The Power Trip

‘Are you kidding me?’ he said. ‘You better than anyone should know how I feel about marriage. Not for me. Nope. No marriage. No whiny kids. Not anytime soon or indeed ever.’

‘That’s a relief,’ Enid said, ‘because Lori is not for you — yet she seems to have stayed around longer than the others. I really don’t understand why.’

‘They stay because I want them to stay,’ Cliff stated. ‘They leave when it suits me.’

Enid could certainly believe that. ‘And this one?’ she asked.

‘Between us?’ Cliff said, giving her one of his serious looks.

‘No, Cliff,’ Enid said with a sarcastic edge. ‘I plan on selling everything you tell me to the tabloids.’

‘In that case, I should be truthful with you.’

‘Please do.’

‘Okay, here’s the scoop — the truth is that Lori’s sell-by date is almost up.’

Hovering in the hallway, Lori could not believe what she was hearing. Sell-by date. Fucking sell-by date. What did he think she was, a tub of yogurt on the supermarket shelf?

Bastard! Prick! How could he be so cavalier about their relationship? It hurt, it really hurt.

She stood there fighting back angry tears, suppressing a burning desire to march into the room and tell him exactly what she thought of him.

But forewarned was forearmed, and Lori began to formulate a plan.

* * *

Dinner was a casual affair at a mega-producer’s Bel Air mansion. Cliff and the producer had worked together on several movies and were planning a future franchise starring a renegade ex-cop detective — a character Cliff was dying to play. He spoke about the detective all the time as if he was a real person.

Lori was sick of hearing about his upcoming movie. If there wasn’t a role in it for her, why would she even be remotely interested?

The two men were friends from way back. They had a wish-list of leading ladies — everyone from Angelina Jolie to Scarlett Johansson.

‘What about me?’ Lori wanted to yell. ‘How about giving me a chance?’

Reality check. She knew that was not about to happen, especially now with her exit visa waiting to be stamped.

She wondered how Cliff would deal with getting rid of her. Perhaps he’d manufacture a big row — bad enough that she’d be forced to walk. Hmm… she was smart enough to realize that it takes two to make an argument work, and now that she was aware of the situation there was no way she’d play into that scenario.

Maybe he’d be brutally honest and simply tell her that it wasn’t working for him.

Did that mean a severance package? Money and an apartment?

She felt like calling a couple of his exes and checking out the deal.

Meanwhile, they were still going on the trip, so that was something. Could she salvage their relationship? It was possible.

‘You’re looking very girlish tonight,’ said the producer’s wife — a Hollywood social blonde with large over- plumped lips and an unsatisfied expression. ‘I simply adore your dress — Kitson’s?’

No. Target, Lori was tempted to reply. It cost me twenty-five bucks as opposed to the two hundred and twenty it would’ve been at Kitson’s. And that’s a conservative estimate.

‘The ruffles are such fun,’ Producer’s Wife continued. Then without taking a beat she added sotto voce, ‘How are things going between you and Cliff?’

Did she know something? Had Cliff confided in his producer friend?

All the wives were insanely jealous of her because they all secretly lusted after a piece of the famous Cliff Baxter cock. Only she was the one getting it and they weren’t.

Too bad, bitches.

‘Actually,’ Lori answered evenly, ‘things couldn’t be better. Cliff is such a sweetheart, so generous and thoughtful.’ A pause, then — ‘Why would you ask something like that?’

Producer’s Wife was flustered, but only for a moment. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘Cliff does have a reputation for moving on.’ A slight pause. ‘Of course we all love him dearly, and we’d like nothing better than to see him settle down, only you know that our Cliff is totally anti-marriage.’

Yes, I do know, bitch. Thank you for reminding me.

‘That’s why we’re so good together,’ Lori said sweetly. ‘’Cause I’m too young to even consider marriage. I plan on having a career first, marriage much, much later.’ Make sure you tell that to your horny balding husband so he can relay the message to my boyfriend.

‘Oh,’ Producer’s Wife said, pursing her wormy lips. ‘Then you are indeed the perfect girl for Cliff.’

Across the room, Cliff and the producer were discussing the advantages of shooting in New York as opposed to L.A. ‘Better tax breaks in New York,’ the producer proclaimed, adding with a ribald chuckle, ‘and better strip clubs.’

Cliff shook his head. ‘Can’t show my face at a strip club,’ he said. ‘It’d be all over the Internet the next day. Who needs that shit?’

‘Why should you care? You’re not married.’

‘It’s not right for my image. Besides, I have a girlfriend.’

The producer glanced across the room. ‘How’s it hangin’ with Lori?’ he asked. ‘Seems like she’s a keeper. She’s stayed around longer than most.’

Cliff nodded. His private life was all his, and only Enid was privy to certain information. However, that didn’t mean he couldn’t reveal a little something. ‘Lori gives the best head I’ve ever had,’ he confided, knowing it would drive his friend crazy. ‘Better than a porn star any day.’

The producer’s mouth quivered slightly as he digested the information. It wasn’t enough that Cliff Baxter was a fucking matinee idol, and single too. Now he had a girlfriend who gave the greatest blow-jobs ever. Sometimes life just wasn’t fair.

Later, the producer and his wife were getting ready to show a first-run movie in their private home theatre.

Cliff decided they wouldn’t stay. ‘We’re leaving early tomorrow,’ he explained, then winking at the producer he added, ‘Gotta take care of a couple of things before bed.’

The producer stared hungrily at Lori before moving in for a good-night hug, while the producer’s wife managed to kiss Cliff full on his lips.

In the Bentley on the way home, Cliff suggested to Lori that she might like to give him head while he was driving.

‘What if we’re pulled over?’ she asked, thinking of the consequences.

‘It’ll be worth it,’ he replied, obviously in the mood for his own particular style of lap dance.

Lori gritted her teeth and went to work, her head in his lap as he negotiated the winding roads of Bel Air, one hand on the steering wheel, the other making sure she stayed down.

Lori gave it her best shot, and he came within minutes.

Let’s see if you can find a new girlfriend who’ll tend to your needs the way I do, she thought. Lotsa luck, Mister movie star. You’re gonna find me harder to replace than you can possibly imagine.

Chapter Thirty

Because Suga had a concert in Mexico City, Luca decided it would be supportive and maybe even fun to