Chapter 12

Monique smiled sweetly across the table at Kevin, lifting her champagne glass in a toast.

"Well, here's to the conquering hero. Honestly Kevin, she was absolutely crushed. You should have seen her face when I showed her the note. She couldn't believe you would turn into a tiger like this."

The words eased Kevin's worried mind. He had walked about the city all day worried to death about Jean's reaction to the note he had written for Monique. Several times, he had almost gone over to the small hotel she had indicated in her cable and begged her forgiveness but each time, he thought of Monique's advice about being strong and had desisted. It had taken all his courage but now it seemed it had all been for the best. He would have blubbered out something stupid if he had seen Jean and probably made things more of a mess than they already were. The champagne was relaxing him now and he felt better than he had since walking out of the hotel several days ago in Paris.

"I owe you a lot, Monique," he said warmly, "I honestly didn't know what to do when I arrived here. Jean's such a funny conservative girl that I had no idea what to say to her."

"Believe me, my dear boy, you'll never have that problem again. By tomorrow she'll be chomping at the bit wondering what you're doing in Paris. Women are like that. I know, I'm one too, remember?"

Monique was pleased. Things had gone much better than she had expected and this naive young American had swallowed her story, hook, line and sinker. She had spent her day arranging things with Gamal for one of his usual parties at his villa and tonight she would clench the sale to him Kevin didn't know it, she smiled to herself, but he would play a great part in it. He probably would raise the price on his own wife by at least one thousand American dollars if things went the way she had planned it. And knowing Gamal's taste for the unusual, she was certain it would work.

"I've planned a surprise for you," Monique said, interrupting his thoughts of Jean. "Remember the experience we discussed this afternoon? Well, I've arranged for us to attend a very special party tonight."

"A party, what good will that do me? I've been to thousands already and it's never helped yet."

"I said a special party, Kevin, and I mean a very special one. Men and women do things to each other. Good things," she grinned slyly, waiting amusedly for his reaction. It certainly would be one of indignation at first, until she convinced him otherwise. Lord, what one had to go through to teach these youngsters about life!

Kevin's reaction was exactly as Monique had predicted. He blushed heavily and lowered his eyes from hers.

"You don't mean one of those French exhibition things do you?" he said quickly, "I've heard they're pretty raw."

"No, no, my dear boy. This is not a cheap exhibition. This is a very special affair given by a very wealthy man. You can watch--and participate if you wish," Monique lowered her voice on the last sentence, an unmistakable invitation hidden subtly in it.

"I couldn't do that, Monique. What would Jean think of a man that got his kicks from watching others?" Kevin said, a flat note of refusal apparent in his voice. But Monique knew him better than he did himself and her appeal to his weak point began.

"Well, it isn't important. It's just that you may have learned something about lovemaking. Jean will expect that after your supposed good time in Paris. I don't think you want to disappoint her." Her eyes watched his face change slowly from stern objection to thoughtful consideration of her statement. She pushed him further.

"Remember also, a woman doesn't expect faithfulness from her husband as he does his wife. You've already seen her reaction to the little fiasco in Paris. She would have had a great deal more respect for you if you had known how to control yourself. I'm certain she wouldn't have bothered asking herself, or you for that matter, where you got your experience."

She could feel Kevin weakening, just as she had anticipated. Like all others in the world, if you could justify something to their conscience, then it was all right, even though it had been latently present all along. No one ever did anything they really didn't subconsciously want to do from the beginning. Just supply the excuse, that was all that was necessary.

"You make these crazy things sound so logical, Monique," he said, looking at her with resigned acceptance.

"I was right about today, wasn't I?" she said, smugly. "If I hadn't headed you off and talked some sense into you, you would have been groveling at Jean's feet right this very minute."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," he admitted, "we can go and take a look, at least that much can't hurt."

"All right then, it's settled. Tonight, young man, you're going to get an education you'll never forget." Monique beamed, chuckling to herself at the double meaning that could be placed on her statement had he known the actual state of things. "Let's go have our dinner, the party starts about midnight."

They entered the door to the villa a little before one o'clock. The dinner had been long and pleasant. Monique had purposely drawn it out to make certain Kevin got enough wine and after dinner drinks to deaden his inhibitions. She didn't want him too alert tonight, particularly in the beginning of the party. Her timing had to be very good to pull this thing off and she couldn't afford to have him get too moralistic on her and want to leave before she could put her little plan into action.

An attendant took their coats at the door and Kevin followed Monique into the large salon. As he adjusted his eyes to the light from the large crystal chandelier hanging from the frescoed ceiling, he could make out a small crowd of people gathered around a bar in the corner. There couldn't have been over twenty or twenty-five in all. It was evident that it was a fairly wealthy group as the men were in black tie and coats and the women, all young voluptuous girls around twenty, were in long evening gowns. Certainly they were not the wives of these men, as they were at least thirty years their juniors in most cases.

