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CHAPTER 7
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The week, which usually dragged when she spent it searching unsuccessfully for a full-time job, had simply flown. Any spare minute had been taken up with alterations to her clothes. Hems had been taken up or down, and seams let out where possible.
“Tell me again the name of the place you're off to, child?” Miss Rowland asked as she watched Genie packing the freshly washed and pressed outfits.
“Ritz-Carlton Hotel, in Los Angeles,” she replied, smiling as the old lady maneuvered the chair closer just by pressing a button.
In just two short days she'd become a real expert, whizzing up and down the hallway and rarely bumping into anyone anymore. Seeing Miss Rowland so happy made the sacrifice of the coming weekend worthwhile.
'It's one of the most expensive hotels in the city.”
“And what exactly is it you have to do there?”
&
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The taxi driver let Genie in front of the clinic after taking almost all the money she had in her purse. She sighed, then glanced at her watch. She arrived there too early. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Genie picked up her suitcase and entered the clinic. Her stomach began to flutter as she made her way across the coolly tiled floor towards Phoenix’s office. When she found herself in the waiting room, Genie heard a little voice in her head. ‘Don't go,’ it said. ‘Run! Run now!’ Run? But how could she? She'd been paid, Phoenix knew her address, and she was almost broke. There was nowhere to run to… She took a deep breath to calm down. Genie couldn't help being a bit nervous about the weekend
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“What was wrong with that little girl?” Genie asked abruptly, in order to break the awkward silence that seemed to have developed. They'd only been on their way a few minutes but it felt like an eternity to Genie. She was much too aware of Phoenix. She had been aware from the moment he'd taken her down to the darkened basement car park and personally handed her into the passenger seat of his BMW. She had quivered at his touch, her fears of blindly responding to this man well and truly founded. He looked at her for a second that his eyes turned to the road ahead. Her question puzzled him for a moment.“Oh, you mean Susie. She has scoliosis. Her spine is curved... to the left. About seventeen degrees.”“It sounds very serious.”“Maybe. Maybe not. She's only fourteen months old. Some correct themselves
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Once again, they drew up at some traffic lights, a perplexing intersection on the western outskirts of the city. Phoenix finally took the right road and soon they were on the expressway south. Genie knew well the hotel and she had seen photos of the club where all the guests were invited to unwind after participating in the conference. It was the kind of location where her father loved spending time. Under other circumstances, Genie would’ve been really looking forward to her stay there. The meals were sure to be exquisite and it would be wonderful to be pampered for a change. But she knew that it won’t be easy to relax while pretending to be something she wasn't and worrying all the time about when Phoenix might kiss her, or something equally hazardous. It was one thing to hide this unwanted at
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Genie grabbed Phoenix's sleeve before he could get down from the car.“Wait! Who's Henry?”“An esteemed colleague, so be nice to him… But not too nice,” Phoenix added drily. “My lady friends not only don’t gush over me, but they also don’t gush over other men.” ‘I bet they don't,’ Genie thought ruefully as she let Phoenix go and waited for him to open her door. ‘They wouldn't dare.’ Not that they'd be inclined to gush over another man when with Dr. Beaumont. No other man would measure up. Physically, at least. Genie wondered what exactly had happened between Phoenix and Whitney which had embittered the doctor so. She couldn't imagine any woman passing him over for the chubby man she'd just seen. Even ten years ago,
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Their turn to approach the busy reception desk put an end to their provocative sparring, by which time Genie's delicious defiance had begun to give way to a churning nervousness. Phoenix was attracted to her, she realized as she stood there next to him. She could feel the heat beneath his bruising fingertips, had heard the ruthlessly sexual intent behind his declaration that he had plans for her. Suddenly she knew what those plans were. He wanted her, not just as his receptionist, but as his lover too. As his mistress. Genie should have been outraged by the prospect of such an indecent proposal. Instead, she was terrified of what her answer would be, if and when he made that proposal. Phoenix was given two sets of keys to their room and a uniformed porter carried their luggage ahead of them along to the ele
