The Opium Room (9 page)

The rest of their shopping at Sephora went along the same lines. Karrigan made all the selections and they racked up a two–hundred–dollar bill. She wouldn’t hear of Lea paying for any of it. Lea had a feeling that Karrigan had money to blow, but it still didn’t sit right with her. She already knew of a way to repay her, but she’d tell her later.

They got on an escalator to the second floor. “Where are we going now?” Lea asked.

“Are your ears pierced?”

“Yeah, but I don’t wear earrings.”

“Or any jewelry, huh?” Karrigan said, scanning Lea’s arms and neck.

“I guess not.”

“No worries. We’ll get you set up.”

At the top, Claire’s boutique was just off the escalator. They browsed the walls, elbow to elbow, in the narrow store.

Karrigan grabbed a pair of earrings. “What kind of statement do you want to make—pure and innocent or primal and dirty?”

“I guess…pure and—”

“Wrong!” Karrigan interrupted. “Do you want Fox to remember your name on Saturday? Primal and dirty is what you want.” She handed Lea a pair of handcuff earrings. “Those are a good start.”

Lea feared that by the time Fox picked her up on Friday, she was going to be dressed like a two–dollar hooker.

***

After a stop at Godiva for some chocolate–covered strawberries, which Karrigan insisted Lea would need for her date with Fox, they headed to their next destination. A short, seat–clutching, white–knuckle ride later, they arrived at Bad Cat Adult Megastore.

Karrigan gave a personal greeting to the long–haired guy with facial piercings behind the check–out counter. She protruded her tongue between her first two fingers, suggesting that she was more than just a returning customer.

Lea smiled and walked ahead while Karrigan leaned on the glass case filled with expensive novelties, chatting up the guy.

Lea was browsing a display of thongs when Karrigan came bouncing up. “What do you think about these?” Lea said, holding up a pink pair.

“I think you’re wasting your time,” Karrigan said. “You’re not wearing panties on your date.”

“What? You can’t be serious.”

“Primal and dirty, Lea. Primal and dirty.” Karrigan pulled her by the elbow in another direction. She but on the brakes next to a rack with a lot of leather. Lea didn’t recognize the item on the hanger.

“Assless chaps, baby,” Karrigan announced. “Now all we need is a whip. Come on, let’s go to the bondage section.”

“Uh, I don’t think so.”

“Lea, we have to get you a whip. The outfit wouldn’t be complete without one. All you have to do is crack it one time and growl, “You love to be spanked, don’t you? Don’t you!” and he’ll blow his load right then.

Lea shook her head emphatically. “No, Karrigan. I’m sorry, but I have to veto the chaps and the crack. It’s just not me.”

“Fine.” Karrigan put on a pouty face and put the leather back on the rack. “But you only get one veto.”

They browsed a shelf with various oils and lubricants. “You’ll need these,” Karrigan said, and tossed a variety pack of condoms in the basket. “And these.” She flung in a few packs of flavored lubricant. “And this.” In went a bottle of Coochy Shave Cream. She paused, looked at Lea. “Unless you want me to give you a wax. I’ve got the stuff for it.”

“No, that’s all right.”

Karrigan shrugged. “Your call. Now, let’s settle on your lingerie.” They browsed a shelf with medium–sized boxes on hooks. “I won’t force you too far out of your comfort zone, but I must insist that you don’t choose anything pastel. How about these?”

Lea inspected the box Karrigan handed her. Over–the–knee leg warmers in black. “I guess I could try to pull them off.”

Lea couldn’t help but notice the unkempt older man, probably in his sixties, on the next aisle over browsing pornos. He was looking at her with his tongue skimming his top lip. She put the leg warmers back on the shelf. “Can we go now?”

“Fine.”

Lea was glad that Karrigan was distracted by her pierced, dreaded friend at the register. A woman rang her up so she was able to pay for herself this time. Lea took the bag and peeled Karrigan away from her beau. She’d been all wrapped around him, but the cashier hadn’t seemed to mind.

As they headed out the door, Karrigan turned and said to her boy toy, “When can I expect to see you at Dilemma again?”

The guy replied, “I get my ankle monitor off next month. Until then I can only leave my apartment to come to work. So you’ll have to come to my place or here to see me.”

