Pulse 3 (Pulse Series)
Read Pulse 3 (Pulse Series) Online
Authors: Rhea Wilde
PULSE 3
by Rhea Wilde
Published by Rhea Wilde, 2014.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
PULSE 3
First edition. March 31, 2014
Copyright ©
2014 Rhea Wilde.
Written by Rhea Wilde.
Table of Contents
I regained my composure. I straightened my outfit as best I could. He stood there and stared at me, waiting to see what I was going to do next.
I only needed a few se
conds to think about it.
I made my way over to his desk. I reached for the bracelet around my wrist and took it off. Then I placed it down on all of the papers and files he was always dealing with. I took a deep breath and sighed. The entire time I could f
eel him watching me. I didn’t know if there were a right answer. Maybe I was asking too much from him. All I knew was that I couldn’t take it any longer and it was just something I had to do.
I made my way back toward the exit. I grabbed the door and hesitated for just a moment. When I turned and looked at him, he stood in the same spot he had been this entire time.
“I just need some time,” I said. “I need a break… to think.”
I could see the hu
rt in his eyes but he didn’t try to stop me. I turned back to the door and turned the knob.
“
Alice!”
I looked back at him and saw a man I
’d never seen before. A man who was apologetic for a reason that wasn’t his fault. And he finally said it, as if it were some last resort.
“
I love you.”
I swallowed as the words rang in my head. I knew he meant it. But it still wasn
’t enough. I gritted my teeth, struggling for a response. But I had none.
I turned my back to him then opened the door and left his office.
*
* *
Two months earlier
Most people don
’t understand how much a billion dollars is. Once you get past a million, it gets harder and harder to keep track of every single dollar. A few hundred dollars here or there doesn’t seem to matter as much when you’re at a million. But once you’re at a billion, the magnitude of how much money it is becomes harder to comprehend. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world or how you’re trying to convert it. Dollars, pounds, yen, pesos. The price of everything turns into such a minuscule number that you stop thinking about it. Everything is there if you want it. All you have to do is ask for it.
I wasn
’t at that point. I assumed that I never would be. Even though Rafael and I had taken the next step in our relationship, I knew that being his girlfriend just made us exclusive. His affluence was his and his alone. But regardless of whether or not I had any influence on his decision-making, Rafael certainly treated me like the billionaire that he was. And there wasn’t a word to describe how enjoyable it was.
The city was alive tonight. The music from inside of every club wafted through the air along with the cool night breeze. The chatter of men and women out to enjoy their Saturday night was full of an alcohol-fueled ebullien
ce that couldn’t be denied. The end of the workweek was here and every care in the world would be put on hold until the following Monday. Women dressed in their sexiest outfits to attract the right kind of attention. The men cleaned themselves up. The city was no different from the jungle, its inhabitants going through a slightly more refined tribal mating ritual. It was nothing more than an elaborate attempt to fuel their most carnal human cravings.
“
This is nice.”
My friend ran her hand along the plush leather seat of the limo. The amazement on Danica
’s face was undeniable. Seeing how infatuated she was with it made me laugh.
“
It’s not that nice,” I said.
“
Maybe not to you,” she replied. “But this is my first time in one of these things. Why have you been holding out on me for so long?”
“
I haven’t been holding out on you. It’s not my limo.”
“
It might as well be. I mean, you could ask this guy for whatever you want.”
“
That’s not the point. I only take what he gives me.”
“
Hey, we’re just talking about a night out on the town in a limo. I’m not asking for my own diamond bracelet. Thought I wouldn’t mind…”
Danica smirked at me as she raised her eyebrows. I burst into laughter then shook my head at her. The diamond bracele
t on my wrist hadn’t dulled ever since I first put it on. I didn’t wear it very often because it was much too gaudy for a woman like me. But when there was an opportunity, I didn’t hesitate to put it on. I didn’t care about the diamonds or emeralds on it. It just reminded me of him. It was like a sign to everybody else that I was his and he was mine.
“
I don’t know what took you so long, anyway,” Danica said. “How long have you been dating this guy now?”
“
It’s been almost six months since we’ve made it official. We’re celebrating.”
“
Celebrating? Isn’t every moment with this guy a celebration? How can he possibly top himself when he can take you out to an expensive dinner every single night of the week?”
“
He can but he doesn’t. We’ve… found a balance, if you want to call it that. It’s not the life of caviar and champagne like you would imagine. He’s not that kind of man.”
“
Well, I’m just glad you’re finally going to introduce him to me. Six months. You’ve been keeping this guy away from me for
six months
and you finally decided it was time.”
“
We didn’t really have the opportunity,” I said as I shrugged. “He isn’t really the nightclub kind of guy. He likes to keep to himself.”
