Chapter 7 I am desperate and hungry
CHAPTER SEVEN
I am desperate and hungry.
SCARLETT – POINT OF VIEW
I stare at her cautiously.
Marceline is tall and beautiful. She has long blonde hair and stunning brown eyes. She seems nice, but I don’t trust easily.
Eve, on the other hand, is a ray of sunshine.
“Hi,” She beams, “I’m Eve, and this is my sister, Scarlett. We are interested in your agency.”
“Lovely to meet you. Why don’t we have this discussion in my office?” Marceline asks with a warm smile.
I am still silent. Eve links our arms and nods. Together, we follow Marceline. I am cautious, glancing at the exit and the women, trying to see if anything is amiss, but I find nothing.
“Welcome to my office,”
I pull away from Eve and let my gaze wander.
One wall is swallowed by a tall shelf of books, and picture frames fill the space between. I commit the faces to memory, in case the need arises later. A chipped mug sits abandoned near a flower plant, whose petals catch the light.
Her desk is a controlled mess, wires, notebooks, sleek gadgets. Beyond it, the window opens the room to the city. The skyline stretches outward, steel and glass cutting into the sky, puffy clouds drifting lazily above it all, indifferent and slow.
A couch rests against the far wall, cushions sun-softened and inviting, the kind meant for long conversations that start professional and end somewhere softer.
It all seems comforting, but I’m on edge.
“You have a beautiful office, Marceline.” Eve smiles.
“Thank you, Eve, and please, call me Marcy. All my girls do.”
“All your girls?” I glance at her, and she nods, “Please sit. Let’s discuss.”
We seat.
“Do you care for coffee and biscuits?” She sits across from us, her hands on her knee. She is prim and proper. I am not.
“Maybe later. Can you give us a rundown of your agency?” Eve leans forward, brows furrowed.
“Of course. We are called Elite Companions. Our mission is to provide discreet and sophisticated companionship for discerning clients who value intelligence, elegance and authentic connection. We prioritise the safety, autonomy and dignity of our companions above everything else. We provide companions for social events, business functions, dinners, and travels. We screen our clients very well, including their references, deposits, and background checks. We have an extensive and adequate Technology Division.” She begins, articulating her words carefully and calmly.
“For our companions, our women, we do professional photo shoots and profile creation, of course. There is training for new companions, which includes etiquette, safety and conversation. There is a 24/7 emergency support line. Our clients are mostly wealthy businessmen, between the ages of 40 and 65. They are usually visiting executives, tourists, lonely divorces, men who need attractive dates for events.”
“Our firm is also inclusive, as we occasionally have women who need male escorts, too.”
“Compensation?” I ask, and cross my legs.
She smiles, “The standard split is 6o-40. The company gets sixty per cent. New Companions start at fifty-fifty for the first three months, before going to sixty-forty; however, some of my top performers get seventy-thirty. We will cover initial photos, website presence, booking system and security. Companions cover wardrobe, maintenance and transportation.”
Eve frowns, “You cover the website presence?”
“Yes, we do. We have an adequate social media team.”
“You make the decisions. You tell me to jump, and I say How high? Do I have zero option when it comes to choosing the client? Can I say no?” I ask, my words clipped.
She exhales and explains, “Of course, you have the choice to say no, but being a companion means being a brainless bimbo. Unless your safety is threatened, you must do your job.”
Eve and I share a look, but we stay silent, so she continues.
“The average rates for a standard evening, about four house is between two thousand and three thousand. Premium companionship is four thousand to five thousand. Overnight is five thousand to eight thousand. Weekend is twelve thousand to twenty thousand.”
Goosebumps break over my skin at that. I can do so many things with that kind of money.
“We, of course, vet our companions before hiring them. Applications are made with photos, a personal interview with me, a background check, a training week, and a professional photoshoot. Our agency has very strict rules – no drug use, professional appearance always, absolute client confidentiality, mandatory check-ins, you can refuse clients anytime, no personal contact info to clients, and boundary violations must be reported immediately.” Her voice is firm and made of steel.
“What do you think?” She beams.
My mind is whirling. It is a wonderful business, and I am interested, but I don’t have an ID card, and I cannot allow a background check. Scarlett Brooks doesn’t exist. This is a fake name I created. The person I used to be died in the fire.
“Here’s the thing, Marcy,” Eve bats her lashes.
“Our apartment flooded two weeks ago. We lost a lot of our documents, including Scarlett’s ID card. Is there a way you can help her get one? About the background check, I am certain you will find nothing. We are clean. If you find nothing on her and want to cover all bases, then you can run one on me, too.” She whispers, smiling without warmth.
Marcy is silent for a second before looking at me.
“You are very beautiful, Scarlett, and I’m sure you will fit right in. We will take care of your ID card. You can get that done in our tech unit before you leave. Is there anything else we can do for you?” She finally asks, calmly.
I don’t think. I just speak.
“Fifty-fifty will work for me, but sixty-forty won’t. Here’s what I think: for the first five clients, let it be fifty-fifty, but after that, we make it sixty-forty. Sixty for me, forty for you. I know it sounds bold and strange, but I am desperate, and I am hungry. Desperation and hunger are the greatest motivations. I am going to make you a lot of money. I am going to work hard. This can be a wonderful partnership.” The words spill out of me carefully and calculated.
Marcy nods, pleased, “I like your mindset, and I want you to start as soon as possible.”
“I’ll need five thousand before I start. Consider it an upfront payment. It can be deducted from my first five jobs.” I state boldly.
“We will also need security, hers. I know you protect your companions, but we want to cover all bases. She will also need a certain control of her website.” Eve adds eagerly.
“I like you, both of you. You know what you want, and you go for it. Alright then, let’s make it happen.” She grins, and I inhale sharply, hoping I’m not selling my life away.