Climax Page 4

  Catching a glance at myself in my rear view mirror, I don’t even recognize who that man is anymore. I have to get a grip on this situation and fast. No woman will ever have control over me; I am the one calling the shots. Raven will one day belong to me. Hopefully when she reads that card, she will agree to be just that.

  Mine.

  Blaire

  I watch my mother through the ICU unit window. The doctor has been talking to me for at least a few minutes now, but I haven’t heard a damn word he has said. All I can think about is my mother laying in that room, hooked up to more machines than I can count, just in order for her to stay alive. I can’t even make out her face because of the large breathing tube that is connected to her mouth.

  “Blaire? Blaire!” Dr. Landers yells my name and startles me out of my thoughts.

  Blinking back to him, I see the look of sympathy on his face. I don’t want that look from him. I don’t want him telling me that she is dying. I already know that.

  “Blaire, did you hear anything I just said?” he asks me.

  “No, I’m sorry, Doctor Landers, I didn’t. I just can’t believe she is in there,” I say motioning back to the room.

  “I know that, my dear girl, but we’ve known this has been coming for a long time now. I had hoped we could hold off for a little while longer, but your mother has just reached a point where we can no longer wait. She needs to be on Dr. Flannery’s trial program. He is the only doctor in this hospital that can perform that surgery successfully.”

  Hanging my head, I know that is impossible. Dr. Flannery is one of the world’s leading heart surgeons, but he also comes with an enormously high price tag. He’d laugh his head off at my measly two thousand dollars that I had managed to save.

  Oh God! What am I going to do?

  “I know it is about the money, Blaire, and if it were up to me, I’d waive the fee, but this is different. Is there anyone at all that you can speak to that might be able to help you get the money you need?”

  I don’t have to think or hesitate to answer him. It is a simple response of shaking my head.

  We have no one.

  Putting his hand on my shoulder, he looks at me with remorse in his eyes. To me, this look is worse than sympathy. It means there is no hope, and I can’t give up that easily; I wasn’t raised that way. As Dr. Landers walks away, I feel the pain rise in my chest. I can’t lose her.

  There has got to be a way.

  Reluctantly, I leave the hospital, heading back to the club. I have to go see Mike and let him know what is going on, so he doesn’t fire me for not showing up at work last night. I’m also hoping he will front me my money from last week.

  Glancing at the clock in my old Camry, I see that it is almost four o’clock in the afternoon. Club Climax should be opening up just about now and hopefully Mike is there. I park on the employee side and use my key to get in the back door. A few of the older girls that perform early are already in the dressing room getting ready. I ask Star where Mike is, and she informs me that he is in his office, talking to a couple of guys that work here.

  Standing outside his office, I wait in the hallway to talk to him. Mike sees me and motions me inside. The moment I step in, I flash back to seeing Honey on her knees sucking off Beautiful Man. I struggle to pull my eyes away from the floor and walk further inside.

  “Raven, are you alright?” he asks, taking in my appearance. Glancing down, I remember that I’d come straight from the hospital and I’d been up all night. I am sure I look like a hot mess.

  “No. I’ve been at the hospital all night with my mom. She had a heart attack last night and isn’t doing very well.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” He motions for the men to leave.

  “Do you know when you will be back to work?”

  “I will do my best to be here tomorrow night. Because of expenses, I need to work as much as I can. Is there any way I can ask for an advance on my check for this past week?”

  Mike nods his head and immediately begins opening his side drawer. Taking out a moneybag, he counts out a thousand dollars and hands it to me.

  “But Mike, that is way more than what I made.”

  “Don’t argue with me girl, just take it. I know you need it.”

  I feel horribly taking it, but shamefully I reach over and take it off the desk. I can’t let my pride stand in the way of helping my mom. If I have to, I’ll beg all over town, in order to get the money I need.

  “Thank you so much, Mike. I’ll work extra hours and pay you back,” I promise him.

