The Great Sacrifice

Chapter Twelve

            "I will charge you studio rate, you have access to both the kitchen and the main living room for guest if you choose" he said as I followed him around his house. "I doubt anyone will be coming to visit me" I said, pulling my sweater closer. "Daphne may come and go as she pleases. She is not expected back until this summer, but I sometimes make exceptions and she comes for Easter" he said opening another door. "This will be your room" he said. "I stayed in this room when I spent the night before" I said. He nodded, "Exactly, you can rearrange and decorate however you like". Folding my hands in front of me, "Thank you again". "Your welcome" he said. "Tonight I want you to escort me to a dinner a few colleagues and clients are getting together. Since the image is that your my woman I do expect you to accompany to places" a rush of nerves washed over me. His woman?
           I didn't know exactly how fancy the dinner was so I wore black thin strap dress with a low cut dress with a thigh split, the dress went to my ankle paired with simple open toed black heels. My hair was in a soft braid on my placed on the right side, and parted on the side. I dabbed a little red lipstick on and paired them with gold dimond studded earrings and bracelet.
       At the bottom of the stairs Damian was wearing a black suite, with a dark blue button up mostly button except the top two, looking beyond dashing. My heart raced, as my eyes indulged in every inch of the rich man. His hair styled and he face held a intrigued grin, "You look stunning".  I pushed my fly away hair behind my ear, as I reached the last step "Well, you didn't say exactly how nice". "You did, great, Peach" he said . A blush decorated my face "Peach?" I repeated as he grabbed my coat from the closet and set in gently on my shoulder, barley allowing him finger tip touch the bare skin, but it did bringing each nerve ending alive.
    "An endearment" he said opening the door.
       The dinner, Dr. Avella had invited me to was more of a club. You had to be hand selected by a member and they only let a new member in once a old one died. Which was more often then you'd think, They were called, Mammon very pretentious. The club was located in a very high class bar and was used by club members only. I wanted to say they were made up of fifty members. I followed him into the dimly lit room, linking my arm through his, "You do know how to put on a show" he whisper into my ear. I gave a delighted giggle, but didn't reply. I try not to show my discomfort, and I knew I was safe with him. However, these people were powerful people, not to be taken lightly.
        The room had some lit violin playing, but it was simply background music to their conversation, which there was alot of. At least twenty people had sat at the long stretch table a few where playing a gambling game at another table and a few more at the bar broading. 
        A big jolly red face man stood up from the head of the table, "The Devil, Damian you came". The very exotic girl beside me stood up and gave me a smile. I didn't know her as a model, but possibly, I gave her a smile as well. "Rubert" Damian said shaking his greasy hand. I felt myself self consciously grip onto him harder, "Well now that your hear, I'm guessing business". "No, I'm just heard for the scotch" Damian was staring at him with hard eyes and it made me scared and uneasy. "Let me get you a drink then" turning to me Damien placed a single kiss to my cheek, "Why don't you find us some seats?" . He pulled away and I looked up into his eyes with my concerns, "Loly, keep her company" said the guy to the girl. She cane to my side instantly, and I followed her to the table. Sitting beside her, I looked around it wasn't much less what I expected more woman, but that should of been of no surprise.
      A server came out and announced dinner was to be served shortly, more people came to the table leaving their seats at the bar and the money pot to join. I counted much less then fifty seats and not even all the seats filled once everyone was seated. "This is the first guy Rubert been excited to see" Loly whispered in a heavy russian accent to me as she played with her silverware. "Dr. Avella is well known" I assumed. Loly looked at me,"I'm  Laetitia, Rubert calls me Loly because he can't be bothered to learn my name" she rolled her eyes. "I'm Lakelynn" I said, trying not to be shocked by the information she just shared. She was a call girl I put together, there had become a hierarchy to girls who did her job. She was obviously better paid then most, not to say that helped.
      "Doctor? Can't say alot of those are invited in" she said. She was digging and obviously attracted to Damian, they all were just a paycheck so why couldn't she have the handsome one? I only smiled, the first course was served and taken away by time the men came back. I had lost my appetite before we arrived and pretended to enjoy as small talk revolved around me. Sensing my discomfort Damian said his goodbyes as soon as dessert was served.
      Once back in the open air, I took a big gulp of it and sighed. "In hind sight, I could of gone alone" he said as we waited for the valet. I didn't speak, "I figured this was better then staying home and in hind sight, the camera are getting a great view" he said. I didn't look I knew better, "Its to cold". "It is February in New York, Peach" he said absently. I was silent, "What did you do there?" I asked. He was silent and cold, but he finally spoke, "My cousin asked me to see an old friend for him". "Your cousin?" I asked, tilting my head. "Yes, he recently has become interested in a few medical ventures want to secure deals in New York. He's a good businessman" was all he said as the car pulled up. He opened the door for me and I was deeply grateful for the heat it provided.
