Dark Angels

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Lee rolled from sleep the following morning to find Mindy’s naked curves jig-sawed comfortably with her own. Mindy’s head rested in the crook of Lee’s arm, the golden curls splayed across her shoulder. The girl’s face was turned into her neck and Lee felt the soft puffs of her breath on her skin. It had been a long time since Lee had awakened to someone sharing her bed and she was a little surprised to find she savored the closeness; even though the savory was forbidden fruit.

The girl was lost to the abandonment of deep sleep and Lee let her doze. There was healing to be had in sleep; both mental as well as physical healing, and the girl desperately needed both. Lee was prepared to rest comfortably and watch the play of light-shadows across her bedroom ceiling.

When she finally slipped from between the sheets in search of coffee, Lee managed to do so without disturbing Mindy. As Lee tucked the bed-sheets back into place around her niece’s prostrate form, she saw the sliver of pink. Lee looked closely. It was her vibrator. In her urgency last night, she must have left it among the bed-covers and sometime during the night, Mindy had discovered it. Mindy held it in her hands now, and oddly, seemed to be receiving some comfort from it.

Lee reached forward, daring to slip the appliance from beneath Mindy’s fingertips, then faultered and changed her mind. What if the girl felt the tug; woke up. There was the flush of shame and Lee bit her lip. Now each of them shared a secret. Lee tightened her robe and stepped quietly into the hallway.

In the kitchen, Lee started the coffeemaker and opened the fridge in search of eggs. Lee saw the line of green Heineken bottles and the two vacant spots. Her throat suddenly felt parched. What the hell, she thought. It’s Sunday. And she reached down to snag a bottle. The first mouthful was crisp and cold. She set the bottle on the counter-top and started chopping mushrooms.

Mindy wandered in a half hour later.

“Coffee’s ready,” Lee announced and warily looked into the girl’s hands, half expecting to see the accusing shape of the vibrator. But there was nothing, and no telltale bulge in the pocket of Mindy’s robe. “I’m making an omelet,” she said. “Coffee?”

Mindy lifted her hands to the sides of her face and massaged her temples. “Coffee. Oh yes, please. I’m a little hungover.”

“Have a mouthful of beer first, then. It will help.”

Mindy’s eyes narrowed. “Really?”

“Really. It will spike your blood sugar and that will ease your head.”

“I’m game,” Mindy said, reaching for the bottle that Lee held up. She took a long swallow, burped quietly, then swallowed again. “That’s good. Now coffee?”

Lee laughed. “Here.” She passed Mindy a mug and went back to beating eggs. “Don’t you dare tell your mother about what happened last night. She’d come after me with a bread knife.”

Mindy poured steaming coffee. “She has a temper.”

“It’s the Italian. Under a head of steam, your mother makes the Mafia look like a bunch of schoolyard sissies.”

Mindy took in the dark aroma of Jamaican coffee. “That’s why daddy took away her car keys. She gave road-rage a whole new slant.”

Lee stopped beating. “He took away her keys?”

“Oh, she got them back again. But dad had to take the bus to work; until he got his car outta the shop.”

Lee gaped. She pondered Mindy’s face a moment, looking to gauge the truth, but Mindy idly sipped coffee, her expression blank. What had Mindy’s mother done to her husband’s car? Lee shrugged and poured egg batter into an electric skillet. “And another thing about yesterday. Don’t tell your boyfriend about what happened to you in that men’s locker room.”

“But shouldn’t he know?” Mindy studied the back of her aunt’s head as she tilted the skillet. “I mean I want to be truthful with him.”

Lee checked the color on the underside of her egg batter. “Being honest with him will do two things for you: Bust him up so bad inside that every time he thinks about those guys helping themselves to your body, he’ll blame you for it. And second, destroy your relationship within the month. If you have any thoughts at all about getting serious about this boy, don’t say a word to him.”

“But...”

