Chapter 3

Pierce woke the following day with anxiety bubbling in the pit of his stomach. He tossed and turned throughout the night, wondering if the consequences of bailing on Patrick were worth it.

The thing that got Pierce out of bed was the idea that now that the “puppet master” was out of his life, he was free to reinvent himself however he saw fit.

Pierce dressed in a white polo, khaki pants, and loafers. It was only 10:00 in the morning when he heard his front door unlock and the alarm disengage. Pierce let out a heavy sigh and instantly regretted that Patrick had a key to his house. Patrick insisted the key would only be

utilized for emergencies, but there have been no emergencies in the past three months, yet Patrick has used his spare key a total of ten times.

“Pierce! Up and at ’em!” Patrick called, taking the stairs two at a time. Pierce didn’t bother answering and applied the finishing touches to his hair in the mirror. “Oh wow, I did not expect you to be out of bed.”

“Gotta keep you on your toes, Pat. What are you doing here so early? I told you I would meet you there.”

“I expected you to renege, so I decided I’ll be your escort today,” he explained.

“Oh ye of little faith,” Pierce drawled.

“Stop pretending you haven’t stood me up several times.”

“That was then, and this is now.”

“I hope you walk it like you talk it,” Patrick huffed.

“I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

**********

“Nice ride, Pat,” Pierce complimented once they left his estate.

“Thanks. It was worth every fucking penny. I can’t believe this is your first time riding in it. Maybe after today, you’ll go get your own.”

“Nah, I’m good. My car is paid off and fits my current and future needs. Plus, it’s too flashy for my tastes.”

“I guess I can’t argue with that.”

The two men made small talk during their short ten-minute drive to Elite SA and were not disappointed when they pulled up to the facility. “Oh wow, the pamphlet did not do this place justice,” Patrick gasped.

“No kidding. I can’t imagine how much the membership dues are,” Pierce agreed with a low whistle.

“Whatever they are, you definitely can afford it, so stop worrying about money.”

“I want to make sure I’m getting my bang for my buck. I don’t want to pay the yearly assessments and only come twice. That would be a dreadful waste of money.”

“I’m sure you’ll find something that will keep bringing you back daily.”

“I won’t hold my breath,” Pierce muttered underneath his breath.

They pulled into the large circular driveway and allowed the valet to park the car. “Good morning, gentlemen. Is this your first time joining us at Elite San Antonio?” the doorman inquired.

“Yes, it is. Thanks for noticing. We’re scheduled for a tour for 11:30,” Patrick replied.

“Ah, yes. Miss Carter just finished a tour not too long ago, and the prospective member is now in the process of establishing membership as we speak. Hopefully, we can say the same for the two of you. My name is Jesse Vanderbilt. It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” the young man beamed, offering an outstretched hand to the men. Pierce shook his hand politely but thought it was peculiar the doorman would be so knowledgeable about more than the comings and goings of the members.

“I know what you’re thinking. Why does this guy know so much, right?”

“Guilty,” Pierce agreed.

“My grandfather owns Elite SA, and one day, it will be mine. I’m just working my way from the bottom up.”

“That’s very admirable,” Pierce complimented.

“Thank you, Mr....”

“White, and this is my buddy Patrick Jameson.”

“Fantastic. Now that we know each other...shall we?” Jesse asked, opening the door for the men.

Pierce quickly scanned the foyer of the compound, taking in all of the luxurious features that screamed “imported.” They stopped in front of an unoccupied receptionist’s desk, giving Pierce more time to peruse his new surroundings.

“Miss Carter should be joining us soon. Just a warning, please be kind to Miss Carter. She may be Mrs. Vanderbilt in the future.”

“What have I told you about telling people that,” a voice scolded from behind Jesse.

“Sweetheart, it’s you that’s in denial. I need you to get with the program,” Jesse teased.

“And I need you to return to your post at the door.”

Pierce didn’t pay any mind to their banter but instead focused his attention on the stunning young woman who stood before him. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her warm skin tone that reminded him of hazelnut. From what he could tell at first glance, it was blemish-free and appeared smooth to the touch. Her hair was in long braids that were pulled back, allowing a full view of her innocent face and youthful features. She was very petite, and if Pierce had to guess, she was just under five feet tall.

Pierce briefly imagined how weightless she would feel in his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck. Pierce would like to say his lewd thoughts died down once she finally made eye contact with him, but they only grew worse. She had expressive cocoa eyes that were surrounded by long black lashes.

She was innocent indeed, and something inside of him wanted to take that innocence for himself. Her plump lips that were painted a velvety red were calling out to him, and he could only pray for an opportunity to taste them. She wore a form-fitting white polo with the Elite SA emblem on the front. The shirt molded beautifully to her small but perky breasts. Her black slacks fit her nicely, and while her ass was small, it rounded out perfectly and was still something to hold onto.

“Get it together...you’re embarrassing me,” Patrick warned from beside Pierce in a low whisper.

“What are you talking about?”

“You are practically drooling over this little girl like she’s a piece of meat, and it’s obvious to everyone, including her. Plus, you don’t have a shot. She looks like she’s barely legal. By the time she was born, you had a mortgage and was cutting back on red meat and junk food.”

Pierce could feel himself awkwardly blush as the young woman smiled at him. He hadn’t felt this way since high school, and it was overwhelming.

“Good morning, Mr. White and Mr. Jameson. My name is Arianna Carter, and I’ll be your tour guide this morning,” she greeted, offering a hand to both men. Pierce was quick to snatch her hand up between the two of his. He pumped it slowly while he stared into her eyes, and an eyebrow quirked in amusement when he noticed how she bit her bottom lip.

“It is very nice to meet you, Miss Carter,” Pierce drawled in his heavy Texas twang.

“Please, Mr. White...call me Ari. All my good friends do.”