Monique led him over to the bar and ordered drinks from the dark appearing bartender. Kevin couldn't place his nationality but it appeared to be Arabic of one form or another. He marveled at his quiet efficiency in handling the group of people without complaint. Some of them had obviously been there for several hours and were beginning to get a little noisy. Kevin could not understand one word of the French and had to content himself with watching their animated gestures with their hands.

"It seems those two are coming to blows in just a moment," he confided to Monique over his drink. He was watching two men violently shaking their fists at each other.

"Oh, no. Not the French, it's just that we use our hands a lot like the Italians," Monique laughed, "they are just discussing whether or not it will rain tomorrow."

He laughed with her, now understanding why he thought he had seen so many "almost" fights in Paris but never the real thing.

"They'll scream and shake their fists until you are certain they are going to kill one another, but I have never seen one yet with the courage to strike," she added. "They will quiet down in a moment when things begin. Just watch."

"Just what exactly is this place," Kevin asked in a low whisper, still not certain he should have come. He would have preferred going back to his hotel and getting some rest for his meeting with his wife. He still needed to build up some courage in spite of Monique's assurance that she would melt like butter into his arms.

"It's a private club," Monique answered in a confidential tone. "The members are all nationalities and just fly in when a special party is being given. It's very exclusive and always has some extremely unique entertainment for them."

"What do you mean by unique?" he asked, his curiosity rising slightly now that he had finished another scotch.

"You'll see, my boy, you'll see before much longer. I guarantee you'll get quite a kick out if." Monique smiled to herself again. She could hardly wait to see this pup taken down a peg or two. Innocence bored her, particularly from those who had it made all their lives.

"Oh, you must meet Gamal," Monique said suddenly, interrupting something else she was going to say. "He's coming now."

Kevin turned his head and saw a short dark fat man approaching them from the center of the room. He disliked him immediately. He looked like just the type to be running a place like this. Kevin's stomach recoiled as Monique introduced them and Gamal pressed his small well manicured hand into his, shaking it like a limp handkerchief. He could smell his thick over-sweet perfume hanging heavily in the air immediately surrounding his presence. It was sickening.

"Welcome to our little get together," Gamal smiled to them. "You could not have picked a better companion. Our little Monique is always welcome here with her friends."

Kevin reached for another drink from the bar as the fat insipid little man took Monique by the arm and squeezed tightly as though he owned her. He felt like pushing his fist straight into his flat oily little nose. He had never met anyone who repulsed him so much at first sight.

"You will be participating in our little games tonight, Mr. Taylor?" Gamal asked with a sly wink, nudging Monique in the ribs at the same time. "We have never had an American here before. I'm certain you would be quite popular with the ladies of the crowd."

"No, I don't think I will," Kevin said, an indignant tone apparent in his voice. "I prefer my love life to remain private."

"Ah yes, a moralist, I see," Gamal said with a subtle mocking smile. "Perhaps you will change your mind later. Now if you will excuse me, may I talk privately with your charming escort for a moment."

"Be my guest," Kevin replied coldly, turning back to the bar. He was beginning to feel his drinks and decided as soon as Monique finished talking with that slime they would get out of here. He didn't like the setup at all and right now had no desire to see a trumped up exhibition with paid actors.

"Your little package arrived a few minutes ago, my dear," Gamal whispered with a delighted smile when they were out of earshot of Kevin. "You have done well, I must say. I will add one hundred dollars to the usual price in reward for your excellent taste."

"My dear Gamal you have not taken a close look at the young lady or you wouldn't even consider such a ridiculous offer. She is worth double the usual price if she is worth a franc. Come, let's go take a quick look at her. I'm certain you have missed a great deal of the quality."

"If you insist, my love," Gamal said with resignation. He knew he was not going to get this voluptuous young thing as cheaply as he had the others, but perhaps with luck, he could keep the price within reasonable bounds.

Monique followed him down the hallway from the Salon and into a room that had a guard on the door. Jean was lying fully dressed on the bed, her eyes closed in sleep. Her dress had hiked up over the tops of her stockings and the smooth white flesh was tantalizingly visible up to her panties. She was the absolute picture of helpless innocence. Gamal liked that, Monique could tell. Her battle was almost won.

"Your desk-clerk friend gave her something to make her sleep during the trip here in the car. He says she will awaken in a half an hour or so," Gamal explained as Monique purposely registered concern on her face. She had actually instructed Shalla to give her the light sleeping potion so she would make no great fuss when she was transferred from the hotel. She just hoped that stupid Arab had not given her too much. She had to wake up soon or her plans would be ruined.

"Oh, the poor dear, I do hope they handled her gently. She's so sweet," Monique poured the compliments on, she could tell by the slight beads of perspiration breaking out on Gamal's forehead that he was very eager to get his hot little hands on Jean's young body. It was just a question of the price now and she was ready to put her plan into operation.