Adrian’s nervous eyes flick to me. “Here in Australia.”
“What?” I frown.
He points to the screen. “Here, see, it’s the house in Bondi. It’s the girl who told us the other night Natasha’s email, remember?”
My eyes widen in horror. I sit shellshocked as I watch myself get a drink and then walk up the stairs with her.
“What was your name again?” I ask.
“What do you want it to be?” she replies.
“My bedroom is this way … Natasha,” I answer.
I stand in a rush. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I scream at Ben as I point to the computer
monitor. “Why wasn’t she searched for cameras? I thought she was lying the other night.”
He frowns uncomfortably. “I’m not sure,” he answers.
I start to pace as I run my hands through my head. “Who’s the wife she refers to?” I ask, horrified.
“I’m guessing Natasha.” Adrian winces.
“What!” I scream. “Is this a joke? Why do I have security if they don’t check girls for cameras?”
Ben drops his head.
“Have you been in contact with her?” I ask Adrian.
He nods solemnly.
“And?” I yell.
“She says she has film of the first night you were together … three hours of footage.”
“What!” I punch the chair in anger.
Adrian and Ben jump at the bang. I start to pace again with my hands on top of my head. “What does she want?” I snap.
“Five million dollars,” Adrian whispers.
“What?” I scream.
They both stand silent and still.
“How long have you known about this?” I ask.
“Two days.” Adrian frowns. “We were trying to sort it before we told you.”
“What? Trying to sort out why my security is so shit.” I glare at Ben.
“Joshua, calm down, blaming someone is not going to help the situation,” Adrian says quietly.
“Oh really, what am I paying for? Tell me that. What is the rule of my fucking house?” I ask Ben.
He drops his head. “All women are checked for cameras.”
“So why wasn’t she?”
He shrugs. “She was but we think it was hidden in her bag.”
“Oh this is perfect,” I yell. “Fucking perfect.” I drop to the bed and put my head into my hands as I try to think. What if Natasha gets that footage and is forced to watch me have sex with another woman. She’ll lose it … who wouldn’t?
I stand and walk over to the window as I look to the street below. She’s got me. I have no choice. “Pay the money,” I say flatly.
“What?” Adrian gasps. “Joshua, no, she could drag this out for more and more. We need to go to the police.”
I turn in a rush. “If you think for one minute I am having Natasha watch me have sex with someone else you can think again. I will not put her through this and if I have to kill this stupid bitch to shut her up then I will.”
“Stop it, you’re talking crazy,” Adrian snaps.
I turn to Ben. “Get those fucking tapes back at all cost. Do what has to be done,” I snap and leave the room.
I look nervously at myself in the wardrobe door mirror. I look like Frankenstein’s version of a medic: half hooker, half nurse. We are going with Adrian to a fancy dress ball for Nicholas Anastas’s charity tonight. Joshua hates fancy dress with a passion but I have promised to wear a naughty nurse outfit to sweeten the deal. I have a skintight white short nurse’s tunic on that has a zipper down the length of the front of it with a little pointy collar. The girls are standing to attention in the boostiest bra I could find, I have high sheer-white stockings that come above my knee with a little red satin bow at the top and I am wearing white patent sky-high stiletto shoes that are without a doubt the most uncomfortable shoes known to man. I need to bring Mr Stanton out of his shell at all costs. All this softly, softly quiet business at my mother’s house this week is about to drive me insane. I love the gentle love making but now I just need to be taken hard. My hair is out and teased in a Bridget Bardot do and I have the full cat makeup on. Let’s do this. I walk into the lounge room and the girls both turn to look at me. Bridget is taking a large scull of her drink and chokes as her eyes find me.
“Holy shit,” she snaps. “Are you trying to give him a heart attack?”
I smile and nod as Abbie hands me my wine. Abbie’s eyes scan up and down as she nods. “Now that’s what I’m talking abou, she coos.
She points her wine glass at Bridget. “Why didn’t you get us outfits like that. We look like shit.”
Bridget looks down at herself. “I think we look ok.” She shrugs her shoulders.
“We look like men,” Abbie snaps. “This outfit is totally sexless.”
I giggle as I look at the two of them dressed in their doctor’s coats and pants. It’s a government services fancy dress, you have to dress in something from a service.
“I didn’t see you at the fancy dress shop, you ungrateful witch. I got the best that was there,” Bridget frowns.
I laugh out loud. “I like the outfits Didge, they are very …” I smirk as I try and think of the right analogy. “Medicinal.”
“Medicinal,” Abbie snaps. “That will do me. I don’t want to look medicinal. I want to look hot.”
Bridget rolls her eyes. “Blah, blah. Abbie, you would look hot in a garbage bag. Who are you kidding?” I smile, thank frigging god I picked my own outfit.
We arrive at the function hall an hour later, and our driver pulls into the round circular drop off area. This is a Government Services Fancy Dress Ball, a fundraiser for mental health. It was organized by Nicholas Anastas for his combined charities and this is the fifth year he has held this event. In front of the function centre is a wide sandstone staircase that winds up to the huge double doors into the venue. There are four people lined up on each side of the door on the landing at the top of the stairs welcoming the guests as they walk into the ballroom. Nicholas is the last on the right. He is wearing a full white navy uniform and hat.
“Holy shit, he’s hot,” Abbie purrs as her eyes find him.
“I know-that’s him.”
“Who?” she questions as she frowns.
“He’s the guy who Adrian has been seeing, Nicholas Anastas,” I whisper as we walk up the steps towards the welcoming group.
“You’re joking, that’s him?” she snaps. “He’s totally straight, no way he’s batting for the other team,” she whispers angrily.
“Would you think that Adrian was gay if you didn’t know him?” Bridget whispers.