Miranda (17 page)

He raised an eyebrow and grimaced. He raised the briefcase he was carrying.

“No. We’ll review the documents that Margaret asked me to sign
now
.”

I let my shoulders drop.

“Clausell, that can wait. I’m tired. I need to recharge.”

“Don’t you know how to take responsibility for your decisions, Wise?”

There it was: my punishment for traveling on a commercial airplane.

I tried to dodge him a second time. He did not even allow me to try to walk.

“Miranda Wise, I need for us to review the documents. Now!”

“Eliezer Clausell,” the tremor that my lips caused when I pronounced his name pleased me, “I’m not joking. If I don’t take a nap now, I’ll fall asleep, and you don’t want me to fall asleep while were discussing important subjects, do you?”

He shook his briefcase as if to tell me that it wasn’t his problem.

I sighed. I had made a decision and I had to face the consequences. I would remember this moment the next time I had to travel to China with him and I chose a commercial flight.
Breathe, Miranda. He is your boss.

“Can you wait? I need to leave the luggage in the bedroom.”

He smiled.

“Only if you do it very quickly.”

Ugh! Why couldn’t he just say yes and leave it at that? Why did he have to be sarcastic or speak with double meanings? My nostrils flared. How I would have liked to slap him at that moment.

“You know what? I’ve changed plans, Clausell. Let’s review the documents now.”

“Perfect! Follow me. You’ll love the coffee at this hotel.”

I rolled me eyes.
As if I’d never been here before.

Just after six in the evening, between questions, yawns, and coffee cup after coffee cup, I fell asleep on the reclining chair.

“Do you hear me, Wise?”

The question came up following the clattering of cups and plates. Eliezer had slammed his fist on the table.

“Yes, yes,” I said, with my eyes wide open and my heart about to jump out of my chest. “I’m sorry, what was the question?”

Eliezer drank some coffee and reworded his question but not before giving me a look of annoyance.

“We have too much money invested in this country. Don’t you think it’s risky?”

“That’s precisely why we’re making this investment. It’s very costly to repatriate money. The tax rate is about thirty to thirty-five percent.”

“We should at least repatriate our initial investment.”

“Chinese law dictates that capital funds cannot be repatriated unless the company is liquidated. That’s basic knowledge during a first year of study in international business, Eliezer. You should take a short course, at least.”

I was hoping to insult him with my comment so that he would lose control.

His cell phone rang. His expression changed when he looked at the screen. He gave me a look of doubt and excused himself. He left the café to take the call. I was dying of curiosity to know with whom he was speaking. He was pacing back and forth, moving his hands when he wasn’t hiding them in his pockets, while every few seconds his eyes would turn to mine.

“Wise! Shit!” he cursed as he stomped back to our table in a fury, while giving me a look such that if the whites of his eyes were to turn red, they would complement the rest of his face. Taking his seat, he slammed his fist against the table again, which made me jump in my chair.

“Go to sleep. Dinner is at eight. Be punctual,” he barked.

Dazed and scared I couldn’t say anything more. I raised my hand to my forehead and saluted him.

“Yes, sir!”

He made no gesture to help me with my things. With my back to him, while I was picking up the suitcase and laptop case, I discovered in the reflection of the glass table that he had hit so many times, Eliezer’s mischievous and mocking smile. He enjoyed torturing me.
Is that possible?

***

The dinner, although casual, was decisive. We would be closing agreements on a partnership between a Chinese company and Medika. We would put up capital, knowledge, and infrastructure, and although it was a business dinner like many others that I had attended, something told me that this one would have a distinctive touch.

In the room, I was paying attention to details that used to never bother me, such as the fit of the black dress, the soft waves in my hair, the right lipstick that would bring out the subtle color of my eye shadow–and this time I would not be the one who would be late.

