Disclaimer: Don't own SVM, the Waldorf=Astoria, or Tiffany & Co. Unfortunately to all.
A/N: Yes, well aware that I have TWO unfinished stories, but this story is for the fabulous Lilabitbtf who bid on me for the Vampire Author Auction for Support Stacie. Thanks Beth, you are fabulous! She really is folks; she pretty much gave me creative license, but merely requested that I make a reference to nutella somewhere in the story. It shall be done. Thanks again!
In Tiffany's jewelry store on a sunny Sunday morning, a man with dark brown hair, scruffy beard, and thick French accent was examining a piece of jewelry.
Even as he was talking, he was gazing around the store, which was nearly empty, as the store had just opened. Only one other couple was in the shop, and they were talking to the remaining clerks.
He looked out the window in amazement, and as he turned back, he smiled sheepishly at the manager who was giving him an odd look. "I cannot help it you see, the city; it is so beautiful, no?" He asked, gesturing out at 57th Avenue, his accent blending the words exotically, and making them almost unrecognizable to even the most trained ear.
When the manager managed to comprehend what was being said to him, his suspicious look relaxed into one of warmth, seamlessly. "Yes, yes, people travel the world to come here!"
The Frenchmen smirked and smoothly said, "I am aware," Which caused the manager to laugh in surprise, and the Frenchmen joined in after a moment.
"So what do you think about the piece?" The manager asked after the laughter died down, and he immediately got back to business.
"May I?" The Frenchmen asked, and when the manager nodded his head, he gently lifted the necklace from the manager's hand, and inspected it more closely.
It was a gorgeous necklace, every inch of it draped in diamonds. "Yes, the city is gorgeous, but I believe that my wife prefers diamonds. I can buy them for her." He chuckled, before handing the necklace back into the eager hands of the manager. "Yes, I believe I will take it," he said, before slipping his hand down to his pocket.
The manager's eyes widened, as inside he triumphantly crowed. He had managed to sell a piece worth 1.8 million dollars. That would make his commission for the year. He carefully laid the necklace back onto its stand, minutely adjusting it, and taking great care in placing it just so. He looked up with a goofy grin on his face; ready to take what he assumed would be a Black AmEx, but instead came eye to eye down the barrel of a gun.
He immediately looked over to his two associates, only to see them in similar positions, the 'customers' they had been chatting up, now pointing guns in their faces as well. His eyes darted back to the gun, while at the same time, his hand inched down towards the underside of the counter, preparing to push the panic button.
Immediately the gun was shoved up against his throat, causing his hand to freeze in its pursuit. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the Frenchman said, sounding for all the world, like they were still carrying on a cheerful conversation.
He turned to speak to the two other gunmen, while still keeping his gun shoved against the manager's throat. He barked out something in a foreign language, that didn't sound French at all. He turned back to the manager and politely said, "To the wall if you please," he said, gesturing to the back wall, which was well away from the windows.
The manager and the two other store clerks were forced to face the wall, with their hands behind their heads, and cell phones taken from them. The manager suddenly found himself with his master key after a quick search of his suit.
Behind him, he could hear cases being opened, no glass being broken, very discreet. The Frenchmen still stood behind them, keeping watch, and casually said, "Please, don't try anything, I would hate to shoot you all, as you've been very accommodating, but know this, I will if I have to," he said, his voice progressing from casual and cheerful to hard and deadly towards the end.
After five long agonizing minutes to the manager, he heard the cases being shut and relocked. Their cell phones were slipped back into their pockets, and the Frenchman gestured with the gun to their previous positions. "You may go back to work now," he said, his voice back to cheerful.
The manager turned around aghast; noticing that the two accomplices were already gone, and that the store was completely empty. They had cleaned him out of ten million dollars in jewels in under ten minutes. He could feel a stroke coming on.
He was prodded with the gun. "Back to your station please," the gunman insisted, prodding him harder still.
The manager returned to stand back behind the counter, and noticed with some delight, that the necklace that he had been showing to the Frenchman was still on its stand. His heart sunk, when the gunman, noticing his sudden joy, chuckled, shaking his head and saying, "Non non, that is for mon chere, my wife, therefore, it must be wrapped of course, in your famous blue."
The manager grabbed a necklace box and tissue paper, and tried to go about boxing up the necklace as if it were any other day, any other sale. With shaking hands, he handed his last piece of merchandise to the jovial Frenchman, who winked, and tucked it into a previously unnoticed briefcase, and said, "Merci beaucoup, monsieur," and casually walked out of the shop, disappearing into the wave of unsuspecting masses.
