by Steve Shadow
She looked me in the eye as if she was searching for something in her memory bank. She gave me a coquettish smile that might have been cute on a 15 year old school girl but on her only looked odd.
“I already have a drink at the other end of the bar.”
‘Well, have a seat here and Danny can bring it over.”
I pulled the chair out a little farther and she climbed up on it. She turned and gave me a mouth full of capped teeth. “Thank you very much. My name is Beverly but my friends call me Bev.” She chuckled at that and then cocked her head to give me a practiced innocent charm school look. Jesus, this dame watched too much television.
We made a lot of small talk. It was the usual bar nonsense which I could reel off in my sleep. All her tells were there and I figured this would be an easy one. After a couple of drinks I asked her if she wanted to have some dinner. She pretended to not be sure but let me convince her. Danny got us a nice secluded table on the patio. It was a beautiful night and a very romantic setting. The patio had heaters, which made it cozy and warm. I had Danny choose a bottle of wine and we had a few appetizers, which were delicious. The conversation got a little more intimate by the time we finished the wine. I told her the usual bogus crap about my sales rep job, my moving here and my childhood in Peru and Chicago. She told me about her Pilate’s classes and her beautiful home in someplace called Silverleaf. She actually started batting her eyelashes at me. Over coffee I put my hand on her knee and told her how beautiful I thought she was.
She formed her lips into a perfect moue and said, “Oh, that is so sweet of you but I think I may be a little old for you.”
The hook was set. “There is no such thing,” I said. “Beauty has no age. You are an attractive woman and I find you very desirable. May I see you home tonight?”
“Well, this is very sudden, Miguel, but I am not that kind of girl. Perhaps we can get to know each other better before we go any farther. I have an idea; would you like to come to my place for dinner next week?”
I was surprised at this. I thought I read her perfectly and would meet no resistance. “Of course, Beverly, I would love to have dinner at your house. Let me get your phone number and I’ll call for directions.”
She smiled demurely. “Would next Friday night be all right with you? Say about 8 o’clock.”
“Yes that would be fine.” I motioned for the check. When it was paid I walked her to her car. It was a late model Mercedes 500. She turned to me.
“Thank you for a lovely evening, Miguel. It was a real pleasure and I look forward to next Friday.”
I stepped forward and very gently took her in my arms. I leaned over and kissed her on both cheeks, European style. “The pleasure was all mine, Beverly. An evening spent in the company of one so lovely and gracious is a rare treat. Drive safely and I will call you. Ciao.”
She smiled again and slipped behind the wheel. As she pulled away I waved and blew her a kiss. She waved back and drove off. I went back in the restaurant and saw they were closing up. I had discovered very quickly that this was an early town. I was used to Vegas and its 24 hour life style. I found Danny and slipped him a ten. I learned early on to always over tip the help in bars and restaurants. These people not only worked hard but they were full of helpful info.
“Didn’t work out for you, I see,” Danny said. “Well, you can’t win em’ all, I sure know that.”
“No, it was fine. She is a real classy lady. I’ll see her again. See you, Danny. Thanks for everything.”
“Hey, no, thank you,” he said as he waved the money, smiled and put it in his pocket. “Have a good one.”
I drove home feeling pretty good about the night but still a little uneasy about her putting me off for a week. I usually got them on the first try or I knew it wasn’t going anywhere and I moved on. This one looked to good to pass up, though. She obviously had money and the truth was that she really was pretty good looking. She acted a little too young and a bit obvious but she seemed intelligent enough to be light years away from the dumb cows I usually ended up with.
I went through my nightly calisthenics in order to keep my abs in shape. I finally got in bed and picked up the Cain book I had bought earlier. It worked and I was asleep in no time.
I passed the week hitting the big resorts in both Scottsdale and Phoenix. I found very slim pickings. The hotel bars were filled with couples or groups of middle-aged male business types. The few places I did find with single ladies all seemed to be packed with blue-haired woman even too old for me. I finally called Beverly and she seemed eager to see me. She gave me directions to her gated community. I went on a trial run to check out the area. It looked very posh with huge Tuscan-style mansions. I could not get into her particular enclave without being on a guest list, but I could see some of the gigantic homes on the mountainside. This looked like a scenario with some very promising possibilities.
