Chapter Eight
Suzy didn't feel like answering the door today. Although physically she was in surprisingly good shape after her dialysis on the previous day, emotionally she was down. Despite her brave face and positive attitude there were days when she couldn't help but feel that she had been given a raw deal in life. Today was one of those days.
Meanwhile her uptight big sister who she loved more than anyone else in the world was spending the day with a famous hottie billionaire that half of America dreamed of getting into bed with.
She tried to ignore the doorbell but whoever it was just wouldn't go away.
"Suzy. Open up. It's me, Melissa, your big sister."
That caught her attention. But it couldn't be, Melissa should be well into her hot date by now. What the hell could she be doing here outside her apartment?
"Suzy? Are you okay? Jesus, I better get in there, she might not be well."
She heard the rattle of her sisters spare set of keys to her apartment--she visited regularly and often stayed over, but she never, ever came over unannounced.
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold on." Suzy said.
She walked slowly to the door. The dialysis had certainly taken its toll and she hadn't slept well after the late night conversation with Melissa. It also hadn't helped that she had spent hours subsequently surfing the internet for gossip and tidbits of information on the Demovic brothers.
She opened the door still looking sleepily down towards the ground. The pair of feet in front of her weren't female. Not standard female anyway.
Her gaze followed the legs up to the waist, then the chest.
This was definitely male.
She continued on up to the neck, the chin, and then to a smile that was instantly familiar.
The pair of intense brown eyes that finally met hers slicked through the fog of her bleary state of mind. How could they not? She had spent half the night looking at pictures and video clips of the man who stood on her porch, towering over her.
"Oh. My. Freaking. God."
"Hi Suzy." Jason said as though he had known her for years. "You're looking great today."
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. Oh. My. God!"
She turned away from the door and shuffled to the kitchen.
"Is it alright if we come in?" Jason peered in through the doorway and then gave a quizzical look back to Melissa who was grinning from ear to ear. This one thing alone would make it all worthwhile. Screw that asshole client and screw the ethics committee. Screw David. And what the hell, screw Jason Demovic as well. All she had ever wanted to do her whole life was try to help people, including that screwball who had filed the formal complaint against her.
Suzy came shuffling back in holding a copy of Hey There Magazine in her hands. Jason was on the cover. She held it up next to his face and looked from one to the other.
"Oh my God." She repeated quietly. "It's really him." She said Melissa. "I mean… is it really you?" She said to Jason.
"Jason Demovic in the flesh Suzy. And it's a pleasure to finally meet you." He leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek. She closed her eyes as though she were being transported bodily to a higher plane of existence.
"Oh. My. God." She repeated.
"Are you hungry?" He asked.
"No. I'm just normal." She said. Jason frowned in confusion.
"I mean, I'm not hungry for you. I'm just normal hungry. For food. Not for you or for anyone."
There was deafening silence which Jason filled gracefully with his most charming of smiles.
"Well that wasn't awkward at all." Melissa said. "Why don't you get your coat Suzy, we're going out for breakfast."
"Okay. Great. Wonderful. There's a Denny's just down the street."
"Just grab your coat Suzy, I think Mr. Demovic has other plans."
When they got to the five star hotel where Jason frequently had a New York breakfast he was, of course, known to everyone there. Melissa beamed with pleasure as she watched her sister stare uninterruptedly at this mythical creature of her highly restricted invalid's world that she, her big sister, had somehow conjured into reality before her. She couldn't help but feel a little proud of herself. After all, weirdness and potential loss of career aside, he was pretty amazing. He carried off a full, charming conversation focused almost exclusively on Suzy while the star struck young woman barely uttered a word in response.
This was certainly the charming international figure they had watched address the United Nations, but how could she reconcile this man with the control freak who claimed to have serious emotional issues but as yet refused to talk about them?
The more she thought about it the more she relished the idea of finding out. She was even coming around to the idea that without the constraints of a formal client-therapist relationship to get in her way, she would be free to use more interesting and unorthodox methods to get to the bottom of this psychological mystery.
Hell, it could even get to be a whole lot of fun if she allowed her imagination to run a little wild and maybe that's what the new Dr. Melissa Price was all about.
"You were so sweet to that little girl in the United Nations yesterday." Suzy was saying.
