Laid and Leveraged (17 page)

“
Go
to
sleep,
”
she
heard
him
say.

This
time,
Michelle
didn't
resist
in
the
least
bit.
The
last
thing
she
remembered
was
the
feeling
of
a
thick
comforter
being
pulled
over
her
and
a
brief
kiss
pressed
to
her
forehead.

Michelle
opened
her
eyes,
the
blindfold
having
slipped
off
in
the
night.
The
first
rays
of
sunlight
poured
through
the
open
windows.
It
took
a
moment
to
recall
where
she
was,
but
then
Michelle
remembered
all
the
delicious
event
that
transpired
the
evening
before.
She
rolled
over
expecting
to
find
Roger
sprawled
out
beside
her.
The
other
side
of
the
bed
was
empty.
In
fact,
the
blankets
were
still
neatly
tucked
into
the
edge
of
the
mattress,
indicating
that
no
one
had
slept
there
at
all.
A
pang
of
loneliness
swept
over
her.
Roger
hadn't
even
staid
the
night
with
her.
Didn't
she
matter
in
the
least
bit
to
him?
She
felt
a
tear
prick
at
the
corner
of
her
eye.

A
knock
sounded
at
the
front
of
the
door.
Michelle
sprang
out
of
the
bed
thinking
it
must
be
Roger
returning
after
all.
Maybe
he
just
had
something
important
to
take
care
of
in
the
night
and
really
did
care
about
her.
Just
to
be
sure,
she
flung
a
robe
around
her
shoulders
and
asked
who
it
was
before
yanking
the
door
open.

“
Room
Service,
”
a
young
man's
voice
came
from
the
hall.

Again
Michelle
felt
a
wave
a
disappointment
wash
over
her.
She
opened
the
door
reluctantly.
The
uniformed
man
pushed
a
cart
holding
several
covered
dishes
into
the
room.
She
watched
as
he
parked
the
cart
next
to
a
table
by
the
window
and
set
it
for
one.

“
Do
you
happen
to
know
where
Mr.
Hollins
went?
”
she
asked
the
man.

“
He
left
ma'am,
”
the
young
man
answered,
filling
a
champagne
flute
with
vodka
and
orange
juice.

“
He
checked
out
already?
”
She
couldn't
keep
the
sadness
out
of
her
voice.

“
No
ma'am,
”
the
young
man
didn't
look
up
from
his
work.
“
Mr.
Hollins
is
not
a
guest
of
the
hotel.
He
owns
it.
This
is
his
private
suite.
”

Her
jaw
dropped
open.
Roger
Hollins
owned
the
finest
hotel
in
the
city!

“
But
don't
worry,
ma'am,
”
the
worker
continued.
“
Mr.
Hollins
left
instructions
that
you
may
stay
for
as
long
as
you
like.
”

Michelle
still
couldn't
get
passed
the
part
where
Roger
Hollins
owned
all
of
this.
She
thought
of
his
penthouse,
where
he
took
her
the
first
time
they
made
love.
It
was
even
more
lavish
than
this
so
why
did
he
need
to
have
his
own
room
at
the
hotel?

“
Does
Mr.
Hollins
come
here
often?
”
she
asked.

“
From
time
to
time,
”
the
man
answered.
The
dishes
had
been
laid
out
and
now
the
young
man
added
the
last
finishing
touch
–
a
single
red
rose
in
a
vase
–
to
the
center
of
the
table.
“
Only
when
he's...
”
he
froze,
his
face
turning
bright
red.

Michelle's
brows
drew
together.

“
When
he's
what?
”
she
asked,
praying
the
answer
wouldn't
be
what
she
thought.

The
man
straightened,
running
a
nervous
hand
through
his
hair.
“
I
really
must
be
going,
ma'am.
”

Michelle
blocked
the
door,
making
clear
that
he
would
not
be
returning
to
his
duties
until
he
gave
her
a
straight
answer.

“
He-he
uses
the
room
for...entertaining,
ma'am.
”

“
Women?
”

He
nodded,
unable
to
meet
her
eyes.
Brushing
past
her,
he
scrambled
for
the
exit.

Michelle
felt
as
though
someone
had
knocked
the
air
out
of
her.
She
was
just
another
of
his
women,
of
which
there
were
no
doubt
many.
She'd
been
used!
And
the
stupid
woman
that
she
was
had
let
him.
Roger
Hollins
didn't
care
about
her
or
her
company.
He
was
just
in
it
for
the
money
and
the
cheap
thrills.
Michelle
had
never
felt
so
violated.

Well,
no
more!
Fool
me
once
shame
on
him,
fool
me
twice...
And
she
had
been
fooled
twice.
She
should
have
known
she
was
being
used
after
the
first
time
she'd
gone
home
with
him,
when
he
sent
her
packing
immediately
after
he'd
gotten
what
he
wanted.
He
would
do
the
same
no
doubt
with
her
company.
As
soon
as
he
made
a
quick
profit,
he'd
probably
sink
Today's
Energy
straight
into
the
grave.