Fifty Shades of Lies

what makes them flourish—what doesn’t—what inspires them, and how to encourage them. If they concede to me, the world is theirs, if not they can move on.” He said with major conviction. His eyes fixed on me, illuminating a gray stare. “I work hard, very hard.” His emphasis was on the word hard. This caused me to reflect on my apparition of seeing him naked. “I have a natural gift—insight—it’s in my jeans—I mean genes—I guess that sounded the same to you—” I stared at him dumbfounded. What the hell was he talking about? All the same I just listened. I will think of something to say when he’s done blowing his own horn—“An endowment that’s in my DNA, passed down in my lineage,” he bragged.

“Maybe you’re just blessed.” My voice was alight with cheerfulness. His demeanor was so arrogant. His eyes flared momentarily in surprise. Yes, I pressed a button in him.

“I don’t subscribe to the angels, Miss Bleu-Rae. Let’s just say I know things, and leave it at that.” He scorched me with his tone.

My heartbeat quickened, and my face flushed. I guessed he was done sharing his ideologies with me. Why does he have such an unnerving effect on me? Perhaps, it was his overwhelming gray looks. Or the way his eyes blazed into me.

“What do you do for fun?”  I asked trying to lighten up our conversation.

“Whatever I want.” A ghost of a smile touched his lips, his torrid expression resolved. Thank God. He burned me with his eyes, staring into me hard-pressed and bypassing even my soul. “Various things.” I felt confounded and heated by his steady gaze… his eyes dazzled with wicked thoughts. “Right now I am interested in knowing more about you.” He winked sinuously.

I glanced around the room wanting to get off the me subject. I needed to understand him. “There’s not much to know. I do some modeling, I love going to beach. I am crazy about shopping and of course spending time my family. I have a twin sister too.” I paused. Shit, my mouth betrayed me. “I would love to travel around the world.” Good save. Maybe, he didn’t hear the part about my twin sister. “You know to Paris, Africa… all the exotic places in the world. I hope someday —”

“Did you say a twin sister?” He interrupted. Clearly, acknowledging that he had heard me.

“Err… I am starving can we eat now?” I whined, changing the change. I pretended to have not heard his question. Surely, he would feed me instead of encouraging me to talk about my sister. That would be rude otherwise.

“Of course dinner will be right out.” He nodded.

Maybe, he’s not so bad, arrogant and the devil himself, as rumors had it. My hungry diversion worked. I felt empowered that I got one over on Mr. Details, I know people, I have insight, and it’s in my DNA. I inwardly mocked him, Huh, and who said the devil is in the details?

Steele held his long thick fingers into the air, snapping them several times. I turned to see who was behind me. Several men appeared out of nowhere, they were dressed in black from head to toe, all but a small red bow tie. They were almost, as sexy as Mr. Maximillion. One brought red wine, two glasses—poured it and placed the bottle on the table before us. The other brought a leafy salad topped with a gorgeous sizzling filet mignon, veggies and breadsticks. I wondered how they had the steak timed in sync with my diversion?

“Enjoy Miss Bleu-Rae.” He said, and simultaneously nodding to the waiters to leave us.

“Wow, this looks beautiful.” I gleamed down at the food.

“Only the best for you.” He raised a brow, flashing me a  sexy crooked smile.

I felt my face heat crimson. “Allow me to make a toast.” Steele raised his glass, I followed suit. “To a lifetime of nothing, but the best for all eternity.”

“Wow, I will drink to that.” Our glasses collided at the rims. Tchin-tchin, the sound of fine crystal echoed.

“I hoped you would,” He boasted. I sipped my wine. My hand shook as I sat glass down. I am sure he noticed.

“Why are you so nervous, I can hear your heart beating fanatically all the way from over here,” he stared at me appraisingly.

“Yes, Mr. Maximillion, I am nervous if you must know… you make me this way.” I admitted, speaking in a neutral tone.

“Please, call me Steele.” He requested, narrowing his bedroom eyes.

“Okay, Mr. Maximillion.” The corners of his lips turned down. “Steele… I mean.” I sighed inwardly, pushing the greens around on my plate with my fork.

“You know Bleu-Rae… Some people say I don’t have a heart.”

“Why would they say that?” I asked, taking a huge bite of the juiciest tomato in the world.

“They don’t get it, or get me. I have a heart it’s just hidden from most. In the business of love, money and putting it together for others—I have to be a realist. I know what makes people tick.” He reconfirmed. “And, I see things in people others don’t see, not even about themselves—”

“Such as,” I interrupted him. He hardly let me get a word in, otherwise. One, two, three, action. Another Steele monologue served up. More lessons he wanted to teach me.

“Such as their weakness, strengths and needs. Some people want the passion, but what they really want is to be admired, or respected, and some don’t want love at all, they just want what money can buy them. Most people, when it comes to choosing a partner, are blinded. That’s where I come in. I will not allow couples, contestants… like yourself, to get together with someone for the wrong reasons. That is not going to happen on my show. I pair them for success. If a man wants a trophy wife, or a beautiful woman and she wants true love—for get about it—they will not make it on my show. I don’t care how much they think they like each-other.”

“Why?” I whined like a school girl.

“It’s simple, they aren’t suited for each-other… her looks will fade and he will trade her in for a prettier model someday. People just don’t know how to face the truth, they lose their perception.” He said with conviction.

“But you want people to lie about what they truly want.” I winced, hoping I didn’t send him on a downward spiral.

“Ah, yes that’s for ratings—but in the end people need to be paired up—the lies they tell in the beginning will eventually surface. That’s where I come in—to patch things up after the drama ceases.”

I listened as Steele spoke… His voice soothed me, I felt like melting in his presence. I liked that he was a confident man, and quite haughty too, it was so charming in a controlling way. He was simply irresistible to me.

“Wow, sounds like a game of chess, or something, like that.” I said poignantly.

“Yes, and I am the component they all have to beat.” His eyes pierced me, the color transcended from grey to black. He took his job very seriously.

“So what is it that you think I want…?” I gleamed teasingly, testing him.

“Oh Bleu-Rae, are you really prepared to test me—” I nodded, batting my eyelashes with a shit eating grin smeared over my face—“You want me… you did from the first time you laid eyes on me,” he gloated without any regard. “I could feel the lust flowing through your body.”

“What?” I asked, with a massive degree of shock in my voice.

“Let’s not play games…” He glowered. I felt my mouth gape open.

“Games, isn’t that what you do?” I retorted, piercingly. “Your entire life, and your success are based on games. Your show is a glorified game show… isn’t it?” I asked, challengingly. I regretted pointing this out, when I said it. My filter sure needed some tuning up, or perhaps a big dose of meds to keep me in line, doing me justice.

He furtively beamed at me, his face blazed with heat. Steele shifted his weight in the chair. I definitely got him hot under the collar.

“Bingo… you got me Miss Bleu-Rae—” Ouch. He went back to the formal Miss salutation. Not, a good sign— “My life is private, not all business. It has nothing to do with how I make money. Do you understand this?” His voice was stern, very stern. I recognized he was trying to put me in my place.

“I do,” I jutted. “I model for a part-time living, but it’s not who I am… a coat hanger for people to admire