Page 19 of Pleasure Payback

The satisfaction I should’ve felt walking away was marred by the distinct notion that I was playing with lethal fire.

CHAPTER FOUR

Neve

JUSTFORTHEfun of it, I went toe to toe with him on the next pitch before making a tactical withdrawal.

He knew what I was up to, of course, and his gaze grew increasingly assessing as the next contestants entered the den.

I redirected my gaze to where Chinese screens with colourful frames were being erected. There were six in total and, having learned on the first day to take my cue from the crew’s excitement, I paid closer attention. I’d researched the past shows, knew there was a solitary gem that stood head and shoulders above mundane pitches.

My instincts screamed this could be it.

Surreptitiously, I noted Damian’s interest and plastered on my poker face as the crew finished setting up, noting the mastery in the hand-stitched embroidery etched in the red silk cloth that covered the frames.

The cameras started rolling.

A man and woman of similar height and colouring entered, their smiles open and friendly.

‘Hi, Raiders, I’m Sam Weston and this is my brother Tyler,’ the woman said. ‘I earned the right to speak to you first today because I’m three minutes older than him.’

‘What she means is, she didn’t really give me a choice,’ Tyler replied.

Chuckles echoed through the room, lightening the mood.

I angled my body subtly towards Damian, crossed one leg over the other, and immediately sensed tension rise in his body.

‘We’re here to ask for a seven-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar investment in return for a twenty-five per cent stake in our business,’ Sam stated. ‘It’s a huge sum, we know, but what we have to offer in return will blow your socks off.’ She shared a smile with her brother. ‘Please allow us to let your fantasies come true.’

They approached the Chinese screens, drew them to one side and, in sync, tugged away the silk cloth to reveal a set of large photographs.

One picture was a replica of a scene fromAlice in Wonderland, the other a Victorian-era agency parlour. They unveiled the next frame to reveal a French boudoir, and the one after that a late-nineteenth-century Wild West drinking saloon.

The last two were equally eye-catching, every vivid detail in the picture depicting scenes familiar to book and movie lovers.

‘Our business is called Fantasy Rooms. In short, we give you the room of your fantasy in any hotel room of your choice. You can be a Regency duke or an explorer for the duration of your stay and, with just three days’ notice before you check in, we can transform any room to suit your ideal fantasy and provide the costumes and the props required to make your stay one hundred per cent authentic.’

A wild dart of excitement arrowed through me. When I was a child, my one guaranteed escape from the unpleasant roller coaster of watching my mother and the revolving door of unsuitable men she entertained had been through the magic of books.

My library card had been my most treasured possession almost from the day my father had walked out when I was eight. And as soon as I could afford it, I’d filled my reading tablet with more romantic fantasy books than any other.

The idea of bringing those two worlds together, incorporating them into my business, wrapped itself around my heart and held on tight. I needed to use my business head for this but I took a moment to indulge in the possibilities of what this could mean for me. For Nevirna.

I snapped into focus.

‘Three quarters of a million is a hell of a lot of money. Why such a big budget?’ Nate asked.

Tyler stepped forward. ‘We’ve only worked with a few small hotels on the East Coast. We’re looking to expand to the West Coast and eventually go international. The budget will go towards investing in manpower for a year. Ideally we’re looking at six teams, four in each team, to be available to transform the rooms with the three-day notice we aspire to. We’re also looking at hiring costume designers to produce bespoke equipment that isn’t readily available on the market.’

‘Bespoke,’ Damian echoed. ‘That’s expensive.’

‘But ultimately worth it,’ Sam replied.

‘You said you’ve been working with smaller hotels. Who are they?’ I asked.

Tyler named a chain of hotels based in Florida. They were good but not worthy competition.

‘I want an exclusive partnership.’ I boldly staked my claim.

---