Nobody's (6 page)

I blinked as William snapped me free from my wandering mind. I shook my head as I turned to him.

“No. This… this isn’t me. Please, take me somewhere else.”

“This is the best boutique in the city. This is where every woman would shop if she—”

“No. Please, William. Take me to another store.”

“Is there anywhere particular that you had in mind?”

I thought about it for a second before I realized that there was no better answer.

“Do you remember where you picked me up last night, William?”

“Yes.”

“Take me back there.”

“As you wish.”

I hopped back in the limo and as we drove away, I stared at the boutique growing smaller in the distance. That wasn’t me. Even though they were just mannequins, I knew that putting on something so extravagant as what I saw in those windows would be nothing but a lie. It was true that I was in the business of telling men lies. But when it all came down to it, I was nothing more than a woman who gave men the intimate pleasure they wanted. Sometimes, there really wasn’t a difference between a prostitute and a whore.

We pulled back into the slums I was more familiar with. In the sun, the buildings still looked dark and dingy. It was like there was a dark cloud hovering just above us. The stores looked like they had been taped together. Every single shop was in desperate need of some type of renovation. It was like everybody important had forgotten about this part of the city and everyone who lived here.

“I’m afraid I’m not familiar with this particular area,” William said to me. “If you could direct me specifically, I could take you there.”

“On the corner. Pull up to that small shop at the end of the block.”

William did as he was told and parked the limo just outside of the store. When I stepped out, I noticed that some of the residents were looking at me strangely. I usually got looks from other people just from the way I dressed but they were staring at me for a different reason today.

“I’ll be waiting here,” William said to me. “Please, take your time.”

“Actually, I’d like you to come in with me.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’d like you to assist me.”

“If you insist.”

William seemed puzzled when I asked him to step into the thrift shop with me but despite his discomfort, I decided that William probably knew Thomas better than anybody else. He wasn’t completely clueless. He couldn’t be. Even if he turned a blind eye to Thomas’s behavior, it was obvious that I was a hooker that he picked up just one night ago. William knew who Thomas was no matter how hard he could try to remain oblivious.

I stepped into the thrift store with William just behind me. I made my way to the back of the store toward the dresses that were lazily piled together on a clothing rack. I started sorting through them while I questioned Thomas’s limo driver.

“What can you tell me about him?” I asked him.

“Miss Angel.”

“I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with Thomas. But is there anything you can tell me about him?”

William sighed as he considered the question. I continued to sort through the rack.

“Well, what is it you know about Mr. Livingston already, Miss Angel?”

“I don’t know anything about him at all. The only thing I do know is that he has a lot of money and he seems very generous.”

“Mr. Livingston is indeed generous. He’s a wealthy man and doesn’t take it for granted. He takes everybody into consideration when he spreads his wealth.”

“Just how much wealth are we talking about exactly?”

I raised an eyebrow at William. It would be interesting to know just how much of his wealth he blew on me in a single night.

“I’m not privy to the specifics of Mr. Livingston’s current finances—”

“But you must have some idea, William. I mean, isn’t there an estimate or something? You can’t have that much money without people talking.”

“I can only estimate that Mr. Livingston is exceedingly wealthy.”

“William, are you not sharing this information with me because you don't know or because your boss isn’t allowing you to?”

I smiled at William and the man that had been so rigid with me this entire time finally showed a bit of emotion. His reluctantly smiled back at me and I felt his posture seemingly fall in place where he stood.

“Mr. Livingston doesn’t have a gag order on me. Anything you ask, I can answer. But I don’t have the specifics—”

“I don’t need to hear specifics. What are we talking here? Millions?”

William shook his head and I felt a little disappointment shoot through my body. The rich guy that I was planning on entertaining tonight apparently wasn’t as rich as I thought he was. He threw two thousand at me like it was nothing and now I realized that it may have been more generous than I realized.

“So, he’s not a millionaire?” I asked. “How could he afford to throw away money on someone like me then?”

“Miss Angel, I’m afraid I misspoke. Mr. Livingston does have millions. But when you have thousands of them, most people don’t usually refer to just a portion of it.

“What? What are you saying?”

I stopped searching the racks as my eyes widened. William stared at me as I tried to figure out what he just said.

“Wait… So Thomas is a… billionaire?”

“Again, I can only speculate but those who are privy to Mr. Livingston’s finances estimate the net worth of his company to be somewhere between 10 and 15 billion.”

“B-billion?”

“That’s correct, Miss Angel.”

I couldn’t believe it. I figured that I had hit the jackpot when Thomas stopped by me but I never imagined it was something like this. It was all too strange and too confusing. There were dozens and dozens of women walking the streets for Thomas to choose from. It wasn’t even just the prostitutes. There must have been women everywhere he went throwing themselves upon his feet to try and get a piece of him. I thought of elite social gatherings. Expensive dinners where Thomas wined and dined women with his wit, charm and bottomless pockets. I thought of rich socialites trying to get free publicity by just being seen with him. And then I thought of all of the women who were trying to marry him.

“Um, William… Thomas is… He’s not married, is he?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“Girlfriend?”

“No one specifically, Miss Angel.”

“No one specifically? So he has other…”

I cut myself off before I uttered the words. Even though William and I both knew what I was, I didn’t have the nerve to say it out loud.

“I’m only Mr. Livingston’s driver and chauffeur. He may have someone significant in his life but nobody currently that I’m aware of.”

“Does he have any children? Any close relatives or family?”

“I’m not aware of any children either. His family is another issue that he hasn’t spoken to me about nor have I asked. If you really wish to know, I’d suggest you take that up with him personally.”

“Yeah… Yeah, maybe I will.”

