The Arrangement

Chapter 9

Theo arrives just as we're finishing filling out the papers.

At the club the other night, I didn't feel shy around him. I was in a space where people see you and forget about you the next day. Now, I'm in his resort suite, reading about how he might ask me to eat out of his hand or lead me around on a leash.

Looking over his very intimate quirks makes me curious about who he is as a person, outside of the flashing cameras and kinks.

Does he love his life in the spotlight with Tabby or does he wonder if he should have chosen a different path?

I'd read in his bio on Wikipedia that he was born to a prominent family, his mother, Abigail Goodman, an actress herself, and his father, Hugo Thatcher, a producer, had met her on set of her movie, Wild Child, and they had three children. From what I'd read, his parents had supported Theophilus "Theo" Thatcher's acting career from a young age. I'd read he has a sister, Charlotte Thatcher, the youngest, who is an actress and married to R&B singer, Logan Scott, and an eldest brother, Hugo Jr. Thatcher who wasn't talked about much, but from the info I could gather it looked like Hugo neither possessed the acting talent or charisma of the rest of his family and had joined the Army at a young age, leading a fairly anonymous life.

What does Theo's relationship with Tabby look like? And who was the first one out of the two of them to suggest this as a way for him to exorcise his kink for BDSM?

"Once you've finished filling out your paperwork, I am going to talk with you both personally one on one," Theo says. "Tabby already informed me about what happened with Jessica." Theo doesn't seem emotionally affected by this as all.

Tara gives Carl what she filled out. She smiles at Theo, and I confess, my adrenaline hitches just a little as they make eye contact. Tara has one of those smiles that could bring an entire empire to its knees.

Ugh. Jealousy ain't a good look on anyone. Chill out, Evie.

"Tara, I'll start with you," Theo says, nodding at her, she gets up from the couch and walks with him into the bedroom of the suite. They close the door.

I check the last box on the last sheet and give Carl my papers.

Tabby sits down next to me. "I'm rooting for you, you know," she says to me.

I blink. "Why?" I ask. Of all the questions to ask!

Tabby laughs at my candidness. "After Theo saw you, he came home and seemed..." her voice trails, she sighs. "He seemed lighter than I've seen him in years. I don't know what you did or said, but I just have this feeling he's going to choose you to be the one for this position." I'm not sure if she's just saying that as a people-pleasing response with the two of us alone, trying to make me feel special, or if she's telling the truth, but my gut says the latter of the two is true.

"I hope he chooses me too," I say to her, "I believe I can definitely play the part and make it very enjoyable for him." And I mean it. Not just because of the money. It's a heavy incentive, yes, but it's as if I've happened upon a TV show I can't turn off. I just have to see where this ends, and if the show ends today, I'll be pretty disappointed.

This could be my fatal attraction to things that flash, glitter, and go boom at play too.

"Forgive me if this is too forward, but how long have you been a stripper, Evie?" Tabby asks, cocking her head curiously.

"A little over six months," I say.

"You just don't seem like a stripper, but do you like it?" Tabby asks. She doesn't realize that I'm catching the shade she's throwing. A lot of people think exotic dancers are dumb or attractive women who can't find any other work. Things are more complicated then that for me. I don't like explaining myself to people, I used to do it all the time. Mac had me going in circles trying to explain myself for years, but I'll bite on her question just a little since I want this job.

"It pays the bills in a way that would be hard to earn per hour without a bachelor's degree, I like being around people, I'm a bit of an extrovert, and I also enjoy entertaining so it fulfills that part of my personality," I say. "It has it's bad days. Like any job does." Tactfully keeping things vague and cliche. I'm not a victim, but there is never a need to mention Mac and how long I bought into his manipulation. There is also no need to mention the drug-addicted mother, father who abandoned us, or the little sister who depends on me for food and lodging.

"You seem smart, and pretty articulate, are you in school currently?" Tabby asks, continuing to throw shade at my choice of occupation. "What are your long term goals? What would you do with the money if you got the job with Theo?"

"I'm taking some classes," I say with a shrug, something about Tabby's energy towards adult work is making me self-conscious. It's as if she sees me as someone to look down on or pity. I've encountered this before. The women who see themselves as superior to me because of what I do. I decide to shift the power and ask a question of my own, "How about you? How did you get to be a supermodel? I've thought of getting into modeling myself."

Tabby's eyebrow arches momentarily at the question, as if she's taking a moment to decide if I'm worth talking to about personal details of her life. "That's a good question, Evie. I spent a lot of time kissing ass, that's for sure. I started at a young age in beauty pageants. My mom brought me to Disney to audition I don't know how many times before I got my first role in a tv show. Acting wasn't for me though. Modeling was. At seventeen I was signed on by my first agency." Tabby's brow furrows. "Huh, I haven't talked about this in ages with anyone."

The door to the bedroom in the suite opens and Theo stands in the doorway as Tara walks out. "Thank you, Tara. I'll be in touch," he says. His gaze rests on me. "Evie, is it?"

"Yes, sir," I say.

"Come in," Theo says, the corners of his mouth twitch as if he's trying desperately to remain serious.

"Nice talking with you, Tabby," I say politely, rising from my seat.