estate agent, Edward?" She asked, somewhat teasingly.
He took a sip of his drink. "It's fine. The pay's alright."
"You don't look like one."
He laughed; the lines around his eyes charmed Bella. "Don't I now? What do I look like then, Miss Swan?"
"Hmm..." she considered him – his wrinkle-less suit, his self-possessed posture – narrowing her eyes. "You look like...a politician." A president.
He laughed. "God help me if I were. I'd be in a lot of trouble."
"Why is that?" She asked innocently.
He brushed a hand across her cheek, down toward her jaw, moving her hair away from her face. "Because I have a weakness for beautiful girls with smart mouths."
"I like a man who knows what he wants."
He laughed. Loud enough that Peter and Tanya looked over at them. She got the sense that Edward was half laughing with her, half laughing at her, but she didn't mind. She didn't mind appearing naïve in some situations. He obviously found it charming.
"You have no idea what kind of man I am, Bella."
"I think I do."
"I like you Bella," his eyes shone. "You're stunning."
She smiled and pushed her hair to one side. His eyes dipped to her breasts, her full, naked chest. "I like you too."
"I'd like to see you again, I think."
She leaned in to give him a better view, fluttering her lashes. "Why, are we going to become friends?"
"Is that what you want?" he said flatly.
She pulled back. "No. I don't want to be friends."
"Neither do I." He downed the last of his scotch. "I've had a long day. You wanna go?"
She bit her lip, looking over at Tanya. "Okay."
"We're gonna take off now," Edward announced, standing up. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few hundred dollar bills from his wallet.
Peter pushed his hand back. "I got it, man." He chuckled and shared a look with Edward. "So soon?"
Bella waved at Tanya tentatively as Edward guided her through the tables. "Call me!" Tanya called out to her.
The car was sleek, deadly power. Edward pressed a button in his hand and the headlights winked. His hand was still placed gently on her lower back as he led her toward the black Audi.
He opened the door for her, waited till she got in, then slammed it and walked towards the driver's side.
Bella was breathless. The interior was just as intimidating as the exterior. Edward got in and the car rumbled to life. She imagined herself driving in this every day. The looks she would get. Just the thought made her grin. She would sleep with Edward a thousand times if it meant driving in this every day.
They rolled out of the parking lot and onto the streets of New York. The lights, the people, the busy streets... things that used to frighten her, now she couldn't get enough of. She leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the air-conditioned, quiet darkness seep through her. An involuntary smile formed on her lips.
"Hmm. This feels nice."
He took her hand and gently guided it to his crotch, palming himself with it. "How does that feel?"
Her breath hitched. "Hard," she whispered hoarsely.
Edward drove fast, one hand gripping the bottom of the steering wheel carelessly as he maneuvered through traffic. He sped over a bridge, and before she knew it, they were stopping in front of a building in midtown Manhattan. She slid out of cool leather, giddy and conscious of the bystanders' awestruck looks as they walked by. She wondered what they were thinking: a young woman in the arms of a much older man, the car. Her lips twitched. She decided she liked being his arm candy. Now she understood why some men scorned women who chased wealth. Their derision wasn't borne out of some moral or ethical high ground, but of envy and jealousy for the man; they, too, could've lived like that – drove around with beautiful women, entered hotels with beautiful women – if only they'd been born lucky, wealthy.
Her heels came in contact with the pavement and a second later, she was out and staring up at a big, magnificently tall building. Her heart skipped a beat. It was the Waldorf Astoria hotel. Edward walked around the car, and she quickly composed herself before they both headed toward the entrance.
"Good evening, madam, sir. Welcome to The Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Are you checking in?"
"Yeah." Edward's hand was back on her as he led her through the door. He gave his car keys to a valet.
"Do you have any luggage, sir?" The doorman asked.
"No," Edward said, walking briskly into the foyer.
Bella smiled at his sudden impatience. He quickly checked in and with an air of familiarity, led them toward an elevator. Punching a button, he grabbed her arm and all but dragged her into it.
