Serena had no want for money when she left for college. In fact, she really didn't need to go to college. The trust funds established by her father allowed her a life of leisure if she wished - and likely those of any children she might have. Unlike her older sister, however, Serena grew up working for everything. So when she arrived in college, she didn't take the three bedroom apartment and car / driver offered by her socialite mother. Instead, she found an ad for a room mate - or condo mate in this case - and pooled in with two others.
She would never have met or mixed with Alexa or Gigi if she had stayed with her mother's contacts. She did not rush for the high prestige sorority her mom had organized. She liked that they all had similar situations even though they had different circumstances.
Alexa mostly babysat. It was an extension of the early educational degree she was getting. She was responsible and a good condo mate. She had a temper which she kept well under control. It came out more and more though as she grew more comfortable with her two friends. While she was quiet and reserved, she would exhibit a different side on the days when the friends would gather to let their hair down. Alexa was not an aggressive drunk, but wine certainly removed most of her inhibitions.
Gigi stripped initially. She made a lot and had many suitors. She stopped when a local pimp tried to recruit strippers at her club. One of the bouncers at the club arranged for her to do private shows for college students, so she did that now and did other odd jobs to make her money. She was bubbly and vivacious, always telling stories about antics at the nursing schools. She took particular pleasure in 'assisting' male patients when she did her practicum rounds at the hospital.
So each condo mate earned their keep in the way that suited her personality. Serena did not want to call home for checks and rent money. What Serena did do however, was to call on an old family friend.
All through their childhood they were visited by Benjamin Dacosta. He told them many stories about how he met their dad and how their dad was a man of many exploits. He was Uncle Da to them. While his initial money came from tobacco in the early days, he shifted it to other things before it became black marked as an industry. One of his many ventures was an exclusive upper echelon boutique hotel and restaurant called The Baxter House. Nestled amongst retail establishments in the business district of Raleigh North Carolina, it was frequented by wealthy merchants who needed to conduct high impact deals. It was said that Mr. Dacosta often brokered such meetings and assisted in different ways to ensure success.
The Baxter House was a members only establishment. You could not book a room there on Expedia for example. The rumor was that this was to protect the existence of the Back Room. There were as many stories and legends about the Back Room as there were people to tell them. Nobody knew whether it existed or not.
When she first went to Dacosta, Serena had never been in the back room but she knew it existed. One night, when she was presumed asleep in the backseat on the way to their lake house, she heard Uncle Da discuss a match for their maid Geraldine with her parents. He talked about how a client wanted to enact a taboo relationship he couldn't have with a mulatto nurse that brought him up in his younger years. Geraldine matched perfectly he said. Sums of money were discussed that amazed her. A week later, a new maid appeared at their house and her mother told them in a bright and pleasant voice that Geraldine had decided to go back home to care for her ailing mother.
Serena grew up a lot that day. She also learned to be careful about what she shared with her mother and older sister.
She was similarly guarded about what she told Gigi and Alexa. While this not change immediately, she did feel a sense of camaraderie when she came out at 10:30 in her black skirt and white blouse to find Alexa in the blue chiffon dress.
She smiled in approval.
"Ready?"
Alexa nodded.
Twenty minutes later they pulled up at the Baxter House. A valet took Serena's car. Alexa was just drinking things in; not saying much at all. Serena led them both through a set of broad doors over to a circular booth in the left corner of the restaurant floor. The space was outside of the regular thoroughfare, so it was clear when somebody was approaching the seating space. Alexa noticed as soon as she walked into the booth that the circular walls provided a soundproof haven for discussion and discretion. It was a way to be publicly private.
Sitting in the booth, sipping a cup of masala chai, was a striking and dignified gentleman in a dark grey suit.
"Mr.Dacosta, this is my friend Alexa." Serena proffered.
Mr. Dacosta smiled and nodded. "Ah yes, Alexa. Serena has told us a lot about you. Please sit."
Alexa smiled nervously and settled in at the round table. With no bra or panties on, she felt extremely exposed. She wanted to cross her arms across her chest but put them down on each side instead, and tightly clamped her thighs together. She noted that Serena sat opposite her, next to Mr. Dacosta. As she sat and waited, a waiter walked up, took off his apron and slid into the seat next to her.
