The Cursed Tattoo Pt. 06

She went to a building just across from the cafe where he had been waiting for his date. That building must be where they live.

Andy started to frequent the cafe. He'd go there some nights, and stay for longer than he needed to. He found a table in another corner that allowed him a view of Annie's building. Then he would go every night, and stay even later. He started carrying a laptop with him, to make notes, and to make it seem like he was actually doing something.

He quickly figured out all of the girls he had seen that day also lived with Annie and Ryan, or at least they all lived in the same building. They would all come and go, but usually alone, almost never as a group. Ms. Chandler also visited them about every other day. Whatever was happening, she was in on it, too.

Maybe Ryan had them all hooked on drugs? No, they all seemed so happy, except for Ms. Chandler, but that was normal for her. Maybe they were making drugs. Maybe that's why they were all so happy. They were making a shit-ton of money on some scheme.

Andy took a few days off from work so he could follow the other girls all day, to see where they go. Turns out, Purple Girl was a tattoo artist, and a pretty good one. The other girl, the younger one, Andy followed to a small grocery shop. He waited for a while and then went in to get a coke. The girl worked there. Her name tag said Lizzy.

Whatever the scheme is, these two are going on with their lives as usual, kind of like Annie, too.

Ryan himself did not have a daily routine, and neither did the amazon. Both of them came and went at all hours, though it was mostly the blonde. Ryan rarely went anywhere. Why would he, if he really lived with all of those women? To be fair to him, when he went anywhere, he mostly just went to the library. That did seem to indicate some kind of research was actually going on.

Andy checked the books Ryan had been reading, expecting them to be about economics, or online gambling, or something, but it turned out they were mostly just history books. Well, there's money in antiques, he thought.

The amazon was running around, night and day, but she was impossible to follow. One night, she went out with Ryan and Purple Girl. They went to a rock club. The whole thing looked like Purple Girl was introducing Ryan to her fiends as her new boyfriend. They sure acted like a couple. Amazon just watched. Maybe she was a bodyguard. It was almost impossible to imagine a loser like Ryan as someone who would need a bodyguard.

One particular night, Ryan headed out later than usual. Andy almost didn't even bother with him, but he seemed somehow shifty, looking around and lifting his collar. Andy decided to follow him anyway, despite the rain.

He followed Ryan to a five star restaurant where Ms. Chandler was having dinner with someone. Maybe she could have even been on a date. Ryan waved to her through the window and went in. He went around to the bar and soon the boss excused herself and went to meet with Ryan. Andy had to cross to another street to get a better view.

Ryan and Ms. Chandler were talking at the bar. The boss seemed her usual self, to start with, but during their argument Ryan gained the upper hand. She touched his arm in a more than friendly way. There was something going on between them. The boss looked defeated. She then looked Ryan in the eyes and said something very important and significant to him. Ryan seemed happy to hear it. The tension between them broke and they both got up. Then they headed toward the toilets together.

Andy was at a loss. There was only one explanation he could come up with. He waited for ten minutes, maybe fifteen. He was just about give up and leave when someone came back from the toilets and complained to the staff. A waitress was sent to go see what was going on. Andy waited for another five to ten minutes, but the waitress never came back. Andy went home.

---

One day, Andy was at the cafe, sitting at his usual table. The bustle and clamor of life there was familiar and calming to him by now. His spot was at the back of a narrow extension. There was a sofa there, but the two tables were tiny. Someone sat down next to him, probably taking the other table.

Following Ryan and his gang had become Andy's main hobby. Originally he'd been worried about Annie, but she was happy and doing well. He was now spying out of curiosity, and for cheap thrills, like catching his boss going for an ex-employee in a restaurant toilet. Whatever was going on, his own life seemed drab and boring by comparison. Ryan's antiques scheme seemed to be working and Andy was now resigned in his assumption that Ryan was also banging all the girls. Fuck if he knew how or why.

