by R. R. Banks
“Thank you, sir and I’m sorry for your luck,” replied the dealer as Robert and Dillon stepped away from the table.
“Why don’t we go have a drink on the balcony and see if our luck will return,” said Robert as he motioned for Dillon to follow him. They stopped at a bar on the way and grabbed drinks before walking up a marble staircase and heading to a large balcony that hung over the Mediterranean. With the moon glistening over the water and only a few clouds in the sky, both men walked out to the balcony and stood at the railing with their drinks in hand.
Dillon leaned against the railing with the moonlight beaming down on the water, illuminating the area. “Alright, so let’s go through this again. You have to show to the Consortium that your company is stable and can be beneficial to them?”
“More or less,” he replied, sipping from the glass he got from the bar while leaning against the marble railing. “I have to figure out how I can make this company look stable and profitable, while probably reinventing myself at the same time.”
Dillon laughed. “It’s odd that Sulagna Patel knows so much about you,” he quipped. “I knew you had a reputation that followed you, just like there is a reputation following all of us, but I didn’t know yours reached all the way to the executive committee of the COT.”
“I know,” said Robert. “I mean, I know a lot about her, and her position makes her past easily accessible.”
“Still, for her to have any idea about you is not a good thing,” continued Dillon. “You will have to knock your meeting with the executive committee out of the park.”
Robert nodded while sipping on his drink and turning to look out at the ocean. “I know, but what about what I proposed earlier? Is that something you would consider?”
Dillon smirked. “Robert, this strikes me as a challenge. It’s something that I am not qualified to do and is completely out of my comfort zone. He paused, shaking his head before turning back to Robert. “Where do I sign up?”
“Great,” said Robert as he raised his glass to toast him. “I’m going to need you to go to Zurich with me tomorrow morning.”
Dillon moaned in disbelief. “Really?”
“Yes, you’ll have to be there to help me through the discussions,” continued Robert. “And I’ll have you know that I have already booked your passage on the train with me tomorrow morning in Nice, and I have reserved you a private quarter for both of our trips.”
Dillon nodded. “I hate trains, Robert. I’d much rather fly.”
“It was too late to book a direct flight but the trains will have us there within twelve hours and with plenty of time to spare,” stated Robert as Camille and Marisol walked up. “Hello, ladies. How was your luck?”
“Pitiful,” announced Marisol. “I should’ve taken my father’s advice and stuck with baccarat.”
Camille laughed. “She experienced firsthand why those dreadful machines are referred to as one-armed bandits.”
Dillon and Robert laughed as the two ladies walked up beside them and placed their arms around their respective dates’ waists. “Let’s get out of here,” whispered Camille to Robert, looking at him with a seductive gaze. “I’d like to spend some time with you in private.”
“As would I,” he replied quietly. “Dillon, I think Camille and I are going to head out of here. I’ll meet you in the morning at the train station in Nice.”
“It was nice to meet the two of you,” announced Camille politely as she held onto Robert’s waist. “Maybe we can see each other again sometime.”
“I would love that!” shouted Marisol as she wrapped her arms around Dillon. “Tonight, was incredible!”
Dillon sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Robert.”
“Don’t sound so glum, old friend,” replied Robert. “In two days, you’re going to have the best day of your career!”
Chapter 4
“Oh wow,” Camille said with awe as she walked into Robert’s flat, walking straight through the small foyer and to the large windows across from the entranceway. “The moon is hung perfectly tonight,” she continued, pushing some of the curtains back as she enjoyed the view from Robert’s living room. She stood with her hands placed on the glass, leaving a small smudge where they rested as she gazed out at the serene, moonlit waters. “This has to be one of the best views in Monaco.”
Robert smiled as he walked up to the window to stand beside Camille as she stared into the blue waters. “It was one of the things that convinced me to purchase this place,” he explained softly as he stepped away from the window and toward the other side of his great room where he kept the alcohol. “The overall space is incredible, but to wake up every day to that view was the selling point.”
Camille turned around and looked for Robert, noticing how he was on the other side of the pool table at a small counter. She stepped away from the window and looked out at the entire flat, noticing the modern kitchen on the far end, tucked away a bit, and the vast great room in front of her. She walked around and looked in his kitchen while Robert stood at his bar, pouring a single drink from a bottle. “If you would like a beer, I have a few in the kitchen,” he announced as she walked toward the large, stainless steel refrigerator. She opened it up to find it nearly empty except for the beers he referenced as well as a few other quick things to prepare for him to eat.
“Well I don’t have to look hard for the beer,” she stated loudly, reaching in and grabbing a green bottle before reaching for her purse and pulling out a bottle opener. “You must not eat here very often.”
Robert chuckled as he stepped away from the small bar and walked through the great room toward her. “You’d be correct,” he replied. “Unfortunately, I have to travel a lot because of my career. If I actually have an opportunity to cook and prepare something in the kitchen, I’m better off purchasing what I need prior to preparing them.”
Camille nodded as she started sipping her beer. “How often do you actually get to sleep here?”
