His voice was low as he leaned close and spoke quietly so no one else could here. “It’s very important that I find her as soon as possible. I’d be very grateful for anything you could tell me.”
Cerise couldn’t take her eyes off the money, the way a person about to be killed can’t stop looking down the barrel of a gun. “Well?” he prodded.
“You’ve got an order over there, yet?” shouted Michael. “You want a Frappe, right man?”
Cerise darted a disapproving glance at her co-worker. The suggestion strategy was her cheat, not his.
Realizing that she had an edge, since the man wanted something from her, Cherise, pocketed the money and whispered. “Order a tall coffee with two add shots, and I’ll see what I can do for you.”
After collecting her winnings from Michael, she said grabbed her smokes and announced she was taking a break.
As she carried the man’s drink order to him and motioned him to follow her towards the door, she started singing, “Love you Baby, Baby, Baby, we love you Baby Adalyn…,” as the hit song from Canada’s favorite celebrity couple blasted through the speakers overhead.
The slick, good-looking American followed her across the street, accepted his drink, took one sip, then grimaced and tossed it into a nearby trashcan.
Cerise tapped out a cigarette, then started looking for her lighter. The man stepped in close, flicking a Zippo to life. It sparkled like it was made from platinum.
Cerise leaned in close to light her cigarette and got a whiff of the man himself. He even smelled rich. After she got her cigarette going, she offered him her pack. He pulled one out with his lips, lit it, then after sucking in a deep drag, blew it close to her face, his eyes never leaving hers.
“So, can you tell me where I can find Sabrina?”
“I’m not sure, I should, I mean. You could be a serial killer, for all I know.”
The man’s deep blue eyes flashed dark and Cerise felt a sudden urge to bolt.
But, he was looking her up and down, his movie-star smile turning slightly predatory, and not in a bad way. Her knees buckled.
“I heard about her talent, from the article. I want to buy some of her art. You appeared to have sold out.”
“Whoa ‘kay, that makes sense. Her stuff sold out, and I don’t know if or when she’ll come back.”
“Oh,” said the man. “In that case…” He held out his hand.
Thinking about all the pot she could buy with that sixty dollars, Cerise said. “But, I might still be able to help.”
“Oh?”
“I don’t know where she, exactly, but I know that she’s living with her Dad in Skenet City.”
“Skenet City, where’s that?”
“About a half-hour out of the city, to the southeast.”
“Can you get me an address?”
“I could, but from what I hear, she’s not going to be there. Her sister said she’d going to be on Vancouver Island for a week or so, to work for a billionaire. He’s supposedly got a mansion in Diversion, if you can believe that.”
“Why is having a mansion in Diversion such a hard thing to believe?”
“Because it’s at the end of the world, a place for Indians and loggers and tourists who don’t mind roughing it. Not a place for billionaires.”
“Cerise… may I call you Cerise?” the man asked as he eyed her nametag again. “I appreciate your information, but I’m afraid none of it will help me locate her soon. I’m in a rush. How about you get me her telephone number?”
“Uh, I can’t do that. I mean, I could get into a lot of trouble.” Cerise felt empowered, and gave him a look that she hoped told him that there would be more information if he was willing to fork over more dough.
“What if I make it worth your while?” he said, catching on fast.
“You come back with her number and I’ll have two more twenties for you.”
“Make it sixty, and you’ve got a deal.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Cerise,” he said, his voice turning husky. “Makes me want to drive something even harder into you.”
Cerise was wet with desire as she hurried back to the coffee shop.
Fifteen minutes later, she was back, and carrying another cup of coffee as if making a delivery.
After he took his coffee, took a sip of the Frappe, then took another.
Then he handed her the promised three twenties and waited, his hand out.
Cerise couldn’t help smiling at her cleverness. “I wrote it on the bottom of the cup, along with my number. Nice doing business with you.”
She turned and started to head back to the coffee shop, tucking the new money deep into her apron pocket when she was pulled back, as he spun her around, his fingers digging painfully into her forearm. It thrilled her. This guy was dangerous. She liked that in her men. She’d been with bad boys before, but this would be her first rich one.
“I’m sure you understand that I expect you to keep our little conversation to yourself?”
“Sure thing. Call me,” Cerise said, with a wink. He let her go, and Cerise hurried across the street, making sure to shake her tiny ass with each step.
Chapter 6
Peter Talbert sat at his desk in his thousand dollar Herman Miller executive chair, and admired the view of the Manhattan skyline. He leaned back in his chair and rolled it back a little to give her more space, since she’d had to struggle to get under his desk in her tight skirt and high heels. She put her hand on the arms of his chair and positioned her head over his crotch. Keeping her eyes on his, she slowly unclasped his trousers. When she pulled her fingers away and bent her head in, he loosened his tie and lifted his hips, giving her better access.
This was one of the things she liked to do, one of her skills he would miss. His head fell back and he closed his eyes, keeping his hips still as she took the zipper between her teeth. Once the zipper was down, he felt her hot tongue on his lower abdomen, and forced himself not to react. A moment later he felt the tug of her fingers on his pants, so he lifted his hips to help her slide his pants and boxer shorts down to his ankles.
Weaving his fingers together behind his head for support, he smiled as she got to work. The woman under his desk was good with her mouth, but nothing compared to the success of a long-term plan. He let her do her thing as he gloated inwardly over his accomplishments. His day had been exceptional, starting with the video conference. He hadn’t attended it, of course, but Petrovich had sent a replay as agreed. He couldn’t have been happier with the way that idiot had taken the bait, after showing that he had no idea that he’d been conned when he’d opened his mouth like a fish.
His assistant continued to tease him with her tongue, as she held onto his hips for support. Instead of looking at her, he admired his view of the city lights outside, knowing it might be the last time he saw them from that position. For just a moment, something like regret tightened in his chest. He’d miss the life he’d been leading and the trappings of wealth and power, but he shook his head at the thought that it was better than what he’d soon have. His cock jerked when she finally took it into her mouth, and he imagined how it would feel when the world finally knew it was him, when he finally got credit for all his true accomplishments in life.