A Billionaire's Life Ch. 03

"So Dean gets away scot free?"

"Well, a couple dozen girls saw him force himself on a fellow model who was screaming at him to stop. Ashlyn's gonna be getting tons of shit about her boyfriend and his rep is gonna spread pretty quickly."

Cassandra rolled her eyes at that kind of justice. I think she would have preferred the electric chair.

"Still, I'll ask Taylor what SHE wants to do," I promised and Cassandra nodded.

Then Cassandra took a long, deep breath. And before I could react, she reached up and bopped me on the forehead with the heel of her hand.

"Oww!" I immediately reached to my head.

"How could you be so stupid?"

"What? I couldn't have known Dean was going to try and rape her!"

"Not that! How could you be so stupid to do cocaine?" Her blue eyes strayed a cool grey and she folded her arms over her chest.

"Cassandra, come on. It's not that big of a deal," I said half-heartedly. I knew I shouldn't have done it. My gut knew it had been wrong. I didn't have a moral defense, but a part of me wanted to argue a 'what's the harm?' But as if reading my mind, Cassandra didn't let me continue my feeble defense.

"Don't you recognize the harm? The risk? No, you're probably thinking, 'What's the worst that could happen?' I'll tell you what could happen. You could DIE, Jonathan. And that would put the brakes on this joyride life of yours."

"That's a little extreme..."

"Maybe, maybe not," Cassandra glowered. "You want me to tell you how many people died of cocaine overdoses last year? Come on, Jonathan, why even take the risk? And beyond the health issues, the paparazzi could snap a picture of you, which would NOT be good for business."

"Well, I mean, it's just a little..."

"That SHIT is ILLEGAL, Jonathan. And you are NOT above the law. Getting arrested would be even WORSE for business." Cassandra was a woman who very rarely yelled. Hearing her voice picking up in volume frightened me even more than the weight of her words.

I held up a hand. "Alright, alright. You can stop the lecture, Cassandra."

"I don't think so!" NOW Cassandra was yelling. "Jonathan, nothing changes this fact: You went to a cocaine-fueled party and Taylor was raped!"

My wife's pain hit me like a slap to the face. My heart sank and I hung my head in defeat. In the span of a few seconds, I deflated completely.

"Oh, come on, Jonathan," Cassandra sighed, her voice immediately returning to normal.

It was my fault. I hadn't stayed in complete control and someone I loved dearly had gotten hurt. It was my fault. I pinched my eyes shut and took a deep breath to calm myself.

"Don't start getting all depressed, Jonathan," Cassandra reached forward and hugged me. "Just... just promise me you won't do those drugs again."

I closed my eyes and nodded.

"Jonathan, really," Cassandra sighed and started rocking me. "When have you ever needed drugs to have a good time? We have plenty of parties that don't need drugs. Don't we keep you satisfied?"

I managed a small smile and nodded.

We talked for a bit more, but even after we were done, Taylor still hadn't returned.

Close to 1am I was about to get up and go hunting for my wife. Cassandra and I had switched places and she had fallen asleep in my lap while I ran my fingers through her fine blonde hair. I was feeling quite tired myself, but I willed myself to stay awake until Taylor returned.

I was trying to figure out how to lift Cassandra off me without waking her when Taylor came into the bedroom. I stopped moving immediately and her face visibly brightened when she saw that I was awake and waiting for her.

She smiled down at Cassandra and then circled the bed to slide beneath the covers from the other side.

"How is she?" I asked softly, asking about Kate.

"She's fine. She thinks her world is about to end, but at least she's asleep now."

"And how are you?"

Taylor went quiet and snuggled herself against my side. I waited her out but she didn't say anything.

"Taylor, honey?" I asked softly.

"I don't want to think about it. Not right now," she said heavily. "Can you just hold me?"

"Okay."

And so my wife drifted off to sleep. I was rather vertically inclined, not the best position in which to go to sleep. But with Cassandra's head on my legs and Taylor's head on my chest, I was pretty well wrapped up. And they both looked so beautiful that I couldn't bear to wake them.

And so I simply gazed over the two most important people in my life. After all the sex with beautiful strangers, the delirium of illegal stimulants, and even the rush of a naked Ashlyn Scott trying to seduce me, here... now... I was happiest.

Just me, Taylor, and Cassandra. They were all I needed.

***

The next morning, we were at the dining table for breakfast when Kate stumbled in, bleary-eyed. I looked up and saw the tears coming down her face and for a moment wondered, 'She's STILL crying?'