On Friday night I got out the lone Armani I had and pulled myself together. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, even I had to admit I looked good. Not too many women could resist a handsome devil like me. I know I sound vain but it’s the truth. I plotted out the evening and all the moves I would make. A lot of these women, as hungry as they were, were not stupid and had to be handled with care. It usually took a long time to gain their trust. I was a little rusty after all the time I spent in Vegas, where it was usually slam, bam and thank you, Madame. The drive north was beautiful. The mountains on my right were turning a brilliant red as the setting sun, with nothing to block it, made them glow and slowly fade to a rich rosy hue. The air was cool and dry. It felt like velvet on my face. I felt good about tonight and sang along with the oldie’s station on the radio.
I pulled up to the guard station and an old guy with a clip board approached my car.
“Good evening, sir. May I have your name and the party you are here to see?”
I answered him, as he checked his sheet.
“Oh yes, Mrs. Stanton,” He said with a sly grin on his face. “When you pass through the gates go straight ahead and up the hillside.. About a mile up you will come to a cul-de-sac. Turn into the driveway on your right. It will be the one with the two gargoyles perched on the red stone pillars. You can’t miss it. Those things are ugly enough to scare the dead.”
I thanked him and passed through the open iron gates. As I drove on I saw them swing closed behind me as the old Guard watched my car ascend the hill. It was getting dark rapidly and I switched on my lights. I finally saw the driveway entrance and the old man was right; those things on the pillars were frightening looking as all get out. Rich people had some strange tastes. I could certainly attest to that.
The driveway curved twice before I came to a large stone home. It had an oval driveway in front of a huge façade with a massive oak door. The house seemed to have two wings and was 3 stories high. Jesus, I thought, these are some digs. I figured Beverly to be well off but this was something else. I pulled past the entrance and parked my car. I had brought a large bouquet of flowers and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. I was a few minutes late. I dropped the large oval door knocker twice. I stood there and after a few seconds the door swung open and I was face to face with a huge man in a tuxedo. He had to be well over six feet tall and four feet wide. He looked like an ex-football player.
“Ah, welcome Mr. Groening. Madame awaits you.” He stepped aside and I entered an entry hall like the lobby of a Vegas hotel. It was all marble, lofty ceilings and a double sided sweeping staircase climbing to the second level. “Allow me to take your items. I will present them to Madame upon her arrival. Please follow me to the library.”
The walking mountain led me down a hallway and into a huge library that looked like a scene from an English movie. Beautiful wooden bookcases rose to 15 foot walkways and all the shelves were filled with books. The room held a bunch of leather lounge chairs, couches and reading lamps.
“Madame will only be a moment. Please have a seat. Cocktails will be served at Madame’s r
equest.
He turned to leave. “Hey, wait a second. Did you play pro ball? You look familiar.”
He only smiled, did a half bow and left the room.
I looked at the books lining the walls but did not recognize any titles or authors. They all seemed to be from another century. I wondered if it was all show like those rich phony’s who have fake book covers just to impress people. I pulled out a few of the books but they were real.
“Ah, Miguel, I am so glad to see you. Thank you for the lovely gifts.”
I turned and there she was. She was wearing a black and gold caftan that hung as if it were painted on her. She looked awfully good. Her plastic surgeon’s had done such a great job on her that she almost turned me on.
“Beverly, your house is magnificent. Your taste is exquisite and as beautiful as you are.” Maybe I was laying it on a bit thick but she smiled and held out her hand. I took it in mine and brought it to my lips.
She turned and pulled a braided rope hanging by the doorway and in came another servant carried a silver tray with champagne and two flutes. She was a middle-aged Hispanic looking woman in a maids outfit.
“Thank you, Josefina,” Beverly said, “Some champagne, Miguel?”
We sat on one of the leather couches and toasted the evening. She asked about my business and if I was doing well. I very diplomatically inquired about a Mr. Stanton. This seemed an awfully huge place for one person. She ignored the question and asked if I was ready for dinner. I assumed that either there was no husband or he was away and she did not want discuss him just prior to cheating on him.