“Trust me on this.” Lee flipped eggs onto plates and folded them over fried mushrooms, onions, salsa, and melted cheese. She picked up the hot plates with a dishtowel and placed them on the table. “I know you want to come clean with him; and I know you want him to put his arms around you and make things all better again. But trust me; relationships don’t work the way they do in fairy-tale books. There’s no happy-ever-after. You’ll lose him. If you need support, need to talk things through, or God forbid, need a doctor, then you run your little ass over to me. Okay? Day or night. Here or at the office. It doesn’t matter. But for heaven’s sake, don’t tell your boyfriend a damned thing about yesterday. You got that?”

Mindy pushed egg around with her fork. “Yes, Auntie Leanne.” There was a but attached to the end of her tongue, only Mindy knew when to keep her mouth shut. She pulled at the collar of her robe. “How does my neck look?” she asked, changing the subject.

“Much better. The bruises have yellowed and the swelling has gone down. If you want to go out I can lend you a turtleneck. But stay here another day before going home to your mother. Okay?”

Mindy shoveled eggs into her mouth. “Thanks, Auntie Leanne. I just hope I’m not putting you out any.”

Lee felt a warm spot open up in her chest. “Damn. You sound just like her sometimes. But, in fact, I want you to stay over. I’ve been thinking I could use you. I have an appointment tomorrow with an automotive supplier. I’m meeting the president of the company at eleven, just before he invites me to lunch to celebrate our new contract. You’re interested in Retail, right? You can help me prepare for my presentation.”

“He’s taking you to lunch?”

“Yes. Only old Head Bolt doesn’t know it yet.”

Mindy’s brow came up and her eyes shone like coins. “Really?”

“Sure. And I can teach you a sales technique you won’t learn in any of those fancy college classes you’re signing up for.”

Mindy c****d her head. “A sales technique?”

Lee looked smug. “Yeah. Surefire... has never failed me. Honest.”

“Totally awesome. This is great. Thank you, Auntie Leanne.”

“Good. It’s settled. Now finish your eggs.”

A sly smile curled Mindy’s lips. “And there’s something else you can teach me,” she said, ignoring her breakfast.

“Something else?” Lee sipped at her coffee. “Like what?” She looked at her niece over the brim of her mug.

Mindy played with her fork. “I found your... ahh, your toy. Found it in bed last night. I know what it’s for but want to know how you use one. You can show me, can’t you? I got to know.”

Lee felt the heat rise in her neck. “You’re a woman now, Mindy. You can’t figure it out for yourself? Can’t you google it or something?”

Mindy avoided her aunt’s eyes and suppressed the shudder that crimped the back of her neck and brought the hairs up on end. “I want you to show me, Lee,” she repeated, firmly.

It was the first Mindy had called her Lee. And she hadn’t used the suffix... hadn’t called her Auntie. Lee felt resigned and set her mug down. What could she say? “Yes. Of course. Of course I can do that.”

Mindy went back to her breakfast. “Good. I left it on top of your dresser.”

Mindy stood in front of Lee’s walk-in wardrobe closet and watched her aunt pull a slinky cocktail dress from a hanger. “But shouldn’t you be wearing a business suit to the meeting?”

“He’s a real lady killer, this guy, and he likes big boobs.”

Mindy’s eyes rounded. “But how could you possibly know that? You’ve never even met the man.”

“Because I had lunch with his secretary last week and she has a rack that would sink a coal barge. Her bras must be bulletproof.”

Mindy leaned forward. “You had lunch with her?”

“I paid for a chauffeured limo to pick her up. Dropped over two-hundred on her lunch at the Ritz-Carlton, took her shopping and promised her a signing bonus if she helped me land the contract. He’s married, f*****g her, and on the prowl. And trust me... he likes big boobs. How about this one?” Lee held up a silk dress with a “come-get-it” neckline and a daring slit up the side.