Taylor immediately got up and went to her, then slowly escorted her to the table. We were all there: me, Cassandra, Charlotte, Rebecca, and Mia. Kate first surveyed everyone and then seemed scared to even sit down. But Taylor put her in a seat and then sat beside Kate, rather than return to her own spot next to me.

"A fucking text message," Kate sobbed, holding up her cell phone. "He says I have until noon to get my stuff or he'll throw it all out in the hallway."

"We'll help you go get it, okay?" Taylor assured her. It wasn't even 9am yet. Charlotte immediately got up from the table and picked up her laptop from a nearby countertop.

"But for now," Taylor continued. "Let's get some food in you, okay?"

Right then, Kate's stomach growled rather loudly, causing everyone to try and stifle their chuckles. But then Kate started giggling herself, breaking the tension and a few warmer laughs sounded off. Biting back her tears, Kate nodded gratefully.

Dorothy came out and explained Kate's breakfast options and took her order. And then the room went silent as we realized all of us were looking at her.

Taylor blinked and then shook her head in realization. "Oh, Cassandra, Charlotte, you already know Kate. Rebecca, Mia, this is my friend Kate. She's a fellow model."

"Hello."

"Pleased to meet you."

Kate looked at them for a second and then at me. "Are they... your girlfriends?" There was a trace of hope in her voice.

Rebecca grinned and then looked at me. Mia just blushed.

Rebecca started, "No, we're just friends. I'm actually renting a room."

"And I just spend a lot of time here," Mia said.

I smiled warmly and gestured, "Rebecca has been our personal trainer since before the wedding. Mia is the interior designer for this whole place."

Kate gawked and looked around in amazement. "Really? Because this place is gorgeous!"

Mia blushed and looked down. "Well, most of the credit has to go to Jeff. He's the architect. I just threw up some paint and some pictures."

I continued on, "And the floors and the furniture and the..."

"Alright, alright," Mia waved me off.

"You all seem so happy," Kate said mournfully. "I'm sorry to be a rainy cloud on your morning."

"Don't worry about it," Rebecca waved her off.

Charlotte interrupted just then, putting a hand to her Bluetooth earpiece. "Do you have a lot of things? I mean, do you need a moving truck?" she asked Kate.

"Oh, no. Nothing like that. Most of it belongs to Stavros so there'll just be a few suitcases."

"So, like a big SUV would do?"

"That would be plenty big enough."

Charlotte nodded and then turned to Taylor. "Returning here, ma'am?"

Taylor nodded but then Kate interrupted, "Oh, no. I wouldn't want to impose. I'm sure Ashlyn and Marty would put me up for a bit."

Taylor visibly stiffened. It was a sudden enough move that everyone in the room caught it.

Kate was the first to ask, "What?"

Taylor went practically catatonic and I immediately got out of my chair and went to her. I could see the fright in her eyes and from the expression on her face, it looked like she was reliving the experience.

I immediately wrapped my wife up in my arms as she began to shudder against my shoulder and clutched herself to me. Huskily, I whispered, "You didn't tell her?"

Taylor managed to burble, "I didn't want to think about it last night."

"What?" Kate asked again with concern, certain that something she had done had set Taylor off.

I looked over at the blonde model with a mournful expression on my face. Then patiently I said, "Martin Dean raped Taylor last night. It was less than a minute, but he did force himself on her while she tried to fight him off."

Abject horror went into Kate's face. "No... no!" she said in disbelief. Rebecca, Mia, and Charlotte similarly gasped in shock.

Charlotte actually started to get angry. "That sonofabitch!"

I just nodded. "Everyone saw it. That's why he and Ashlyn left in such a hurry. Giorgio kicked him out."

"Marty wouldn't!" Kate said weakly.

"He was coked up and drunk, Kate."

"Oh, Taylor!" Kate was suddenly off her chair and kneeling next to my wife and me. "I'm so sorry! I'm such an idiot! I spent all night talking your ear off about Stavros and everything!"

"It's okay, Katie," Taylor sighed soothingly and seemed to relax. "It's okay. I didn't really want to talk about it last night anyways and it made me feel better to help you out."

I started to relax my grip and Taylor bent and pecked me on the cheek. I took that as my cue to let her assert herself without me as a crutch, and she sat up straight and focused on Kate. "Come on," Taylor said with a smile on her face. "Your breakfast is getting cold."

***

Stavros wasn't home when we came to the apartment. Taylor insisted that we go along as Kate's backup in case we ran into him. And then we got Kate's clothes, jewelry, and a very few personal effects packed away with calm efficiency.

