SEVEN

The La Fire Club was abuzz with excitement. As Amber walked into the dressing room to collect her uniform, she saw women primming themselves in front of the vanity tables with lights, looking even more made up than usual. They were chatting with each other excitedly, some giggling, others gushing and a few were even adding more padding to their push up bras.

“Amber! How do I look?” a busty blonde quipped, turning around to face Amber. Her breasts were practically spilling out of her corset.

“Um…chesty?” she wasn’t exactly sure what to say but the answer seemed to satisfy the blonde who went back to facing the mirror, apparently to add even more padding.

Amber made her way to the back of the dressing room where she found Lola, sitting crossed legged and alone on the sofa where they first met yesterday. Unlike the other girls, Lola had a book on her lap and a pen tucked neatly behind her ear.

Amber had to smile, she liked Lola. The girl was as honest as anyone could get.

“Good evening Lola, what are you doing?” she sat herself down, peering into Lola’s book. It looked like some sort of accounting textbook.

Lola did not look up, “Mid term’s coming up. Gotta cram for it.”

Amber was impressed, in a way, Lola reminded her of her own brother.

“I see,” she nodded starting to get up, not wanting to interrupt Lola’s studies when Lola suddenly grabbed her hand.

“Hey, sit down.”

“I don’t want to disturb you studying,” Amber smiled sheepishly. Her reply elicited a burst of laughter from her newfound friend. “Don’t worry, sit down. I haven’t asked you about yesterday. What happened?”

So Amber sat back down and told Lola a lighter version of the incident, downplaying what had actually happened. That was Amber Banks for you; the submissive floormat who let people walk all over her.

Amber tried to change the topic, “Is something happening today? Everyone seems so…so…”

“Animated?”

It wasn’t exactly the word she was looking for but ‘animated’ felt apt, given how the hostesses were talking in excited high pitched voices all the while dancing and prancing around in the room.

“Uh yeah…”

Lola chuckled, “It’s Auction Week.”

“Auction Week? What are we auctioning?” No sooner had the words left her mouth than she realized what was happening. Lola set her book aside and gave Amber a little smirk.

“Darling, I think you already know,” Lola’s eyes went to the sexily dressed women in the room. “Every month, La Fire Club holds an auction week. The highest bidder gets to spend a week with one of the girls and in return, the girl gets fifty grand, plus any other gifts that her ‘owner’ might bestow upon her during that week.”

Amber’s mouth dropped to an ‘O’. She had heard of things like these but never in her life did she think she would actually be a witness to one.

“Interested?” Lola gave her a naughty smile.

Amber raised her hands signalling her surrender, “Thanks but no thanks.” Granted, fifty grand was a lot but she could not imagine auctioning herself to any man. “Will you be auctioned off?” she asked. What if the sleazy man made a bid for Lola?

Lola laughed and pulled out her pen, hitting it gently it on Amber’s head, “It’s not compulsory silly. Only those who offer themselves will be auctioned off. I’m just here to earn some pocket money,  nothing more.”

At Lola’s answer, Amber felt a wave of relief washing over her. For a moment, she had been worried for Lola.

Suddenly, Madam Cecil burst into the room, shouting frantically, “Amber! Amber Banks!” Heads shot up from the vanity table, curious to know what would cause their usually calm and collected madam to run in like a madwoman.

Amber jumped up from her seat and gulped, her hands rolled into a ball, did she do something wrong again?

Madam Cecil spotted Amber and waved her hands in the air, “Amber! There you are! Come! Fabian Williams is looking for you!”

Fabian Williams? It was the man who helped her last night!

From the seat, Lola let out a loud ‘oooohhhhh’ before giving Amber a nudge and a wink.

***

Fabian should have been at his father’s house, but he wasn’t. He had actually driven to the wrought iron gates of his father’s mansion only to reverse his car at the last minute. With nowhere left to go, he found himself heading towards the La Fire Club.

And now, here he was, in the privacy of his room sipping the vodka that eluded him the night before. He had ordered an extra glass, just in case the redhead, Amber wanted one. Fabian was not ready to admit it, but he was besotted by the doe-eyed girl. There was something about her that drew him to her. She seemed so pure, so fragile that he wanted to wrap his arms around her to protect her from the world.

Seriously? He shook his head.

She had told him bits and pieces of her life story last night and while he had not verified it, he found himself believing in her. This was not like him at all. Fabian Williams did not trust people easily. And yet here he was, specifically requesting for her to serve him on this particular night. He wondered if she would be able to enchant him again tonight. Fabian Williams wondered many things.

A knock came at the door and he got up, only to sit himself down awkwardly.

Why do I need to stand up? She’s here to serve me, not the other way around, he asserted to himself, wondering why he was suddenly acting like a bumbling fool. Usually, it was women who would act the fool around him.

“Come in,” he called out. Great, I sound like hermit the frog.

A head popped in but it was not the face of an angel. Instead, it was the face of a man he once called friend. It was the face of the man who had betrayed his trust.

Liam Smith. His one-time partner and best friend opened the door wide and strode in with a big smile plastered on his face. He had a big nose and a rabbit’s ears, plus dark blonde hair that had the unfortunate tendency to stick up, which at first glance made him look like a clown. But his intense black eyes belied the comparison. Even when he laughed, which was often, he looked like he was thinking. 

“Fabian!”

Fabian made no move to get up, “Get out.”

Liam ignored Fabian’s words and walked straight to Fabian’s bar ignoring the tension between them. He settled himself onto a stool and took a sip from the extra glass of vodka. The two of them had forged a friendship while pursuing their degrees at MIT, to the point where they became partners and started Virtuex together. Then the fallout came.

Fabian scowled, “You’re not welcomed here.”

“Oh come on, I missed you.”

“What do you want?”

“VX2’s blueprint.” VX2 was Virtuex’s most successful innovation to date. VX2 was a combination of virtual simulation and telepresence surgery which allowed for countless operations to be conducted remotely. It was hailed as the invention of the century and rumour had it that Fabian Williams would be the next recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Fabian scoffed, finally looking at Liam in the eye. “It’s mine.”

Liam returned with a steady gaze, vodka swirling in his glass, “I helped you build it.”

“All you did was put your initials on the design. Now get out.”

“Fabian, I..”

Fabian would not hear of it, enough lawsuits were going on with Liam’s company as it was, “GET OUT!”

By this time, Amber and Madam Cecil were standing at the door to Fabian's room. Both women had witnessed the men’s argument.

Liam shrugged, not deterred, gently he put the glass down and raised his hands in mock surrender, “Alright, calm down. We’ll talk again.”

Fabian motioned for the women to come in but kept his eye on Liam, “No we won’t.”

Liam walked out, passing both the women but not before he gave Cecil a peck on the cheek. His eyes fell on Amber and his lips curled into a seductive smile before he gave her a nod and walked out of sight.