by Simone Kelly
I paused and felt it in my stomach. “I have a feeling she actually did it. She killed him.”
“Yeah, I feel it, too. Well, consider this like your internship project. I think you did great on that Elizabeth Moore case. She emailed me tonight saying her lawyers were pleased with the evidence you submitted. The social media and photos. They were loving it.”
“Really?” I was glowing.
“All right, see you when I see you. This old man has to hit the hay.”
“Good night, Vince! Ciao!”
Only about an hour later, when I’d just walked in my door, Antonio called me on three-way with Vince.
Vince said, “Ahhh, hate to break the news, but wanted to tell you both now since we’re not in the office tomorrow. Bad news.”
“What!” I gasped.
“Well, Elizabeth is in the hospital. Yuri is now in jail for smashing her head against the wall in their apartment. Turns out he went into a rage when she confronted him. Bad move. Women never listen. I told her just give the evidence to her lawyer and not confront him personally. Hop on a plane to Africa and get the fuck out of here. Well, you know what? Now her jaw is wired shut!”
“Get the fuck outta here!” Antonio said.
“That’s terrible,” I shouted.
Vince continued, “You wanna know what’s terrible? They know we did it. Stupid chick either told him or he checked her phone and traced it—not sure, but got a prank call today with a Russian dude telling me to mind my fucking business! I didn’t even do that math until she texted me.”
Suddenly, it came back to me. The pictures. I was in one of them. I couldn’t remember if I’d sent them both.
“Did he see the pictures we took?”
“Not sure, she just texted me, but didn’t respond when I texted her back. Maybe she ditched her phone. She is terrified for her life. Her attorney is on it and they are working on getting her out of Miami. The guy is a fucking monster. He thinks he’s invincible.”
“Yes, I saw it in his eyes. He has serial killer eyes.” I got chills.
Vince chimed in, “So, why were you not there with Kylie, Antonio?”
“I know, man . . . I should’ve been. I had a family emergency, I didn’t think it was a big job.”
Vince said, “Well, Kylie over here likes to take selfies, which was not good. Never ever put yourself in the picture, Kylie! You need to remain invisible. Stealth mode, you hear me? Just keep your eyes open around the office and never be alone. Kylie . . . you hear me?”
“Yeeees, Vince.” I felt like the father I never had was scolding me. I was shaking.
“Now you know why we have people sign a waiver. No one can sue us because we are covered. Unfortunately, this jerk is probably only going to do the weekend in jail. He has the bread to get out on bail. I checked his record and he gets into brawls frequently but never stays more than a night in jail.”
Antonio said sternly, “Well, homie better not even think about coming for us.”
“Nah, I don’t think he will, but it’s better to play it safe. No one close up the office alone. I’m more concerned for Elizabeth and that she makes it out of America alive.”
I hung up and my hands were shaking. I hated that I got overexcited and took a damn selfie. I don’t want them to ever recognize me. I’m glad at least my hair was straight that day. I guess I won’t be flat ironing my hair anytime soon until this dies down. I resolved to just follow the rules and work on playing it safe. After all, flies on the wall are silent and go unnoticed. They don’t take selfies. Lesson learned.
Chapter 35
Jacques
It’s my birthday. I’m thirty-two today and in my prime! Hicham is in town for my birthday, which is part of the surprise Vicky planned. He also is such a hustler that he made it a business trip, so he won’t have to pay for his hotel. He is doing a photo shoot on South Beach for the magazine. His favorite place to be is South Beach. I’m happy he’s coming, yet a bit nervous to finally have the talk about what I found in the journals.
I brought some of the journals with me to his hotel so I could show him what I found. I knew I couldn’t keep it a secret for much longer. He had the right to know. At the very least, he should know that he was made from love. Even if Mom lied and cheated to make him, she and Benny loved each other—and loved Hicham.
I was also excited to speak with Melissa, the medium. We had a meeting set up for tomorrow to do a reading and speak to my mom. I know she has to cross her over. Even though what Mom did was not right, I still loved her and wanted her soul to rest in peace.
