Disclaimer: I do not own LWD or any of its characters.

Chapter Two

"I think you are mistaken sir, my name is Charlotte LeFluer." Her words were wrapped tight in a thick southern accent, and she laughed over the words.

This was a lie, I watched her as she sat down on to Serge's lap. I didn't know what game she was playing, but I was going to call her on it.

"Casey, what is going on? And what happened to Tyler… your husband?"

Serge was getting upset, and he answered for her. "I do not know who this Casey you speak of is, but I would appreciate it if you stopped interrogating my fiancé. She is who she says, and you are to respect that."

I was right, but what was going on? I decided to play along for now. "Sorry, I guess I am mistaken. But you could be my step-sister Casey's twin."

She smiled at me, laughing. "No worries, we all make mistakes. Serge, darling I'm going to go change into my dinner attire. I'll meet you gentlemen in the dinning hall."

With that she stood, kissing Serge on the cheek and smiling politely to me as she passed. She was good, if I didn't know better, I would think she had just met me.

Serge turned his attention back to me, face cold. "As my Charlotte has suggested, let us move to the dinning room."

I stood and followed him through the house to a large room with the biggest table I had ever seen. He motioned for me to sit beside the head seat, while he sat at the front of the table.

"Do you enjoy oysters Derek?" He asked as he poured us each a glass of Brandy.

"Sure." I hated them, but figured I should try and stay on his good side from here on out.

"Wonderful. I have a treat for you tonight then my friend." He raised his hand and a servant brought out two plates with oysters.

"In my family we have a tradition we share with newcomers. It is what you would call warm gesture I believe."

He picked up the first oyster, waiting for me to follow. "One of these oysters has a small pearl inside. It was said by my great grandfather that eating the pearl was something that brought a person great luck."

Sure enough looking onto my plate there was a small pearl inside one of the oysters. I wouldn't have noticed it unless told. I picked the shell up inspecting the small white speck. It was maybe half the size of a pea, and I wasn't sure if it was healthy to eat it.

Serge held his oyster into the air as though it were a champagne glass. "To new business partners, and perhaps new friends."

He slid the oyster off the shell into his mouth, again waiting for me to follow. So I did.

It was slimy, small and slid down my throat leaving a disgusting taste in my mouth. I didn't even feel the pearl.

As if on cue, Charlotte, or Casey, or whoever she was walked into the room. Her hair was pulled back, and a string of diamonds lay across her neck. She was dressed in a short, tight black cocktail dress. The material clung to her body in a way I couldn't ignore. Maybe it wasn't really Casey… after all I was sure she would never dress like that. And there was no way that she could manage walking in those shoes.

My eyes followed her sultry walk to the table, eyeing again her long legs with each click of her heel.

She smiled warmly as Serge as she crossed the room to the table. Then when I was just beginning to think I was wrong, she glanced at our plates. I don't know what it was, but something flashed across her face and she looked at me. The look only lasted seconds, but her surprisingly rich brown eyes looked deep into mine, with what I thought was worry.

Then the moment pasted and she sat beside Serge. "Darlin' I wish I knew you were having oysters. You know they're my favorite." She sais coyly as she batted her eyelashes.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at her. Serge laughed and then dinner came out, saving me from eating anymore of the terrible oysters.

Dinner passed by fast. 'Charlotte' was as charming as the southern belle she was pretending to be. She spoke about the upcoming season at the ballet, and showed me the country sized ring on her left hand. Then the shock of the night came when Serge told me about how he had met her.

Her 'father' a prominent business man from Atlanta introduced them a year ago at her '25th' birthday party. That couldn't be possible, and made me wonder more what was going on. I finally came to the conclusion that I must be wrong… as painful as that is for me to admit.

After dinner I was ready to get out of there. My head was starting to hurt from all this over thinking. So I made up my excuse. "Serge, listen thank you for dinner, this was really great. But I have to be leaving. I have an early morning meeting that I have to be ready for."

"Alright then. It was a pleasure doing business with you Derek, I look forward to working with you again in the future. Tell your partner I was sorry he could not make our meeting, but I will be seeing him soon." He said standing from his seat and extending his hand.

I shook his hand and paused, waiting for him to speak of the compensation.

He smiled knowing what I was expecting. "And of course, the fee for your services has been sent to the account you and Tanner specified."

I smirked, and backed away from the table. "It was nice meeting you Charlotte."

She stood as I was about to leave. "Serge darlin', I should be leaving as well. Rehearsal is at five tomorrow, and you know how Diana is. Perhaps your friend could drop me off instead of bothering one of the drivers. You wouldn't mind would you?"

She smiled sweetly at me, and I thought Serge tensed a bit. "Charlotte you are never a bother to the drivers."

I don't know what gave me the balls to defy Serge, when I knew any of his meat men could come and get me at any given moment, but I did. "Actually Serge, I don't mind. Would you be ready now?"

She smiled in thanks. "Yes, thank you Mr. Venturi."

Then turning back to a cold faced Serge she leaned in and kissed him. "I will see you tomorrow for dinner with my father. Love you."

The walk to my Mercedes was quiet, aside from her telling me the address to program into my GPS.

When we pulled out of the gates, and about halfway down the road she finally spoke. "Do you think you could pull over for a moment?"

I did as she asked and turned to her. Before I could ask what was wrong her palm connected with my face.

"Jesus Christ Derek how stupid are you?!"

I put my hand to my stinging cheek. "I knew it."

"Yeah you knew it. You also must know who is he, don't you? What the hell are you thinking doing business with someone like that?!" She screamed. Yeah, this was more like the Casey I knew.

"Says his fiancé Charlotte. So how is your husband doing?" I sneered.

"Listen to me, you have NO IDEA what you are talking about." She retorted, and sighed sinking back into her seat taking deep breaths. Then she sat up as if a light had gone off. "Damn, I almost forgot. Get out of the car!"

"What? No way, not until you tell me what is going on." I sat back into my seat and folded my arms.

"Derek, you know what, I don't' have time for your childish games. I said get out of the car." Her voice was leveled off, but I wasn't budging.

"Easy way, or hard way… your choice."

I laughed and rolled my eyes at her. What was she going to do?

Then to answer my question there was a knife at my throat before I even saw her reaching for it.

"I said Get. Out. Of. The. Car."

I automatically put my hands in the air. "Whoa there…"

"Now! Get out and stand behind the car." She was ordering me pushing the blade up against my skin. In all the years of fighting I had never been afraid of Casey, but I was now.

So for the first time ever I did what Casey told me to, slowly getting out and standing behind the car. I watched as she slid out of the low seat and crossed around the front to the driver's side.

"Get in." She called as she sat down.

Again I did as told cautiously sitting beside her.

As soon as the door was closed she sped off, leaving a trail of smoke behind us.

"Did you eat the pearl?" She asked not taking her eyes off the road.

It took me a moment before I realized what she was talking about. "Yeah I did. Are you going to tell me what's going on now?"

"Looks like I'm not going to have a choice am I? Derek gets his way… yet again." She mumbled to herself as we skidded around a corner, sending me flying into the window.

"You may want to put your seatbelt on." She laughed.

I did, and looked over to the woman beside me. Her hair had fallen loose down her back, and she had one long arm extended out holding the wheel. The black dress was up at the top of her legs, and she drove the car with control and an air of power about her that quite frankly scared me.

I was wrong, there was no way that this was the Casey McDonald I knew.