Diamonds by Brian Ritchie by Brian Ritchie
Chapter 11: Wednesday 13th May (Evening).
I reached DIAMONDS at precisely 5:30 as Melanie’s minions were leaving.
I sat a few seconds until most had dispersed before I intended to enter the shop, hand over my cheque, make a lame excuse and leave, but the alarm sounded and Melanie quickly emerged securing the door shutters.
I pondered on what plan ‘B’ should be as Melanie opened the car door and climbed in.
“Hi.” her sweet-smelling perfume filled the air.
“Hi.” I replied handing her the cheque.
She glanced at the piece of paper and inserted it into the breast pocket of her jacket.
“Thanks,” she began,
“I’m really sorry running out on you at lunchtime.” She placed her hand onto my shoulder.
“Nonsense, I’m sorry for teasing you.” I took her hand in mine.
“Well,” she continued without removing her hand, “I’m sorry for not telling you what was in the soup.”
“I’d have eaten it anyway.” I heard myself say as we stared into each other’s eyes for a few moments.
Starting the engine I asked, “Where are you taking me this time?”
“Oh, a nice little place I know not far from here.”
She pointed out the way and we set off in silence except for her directions.
“Do you mind if I smoke?” I asked removing her hand from mine, which covered the gear stick.
“You can burst into flames if you like.”
She laughed in an effort to resume conversation.
My conscience was, by this time, becoming louder as it shouted at me to STOP, and I could hear Sarah saying
“The only person who is in any danger is you,”
The beating of my heart drowned her out.
In an effort to ease Sarah’s warnings pounding in my head I made my first mistake of the evening.
I turned on the radio and the ‘Diamonds’ tape Rachel had given me began to play.
From the very first note of ‘Baby - You’re an Angel’ Melanie recognised it and quickly turned it off.
Leaving the city centre I drove south for about ten minutes in complete silence.
“Where are we going?” I asked, “Hope it’s not Italian?”
“It’s not Italian,” she answered,
“No more ‘iffy’ soup then?” I sighed.
“No more ‘iffy’ soup,” she smiled, “nothing, but good home cooking - pull over here,” she commanded.
Abandoning the car I looked upwards at a large block of flats towering above us. “Coming?” Melanie asked as she walked the few yards towards the main entrance.
I followed while my conscience and Sarah shouted “No Brian!” Stop - Abort mission!” I refused to listen entering the lift.
We stood in silence, hypnotised by the lights counting each of the twenty-one floors as if they were counting down my fate.
When she opened the door of the penthouse flat I was speechless as I gazed in awe at the expensively decorated interior.
“Come in, have a seat, make yourself at home.”
She dropped her handbag and removed her jacket throwing it onto the back of a large, very expensive leather settee.
Melanie entered the kitchen where she opened the oven and sighed, “Bless you” as I walked slowly over to the large French windows and looked out at the city as it prepared for another sleepless night.
I wondered if we would both make it through the darkness without hurting the people we loved.
“Dinner will be served in approximately ten minutes.”
Melanie smiled as she re-entered the room,
“I don’t know what it is, but it smells delicious.”
She crossed to the settee lifting her jacket.
“You’ll find drinks over there,” pointing to a small cocktail cabinet, “and a stereo beside it.
Make yourself at home while I slip into something a little more comfortable.”
She exited to what I presumed was her bedroom.
Sarah cried aloud. “NOW’s your chance, RUN Brian, RUN.”
My mind was willing, but, my body refused to accept any orders it was given as I removed my jacket throwing it onto the back of the settee and poured myself a glass of lemonade.
I began to sift through her vast record collection, which ranged from light classical through the entire spectrum to heavy metal.
I was crouched in wonder at her musical tastes for a few minutes until Melanie appeared beside me and I looked upwards at the ‘Amazon’ staring back.
She had changed into a very expensive, silky, scarlet dress which clung to her bewitching curves like a second skin highlighting her perfect bosom, bronzed thighs and legs expertly.
“Do you see anything you like?” she asked seductively with her hands on her very shapely hips.
I did not know if she meant herself or her music so diverted my lustful gaze to her records and laughed;
“You’ve certainly got quite a selection of things I like, I’m stuck for choice.”