Mindy ran her fingers across the soft fabric. “I see what you mean about the college classes. Try it on for me.”

“Okay. But I need my bra.”

“Your bra?”

Lee gave Mindy a knowing smile. “Of course. I have a special bra; it goes with the dress. To get the full effect I need to change my bra. Here, let me show you, Retail Management 101...”

Lee crossed the room to her bureau and opened the top drawer. “There,” she said boldly, holding up an obscenely small scrap of black lace.

Mindy swallowed hard then laughed nervously. “But Lee, there’s nothing to it. There’s not enough there to hold up two tennis balls and not nearly enough material to cover your… well, you know.”

Lee held the bra up to her breasts. “That’s the idea, silly. It holds your t**s right out but leaves nothing to the imagination.”

“Sheesh. And you’re going to wear that to a business meeting.”

Lee gave her niece a look. “I told you. The guy has a hard-on for anything in a skirt. And I need the contract. A sexy little outfit is just grease between the wheels.”

“It’s not the outfit so much, but what’s in it,” Mindy said. “And after he catches a gander at the goods, what if he wants a little after-hours incentive package?”

Lee was back in the drawer, looking for the matching pants. “I told you. The guy’s married. His wife probably locks him up at night.”

“Geez. I don’t know about this...”

“Oh relax...” Lee found what she was looking for. “I’ve done this a dozen times.” she said, trying to nix Mindy. “I’m just going to tease him a little. It’ll be fun. You’ll see.”

“I’ll see? Okay... okay. I give. Put on your silly underwear. I’ll wait in the living room for the fashion show.”

Mindy watched Lee walk along the hallway toward the front-room. In high-heels, Lee moved like a tall pine in the forest; swaying easily to the breeze. It was a soft, languid movement, almost slow motion; hypnotic... arms, hips, breasts, all humming to the music of her body; to the rhythm of her step. She looked elegant and unapproachable with her hair pinned back; a woman confident of her time and place... but her body screamed, f**k me! Mindy started to giggle. This was fun!

The dress was black silk and clingy. It did little to conceal the size and shape of the plump n*****s and the soft fabric draped seductively in the space between Lee’s legs. The dress was cut a modest two inches above the knee but the slit opened with every step to reveal a flexing bulge of muscled thigh. Lee wore dark pantyhose and four inch, patent leather pumps.

“Hot does not begin to describe the way you look,” Mindy gushed.

Lee preened. “Yeah. But it describes exactly how I feel; every time I slither into this thing.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“But hot...”

“Sexy as hell, if you must know, but not cheap,” Mindy confirmed. “Definitely not cheap. The poor bastard won’t stand a chance.”

Lee smiled her killer smile; the one capable of dissolving any man that fell within range. “Good,” she said, satisfied. “That’s the main idea. But I can tell: You don’t totally approve of what I’m doing.”

“It’s not that, so much. What you’re doing just isn’t consistent with my thoughts on business.”

“You figure business should be honest; above board.”

Mindy deflated a little. “I guess.” She looked reflective.

“I warned you; told you I’d teach you something that doesn’t pertain to the college curriculum.”

“Okay. I admit it: I’m just a kid with ideals.”

“Nothing wrong with that, if you don’t mind being poor. I used to drive a Volkswagen. Are you getting the picture, here?”

“Yeah. I’m getting the picture...”

“Good. You up for a little shopping?”

Mindy’s head came up. “Sure, I guess. Why?”

“Because I want you to go to the meeting with me tomorrow. Consider it your big break into Retail. But you’ll need to dress. Therefore, a shopping trip is in order.”

“I can’t dress like you. And the bite marks and bruises.”

“He didn’t bite you below the knees. And you’ve got pretty legs. We’ll manage.”

“But...”

Lee held up a hand. “I’ll introduce you as my assistant. It’ll be great. And like you said: The poor bastard won’t stand a chance.”

“But...”

“Welcome to Retail, pumpkin.”