He kept looking out the window, lost in his thoughts. A shiver ran down his spine but it passed. Most of his time spent spying was totally uneventful. It was therapeutic, in a way, to have a hobby where you can relax and let your mind wander. He had no designs on winning Annie over and he didn't really want to interfere with Ryan's business, whatever it was. Andy was just curious and wanted to know more. It was almost like reality TV. Ryan had hit the jackpot, but if his dealings were illegal, they would catch up to him eventually. Also, Andy didn't want Annie to know he had been spying on her, or any of them, but especially her.

Andy realized the person at the other table had been creeping in on him. He was way too close now, almost leaning into him. Andy caught a scent. Definitely not a guy.

It was the amazon. She had him cornered. Andy tried to get up but a strong arm pushed him back down. She looked him in the eye. Hers were blue, like reflections of the sky, and she looked noble. Everything about her made her look like a noble warrior. She was like a character from a video game, a warrior princess. Her blonde curls were thick and wavy. Up close, she was even more flawless than Andy had ever realized.

She was wearing one of Annie's dresses again. She filled it very nicely, but differently than Annie. Annie was soft and peachy, and lovely. This other woman filled the same shapes with hard, lean muscle. Annie was soft and feminine, this one was hard and feminine.

Andy felt a reaction in his pants. He panicked again, but the amazon controlled him with one hand. She just held him down and stared at him, and said nothing. Andy got a good glimpse of her ample cleavage -- not quite as much as Annie had, but a lot for such an athletic woman. He was pretty sure this woman would be taller than him even without heels. He got lost in the features of that regal face once more. Andy calmed down, there was nothing he could do.

The amazon burrowed under his arm and bundled up to him. To the world, they would look like a couple, Andy realized.

"I recognize you from the corporate offices where Ryan used to work. You are a former colleague of his. Annie and Claudia still work there with you. Claudia is your superior."

Andy didn't know what to say. The amazon looked at his computer screen. He tried to close the laptop but his arm was trapped behind the woman's back. She grabbed his other hand and effortlessly held it down. She read all his spy notes off the screen. She put her head on his shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"A scheme involving antiques. Very clever. I can have you know that there are more important things in life than wealth. I am not here to run a business. Tell me, what is your name?"

"A... Andy?"

"Very well, Andy. Listen to me carefully. Do not lie to me. I have far more important things to deal with than you. If you tell me what I want to know and do as I say, we can go forth on amicable terms. Otherwise, we will have to be enemies. Trust me, Andy, when I tell you, that I am the last person in this universe you would want to be enemies with."

"Okay, to be fair, I kind of believe you, and I'm really sorry about spying on your friends, and I didn't mean anything by it. I was just curious, and it was dumb. I'm sorry."

"Have you told anyone about your findings, or have you shared your investigation?"

"No no no, not at all, I swear."

"You have concluded that all of my ladies are having liaisons with Ryan, why do you think that is?"

"W... What?"

"Why do you think all those women would go for a loser like him?"

"Oh, I thought it had to be something involving lots of money. Ms. Chandler has to make a lot more than the rest of us, and to lure her in, there must be millions in it. That's the only thing I can think of that could make a guy like Ryan so attractive. But, aren't you one of them?"

"No, little man. I am in charge here, and Ryan works for me. And I am not part of his coterie. I am an independent force. You are wrong about there being money. Forget about that. Consider Ryan meeting the ladies a fortunate coincidence for him, and never worry about it again. Do you understand me?"

"Coincidence, yes, no money, got it."

"Good. Here is what you will do for me, Andy. You will gather up all of your findings into a thorough report. You will add to it everything you observe at your workplace, the office, concerning Claudia and Annie. You will keep coming here, and you will continue to keep a log of everyone leaving and arriving. You will stop following Ryan and me and you will follow the others only when I explicitly command you to do so. You will be at this spot every day, and you will keep your report up to date and well organized on your electronic viewing machine here. Whenever the mood strikes me, I will come here and join you, and read your report. Do you understand and accept your obligations?"

"Maybe you could write some of that down for me, but yes. Yes, I will do whatever you want."

"Very well. And one more thing. And this is the most important thing. If you see anything new or suspicious, here or anywhere -- people out of place, or snooping around, or paying undue attention to my ladies -- you report to me immediately. If you see someone else track or shadow them, you will immediately report it. Understood?"