“Twice a week if I’m lucky,” he answered bluntly, almost appearing to be a bit perturbed by his inability to sleep in his own bed. “I keep two suit cases packed at all times with seven days’ worth of clothes in each. Fortunately, I’m able to get home at least once a week to change suitcases, where I have all of the clothes in the one I brought home cleaned, pressed, and the suitcase repacked for me. It makes my life a lot simpler, though I still miss being able to walk into my closet and pick out my wardrobe with my view of the Mediterranean on my back.”
“Do you make it a point to get home at least once a week or does it just happen like that?” she asked, prodding into his life a bit while trying her best to really get to know him. “I don’t mean to pry, but I’m trying to get to know you a little better before my dress ends up in the corner with the rest of my ensemble elsewhere.”
Robert laughed. “You’re quite forward,” he laughed.
“It’s one of my biggest flaws,” she stated plainly, smirking and shrugging her shoulders.
“I think it’s one of your best features,” replied Robert. “And to answer your question, I plan on being home at least once a week.”
“When my father decides to retire, if that day ever comes, I will sell off every company that I have a stake in and run the winery full time, possibly even moving to Athens to make it happen.”
“Do your parents not live in Athens?”
“No,” replied Robert with a smile. “The business is run out of England, which is what my father prefers, and I handle all of the distribution, which I can honestly do from my phone. The winery and the warehouses are in Athens, which from what my grandparents told my father and I, must always stay there.” Robert turned and walked away from the pool table, holding his glass in front of him and talking with his arms in a very animated state. “I remember my grandmother telling the two of us in a very stern, matter of fact tone, that too many wineries are making products dedicated to regions of the world without actually being in th
at region, and it’s a blasphemy to the product, the customers, and the grapes.”
Camille laughed. “The grapes?”
“Yes, the grapes,” replied Robert, still talking with his arms. “While my grandfather handled the bulk of the production, my grandmother had an eye for the grapes and the yeast that was unmatched. Even with her frail eyes as she aged, she could still spot a bad batch of grapes just from the smell and could tell when a batch was going bad because the yeast was not cooperating. It was my grandmother who told me that my first batch was ruined because of the yeast, though she waited until it was done because she didn’t want to hurt my feelings.”
“That was sweet of her,” Camille remarked as she continued to sip on her wine, finishing half of the glass while Robert was pacing. “Was she always that kind?”
“Of course not,” replied Robert, sloshing his wine about his glass though not spilling a drop. “She was Greek! Blunt is what they specialize in, and believe me, she was good at it. However, I could not have asked for a better person to be my grandmother, and the things I learned from both she and my grandfather have molded me into the person that I am today.”
Camille was positioned behind the pool table, leaning forward with one hand on it and the other holding the green bottle of beer that she was sipping on, as Robert poured himself a glass of wine.
He sipped on his wine, noticing that Camille had just finished her beer. “Would you like another beer?” he asked as he turned up his glass, downing it quickly in an attempt to keep up with Camille.
“No, that’ll be alright,” she said. “I have to be at the stadium tomorrow morning for an executive meeting. If I drink anymore, it might make for a much longer night than it already will be.” With another innuendo, this time a bit subtler, Robert stepped away from the pool table and made his way to the couch, sitting on one end and placing his empty glass on the end table beside him.
“So, Camille, you have yet to tell me about your family and your upbringing,” said Robert, taking the moment to pry into Camille’s life.
“Well, there really isn’t a lot to tell,” she said, walking over to the couch and sitting on the other end, away from Robert. “I was born and raised in Portsmouth. My family had lived there for several generations and all worked in the harbor. My father was a Boatwright, building ships and vessels for merchants and sailors that were of immaculate quality. He preferred making small sail boats over the much larger commercial vessels. My mother was a nurse in the local hospital, taking care of the sick sailors and tourists. Her life was much more uneventful, but she and my father were both happy with it and did very well for themselves, making enough to send me off to college in Oxford where I started learning about my craft.”
She paused while she adjusted herself, placing her left leg under her right thigh and turning her body to face Robert. “I have a family who loved me so much that they allowed me to leave Portsmouth and follow my dreams. I make it a point to call them every day to chat about life back home, check on my grandparents, and just see how they’re doing. Even though I’m a country and small body of water away from them, my heart is still there, but I do not want to go back.”
“Why not?” asked Robert.
“Because the only reason I hold onto Portsmouth is that there are four people there that love me dearly and made sacrifices so that I could be here today,” she explained. “I am where I am because of them, and I will always love them for it.”
Robert nodded. “Doesn’t Portsmouth have a football team though?”
“Yes, but they’re not very large, and the opportunities are not very lucrative,” she continued. “Besides, after working in Munich and Monaco, I don’t think I can live in a small port city in England ever again.” She paused as she looked across at Robert who was genuinely listening to her, causing her to smile earnestly. “I don’t know where I will end up after Monaco, because unfortunately, in this business, it is difficult to stay somewhere for longer than three to four years at a time, but if I do end up back in England, it will have to be one of the teams from Manchester or London that employ me, because I have to have a large city to live in.”
“Have you ever thought about getting out of football?” asked Robert, still looking on with a curious intent but completely focused on Camille. “I mean, I know it pays well and you love it, but have you ever considered leaving sports all together to try your hand at something else?”
