Chapter Three
Ark looked at his normally stern business partner. “Sern? What the hell happened to you?”
“I have met a friend of Den’s, and I intend to continue our association after she no longer has need of my legal services.”
Ark came in and sat in the chair. “A friend. Wait. She? Have you found a light elf?”
“No. She’s not an elf, but she’s strength and grace, and patience and power, and I am willing to wait.”
“Does she work?”
“She does. She’s in advertising. She makes commercials, from what I gather about the company.
Den works in their IT department.” Sern continued to look at the contracts and made notes on how they were completely illegal.
Nothing was enforceable. This was designed to turn Eudora into a household servant who didn’t get paid.
Nelson had a grudge against her, and Sern wanted to know why.
“So, you are working on her case?”
“We have come to a payment arrangement.” Sern smiled.
Ark was grim. “It isn’t sexual favours. You aren’t that stupid.”
“She is going to be my willing date for the next six society events I have to attend. As she puts it, it gets hard to move with all the panties dropping in front of me.”
Ark blinked. “She’s not obsessed?”
“No. She sees me, and it doesn’t break her self-control. It is wonderful. She reacts to a simple touch of my hand on hers, but it doesn’t go further.”
“Do you think she’s one of the new mages?”
“It is likely. I don’t care. She looks like creamy curves, and she feels like a blade. That is according to Den. He hugged her and did a quick analysis.”
“But you haven’t.”
“No, we consulted over a burger with Den there, and I went to get more details and give her a phone today. Her phone is one she purchased with cash after she left. Her husband insisted she use an expensive phone, and therefore, she was stuck leaving it behind when she left. He bought it; he owned it.”
“What did she leave with?”
“An old car that she had before the contract and her clothing from before the contract. All jewellery, clothing, and sundries were left at the house, including her phone. She did a factory reset on it but left it on the charger.”
“So, she did not get any enrichment at all. Did she act as a wife?”
“They had a sexless arrangement. She was there for the same reason I have asked her to accompany me. She is to deter other females.”
Ark smiled. “Interesting. What are your terms?”
“I supply the clothing and accessories as well as any hair or makeup required.”
Ark laughed. “You are spoiling her to seduce her.”
“She doesn’t spoil. She needs some attention, and I am very interested in giving it to her.”
Ark paused. “You know what I was about to say.”
“Fairly sure, yes.”
“When will I meet her?”
“She is coming to the charity auction on Sunday afternoon. I am sending her to Pandora to get her clothing for the event, and now she has a car service to get around town. She had to sell her car to get funds to live. His lawyer froze her accounts for a forensic audit, so he got a court order to lock her accounts. That one thing he got right, even if the reason was bullshit.”
“Let me know if you need anything. Your lady seems remarkably patient.”
“Yeah, if her spouse hadn’t blown his cover by going into rut, she would still be there, turning into a ghost.”
“What?”
“Oh, Eudora walked in on him and one of the socialites he was avoiding on the couch with her on top of him, connected.”
Ark winced. “How bad was the scene?”
“She packed, she left, she drove away. She could recognize that he breached the contract, so she got out of there so nothing could be considered unacceptable behaviour.”
“Well, that was smart.”
Sern smiled. “She’s working for the Meksoren Group, in case you want to be aware of any conflicts.”
“Right. Thanks for that.”
“Yeah, not all of us can be pointed directly to our partner. How is she, by the way?”
“Insisting on going to work. I don’t know if inhaling all that caffeine is good for the baby.” Ark rubbed the back of his neck.
“You mentioned that?”
“She smiles sweetly and tells me to go fuck myself.”
Sern laughed. “She’s a charmer.”
“Yup. Well, I will leave you to it.”
“The state bar is looking over this particular case and going to work on others. He should be getting a visit tomorrow morning. That will be when Likon gets his summons.”
“Wait. Likon Chyris?”
“Yes.”
Ark’s eyes widened. “That Eudora?”
“How many can there be?”
“Oh, shit. She’s so quiet and sweet. They were so cute together. Anything you need, let me know.”
Sern smiled. “I have bumped into a few more people who know her, and it is always her they are concerned about.”
“She’s a living icon of comfort.”
Sern grinned. “I look forward to changing that opinion and showing her harder edges and then keeping them all for me.”
