Lethal Liaisons (Willful Women Assassins Series)

by Smith, Randall S.

  Lethal

  Liaisons

  A Tale of Two Sisters

  By Randall S. Smith

  Copyright © 2012 All Rights Reserved

  The two sisters looked so much alike that they were often mistaken for twins, although they were a few years apart in age. Kristie was in her late twenties; Karlee around age thirty. Both were very smart, blonde, tall and attractively slender. Despite their similarity in appearance, the two of them were different in personality. Kristie, mild-mannered and naive, was enjoying success as a model and gaining popularity as an actress; Karlee, aggressive and worldly, was evolving from a frustrated attorney into an accomplished assassin. Their story begins during their years in an overcrowded high school, in an average middle-size city in the North American heartland.

  “Karlee, what do you think of Jake the quarterback?”

  “Is he the reason you tried out for the cheer-leading squad, Kristie?”

  “No, but I do believe in cheer-leading-with-benefits,” she said with a wink.

  “Yeah, he is cute. Are you going to ask him out?”

  “No, I don't ask guys out! If I get picked, he's sure to notice me though. Will you come to the games and cheer me on, sis?”

  “I might come to a few games, but Friday nights are when I have my martial arts class, Kristie.”

  During the rest of the year, the sisters worked hard to get good grades; Kristie gained popularity as a cheerleader, while Karlee honed her already first-rate fighting skills. For Karlee, grades were more important than high school sports, as she planned on attending law school. Kristie and Jake had been dating and progressing in a relationship. One evening Kristie came home from a night out, crying and disheveled.

  “What happened to you, sis?”

  “That horny Jake couldn't take 'no' for an answer, Karlee.”

  “Oh?”

  “We were at a post-football game party and in one of the back bedrooms drinking. Jake kept refilling my glass and we were both getting pretty drunk. His kisses were so passionate I got lost in the moment and before I knew what was happening, we were both half-naked. Jake said that if I wanted to remain his girlfriend, I'd have to go down on him.”

  “Well, I hope he offered to reciprocate,” she said half-joking.

  “It's not funny. I'm not that kind of girl! I've never done anything like that and don't ever plan to just to keep a guy!” Kristie snapped back.

  “You're right, it's not funny and I'm sorry, sis. So what happened?”

  “The bastard pushed my head down into his lap and forced his thing into my mouth!” she said, unable to stop her tears. “And that's not the worst of it!”

  “He raped you?!” she asked, becoming so irate she could barely contain herself.

  “No, but it was just as bad, I think.”

  “What do you mean, hon?”

  “One of the other guys knocked on the closed door to see if we needed more beer. While Jake was holding my head down, he shouted out 'come in'! The guy came in and saw me doing that, and then they both laughed! Then several others came in to see what was so funny. He kept my pink panties for a souvenir. I was never so humiliated before in my life, Karlee!”

  Karlee spent the rest of the evening calming down her sister and put her to bed. They decided it best not to tell their parents. She knew Jake as they were both seniors, had shared a few classes, and had attended some of the same parties over the years. Once Kristie was asleep, Karlee drove over to his house and waited on the front steps for him to return. Soon he came stumbling up the walkway.

  “Hi, honey,” she purred.

  “Karlee, what are you doing here?”

  “I'm afraid I’m kinda drunk, handsome, and you know how us girls get when we're all liquored up. I thought you might want to party with me. You don't mind my being so forward, do you?”

  “Not at all, baby, but we'll need to be quiet. My folks are probably asleep.”

  “I'll be as quiet as a mouse, sweetheart,” she whispered as she slid her body up against his.

  Jake led her down into the basement where his dad kept a well-stocked bar. He set the stereo volume on low, mixed a few cocktails and snuggled in next to Karlee on the sofa. He was replaying the scenario he had earlier in the evening with Kristie. “I like doing sisters,” he said with a slur as they began undressing each other.

  “You do? Do you want me to invite mine to come over and join us, lover?” she asked, kissing her way down his stomach.

  Jake was getting so excited that he could only moan. His moans got more intense as she teased him with tender kisses on his thighs. He grabbed onto her hair. “Come on, baby, stop holding back!” he demanded, as he forced himself into her mouth. It would be the last time he made such a mistake.

  Karlee bit down and bit down hard. Her teeth left her brand on his manhood as he screamed out in agony.

  “Aaaagggghhhh!”

  Blood dripped from her lips as she lifted her head, stared into his eyes and said, “Was it as good for you as it was for me, baby?”

  “You bitch!”

  She slapped him hard. “You're lucky I didn't bite it off, asshole! Oh what the heck, I could use a souvenir. Whaddya say I take the little guy home with me?” She moved her head lower to finish the job and he abruptly pulled away.

  “Get the hell away from me you damn skank!”

  “Jake, if I ever hear of you abusing someone like this again, I'll be back to finish the job.” She thrust her knee into his groin for an added bonus, nonchalantly gathered up her things, retrieved her sister's panties, and left. Jake was never heard from again.

