As Roxanne got into a cab, she meditated on her rendezvous.
“Where to, Miss?” The cab driver asked her.
“Ninth Street,” she replied softly after glancing at him. He nodded, then started his cab.
Roxanne slipped back into the meeting and smiled while gazing outside the window, but slowly frowned when Charlie’s picture pasted itself in her head. She was torn between him and Jack Al. Charlie was sweet, she reasoned, and bought her all sorts of gifts, complimented her, and even dropped her off, but…she sighed, then turned to Jack Al’s side.
Max is charming, dashing, and handsome. He even likes sugar, like me! She thought excitedly. He had that special effect on her. Whether Charlie or Max, only time will tell, she concluded, while looking around the cab.
Meanwhile, Jack Al strolled back to Lilly’s. He couldn’t help smiling. He felt good. All that she needs is time, he said, as he watched a woman pass by him, then shook his head. “Women: Just tell them sweet nothings and they’ll fall for you,” he whispered to himself, then quickened his pace. Roxanne was proving to be a challenge for him and he loved challenges.
After quite a walk, he arrived and found that Lilly still wasn’t home. He opened the front door, and just as he opened it, Bud came rushing towards him. He signaled him to stay. “Don’t get your dog drool all over my expensive outfit,” he said to him as he closed the door. Bud whimpered as he stared at him pitifully.
“I’m not Lilly, so cut it out. I already made it clear that I don’t like you,” he said to him, then marched off into the kitchen after carelessly tossing his coat on one of the seats in the living room. Bud ran after him. Whether he liked it or not, it was Bud’s duty to protect his mistress and her things from fishy people, including Jack Al.
“Man, I’m starving,” Jack Al complained as he strolled back into the living room with a loaf of bread, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, some bacon, and a carton of juice. He sank into a seat wearily and began fixing himself a snack. Bud grabbed a piece of bacon and dashed off. “I’ll get you for this, you mutt!” Jack Al screamed after him angrily, then resumed his project moodily.
The front door opened. Again, Bud rushed towards it. “Bud! Oh I missed you too!” The person said excitedly, as she squatted and received him in her arms. She let him lick her, then she kissed him and stroked its head and stood up. “Your buddy is a thief,” Jack Al grumbled with his mouth full when Lilly appeared in the living room with Bud by her side.
“Why do you say that?” She asked, after her smile faded, then glanced at Bud. He looked up at her innocently.
“He stole my piece of bacon,” Jack Al reported after swallowing, then glaring at the beast. The person, Lilly, laughed briefly and stroked Bud.
“Come on, Beanstalk. Give him a break,” she said, then sat on a seat opposite his. “Did you offer him some?” She asked him.
“No,” he readily replied, then took a bite of his sandwich.
“I guess that’s why. If he can’t have something he takes it by force,” she explained, then crossed her legs. Bud jumped onto her seat beside her, then rubbed himself on her. She giggled, then stroked him with both her hands. “Aren’t you happy to see me?” She asked Jack Al.
He took a sip of juice then replied, “Of course I am, Lilly. So how was your day?” He asked her. She stopped stroking Bud, reached into her handbag, and she retrieved some photos which she stretched out to him.
“Super. These are copies of the shots I took today,” she said as she did. Jack Al received them, put his sandwich aside, and started studying them one by one. They were five colorful photos of her in different outfits and poses.
In the first one, her hair was styled into a ponytail and she had on a skimpy, well-fitting short dress with peeptoes, and a mop and bucket of water.
“There, I posed as a maid who feels her life has lost meaning,” she explained to him, after moving closer to him and observing the photo. Bud went over to Jack Al’s side. He also wanted to see the pictures. Jack Al glared at it, then looked at the second picture.
In it, she was spread out on a luxurious chair with her head tilted and one leg on the chair. She had on plenty of makeup and a glass of champagne in one of her hands.
“There, I am a carefree, wealthy lazy girl,” she explained. Jack Al let his eyes scan the entire photo.
“You are beautiful,” he blurted, almost inaudibly, while still looking at the picture.
“Really? Thank you,” Lilly said, then blushed. Jack Al reluctantly went to the third picture.
His eyes widened on seeing her hair looking disarranged, her mouth uglified with a careless makeover, her eyes burning with lust, and the outfit she wore tore at the chest, revealing the black brassiere inside. There was a man in his boxers on the floor, and he appeared dead, with ‘blood’ on his stomach region. She was feeding on his ‘intestines.’
“This has to be my ugliest one. It’s the work of visual effects. I portray a sex-obsessed, beautiful, man-eater. That stuff around my mouth and this guy’s stomach is supposed to be blood,” Lilly said, with a cringe.
“No, it’s…it’s great,” Jack Al said slowly, thinking about every word. Bud barked.
“Yeah, I know, Buddy. It sucks,” Lilly breathed. Jack Al slowly turned to the next picture.
It was shot in a sunny environment, and Lilly was in a yellow sun hat, with a beautiful matching short dress and yellow heels. Her head was raised lightly, and there was a look of disdain on her face. She folded her hands and turned away from the man in the previous picture, who was in a yellow suit. He outstretched his hand towards her, was on bended knee, and had an imploring look on his face.
“Here, this guy and I pose as teenagers. I am a feministic young girl who wants nothing to do with boys,” Lilly explained to Jack Al as she pointed to her image.
“You seem to be close to this guy,” Jack Al observed quietly while eyeing the man.
“He’s my fellow model. We shoot many scenes together. We’re just casual friends, though. Why do you think so?” Lilly asked in surprise.
“It was just an assumption,” Jack Al mumbled, then turned to the last picture. Lilly’s heart sank as she stared at his straight face and narrowed gray eyes that focused on the snap. She sighed longingly and looked at the last picture.
In the last picture, she was on the floor, had on a black wig, and cast a blank gaze at the observer with tears flowing from her eyes. She was in a torn, scanty dress and knelt, while covering her exposed breasts with her hands. Jack Al liked that picture.
“And finally, here I pose as a woman who has been raped and discarded. Perhaps the uncovered chest was a bit extreme?” Lilly said and asked Jack, while eyeing her image’s chest questioningly.
“No. It’s perfect. In fact, I love this picture. I think it’s the best,” he replied as he continued studying the photo intently.
“Well, it’s all thanks to my designer, Simone Jacques—a French, and my co-model, Ray Jones. Excuse me, I’ll go shower,” she said, then stood up and added, “Stay, Bud. The bathroom is for me only,” to Bud who sat up and whose tail was wagging as his tongue stuck out as he panted. He whimpered, then reluctantly outstretched on the seat.
Lilly catwalked to her room. Jack Al watched her admiringly as she went and stroked his rugged chin. She’s in control of her life, he thought with a smile, then turned to Bud when he growled at him.
“What’s your problem? You’re a dog, she’s a human woman and I’m a human man. Human women belong to human men. Go find a bitch who will love you for the rogue that you are. She’s mine,” he said, then re-examined the snaps, after which he returned to his snack.
Arnold was in his room studying when his phone rang. It was Trish.
“Hi, cutie. Any new info on Roxanne?” She asked. He sat up.
“Nope. As we speak, she isn’t home yet…oh, wait. She’s arrived. I’ll try to dig up some stuff for you,” he replied.
“Do that, darling. I truly care for my friend. I have to go now,” Trish replied.
“Alright, stay safe. Talk to you soon, babe,” Arnold said.