Camille paused briefly as she thought to herself about Robert’s question, trying her best to formulate the best possible answer without sounding scripted or insincere. “I love football,” she responded slowly. “I would try other sports before I opted to leave this industry because of how much I enjoy going to work every day, which is something that I value a lot more than money or possessions. I enjoy my career and yearn for nothing else professionally, with the exception of maybe one day becoming an owner myself.”
Robert laughed. “You want to own a sports team?”
“I do,” she replied defensively. “I understand how the business aspects of owning a team work, and I feel that I would make an incredible owner one day.”
Robert continued to chuckle. “That is one area of investment I have made it a point to keep myself out of,” stated Robert with a smile. “There are too many things that I do not know about and too many people passionate enough to tell me how much I don’t know enough about it.”
Camille smiled. “Do the fans scare you?”
“I was frightened by all of the cheering going on today during the game when I walked into the stadium,” he replied.
“Well, you can’t always make them happy, and you definitely cannot read the tabloids,” she stated bluntly. “Sometimes, you have to do what’s best for the team, even if it’s not good for those who support it, but I also suppose it’s that way in what you do.”
Robert grinned and nodded. “Every few months I’m forced to make difficult decisions that involve the livelihood of the people who are working for a company that I own. I do not know any of them personally, but the fact that they exist is always in the back of my mind when I have to alter policies to save money. I don’t enjoy hurting people or causing them pain and discomfort financially, but unfortunately, I always have to look out for the company, even if it’s at the cost of those who help maintain it.”
“So, you have to terminate people?”
“I try my best not to,” he replied solemnly. “But unfortunately, I have to do what’s best for the company. When that happens, I always make sure that we offer a severance package to them that involves a few months compensation as well as hiring a company that specifically handles helping displaced workers find new employment quickly. We try our best to not let them be unemployed for long.”
Camille nodded. “That’s noble of you.”
“It’s the least I can do,” he stated. “When I purchase a company, typically, it has been mismanaged for a long while and I have to go in and immediately stop the bleeding. As much as I dislike it, the first thing that I do is trim the fat and remove the employees that aren’t required from the payroll.”
“But you at least help them get back on their feet,” inserted Camille. “I’m sure many companies have just sent them on their way instead of assisting them in the future. At least you can say you didn’t throw them out into the street and offer them the best of luck.”
Robert laughed. “That’s very true,” he replied. “I know that I come off as aggressive, callous, and arrogant, but in all honesty, I do try and look out for those who help me. My hope is that one day, if I am ever in need of assistance, someone will be there to help me.”
Camille smiled as she leaned forward and stood up, placing her arms over her head and stretching before stepping over toward Robert and placing her hands on his shoulders. “I think tonight we can actually help each other,” she stated seductively, implying what her intentions were. She leaned forward, pulling her tightly fitting dress up a bit to gi
ve her some flexibility before placing her knees on the outside of Robert’s legs . Placing her chest against his, she kissed him gently on the lips. He rested his hands on her knees while their lips were locked, moving them up slowly to find her not waring any panties. Robert let out a slow moan as she pulled her head back, staying an inch away from his face while he massaged her ass. “I took them off before we left the casino, in case you were curious,” she said before leaning in to kiss him again.
Camille wrapped her arms around his neck, rubbing the top half of his back while he began to suck on her ear, moving his lips down a bit and finding her neck. He kissed it gently, running his tongue lightly around the curve of her elegant neck. Camille was softly moaning from the sensations he was causing. Her hot little pussy was throbbing causing her to move her hips and grind against his hard crotch. Robert moved his hands from her ass and up her back to find the zipper to Camille’s dress. With a slow, steady motion, he lowered it to reveal her beautiful skin. Pushing her forward a bit, pulled her dress up and off of her, leaving her in only a beige bra. Camille reached behind her back and unhooked it, pulling it off to expose her large, yet perky breasts. “Those look amazing,” announced Robert as a naked Camille straddled him. “Your tits are perfect.”
“Why don’t you tell me that again after we’re done,” she said confidently. “I have a few more tricks to pull out before the night is over.”
“Like what?” asked Robert as Camille leaned forward and kissed him again.
“Just tell me if I go too far,” she replied.
Robert looked confused as Camille grabbed both sides of his head, kissing him passionately. He reached forward to caress her firm breasts, holding them while he rubbed his thumbs against her nipples. She pulled away from the kiss while he continued to fondle her chest. With a sly grin, she raised up slightly so that her breasts were more accessible. “You want to play with these luscious tits?” she asked playfully, as she offered him her bounty with both hands. “Then why don’t you really get in there.” His mouth immediately opened up and latched onto her nipple, sucking on it while his tongue aggressively flicked her nipple, causing her to moan loudly. “Yes, just like that. Don’t you dare stop. Finger-fuck my wet pussy while you suck my tits.” she commanded. Robert happily obeyed. Placing his right hand on her stomach, he slowly moved it down to her aching core. He ran his fingers through her slick juices, then thrust two fingers deep inside her tight, little cunt, which drew an immediate squeal of delight for Camille.