  As the ensuing years passed by, Karlee continued in her role as protective big sister; Kristie maintained her role of relative goodness. College graduation with honors for both came and passed. Kristie was pursuing a modeling career in Chicago, mostly advertising underwear for the Sears catalog. Karlee labored in a nearby law practice. They were now in their mid-to-late twenties.

  “Karlee, I got an offer from one of my clients to do an audition for a new TV series!”

  “Gee, that's great, Kris. You're becoming rich and famous, while I'm just helping to get rich people off for their dirty deeds and sending the poor ones to prison.”

  “You're so good at what you do, sis, and I'm so very proud of you!”

  “Yeah, yeah; so tell me about this audition, hon.”

  “It's going to be a new sitcom about family life,” Kristie beamed.

  “So are you trying for the part to be the daughter or the mom?”

  “I don't know the details yet. Maybe it'll be about sisters! If the local agent likes me, I go to New York to meet the final decision makers.”

  “Well, beware the casting couch, Kris.”

  “Oh, that stuff is just a myth, silly.”

  “Let's celebrate your budding acting career with a shopping spree at the mall!”

  Their first stop was Victoria's Secret where they purchased matching ensembles of sexy underwear. Karlee opted to get hers in pink; Kristie got hers in lavender this time, with a matching slip.

  “Did I tell you I'm starting a new class in kickboxing, Kris?”

  “That should complement your other fighting skills, sis.”

  “Let's stop into that gun store,” Karlee requested.

  “Why?”

  “I need to enhance my self-image; martial arts and shooting seem to go together.”

  As they perused the weaponry, Karlee was drawn to the Glocks. One of them was called the 'assassin model'. She asked to see it. It felt so good in her hand, that
a wry grin spread across her face.

  “Oh, sis, you should get it. It's so you!” Kristie insisted.

  She filled out the paperwork, found out where to get some shooting lessons, and they called it a day.

  The next afternoon, Kris arrived at the agency to discover over a dozen other applicants, both male and female. No one spoke; there was an eerie silence as they nervously waited and reviewed the scripts they would be reading. Those who finished were sent out a back door. Soon she and a young man named Dan were summoned by the middle-aged couple doing the interviewing. Although a bit of an oaf, his body was well-toned and his build almost husky. They halfheartedly exchanged anxious smiles as they entered the room.

  “First, I'd like to thank you both for being so patient. We're trying to be thorough, as well as encouraging, to those auditioning when we can. You'll notice a large TV screen mounted on the wall. This is so that we all can get a sense of how you look on the big screen. Your entire session today is being recorded and will be provided to our contacts in New York for their review. Are you ready to proceed?”

  They both nodded yes and spent the next fifteen minutes doing dialog, while watching themselves on the large flat-screen. The older couple, a man and a woman, seemed less than satisfied.

  “Neither one of you is putting yourself into the role in the way we want. This show is about sexuality, not simply sex. New York needs to see more flesh. We'll need you both to strip down to your underwear for this next segment. Just think of it as being in your swimsuits at the beach, no more.”

  Kris was used to modeling underwear for the catalog, so had lost some of her inhibitions, but was still feeling reluctant as she looked up at herself on the big screen. Both did as requested, read through several more scenes, and were then surprised by the next request.

  “There is one more thing, and it's strictly optional, but will certainly help to improve your chances of being selected.”

  “What's that?” they asked.

  “All the big stars have at one time or another done a nude scene. It's all a part of the business,” said the woman. “We're not asking that you do so, but it would help your chances of successfully marketing yourselves for future opportunities with upcoming film productions if you want to volunteer. Remember, sex sells!”

  Dan promptly removed his shorts and threw them off to the side.

  Kris squirmed as she considered volunteering, then looked up again at her image on the big screen. She looked good in her new Victoria's Secret underwear, she thought. It boosted her confidence. Then she watched as her arms seemed to involuntarily reach behind her and undo her bra. She saw herself displayed topless in large, living color and felt aghast.

  “Now the underpants,” the man said admiringly.

  It felt as if time had stopped. There she stood in front of God and everybody and being filmed possibly for the world to see, wearing just her new lavender panties. Her eyes kept returning to the big screen on the wall as she imaged herself becoming one of those famous celebrities. She took the plunge, quickly slipped off her panties before she could change her mind, and tossed them over on top of Dan's shorts.

  “Good, good,” said the pleased couple. “Now both smile, stand together and look into the camera. You're marketing yourselves, kids. Look sexy!”

  Kristie felt a new sense of freedom; she was naked yet still felt wholesome. Her eyes sparkled as she reached around behind Dan and mischievously pinched him on his butt as the camera recorded the end of their most memorable audition.

  Meanwhile, back at Karlee's office, she was working diligently on her latest legal case when her mentor Carlton approached her. He was several years older, tall and had wavy hair. He'd been educated in Europe and had acquired the hint of an accent during that time. She found it rather sexy.

  “Karlee, where do we stand on that Higgin's suit?”

  “We can win it, but this CEO is a schmuck. He's clearly guilty of backdating his stock options to the most favorable time period, and the company is not even expensing them on their financial statements! The shareholders have a legitimate beef.”