This was it. Thomas was the man I had been waiting for my entire life. He had the money to take me away from this life I had been living. He was my ticket to the other side of the city and to a better life. When his limo stopped for me last night, I never imagined it would be this kind of opportunity. But now that it was here, I was going to do everything in my power to show Thomas that I could be everything he wanted me to be and more.

I became more adamant about finding the perfect dress for him as I searched through the racks. There were too many to choose from. As I flipped through one dress after the other, one of the price tags plopped down in front of me. I stared at the numbers. They were small and insignificant. I could afford this dress and then some. That’s when I realized that it was time to finally leave all of this behind me. I didn’t want to leave anything to chance.

“William.”

“Yes, Miss Angel.”

“Do you know what kind of evening Thomas has planned for me tonight?”

“No. He only informed me to drop you off and pick you up when requested.”

“So you don’t know what type of outfit I’ll need to be wearing.”

“I believe he’s leaving that up to you, Ms. Angel.”

“That first boutique you took me to. I want you to take me back there.”

“Yes, Miss Angel.”

We quickly exited the thrift shop and William opened the door for me so that I could step back into the limo. Before I went inside, I looked around at all of the people that once again stared at me. They were the same people who only paid attention to me when they were looking to buy my intimacy. But now their looks were different. Now I was someone else.

“Let’s get there as quickly as we can,” I said to William.

“Of course.”

I took one last look at all of the people with their eyes upon me. The junkies and the thugs and all of the other prostitutes. Then I got into the limo and we sped back into the city where the sun was shining brightest. If things went my way, this would be the last time any of them ever got a piece of me. Now all I had to do was convince Thomas that I was the one.

Chapter 6

I had managed to spend less money than I expected but the dress I purchased for tonight was something I picked out just for Thomas. I didn’t view it as just as something to look good in. The dress I bought was an investment that would lead me to bigger and better things.

William dropped me off at my apartment and I asked him when I needed to be ready. He gave me a phone number and instructed me to call whenever the time came.

I wasted my morning lounging around in Thomas’s suite then spent the rest of the day agonizing over what dress to buy and wear for him tonight. But I still had a few hours before the sun went down. I took that time to relax and prepare for the evening that went ahead.

I took the most thorough shower I had ever taken in my life, washing and scrubbing and shaving away all of the imperfections that had gathered from just this morning. Standing naked in front of the mirror, I started to apply my makeup just right. A perfect mix of eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara on a set of lashes that fluttered when I blinked were a combination that would make an abstinent man turn in my direction. After applying the rest of the paint to my face to cover up any other unsightly blemishes, I looked at the collection of hairpieces I assembled. I had to decide which one would make Thomas turn in my direction.

Earlier this morning he implied that I didn’t need any of this. But it was just small talk. He was being polite. I was so plain without any of this. Thomas could look in any direction and find a dozen beautiful women staring back at him. I couldn’t take the chance of him not wanting to look back at me.

I pinned my hair down and grabbed the short black piece. I slid the wig onto my head then gently styled it into place. Every hair on the piece dripped down perfectly just above my shoulders. The bangs were a straight line across my forehead and gave a perfect window to the eyes I had spent so much time on.

After putting on a pair of black panties and a strapless bra, I finally dug myself into the dress I had purchased just for him. It was a purple number. The straps were barely enough to hold it up over my shoulders. The silk clinged to the appropriate parts of my curves and hung loosely from everywhere else. The sheer material showed the outline of my figure underneath and if anybody looked close enough, they could see the shape of my underwear.

I stared at myself in the mirror after agonizing over being perfect. I almost wished that I didn’t know who he was. If he was just another client, I could have dealt with him just like I did last night. He was just some rich guy with money to spend. But I had to treat him like more than that. I couldn’t screw this opportunity by being anything less than perfect. Tonight, I would have to live up to my name.

The sun set. I anxiously dialed the number William had given me and he informed me that he would be stopping by in just a few minutes. As I sat in my apartment and waited for him, I tapped my heel against the floor. It gave me an opportunity to realize just how much of a dump I was living in. I started to panic. I couldn’t let anybody see where I lived. Especially when I had dolled myself up to the point that I looked completely out of place.

I grabbed my purse and raced out of my apartment. I started to walk up the street and could feel the eyes of the same people I lived with falling upon me. They didn’t say anything. They didn’t need to. Their blank stares said more than words ever could. My dress was the most expensive thing most of them would ever lay their eyes on. Just when I couldn’t take another second of their envious stares, the limo pulled into view and quickly made its way next to me. William stepped out and greeted me politely like he always had.

The limo sped off into the city and I sat there and awaited the moment when I would finally see Thomas again.

“Where are we going?”

“Mr. Livingston is just finishing up in a meeting. I’ll be picking him up directly and then you’ll be taken to dinner right after.”

“Dinner? Where are we having dinner?”

“He hasn’t yet informed me, Ms. Angel.”

Most of my clients usually only wanted one thing from me. On occasion I would talk to them and give them a bit more of the companionship that a lonely guy would usually have to pay for. But the girlfriend experience, as it’s called, was something that I rarely dabbled in. Usually, men didn’t want to talk until after their business was taken care of between their legs.

Dinner was another story. I found myself struggling to say anything to Thomas during breakfast that morning. Now I would have to come up with an entire conversation. What was there to talk about? I wasn’t interesting. I had no hobbies and no friends. I didn’t even have a real job. Most of my time was spent trying to figure out how to survive.

And what if he asked to get personal with me? I couldn’t tell him about my past. It was something that I kept to myself. This would have to be all on Thomas. I would have to endure potential discussions about business meetings and his latest capital ventures. These things didn’t interest me unless they were focused on the bottom line. But I braced myself for the inevitable.