"Alexa, this is Stefan. He is in training to manage a part of this establishment, and helps with interviews."
Alexa did a double take as she saw him, then nodded nervously at Stefan. Stefan smiled back. He was about 6 feet tall, West African from the sound of his accent, and had a wiry but muscular runner's body. His movements were languid and comfortable. Sitting across the table, Serena remained impassive, but took in Alexa's reaction. She watched for Alexa's body language, and noted with some relief that she allowed Stefan to nestle up close to her. She looked over at Mr. Dacosta and nodded slightly. Alexa saw the interaction but didn't know what to make of it.
"Sit up for me Alexa for one second if you would," Stefan said to her in his comfortable West African voice.
Alexa looked quickly at Serena and Mr. Dacosta, both of whom were waiting for her to do as she was told. She sat up as best she could with the round table in front of her.
Stefan slipped the skirt up around her waist and nodded. Alexa sat back down and clenched as her bare and naked ass met the cool leather of the booth seat.
Mr. Dacosta looked up. "Did Serena give you any details about what we are looking for Alexa?"
Alexa shook her head no, clearly flustered. She felt increasingly exposed and vulnerable. Everybody in the booth was so confident that they made her feel unsure of herself. She had just let a total stranger pull up her dress. She was sure they could all tell her heart was beating faster and that her pussy was moist. There was something about Stefan though, that made it easy to acquiesce.
Mr. Dacosta continued as he ran his fore finger on the rim of his teacup. "We have a valuable patron of the Baxter House who might have an interest in spending some time with you. He lives in Europe but stays with us here at the Baxter house when he conducts business in the States. He has a special fondness for his niece that he cannot fully express."
He looked up. Alexa was listening, and working hard not to squirm. Serena was quiet and listening. As Alexa's eyes flitted to her, she saw in her the glint she saw yesterday. This was a different Serena somehow.
"It seems you have many similarities to this niece. She is about your age, looks startlingly like you and is a second grade teacher back in Malaysia."
"What do I have to do?" Alexa questioned hesitantly.
"Be yourself." This was the first time Serena had spoken since they all sat.
Alexa turned to her as she injected herself into the conversation. Serena was there but not there. Somehow, she was enveloped in this magnetism that Mr. Dacosta seemed to exude.
"I'm not a whore," Alexa said, somewhat defiantly.
Dacosta's actions were very disarming. "Good," he said with an approving nod. "Very good."
Alexa inhaled sharply. On Dacosta's non-verbal cue, Stefan slipped his hand onto Alexa's knee. He then started running three fingers up and down the inside of her thigh. Each time, he would work his way up till he was dangerously close to flicking her exposed labia, then would move back down again.
"We do not run a brothel here. We do not recruit whores." Dacosta resumed speaking while Stefan gently kneaded her inner leg. His strong fingers worked her muscles with care. It was very difficult to concentrate, much less to negotiate or bargain.
Alexa sat up as much as she could in her seat. She didn't push Stefan's hand off. She knew she could do what she wanted to, but for some reason, she liked it there. This feeling of being exposed in a public place - this sensation of being explored where somebody could just appear and see what was going on - was making her surprisingly wet.
"How much are you offering? It sounds like this is something that that's a custom fit for your client."
The moment the words left her mouth, Alexa knew she was in even more of a disadvantage. From her childhood years shopping at the gawker markets in Malaysia, she knew that the person who started talking about money was already a step down. To recover, she had to make sure that she didn't state a price.
"How much would you like?" Dacosta asked, almost as if he had been prepared all conversation for the question.
Damn it. DAMN it!
Stefan now was running a thumb up and down the nape of her neck while he worked on her thigh. Just as Dacosta asked the question, he gently moved his thumb and middle finger up her now puffy lips and labia till he brushed up against her clit.
Alexa shuddered and almost came at that very instant. She took a deep breath, shifted again in her seat and looked at Stefan. He had a calm expression and smiled reassuringly at her when she turned.
"I was thinking you would make an offer, since you are recruiting me for this ...