Melissa sat up straight. Suddenly her little had found her voice but she was giving away too much already. Melissa didn’t want Jason to know they had been watching him together on the news and talking about him obsessively until the wee hours.
"Suzy, please don't, you're going to embarrass Mr. Demovic."
"Why the hell are you guys so formal with each other?" Suzy blurted out. "Are you two old folks on a date or not?"
Melissa and Jason exchanged an awkward glance. Melissa looked speechless so Jason, in his gentlemanly fashion, took the lead.
"We're just old fashioned Suzy. We need to get to know each other a little better."
Suzy nodded but she didn't look convinced.
"That little girl Kisima is really amazing." He continued. "She made it all so easy for us. I was pretty nervous going in there but she calmed me down."
"She calmed you down?" Suzy was aghast. Melissa felt the same tug at her heart strings that had made her cry as she watched the report on CNN. This humility together with such arrogance in the same person… he was a mystery alright, a mystery she wanted to fuck until it begged for mercy.
But that luscious mouth that had been wedged between her legs under an hour ago was still talking…
"Kisima is going to do very important things in the world one day and I will be very proud to have played even a tiny, tiny part in that story. You guys should meet her one day."
"Could we?" Suzy gasped.
"Sure. Why not? Have you guys ever been to Africa?"
"I'd love to go to Africa." Suzy said.
"Stop it Suzy." Melissa looked sternly at Jason. "You know you have to focus on getting better before you can think about things like that."
"Or Kisima could come here. " Jason offered.
"And what about that painter lady?" Suzy said, remembering her sister's interest in the august older woman. "Could we meet her?"
"Fernanda?" Jason looked surprised. "Now I get it. That's why you guys were tuning in. It wasn't to see me at all, it was for Fernanda Salazar, Melissa's favorite painter."
"Oh my God, you know who Melissa's favorite artist is? You are so awesome in every way."
"It's not that surprising Suzy, your sister's office is plastered with reproductions of Fernanda's work and one original too if I remember correctly."
Melissa didn't want to show it but she was getting very interested. The prospect of meeting the great woman was mouth watering to a degree only secondary to being boned into extinction by Jason Demovic.
"Stop bothering Jason with all this Suzy. Isn't it good enough that he's come to visit you and taken us out for brunch in this wonderful restaurant?"
Suzy looked down to her meal and took another slurp of her diet coke.
"Who's that skinny blonde with no panties you've been dating?" Suzy said.
Melissa felt dizzy when she heard the words. She mouthed Suzy's name with her lips but nothing came out. She looked at Jason but he was cloaked in impassivity. Suzy looked as though she had just weed herself in public.
"Suzy…" Melissa said weakly.
"It’s okay Melissa. I'm glad one of you asked. You didn't tell me your little sister had this kind of… chutzpah. Maybe once she gets better there might be a place for her in the Demovic Corporation."
"No way." Melissa said, but the other two ignored her.
"So who is she?" Suzy persisted.
"She's a friend and trust me that unfortunate episode was a once off event. The poor girl had…"
The two women waited.
"…she had a bladder malfunction and had to shed her underwear in the powder room. You can't imagine how embarrassed she was. Of course Fame TV were there to catch it all. I can't move in New York City without those guys getting it on film. But look, the truth is that we are just friends and it was an unfortunate incident. She's really just an ordinary girl--"
"Who reads the news on Channel 5." Suzy finished his sentence.
"She's a journalist yes."
"Are you attracted to journalists?"
"Suzy. " Melissa hissed at her sister.
"It's okay Melissa, she can ask me whatever she wants."
"In that case Jason, do you like my sister?"
"Suzy! Stop it right now."
"It's really okay Melissa."
"Yeah, shut up Melissa, Jason says it's okay."
"This is how you repay me?" Melissa glared at her sister.
Suzy smirked.
"I like your sister a lot Suzy. She's really uh… she has really helped me to relieve some enormous… let's say, some enormous stress I was under."
"And she's hot too." Suzy took another slurp through her straw, darting looks from one to other of the couple in front of her.
Melissa fumed in tight-lipped silence while Jason unleashed one of his incredibly sexy smiles and glanced towards her.
"Yes." He said quietly. "Your sister, Dr. Price, is most definitely very hot."
