CHAPTER 8

Wills carried on with the rest of the introductions, but Keith constantly kept glancing at the lady named Mandy Wales. Her sleek blonde hair rested on her protruding butt and the way her firm breasts bounced slightly as she walked made him look at her constantly. She had a spring in her step as she walked graciously. Mandy Wales was the only woman in years, save for Annie, who had held Keith’s attention for so long.

      “Keith,” Wills called as they headed back to the elevator. “We have to head back to New York now so you will get ready for tonight.”

  Keith frowned, “Tonight? What’s happening tonight?”

“A rather opulent gathering in a senator’s house. It’s more of a meeting between the most powerful business men in the city, but it’s the senator’s birthday party.” He replied as the elevator began ascending. “You will be there, Keith, because a message has just arrived at my desk.”

     “What message, Wills?” He asked, adjusting his tie that had begun to cause him some discomfort.

     “A formal invitation from the senator himself, to the CEO of the Zillion-dollar dynasty.” He replied cheerfully.

  “How does he know me already?”

Wills grinned, “See? You’re fitting in perfectly well now!” He said joyfully, “No one that’s going to be in that room knows who you are, Keith. That’s why everyone is so eager to be there, to see who this new mystery man is…you will be the center of attraction in a room full of the richest and most influential people in New York.”

   The thought terrified him now, he eyed Wills with hesitation clearly written in his eyes, “I don’t know, I have never been put under so much pressure before.” He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets, “I’m just used to being-”

    “In the shadows, away from everyone? Curled up in your little apartment your girlfriend’s mother used to pay for?” Wills interrupted, “You need to show them who you are now, Keith. Whatever you say in that dinner party tonight will be on the news tomorrow and from then on, everyone will be either looking forward to meeting you, overthrowing you…or killing you.”

    Keith’s eyes flickered. “That’s messed up.”

“Money and power are messed up, Keith,” Wills said, “You need to be ruthless and heartless. No one can know your next step, that what it takes to wear the ultimate crown of power. That’s your new status now, Keith Miller.”

    Keith took a breath, “Let’s fucking do this then.”

“And, one more thing, Keith,” Wills said, making Keith look down at him, “You must look above women like Mandy Wales. She’s not of your class is just your secretary.”

    Keith felt a lump at the base of his throat. He just looked away without a reply. He had no idea why his heart was suddenly thumping.

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   He was nervous of course, but he didn’t show it. Somehow, over the past few hours he had been able to hide his true facial expressions with Wills voice constantly in his head. On their flight back to New York, Wills had drilled names and pictures into his head.

    “Remember, you must know all their names and address them by it when you shake hands, Keith.”

  “Do I have to?” Keith asked.

Wills stopped for a moment and lines gathered on his forehead, then he shook his head, “As a matter of fact, no. You’re the top dog there and you do not have to shake anyone’s hand if you do not wish to.”

   Keith smiled as he remembered those words when the lady whom had picked out his suit helped him adjust his tie later that day. In preparation for the dinner party, he had allowed one of the beautiful ladies to bathe him and inevitably, he had an erection which he wasn’t able to conceal.

  He walked out of the room and down the flight of stairs, into his vast living room.

 “You look like a zillion bucks,” Wills grinned.

Keith adjusted his tie, “I feel stuffed in these suits, Will.” He complained as they both walked out of the house.

   Wills handed a black envelope to him with beautiful, golden embroidery on its flap. As they got into a Black Mercedes Benz parked in the middle of a twenty-car convoy, Keith opened the letter. The first thing that caught his eyes was the time of the event. He glanced at the glowing diamond watch on his wrist and gasped.

   “The time here says 7pm, Wills. It’s almost 9!” He exclaimed.

Wills remained calm, “Going late will create more attention, Keith. And as one of the richest men in the continent, you do not go early to events.” He replied.

   They left the estate and Keith’s heart couldn’t stop thumping with anxiety. Wills told him all he needed to know. How he was to act, walk, reply and even drink.

    “Never finish your drink, Keith.” That was Wills’ last instruction, “You have enough at your mansion. We have arrived.”

  Keith took a deep breath and stepped out of the car when the door was open for him. He could adapt to this lifestyle, did he even have a choice? Wasn’t this the life he had dreamt about? He had to live it now, despite the unforeseen dangers.

    The senator’s house was a castle of its own, but nothing compared to Keith’s mansion. He walked up a red-carpeted flight of stairs and listened to Wills final words. He kept a straight face as the guards at the massive front door stopped him, then he showed them the black envelope and they bowed, stepping aside. 

   He hid a grin, this was power!

A lady in a beautiful dress handed a glass of champagne to him as he walked in and she asked, 

    “May I lead you to the ballroom…” She paused and squinted at him, “Mr.?”

He didn’t take the glass, he was just staring directly into her eyes

  “Mr. Keith Miller,” Wills voice came from behind Keith, startling him slightly. “CEO of the Zillion-dollar dynasty.”

  The lady covered her mouth with a gloved hand, “Oh my, you’re the man the party seems to be about.” She said, fascination openly laden in her eyes, “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Keith. I hope we get to speak more by the time you’ve settled in.” She flashed a radiant smile at him and walked away elegantly.

    Keith frowned at Wills, “She clearly isn’t a maid,” He said, “Why wasn’t she in the list of people you introduced to me.”

   Wills also frowned and pressed his thin-lined lips together before replying, “That’s because she wasn’t in the list of guests, Keith. Mrs. Flora owns one of the biggest marketing companies in the state, she is quite a hot shot,” He glanced at Keith. “And one of the women that you should look out for.”

   “Look out for?” Keith mumbled, catching one last glimpse of her blonde hair before she disappeared into a room.

  It would be hard to keep away from her now, he was already intrigued by her and he hadn’t even spent up to a minute with her!