Penthouse of pleasure - uncertain desire (German Edition) (10 page)

“And that is?”

“Bedding beautiful women, enjoying life and some charity work now and then.”

“Doesn’t that get boring after a while?”

“Absolutely not. I’ll never get tired of sleeping with beautiful women. I love enjoying life and once in a while living in the world’s poorest areas to support the local population makes me realize even more how well off we all are and what real gratitude means.”

“Where have you been so far?” I ask and enjoy Marcus’s fingers on my skin.

“Quite a few places. I’ve been to Ethiopia, the Congo, Bolivia, Peru. Especially touching was a children’s support project in Uganda. My foundation built an orphanage and I was there for a long time. Did you ever hold an orphaned child in your arms who didn’t want to let you go? It’s heartbreaking.”

I shake my head. Marcus keeps on surprising me. That he had inherited a lot of money and simply lives for the moment is exactly what I had initially thought. But I would have never guessed that he actually cares about disadvantaged orphans. He’s apparently far less shallow than I imagined.

Marcus has stopped stroking my back. “We have to start getting ready for the party,” he says in a husky voice.

Exactly like Liam. I’m frustrated. The minute a conversation gets more intimate, Marcus diverts my attention. Those two are presumably not able to sustain a normal relationship. I wonder if Alexander is like that, too.

“Where is Liam actually?” I ask and slip into my underwear. “Wasn’t he supposed to be back by now?”

“Here, read it yourself,” Marcus says and hands me his cell. “He sent a text. You should have gotten it as well.”

Hi, you two. Hope you are still alive and having a good time ;-) Got delayed. See you at the party. L.

Wow, this must have cost a fortune, I think when Marcus and I step into the brightly lit building. The organizers must have rented the whole deluxe hotel for the party. Impressive candelabras bath everything in a warm glow, the walls are cloaked in fabric prints, fantasy sculptures grace the lobby and women in elf costumes are scurrying around to greet the guests. 

“What kind of a party is this?” I feel a little out of place in my red dress. But the other guests in their stylish outfits don’t really fit into this fantasy world either. Perhaps they should have been told that this is a fancy dress occasion.

Marcus points to a poster above the entrance to the function room.

SPIRIT WORLD – THE RETURN

it says in capital letters.

“This is the launch of Epoch’s  new Spirit World game.

“Right,” I say. “And how are you two involved? Does one of you own Epoch?”

“No!” Marcus replies. “Come on, we go look for Liam. I hope he reserved us some seats.”

What seats? I’m about to ask, but Marcus grabs my hand and pulls me behind him. I have a job keeping up with him in my high heels.

“Hey!” I complain. “I can’t walk that fast.”

“Try harder! I want to get a seat right in front,” he says testily and heads towards the function room’s entrance.

“And I thought if you two sleep with each other you would finally stop fighting,” I hear a voice behind me. I pull my hand away from Marcus and turn around.

“Liam!”

Liam looks at us with amusement.

“How do you know…?” I start.

“I don’t actually, but I can’t imagine that you could resist Marcus for long. Or he you.”

I have no idea what to say to that and wave him off dismissively.

“As long as you had fun.” Liam winks at me.

“Could have been worse,” is Marcus’s cheeky comment.

“I don’t believe what I’m hearing!” I flash my eyes at him indignantly.

“That’s enough!” Liam says and takes my arm. “Follow me. They’re about to start.”

Together we walk into the function room. It’s already quite crowded. Guests are sitting spread over several rows of seats, looking expectantly at the large stage. Just like the hotel lobby, the room and the stage are decorated with colorful fantasy motive prints. There’s a large screen on the stage with a big white grand piano in front. Elves and mythical creatures flit around and show the guests to their seats. Liam is heading towards one of the front rows. I sit down between the two men and wait for what’s going to happen now. I would be quite happy for whatever it is to begin soon. Then I could relax for a while. My day with Marcus was terribly exciting, but also a little exhausting.

I’m still all flustered by the parachute jump experience and the explosive sex.

“How was your day?” Liam asks and amicably puts his arm around my shoulders.

“Well, where shall I start?” I frown in contemplation. “First I beat your friend here at badminton and he revenged himself by pushing me out of a plane. After barely surviving the attack, he tried to make up by giving me his body. Unfortunately he didn’t perform very well!”

“You bitch!” Marcus hisses and lightly pinches my thigh. “Looks like I was still far too nice too you!”

“Ouch.”

Liam laughs. You two are hilarious. What did you do, Marcus? Did you take her parachute jumping?” 

Marcus grins and nods.

“I thought it was about time for Kate to show some grit!”

“About time to show some grit? I’d say it’s pretty courageous of me to spend time with weirdoes like you,” is my disgruntled comment.