"That's it." Melissa stood up. "I'm not hungry anymore. We need to get going and Suzy, you need to get some rest."
"Don't be so bossy big sis, come on we're just having some fun." Suzy smirked. It wasn't often she had this kind of leverage over her big sister and she was thoroughly enjoying it.
Jason looked at his watch.
"Unfortunately your big sister is right Suzy. We do need to get going but we will certainly do this again some time."
Suzy grinned at Melissa, ignoring her rage. She was determined to do something nice for her big sister in return for all the care and love she had showered on her since they had lost their parents.
Melissa refused to smile back.
********************
On the return journey Jason was as charming as ever, chatting to Suzy about the various famous people that he was friends with while Suzy continued to shoot glances over towards her sister as though to say, 'come on Melissa, he's gorgeous and he wants you!'. But big sister was having nothing to do with it. Once they dropped off the excitable girl at her home they returned to the limo where Jason held the door for her to get in.
"I have some business to take care of Dr. Price." He said. "I'll catch up with you soon. Don't forget the rest of our agreement. You do whatever I want for the rest of the day." His eyes were steely and cold.
Before Melissa could protest the door clunked shut and the car took off. She watched him stand in the street next her sister's house until the limo rounded a corner and then she sat back to enjoy the ride wondering what other mind tricks the billionaire would have up his sleeve before he would set her free again.
Back on the side walk Jason watched the limo go out of view, then turned back to Suzy's house and rang the doorbell.
Suzy Price was still in a daze from her amazing morning and this time she answered without a thought. When she saw Jason Demovic in front of her she was nearly more shocked than she was the first time she had opened the door to find him standing there.
"Jason… Mr. Demovic. I thought you and Melissa had a flight to catch?"
"We do Suzy. But I need a word with you first. Do you mind if I come in?"
"In here?"
He nodded and smiled.
"It's kind of a mess. I'm sure it's nothing like what you're used to."
"It's just fine Suzy. Charming even. I bet you have a good eye for making interiors attractive and comfortable."
She blushed.
"Can I sit down?"
"Of course."
He sat down and then waited for her to follow. She continued standing in the doorway.
"Can you sit down too?" He asked.
"Oh, my God, of course, yes." She closed the door and hurried to sit in front of him.
"I need a favor from you Suzy."
"From me? What could I possibly do for you Mr. Demovic?"
"As it happens you’re in a position to really help me a lot and it concerns your big sister."
"Melissa? Anything. Ask me for anything at all."
"I want to help your sister but I don't think she will accept my assistance easily."
"Boy do you have that right. Melissa won't take help from anybody. Never has and never will."
"Is that so?"
"Are you kidding me? All she ever does is help other people. Me included. She's been like my guardian angel since the day I was born and since I got sick, well, she's been there for me like no-one else has. I don’t even know how she pays all my medical bills."
Jason's unflinching eyes watched Suzy's every move, every tiny expression on her face.
"You love your sister very much." He said.
"I would do anything for her."
"In that case you have to tell me what this ethics committee case is all about."
Suzy froze. Sure she was in awe of Jason Demovic but nothing could touch the loyalty she felt towards her sister.
"That's kind of private Mr. Demovich."
"Call me Jason. Look, Suzy, I know it's private and that's exactly why I need your help. If we want to get your sister out of this mess she's in then I need to know exactly what went on. Otherwise I'll be working in the dark."
"I'm not sure I can tell even you Jason. Melissa would go crazy if she knew I had--"
"Suzy, this isn't a game. Your sister could lose her license to practice, her career and ultimately her income. It would mean she wouldn't be able to afford your medical bills anymore. Do you understand that?"
"I realize that, but this is something top secret. She hardly even speaks to me about it."
"Then just tell me what you know. Obviously if she's told you something then it isn't confidential and you are at liberty to pass it on. Right? She wouldn't tell you otherwise. She's far too professional for that."
Suzy watched his lips, his eyes, his insane good looks and the surreal nature of this celebrity sitting in front of her in her own living room asking her for help swept over her like an ocean swell.
She was entranced.
"I can help her." Jason pushed his advantage, instinctively knowing that the girl was about to crack and give up the information he was determined to get.