Good grief.

In the car, Karrigan said, “I could have gotten Mike a better defense lawyer. Then he wouldn’t have to wear that stupid monitor. He probably could’ve gotten away with community service since it was his first offense.”

Lea didn’t want to know the nature of said offense, but she was curious to find out more about Karrigan’s legal connections. Exactly how prominent was the Kemp family in the city of Atlanta? “Your family probably has a lot of attorney friends, huh?”

“No, I do. I graduated from Georgia University with a degree in criminal justice. I know some people in the field. I’m going to start law school… one day.”

“Karrigan—are you serious? That’s awesome! But why are you working at the hotel when you’re qualified to do something else?”

“I can’t pass a drug test. Honestly, I’m a little messed up right now. I want to get straight though. That’s why I’m putting off law school; I want to be able to pass the bar.”

Lea’s heart went out to Karrigan. That was the first time she’d shown a grounded, vulnerable side of herself. She wanted to help her.

“Oh, shit!” Karrigan turned on her blinker—for the first time that day—and switched into the right–hand lane. She slowed her speed down within the legal limit.

“What’s wrong?” Lea turned and looked behind them. Blue lights.

“My license is suspended,” Karrigan said, keeping her eyes on the rear–view mirror.

When the police car sped past them in the left–hand lane, Karrigan blew a relieved breath. “Thank God!”

“Karri,” Lea said.

“Yeah?”

“I just want you to know if you ever need someone to talk to, you can always call me. I mean, about anything. I’m sure you don’t feel confident confiding in your brothers about certain things, so I’m just putting that out there to you. I’m always here, and I hold no judgments.”

“Thanks. I’ll keep your number programmed in my phone in case I ever need to take you up on that.” Karrigan exited off the freeway and pulled into an outlet shopping center. She turned off the engine, and they both got out.

“Where are you taking me?” Lea asked.

“Time for your main ensemble.”

“Oh.”
Oh, God,
was more like it.

“I see that look on your face,” Karrigan said. “Don’t worry, you’re going to love this.”

CHAPTER NINE

Lea met a couple of potential customers at the next day’s meeting. Turns out she was actually going to get something out of the money she’d invested to attend the convention. Even if she hadn’t though, she’d still met Fox. And there wasn’t any amount of money she’d trade for that.

That night, she was lying in bed awake when her cell phone rang. She grabbed it off the nightstand.

Fox!

“Hey,” Lea answered.

“Hey, gorgeous. What’s up?”

“Just lying here.”

“I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No, I wasn’t sleeping. I’ve just been lying here for the last three hours.”

“What’s wrong? You not feeling well?”

“To be quite honest, I suffer from terrible bouts of insomnia. It’s like my mind won’t shut off. I haven’t slept since a few nights ago in your hotel room.”

“Lea—you have
got
to be kidding me.”

“No, I wish I was.”

“I know I said I’d give you a break from me until Friday, but we’re only one day short of that. Why don’t you come stay with me?”

Lea had herself all psyched up for Friday night. She wasn’t ready for him tonight. Not in
that
way. She was still too nervous to face him after she’d seen the video.

“Fox, I watched the footage on the flash drive. I… I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Especially if it’s that you never want to see me again.”

“No, nothing like that. I’m just so embarrassed. Shocked with myself. I swear I’m not usually like that.”

“Lea, you have nothing to apologize for. We don’t even have to discuss it again unless you want to. Okay?”

“Okay, I’ll forget it if you will.”

“I was alert,” Fox reminded her. “I can’t exactly do that.”

Great.
So he clearly recalled how hairy, plain, and pudgy she was.
Nice.
“Come on, humor me. Just
say
you forgot it.”

“Can I cross my fingers behind my back and say it?”

“No!”

“Hmm. Well, if I promise to forget, will you remind me?”

“Maybe.”
Yes! Yes! Yes!

“All right, then, you got yourself a deal ma’am. By the way, I know what happened to you.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, it was Martin, just like I knew all along.”

“No way. Not the nice bar tender?” Lea said, disappointed.

