We shall draw from the heart of suffering
itself the means of inspiration and survival.
—Sir Winston Churchill
Chapter 11
His alarm sounded, and Mr. Rawlings called for the car. It would be ready to take them to the airport at 6:00 a.m. Claire knew she would rather be back in her suite, waking at eight, working out, eating, and being on her own schedule. When she worked at WKPZ, she needed to wake before three every morning. But back then, she went to bed much earlier and, most importantly, alone.
A little after five, she sleepily entered the shower. Turning her face to the hot spray, she desperately tried to revive her senses and dull the aches in her body. The water began the process, but the real awakening came as she heard the glass door slide and saw Tony enter the steamy stall. His only expectation was to get clean. However, the act, the sharing of this personal space nonsexually, was more intimate than Claire anticipated or desired.
Once on the jet, she asked about his associates. Tony explained that Mr. Simmons and Mr. Field stayed behind to complete the contracts and Ms. Michaels had left on another company jet yesterday. During the two-and-a-half-hour flight, it was only the two of them in the cabin. Tony busily read his computer screen while Claire watched the clouds under the plane and contemplated the trip, disappointing and short. She thought pensively about her missed opportunity to contact Emily and John. She hadn’t spoken to anyone from her past for almost four months. Did anyone wonder what happened to her? Were they concerned that she’d dropped off the earth? But then she thought about Tony. He’d taken her out and introduced her to the world. She couldn’t be a missing person or the police would have gotten involved. She wasn’t sure how this publicity thing worked. Maybe Emily knew she was seen out with Mr. Anthony Rawlings. Claire berated herself. She worried more about not disappointing Tony than thinking to contact her sister.
Suddenly, Tony broke the silence. “Now tell me about your shopping trip.” The domineering man from the night before was gone. His tone was friendly and inquisitive.
Claire did her best to respond with the appropriate tone and inflection. “It was amazing. New York is such a bustling city. I wasn’t worried about people, or should I say reporters, approaching me.”
“That concerns you?”
“Yes. After that scene at the benefit, I am terrified someone will approach me. I know how much appearance and privacy means to you.”
Satisfied, Tony smiled smugly. “Very well, that is interesting. Go on, what did you buy?”
“Well, first I went to Versace and found a couple of dresses and some shoes. I think you will like them. I made my way along Fifth Avenue and bought some sunglasses. Oh, they are here in my purse.” She pulled them out and put them on. Tony smiled and removed them from her green eyes. He liked her eyes and didn’t want them covered. Claire continued chattily, “I also found some lingerie,” managing to smile coyly, “which I believe you will like.”
His eyes were soft, fully focused, and his expression was amused. “It sounds like you did well. Do you mind telling me how much you spent?”
Claire’s eyes dropped to the floor. She knew five thousand was nothing to Tony, but it would have been a month’s salary for her parents. Two outfits, shoes, sunglasses, and some silk and lace seemed like such a small accumulation for that much money. Tony gently lifted her chin to resume eye contact. Her eyes shone as she flashed a smile and spoke. “About five thousand.”
His reaction surprised her. He laughed. She waited to see if it was a laugh leading to something else, but no, it was just a laugh. Finally, he responded, “Good job, Claire. You may get the hang of this yet. I look forward to my private fashion show tonight when I return to the house.”
It bothered Claire that he could treat her in such a demeaning manner in the bedroom or wherever he chose and then turn around and act like nothing happened. She needed to work on compartmentalizing the sex away from the rest of her life. That was harder than it sounded.