CHAPTER 3

                                                       "LIFE IS SO CRUEL"

It's been about two hours since I arrived in New York after a dreary weekend. I pace impatiently like a caged lion, look at my watch once more and it has only been three minutes since the last time I checked.

“Miss Christie, Mr. Campbell is coming up the elevator” James informs me.

“Finally,” I say, letting out the frustration I was holding in “thanks, Andrew.” A few seconds later the elevator bell rings announcing his arrival, and without even waiting for him to exit I run towards him and jump onto him, he holds me up and allowing me to wrap my legs around his waist. I start kissing him desperately, he responds in the same way.

“Someone is happy to see me,” he says, interrupting the kiss.

“Shut up! Less talking and more fucking!”

“Your wish is my command,” he says playfully. We resume our kissing session as he walks to my room, and then he lays me down on the bed. If anything, he has learned during the time we have had this arrangement is when I have a lot of pent-up tension, I enjoy having an intense orgasm, quickly he opens my robe and smiles seeing I have nothing on.

“No underwear... mmm... I approve,” immediately he gets on his knees and starts assaulting my sex with his mouth, pulling out the loudest moans from me, with his hands he spreads my legs even further leaving me completely exposed. His expert tongue pays special attention to my clitoris and two of his long fingers are introduced into my cave stimulating my G-spot, it doesn't take long when the spasms take over my body announcing that my long-awaited orgasm has arrived.

“Feeling Better?” he asks as he continues to drink the elixir that flows from me.

“You have no idea!”

“What happened to you in Miami to stress you out so much,” he asks as he starts to strip off his clothes.

“Some idiot who was adamant about pissing me off and making my life miserable during my time there”.

“What's his name? I'll send him a thank-you note because I'm the one benefiting here.”

“You're a moron!” I tell him while laughing.

“That's much better,” he puts on a condom and then positions himself on top of me as we begin to kiss again. His hands roam my body caressing every inch, his lips go down my neck leaving a kiss trail until he reaches my breasts to which he gives them special attention, sucking and nibbling on my hardened nipples. My hands tangle in his hair tugging them gently, he positions his hard penis at the entrance of my vagina, he introduces it slightly and withdraws it, he performs this same operation several times until I let out a grunt, he laughs and finally enters in completely with a single thrust.

He moves rhythmically while holding himself in his arms, then he sits on the ball of his feet as he grabs my waist, he keeps on penetrating me deliciously, this man has a great instrument and he knows very well what to do with it. Our moans and groans can be heard all over the bedroom, making the scene even more erotic.

“Come on Christie, give it to me,” I shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut, I want to keep enjoying the moment. “Come on Christie,” he says once more and rolls his hips, unable to resist I burst into a powerful orgasm that leaves me seeing stars with a completely lax body. He carefully withdraws from me, removes the condom, and goes to the bathroom, moments later I hear the sound of the water filling the bathtub.

“Would you like a relaxing bath?”

“Yes, why not,” he takes my hand and helps me out of bed.

“Jasmine or lavender,” he asks, taking the aromatic oils I like so much.

“Lavender.”

“Excellent choice.”

“You'd make a terrific boyfriend if only you were my type” I let out a heavy sigh.

“It's better not to force things,” he shrugs, we get into the jacuzzi, and gives me a delicious shoulder massage to release the stress.

“This week I have a dinner with an important businessman to celebrate the signing of our partnership, so I will be needing you to come with me,” I inform him as he continues working on my back.

“Do you need me as a friendly companion or as a boyfriend?” Depending on the situation, he can be a friendly companion I invite to an event or if I require a little attention, he can be an attentive boyfriend.

“Just a companion,” besides the businessman, will be in town for a couple of days, then his representative will do all the work for him.

***

“Calm down Christie! you're going to have a breakdown, you're about to start hyperventilating,” says Alena taking me by my shoulders, I take a deep breath through my nose and then gently exhale “Okay, that's much better. Everything is ready, no room for error, we're just waiting for the executive, so just stay calm and drink your damn tea, you're about to make my nerves collapse as well”.

“Okay, mom” I whisper, sitting down in the chair behind my desk I take a sip of the nasty tea she insists I drink “I'm sorry, I can't. I'm sorry.”

“Drink it!” she says in a threatening voice.

“If I drink it I risk being poisoned to death, and I want to live for many years, so no thanks.”

“You will die anyways… eventually”

“Thanks, but no thanks”

“Arrgg! You’re impossible Christie J…”

“Shhh… Don't say it! Don't mention that hideous name” I put my hands on my ears not to hear her.

“You are acting like a spoiled brat”

“And you are acting like a bitch”

“Christie Swan's office, this is Alena Pierce, how may I help you?” answers the phone professionally thanks to the hands-free headset she always carries in her ear. “Thank you very much, Stephannie” she taps the device “The European executive has arrived, he is being accompanied by a young man, it must be the one who will act as his representative. I will go to greet them and you, please calm down.”

Sometimes she looks more like the boss than myself here, I get up and head to the attached bathroom to take a look at myself in the mirror, I need to be flawless to impress. I can hear voices coming from the other side so I know they're already here.

“Calm down Christie, this is not the first time you close a very important deal, I don't understand why you are so nervous, you are smart, successful, self-empowered, and damn sexy, so go out there and give them your best impression.” After my pep talk, I'm in a brighter mood and I'm ready to devour the world. I leave the bathroom and see the people I never imagined I'd see again in a million years.

“Oh. My. God”

“Shit!” he says at the same time, why? is it some kind of penance I have to pay? Why does the universe insist on taking it out on me? Why can't things be perfect? Life is cruel and it hates me.

“Ahemm” I hear someone clearing his throat “Good afternoon Miss Swan, it's a delight to see you again, the world is a very small place. I am Vitto Parisi, your new business partner,” says the older man kindly.

“Forgive my manners, Mr. Parisi, it is a pleasure to see you again” I extend my hand to shake his but instead, he gallantly kisses me on the back of it.

“This is my son Stefano,” he gestures to his side, and unwillingly I hold out my hand in greeting.

“Nice to see you again” ladies and gentlemen, the award for the hypocrite of the year goes to Christie Swan, says a voice in my mind.

“Likewise” the moment our hands are touching I can feel a fluttering in my stomach, so I quickly pull it away.

“You may go to the boardroom, everything is ready,” Alena informs us.

“Follow me please,” I open the door and walk out first, leaving them behind me.

“Stop looking at her ass.”

“I'm not doing it.”

“Behave Stefano” I can hear them speaking in their mother language but I can't understand anything they are saying.

“Please have a seat. Would you like something to drink?”

“I would like a glass of water please.”

“A cup of coffee for me, please” do we have cyanide in the kitchen?

“I'll bring you your order right away,” says Alena.

“Well, let's not waste time,” says the older man.

“All right Mr. Parisi, as you can see in front of you is a folder with the partnership documents inside” the door opens and Ale enters with a tray, hands each of them their order and takes a seat next to me. He produces from t a small box from the inside pocket of his jacket, takes out a pill, and swallows it with the water.

“My heart,” he says as an explanation, “It doesn't work like it used to. A few months ago, I had surgery and a pacemaker. That's why I decided to retire from business” I feel the blood leaving my face and I'm about to faint “don't worry miss, our negotiation is still on.”

“I-I don’t understand”

“Stefano will take over everything, he merged his companies with mine, so the Parisi Consortium became Graziani Enterprises, he is your new partner.”

“What?” I say in a whisper, My God, tell me! Did I do something in my past life to deserve this punishment? I confirm it, life is cruel.