realization that this guy was cheating on someone with me. As he answered the phone and started nervously talking to his wife, I was suddenly overcome by the thought that some poor woman had no idea her husband was using a prostitute. It had never occurred to me until that moment that I might inadvertently be helping people to cheat and lie, and I suddenly felt as if I might not be able to go through with the whole thing. I'd managed to step past the moral line of being a prostitute in the first place, but being a party to adultery was an entirely different matter.
Looking down at my discarded bra, I realized that this might be a non-starter.
Before I could do anything, however, I heard my own cellphone start to ring. Slightly annoyed at myself for not putting it on silent while I was with a client, I hurried over to my bag and rooted around for the handset. While Archer continued to talk to his wife, I took a look at my phone and saw, to my surprise, that the caller was none other than Drake Parkin. I froze for a moment, not really sure what I should do. In normal circumstances, I'd never have considered answering the phone while I was with a client. Then again, Archer was still locked in conversation with his wife, and I couldn't just ignore a call from Parkin. I'd been waiting for two days for him to get in touch, so after taking a deep breath, I answered the call.
"Hi," I said, trying to sound calm. "This is..." I paused, remembering my false name just in time. "Belle," I said. "This is Belle."
"I know who it is," Parkin's unmistakable voice replied. "I also know that you're with Robin Archer right now. Isn't that right?"
I glanced over at Archer, who held up two fingers as if to indicate that he'd only be a couple more minutes.
"That's right," I replied. "How did you know?"
"I make it my business to keep abreast of these things," Parkin said firmly. "As you've no doubt already worked out, Robin Archer is a piece of crap."
I can't help but smile. "He seems -"
"He's an idiot," Parkin said, interrupting me. "I've known the guy for ten years, and he's only got worse. I've moved him around the company so many times, and I still haven't found a single role in which he's more than adequately competent. The man's a disappointment in every regard. Are you aware that he has a wife at home? And a kid?"
"Jesus," I muttered.
"He's talking to her on the phone right now," Parkin continued. "Don't be fooled, though. The guy's used hookers before. He still gets nervous every time, though. Like I said, the guy's a dick. I can honestly say that he's one of the most pathetic creatures I've ever encountered. I'd pity him, if I cared enough. All I want right now, however, is for him to fuck off."
"Thank you for giving him my number, then," I replied.
"You look good today," he continued. "Your tits look great."
Glancing over my shoulder, I saw nothing behind me but the door that led back out of the office. "And how would you know how I look today?" I asked, starting to feel a little worried.
"Robin Archer works for one of my subsidiary companies," Parkin replied casually. "The building you're in right now is owned by a company that's owned by another of my subsidiaries. It's as kind of complex financial arrangement, but the bottom line is, that whole place is mine. As such, I have a camera in his office. I can see you right now, Belle."
I looked back across toward Archer, who was still talking to his wife. He seemed pretty flustered, as if he was having a hard time coming up with a story to cover what he was really doing.
"You look surprised," Parkin continued, with a hint of amusement in his voice. "I've got to say, Belle, I'm a little disappointed that you seem to have underestimated me. I like to keep a very close eye on all my investments. Robin Archer, for example, is a weak link in the chain. I need to catch him doing something that will allow me to fire him, so I keep a very close eye on his activities. Most days, I get
Looking down at my discarded bra, I realized that this might be a non-starter.
Before I could do anything, however, I heard my own cellphone start to ring. Slightly annoyed at myself for not putting it on silent while I was with a client, I hurried over to my bag and rooted around for the handset. While Archer continued to talk to his wife, I took a look at my phone and saw, to my surprise, that the caller was none other than Drake Parkin. I froze for a moment, not really sure what I should do. In normal circumstances, I'd never have considered answering the phone while I was with a client. Then again, Archer was still locked in conversation with his wife, and I couldn't just ignore a call from Parkin. I'd been waiting for two days for him to get in touch, so after taking a deep breath, I answered the call.
"Hi," I said, trying to sound calm. "This is..." I paused, remembering my false name just in time. "Belle," I said. "This is Belle."
"I know who it is," Parkin's unmistakable voice replied. "I also know that you're with Robin Archer right now. Isn't that right?"
I glanced over at Archer, who held up two fingers as if to indicate that he'd only be a couple more minutes.
"That's right," I replied. "How did you know?"
"I make it my business to keep abreast of these things," Parkin said firmly. "As you've no doubt already worked out, Robin Archer is a piece of crap."
I can't help but smile. "He seems -"
"He's an idiot," Parkin said, interrupting me. "I've known the guy for ten years, and he's only got worse. I've moved him around the company so many times, and I still haven't found a single role in which he's more than adequately competent. The man's a disappointment in every regard. Are you aware that he has a wife at home? And a kid?"
"Jesus," I muttered.
"He's talking to her on the phone right now," Parkin continued. "Don't be fooled, though. The guy's used hookers before. He still gets nervous every time, though. Like I said, the guy's a dick. I can honestly say that he's one of the most pathetic creatures I've ever encountered. I'd pity him, if I cared enough. All I want right now, however, is for him to fuck off."
"Thank you for giving him my number, then," I replied.
"You look good today," he continued. "Your tits look great."
Glancing over my shoulder, I saw nothing behind me but the door that led back out of the office. "And how would you know how I look today?" I asked, starting to feel a little worried.
"Robin Archer works for one of my subsidiary companies," Parkin replied casually. "The building you're in right now is owned by a company that's owned by another of my subsidiaries. It's as kind of complex financial arrangement, but the bottom line is, that whole place is mine. As such, I have a camera in his office. I can see you right now, Belle."
I looked back across toward Archer, who was still talking to his wife. He seemed pretty flustered, as if he was having a hard time coming up with a story to cover what he was really doing.
"You look surprised," Parkin continued, with a hint of amusement in his voice. "I've got to say, Belle, I'm a little disappointed that you seem to have underestimated me. I like to keep a very close eye on all my investments. Robin Archer, for example, is a weak link in the chain. I need to catch him doing something that will allow me to fire him, so I keep a very close eye on his activities. Most days, I get
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