Leaning forward she picked out a record and handed it to me saying, “If in doubt, stick to the classics.
I’ll get the munchies - you lay table?”
I watched her sway enticingly to the kitchen before I switched on the stereo, cued the record, and set it in motion.
“Lay the table?” I repeated getting up to spy a small wooden dining table with a gold and silver chess set upon it. “Sure, I’ll lay the table.”
In the drawers, surrounding it, I found cutlery, place mats, condiments, and a brass candlestick complete with candle, which I placed at the centre and lit.
Melanie emerged from the kitchen carrying two large plates of a mouth-watering casserole, which she placed, at either end of the table.
She doused the lights. “I hope you like it?” she asked fetching a tray of assorted condiments from the kitchen.
As she sat doused in candlelight at one end of the table I occupied the seat at the opposite end.
I looked at the dish before me, my mouth already watering, as the light danced around her proud bosom I whispered.
“Looks good enough to eat.”
I stared into her eyes lust building between us.
“Make sure you leave room for your sweet.” She warned me.
“Oh, I always leave room for sweet.” I whispered assuringly.
Ten minutes of silence followed, except for the romantic music and the occasional cutlery on china, until our plates were empty.
“Would you like some more?” she asked.
“I must leave some room for my sweet.” I laughed.
“Okay,” she smiled, “Don’t go away.”
Melanie rose and exited to the kitchen with our empty plates.
Returning, a few moments later, with two bowls of apple pie and cream she sat on the settee placing the bowls onto a small coffee table.
“Would you like your sweet on the settee?” she whispered leaning backwards, inflating her chest enticingly.
It sounded like an offer no man could refuse so, lifting two spoons I moved to sit beside her, handing her one as she handed me a bowl.
We were both very ‘worked up’ with passion, but both very nervous as we gazed longingly and lovingly into each other’s eyes again.
While we ate our apple pie I envied her spoon as she raised it to her ruby lips and her tongue gently teased the sweetmeat from it.
“Tell me,” I asked laying my empty bowl onto the coffee table,
“Do you live here alone?”
“All alone.” she sighed as the music stopped and she got up to restart it leaving her empty bowl beside mine.
“How did you manage to prepare such an excellent meal?”
“Oh that’s easy,” she replied, “Rosetta lives downstairs and comes in every day to clean the place.
One quick ‘phone call and it was all arranged and her discretion is absolutely assured.”
“You are very sure of th
“Oh I am sure,” she smiled,
“When you own the entire building there are certain privileges one can employ, especially when rent is due.”
“You own this entire tower block?” She smiled but didn’t answer.
Melanie restarted the soothing music and turning to me whispered, “Would you like some coffee?”
“No thanks.” I answered.
“Sorry, I remember you prefer tea?” I shook my head.
“Another drink?
Apple pie?
Casserole?”
To each question I shook my head while she slowly crossed the room to stand before me.
“Would you care to dance?” she asked seductively.
Standing I took her in my arms and we swayed together for a few minutes then I placed my mouth over hers and we kissed - very tenderly at first - just before passion and lust took control of us.
As I held her tighter and tighter our tender embrace slowly turned into an erotic lustful fever as our tongues met.
Our breathing became heavier as we explored our urges and she pressed her hips into my groin.
A few moments later my legs began to buckle under the pressure and we sank onto the settee where we writhed for a few minutes.
Kissing feverishly while our hands explored each and every curve of our bodies we eventually crashed to the floor hitting our heads on the coffee table breaking the spell.
Sitting up, rubbing our heads, looking nervously at one another, our breathing became shallower.
Neither knowing what we should do next.
A few seconds of silence went by before she raised herself to her feet adjusting her dress and hair.
Melanie crossed to the dining table and placing both hands on it stared into the candlelight.
I clumsily raised myself to sit nervously on the settee while I watched her close her eyes, whisper a few words into the flame and blow it out.
Turning towards me she offered me her hand and led me to her bedroom.
Her bedroom was a mass of mirrors, which made the large bed in the centre seem small by comparison.
Closing the door behind me I located a dimmer switch, which reduced the light to a romantic glow.
Slowly crossing the floor I stood before her with my hands on her broad shoulders.
We stared into each other’s eyes for a few moments until moving my hands behind her neck I eased her towards me until our lips met.
