THE BILLIONAIRE'S GIRLFRIEND

SEVENTEEN

Just like the day before, Titan left the house before she woke up. He'd held her while she napped, and ordered them some Chinese food when she woke up. Malora had taken apple juice, unable to stomach the smell of alcohol and Titan had followed suit. They'd watched a bit of Tv in companiable silence before they finally retired to the bed.

The emptiness of the apartment, and the growing distance she felt in her heart was enough to get her out of bed and into her jogging tights, addidas sneakers and sweater because the weather that morning was a bit cool.

Malora was only able to do a few laps around the park seeing as it was getting to cold outside. As soon as she got into the apartment she go to her laptop. Into the browser she typed in the word cunt.

And she was shocked to learn that the word cunt is the most offensive word in the English language with the highest power to shock, but that it only became obscene around the time of Shakespeare. Before that it was actually the root word for the words queen and cuneiform, the most ancient form of writing. The word itself derives from kunta meaning female genitalia in Sumerian.

So: when a man calls a woman a cunt he was actually calling her the queen who invented writing and numerals—one of the finest compliments a woman can be given. The Irish apparently even use it as an endearment!

Malora also learned that cunt was the only word in the English language that described the whole of the female genitalia. Vagina refered only to the inner entrance and vulva to the clitoris, outer labia majora and minora. To talk about a woman's entire incredible sexual orchestra in all its stupendous glory one needs the word cunt!

At that moment she claimed the dreaded word for herself.

When Titan called her a cunt she had been offended. Now, she realized that no matter what Titan said his actions was teaching her that her body was a temple. That between her legs wss an altar called cunt where he came to worship.

And now she had a plan. A plan that involved her cunt.

*

Titan sent a text to say that he would be around at 8:00 pm.

By seven thirty she was showered and standing in her new black stockings and garters. Carefully, Malora slipped into the black dress that Fleur sent for her to wear to the opera and fastened the row of black pearl buttons. She looked at herself in the mirror and marveled at the intricate beauty of the dress. It cost a small fortune.

The chest and the entire back was made of black patterned lace and lightly sprinkled with rhinestones, but the lace was so delicate it appeared like a tattoo on her skin. Malora adjusted the material into place around her body and hips, and then turned back to see the effect of the plunging back. It looked really cool and perhaps even sexy. She fluffed out her hair and sat down to do her make-up. When she was done, Malora slipped into black stilettos and walked into the living room, the dress swirling gently around her shoes.

Malora poured herself a triple vodka and swallowed it neat in four gulps. Wow! That made her veins sing. She poured another double, topped it up with orange and walked onto the balcony. She was  actually very nervous.

Make that very, very nervous. Tonight she would  see him without his mask. She would provoke him into holding nothing back from her. Malora looked at the time. 7:59 pm. She turned to find him standing at the door. He was watching her silently. Trying to figure out the scene he had come upon.

Malora turned fully. "Hello."

"Are we going out or are you dressed like that just for me?"

"We're not going out."