  “Screw the shareholders, hon. Just make sure we've got all our ducks in a row on this one. The firm needs that big billing in for this month. By the way, plan on joining me for dinner tonight. We're meeting with some potential new clients and I want you to get acquainted.”

  Carlton's motivation for the dinner gathering was more social than business. He wanted to get to know Karlee on a more personal level, but was reluctant to ask her out on an actual date. The client portion of the dinner ended early, leaving the two of them to discuss things over after-dinner drinks.

  “They seemed to like you, Karlee. You do a fine job of representing the firm.”

  “Thanks, Carlton, but something just seems to be missing.”

  “In their lawsuit material?”

  “No, in my life. I'm tired of helping out the assholes of this world. I need to find something more fulfilling. Don't get me wrong; the money has been good. I can spend with abandon, I have all the material things I want, but I go home feeling empty at night.”

  “Maybe you just need a good man in your life, Karlee. What does anything count for if you have no one with whom to share it? You've followed my guidance at the firm; follow it outside the firm, too. You need to take time to allow romance to enter your life, then you will find that fulfillment,” he said, trying to set her up for a more intimate involvement with him. He came from a wealthy, but very conservative family. Karlee's background was just the opposite.

  Carlton was able to persuade her to join him for an excursion on the family sailing yacht, and later on some business trips that turned out to be more focused on bringing them closer together than on work. Soon she was invited to dinner at the palatial family estate to meet the parents, Reginald and Beatrice. They presented themselves as something akin to European royalty and had the snobbery to go along with it. She learned later they were considered 'old money' people and that their great, great grandpa had made a fortune as a rum-runner smuggling in illegal goods. They had had the Midas touch with their investments over the years and had parlayed those initial funds well into the millions.

  As the next few years slipped by, opposites attracted and the two of them became engaged. Carlton treated her like a princess and she loved that. He bought her expensive jewelry and a sleek, all-black convertible sports car. She spent more time with her car than her fiancé. He was clueless as to her sideline activities, the advanced fighting and the shooting, seeing her only as a potential trophy wife. Her sister Kris had gotten the sought-after part on the TV show and was doing quite well. One time, the two of them appeared together in an episode called 'The Sinclair Affair' as long lost twins.

  One of the law firm’s clients had recently been acquitted on an embezzlement charge. Karlee knew he was guilty, but because of the attorney-client relationship was unable to say anything. Using the legal system gave her a gratifying sense of power, but it wasn’t providing the results she craved. She wanted more control of her environment; instead, it was controlling her. One time in a class-action suit, their billings had been so high that the plaintiffs got almost nothing after fees. The firm was more interested in its reputation for their high percentage of wins than in serving justice, and her work had been a major factor in that outcome. Karlee thought it ridiculous and so morally wrong and worried it could bring her bad karma unless she did something about it.

  She had been enjoying the time with her fiancé. The sex was good, but not passionate. She longed for prolonged orgasms like the ones she read about in her romance novels. Frustrated in her job and frustrated in her relationship, she yearned for a change. The chance came her way when Carlton once again approached her in the office.

  “Karlee, we've been asked to settle the estate for our recently-deceased Secretary of State. I need you to go to his home and go through his belongings, cataloging everything for the heirs. He lived alone, so there
shouldn't be too much difficulty. Just itemize and photograph the valuable items, and then we'll have the movers pack everything.”

  The two sisters had already made plans to spend some quality time together that evening, so she stopped and picked up Kris on the way, figuring it wouldn't take too long, and that they could do dinner-out afterward. Karlee read off the items; Kris wrote them into the logbook.

  “Are we done yet, sis? I'm getting hungry.” Kris said.

  “Yeah, almost, let's do the closet stuff and then we're done.” She rummaged through a few expensive Rolex watches and other jewelry items, then came to a large, nondescript shoebox. Kris looked on as Karlee pulled off the lid.

  “Oh my God!” they gasped in unison.

  “I've never seen so much money before!” Kris said, trying to catch her breath. “Should we count it?”

  When they finally finished, they turned and looked at one another. The total had come to eight hundred thousand dollars. Neither spoke for quite some time; each just silently stared, waiting for the other to say something. Finally Kris broke the silence.

  “I never realized so much money could fit into a shoebox. Who wudda ever thunk it? Do you think he got it illegally, sis?”

  “Yeah, I bet he skimmed the state finances and kept it as a slush fund for payoffs and retirement.”

  “You know, if we turn this in, it could impugn your client's reputation. It would be like speaking ill of the dead. We could be doing him a favor if we just kept it our secret.”

  “You're suggesting we simply keep it? That's so not you, Kristie! Besides, maybe it's mob money. We could get ourselves into some deep shit.”

  “Yeah, maybe so.” They sat in silence awhile longer, then Kris declared, “Our dinner reservation is at eight.”

  “Oh, okay, let's go.” They placed the unlisted shoebox into a plastic grocery bag and left.

  Both had now crossed that invisible line of ethical and legal integrity for the first time in their lives. As the door closed on their history of honor and morality, another one would be opening.