We kissed very tenderly for a few minutes until the passion we felt on the settee returned and we crashed together onto a massive waterbed.
Taking a few seconds to become accustomed to the rippling effect of the bed, which seemed to enhance every movement we made as we writhed and very slowly undressed.
After we had made love for a third time I asked if she had enjoyed herself.
“I’ve rarely enjoyed anything so much in my entire life. I’ll tell you,” she continued looking into the mirrored ceiling,
“Rachel Rabinowicz is fantastic but you can’t beat the real thing.”
I let out a long sigh as I rolled onto my back looking at our naked reflections.
“What’s wrong?” She asked turning towards me.
“It’s Rachel,” I sighed before a strange panic possessed me,
“If Rachel comes in and finds us here she’ll murder us both.”
I motioned to get up but Melanie rolled on top of me laying her head onto my chest saying, “She won’t.”
“Are you sure?” I asked disbelieving her as she passionately planted kisses all over my chest and ribs.
“Absolutely.” she smiled.
I wrapped my arms around her and turning her onto her side I stared into her eyes hoping for an explanation but all I found was wild passion.
Kissing her tenderly I altered my position to plant adoring kisses all over her body until we eventually both fell asleep.
At 03:47 I awoke and looked into her happy face as she slept peacefully.
My nights of passion with Tracey were never like this.
We usually made love quite quickly and then slept to recover, whereas, with Melanie we made love for long periods at a time and had small spells of sleep between each session.
I weighed up the merits of each situation until I desperately needed to go to the bathroom.
“It must be all this bloody water.” I sighed rolling from the bed causing waves, which I hoped would not awake the sleeping beauty.
I sat upon her pink porcelain toilet with my tired head on my arms covering my knees for a few minutes. I felt my hair being pulled upwards and before I could stop her - not that I had neither the strength nor the desire to try and stop her - Melanie’s legs straddled mine.
I buried my tired face into her beautiful, bountiful cleavage as we held each other motionless for a few minutes until she pulled the handle at my shoulder and the cold water rushing below brought me back to life.
I watched her as she raised herself up, turned on the shower and clutching a bar of soap, stepped inside.
The sight of the warm steamy water glistening over her breasts enticed me to join her and for the next hour we massaged lather all over our bodies before making love again.
Once we had dried off with a fluffy towel, paying particular attention to each other’s ‘naughty’ bits, we walked arm in arm back to the bedroom where we kissed passionately at the foot of the bed.
Glancing over her shoulder I caught sight of her alarm clock, which reads 05:12. I told her I, regretfully, would have to leave.
Picking up my discarded shirt I put in on while she lay on her front in the centre of the bed smiling up at me as I dressed.
“What do you find so amusing?” I asked her as I gathered my things and put them on.
“Oh nothing,” she lied, “it’s just that you look so authoritative with your clothes on.”
I smiled as I checked I hadn’t dropped anything and taking a brush from behind her alarm I ran it over my hair looking at her in one of the mirrors, while she watched my every move intently.
Satisfied I was respectable again I sat down on the edge of the bed and threw my arms around her as she sat up and we kissed tenderly.
“Can you promise me something?” She whispered.
“Anything.” I answered as she broke away from me and I got up.
“Could you please promise me that you’ll never tell Rachel about last night?”
A look of horror came to her heavy eyes as I crossed to the door.
“On one condition.” I answered.
“Anything.” she replied.
“You promise me you will never tell anybody that I was ever here.”
She rolled from the bed and we embraced at the door.
“I promise,” she sighed, “not a living soul will ever hear a word about you being here.”
I thanked her again for a truly fantastic night.
Lifting my jacket we walked arm in arm to the door, where we kissed again.
“What about all those dirty dishes?” I asked remembering the ‘evidence’.
“Don’t worry,” she assured me, “I’ll ask Rosetta to clear up any sign of you being here.”
I kissed her again opening the door, exited and pressed the lift button while she leaned, naked, against her doorpost.
“Last night never happened, okay?” she sighed.
“Last night?” I thought deeply as the lift arrived, “I’m sorry, Miss,” I smiled, “I have no recollection of last night.”
I blew her a kiss to thank her again as the doors slowly closed on the most erotic night of my life.