The moment the door was shut, and he was out of sight, the manager's female clerk, immediately dropped to her knees, sobbing hysterically, while the male clerk promptly unloaded his guts onto the previously immaculate floors. The manager took all of this in with an impassive look on his face, before heading to the back while pulling out his cell phone. He called the police and reported what had happened, and then went off in search of new pants.
A tall blond man walked cheerfully down the streets of New York City Sunday evening, heading for dinner with his lovely wife. He was whistling cheerfully, garnering strange looks from all that immediately transformed into appreciative looks from all women.
He passed by an electronics store with a TV in the window turned to the news, where a news woman was gravely informing the public about the robbery at Tiffany's. He turned his head slightly towards the broadcast, but other than that, didn't even break his stride.
He dodged the many people littering the sidewalk effortlessly, while his unobtrusive briefcase stayed firmly at his side. He breezed past everyone, heading straight to the entrance of the grand and illustrious Waldorf=Astoria. The doorman quickly jumped in his way to open the door for him, which the man acknowledged with a twenty dollar bill tossed his way.
He strode past the front lobby and briskly strode to the elevator, pushing in for the third floor, already looking forward to his steak at the famed Bull and Bear steakhouse. As he was in the elevator, he checked his watch and cursed. 8:02. He was late.
He hopped off the moment the doors slid open, and with the hand that was not occupied by his briefcase, came up to smooth back his hair, in case it was mussed. He would never dishonor his wife by looking unfit for public viewing, especially at the Waldorf=Astoria, her favorite hotel on the East coast.
He waved off the maitre-d, having already spotted her, her blonde hair standing out like a beacon in the darkly lit restaurant. Her back was to him, so he spared his dignity, and practically ran to her side, though the moment he was in her viewpoint, he slowed down, trying his best to look casual.
She smirked at him, seeing right through his façade, which he loved that she was capable of doing. "You're late Eric. Again." she said casually, looking at him with an arched brow over her wine glass.
He picked up her hand and brushed his lips across it before sitting down across from her. "My apologies my dear Sookie, I was caught up at work. It won't happen again," he vowed, his eyes twinkling.
Her smirk widened. "I'm sure," she responded playfully. "But how are you going to make it up to me this time?" She asked, while handing him his menu.
His eyes widened in mock surprise. "What is this I hear? Mother Theresa actually wants something? My word, and is that a new dress?" At that he was truly shocked, usually he had to go with her shopping, and twist her arm to get her to buy anything nearing expensive. It wasn't like he couldn't afford it.
"Well, you abandoned me for work all day, and then you were late for dinner! What's a girl to do?" She asked, widening her eyes innocently.
"Love me anyways," he responded softly, taking her hand and once more bringing it to his lips.
She melted, and smiled sweetly at him. "Too late," she murmured softly.
Their sweet moment was interrupted by the waiter coming by. "Can I get you guys anything?" He asked politely.
"Nothing at the moment," Eric growled, glaring at the waiter and scaring him off.
"Eric! Don't be rude, he's just trying to do his job!" Sookie hissed at him.
"Part of his job is to pay attention to timing, clearly, his was off," Eric responded, not at all put off by her tone of voice. "Now, back to our previous conversation, are you wearing something new?" He asked, raking his eyes up and down her body, sending chills down her spine.
"Yes, I bought it just today." She looked down at herself as well, and couldn't believe it was really her sitting in a ridiculously expensive restaurant, in an even more ridiculous expensive hotel, in an insanely expensive designer outfit. It seemed like only yesterday that she was just a small town Louisiana girl.
Her outfit consisted of a black silk skirt with a matching shirt with rosettes on the sleeve. She fell in love with it at first sight.
"I trust it cost me an insane amount of money?" He asked endearingly, still appreciating how the blouse hugged her curves.
"It was from Bergdorf Goodman's," she replied, naming one of the most lavish department stores in the world, and his smile widened. "And speaking of money, here's your card back," she said, and rummaged through her purse, before locating, and handing him a Black AmEx. He immediately handed it back to her, and she opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off.
"Don't start my love. You are my wife, and what is mine is yours, and I have that card, so now, you do as well," he said cheerfully, picking up his menu and flipping through it. She glared at him, but knew it was pointless to argue, so she merely placed the card back in her wallet.
