Chapter 5 Bold

"You asked me to come fifteen minutes before we left..." Francine said smiling and justifying herself when Andressa stared at her as if she had interrupted something good.

Andressa stood up hurriedly.

"I'll... I'll be back soon." Andressa said and left without giving Francine time to ask where she was going. She went into the bathroom of her room and then out the exit door as Francine sat down to watch her.

She soon returned and found Francine sitting in the same position she left. With a smile, she approached and sat down next to her.

"Francine, there's no way someone could lie with him, posing as me? He doesn't know my body. It would be easy to find someone who would want him..."

"You don't want him?" Francine looked really surprised, as if that were impossible.

"No. I really don't want him."

"Make do with your luck, dear. Most girls lose their virginity at the hands of someone who doesn't compensate them and fills them with children. Andrey is not only handsome, he's also a great lover. You have nothing to gain."

"I don't care what he looks like. I would like to have the freedom to go to bed with the man I love. That I choose. And not to pay a debt that I didn't even make. That's not fair."

"Andressa... I think if it was just about the debt, he might think of something else. But as soon as he saw you, he lit a fire inside him. He wants you very much. Take advantage of this. If you want to love the man who will make you a woman, fall in love with him. This is not a difficult task. He is the kind of man that women fall in love with."

"He won't match me."

"He might not. Probably not. I've known him for a while now and I've never seen him in love. But who can guarantee that that man of your dreams that you lay in bed for love really loved you? Men lie very easily. And Andrey does not use these tricks. The truth is always better than the lie."

"I don't want him to keep paying me for things." Andressa said, pointing at the television. "Then I'll feel I owe him something. So far, I only owe him hospitality. This debt he owes me, in reality the one who should pay is my mother. And I believe that she would gladly pay it. She is the one he should lie down with."

Francine smiled understandingly.

"There's no use thinking about that now. We should go to the salon and don't forget the drink. It will help you. Later, when you are alone, talk to him. Andrey is very rational. Maybe the charm will wear off after he has you for one night and he will let you free." Francine said hopefully that would happen and stood up.

They both went downstairs and to the garage, but Francesco warned them that the car was already waiting in the street. As they walked to the main gate, Francine held Andressa's hand with a worried look.

"Don't try to run away, Andressa. It would leave me in a bad way with Andrey." She said after seeing a determination in Andressa's countenance.

Andressa, however, cracked a smile and with bright eyes stared at Francine, almost happily.

"Don't worry." She said and as soon as they opened the gate, they got into the car and headed for the salon.

Andressa looked with hatred at the girl who had just ripped the cellophane with the wax off her leg. She knew that waxing was painful and that the woman was not to blame. But she wanted to take it out on someone else. She would use depilatory creams, but she would not go through that torture again. With each strip of wax, she felt as if her skin was being torn off together. That torture took a long time. When she was released, after passing a rigorous and embarrassing examination by the woman that no hair had been left, she was released. Francine was waiting outside the torture room, sitting in a comfortable armchair, where she was quietly reading a magazine, oblivious to the suffering of Andressa who stopped in front of her and waited for her to notice her presence. When she became suspicious, she put the magazine aside and stared at her, realizing that she was upset by the suffering she had just endured and couldn't contain an amused smile. She stood up and put her hands on his shoulder.

"Oh my dear!" She said feeling empathy, but couldn't help but find it funny. "For us women it got the worst pain anyway. I've been doing that waxing for years and to this day I haven't gotten used to it. But it's a necessary evil..."

"I will never do that again. There are creams that do the same job and are painless." Andressa said still sulkily.

"Let's go. We still have to buy something for you to present yourself decent at least in your underwear."

"I will buy cotton panties and bras." Andressa said stubbornly.

Francine laughed delightedly.

"Honey, it's up to you. Andrey will want you even if you are wearing rags." She said and they both left the salon and got into the car.