  “You’ve brought me a lot of business since you started working here, Raven. Just consider it a ‘thank you’ bonus.”

  Standing, I thank him again before turning to leave. When I walk out the door, I immediately slam into Big Jack’s broad chest. The revolting combination of his bad breath, cigarettes, and strong cologne is enough to make me gag.

  “Hey there, little girl, I got something for you.” He says digging into the inside pocket of his leather jacket to retrieve it.

  This is actually a little frightening because I can’t imagine what he possibly could have for me.

  “A guy came in the club last night looking for you. He said to make sure you got this,” he informs before handing me a card. The minute I see the club card, I know exactly whom it’s from.

  “Thank you Big Jack,” I say dismissing the card and discarding it into my coat pocket.

  “Aren’t you even going to look at it?” he asks me curiously.

  “No, it is just some guy wanting me to go into Ultimate Climax with him. I’m not interested. I don’t know why he just doesn’t take one of the other girls.”

  “Well, you might want to take another look at that, Sweetheart. It might just change your mind.” He says to me before walking off.

  Curious as to what he said, I reach in my pocket to pull out the card, but suddenly my phone starts vibrating in my pocket. As I glance down at the screen, I see that it is the hospital calling. Holding my breath, I nervously answer it.

  Please, Lord, don’t let her be gone.

  “Hello?”

  “Ms. Michaels?” a lady’s voice questions.

  “Yes, this is she,” I reply, terrified by what is coming next.

  “Dr. Landers requested that you return to the hospital as quickly as possible.”

  “My mother… is she alright?” I ask as I run toward the back exit door.

  “I’m afraid I am not at liberty to discuss anything else,” she replies, and I end the call.

  Panicked, I don’t even bother buckling my seatbelt as I toss the phone in the seat beside me and spin out of the parking lot.

  Once the elevator reaches the cardiac ICU floor, I run like a crazy person to my mother’s room.

  Dr. Landers stands there in front of my mother’s unit with two other men. My body instantly halts and paralyzes me where I’m standing. His face is solemn and serious.

  OH GOD! She can’t be gone! She can’t be!

  I fight to put one foot in front of the other to move ahead to him, but I can’t. I know when I get there what he is going to say, and all I want to do is turn and run. Glancing in my direction, he nudges the man beside him.

  When he motions me to join them, I force myself to move forward.

  One foot in front of the other, Blaire. You can do this; you have to be strong.

  “Blaire, this is Dr. Flannery and Dr. Conway. I was just discussing your mother’s condition with them.”

  I turn around, look into the window of my mother’s unit, and then look back at the men.

  “So my mom is alright? I was worried from the call that she-” I can’t even finish my sentence before tears spill down my face.

  “Yes my dear, right now her condition is still the same. Dr. Flannery and I were just discussing her options.” Nodding, I then turn my head towards Dr. Flannery.

  “Ms. Michaels, I don’t believe in beating around the bush or giving false hope to patients or their fam
ilies, so I will be blunt. If your mother doesn’t have surgery to correct her valve issue immediately, she won’t live ten minutes once those machines are turned off,” he says coldly while pointing at the room behind me. I turn and face the window and see my mother lying there helpless. This is the worst possible feeling anyone can ever have. To know that you would do anything for someone you love, yet the anything in this case would never be enough.

  Shoving my hands into my pocket, I feel the sharp edge of the glossy card as it rakes across my fingertip. Slowly, I ease it out and read the words on the back.

  Raven,

  Ultimate Climax

  You name the price.

  Mr. R

  834-9239

  Closing my eyes, I gather my courage and then look back at my mother. I had meant what I had said earlier to myself. I will do anything for her, even if it is taking everything from me at the same time. Turning back to face Dr. Flannery, I look blankly into his eyes.

  “Schedule the surgery, Dr. Flannery,” I reply while gripping the card tightly in my hand, and placing it back into my coat pocket.

