Page 29 of Hold Me
She just exists in his mind like a vision, and there’s nothing around her; no pain, no feelings, no nothing. She’s just there. Caleb blinks, trying to clear his mind. As he hops to his feet, he decides to head out into the hallway. If Lilith doesn’t want to get out of his mind, he’ll have to make her. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll find a way to do that without getting himself in trouble. And even if he does get into trouble, what does it matter?
He’s slightly lightheaded, so the pill has to be already working its way to his head, especially when he hasn’t been taking his usual dose. Soon he’ll find a better thing to occupy his mind with, and Lilith will be gone forever.
I nervously tap my foot as I wait for Alessandra to appear. I have way too many questions and few answers, but I’m sure about one thing: Alessandra is somehow involved and knows more than she’s letting on. All I have to do is figure out what she knows without asking her directly, and that might not be the easiest thing in the world.
If I could get myself invited to one of those parties Katherine mentioned, then maybe I’d be able to see for myself if what happened to Katherine has happened to anyone else who works for Raphael or if things are different. Hell, all I need is the location of Raphael’s parties. It would be easier to report him to the cops. Maybe Katherine is wrong about Raphael’s connections.
Alessandra strolls toward me in a tight red cocktail dress, her hair slightly lighter than usual, and she looks radiant, her smile as wide as possible. “Hello, darling.” She leans toward me, and her red lips brush my cheek. “Did something happen? Your voice sounded a little edgy when you called me.” She takes a seat next to me and I wait until the waiter brings her favorite drink. She takes a long sip and sighs. “Aaah, this is life. So, what did you want to talk about? Does it have anything to do with Caleb?” She innocently bats her eyelashes at me.
“Kind of.” I shrug, giving her a shy smile. “I know you want to protect Caleb’s privacy, but I need to know something... He’s wonderful and I’ve had a really great time with him, but... I’m getting a bit bored, you know. I want to try something else. Something more exciting, perhaps. Do you know if Caleb has a friend or if he knows someone else who could spice up my nights?” If she’s working with Raphael, then she could get me anyone from his ring of prostitution.
Alessandra gives me a long look. “Sure. I know some people.”
“Anyone good-looking?” I grin. “I can find ugly, unskilled men at every corner. I want something better.”
“Of course,” Alessandra says, pulling out her phone. “What about this guy? He’s very hot and he’s good with his fingers.”
I take a quick look at the phone and see the guy’s face is gaunt and there’s a strange gleam in his red-rimmed eyes. Could this be Raphael’s secret? Turning good-looking drug addicts into prostitutes? But for how long could they keep working and looking good if they kept using drugs? Maybe it depends on the type of the drug. “No, he’s not really my type.”
“What about him?” She swipes to the next photo. The guy is very handsome, with spiky dark hair and deep blue eyes, but his jaw is clenched, his whole posture stiff.
“Maybe,” I say. “He looks a little... I don’t know... too rough?”
“Oh, he wouldn’t be unless you wanted him to.” She winks at me, then frowns. “Maybe there’s something else you’d like.”
“Is it another hot guy?” I ask, but she just shakes her head.
“Do you just want to have sex or you want some real fun?”
I tilt my head. “Define fun.”
“You know those parties I’ve been telling you about?”
“You mean the ones with lots of sex involved? The ones you need a special invitation to?”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I mean. And you don’t need to have sex in front of everyone if that’s what bothers you. You can just watch... That can be entertaining in itself. I promise you. Sex isn’t everything.” There’s an unusual shine in her eyes, but I’ve got her exactly where I want her.
“Sounds interesting, but I’m not sure. Who’d invite me to such a party?”
“I would.” She leans forward. “My membership has been extended because I’ve been very helpful and brought in many new members. I can take you to one so you can see for yourself if it’s something you’d enjoy or not.”
“I don’t know.” I try to look indecisive. “What exactly happens there? You just watch people have sex or what?”
“Oh, dear, you’re so wrong about everything.” She laughs. “Now you can’t refuse my offer. I insist you come with me to the next party.”
“But...” No matter how much I want to go to the party, I have to hide my excitement. If Alessandra becomes suspicious, my whole plan will fail. I can’t let that happen. I have to be very careful about this, especially considering what Katherine told me.
“No buts. Nothing I say will show you the real magic. You have to see it, feel it...” Alessandra tilts her head back, and half closes her eyes. I’m starting to wonder if she’s taken some drug before she came here. Finally, she opens her eyes and straightens her back. “You can leave any time you want if it’s not for you. You don’t even have to pay anything this time... Well, unless you decide you want a piece of something.”
“But who else will be there? I don’t want people to see me at such a party. No offense to you or anyone, but the press would kill for an article about me visiting some sex club.”
“Don’t worry about that. All guests wear masks. No one will be able to recognize you. And I assure you, all participants are carefully chosen and they’d never want their private affairs out in the open, just like you. Your discretion is assured.”
I’m not quite sure about the masks, but I still have to go. “Okay, I’m willing to give it a shot. When and where is the party?”
“Not so fast, my dear. I still need to consult my... the host,” she says. “I’m sure he’ll agree and there won’t be any problem, but I need to be sure.”
“Um, okay, so will you call me when you hear back from the host?” I ask.