It was just the two of them. They stood side by side as the elevator moved upward. Only a few seconds had passed before Edward could bear it no longer and turned suddenly to latch his mouth onto hers, making her stumble and hold on to him. He pulled her close and squeezed her ass tightly, his lips locked on hers, nostrils flared, breathing heavily.
He pulled away when the elevator reached their suite, and stepped aside to let her out.
Inside their rooms, he backed her into a wall, kissing and grabbing at her sloppily. She heard a little rip as he pulled at the fabric on her chest until one of her breasts plopped out. He leaned down quickly to suck the perky, pink nipple into his mouth.
"Oh," said Bella, rolling her eyes closed, holding the back of his head to her. Edward hummed. His warm, wet tongue made her shake all over. Then he bit her. "Ahh, Edward."
He pulled back, yanking at his belt to free himself. "Get on your knees," he said hurriedly, panting.
She obeyed, looking up at him, doe-eyed, waiting for him.
"Suck my cock." The command came a second too late, as he shoved himself into her mouth. Bella choked a little around him. He didn't seem to care – he seemed to like it, pushing harder in and out of her mouth, holding her head in an iron grip so it wouldn't move. The only sounds in the quiet room were her gurgling and his labored, guttural breathing. All she could do was grip his thighs, fingers digging into the smooth fabric as he moved deep in her throat.
He slid out of her, his cock dripping pre-cum and saliva. "Get up," he ordered.
She obeyed shakily. Her mouth glistened, wet, her red lipstick smeared all over.
"Take your dress off. No, leave your shoes on," he said when she bent to remove them.
By the time she got the tight dress around her waist, he got impatient again. His lust was a palpable, almost dangerous thing. He moved them toward one of the sofas. Bending her over it, he pushed up her tight dress so that it all bunched around her waist, then slid down her panties. She heard the rip of a condom wrapper and a second later, he was pushing his cock slowly into her.
"Oh, fuck," he breathed. "Oh, fuck."
He savored it for one second, both of them closing their eyes in relief, before he started to go hard, fast. Bella emitted a loud noise, somewhere between a moan and a whine and arched her back, offering herself, pushing herself into him. This was what she lived for – such sweet, exquisite burning having a long, hard cock move in and out of her, feeling her own tightness, her own warmth and pliancy.
"I'm gonna come," he slurred as he drove into her. Her body – frail, soft – lurched forward with every slam of his hips, flung around like a rag doll against his brute strength, her breasts bouncing up and down. His hands squeezed her hips, keeping that part of her joined to him as he moved. She turned her head around to kiss him, open-mouthed, her arms going over the side of his neck to fist in his hair. She whimpered into his mouth as his hips hit her ass, feeling infinitely smaller against him. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, hot, wet, all-consuming. The stubble on his chin pricked her skin. They kissed passionately for a full minute until another powerful thrust propelled her forward, bending her over. Her fingers dug into the back of the sofa.
She was incapable of speech, only communicating through screams and moans and pants. She caught herself chanting and sobbing, "baby, baby, baby, yeah, yeah, just like that, yes," in a small voice. She'd never called anyone baby. She almost laughed, feverish with the pleasure.
Her feet left the ground after every slam of hips. Edward finally curled an arm around her to keep her in place, to stop her from keeling over the sofa, her breasts mashed together against his biceps. He pulled her into him until her back was completely cemented against his chest, and then he doubled the force of his thrusts, his arm the only thing stopping her body from propelling forward.
"Ah...ah!" Bella screamed, convulsing.
His gravelly voice, wet against her ear. "You like that, you fucking cocktease?"
She went limp in his arms, almost crying with the force of her orgasm.
"Face me," he grunted, slipping out at the same time. Not waiting until her feet were properly back on the ground, he quickly spun her around. And then he was back inside her again, pounding into her as her legs went around him. His hands dug into her small thighs, breathing hotly against her ear. She grabbed the back of his shirt in a fist, answering his deep moans with her little ones until a few seconds later he, too, came, his groans muffled against her neck. He stilled.
It took a few seconds for him to come down from his high. When he did, he slipped out of her and she uncurled her legs from around his waist.
When he moved to let her go, her legs gave out. He caught her quickly. "Easy."
"I can't feel my legs," she croaked, her throat tender from the blowjob and screaming.