  “I am not a charity case, Ms. Michaels. I can’t afford to be in this business,” he snaps back, and I see Dr. Landers grow angry.

  “Richard! That isn’t necessary!” Dr. Landers shoots at Dr. Flannery.

  Holding my hand up, I walk toward the arrogant bastard that deems himself as “GOD” and point my finger into his chest.

  “Just schedule the surgery. The money will be there!” I blast angrily and then turn to walk back down the hall, darting into the first ladies room I see.

  Closing the door, I’m relieved to see I am alone. Securing the lock on the door, I reach back into my pocket to retrieve the card.

  Can I really do this?

  You don’t have a choice. The voices in my head continue battling against one another.

  Wringing my hands, I manage to dial the number on the card. As it rings, I can feel Raven take over for me. She has to, because Blaire can’t do this.

  Jaxxon

  The meeting with our investors went extraordinarily well. Thanks to my presentation, Ryder Technology managed to secure the investors needed to gain the patent for the new synthetic material to use for the latest heart valve we have designed. The conference room is loud and full of excitement as people move to congratulate my father and me on landing the deal. Funny thing is that, as I stand beside my father, I realize he is the only person in this room I want to praise me. I know it will be a cold day in Hell before that ever happens.

  Stacy, from accounting, has had one too many glasses of champagne and is now whispering into my ear. Even though we’ve fucked a few times in the past, I’ve never done any of the heavy stuff with her; I can’t risk that kind of thing getting out here at work.

  “Let’s get out of here,” she whispers in my ear.

  I won’t lie; the temptation is definitely there.

  But why is it temptation?

  It should be so easy to pull her into the back office or into the bathroom and bend her over, yet it’s not. As my hand slides down her waist, my mind flashes to the dark haired beauty that haunts me at every chance.

  “Not tonight,” I reply, walking away to get a drink. I don’t have to turn around to see the daggers that she shooting with her eyes into my back. The sudden buzzing in my pocket startles me and sends me jumping, just as I am lifting the glass of champagne to my lips, causing it to spill onto my suit.

  “Fuck!” I say while digging out my phone. Angrily, I answer it without even looking to see whom it is calling.

  “WHAT!” I scream into the phone while patting my jacket with a napkin I grabbed off the nearby server’s tray. My anger serves them right for causing me to ruin a thousand dollar suit jacket.

  “Um, Mr. R?” Her smooth quiet voice fills my ears and I know instantly whom it belongs to.

  Raven.

  “Yes, just a moment,” I manage to say, covering the speaker while making my way to a quieter place to talk. I thought I was prepared for this call; however, I’m not. When I reach a quieter office, I hesitate a few moments before speaking back to her. I can hear the nervousness in her breathing and it drives me insane with desire. Adjusting the erection in my pants, I finally begin speaking.

  “Alright, continue,” I reply, asserting authority in my tone.

  “This is Raven. I am calling you to discuss your offer for Ultimate Climax.”

  Her words are like music to my ears and, of course, to my dick. I am willing to pay her a very obscene amount of money to have complete and utter control of her fucking hot ass body.

  “Very well, we will meet tonight to discuss our arrangement. I expect you to be in front of the club by 7 pm.”

  “I will be there, Mr. R.”

  My cock throbs at the way she says my name. The moment we end our call, I miss her voice. Looking at the time, I see that I need to get moving in order to prepare for meeting her. Tonight, no matter what the cost, Raven will be mine.

  Blaire

  I should be getting ready right now for tonight, but instead, I am standing over my mother’s hospital bed holding her frail hand in mine. The machines around her steadily beep while the vent in her mouth continues to push air into her lungs every so many seconds. I watch her chest rise and fall, and listen to the loud beeping of her pulse echo through the room. For now, these things comfort me. They are proof she is still here with me.