Kate herself seemed resigned to her fate and she didn't linger. She just threw everything into her suitcases and kept moving. I whistled at the girl's shoe collection, which took up an entire huge suitcase by itself.

At 11:50am, we were just heading out the door when Kate got a text message. She went still and Taylor asked, "What?"

"It's Ashlyn," Kate said tonelessly. "She wants to meet for lunch."

Taylor and I looked at each other and then at Kate. "You want us to come with you?"

Kate nodded quickly.

"Okay, but tell her you don't want Dean coming too," Taylor said coldly.

Instead of texting, Kate held down her speed-dial and then put the phone to her ear. After a short pause, she said, "Hey. Yeah, it's me." Her voice was anything but enthusiastic.

From then on we only got half the conversation.

"Oh, you heard? ... News travels fast... He's moving Elena in? That bitch! ... No, no. I'm over it. Stavros is an asshole anyways..."

Then Kate's eyes swiveled up to us. "No, no. I got a place to stay... Yeah, really... Uh, I'll talk about it when I see you, okay? ... Sure... The deli's fine. I'll meet you there..."

Kate licked her lips and furrowed her brow, and then she seemed to wince when she looked up at Taylor. "Uh, one more thing, Ash. You need to come alone... Because... Because I know what he did to Taylor, Ash..."

There was a long silence as Ashlyn was apparently talking for quite a bit. "Yeah, I'm with Taylor and Johnny right now. They're helping me move out and I'm staying with them... Okay, okay... Yeah, Giuseppe's does sound better for this... See you in a bit... Bye."

Kate closed her phone and looked up at us. "Giuseppe's at 12:30? She's coming alone."

Taylor just nodded.

***

We'd sent Charlotte back to the house with the cargo van. Kate, Taylor, and I found a quiet booth and settled in to wait for Ashlyn to arrive. We were closer to the restaurant and figured we had at least ten minutes.

At first, everyone was quiet in the awkward silence. And then, Kate glanced at Taylor before looking at me. "Johnny, do you remember what we were talking about at the party?"

My mind flashed back over to Kate's claims of the girls keeping score and her need for what amounted to a "patron" to keep her in an apartment as his kept mistress. "Uh, yeah," I answered carefully and reached for my water glass.

"Do you think I'm fuckable?"

I nearly spit out my water. "Excuse me?"

Taylor looked back and forth between us.

"Do you..." Kate leaned forward and slowly reached up, pulling the strap of her borrowed dress down her shoulder until it slipped off. "... think I'm fuckable?"

"Kate..." Taylor said with a slight warning tone. "You don't need to."

"Please, Johnny. I just need to know."

I read a serious undercurrent behind what Kate was asking. She wasn't just asking me if I wanted to have sex with her. Pretty much every straight guy on the planet would consider Kate 'fuckable'. She had a beautiful face, a slender body, and a casual sensuality anyone could appreciate.

Kate was asking if I measured her against the other women I knew. Would she just be a fuck and run? Or would I consider her girlfriend material... for ME. This couldn't be a simple yes or no answer.

"Kate, you're welcome to stay with us for as long as you need," I began, and Kate's face visibly fell. "I just want to help."

"So I'm a pity case, thanks," she said sarcastically.

"No, Kate, you're a friend. You're Taylor's friend and... well... you're at least an acquaintance of mine."

"But I'm not fuckable?"

I sighed and closed my eyes. For a moment, I pictured the platinum blonde kneeling before me, her dark eyes focused down on my cock as she... serviced... me. I knew what she looked like naked, and even though she didn't have big tits or the most amazing figure I'd ever seen, Kate DID stir something extra inside me, that something extra that separated the pretty girls from the women who inspired my lust.

I winced as I looked at Taylor. "Kate, I am very attracted to you. At Giorgio's party, I wanted to have sex with you and I would have cum with you, okay? But... well, you didn't seem interested at the time."

Kate seemed to soften at my words. She looked at Taylor and then exhaled slowly, her eyes flicking up and down between me and the table in front of her. "I would have liked that." She gave a faint smile as she settled for looking at the table. "Taylor raves about you in bed and I DID want to feel that. But I was running out of time. I knew Stavros was going to dump me and I had to try for the other two guys. Going after you would have been a waste of time. I kinda knew you weren't the type to have kept mistresses hanging out around the world."

I shrugged. Taylor slid her hand onto my leg underneath the table and I squeezed it. I turned to Kate and said, "I've got more than I can handle under my roof already."