"Yes, but can I get your number for that?" There was an uncomprehending look. "Your phone number, so I can call you, you know, if I see something."

"There is no need for such contrivances. I will give you the number of the apartment. If you have something to report -- and remember, this is for real emergencies only -- just come to the door and ask for Ele... for Ellie."

"Uh, well, okay. I'll remember that."

Ellie reached over Andy's lap and started typing on the keyboard. It was adorable. She used only two fingers and she was the slowest typist Andy had ever seen. Honest to god, even Andy's grandma typed faster, he'd seen her do it.

Other than that Ellie was gorgeous, stretched across his lap all long and lean. He could feel the heat from her body. Her hair smelled like flowers and she pouted whenever she was hunting for a letter.

To his horror, Andy realized his hand was on her ass. In the sweetest of ironies, he was afraid to let go. He wanted to just let it stay there forever, unmoving, so as to not break the surreal equilibrium of this strange situation.

Will as he might, his fingers betrayed him. He could only watch as a bystander as they curled into a grip. Ellie turned to look at him and smiled, her little laugh was genuine and effortless. She went back to typing and Andy's hand kept squeezing.

He had never felt anything like it before. Her powerful glutes were firm in a completely unique way. Andy had once dated this one girl who really had a great body, at least compared to his usual fare, but even she hadn't been anything like this. He could feel Ellie's muscles tighten and relax as she shifted her position. He wasn't groping her, really, more like just copping a feel, but that feel was heavenly.

He was sporting a semi in his pants but Ellie didn't seem to care. Andy gathered his courage and started to move his hand around. This woman could kill him with her bare hands, but he had decided it would be worth it. Her legs were bent on the sofa. Gently, and casually, he felt her thighs, and then her calves. He moved his hand over her ass again, and then felt the shape of her hip, holding his hand on the small of her back.

Andy was horny and wanted to go further but he wasn't stupid. Ellie was obviously pretending to be his girlfriend, and if he started groping her tits right here in a public place, people would mind. With great regret, he limited his petting to the general hip area.

She was done with her typing, but read all of his notes one more time. Her free hand was now on his thigh and she was leaning into his body more heavily. Andy had to hold back a moan. For all intents and purposes, this was as good as a lap dance for him. He couldn't do anything overtly sexual but he felt like he had to do something. He reached up and gave a little kiss on her cheek.

She turned to look at him, her eyes shining. She twisted her body to whisper something to his ear. Seeing how flexible she was sent shivers down Andy's spine.

"Well done. That was a good idea. Your notes are a mess, though, so write a proper report for next time."

She pushed herself up, bending like a cat, and gave him a kiss on the lips, just a cute little peck though, and then she was gone. Andy must have stayed there like that -- eyes closed and lips pursed -- for a while, before he could relax. It took still more time for him to cool down. Then he realized the woman who had just given him more than half a lap dance was the same woman whose naked crotch he had seen that fateful day at the office. His fingers had just been so close to that golden mound. Did she always go commando? Had I just been inches away from touching her naked pussy? Fuck, I'm never going to get out of here, Andy thought. He had a full erection now.

To distract himself from his predicament, he read what she had written. Despite her slow typing speed she had made no mistakes. Andy doubted she knew how to use spell check. She had written down a recap of her instructions for him, and the apartment number, for emergencies. She had deleted herself and Ryan from the spreadsheet where Andy tracked everyone's schedules. She had also added a new name, Melinda. The text said Ellie would point Melinda out for him tomorrow.

Tomorrow? This is really happening, he thought.

Andy did as he was told. He wrote the first version of his report that night. Ellie showed up the next day and pointed out Melinda for him. Andy recognized her. She was one of the hottest women who visited the building but Andy had had no idea she was one of Ryan's. Andy kept doing as Ellie had told him. He was at his cafe almost every night.