She followed suit, perusing through casually, though looking over her menu pointedly. "Don't get used to it Eric, this was just a onetime thing, JC Penny's works just fine for me." Luckily she looked down in time, and didn't see him wince. She would have blown up at him, fancy restaurant be damned. He didn't understand it, all he wanted to do was treat her like the queen she was, but she fought him on it tooth and nail.
She truly meant It though, shopping in expensive stores was okay with Eric, because he looked like he belonged, but the moment she stepped foot in Bergdorf Goodman's, she was looked down upon, and every floor she perused, a salesperson followed her. She knew it wasn't their phenomenal service that they bragged about, she wasn't stupid, they were trying to make sure she wasn't stealing anything. If she hadn't fallen in love with that outfit, she never would have bought a thing from them, she was so offended.
"I think I'll order their famous Angus steak, what about you, darling?" He asked, gazing at her affectionately.
"I'll have the same thing," she responded, so they flagged down their waiter, and gave him their orders. "Now, I believe that I requested that you give me something to make up for leaving me, and then keeping me waiting."
His eyes lit up at the idea of being able to give her his gift, and furthermore at her actually requesting a gift; it was almost unheard of. He reached down to unlock his briefcase, and pulled out the blue box. "I believe you did indeed, will this get me off the hook?" He gave her the box, and delighted in her eager expression as she took in the shade of blue.
She removed the ribbon, and opened the box, and gasped at the necklace that lay inside. "Oh, Eric, it's gorgeous."
"Yes, yes," he said impatiently, "But nothing compares to you." He got up and gently moved her hair to the side, and helped her clasp it around her neck. Before he put her hair back in place, he whispered in her ear, "You know the rules lover."
She sighed as he returned to his seat across from her. She stroked the hundreds of diamonds that adorned her neck, the necklace probably would have cost Eric at least a million dollars, but he didn't bother with buying it.
She sighed again; she certainly did know the rules. The necklace was hers, but she could only wear it in public for this one night, and then after that, only around Eric or his 'friends'. Other than that, it would be put away for at least five years until, if she was somehow caught with it, she could feign innocence.
She knew it was wrong, but God help her, that was the man she had fallen in love with, and she'd fallen in love with him long before he'd started this 'job'.
Their steaks were delivered in a timely manner, and they had a lovely dinner, laughing and joking together, and there were many tender hand kisses that were causing her to melt slowly. After the meal, they went to Sir Harry's Bar, the nightclub, and literally danced the night away, before stumbling up to their suite on the 30th floor, and fucking until 2 am, where they finally collapsed, exhausted, but happy.
A/N 2: Hope you liked, will post another chapter sometime next week. Nothing Personal probably Monday or Tuesday, and Shattered sometime this weekend, if all goes according to plan.
Factual Factoids
A Black AmEx card IS a real card, however, to get one, you must be INVITED, there is no application. AmEx, has never expressly said what the terms for being invited are, but it is speculated (by my father and the fine folks at Wikipedia, lol) that you must SPEND, not make, SPEND, at least 250,000 a year. The base fee for an American Black AmEx is 5000, plus another 2500 a month to keep it. It is made out of anodized titanium. Not plastic. TITANIUM. Holding this card comes with serious perks. AmEx has a 24-hour concierge service catering to these clients alone. If you want to ride first class on an airplane, if you don't have your own (pssh, if you have a Black AmEx I hope you have your own plane!), and you just show up at the airport, no reservation, just have your papers in order, and they will kick someone out of first class to let you ride it!
The Waldorf=Astoria, and everything I mentioned in relation to it, is a real place in New York City, and is a very swanky hotel. Floors 27th-42nd are part of the boutique hotel, where famous/rich people live. Eric and Sookie went to the 30th floor, so they kind of OWN a room at the Waldorf.
Bergdorf Goodman is a real fancy department store, with its flagship store in New York City, and it is HUGE. And they WILL follow you around. There is nothing in there less than a hundred dollars. Guarantee.
Tiffany & Co. is a world famous jewelry shop featured in the mega popular movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's, starring Audrey Hepburn. The store mentioned in this story is their flagship store, and while I have never been there, I can assure you that there literally is millions of dollars in jewelry there, and that it would never be that easy to rob it. But hey, fiction!
Necklace and outfit mentioned on Sookie are real, links posted in profile soon!