To see Eliezer through the tinted window of the car made me take a second look at my cocktail dress, the waves in my hair, and my lipstick. Eliezer wore a finely tailored suit that reinforced the luster of his ego. The sliding doors that were the entrance to the hotel opened for the imposing masculine presence before them. Eliezer exited through them. He looked to one side and the other. The chauffer caught his attention, opened the back door, and invited him to board.

“Hello, Clausell.”

He did not enter until confirming that it was I who was speaking. He smiled because he could not hide the (un)pleasant surprise.

“Wise,” he smiled at me approvingly, “you’re punctual today.”

The fragrance of his cologne eased the tension in the air. I tried to say little. I merely told him about the people who would be keeping us company this evening.

Eliezer was paying attention to me. He did not stop looking at me even when the words stopped.

***

The night went just as planned. Dinner lasted a couple of hours. The Chinese left satisfied. There were plenty of respectful bows. The contract was signed to the benefit of both parties.

I said goodbye to Eliezer with a handshake at the hotel. He appeared to be satisfied with the new investment and the course on which Medika was embarking. When he entered the elevator and disappeared from my view, I felt free.

I went to the bar and ordered a draft beer.
Congratulations, Miranda, you shined tonight.
I made a toast to myself and drank.

“Congratulations, Wise.”

I didn’t realize that my stomach could crawl up my back, but when I heard the voice of my heartless boss, I felt like that’s what was happening. I didn’t turn to look at him. I didn’t even thank him. He, on the other hand, approached and pulled up the chair next to me. He ordered the same thing I was having.

I looked away from him and looked around the place. Besides the couples and friends that were kissing or celebrating, there was no one else that could save me from the discomfort. There was a man at the other end of the bar who did not engender trust. He looked at me like a predator. Eliezer also noticed him, readjusting his own chair so as to block the stranger’s view of me.

“What more were you expecting to find here, Wise? The future father of your children?” He took a sip.

I turned to him.

“Did you come to celebrate, give me a lesson, or be like that poor devil?”

Eliezer smiled and bit the corner of his lower lip.

“How difficult you make my life, Wise. Should I choose one, all, or none?”

He had taken off the bowtie. He was wearing his suit with the first few buttons of his shirt undone and the collar relaxed. I didn’t answer. All I could think of was how attractive he looked sitting there, the after-hours executive look, beer in hand, challenging me.

“Don’t you know what to respond, Clausell?”

Eliezer got close. He whispered in my ear, “Do it for me.”

I let out a short laugh. “That one’s on me. Have a wonderful night.”

I left my beer and some yuan on the counter.

After a half hour, he was knocking on my door. If it wasn’t because he drank both beer mugs, then it was because it took him time to realize, or believe, that I had intentionally left one of the key cards to my room beside the money on the counter.

“May I help you?”

He was silent. He wet his lips with his tongue. He wasn’t expecting that I’d greet him in a white
hanfu
. His eyes bugged out.

“You forgot this, Wise.” He reached out with the key card in his hand.

“What makes you think it’s mine?”

“You didn’t seem interested in the guy at the bar,” he smiled and clarified, “…the
other
guy at the bar. The idea of going from room to room to figure out what door that key would open seemed interesting, but there was a serious risk that I might find someone dressed… like that.”

I returned his lip-wetting gesture, approached him, and fixed his shirt collar.

“Are you conservative, Clausell?”

His chest heaved as if he were trying to hold his breath and not have to breathe heavily again.

“Cautious.”

“Oh, really?” I outlined the shape of his shoulders with my fingers.

Grab him. Kidnap him in your room and don’t let him go free until he begs you, Miranda!

I was analyzing the possible consequences of my crazy ideas when he moved his torso into my room and tossed the key card on the nightstand. He placed a hand on my waist and ogled at me from head to toe before leaving.

“Black suits you better, Wise.”

Was that a compliment or an insult?
I laughed on the inside.

Disappointed with the ridiculous plan of fooling around with him again, I took the card on the nightstand and threw it against the wall. He pulled another key card out from his jacket and walked towards the adjoining room. I then realized that there were two cards and that my room and his were connected by a shared door. The words that the employee at the check-in desk told me that morning were glowing in my mind like a neon sign:
Your boss already arranged everything for you.

