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Chapter 05 - Room

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked him on the call. "Let me out of this car. Now," I ordered. I didn't even know where I was getting all this strength from since I wasn't used to being like this.

"I want to see them," he said. "I know you're free now, so you'll come to me," he said calmly as if he had everything under control. The problem was that he really did.

I thought of several ways to attack the driver while listening to Carbon talk on the phone. It wasn't a good idea since I could cause an accident, and the last thing I needed in my life was another incident. "I don't want to see you," I said harshly, trying to take the conversation somewhere. If he was really as polite as he seemed, he should have listened to my request.

"Maybe EVE wants to see me," he replied, laughing. That pissed me off. Was it really Carbon on the other end of the line? Did he have personality issues too? It didn't sound like the same person.

"I can assure you that the lack of interest is mutual," I said, even more rudely, as I tried to assume where the car was taking me. I still didn't know, it could be anywhere. "If you wanted to see me, all you had to do was go to Lowe's or OWE. I didn't need any of that," I said, still looking at the landscape and the driver, trying to figure out how to solve it myself.

"I knew you wouldn't be in the store. In fact, at this moment, I have information that the person in charge of it is Axel. Dorian was with you until now, so there's nothing there for me. And I don't want to wait until the evening. As I understand it, all the clients you missed yesterday have been rescheduled for today, and I'm not one for divisions. I thought you'd be mad if I stole all the appointments again," he said sadistically. Who was that guy?

"First of all," I started to say. "I wouldn't be mad about anything. It's EVE who would be," I said, clarifying things. I hated being confused. EVE and I were completely different. "And you're stalking me, if you carry on like this, I'll report you," I warned.

"Oh, that won't be necessary," he said. "You're closer than you think. And you'll like it," he said. Then the call ended. I felt the urge to shout and swear, but I couldn't because it wouldn't be worth it if he didn't hear. I thought about taking it out on the taxi driver, but it didn't seem right. I just took a breath and waited for the car to stop somewhere.

When the car stopped, I was in front of a restaurant that had so many stars that it was as if I couldn't even count. It was fancy. Not that I'd never set foot in fancy places. In fact, several of my clients were wealthy, and many extended their sessions beyond the club. I'd just never been to one like it.

The taxi driver opened the door and told me to get off. I obeyed. As soon as I got out, he moved the car forward, and a well-dressed man came up to me and told me to follow him. Angrily, I did as he asked. As I walked, I could see Carbon's figure next to the huge door leading into the building. He was holding a huge bouquet of flowers that was far too ugly for my taste. His desperation to impress was clear.

"Good morning, Amelie," he said, handing me the flowers. I smiled kindly and then threw them in his face with all my might and hatred. His security guards came to restrain me, but I didn't care. He signaled to them not to do anything. When I finally saw his face after the impact, he was laughing, as if it were nothing new. "I guess I should say good morning, EVE?" he said, staring at me. He really knew us. Amelie had left the moment the call ended in the car. How did he know it was me? Could it be that in his mind, Amelie was incapable of throwing a bouquet in someone's face? Even I didn't know what to make of this information.

"Why am I here?" I asked angrily. I watched the security guards finally walk away. Carbon really was a serious guy. He was overdressed, too. It's not that I didn't look nice, but I wasn't expecting anything grand.

"You can come with me and have an impressive surprise, or I can order a cab and take you home," he offered, as he handed the deader-than-life bouquet to the security guard to hold.

"Why do I feel like I don't have a choice here?" I asked. It seemed too good that he would do all that and offer me the chance to go home. "Why all this trouble?" I wanted to know.

"You've understood everything here, EVE. If you really want to understand the rest, you'll have to follow me. I haven't lied about anything I've said to you. I want you both completely, no matter what. Deep down, that's all you want, isn't it?" he said. It sounded like blackmail. Good blackmail. I wouldn't answer what he wanted me to answer, but he was right. I knew how much it hurt Amelie that Dorian wouldn't deal with me, and I felt Axel's difficulty in separating me as something sexual from the person that was Amelie. It was difficult.

I followed Carbon through the building. It was more than a restaurant. An accommodation service with lots of stars too. We went upstairs. Considering how long it took us to get anywhere, it only meant that we were going to the penthouse. I don't know why I was so surprised. Carbon seemed determined to impress me, or maybe pressed is the right word for the occasion.

"On the bed, there's the dress you must wear," he said, pointing to the shimmering red one that had nothing to do with the morning weather. "When I say must, you must," he said, emphasizing

"You're not paying me to demand this much, Carbon," I said evenly. "Even Amelie wouldn't give in that easily, so why do you expect me to?" I asked.

"You'll be well rewarded, EVE," he said, staring at me. "Look at the whole experience around you," he said, emphasizing and gesturing at the size of the room and the magnitude of the price tag.

"I give my value, Carbon Moz. And the payment is in advance. Don't put a price on me or my work. I don't do anything I don't want to do. And I don't want to wear that dress," I said, ignoring him. "If you'll excuse me, I'll get back to work. If you want me, make an appointment and pay, just like everyone else," I warned him, turning my back to leave the room.

"Enjoy me as much as you can," he said. "Tell me your price at the end. I'll pay," he said. I knew he meant it. And I also wanted to see how far he would go to have me and Amelie. I decided to stay.

"I won't wear that," I emphasized again. "It's not morning clothes," I said. He laughed and said that he'd never said it was for wearing at exactly that moment. "I'm not going out at night. I have clients."

"I know you do. But I've already booked the next full night with you. Show up at this same building tomorrow. For now, wear something else from your closet that you like. Come down and eat with me," he said. "I'll be gone for a while."

Then he left the room.

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