Liam places his finger on his lips and points to the stage. “Shush, it’s starting!”

“Scrapping with you really turns me on,” Marcus whispers in my ear and strokes my thigh. “I’d much rather be in bed with you now and fuck you senseless.”

I have to smile. He’s right. I’m also enjoying myself. It would presumably be quite annoying if I was going steady with Marcus, but this way it turns me on, too. I also wouldn’t mind exchanging this room full of people for a bed with Marcus and Liam in it. Thinking about last night triggers a pleasant tingling sensation in my nether regions. Jesus, I’m becoming a sex addict.

What are we actually still doing here if we could spend the evening much more pleasantly. After all I don’t have all that much time left with these crazy but pretty appealing freaks.

Before I can ask what we’re really doing here, the stage comes to life. A man, presumably the boss of the games company, tells us a few things about the Spirit World game. I yawn. I’m not all interested in video games. I didn’t spot any consoles in the guys’ apartment either. And they don’t really strike me like people who waste their evenings playing video games. So what are we doing here?

The questions answers itself when a second man in a suit suddenly appears on the stage and sits down at the grand piano. Isn’t that… Alex!

“Is that Alex?” I whisper into Liam’s ear.

“Of course, it is. That’s why we are here,” he whispers back. “Alex composed the music for the Spirit World game.”

Right, I think. My hunch that Alex is somehow involved with music was correct so.

I’m glad to see him. He was very nice to me. Let’s see how good he is, I think, lean back and relax. The screen now shows scenes from the game and Alex starts to play.

I close my eyes and enjoy the music. Beautiful, I think.

Alex’s music is so expressive, it touches my soul and gives me goose bumps.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Liam whispers.

“Yes, absolutely wonderful,” I agree.

“That’s why we wanted to take you here. So you can hear him. Alex feels the music. He’s the most marvelous and sensitive person I know.”

I know very well why Liam brought me to this party and why he left me alone with Marcus for the whole day. I’m not stupid. He wanted to present his friends at their best and I have to admit it worked. It’s an incredible feeling that I don’t have to settle for just one man, but that I can have them all. I would have never imagined it before, but now I feel as strong and attractive as I haven’t for a long time. The last few months Andrew and I were together, he hardly noticed me. I now enjoy the guys’ attention all the more.  

“Here, this is for you,” Liam says and hands me a glass of Prosecco.

The performance is over and we are now in another room with a gigantic buffet. We’ve found a table in a quiet corner where we nibble on a few delicacies.

Alexander’s appearance was a hit. There was no end of applause. Of course, the standing ovation was also for the Spirit World game, but, in passing, I did overhear the audience raving about the beautiful music. 

“Hi, you lot. Did you like it?” Suddenly Alex’s standing in front of us. He doesn’t seem to be particularly surprised to see me.

“It was wonderful,” I say.

Alex gives me a kiss on the cheek. “How lovely that you came. I was hoping to see you again. I’m glad that you are considering to move in with us.”

Where did he get his information? I think. I arch one of my eyebrows and look at Liam.

“I told Alex that you’re living with us for the time being. I had to ask him if that was okay with him. And you promised to reconsider our proposition.”

I feel slightly uneasy. I still don’t know where I am going to live, but it’s obvious that I can’t run away from a decision forever. I either accept the boys’ rules and stay with them or take my boxes and move into a hotel. Or, what’s even worse, back in with my parents.

“You have to make up your mind,” Marcus also insists. “Preferably tonight.”

It’s mean to put the pressure on like that, I think. The idea of parking myself and my belongings at a cheap hotel tomorrow and to desperately look for a job does my head in. Especially since I’ve only just begun to feel really good and to  build up my bruised ego again. I can’t leave yet.

“But what about us two?” I turn to Alex for help. “We don’t really know each other at all. Perhaps we wouldn’t get on in the long run. Can’t I simply stay with you for another three or four days?”

Liam shakes his head. “No, that’s impossible. We’ve already broken far too many of our rules. And the getting to know each other part is easily remedied.”

He holds up a smart card.

“What is that?” I ask.

“The key to a room I’ve booked in this hotel.”

I gulp. “Are we going to stay here tonight?”

“Not the whole night. We just want to celebrate here and perhaps fuck a little,” Liam says.

I feel cheated. The bastards had planned it all! And I walked right into the trap like a stupid little mouse.

But havn’t I done it all voluntarily? None of the men has forced me to do anything. How skillfully Liam has manipulated me. He has actually managed to make the idea of spending the next few weeks on my own less appealing than staying with the three of them.