"You alright?" He panted, rubbing her back up and down and squeezing her ass. "Are you good?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. You can let go now."
He chuckled and slowly let her go. "That was..." he let out a whistling breath.
She blushed, face hot, moving hair out of her face. "Yeah."
Somewhere close to them, a phone started ringing, making her jump. He moved to where his pants were discarded at some point during their sex and pulled out his phone from one of the pockets. He frowned at the caller ID.
"I have to take this. Bathroom's over there. Clean yourself up; take a shower if you want to."
"Okay." She jumped down from the back of the sofa and walked towards where he indicated, taking her handbag with her.
"Hey, Gar, what's going on?" She heard Edward say. "What? You gotta be kidding me. No, no, I just came from that meeting..."
She closed the door, finally taking her dress off. The bathroom was golden and huge. Everything was separated by glass. She stood in front of one of the big mirrors and stared at herself. Her body was one big, splotchy bruise. Her breasts were swollen, nipples tender and large. Two big, red circles covered her cheeks. Her hair was a beautiful mess. She laughed quietly and turned around, admiring her ass, jutting it out, wanting to see herself through his eyes. It was red like most of her. Light purple curled around her waist, under her breasts, on the slope of her neck and in the valleys of her collarbones. Her makeup was a mess, but she still looked hot.
She peed and took a quick shower. After drying off and reapplying her makeup, she checked her phone.
(4) missed calls
(5) new messages
She got a funny feeling when she saw that two of the calls were from her dad – God, if only he knew where her daughter was, what she'd just done with a man who was probably as old as him. Another was from Jake, an annoyingly persistent but well-meaning guy in her class. The other was from Tanya.
Guess you're busy right now, read one of her texts. Wink emoji. Call me when you can. Immediately.
Then, right below that: Actually, don't call. I'm leaving with Peter.
By the time she stepped out of the bathroom, Edward was still talking on the phone. The big TV was on, and he was leaning back on the sofa, feet propped up on the glass table, nursing a drink. He was frowning angrily.
"I don't care about any of that... no... No, don't give me those excuses... He was your guy... He could've caught his mother in a gangbang and it still wouldn't make a valid excuse. Do you realize what this does to us?"
He held up a finger for her to wait when he saw her. She looked around. Edward had pounced on her the second they were inside, so she hadn't had a chance to taken in much. The place was spacious, royal. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the brightly lit city and glamour of New York at night.
"Yeah, well, tell him to stick it up his ass." He placed his feet back on the ground and leaned forward. "He screwed up, and you're getting sloppy. No more fucking around, you hear me? ...I said, do you hear me?... I'm calling quits on the whole thing... it's not under his jurisdiction… Well that's why we're paying him, isn't?... Tell him to get me some viable information ASAP, or it's over..." he sighed. "Alright, I gotta go. Call me if anything comes up."
He hung up as she was putting her earrings back on.
"Is everything alright?" Bella asked, a little bit fascinated.
"Fine," he sighed, running a hand across his face. "My partner just cost us forty million dollars."
"Oh, I'm… sorry," she said, not knowing how to reply to something like that, thinking, How could he be so nonchalant about it? How rich would you have to be to not be fazed by losing that much money?
He gave her a slow once over. "Come here."
Bella sashayed forward and sat on his lap. She looked down, running her hands up his chest, and hummed. His hands moved back and forth across her thigh, caressing her ass. "You're a tiny little thing."
She smiled. "Is that bad?"
"No. It makes wanna go even harder on you." He chuckled, pushing her hair away from her face and neck, his eyes landing on the bruises blooming there.
"You can go as hard as you like," she whispered sultrily.
"Shouldn't have said that, Bella. Here, give me your phone number." He unlocked his phone and handed it to her.
"Does that mean you want me back?" she teased.
"Of course I do. Best sex I've had in a while." His hands slowly came up to squeeze her breasts. She laughed, tapping in her number. He tugged down on the neckline of her dress like he did before, until her breasts spilled out of the tight opening.
"I kept thinking about doing this during dinner."
"Well that would've turned a few heads. And here I thought you were listening to me."