Taylor blushed.

Kate looked at me. "But you ARE sleeping with all those women under your roof, right?"

I sat up straight, abashed for a moment.

"Oh, no. I'm not criticizing," Kate waved me off. "I just wanted to confirm what I'd already figured. I see the way they look at you. Those girls are all intimately familiar with you."

I nodded.

"I will, too," Kate said earnestly.

"Excuse me?"

"I'll sleep with you, too. You may not have kept mistresses, but maybe I can be your first. I won't get in the way of your marriage or anything. I just need someone to take care of me and maybe a little spending money every now and again. You seem to have more than enough. And anytime you want me, I'll make myself available to you."

"Kate, that's not how it works," Taylor said urgently.

"Kate, you don't HAVE to do anything," I stated. "I already said you can stay with us for as long as you need. You don't have to sleep with me."

"I told you. I don't. Want. To be. A pity case," she said with clenched teeth.

"It's not about pity."

"Then what? If I don't give you something in exchange for taking care of me, then that's charity no matter how you sugarcoat it. I don't have any money. I don't have a modeling contract. And I don't have any other skills. All I have is my body."

Taylor said with concern, "Kate, you're sounding dangerously close to-"

"I'm not a WHORE!" Kate said a little too loudly. Several other people in the restaurant turned to look. Abashed, Kate closed her eyes and calmed down.

After a slight growl escaped her throat, Kate looked straight at the table again. "And I'm NOT going back to Kansas."

We were all quiet for a long few minutes. I squeezed Taylor's hand and she sighed with weariness. I got the impression that she'd had a similar conversation with Kate last night.

But then the silence was broken when Kate started sobbing again. Her mascara began to run and she buried her face in her hands. Taylor and I looked at the broken-down young woman and I couldn't help but feel the pity that she so desperately didn't want.

"Why don't you want me?" Kate looked up at me through tear-streaked eyes. "Why am I not good enough for you?"

My heart went out to her for her situation. But while attracted to her, I couldn't justify in my conscience to sleep with her in this situation. Somehow, Kate had to break free of the notion she needed to whore herself out to some rich man to eek out her existence.

Taylor took Kate's hand and leaned in. "Look, we'll figure this out, okay? Just stay with us for a little while and we'll work on it. I can help you find another modeling contract. If you need a job to pay the bills, Johnny's got lots of connections even if you don't have the formal skills."

"I don't even have a high school diploma, Taylor."

"Whatever. We'll figure it out."

"That's still charity," Kate moaned.

I stifled my urge to say she needed a little charity if her life was as messed up as she thought. Kate's self-esteem was fragile enough as it was.

"It's not charity, Kate," Taylor seemed to read my mind and glared at me for even thinking it. "It's connections. It's the way the world works. I know people who know people who can help you out, okay? This is Manhattan."

Kate stopped sniffling and sat up. Then she squeezed Taylor's hand. "Okay."

Ashlyn chose that moment to arrive. She took one look at Kate's running mascara and then the look of hate in Taylor's eyes over what her boyfriend had done. Nervously, the stunning redhead looked around and asked, "How's everyone doing?"

***

"You have to believe me, Taylor. He's not like that," Ashlyn pleaded. Lunch was practically forgotten. Not that the girls would have eaten much of it anyways.

"Cocaine doesn't make you do anything more than what you already want to do inside," I stated emphatically.

"Everyone gets a little carried away when they're loaded," Ashlyn said defensively. "I'm not excusing what he did. It was horrible! I'm just trying to say it was a product of the circumstances."

"Sticking your dick into a woman screaming 'NO' is not an accident, Ashlyn," Taylor said hotly.

Once again, Taylor's words were a little too loud and got the attention of a few other restaurant patrons. She quieted down as they turned to look at our booth once again.

Ashlyn sighed and looked down. And with her eyes still downcast, she said, "Look, I don't know what you want from me, Taylor."

"I want you to LEAVE HIM," my wife hissed. "You're my friend and I don't want to see you with that kind of monster! He's bad news and we've been telling you that from the beginning!"

Ashlyn fixed me with a cold gaze. "He ever rape a woman before?"

My jaw waggled a bit. "Uh, no."

"Then it's a one-time, misstep over the line. Everybody makes mistakes."

"He HAS had several complaints for assaulting women," I added in a hurry.

"Can you prove it?"

"Uh, no," I admitted. "Nothing criminal was ever filed. But just like this, we can't really file an official charge against him. But everyone saw it. Oh and there would be records with human resources at the firm."