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Phoenix was in the shower when the telephone rang. Genie turned from where she was putting the finishing touches to her hair, securing the sash of the complimentary cream bathrobe as she walked over to pick up. Without thinking, she said the words she always said when answering Phoenix's telephone. “Dr. Beaumont's room.” Dead silence down the line. “Dr. Beaumont's room,” she repeated. “Hello, is anyone there?” “Genie?” a voice she knew well said after a few seconds. “That’s you, isn't it?” Genie's hand flew to her mouth. Dear God… it was Nicole. What to do? Hang up, or change her voice suddenly and pretend to be the housemaid? “Genie, say something,” Nicole demanded sharply. “I know it's you, so there's no use hanging up or pretending it isn't.” &n
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The bathroom door opened and Phoenix walked out, naked except for a large fluffy cream towel looped casually around his waist. His black hair was still wet from the shower, and a few wayward locks fell carelessly on his high forehead. The dark curls in the center of his chest were also still damp, tight little swirls of glistening hair which screamed out to have a woman's fingers slide sensually through them. Genie did her best not to stare, her heart sinking all the while. Whitney would definitely take a second glance. She was taking more than two herself. “Was that the telephone just now?” he asked abruptly. She swallowed and lifted her eyes back to his face, praying that nothing showed in her expression or demeanor to betray her X-rated thoughts. “No,” she lied fairly smoothly.
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Ann and Henry were looking incredibly well together. Both of them dressed in the latest fashion, they were absolutely breathtaking. Genie was trying not to stare at them, was trying not to get too jealous of their happiness that could be seen written all over their faces with the naked eye. The two couples were moving along the covered walkway which led from the lobby to the main room all prepared to greet all the guests participating in the medical conference. The hotel was huge, so they all were following Henry which had a map in his hand and was doing his best not to get lost. She was looking around when Phoenix slid an arm around her waist. She got startled and looked at him a little bemused. “For appearances’ sake,” he whispered wryly into her ear as he pulled her close.
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“Forgive you? I'm the one who should beg for your forgiveness. I should never have let the bitch into this room, or given her the slightest opportunity to hurt you like that. I knew what she was like. What a selfish bitch she could be. But I wanted the chance to tell her what I really thought of her.”“What happened, Nix?” Genie asked. His shudder showed true revulsion.“I still can't believe what she did. She’s just sick…” He shook his head in disbelief.“How did she get into the room with you? How did she know I wouldn't be here?”“She must’ve overheard you and Ann at breakfast this morning, discussing and planned to go out. When we came out for a break from the conference, I got a message from her. It said she needed to see me urgently and that she was waitin
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Ann dropped Genie off at the front of the hotel shortly after eleven. They hadn't spent nearly as long in the city as they'd intended, but that was alright by Genie. She still hadn't packed and was anxious not to do anything to delay their departure after lunch.“Thanks for the little brunch, Ann,” she said through the passenger window. “See you at lunch.” Ann drove off to park the car in the basement parking, while Genie was hurrying up the steps and into the hotel foyer. She moved quickly across the tiled floor and down the central hallway and was approaching the door which led out to the back when it opened abruptly and an incoming person collided with her.“Sorry,” she automatically apologized. Whitney seemed to take a moment to realize who she'd run into, while Genie could only stare at the woman. There was
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She rolled over, an exasperated glare in place, only to find him grinning down at her, dancing teasing lights in his beautiful emerald eyes.“Why, you wicked, wicked man!' she squealed and began pummeling him in the chest and stomach. He laughed and grasped her wrists, whipping her over onto her back and holding her arms up on the pillows above her head. When he secured both in one iron hold and began touching her again, she groaned her total exasperation.“No, don't. I couldn't bear it again. I simply couldn't…” Genie twisted beneath him, trying to get away from that merciless grip, that harassing hand, and that prowling mouth. But his hold on her remained invincible, his ruthless attentions gradually achieving their aim.“Nix, you must stop now,” she cried in fury and frustration when