I got to the Blue Oasis Hotel, a very sexy spot. Looked expensive. I heard spa music and smelled essential oils the second I got off the elevator on Hicham’s floor. I thought that was strange. I looked at my phone again to check the text. Room 1544. I knocked on the door and this beautiful brown Indian girl opened the door. Long hair down to her butt. Wow, she had Vicky beat with the hair. Gold bikini. Black stilettos.
“Jacques?” She giggled at the blank look on my face.
“Ah yes, I thought . . . I thought I had the wrong room.” I passed my hand through my waves.
She slowly opened the door and the music got louder and the scent of lavender took over me. “No, you are in the right room. I’m here for your surprise birthday gift. Happy birthday! I’m Aanya. Your brother was very generous and gave you access to the full menu. Please . . .” She showed me to the office area of the suite. “Have a seat and review the menu.” I looked to the back and didn’t see anyone else. The place was massive. Looked like four hotel rooms in one. I guess he was going to be shooting some pictures here, too, on their dime, since I knew he couldn’t afford all of this.
I hesitantly sat down and tried not to stare as she pranced around in front of me in a bikini as if this was an everyday occurrence. She had such a nice walk. Elegant, regal . . . yes even half-naked in stilettos.
“Please, review the menu, Jacques.” I was staring again, holding the brochure.
“Whoa, I think this is all really nice. I mean, you are very nice.” I pointed to her body. “But it’s just not my thing. I don’t want to go there.”
“What? A massage? That’s all it is. It’s VIP service, that’s all.” She reassured me as she handed me a glass of water from the minibar.
“Oh, okay!” I felt relieved, although a little suspicious, too.
I picked up the menu and I had to smile to myself. Part of me did think this was some prank.
“Well, I have to ask, what did you think this was going to be?” She laughed. “You know I normally wear blue baggy scrubs, but we just finished doing a photo shoot for Mr. Hicham and he asked that we stay like this.” I tried not to laugh at her calling him Mr. Hicham. Did he pay her to say that, too?”
“We?”
“Oh yes, it’s two-on-one massage. My assistant, Sky, is going to help me.”
“Wow.” I shifted my legs as I glanced at Aanya’s smooth abs, her thighs, her curves, her white smile. Damn, that little jerk of a brother really loves me if this isn’t a prank. Then I smelled the faint scent of marijuana and heard a door bang open and hissing, like someone trying to hold in laughter.
“Baaaah haha hahaha. Oh mannn! Stop being a punk and take it. It’s a gift, don’t disrespect me and reject it.”
I got up and Hicham ran over to me, hugging me and yelling, “We won’t tell your girl. Happy birthday, motherfucker!” He slapped me hard on the back. I laughed and sat back down, relieved there weren’t cameras rolling anywhere.
Aanya stood behind me in my chair and started to massage one of my shoulders. I pointed at him. “I’m gonna get you for this!”
Aanya whispered in my ear, “Just relax. Please go into the next room and disrobe. Get under the sheet and ring the bell when you are ready. The massage table is all set up and heated. I think you will enjoy it. Sky and I will take care of you.” I raised my eyebrows at Hicham.
Hicham was smiling and rubbing his hands together. “Don�
��t say little bro ain’t never hook you up. This is some Coming to America shit, right? ‘What-teva youuuu like’?” He cackled, impersonating a scene from the movie.
My legs got weak, because I knew I was going to enjoy this more than I should. Aanya reached under my collar and kneaded a knot on the left side of my neck. My goodness, I wasn’t even in the room yet and it was feeling like heaven.
“Jacques, it’s so good you are here, my love. You have a lot of tension! Did you pick from the menu?”
Hicham pointed to it. “Yo, son, get the ‘Indulge Me’! I had it earlier, you won’t be sorry. You already got the ‘Double Your Pleasure,’ but you can add on. How do they say . . . à la carte and shit.” His eyes were slits. He was definitely smoking a lot today. He was always extra animated when he was high. I thought it was supposed to calm you down.
I fumbled with the menu and noticed my hands were actually shaking. I couldn’t believe what a punk I was really turning into. I mean . . . am I really in love now? I guess I was feeling conflicted.
Hicham had the wildest Jack Nicholson–esque smirk on his face. He was enjoying my shock a bit too much. “You want a puff?” He passed me his blunt. “Looks like you need one to loosen up.”