Ellie came around every so often. She was such a good actress Andy got into his role pretty quickly, too. She didn't sneak up on him anymore, at least not every time. Usually, he could see her coming across the street. When she came to him, he'd get up and give her a hug. Later, he would add a kiss, and then the kiss turned quite long. Once, she told him not to overdo it so as to not draw attention, but she didn't seem angry. It felt to him like she really didn't mind pretending they were a couple.

One day, she was in his arms again. Andy was at his usual spot at the back of the cafe. Ellie was next to him on the sofa. She was reading the screen of the laptop. Her legs were crossed over his thigh and her arms were around his neck. The view of her cleavage was epic. She was wearing a miniskirt so there was plenty of golden legs on show, too. The skin was smooth and silky. Andy ran his hand along her thigh. She turned to give him a kiss, and kept reading. She shifted her position, just a little bit, and Andy could see she was wearing no panties.

He had always imagined that, but now he knew for sure. He shifted his hand from the outside of one leg to the inside of the other. Slowly, he slid it higher and higher. The tips of his fingers now touched the hair on her mound. He could feel the heat. Ellie just kept reading. Andy was hard, and wanted to do more. He rubbed his hand, up and down, just a little bit. This can't be happening, what is up with this woman? He didn't dare go further. He was afraid of breaking the magic of the moment.

An old lady was giving him the stink eye from across the cafe so he move his hand back. He bent his his head and kissed Ellie's collar bone. She stopped and turned to him.

"Do people really do that? Isn't that a little bit out of character for this environment?"

"Ah, sorry about that. But you're kind of killing me here."

Her eyes grew sharp. "What do you mean?"

"You being all over me, like this. You've got to know it's making me super horny."

She grabbed his erection through his jeans. "Yes. I've noticed, but I thought you wouldn't mind."

Andy was stunned. "Well of course I love it. That's the whole problem. You get me all worked up and then there's no release, so it kind of leaves me in an awkward situation here. I mean, are you really just acting? If you actually like me touching you, then maybe we could meet somewhere else, or go on a date, or something. Meeting like this, it's getting really frustrating. Can't you just help me out a little bit here?"

"Ugh, men. I would expect you to be able to deal with that yourself. I'm not interested in sex, and I do not care about courtship rituals. I could help you, but I have no time for taking care of your needs. You work for me, so do your job. Then, on your own time, you can satisfy your personal needs."

"Wait, what do you mean you're not interested in sex? Just with me, or..."

"If you must know, I don't care either way. Sex or no sex, it's all the same to me. You people are always running around, slaves to your animal drives. Behavior like that is beneath me."

"Wait, sex or no sex? Are you telling me you would let me have sex with you, but you're just... busy?"

"Shush, little man. I am wise to your games. You would escalate the situation, little by little. First it would be one meeting here, then another one there. You would beg me to stay longer every time, and do more for you. Soon we would be copulating for hours, every day. I do not have time for that. For that, you should find some poor wench to be at your beck and call, or purchase pornographic materials from the inter-network of the computers." She pointed at the laptop.

Andy was completely stuck on "copulating for hours, every day." He could also hear her say "pornographic" over and over again, in his head. Things were happening in his pants. He was afraid he was going to stain them soon.

"Please, could you do at least something, at least just this once? I promise you, it would not take a lot of your time. I'd be done very fast."

Ellie stopped reading and looked into his eyes. She felt his rock hard erection through his pants. She looked around the cafe. It was fairly quiet.

"Listen well. Here is what I will offer you. Just this once, I will help you, right here, right now. But in exchange, I demand that you drop this subject completely. From here on out, we are a fake couple, and only in this cafe, only at this table, nowhere else. You will completely refrain from asking for any kind of sexual favors from me ever again. Do you understand my offer?"

"Yes, yes I understand, and yes let's do it. I promise you that's all I need. I'll never speak of it again."

In his heart, Andy hoped that some way, some day, he would get more, but this was an offer he could not refuse. He had to admit she was right. He would always be begging her for more and more. This way, he would at least get something.

Ellie's whole person changed. She put on a sly, mischievous smile and she was all giggly and bubbly as she pulled him up. She looked like she was on her way to do something naughty as she dragged him toward the toilets. Right before they went in, she turned to shout-whisper at him.