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The golf course of the country club near the hotel was magnificent… green and lush, with each fairway bordered by rows of those same pines that encircled the tennis courts. Clearly, the unforgiven hot sun of LA hadn't affected it too much. “Who's going to partner whom?” Henry asked.“Oh, that’s an easy answer,” Phoenix said and smiled at Genie. “My woman is going to play with me…” ‘His woman’, ‘His love’… Those words were pure music from Heaven. She smiled back, her heart fairly bursting with happiness. It had been a marvelous day so far. It had been like this since the first moment she woke that morning and remembered what had happened the night before. It was as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders in telling Phoenix the truth, even better than when she'd told Miss Rowland. It
GENIE IN A BOTTLE CHAPTER 25
“Thank you… It’s very important for me that you just listen for now, without interrupting me… One sound from you and my courage would be all gone.” Phoenix nodded again and Genie continued her story about a very naïve version of herself in love with the most handsome and dangerous man. “When Jared first asked me for small loans, I simply gave him the money, telling him not to worry about repaying it. Just to save face, Jared always said he would but he never did, and soon he was spending more of my allowance, not to mention driving my car… Stupid little girl…” Genie shook her head and felt the rage, the embarrassment, the frustration coming back again, tormenting her like it happened all those endless days and nights in prison.“Every time he was using my car, he would say stuff like ‘babe, I have to go to Las Vegas for a business oppor
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“I swear I didn’t do it,” Genie cried. “It wasn’t me… Nix, my love, you have to believe me… Oh, God, why don't you believe me? Why are you looking at me like that?”“Genie…”“It wasn’t me, Nix… I’m innocent!”“Genie… Sweetheart… Wake up…” Phoenix shook her by the shoulder.“Please, wake up. You're having a nightmare.” She sat bolt-upright in the bed, staring around her for a few confused seconds before she realized where she was, and that the real nightmare she'd once lived through wasn’t actually happening all over again. It was just a dream that came whenever she was upset. In it, she would be ba
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Even so, Genie's natural curiosity still had her glancing around the ballroom. She didn't have to look around for long. Mrs. Webster had just made an entrance, dressed in the most outrageous red satin gown Genie had ever seen. Halter-necked, it had a V-neckline in front plunging to her waist, which was cinched with a wide jeweled belt. There was no back to speak of, and the skirt was extremely tight. Once again, Dr. Simon Webster was nowhere in sight, and his cheating wife was immediately claimed for a dance by a male admirer. She went into his arms as if she belonged there, a seductive smile on her full red lips.“At least she's wearing the right color for a cheater,” Genie said tartly.“True.” Phoenix's agreement sparked some hope in Genie that his ex-flame had shown
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Genie poured herself another glass of wine, took a sip, then turned to walk over and peek through the drawn curtains at the setting sun.“Pull the curtain back, please. I want to see you better and that light doesn’t do you justice.” She did as Phoenix asked before glancing over her shoulder at him. He was lying on the rumpled bed, a sheet dragged across his lower half, his head and shoulders propped up against a mountain of pillows. He was sipping scotch on the rocks and was also staring at her, his intense green eyes glittering with a decidedly primitive desire. Everything was so… wonderfully surprising. Genie couldn’t believe how quickly Phoenix had stripped her of all inhibition. She'd never been this comfortable before, walking around naked. Now she not only did so without shyness, but she a
GENIE IN A BOTTLE CHAPTER 21
Fifteen minutes after the first round with lady Vamp, Genie was standing in the bathroom, biting her bottom lip as she grimaced at her reflection in the mirror. She had been staring at herself in horror for some time. The black bikini was more outrageous than ever. She seemed to be spilling out everywhere. Everything was so out of place! Sighing, Genie opened the bathroom door and backed up a bit, standing on tiptoe to get a longer view of her hips and legs in the mirror. Gritting her teeth, she half turned and glanced over her shoulders at her behind. It was appalling.“I could never wear this in public,” she muttered dispiritedly. For a second, she thought she could beat Whitney by prancing around the pool in front of Phoenix in this.“I agree.”