"I gave it to you good, didn't I?" he said smugly, leaning forward to suck her nipple into his mouth. Bella huffed out a laugh, face hot. Throwing the phone on the sofa, she cupped the back of his head as his mouth engulfed her nipple, his hand squeezing her other breast tightly. His lips inched up to her neck. "You've never been fucked like that, have you?" She huffed again, never used to this kind of play-talk, and made to move away, but he held her firmly against his body.
He leaned back and searched her face. "Well, have you? Did the boys in your little small town ever give it to you like that?"
"Yeah, they did," she said in amused defiance, fixing herself back up.
He clicked his tongue. "You're a terrible liar. Won't make a good lawyer," he teased, nipping her chin. "...which reminds me..."
He leaned forward to grab an envelope on the table, sliding it onto her lap. "You should've asked for your money beforehand."
She nodded, pushing her hair behind her ear – a nervous habit. "I know."
"Don't be ashamed of it." His hands roved all over her. "You've earned it, sweetheart. God, I'd love nothing more than another round of this sweet, tight body of yours, but I have an early day tomorrow," he sighed, taking a sip of his drink. "There's a cab waiting for you outside."
"Alright." She stood up, grabbing her handbag. "Goodnight, Edward. I had fun tonight."
He smiled, but he was already distracted, looking over at his phone. "So did I. Bye, sweetheart."
Outside, a valet led her to her cab and opened the door for her. She gave the driver her directions and leaned back to look out the window, sighing. Something was fluttering in her chest, happy but wistful. She didn't want to go back to her claustrophobic apartment with its cracked walls and washed out furniture and bitch of a roommate. To her surprise, she started to tear up. Tanya was right. That life wasn't meant for them. It was so unfair. And now that she had a taste of this other life, she would rather die than go back to her old one.
She remembered the envelope. She ripped through it eagerly, nervously, sighing when she saw the crisp hundred dollar bills stacked neatly inside. She started counting...1...5...10...30...60...100...150. Growing more and more incredulous the longer she counted. He'd given her $15,000. She covered her mouth with her hand, shocked, wanting to jump up and down. He had no idea what this meant to her, how this could – would – change her life.
She unlocked her phone quickly and called Tanya, ignoring her friend's previous message.
"Finally," Tanya said excitedly. "Peter's in the other room. Tell me everything."
"How much was Edward supposed to give me?"
"Um, five thousand? Why?"
"There's fifteen thousand in this envelope."
"No way. You slut, what did you? Anal?" Tanya asked playfully.
"No," Bella laughed.
"Well... he was probably just feeling generous. Like I always say, God bless horny, bored, old millionaires." Bella laughed. "That's pocket money for them."
"Tanya? Do you ever stay the night at Peter's? Or any of the others'?"
"It depends. Peter's given me free reign of one of his houses, God knows he has enough of them. I can stay there whenever I like. Why?"
"Nothing, just curious."
"Come on, why?"
"I dunno. It just took me by surprise that I was off the hook so quickly."
"You say that like it's a bad thing?" Tanya teased, then turned serious. "Honey, Peter and Edward are two very different people. Peter's more generous with his places, and as you just found out, Edward is generous in other ways."
Bella sighed, deflating. "I don't wanna go back to my shitty apartment. Just thinking about Jessica's whiny voice makes me wanna cry."
"Why don't you come to me? We have a lot to talk about anyway."
"Didn't you say you were with Peter?"
"Yeah, we're in this hotel. He's leaving in a few minutes." Bella listens to her friend shuffling around for a few seconds. "You won't believe what one night here costs; I don't want the money to go to waste so I'm staying here for the night."
"Okay. Give me directions."
When the cab stopped in front of yet another luxurious-looking hotel, a bubble of excitement and laughter started in Bella's chest. If anyone had told her a week ago she'd be dining and sleeping in five-star restaurants and hotels, she would've, well, laughed.
She took in the spacious foyer as she walked towards the elevator. This hotel was different than the one she and Edward checked into. Where theirs was warm, royal golds, this was dim, dark ambience.
The door to Tanya's room was already open. "Bells?" She called.