“
Didn’t you meet him at a nightclub?”
“
Yes. And now that we’ve met, there’s no reason for him to go back. This is just… something to do. Think of it as a reason to ride around in a limo.”
“
That’s good enough for me.”
“
That’s just the beginning. I’m sure you’ll
love
all of the luxuries waiting for us.”
“
I can’t wait.”
I sat in
side of the limo with my best friend as we rolled toward our destination. The tinted windows kept anybody from peering in and seeing what we were doing. He treated me to a limo many times before. I didn’t want to admit that I was getting used to the excess. But he insisted upon it, so it was never difficult for me to graciously accept.
When we arrived at the club, I stepped out of the limo in the latest number my seamstress Elizabeth prepared for me. It was a strapless black dress that wrapped around my bod
y. It was backless so I could feel how cool the weather was tonight. My midriff was exposed. The material hugged me just underneath my breasts and upon my hips in a way that gave me more of a figure than I actually had. I didn’t know what anybody thought about me but I knew that he would appreciate it. He always did.
I walked past the line of people waiting to get into the club. It was the latest hot spot in the city. It didn
’t offer anything new or special. It was just a slight variation of what everybody else was used to. But that was more than enough to make it the place to be.
“
So, he’s waiting for us inside?” Danica whispered in my ear as we walked past the club.
“
That’s where he told me to meet him.”
“
You weren’t kidding about luxury. We get to go to the front of the line just like that.”
“
I told you.”
I winked to my friend as I stepped to the security guard at the front entrance. A man in a suit stood in front of the door like a statue. He didn
’t move as he eyed everybody moving past him. When I approached him, the stern look on his face would have frightened most people.
“
Can I help you?” he asked me.
“
I’m on the guest list,” I said. “Alice—”
“
Alice,” he cut me off before I could finish. “Mr. Barnett has been expecting you. Go right in.”
I smiled at th
e security guard as he lowered the velvet rope for us. As I walked through it, my friend grabbed my arm and giggled in my ear.
“
You didn’t even have to tell him your name,” she whispered. “That must be nice.”
“
I’m sure my boyfriend made it clear to everybody exactly who he was.”
The thumping bass of the music accompanied the flashing lights from the ceiling. I could make out a crowd of people enjoying themselves beneath the momentary flashes of light. They danced and moved up against one another on the danc
e floor. Half-naked women shook their hips to indicate the open invitation. The lustful stares of the men were unblinking and ravenous. Stare too long and you would get lost in the erotic hypnosis. The vulgarity of the entire scene gave a clear indication that this was just the foreplay before even more foreplay.
“
Should we get a drink?” Danica asked me.
“
Just a second. There will be plenty for us to drink when we get there.”
My curly-haired friend gripped my arm as I dragged her past the drunken crowd. This scene wasn
’t anything new to us. A few months ago, I would be a woman lost in the sea of flesh before me. But ever since I met him, things changed. I no longer had to serve my basic needs in such a manner. That part of my life was over.
We ascended the stairs and made our way past even more security. The sound of the music was still loud but it was clear that there weren
’t very many people up here. From up here, you could look down upon the crowd while they did what they did. I’ve been up in a place like this before. I’ve enjoyed the view from above. This was no different.
Danica and I finally found ourselves in the VIP section of the club, which was secluded from everywhere
else. The place was completely empty except for one man who lounged in a chair. His leg crossed upon his lap, his expensive loafer shaking just above his knee. The rest of his outfit was equally lavish. I always told him that he would look good in anything. He would look good in nothing at all. But even I would admit there was nothing quite like a man in a suit. Maybe it helped that he actually was the man you would assume him to be. Powerful, strong, intelligent. Just from looking at him, you would suspect that he commanded respect. Getting to know him only confirmed those suspicions.
As we approached him, he turned to us and stood up from his seat. His face was clean and shaved, his smile just as perfect as his skin. Maybe it was his impeccable grooming th
at made him look so good in a suit.
“
Hello,” he said.
“
Hi.”
He moved his face close to me. Even after all this time, he still managed to make me blush. It didn
’t help that my best friend was right next to me and watching the display. He pressed his lips to mine and gave me a deep kiss. When he pulled his lips away, I opened my eyes and continued smiling at him.
“
This must be Danica,” he said as he turned to my friend.
“
Right,” I said. “This
is
Danica. Danica, Rafael Barnett.”
Danica waved to him with a shy smile on her face. Rafael took that same hand and kissed her along her knuckles. Danica turned to me and raised one of her eyebrows.
“What exactly did you tell him about me?” she asked.
“
I just told him the truth,” I said.