"Trust me." He said. "There is no one alive on this planet who can do what I can in order to make sure that your sister continues to be the very best psychoanalyst that she can be."
Suzy still hesitated.
"You know who I am. You know I can help her."
She wanted to believe him and she wanted to believe that this man could become a part of their world for ever. Since her parents had passed away she had felt so alone. She had never connected with Conor, Melissa's most recent attempt at a relationship and since she had become ill she hadn’t had much to do with men of any kind either. Her last boyfriend had been okay until her kidney failure but then he had gradually melted out of her life.
She didn’t blame him.
With four days a week in the hospital and exhausted most every other day there wasn't much she could offer a guy. She knew also that her illness was the main reason that her older sister had never been able to maintain a relationship either.
Jason was still looking at her with his intimidatingly gorgeous eyes.
"Suzy. Do it for Melissa. Please. Tell me everything you know."
She had known him for less than two hours but already she felt closer to him than she did to the vast majority of the human race. This man was perfect for her big sister; she wanted to save the world and so did he; she wanted to control everyone in order to help them and he was obviously a huge well-meaning control freak as well. Both of them were young, glamorous, attractive, but neither of them seemed to care about it.
"Melissa kissed a client." She blurted out. Jason didn't move. "Is that bad?"
"Tell me more." He said, giving nothing away.
"He's just some guy, Bill or something his name is. Or maybe that's not his real name. She was helping him for years while she studied, still working under supervision. The guy got most of his therapy for free. She helped him through his divorce, helped him to rebuild his relationship with his kids. She cured him of his anxiety attacks and a bunch of other stuff. Then one day he told her this long sob story about how he had longed to be kissed by his mother when he was a little boy. She had been a very cold woman, she never hugged him or kissed him. Ever. Can you imagine that?"
Jason nodded his head and thought of his own father. He said nothing.
"So while he was still bawling Melissa put her arms around him and kissed him. On the forehead. The guy went crazy saying she did all kinds of stuff to him. That she was after his money, after his body, trying to control his mind. Personally I think the guy needs a slap upside the head for being such a stupid ungrateful asshole."
"Do you know this man's name?"
"Like I said, Bill. Maybe. Do you think there's anything you can do?"
Jason looked at her, his eyes as mysterious as ever.
"Thank you Suzy." he said. "You made the right decision."
He gave her a peck on the cheek that gave her more thrills than she had had in the last four years and then stood up. Nodding to her he left without another word.
Suzy remained sitting for a long time afterwards, watching the door that Jason had closed behind him. She didn't want to admit to herself how uneasy the conversation had left her feeling. Melissa had told her those details in good faith. They were confidential. Had she just saved her big sister's career or had she just ruined it?
No damn way in the world to know. She thought. Jesus Christ Suzy Price, you are such a stupid little girl.
********************
Jason got into the sleek sports Bentley that had been left outside Suzy's apartment by his staff. He pulled out into the street and then put a call through on speaker to Sandy, Melissa's trusted receptionist.
"Sandy. This is Jason Demovic. I need some information."
Sandy was still in bed nursing a hangover after a late night out. He nearly choked when he heard the name of the caller.
"Oh my God. Mr. Demovic? Is that really you?"
"I don’t have much time Sandy."
"How did you get my number?"
"I need some information. Are you willing to help me out?"
Sandy was in awe and totally turned on by the fact that Jason Demovic had his personal number and that he claimed to need his help for something--but he wasn't so overwhelmed that his quick mind didn't also see a moment of opportunity.
He sat up in bed and composed himself.
"That depends." He said. "I might need something in return. I'm not the kind of boy who just says yes to every tall dark and handsome stranger who calls needing for help."
"I'll give you fifty thousand dollars. In cash."
Sandy gulped and coughed again.
"Name it." He said with rabid intensity.
"I need the name of the client who has made the complaint against Dr. Price."
"I'll need more than fifty thousand dollars for that kind of information."
"How much more?"
"Much, much more. But it's not money I want."
"What is it? I don't have much time."
"I want a signed photo of us together. I want to kiss you on the cheek. I want you to come and visit my mother in Cincinnati because she is your BIGGEST fan ever. And I want an invitation to have dinner with you. Just the two of us. You and me, alone, at Jean Jacques, New York City, and then drinks in Bertelmann's bar." His rapid fire list of demands had left him short of breath. "Give me all those you gorgeous man, and then you can have your information."