Ark laughed. “Greedy. Who will your second be?”
“I don’t need one.” Sern gave him a calm look.
“Oh. Right.” Ark smiled. “Well, you know where I am.”
Sern nodded and got his documentation together, sending the request for information to the law office Nelson worked for.
They were going to run an audit into his activities, and Sern suspected he knew what was going to happen.
Echel was working on the forensic audit while spending time with his new mate.
Sern didn’t care what he was doing as long as they received a full outlook of the finances during the marriage.
He didn’t want Likon to miss one ounce of how badly he had fucked up.
* * * *
Eudora did the playback for the sequence she had arranged and frowned. It needed something. She smiled and sent a text to a friend.
Seven minutes later, she got a reply, and a giddy excitement bubbled up.
This was going to be good. She just needed to find a stage, a cameraman, and a costume.
Eudora grinned and got to work. Well, she sent a text to Sern, asking if he knew anyone with a dance stage with a dark background, and if she could use some of his account to get a dress she had seen at the shop’s website, not for her but for a friend.
There was nothing for a minute, and then she saw dots travelling.
Ask Den if he will operate your camera. He loves that kind of thing.
Yes, you can use the account to buy a costume for the project.
If the price is excessive, I will bill your company after this is over.
As for the stage, I have sent a request and am waiting to hear back from the Aquilar Ballet.
Eudora giggled.
Stop smirking. I said I would help if I could. These are easy calls.
She answered that she was giggling, not smirking. He had actually given her his real number.
I will update you when I know about the stage.
To her astonishment, the statement ended with a smiling emoji. He did not seem the emoji kind of guy.
An hour later, she had a booking for the stage and forwarded it to her friend. Now she had to go and see if the dress was suitable for her friend to wear.
A quick call and her friend agreed to meet her, and she left work to go to the shop on the card. This was her first time doing something for the job that involved someone else’s account, and it felt weird.
The app indicated her car was almost there, and she blinked at the black town car that pulled up. She exhaled. She could do this.
The driver’s name was Mark, and he held the door for her. He had the address from the app, and she buckled up before they glided away. Eudora sent her boss a message that she was arranging for footage for the ad.
She got a thumbs-up in return and settled for the ten-minute drive.
The driver didn’t speak until they pulled up. “Do you need me to wait?”
“I don’t know how long this will take. Could be five minutes, could be an hour.”
“Use the app again when you wish to leave then.” He smiled and left the car to come around and let her out in front of the shop.
To her amazement, he walked ahead of her and opened the shop door. She stepped inside and found an amused woman standing there. “Good afternoon. What can I help you locate today?”
“I saw a dress on your website. It was a vibrant green with gold trim. Sort of a Greek design with a band under the bust?”
The woman paused and nodded. “I know it. That woman there has it.”
Eudora turned and grinned. “It looks great on you, Fen.”
Fen grinned. “I was just going to ask if I could try it on for movement.”
The shopkeeper paused. “What?”
“She’s a contemporary dancer. She needs the dress to move with her at all times, in a complimentary manner.”
The shop lady grinned. “By all means. Come this way to the change room.”
Eudora smiled. “I will entertain myself looking for a dress for the Sunday event.”
The woman nodded. “I will help you in a minute.”
With Fen getting changed, the woman returned and introduced herself. “I am Pandora. Welcome to my shop.”
“Eudora. Sern sent me.”
Pandora wrinkled her nose. “I know. Okay, so this weekend, you need something for the Sunday charity fundraiser. So, afternoon-cocktail combo. I know just the thing. How do you feel about form-fitting? Sern suggested it.”
“I am comfortable with it, but I am a tricky fit. Since it’s such short notice, I will settle for something close.”
“I am an elf, dear Eudora. We can do better than close.” Pandora smiled.
Pandora grabbed four jewel-toned dresses that would go from day to evening easily and tucked Eudora into another fitting room.
She dressed quickly and felt the light compression around her ribs as she did the zip up.
The pencil skirt was just above her knees, and the burgundy fabric had a discreet border of gold embroidery along the neckline.
It was more daring than anything she had worn in ages.
The neckline was at the edge of her shoulders, showing the line of her neck to advantage.