Bella found her in the bedroom, sitting on a large, king-sized bed in a robe, hair wet, phone in hand. "Hey."
"Hi." They both grinned. Ignoring the soreness between her legs, Bella rushed forward and threw herself on the bed.
"Well you look freshly fucked."
"Did I just do what I think I did?"
"Yup. And," Tanya flourished out a card. "I have a treat for you. Peter just took off, but he left his credit card for us."
Bella's eyes widened. "Seriously?"
"Yup. He gave it to me when I told him you'd be coming here too. He wants us to have a good time. Wait, let me text him and let him know you're here."
She picked her phone up again and started typing, her nails making quick tapping noises on the screen, grinning from ear to ear. There was a buzz as he replied and Tanya burst into giggles.
Bella laughed. "What's he saying?" She sat up to look.
"He's telling us to order whatever we want...and that he's fantasizing about us having hot, passionate sex."
"What, me and you?"
Tanya nodded.
"Ooh, maybe we should," said Bella playfully. She licked Tanya's neck. Her friend snorted and shrugged her off. "Tell him we'll film it and send it to him."
Tanya mouthed the words as she typed in her reply. "What...about...you? We'll...take turns...sucking...your cock." And it was Bella's turn to burst out laughing.
Tanya put her phone down. "So," she grinned...then shook her head. "No, room service first and then you tell me everything."
She picked up the telephone on the nightstand. Bella took her heels off as Tanya ordered their food, then gestured excitedly for her friend to give her the phone.
"Uh, what's your most expensive bottle of champagne?" Bella asked, gazing at Tanya. "Six hundred dollars?" Tanya twirled her finger. "More expensive," she whispered to Bella.
"What's your most expensive bottle of wine? Nine hundred dollars?" She paused. A devilish glint formed in her eyes. "Can we get both? Oh, and the roasted chicken, please. You want anything else?" she asked Tanya, who shook her head. "That's it. Thank you."
"Do they have a spa?" She asked after hanging up.
"Yeah, you wanna go?"
"Duh."
They fell back on the bed. Tanya turned on her side to look at Bella. "I can't believe you're here. Spill. How was it?"
"Hmm," Bella hummed, smiling. She turned to gaze at the ceiling. "It was so hot. I've never done it like that."
Tanya leaned over her, her eyes twinkling. "Was he big?"
Bella giggled. "Yeah. And he was, like, really rough. But I liked it. It was so... animalistic. Is Peter like that too?"
Her friend raised her eyebrows. "I told you older guys are better. And no...I mean, we can be rough, but not often or too much. He's fun though. I like sex with him. Peter actually makes an effort." She lay back down. "One of my clients before him, he couldn't last more than a few seconds. You should've seen me, it was the best acting of my life."
Bella frowned. "I don't know, I don't think Edward really cared whether I came or not, but it still felt good."
She thought about him in the silence that followed. The planes of his face, the wrinkles around his mouth and eyes. His brown hair, full and parted from the side, graying around his ears. His green eyes, hooded, making him look like he was squinting. She had pegged him for a slow lover, controlled, as opposed to controlling, but she had been wrong.
"Why do you think they do it?" she asked out of the blue. "I mean, they're not bad looking, they're wealthy...they could have any woman they want."
Tanya thought about it. "I don't know. My theory is: they're bored; they've seen and done everything – now they wanna know how much they can get away with. Most of these men, they're natural risk-takers, which makes sense, I suppose, they didn't get where they are by playing it safe."
"Maybe," Bella whispered. "Maybe they want to feel young again, and the only way to do that is through us. They could have experienced prostitutes, but they choose us, dine and talk with us because we make them feel young. I don't know. I don't think that's the whole reason, and it frustrates me because I don't know what is," she paused, frowning. "I used to think I was good at reading people. I'm starting to realize that there are types of men – of people – that I've never come across."
Tanya nodded. "Like they're always one step ahead of you?"
"Yes!" Bella exclaimed. "All the way to the restaurant, I kept thinking how dumb these men were, throwing away money for nothing. How desperate. How easy they were to manipulate. But now I realize he had the upper hand all along...I just don't know why. What is it that makes them the ones in control? It should be us."