Eliezer Clausell was very cautious, no doubt. He wanted me to follow the rules of his game. Whatever would happen, would happen in his room, not mine. I stood there, in front of the door: was it the entrance to heaven, or hell?
Miranda, this can’t be given too much thought. Do whatever you want, but do it now!

I unlocked my door and slowly turned the knob. Just as I imagined, his door was open. There was the cautious man, waiting for me. He was removing his shoes at the edge of the bed, looking toward the door with a slight smile on his face.

“You forgot this.”

I leaned over and placed the card on the line between the two doors, a neutral spot.

Eliezer chuckled. He had unbuttoned his shirt and was not wearing pants. I looked at his crotch and gave him a look of pleasure. Alex was right. I needed sex more often.

“You couldn’t have left it under the door, Wise?”

“I prefer to leave it at the door, Clausell.”

He finished taking off his socks and walked toward me, up to the dividing line and observing me with caution.

“What level of risk do you want to assume tonight, Eliezer?”

He brushed his hair with his hand and said in a whisper: “The one that you can’t use against me later.”

If he wasn’t willing to run a risk, why should I? We were even.

He took me by the waist and held me against the doorframe. On the dividing line… that is where Eliezer, the cautious one, wanted us. Our chests connected at the rhythm of our agitated heartbeats. He let his heavy gaze fall into my eyes to see if he could find the answer to the obvious question: do you have any idea what we’re doing?

No, I had no idea; and apparently, neither did he.

“I told you that you should have left it under the door,” he said as he wet his lips.

“You still don’t get it that I don’t like following your instructions?” I finished the sentence in my head:
Unless you command me to surrender at your feet…

He tilted his head. He wanted to read between my lines. He moved his face close to my ear and breathed.

“I insist that black suits your better.”

“That’s can easily be solved.”

I undid the belt on the
hanfu
and it slipped open to display my black lingerie.

I’ll never be able to forget the arousal that gripped Eliezer’s face. He roamed my body with his rough hands and filled them with my breasts. He caressed them forcefully.

“On second thought, I don’t think I like the black either.”

“Before I could give the slight a second thought, Eliezer brushed the
hanfu
that was hanging from my shoulders aside. He savored the silks that guarded the booty he had discovered. He took off my bra and pulled down my panties.

I wanted to strip him too… to rid him of his shirt and his briefs that shamelessly marked his firm erection. Playing on the dividing line maintained equity between us, but he would not allow it. He took hold of my hands, raised them over my head, and forced me against the metal doorframe even more. The feeling of cold metal eased with the heat of my skin.

He didn’t have to struggle to find the space between my legs. Among the rush of feelings, I began to watch him, to study him. His seriousness confused me. Some moments he seemed to enjoy the pleasure, other times his face would change, as if he were angry with himself for enjoying what he was doing. His lips gently caressed my sex. His tongue punished me with fury. Timidly, I tried to control my moans, which was impossible with the unequaled pleasure that Eliezer’s maneuvers caused. My body was flooded by an overdose of that man.

Am I liberating you from your demons, with this, Clausell?

“I like the sound of your voice when you moan.”

He paused while he took off the only piece of intimate clothing he was wearing. It was the perfect moment to get away, and I didn’t. I prolonged it. It was the first time that he admitted liking something about me.

He roamed my body with kisses and caresses, as I swayed like a suspension bridge, from side to side. For as much as I wanted to regain control of the situation, it was impossible. Eliezer was in charge of every one of my sensations… my moans… my quivering.

He moved my legs up around his waist and moved my hands over my head once more.

He penetrated me without warning, suddenly and furiously, without stopping, every time more deeply and more forcefully.

“Defenseless,” he whispered in between movements.

There was no compassion in his attack. He showed no mercy. I would not have wanted it any other way.