I’ve never experienced as much in my entire life as I have in the last few days. And I haven’t felt as good in a long time. I nearly feel as if I’m on some kind of a permanent happy pill. I doubt I could cope with the withdrawal symptoms right now.

“What do you say, Kate?” Liam looks right into my eyes. “Have you made up your mind? If you accept this card, it means you’ll promise to stay with us and sign our contract. If you don’t, we’ll look for a hotel for you first thing in the morning.”

“But I haven’t even seen the contract,” I reply slightly desperate. I feel like everyone around us can hear what we are saying. But that’s impossible, of course. We’re too far away from anyone.

“We’ll give you a chance to read it so. Take the card and have a look around the room. The contract is right there on the desk. We’ll leave you to it for a bit. Alex has to talk to a few people here anyway. You’ve got an hour. Then we’ll come up to hear your decision.”

I look at Liam with eyes as big as saucers. Now I understand that he must be very successful in business. He seems so cold and calculating. Not at all as nice and considerate as usual.

“So?” he asks, and waves the card under my nose.

Hesitating, I stretch out my hand. “Give it to me!”

I’ll have a look at the contract. I can still scram after.

My heart’s racing like crazy when I cross the room with the keycard in my hand. I can feel the three men staring at my back.

“Do you really think she’ll go to the room? She could also be doing a runner,” Marcus whispers with his hand over his mouth.

But I heard him.

I would love to walk faster so I’ll be out of their field of vision. But I force myself to keep a steady pace, head held high. I can’t let them see how confused I am. Let me just deal with this as quickly as possible and take a look at the contract before my courage deserts me and I bolt. How did it happen that I now seriously consider moving into their whacky commune? When Liam enlightened me about the purpose of their peculiar arrangements, I was horrified. Now I’m equally curious to find out how the whole set-up might work. I’ve long gone past the limits of normality. Nothing has been normal since I’ve known the three guys. And that is exactly what I’m now starting to enjoy.

I look at the room number on the card, step into the elevator and push the button for the fourth floor. The door’s already closing when a young couple storms into the in at the last minute. They are presumably employed by the games company. Both sport “EpochGames” badges.

“Great party, isn’t it?” says the man.

I nod.

“That music...,” his pretty, dark-haired companion swoons. “Alexander Gabriel is a genius. It was great fun working with him.”

“Do you fancy him?” the young man teases her.

“Well, I wouldn’t throw him out of my bed. He’s incredible charisma. Don’t you agree?” she addresses me.

I shrug my shoulders.

“You can’t be serious.” Her boyfriend pokes her in the ribs. “Are you trying to make me jealous?”

“Of course not,” his girlfriend laughs. “I just wanted to tease you a little. He’s not at all interested in me. I think he only lives for his music. ”

If you only knew, I think and step out of the elevator.

But she’s right. Alex really has incredible charisma when he’s in his element. I wonder what she would say if she knew that he wants me. And not just he...

And what would my girlfriends say? I actually prefer not to know.

I briefly consider calling one of them and telling her everything. But then what? I still have to make my own decision and it may just be better if nobody else knows

I stop outside room 311 and take a deep breath. Then I straighten myself, open the door with the chip-card and enter.

The room is very stylishly furnished with a king-size bed, a large flat-screen TV, a little sitting area and a writing desk with a black envelope, a ballpoint pen and a small black box. I ignore the envelope and make for the bathroom where I scrutinize myself in the large mirror.

Relax, you look fine, I think.

The dress I bought with Liam yesterday to annoy Andrew really suits me. A few red spots on my cleavage betray my anxiety; other than that my inner tension doesn’t show. At least not outwardly.

I relieve my bladder. Then I decide to inspect the minibar before opening the envelope.

Oh, man! That tastes disgusting. I screw up my face.

Who actually likes Bourbon?

The little bottle was over 80 percent proof. That’s why I selected it. But it tasted horrible. Right, Kate, don’t get sidetracked. Open the envelope.

I feel slightly nauseous when I walk over to the desk to pick it up. It’s not very heavy.

My fingers trembling, I tear it open and extract the content.

Take a deep breath, Kate!

I briefly close my eyes before reading the first page. It’s a hand-written note from Liam.

Dear Kate,

I’m delighted that you opened the envelope.

Take your time reading. We’re not forcing you to do anything.

But if you should decide to sign the contract, I promise you won’t regret it.

Liam

P.S. I know you find it difficult to accept payment (you mentioned it often enough), that’s why I slightly adjusted the relevant section. We would pay you for taking care of the apartment and perhaps do some grocery shopping, but not for the other thing (although that’s obviously also part of the arrangement;-)) Perhaps you find that easier to live with. The little black box is a gift. But only if you sign.

I put the letter aside, sit down on the bed and start reading the contract.