I waved him off. “Nah, you know I don’t smoke anymore. I need to have my wits about me right now.”
“Fuck wits, it’s your birthday, niggah!” He walked up closer to me and spoke lower. “Yo, you know what I was thinking? Is it wrong for me to say that now? Being that I’m like all gringo and shit.” He laughed extra loud. His whispers were never whispers. I saw Aanya crack a smile. I couldn’t help but laugh with him. He was too funny when he smoked.
“Yeah, you might want to go easy on the N word,” I said.
“Fuck that, ain’t nobody gotta know. You think I’m telling people? Shit . . .” He put his finger to his lips to hush me, as if I were the one blabbing. Aanya walked to the bathroom and was fixing her hair and reapplying lip gloss with the door open. Leaning over the sink and pushing her bottom out. She was so nice to observe from afar.
Then the other girl, Sky, finally poked her head out of another room in the back.
“What up, Sky.” Hicham smiled at her. She came out slowly to see what was going on. I didn’t even realize she was here already. A head full of curls—big fluffy auburn and blond curls. Maaaan, she was hot! She could be black, Spanish, or mixed. I wasn’t sure. Bronzed skin as if she just finished tanning this morning. Her powder-pink bikini was very, very tiny and she was even bustier than Aanya. Her hour-glass figure almost looked unreal. But she definitely didn’t look surgically enhanced like a lot of these women down here. Hips so wide and waist so tiny. My heart sank. I was speechless as she stood there in the hallway, teasing me with her eyes. She had deep brown eyes and she used them to her advantage as she looked coyly at me. “ ’Appy berthday.” Her Spanish accent was very thick. “Ju almost ready for massage?”
Hicham leaned up against the minibar and was getting a real kick out of all of this. He poured a drink for himself. “Uh-huh . . . uh-huh. I know you, big bro. I knooow you! I knew you would like this bonus gift.”
I was smiling waaaaay too hard; I could feel my face hurting. My heart racing. He knows I have a thing for exotic women. “Man, this better be legit. Just a massage? No funny business.” I pointed at him.
“Yo, maaaann the fuck up!” He put up his glass as if to toast me, even though I was drinking water. “Salut!”
Aanya took my hand, led me to the back room, and showed me the massage table to sit on. Incense was burning now and music was playing on an iPad. It was the sound of a gentle rain shower with light piano. Very relaxing.
I was pretty nervous. “Wow, I never had a massage with two women before.”
“Ah, no worries. We’ll be gentle, unless you like deep tissue,” Aanya said.
Sky asked gently, “Ju pick?” as she pointed to the menu. I wondered if she could even read it. Her accent sounded like she barely spoke English, but I don’t know why I loved that even more. Gave me the feeling of being on an exotic island.
I reviewed the menu one more time and said, “Oh, I don’t want this, but was just curious . . . what is the Bad Boy Special?” I directed my question to Aanya because I figured she could explain it better.
Sky and Aanya looked at each other and smiled. Aanya answered, “Well, that is if you like a little dirty talk and some spanking.”
Sky chimed in, “Ju like a bad boy! Pao-Pao.” And pretended to hit my bottom.
“Oh no no no. That’s okay. I’ll stick with a regular deep tissue. I guess this is really the Double Your Pleasure package?”
Aanya’s voice was sultry and slightly deep . . . she sounded mature, experienced. “Yes, we both work on you at the same time, so it truly intensifies the pleasure.” She closed the door to block the distant game sounds from the TV. “Trust me, you will be thoroughly satisfied.” She licked her lips and kept intense eye contact with me. Was I being seduced? Yes. I knew . . . I really knew she wanted to do more than a massage and my will would be tested. I figured I could handle it. I was thirty-two . . . I’d have to handle it like a man.
Sky tapped the massage table I was sitting on. “Okay, ju undress now, okay?”
She had a tattoo of Tinker Bell on her right hip that was half hidden by her bikini. I couldn’t help but stare. She saw me gawking, but ignored my eyes. She said, “Put clothes there, ring bell, we will be back for ju, okay?” I watched them walk out and all I could think was that I was going to wake up soon. I was sure of it.
