The Princess and the Fool Ch. 02

"How about those short silky Japanese robes he got for us. We could do a lot of bending over," Sierra added.

"Good idea," Cheyenne said appreciatively. "That should torture him ... say for a week?"

"No sex for a week will be good for him," Sierra smiled wickedly, "but keeping him hard all the time is going to be so much fun!"

(Elsewhere a week later)

Melinda Todd looked at the Lawyer. She was rich enough to get an appointment, but no so rich she didn't have to wait. Waiting on someone else was new to her.

"Mr. Richmond will see you now," the personal assistant said in a very neutral tone. Melinda got up and went in. She'd been in this office a week ago, but now her father wasn't here, just his 'friend', Mr. Richmond.

"Ms. Todd," the man said in a guarded manner.

"Mr. Richmond, I want you to do me a favor," Melinda began. "I want to talk to Taylor."

"I think that would be a mistake," Mr. Richmond told her. "I think your business is concluded."

"You do keep secrets, don't you Mr. Richmond," Melinda stated. He nodded. "We had sex."

To his credit, Mr. Richmond showed no outward reaction.

"And how is that relevant now?" Richmond said carefully.

"I ... it was special. No one has treated me the way he did," she confessed.

"I see ... the matter of him having sex with you will be handled by me. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

It took Melinda a second to register her miscommunication.

"I took him by force, Mr. Richmond. It wasn't his fault," Melinda blurted out.

"Exactly how did this happen?" Mr. Richmond countered with deep suspicion.

"I wrecked the car we were driving after he got shot. I dragged him out and I was ... kind of freaked out about the whole 'shooting' thing. I tried to have sex with him because sex calms me down. He was so banged up he thought I was his girlfriend. By the time he came to, it was too late."

"You raped my employee; is that what you are saying?" Mr. Richmond asked. Melina lowered her gaze and nodded. "I have two questions: consider your answers. What should I do about someone who abuses my employees? What is it you expect Mr. Eden to do about you?"

"I'm not sure," Melinda sighed. "I was hoping that if I could talk to him things would make sense somehow. He's the most honest man I've ever met." That made Richmond snort in amusement. "He is," Melinda insisted.

"Mr. Eden is paid to do many things, but he isn't paid for his honesty. He's civil. Don't confuse the two," Richmond clarified.

"I want to talk with him," Melinda repeated. "Oh, okay. I can do whatever you feel is fair, but I will get to see him, right?"

"We'll see," Richmond said. "Now what about the primary matter; what am I to do with you for harming one of my employees?"

"I ... I don't know. I can pay you," Melinda offered.

"Seriously Ms. Todd, I don't deal in money, I deal in secrets. I have more money than I need. See, you have threatened my livelihood. What would happen if it was learned that one of my employees had sex with a client, or a client's daughter? I'd be looking for a new line of work."

"I didn't think of it that way?"

"But it was okay to have unprotected sex with him, is that it?" Mr. Richmond sighed. "Ms. Todd, I can easily stand by and let you screw up the lives of your so-called friends because they really mean nothing in the larger scheme of things. Mr. Eden is different."

"Mr. Eden is a valuable tool because he does what he's told and he keeps his mouth shut. Like I will train my son the family business, I can count on Mr. Eden to train his replacement when the time comes. You don't buy men like Mr. Eden at the corner bodega. You raise and train them like you would an award winning thoroughbred," Richmond continued.

"You almost made me forcibly retire Mr. Eden, which would have meant exile, or a grave, depending on how culpable he was in what happened. It would have been five or six years replacing him, which would have cost me important business opportunities. Tell me, what is the dollar amount you would place on the damage you almost caused me?" Melinda had no good answer for that.

"Very well, I consider you a worthy the investment, so if you accept that I will come to you some time in the future and you will do what I or one of my agents require, I am willing to put our differences aside," Mr. Richmond told her. "I have a secondary condition as well. If Mr. Eden will not see you, this is the end of the matter. Do we understand each other?"

"Do you think he will see me?"

"Yes. Mr. Eden is an idiot, especially where women are concerned. I am not sure what you are looking for him to do."

"Mr. Richmond, he saved my life," Melinda explained. Richmond sighed.

"Mr. Todd, it is in his job description. He was told to save your life so he did."

"He took a bullet for me," she tried to make him understand. "No one has ever risked so much for me for so little reason."

"His reason was that he is a professional, Ms. Todd." He looked at her for several moments. "I'm not sure what you are expecting from him. He's a strange man. Please try to return him to me in working order and remember our agreement." Richmond stood up and ushered Melinda to the door.

"As soon as I feel Mr. Eden is better, I let him know of this conversation. I'm sure Mr. Eden will be in touch shortly after that," he said.

That hadn't gone quite the way Melinda had hoped, but she might actually see him anyway. She never felt more alive watching him fighting for her life. He'd killed three men for her, risking his life repeatedly. Melinda couldn't trust any of her other friends to stay sober enough to be the Designated Driver. Only when she got into her car did it dawn on her that Taylor might feel differently about her.