Page 27 of Gilded Lies
Five
Magnolia
Acouple of weeks later and I feel like I live on coffee and sex. There’s a fresh cup pressed into my hand. I take it, gulp it down, and get back to work. There are only two days left to tie up loose ends for the Christmas gala and I have plans on telling the owners it will be my last event for a while if they allow me to take a leave of absence. I talked about taking some time off with my men and they practically offered to write my letter of resignation for me. It is obvious that they heard what they wanted—that I’m resigning.
Poor guys. I’ll have to break it to them that I’m not quitting, but that conversation can come later.
Right now, I need to focus, or I will never finish. Twenty sheets of random paper are strewn about in front of me on the floor in controlled chaos.
“We will need to take down this partition and open this side to make room for the ice sculptures. And the Christmas tree will need to take up the opposite side of the ballroom.”
I mark up a sheet of paper with the removable glass walls for a small group of men tasked with the workload.
“And the champagne fountain?”
We brought in additional help to set up for this year’s Christmas ball taking place in two days. Directing twenty newcomers is taking every bit of my mental powers, but I love seeing all the garland, crystals, and twinkling lights finally making it into place.
“Let’s put the fountain near the Frasier fir. The settees will need to circle the stage where the Santas will be featured with their helping elf. Let’s make sure to bring in the larger lounges. The harems are getting bigger, and the members need more space. Oh, and let’s make sure the ice sculpture is on this side of the ballroom. We don’t need anyone freezing their nipples off.”
A bright smile breaks out over a young brunette’s face. “Is this your first time, Zoey?” She’s a year or two younger than me and her cheeks could not be redder. If sex talk makes her blush now, wait until the real events start. She’s set to pass out warm towels to the members once the lights dim and the Santas unwrap their present.
“First time, yes ma’am.” She holds my gaze despite the blush on her cheeks. She has several piercings up the rim of one ear and there’s no hiding the ones in her nipples through the white of her uniform. She’s a wild child, and I bet her choice of employment would not surprise her parents most likely.
“You’ll do just fine.” I give her a wink and hand her the hourly schedule for her towel rounds. “Be precise on your timing with the members. They count on having all the pleasures and comforts at hand with a simple snap of their fingers.”
She dips her head in understanding and moves on to her tasks, leaving me to my thoughts. It’s been one thing after another for so many days I haven’t had a quiet moment to think of anything except party details and babies. Not necessarily in that order.
Today is no different. I gather the various papers on the floor and organize them on my desk next to five more haphazard piles of papers. I came back from New Orleans with new ideas to present to the owners. Rune helped me draw them up down to the dimensions and how many members we can fit into the new private booths complete with their own towel warmers. I hope it helps smooth over things when I ask for some time off.
Evening is setting in and it’s almost time for members to arrive. Though the gala isn’t tonight, there are still festive shows being held in other parts of the club, so everyone is on high alert. Especially me. The ice sculpture and thirty thousand dollars of caviar will arrive any minute. Later on tonight there is a shipment of hand-blown glass dildos that will be handed out as gifts to the members. They’ll need wrapping. Ugh. I should have hired more people.
An incoming call triggers panic mode in me. Danika is forever telling me to stop misplacing the thing. I swear I need to put a tracker on the damn thing.
“My phone.” Where the hell did I put it?
For a second, I freeze and just listen.
Papers fall, old takeout coffee cups topple to the floor as I shuffle through the mess on my desk. I spot the bright screen and automatically answer.
“Hello, Miss Lafleur speaking.” I tuck the phone against my shoulder and cheek. “Hello?” I am expecting it to be Runeconfirming our plans for the evening or the delivery guys, but it’s a stoic woman’s voice void of emotion on the other end.
“Miss Lafleur, this is the Department of Corrections Victim Services. You left your phone on file for contacting. We are calling you to inform you…” My head comes up causing my phone to drop among the scattered party plans.
What day is it?
I grab my agenda.
Son-of-a-bitch. Oh, my God. How could I forget?
My heart clenches, and it’s hard to draw in a deep breath for a moment. I stare straight ahead, my mind blank. Every limb and muscle locks up, and I take several focused minutes to convince my body I am not in immediate danger.
I grab the phone, but I can’t get my brain to engage. The lady’s voice sounds like it filters through a vacuum. I don’t realize the woman on the other side ends the call until I hear the line go dead. I kill the screen and fasten my fingers around the edge of my desk.
Involuntarily, my gaze flicks to the laptop on the end of my desk. I could have a plane ticket out of here in fifteen minutes. I could buy the tickets from petty cash, and no one could trace my credit cards. I know a few members who can get me new papers and I can fade into the wind. It would cost all my savings, but it would be worth it.
Lashes fall to rest over my cheeks. Deep breaths do nothing to calm my jitters. An urge to flee wants to take hold, but I fought tooth and nail to prove myself to the owners of the Golden Key Society, damn it. I would lose everything I’ve worked so hardfor. They had no reason to trust me with their business. They humored me when I said I could bring them five hundred new members in one month and then told me to prove it. I did. It’s been two years and I’ve brought in nearly one million members to all the clubs nationwide. They trust me with their bottom line. I can’t betray them by vanishing.
I’ve had two years to disappear. I haven’t done it yet, because deep down it would meanhewins by ruining my life.