Chapter 4- Meeting Mr Nicholas

MIRA

The only sounds in the room were the sounds of the clock ticking, of my deep, nervous breathing, and of Lucius pacing his sitting room.

"You understand what you have to do, don't you?" he asked.

"Yes," I said, picking up a pearl-shaped diamond earring and putting it on. After I accepted to do the job, he had instructed one of the maid to bring the clothes I was supposed to wear for the job.

They went well with the simple but expensive red dress, showing more than a hint of cleavage, that fitted me like a second skin.

Lucius grunted. "Okay. But let me go over the details again. This job is damned important. It can't go wrong."

He waited. When I didn't say anything, he went on. "This man, Nicholas, has regular habits... well, up to a certain extent. On Fridays, like today, he hangs out at the Royale casino, socialises, does a bit of gambling, and mostly wins." Lucius's voice turned bitter as though he hated the fact that this Lorenzo guy mostly had a winning streak.

“Anyway, my sources tell me he's definitely going to be at the casino tonight. I'll drive you there myself. Just make sure you do anything—everything—to get close to him. Understand? I don't have to remind you of what happens if you fail."

My hands tightened on my hairbrush.

This was how it was going to be until I finished this job. This monster would hold Rocco over me every minute of every day.

"I won't fail," I choked out.

"Good girl," Lucius murmured.

He suddenly stopped pacing, and I went still and tense. I watched him watch me from the mirror. I saw the lustful, eager look that jumped into his eyes.

"You look nice tonight," he said. "Really nice. You know, Mira, believe it or not, I've missed you. Maybe when all this is over, you and I can get together. I could take you places, give you a good time..."

He stepped closer.

His fingers lightly brushed my arm, giving me the sensation of a venomous, hairy spider crawling over my skin.

I jumped back and spun around so fast the mirror behind me fell with a loud crash.

"What the—" Lucius swore.

"Stay the hell away from me," I warned, hissing the words from between my teeth. "I'm doing your stupid job because you didn't give me a choice, but I'm damned if I'm also going to be your slut!"

For a moment his eyes glittered angrily, then he stepped back and shrugged.

"Hurry up. I'll be waiting outside," he said.

When the door had closed behind him, I sat down heavily on the dressing table.

My hands were shaking slightly as I picked up the hairbrush again and ran it through my hair and I thought of what I was about to do.

By the time I had finished styling my hair, I was more in control of myself. I put on the diamond choker, picked up my purse, and headed outside to the car in which Lucius was waiting.

Lucius murmured instructions to the driver. I sat as far away from him as the spacious car would allow.

He sat in a sulky silence throughout the drive, but more times than I could count, I felt his eyes roving over me.

"We're here," he said about thirty minutes later when the driver pulled up in front of the casino with its big, flashing neon lights. "Remember all I told you. Make this work."

Without a word, I left him. At the door of the casino, which a doorman was holding open, I took in a deep, shaky breath and stepped into the millionaire's playground.

Only the fact that it was a large, spacious place prevented it from being crowded.

The smell of expensive perfumes and cigar smoke came to my nostrils.

To the left and right were roulette tables. A cheer went up from one of them as a fat man quickly drew a heap of chips he had won towards himself. Several hopeful women inched close to him. The man caught my eyes and smiled.

I turned away only to find I was causing quite a stir. A lot of the men who had noticed me, looked very interested and I thought bitterly of how pleased Lucius would be.

"Champagne, madam?" a smiling waiter holding a tray of champagne asked.

"No, thank you," I said.

He asked if I was meeting someone, if he could help in locating the person, and if I wanted anything else.

I was glad when someone rather rudely called him, and he reluctantly left.

I went quickly to a corner. Then I scanned the place. Almost immediately, I spotted him.

At over 6 feet, Nicholas was hard to miss.

Though he was not as flashily dressed as all the other men, there was something about him that set him apart.

Apparently, the ladies thought so too. A lot of them were looking in his direction, hoping to catch his eye.

He didn't seem to be aware of the attention he was getting. Or maybe he was already so used to it that he didn't notice it anymore.

He stood sipping a glass of champagne and looking around.

My heart slammed against my ribs as I moved closer, waiting for my moment, knowing I would recognise it when it came.

Inside, I was a nervous wreck. Outside, I was cool and composed.

One of the circulating waiters, seeing Nicholas's glass was now empty, started to approach him. I walked faster, getting there just as the waiter got to him and said something.

As Nicholas started to turn, I deliberately crashed into the waiter who bumped into him. The waiter's tray fell, spilling champagne everywhere. Most of it got on my dress.

I looked down at the spreading wetness on my gown and gasped. Putting on a convincing expression of shocked anger and outrage, I looked up at Nicholas, who looked like he was still trying to make sense of what had just happened.

"Can't you look where you're going?" I said, raising my voice. "Look at what you've done!"