     "Why did you become a doctor?" I asked. Keeping his eyes on the rode he drove fast, with snow on the rode. "Solving hard problems gives me something to do". "Not a answer, as a possible patient, I want to hear" I chuckled. He did too, "I'm good at what I do". "The best from what I can tell" I went on. "The rich will pay to stay alive, because all they believe in is there money" he said. "They have enough of it" I said. "Yes, but no man cheats death" he said. "You just out smart it?" I asked, leaning forward. He looked at me, "I didn't know you had a sense of humor". I blushed and crossed my legs as I sat back in my seat, "I can only be a face so often".
    Arriving at his home, we went our separate ways instantly, him to his office and me to my bed room, and then quickly to the kitchen. It was honestly to late but I had to have something to eat. Opening the fridge, I found  carrots and baby tomatoes and went to seat at the granted tables.
     Looking around, I smiled feeling warm, a smiled pulled onto my face.
"Daddy, should we tell Lakelynn the secret ingredient?" Daphne asked. Dr. Avella raised an eyebrow, "Its Ms. Carrel". " She can call me Lakelynn" I smiled at her over the wine glass pressed to my lips. He looked at me with his brown rich eyes and then down at Daphne, "We should tell her we are teaching her to make spaghetti". Daphne went over to the boiling water and placed her hands over the steam rotating them. "So you have to make you hands extra warm then ball them into a fist" she said turning. I nodded, coming back to the island she picked up diced garlic and crushed them in her hand before dropping then in the cast iron skillet. I looked at Dr. Avella. "The natural salt that your body makes" Daphne said. And I couldn't help but cringe, "How disgusting". They both laughed, "Just wait until you taste it" Daphne grabbed more garlic and did it again.  Dr. Avella watched his daughter with carful but carefree eyes. He was comfortable and completely relaxed with her by his side. I picked up my glass feeling more like an intruder.
      "Help me" Daphne said welcoming me into the bubble.  I shook my hands, "I don't cook". "I'll teach you. I'm great cook" she said. I looked up at Dr. Avella and he gestured in the direction of his daughter, getting up I washed my hands and went to stand by her, looking up at me to make sure I  was paying her attention-
  "Your up late" I jumped looking up at Damian the same man, but much more guarded and brooding. I looked at the watch that decorated my wrist and nodded stretching, "I needed a snack". He was wearing a white shirt which contrasted against his skin and solid gray Pajama bottoms, his hair was thick and curly on his head. His eyes trained on me and for a second I flushed recalling what I looked like, I pulled my robe closed, and stood up, "I better get to bed". "Your very beautiful, Lakelynn" he said in a deep husky voice that filled my head. I felt my eyes drop down to his lips and back to his eyes remembering the emerging passion they could bring. "Thank you" I said. He stared only for a second longer, he made a simple face, "I never slept with a virgin before, I don't know if I would want to". Keeping my face completely composed, I folded my hand in front of me, "You told me you liked solving hard problems". He grinned then, "Are you giving yourself to me then?" I couldn't help but to blush then the problem was Damian was like no other man I had dealt with and my usual casual decline didn't turn him off it challenged him.
      "Good night, Dr. Avella" was all I could say storming past him carful not to even bump into him.
      It was two weeks into staying at the Avella home, in which I had ignored all my fathers calls, the tabloids constantly printed something about us, but no one had anything in writing. So it was still just gossip and though people saw us together more and more no knew for sure how to approach the topic.
       "Where are you going" Damian asked as I headed down the steps. It was one of the few Saturdays that Mr. Francesca was giving us off and I wanted to take full advantage of it. "I'm going horse back riding" I said. "In central park?" He asked looking me over. I giggled, "Sadly no. Out of the city". He nodded looking me over, "Isn't it dangerous to do such a dangerous sport in your profession?" It was. "It can be" was all I said. "You're hauling a cab?" He asked. I nodded. "You do that often. Its going to get expensive soon" he said. It was, "I better get going". Turning to the door, I pulled it open and there dressed in a baby blue knited dress and equal blue ear muffs was Daphne  holding a red suite case and freezing.
        "Daphne" I said, turning to her Damian. She stepped in, dropping the bag, pulling down her white scarf showing off a red nose she smiled.