Immoral Origins: The Desire Card Book One by Goldberg Lee Matthew

Author:Goldberg, Lee Matthew
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781685490843
Publisher: Rough Edges Press
Published: 2022-06-14T00:00:00+00:00

22

I wanted to see how Marilyn was doing, but when I swung by her place she wasn’t there so I headed over to the card.

No Bette typing away when I arrived, which was odd. Just Olivier and Katherine Hepburn waiting. Gable wasn’t in yet either.

“Looks like they’re all on assignment,” Olivier said. He took out a pack of his own brand of cigarettes and offered me one.

“Let me ask you,” he said, after a moment of silence. “How has your introduction to the Card been?”

Hepburn swiveled in her chair to stare. Both of them sizing me up.

“It’s been a few months now,” I said. “Great so far I guess.”

“I ask because…” Hepburn caught his eye, batted her lashes for him to continue. “It’s only Katherine and I at the international office so we’re actively looking for other members.”

“I don’t think Gable would be happy if I got poached.”

“Katherine and I were going to grab lunch,” he said, dominating the conversation. “Have you ever been to Le Cirque?”

I shook my head.

“No use waiting around here,” Hepburn added, putting out her cigarette after one puff and heading for the door.

Le Cirque was one of those fancy establishments where the waiters called you sir. It had a giant abstract big top light shade and a glass bar with a kaleidoscope wine tower. Heavy old lady perfume filled the space coming from the various women in jewels hand-kissing one another.

“You must try the Crème Brulée,” Hepburn said.

“I don’t know what that is.”

“You will.”

I let them order for me because I could tell it gave them power. Like Gable said, power was what people craved. I’d allow them to think they could buy me.

“How often do you come to New York?” I asked.

“It’s filthy,” Hepburn replied, dunking her bread into a dab of oil. “Riddled with garbage and crime. I’d rather never.”

“We like to check on Gable from time to time.”

The waiter clearly knew both of them and they kissed on the cheeks about a dozen times. I wondered how we’d be treated with our masks still on, but no one seemed to blink. More and more it was becoming second nature. If I just saw us I would think there were three people who happened to resemble a few matinee idols.

Hepburn’s aged hand went for her champagne, the veins in her neck protruding as she sipped.

“The Card is primed for greatness,” Olivier said, and then observed his teeth in the reflection of a knife. “But we’re not there yet.”

“What will it take?”

“Good question, Errol. If I may speak frankly?”

“Please do,” Hepburn said.

“We need to think about our definition of wishes. How we will be regarded. I’m not ashamed to say this is an argument Gable and I have had. I’m curious about your opinion.”

“I mean, the slogan is any wish fulfilled…”

“Of course, but we’ve opened the door to the rather salacious and it’s marred our clientele. In Brussels for example, that’s where the international office is located, we are the purveyors of the finest things in life.

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