We walked down another long hallway to the dining room. She put her arm in mine as we strolled. A long table was set for two at one end. Josefina and another servant, this one much younger and a stunning beauty with long black hair, stood beside a serving cart. They pulled our chairs out for us and we were seated with Beverly at the head of the table and I at her side. Wine glasses were placed on the table and a dark red wine was poured by the young beauty. I smiled at her but she did not look at me. Both woman were very solemn and seemed to take their work quite seriously. This was not what I expected. I did not understand all the formality. Usually once I got inside these women’s homes, they couldn’t wait to be ravaged. We rarely got to any dinner or any conversation until after the nasty deeds were done.
The dinner was wonderful, the food great and the wines delicious. We made small talk throughout the meal. No mention was made of anything personal or of a sexual nature. I was a bit confused but decided to see just what it was she was up to. So far it felt more like a visit to an attractive aunt’s house for a holiday dinner than an illicit encounter. I began to feel I was on shaky ground. Could it be she was just being friendly? I sure did not get that impression at the restaurant; not from the way she was dressed and not from the way she looked at me on that moonlit patio.
We finished dinner and moved to another room where the two ladies served coffee, cognac and sweets. I could not take my eyes off the long-haired Latin beauty whose name I learned was Lupe. Her eyes were as dark as her hair and they seemed to radiate a fire that belied her calm and stately manner.
Beverly crossed her lovely slim legs and turned to me. “I suppose at this point you are wondering just what is going on. I am sure you took me for just another aging woman on the prowl for a young man.”
I shook my head. “I know that you are much more than that, Beverly, but I do not want to mislead you. I do find you more than attractive and am open to whatever you wish.”
“Well, we shall soon see about that. I could not help but notice you looking at Lupe with an obvious naked desire.”
I had to be careful here. People’s kinks could be very surprising. “Yes, she is a beautiful girl. I think anyone would be attracted to such beauty.”
“You are correct and that is exactly why she is employed here. I believe it is now time to get to why you are here. Please follow me downstairs.”
She arose and swept out of the room in a whirl of color. I followed, feeling a tinge of excitement in the pit of my stomach. This could prove to be an interesting evening.
We headed to a doorway which led down a flight of stairs to a high-ceiling basement. The walls were lined in a rich wood and the floors were marble. At the end of a curve in the basement we came to a large door. Standing in front of it was the big man who had let me in the house. He showed us inside and we entered a large chamber. He closed the door behind him and left us alone. In the center of the room was a large raised bed. A spotlight shone down on it from above. I followed Beverly to the edge of the huge bed.
“Do you like the setting? I know it’s a bit dramatic but I so enjoy the grand gesture.” I looked around the room searching for cameras. Who knew what she was up to? I was a little frightened but still excited. I nodded my head in agreement to her question.
She smiled at me. “I want you to get undressed and on the bed. I have a very special treat for you.”
Well, here it comes, I thought. I did as she requested. As I disrobed she stared at me with a naked hunger in her eyes. Despite all the trappings it always came down to the same thing. I climbed on the bed and lay on my back. She clapped her hands and from another door Lupe and a balding middle-aged man entered. Lupe was wearing a sheer diaphanous robe and had nothing on beneath it. She was stunning. I watched her as she came towards me. She stood beside me and laid a hand on my arm. She said nothing, only looked at Beverly. The man, clad in a hooded crimson robe, had moved to stand beside Beverly and took her hand in his as he smiled at her. Beverly nodded and Lupe went to the head of the bed and took my arms and gently pulled them above my head. Before I could react I felt metal clamps encircle my wrists. At the same time Beverly did the same at my ankles. I started yelling at them and then began swearing but they all just looked at me with smiles on their faces.
Beverly approached the bed. “Oh, Miguel, how foolish you were. I know all about you. You are ours now. No one will miss you and you have no one to blame but yourself. You choose to live by the sword, so to speak, and now you must die by the sword. Of course this will not be happening anytime soon. I do hope you have a vivid imagination because you will have plenty of time to dwell upon what awaits you.”
I started thrashing about wildly. I was getting hoarse from screaming but it was to no avail. Lupe and Beverly turned to leave the room while the man silently stared at me. At the door Beverly turned and said, “Good night, Miguel, I do hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Scottsdale. I’ll send Danny your regards.”
The door closed silently behind them. Trembling with fear I watched the man in the robe approach the bed. The hood obscured his face but I saw the glint of steel in his mouth as his lips parted.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Steve Shadow is the pen name of Steven Schwartz. He is a poet, book reviewer, and writer of 4 previous books. You can follow him at www.stevenshadow.com