"I'll do all of it. Except for Jean Jacques and Bertelmann's. I don't need Chauncey Tales starting rumors about my sexuality."
"I can do your place for dinner and drinks instead. Just the two of us."
"Don't push your luck Sandy. Like I said, I don’t have much time, now do we have deal or don’t we?"
"You're a tough cookie Jason. I like that. What the hell, it's a deal."
"Right answer. Now what's his name."
"Date first, name later."
"I'm recording this conversation Sandy, and I know about your criminal record which you never disclosed to Melissa or to your temp agency."
"It's William Kingsley. The little rat's name is William Kingsley."
The call ended.
Sandy flung his cell phone across the bedroom and stifled a groan. "I am such a stupid man-whore." He hissed.
"Did you say something?" His boyfriend mumbled into the pillow.
"Oh shut up man-whore's man-whore." He said.
*********************
Jason weaved through the late morning traffic with ease. He was hungry to be alone with Melissa again but there was still some business to take care of before he could think about that. A feeling he couldn't name gnawed at his guts and he needed to put that to bed before he could take Melissa into bed again. It drove him mad that he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. Sure he was apprehensive but it was in a way that was totally unfamiliar to him. Jason didn't do anxious; he did adversarial. Where other people worried about outcomes his appetite for action and dominance was merely whetted.
But this was different.
The goal today wasn't to demonstrate his strength to Melissa but to expose his weakness and to uncover aspects of his personality unknown even to himself. After that he wanted to claim her as his own. This woman was going to be his, one way or the other. She would fix him psychologically, sexually and then he would fix her and her sister's lives in every way he knew how.
The feeling still gnawed at his guts and although he didn't dare name it that feeling was deep, slow burning fear.
Fear of what?
She would fix him, he would fix their lives, but then what happened after that? Cut them loose? Wasn't that what he usually did? Just like Beth Lindsay from the Channel Five news?
Is that what he was afraid of?
"Fuck." He shouted like an animal into the air conditioned interior of his luxury car.
He ordered his voice activated phone to call the private dick he had on retainer to watch Melissa at all times.
"Patricia Trimble. PI."
The hard boiled lady answered immediately.
"Trimble. What can I do you for Jason?"
"What's new on Dr. Price."
"Broke up with her boyfriend Conor several months ago. He was sleeping around unknown to her--"
"Old news. Do we have anything on her pending case?"
"That's harder. Professional ethics are pretty strong in the psychoanalytic community."
Jason snorted. "You should tell that to the one who tried to shake me down earlier this year."
"Maybe. But the ethics committee proper is a little different. They're tight lipped and too much snooping around could get your sweetie, I mean, Dr. Price, into more trouble."
"Get me everything you can on William Kingsley. He's the weasel who made the complaint against her. Get me something to destroy that little fucker with."
"Consider it done."
"That's what I'm paying you for. Got anything else for me?"
"There's one thing."
"Shoot."
"Melissa has a psychoanalytic supervisor by the name of David Smith."
"I'm paying you to tell me things I don't know Pat, he's the one who gave me her number."
"Did you know he's been stalking her?"
"What?"
"Yeah, that's right. So much for professional ethics."
"What's his deal? Is he into her?"
"Big time. He's been estranged from his wife for the last year but I don't think Melissa knows this. Plus he's been snooping around about you as well."
"That little bastard doesn't know who he's dealing with."
"He's been trying to follow you but he's not very good at it."
"Take him down. I want all his dirt and by the sounds of it there's plenty."
"Do you want us to take any action or just gather information?"
"Information. You know the drill Pat. Leverage. I want to know so much about these people that when I say jump they'll shit their pants and scream 'how high?' at the same time."
He ended the call and in theory should have felt a little better.
If he was going to bare his soul to someone then he would make damn sure that he knew more about them than God.
His instincts told him to trust Dr. Melissa Price and his instincts were rarely wrong. His instincts also told him that fucking her blind was the answer to all his problems.
Sure Jason, what could possibly be wrong with that scenario? He asked himself sarcastically and felt the knot in his stomach tighten another notch.