I hoped I would start off facedown, because I felt like I would be pitching a tent with the sheet. My excitement grew as I undressed. I got on the heated table, which seemed to hug me like a giant electric blanket. This is really happening. These two beautiful girls. Exotic. Sexy. Bodies out of this world. They looked classy, too. Not your typical South Beach gold diggers full of silicone. I know you only live once, so to hell with it. It’s my birthday! I rang the bell gleefully.
It was more than thirty minutes in and so far I was extremely proud of my behavior. They both had magical hands and every minute felt like I was being touched everywhere at the same time. I’d never experienced anything so exhilarating. It was so pleasurable. I think I might have drooled a few times.
It was all good when I was facedown, but then they had me turn over onto my back. They put a lavender-scented eye pillow on me to block out the light and so I couldn’t see. Aanya was working on my thighs and I’d just had leg day at the gym, so it was pretty intense. It hurt so good. Her hands moved to my inner thighs, a bit too close to turn this into more than a massage. I moved the eye pillow and saw she was smiling as she rubbed oils up and down my leg. Only now she was topless. I didn’t know how long she’d been without her bikini top. I instantly started to rise under the sheets she had tucked in between my legs to get to my thighs.
“Ummm, do you mind? Aanya, can you put your top back on? I can’t take that.” She kept rubbing as if she didn’t hear me.
My neck was being rubbed by Sky, who asked, “Uh-oh, y el psychic? Ju brudder say you can . . . Como se dice? Ehhhh . . . read the mind? Hmmmm?”
She stood up from the chair. I glanced up. The view of her face was upside down since she was behind me and her breasts almost touched my face as she leaned over me. She’d removed her top, too! “Whoa, you too?” I chuckled nervously.
“Oh, Jacques, we were told to give you the fuuuull service. Since you’re psychic we thought you got the message. Remember, Mr. Hicham said to give you the VIP treatment?” Aanya moved up closer and grabbed my hand and put it on one breast. “You can touch. Feels good, huh?” She whispered, “Niiiice and soft.”
I closed my eyes and just slid my hand off her hard nipple. The battle in my mind was torturous. “No, no. I just want the massage.” I laughed nervously.
Sky giggled as they switched places. Tag-teaming me, they were getting a kick out of teasing me. What was the point of the darn menu? They didn�
��t listen to my choices. Aanya went toward my head and sat down on the stool. She pulled both arms back and started to pull them gently toward her, then proceeded to rub them. Felt so good, but it was actually to restrain me.
Sky—oh, my weakness—started on my thighs and then moved her hands under the sheet. She stroked my balls softly and I sighed. She was about to give me a hand job and I knew I had to go. I was going to fuck both of them if I didn’t. I saw my life flash before my eyes—visions of Vicky finding out and moving out!
My body tensed up. “Hey . . . ladies. I think I better go. This was nice. I mean, really nice.” I sat up and covered my hardness with the sheet.
Sky went from sweet and alluring to angry and bitter. “Wha are you a gay? Ju like man?” I had offended her and her beautiful, beautiful breasts.
“What? No! No! I have a woman. A beautiful woman! A girlfriend. I just can’t do this.”
Both of them topless. Standing in front of me. Me naked. In a sheet.
“It’s no sex, just looky looky, little touch,” Sky argued.
“Look, I know you ladies got paid a lot to do that and I reaaaaally appreciate it. But I gotta go. This isn’t my thing.” The background music got intense along with the mood of the room. The sounds of a soothing rain shower now sounded like a raving thunderstorm with lightning.
Aanya put her top back on, shrugged, and walked out to the bathroom. Sky shook her head, baffled. She looked at me as if I were crazy. She was probably right. She left the room topless and then came back for the rest of her bikini, which was draped across the stool. “Okay, Jacques. It was nice meeting you. Maybe one day I will call you for a reading. I heard you were really good.” She pointed at me. “Your girlfriend is very lucky. Very lucky. Not many men can turn us down.” Strangely, her Spanish accent sounded like perfect English now. Really?
She closed the door and I went totally limp from their scowls of disappointment. I wondered what they had in store for me. If this was just a job and they were in character, they sure played it well. I slid on my pants and T-shirt quickly before the devil got the best of me.