Tanya laughed. "The rich are always the ones in control. But I know what you mean, you don't have to explain it to me."
"Maybe it's a rich people thing," Bella concurred. "I mean, I can be shrewd. I can be unemotional." She remembered Edward's abrupt dismissal. "But not to that degree. It depresses me, but at the same time, the practical side of me envies it… I wish all people were that clinical and cold."
"It's just a phase, Bella. I was going through it too when I first started. I thought I knew men, how to seduce them, outsmart them. How to make them do what I wanted. But these guys, they're only letting you believe you're taking advantage of them."
"And then you realize they saw through you all along," Bella finished for her. "They were in charge from the start; they were only humoring you."
"Yeah. So don't ever try to trick them. And don't ever get attached. These guys, they like to play God." Tanya snorted. "They have everything, and it bores them. So the only way they get high, feel things, is when they're doing something they're not supposed to do. Dangerous and risky things that have the potential to cost them everything. Eventually, they'll get bored of me and you, too. They're in constant need of a bigger fix, so have fun, enjoy it while it lasts. Don't feel guilt. This won't be a lifelong career."
"I know. Anyway. I'm quitting my job tomorrow. God, it's going to feel good."
"YES! Now let's stop psychoanalyzing millionaires and get to the juicy bits. What exactly did you do to make him reward you so generously the first time you've ever been together?"
"So what does this 'agency' do, exactly?" Bella asked during lunch the next day.
They were back in the real world. Bella didn't remember ever having so much as she did last night with Tanya. They ate exotic food and drank rich wine that tasted like the night sky. They went to their spa treatment. Back in their room, they played loud music and jumped up and down the bed, dancing and laughing until tears were streaming down their eyes. When they were too tired to move anymore, they went to sleep in a drunken, messy heap at the foot of the bed at 5 am.
She'd thought she'd feel miserable and dejected going back to her normal routine after such a spectacular night – waking up early, going back to her dorm to dress and put on makeup when all she wanted to do was get back under the covers of her bed, constantly telling Jessica to keep quiet – but having Tanya with her lessened those feelings somewhat, and her fears that last night was a dream, or a onetime thing, were assuaged. Miraculously, she was able to go back to her dreary classes and endure Jessica's stupid questions. Last night the mere idea seemed impossible.
"They find out the client's background, see if they're trustworthy," Tanya answered, taking a bite of her fries. "There's this woman, Victoria. She takes care of the bookings. She tells me about the men, what they want, what they look like, if they're assertive, laid-back, how much they're willing to pay, etcetera, and I decide if I wanna meet them. Basically, she saves me the trouble of finding clients on my own. If you're planning to continue this, you will need someone like Victoria. Do you wanna meet her? I could introduce you."
Bella shook her head. "No, I'm just curious."
"If you meet Vic, she's gonna wanna book for you. You're hot, and smart, and funny."
"But they take thirty percent of your money!" Bella said. The lawyer in her was incensed. "That's a bit much, don't you think?"
Tanya shrugged. "They make my job easier, safer. So I don't mind."
"How do you know if a client likes you?"
"Pretty simple. You have tits, a nice ass, a shaved vagina," Tanya sipped her coke. "…and you're willing to be cummed on. That's pretty much all you need in your resumé."
"Don't be crude," Bella said, rolling her eyes. She bit her lip. "I feel so dirty sometimes. But...there's a part of me that enjoys it. Does that make me sick?"
"No. I love it; I get off on it, to be honest. Listen," Tanya shrugged. "I'm an independent, educated, career-oriented woman, but every once in a while, I just wanna be spoiled and taken care of. It's stress-relief for me as much as it is for them." She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "I don't mind being objectified or debased in that environment," she admitted. "It makes me feel wanted, sexy. The other men in my life – men from school, men I've dated – are so restrained, polite. Once in a while, I like a man who says what's on his mind, does what he really wants to – it's refreshing. It turns me on."
"But don't you feel guilty?" Bella asked. "I mean, they have wives, families."
"If it's not me, it's some other girl. So no."
Bella didn't either, and it worried her. Or at least, she wanted to be worried.