I came back down to earth with a bump - literally - as the lift reached ground level and I drove through the almost deserted streets as dawn rose and I resumed my complicated life.
Hoping Melanie could destroy all the evidence of our night of passion I crept silently to my own bed for two hours of much-needed sleep.
Thursday 14th May.
How I
I drove to my office and slumped into my chair to be woken with a start.
I tried to focus my eyes on Sarah as she gently patted my cheeks to rouse me.
“Oh, Good morning Sarah.” I mumbled.
“Is it?” she snapped back at me. “There’s no need to ask you how last night went do I?” she sounded very abrupt and very annoyed.
“How could you?” she bellowed, “Didn’t I warn you what would happen?”
I raised my hands from the desk in surrender and quietly asked
“Please don’t shout at me, Sarah. I’m not in the mood for an argument.”
She stood before me with her arms folded taking a deep breath almost breathing fire as she exhaled.
“I’ve brought you some tea and a couple of aspirins,” she indicated the items before me, which I took while she began to pace up and down slowly with her arms still folded and her head bowed.
“What’s Tracey going to say?” she asked quietly as she placed her hands on the desk looking me straight in the eye.
“What’s Rachel going to do when she finds out?”
“She won’t,” I pleaded, “neither will find out.”
“Come on,” she scolded, “I can tell just from looking at you.
You look as if you didn’t get a wink of sleep last night and what kind of state will you be in tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?” I asked confused.
“Tonight you’re taking Debbie to a twenty-first birthday party, remember?
Is she another one?”
Leaning backwards in my chair I closed my eyes in disbelief at the mess I was in. Sarah was right, as she normally was.
I wanted desperately to be in first class condition for Debbie’s party.
“Oh, my God.” I sighed leaning forward. Taking another mouthful of tea I looked into Sarah’s worried eyes again.
“Is she another one?” she repeated.
“Another what?” I asked confused.
“Lesbian?” “No,” I replied.
“Murderer?” “No,” I repeated.
I gazed into her eyes again and before she could ask her third question I answered, “Yes.”
“For the love of God,” Sarah hissed, “last night you spend the entire night with a lesbian - Tonight with a rapist, and you expect me to believe that the following night your fiancée won’t find out.”
I was in a much bigger mess than I thought and Sarah knew it.
The fact that my brain was too tired to think only made the situation worse as I begged Sarah for guidance.
“Well,” she continued after a short pause to fold her arms again, “There are three things you can do.”
I could only think of one option - kill myself - I listened intently as Sarah paced about the room.
“Firstly, you call Debbie and cancel tonight - You go home and get a good night’s sleep - alone - and tomorrow you’ll feel brand new.”
“I don’t like it.” I sighed.
“Why not?”
“Because I promised Debbie I’d take her to that party and I couldn’t let her down.”
Sarah nodded, “Option two - You call Tracey and give her one hell of a good excuse for not coming this weekend. If she finds out about Melanie I can guarantee she won’t turn up the weekend after.”
“I don’t like it.” I repeated.
“Because?”
“Because I can’t tell lies to Tracey and anyway she knows that I’m taking Debbie out tonight. If I call her to put her off she’ll suspect Debbie of allsorts.”
“I figured on that.” Sarah sighed as she walked towards the door. She looked through the smoked glass panel to check nobody was listening.
“Well that only leaves option 3.” She smiled as she crossed to the desk, and I was positive she was going to say ‘kill yourself’ but instead she said.
“Option three is - you get your head down for a few hours here and I’ll make sure you’re not disturbed. You take Debbie to the party and you leave early - go home and get a good night’s sleep - alone - then tomorrow we’ll see how you feel and maybe, just maybe, Tracey won’t suspect anything.”
This option sounded like it had a fair chance of working.
“I like it.” I smiled.
“I reckoned you would.” Sarah smiled back as she folded her arms again and walked slowly towards the door.
“Sometimes I wish,” she sighed, “I wasn’t such a nice person.”
“Sarah, you are an angel,” I whispered as she raised a menacing digit towards me.
“That’s exactly what you need,” she scolded, “A guardian angel.
I’ll see you later.”
She closed the door silently behind her as I laid my head on my arms and whispered “Sarah, my guardian angel” as I dozed for a few hours much-needed sleep.