  Since there is so much preparation required before surgery, Dr. Flannery can’t schedule it until the beginning of next week. To be perfectly honest, I am terrified, but I’m also relieved at the same time. Even if he is not my favorite person right now, he is the only hope I have of keeping her alive. I know this is her only chance at resuming a normal life; I just pray she gets that chance.

  I know that I don’t have much time, so I gently lay her hand that I am holding back by her side. Stroking her hair once more, I assure myself that what I am about to do is the right thing.

  “I love you, Mom.”

  Quickly, I place a kiss on her forehead and exit the room. If I get to the club soon, I might have time to grab a shower there before having to meet with this Mr. R.

  Traffic is crazy this time of day, but I manage to arrive in time to prepare there. Stepping into the hot shower, I take my time preparing every area of my body for tonight. I know that usually the Ultimate Climax room stays busy, so hopefully it will be occupied and I will have to do this another night.

  I mean a girl can hope can’t she?

  Saying that I am nervous would the understatement of the year. I coach myself the entire time I smooth lotion onto my skin. This meeting has to go well, especially now that I have too much at stake. Since I didn’t have time to go home first for my normal clothes, I select one of my favorite short black skirts, pairing it along with a vibrant red zip up jacket. I finish off my ensemble with my tall black stiletto boots that lace almost all the way up to my knee. I am sure this outfit screams hooker, but it is the only suitable thing I can come up with in my wardrobe that I keep here.

  I have a few minutes before I have to be out front, so I decide to take the opportunity and duck my head into Mike’s office to let him know that I will be back at work tomorrow night. He nods his head and writes me down on the schedule in front of him. Closing his door behind me, I take a deep breath and make my way outside to wait as instructed.

  Promptly at seven o’clock on the dot, a sleek new black Range Rover pulls up to the front entrance and stops. A short stocky guy steps out of the vehicle and smiles widely at me. Instantly, I try to hide my displeasure as I look him over. He is at least fifty years old with a decent size gut. This guy doesn’t look like he had sounded on the phone, but I guess no one ever does. The thought of him touching me makes me sick at my stomach. I can feel the bile rising in the back of my throat.

  The moment he speaks, I am relieved.

  “Ms. Raven?” he says, and I immediately know this is not the seductive, deep
voice that I heard on the phone earlier.

  I nod my head at him and force a smile back.

  “I’ve been instructed to drive you to your designated meeting.”

  Opening the back door of the SUV, he extends his hand to help me climb into the tan leather seat.

  Once inside, I spot a black silk scarf in the seat next to me. Picking it up, I turn back looking confused at the man who is still holding the door open.

  “I must insist that you place this on before we leave. I’ve been instructed to inform you that if you remove the blindfold that the deal is off. Is that understood?” He warns me. I try to compose the fear rising in my chest.

  Why the blindfold? This can’t be good. I’m going with a complete stranger to meet another complete stranger. No one even knows where I am, or where I am going. What the hell am I doing? Don’t be stupid, Blaire. GET OUT!

  “The blindfold, Ms. Raven,” the man’s voice pulls me out of my trance and back into making my terrifying choice. Nodding at him, I hesitantly secure the material around my face. He leans in and checks it before closing my door. Another door opens and shuts and soon we are leaving the parking lot.

  We make several turns before we finally come to a stop. The back door opens and I feel a hand take mine to help me out of the vehicle.

  We pause for a moment before I am placed into another car. I feel the cool leather underneath my skin and then I hear the door shut beside of me. Instantly, I sense that I am not alone in this car. Terror evokes me. I fight the urge to not remove the blindfold.

  “Hello, Raven.” His voice rolls over me like warm silk.

  “Hello,” I reply, unsure of what to say to him next.

  “I am sorry to have to blindfold you, but a man in my position requires complete discretion. I appreciate that you respected my wishes,” he says while touching the fabric on the side of my face. As affectionate as it had felt, I know he is also checking the tightness of the fabric. My skin still tingles at where he’d touched me.