“Not so nice, Lea. One of our single guests had a similar experience to yours last night. I caught Martin on the elevator with her; she was standing, but I could see that all of her body weight was leaning into him. I asked him what had happened, and he said she passed out just as he was finishing his shift. He claimed he was headed downstairs to wait with her until a cab came, but I wasn’t buying it. He was all too willing to help her, and he looked suspicious. I sent Martin on his way, and had Erickson wait with the lady until the cab company showed up. We saved the woman’s glass and what was left of her beverage, and sent it to the police station. It tested positive for Rohypnol.”

“Good grief. Good to know that I was drugged out of my mind. My sleep’s never going to be calibrated.”

“Nah, that stuff flushes out of the system quite fast. If you can’t sleep now, it’s something else. Stay with me, Lea. You know, my room is called The Opium Room for a reason. The drug has euphoric, pain relief, and anesthetic effects, just like my living space. Your rest is guaranteed.”

Lea hadn’t been able to get Fox out of her mind, and she was missing him like crazy. And now that she’d broken the ice about what was on the flash drive, she felt like she could move on, face him again. “All right. I’ll do it.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

—Fox

Fox took the elevator down and waited on a bench near the parking lot. He didn’t know what kind of car to look for, but she couldn’t get to the front entrance without passing by. His arms were swung casually across the back of the bench. All the excitement that had built up in anticipation of Lea’s arrival, quickly faded when someone else approached. Someone who couldn’t have walked up at a more inopportune time.

“Hello there,” Jill said. Sat down right next to Fox.

“It’s not a good time, Jill.” She was looking extra horrendous today. Her lips were swollen five times the normal size like she’d had some sort of injection. Her dress was nearly x–rated, the way it crisscrossed in the front, showing her breasts. If it’s business you want to talk about, you’ll have to get me during my working hours.”

“Oh, this isn’t business,” Jill said. “I was on my way inside and I noticed you taking a break, which is extremely abnormal. You get off early tonight?”

Fox dropped his arm from the back of the bench, scooted over. He had no idea what kind of car Lea drove; she could be any of the ones passing by now headed to the rear parking. “Yeah, I’m off for the rest of the evening.”
You can get lost any time.

“Oh.” Jill looked ahead, crossed her legs, sat back against the bench.

“Listen, I’m expecting someone, so…”

“I can take a hint,” she said, standing. “I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of you and one of your girlfriends.”

Fox didn’t have time to argue with her. He was only interested in
one
girl, but his personal life was none of Jill’s concern. He just wanted her gone before Lea saw them in the same proximity and grew suspicious. So, why wasn’t she walking away?

Jill crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. “You know, you and I should have lunch some time. I would like to get to know Fox the man, not Fox the businessman.”

“Look Jill, that’s never going to happen. I don’t even like working with you on a business level. I think you’re overpaid and your “consulting” is more debilitating than helpful. I don’t understand why Roman keeps you around and furthermore, why he overpays you.” If subtlety didn’t work for her, blunt force would have to do.

Jill’s mouth gaped. “Well excuse me for being nice. Let me tell you something, Fox Kemp. Roman would never let me go. So sorry if you don’t like it, but I’m here to stay.”

She stomped off and Lea walked up in the wake of Jill’s tracks.

Fox stood. “Lea, hey.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her against him.

“Hey.” Lea backed away, unease lined her face. “I know it’s none of my business, but who is that woman?”

“Lea, don’t be afraid to ask me anything, okay. That’s Jill, our business consultant slash thorn in my side. She has a hard time picking up on my get–lost vibe.”

“Does she have any reason to come on to you so strong? I mean, is she one of the women you’ve slept with?”

Fox chuckled. “Not no, but
hell
no. She has never appealed to me in the slightest. Did you see her? The woman’s a train wreck.”

Lea cracked a smile.

“Come on,” Fox grabbed her overnight bag and slung it over one shoulder, draped his arm around her, and led her to the private elevator just inside a side door.

Once the elevator doors closed, Fox dropped the bag to the floor, took her face in his hands and kissed her. “I’ve missed you these last couple of days. Haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

“Me too.”

Fox smiled. “Did you know that with the touch of a button, I can stop this elevator any time I want for as long as I want?”

Lea peeked at the button that Fox pointed to. “I didn’t know that.” Her lips curled up in a wry smile. “So what are you waiting for?”