I awoke with a fright as the telephone at my head rang aloud and sat up abruptly. Blinking several times, as the midday sun beamed through the window, I located the telephone and answered it.
“Hello.” but there was nobody there.
I replaced the receiver and stretched, rubbing sleep from my eyes.
Walking to the window I opened it and stretched again.
As I took a massive lung of fresh air the office door slowly opened and Sarah entered carrying a mug of tea and a brown paper bag.
“Lunchtime.” she announced lowering the mug to the desk while I tidied myself up looking out at the castle.
“How are you feeling?” she asked as she sat on the edge of the desk while I crossed to sit beside her.
“I feel a lot better than I did earlier. Thanks Sarah, I owe you one.”
Sarah looked puzzled as she stared at me for a minute or two while I took the opportunity to study this girl who was slowly maturing into a very beautiful young woman with each passing day.
When I had seen her earlier her slim figure was covered by a light brown pullover, which was now draped around her shoulders, revealing her white cotton blouse. A small black belt held a heavy brown calf-length skirt around her slender waist.
Tan coloured tights and black, shiny, court shoes set off the outfit.
Her long, straight, brown hair reflected the sunlight from the window as it rested on her delicate shoulders and blended into her pullover. Sarah was certainly turning into a very beautiful woman indeed.
“Sarah,” I whispered lifting the brown paper bag containing two hot rolls. “I’m really sorry for the way I acted this morning.
I really appreciate everything you do for me.” I placed both hands gently on her shoulders whispering. “Thank-you, Kid.”
I smiled into her puzzled eyes for a moment and taking an egg roll from the bag, I returned slowly to my chair where I devoured it and the other bacon roll.
Between mouthfuls of tea Sarah sat motionless for a minute or two, and then with a sigh jumped from the desk and walked slowly, arms folded, to sit at her usual spot.
“I don’t get It.” she sighed confused.
I leaned backwards to look up at her wondering which particular part of this whole sordid mess puzzled her.
“What don’t you get?” I asked sympathetically.
“You knew all the risks you were taking before you went.” she began.
“You knew the danger you were in and what damage it could cause you, and Tracey, and Rachel, and Debbie, and anybody else who’s mixed up in it - including me - and yet, you not only went but you spend all night with her? Why?”
I stared hard into her confused, concerned eyes whispering.
“Last night I kept asking myself the same question, why?”
With as much feeling and sincerity as I could muster I placed my hand over her clasped hands at her knees and whispered.
“Sarah, I don’t know why, I’ll probably never know why.”
I gently squeezed her hands together as she took a deep breath
“It’s just I might not be able to bail you out next time.”
“Oh, there won’t be a next time.” I assured her.
“I’ve heard that one before.” She sneered rather sternly as she batted my hand away.
“Sarah,” I assured her, “I promise there will never be a next time with Melanie.”
“You promise?” Sarah asked staring at me intently.
I raised my left hand to God. “I promise,” I vowed as we stared for a few moments until there was a loud bang from the castle bringing us back to reality.
“Lunchtime is over.” she stated leaping from the desk quickly exiting as we both resumed the business of the day as though nothing had happened.
“You’re kidding?” Emily laughed,
“You’ve just spent all night with a lesbian and you have your assistant covering for you and you get down to business as if nothing has happened? Why?”
“In all the years between then and now I have asked myself that very question many times, Emily,” I replied, “I have absolutely no idea why I went. No idea whatsoever.
Perhaps it was the effect of the aphrodisiacs I had eaten at lunch.”
“I truly believed I could resist Melanie – I couldn’t and would have been lost if Sarah hadn’t saved me.”
“I couldn’t resist Debbie either and would have screwed up my life if Lynda hadn’t rescued me.”
“Would I be able to resist Rachel, or Lynda, or Marcie, or Aleesha?
I believed I had all I needed in Tracey, but who would save me next time – should there be a next time?”
“I had everything a man could desire and should have been happy with that, but I continuously let my heart overrule my head.”
“I had been unfaithful twice and been bailed out twice, Emily, would fortune continue to smile upon me?”
“Why should I believe that?
Had I used my two ‘get out of jail free’ cards already?”
Emily looked shocked and deeply concerned.