"Besides," Tanya went on, "what we're doing has absolutely nothing to do with emotions. Peter loves his wife; I know that because I've heard the way he talks to her on the phone. I'm sure Edward does too. And they would never jeopardize that relationship or throw away everything they've worked for all their life for some other woman. But they'll still fuck us. The thing is, to them, those are two very different things. To Peter, loving his wife has nothing to do with him wanting to have sex with me. That's just the way it is for men."
"But how can someone be like that? Are rich men so pro in detachment they can compartmentalize every single aspect of their life?" Bella asked.
Tanya sighed. "You know, Bella, for such a logical, realistic person, you're strangely emotion-driven."
"I'm not. I told you, I'm envious of it. And it's not like I haven't already slept with Edward."
"He's a grown man, Bella," Tanya shrugged. "He has a family, he has a wife. He has children. He's set for life. Don't ever mistake anything he does for emotion. It's purely physical, done for his benefit. That's why he pays you. First time I met Peter, he gave me two thousand bucks just to listen to him rant about his work. He called it a gift."
"Why?" Bella asked, genuinely curious. "If it's just to talk..."
"I won't pretend to understand it," Tanya conceded. "All I know is that if they cared about substance or only wanted someone to talk to, trust me, they wouldn't be going to a bunch of twenty year-olds. They have their own friends, people their own age, for that. What we're doing is all business. To them, it's mere entertainment. They know that perfectly well, and it's in your best interest to know that as well."
They ate their food slowly, thinking.
"You won't be showing him anything new," Tanya continued. "Believe me. He's a millionaire. He's seen it all. To understand it from a man's point-of-view, you must look at it in simpler terms. All you are to him is a way to alleviate the stress of his job and a body to get off on without all that hassle of dating and romantic crap. In short, without working for it. Men like that, they crave it, actually. They don't care for emotional connections, especially not these guys. Even when you're talking to him, like today in the restaurant, it's not about you. Basically, you're a few hours of blissful distraction, away from his work and obligations. Your only job and responsibility is to make him forget his for a while."
Bella nodded, chewing her food thoughtfully. "Like they say, women want sex, but men need sex."
"'Women are tourists in sexual perversion, but men are prisoners there,'" Tanya quoted back, smiling sardonically. "And I'm saying this as a certified nymphomaniac."
"I looked him up," Bella said nonchalantly. "Edward, I mean. He's not a millionaire. He was on Forbes's Top 20. He's a billionaire."
"He was pretty good-looking. You think they'd wanna swap for one night?"
Bella threw her fry at Tanya.
She kept waiting for Edward to call. Days passed, and with each one her frustration mounted. Why hadn't she saved his number, called herself when he'd given her his phone? She missed being around him, talking to him, the flirting, the sex. She didn't remember ever feeling so sexy and feminine as she did that night at the restaurant, under his attentive stare. It was like the whole world was looking at her because he was, too. He had a way of making her feel important and inconsequential at the same time, and the masochistic side of her got off on that.
Her parents called every night. She knew they were worried about her, constantly asking if she had enough money, but it still irritated her. It made her feel frazzled and claustrophobic, anxiety blooming in her chest as she frantically tried to come up with an excuse to hang up on them. Too much intrusion, too much time talking to people, made her feel that way, which was why she had valued Tanya so much and despised Jessica, with her constant, loud prattling.
Once, as her mom was asking her about her day (every single night, that same question. Like all her days were so different and adventurous. Who did they think she was, Bruce Wayne?) and she replied with the same monotone answer ("it was okay, classes are fine. I came home and read this great book. Tanya and I are going to a party tomorrow"), she let herself imagine her mother's reaction if she came clean about what she'd really been doing this week, and she almost laughed, suddenly hysterical.
One night, three weeks later, as she was brushing her damp hair by her vanity before turning in for the night, her phone started ringing. Her heart jumped, as it did every time she heard the familiar ringtone. She prayed it would be him before picking up.
"Hello, Bella." His voice was relaxed. She pictured him, alone, lounging in an armchair, swirling his drink.
"Hello, Edward."
"I have a business trip to Tokyo on Thursday. Wanna come?"
She smiled.
The End
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