They were taken to a lingerie store and Francine left her alone to choose whatever she liked, with the promise that she would be back soon. Andressa noticed that Arnald stood in front of the door. Probably to prevent an escape. Andressa rolled her eyes and began to explore the store. She couldn't help but feel seduced by the lace lingerie and its beautiful colors. Each piece was more beautiful than the other. A saleswoman came up to her and she asked about cotton sets. The girl kindly led her to a stall, where there were many of the cheap panties she had worn all her life. She picked out a few and didn't know what to do next. How would she pay for them? She remembered that she still had the money from the things she sold Thiago, but had not thought about taking them. Her concern ended when she saw Francine come in. She came straight to her and gave a mysterious smile when she saw the pieces chosen by Andressa. She handed the card to the saleswoman and she quickly packed the pieces and handed them to Andressa. The two left the store and Andressa began to be intrigued by Francine's mysterious smile. They stopped outside the car and Francine opened the door.

"I won't be coming back with you. I'm meeting my husband from here, but tomorrow, I'll come to lunch with you." She said and bending down picked up a bottle from inside the car and handed it to Andressa. "It's a gift for you. In this bottle there is already orange juice and gin. You'll need it. Take plenty and everything will be easier."

"Why are you laughing? At my fate?"

"How could I laugh at something I have no idea about? Your fate is something that is really hard to predict. But I can't help but find your attempts to make yourself less attractive funny. It might stir something in Andrey, without him realizing it, that no woman, ever has. And I would find it amusing to see Andrey lost, not knowing what to do. It would be a novelty."

"Do you think what I'm doing might have the opposite effect of what I want?"

"I don't know. I don't think Andrey has ever run into resistance before, either he becomes obsessed with making you feel for him what other women feel, or he starts to ignore you as you so desire."

"I don't want him to pay attention to me. I've thought about doing disgusting things to make him not want me, but those things are so disgusting it makes me sick to my stomach to think about them."

Francine's smile widened.

"Have you seen the movie, The White Girls?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I intend to do, but with her the effect was the opposite of what she expected. He surprised her."

Arnald arrived and interrupted their conversation.

"Come in Andressa! It's already getting dark and Francine's husband's car is already waiting for you."

Andressa hugged Francine, to Arnald's and Francine's own surprise, and got into the car which then left. Francine saw her husband's car pull up closer to her and the smile she carried before had disappeared from her face. Andressa treated her as if they were friends and she thought that both of them would hate each other because of Andrey. But the girl was naive. And she ended up captivating Francine too. So much so that when she went out to buy the bottle for Andressa, she called Andrey and was willing to pay the debt so that Andressa would have her freedom back, but Andrey didn't accept and hung up while she was still trying to argue, not wanting to hear arguments. She even tried to warn him that the girl was pure, but he wouldn't let her speak. Francine now felt remorse, for she knew that she could have helped Andressa run away and hide. Francine got into the car and it started. Maybe Andressa's antics would work and he would lose interest. This was what Francine wished, for Andressa's sake.

Andressa arrived at the mansion and went straight to her room. She knew that she should get ready before dinner, because Andrey would probably want to go upstairs with her. She saw a rectangular package on the bed with gift paper and a small note. She went over and picked up the note. She had no interest in the wrapping. The note said, "So I always know where you are." She frowned. Andrey was strange. She looked at the wrapping and already knew what it was. She felt so angry that he was telling her that he would control her every move, that she wanted to pick it up and throw it at the wall until it broke. Instead, she left it as it was and went to change.

When she went downstairs for dinner she didn't recognize any of the boys sitting at the table, the only familiar face was Carla's. Her eyes met Andrey's and she turned red. He was wearing a light blue silk social shirt, which suited him very well and made him stand out from the others, and he stared at her with a small smile when he brazenly looked at her in order to observe her whole body and not seeming annoyed by his worn out clothes that were always the same; T-shirt and shorts. He reserved her seat next to him and only then did she see her mother sitting in Francine's seat, talking animatedly as if he were listening to something. She walked over and sat down, and at the same moment the cooks brought the food. Everyone served themselves. Andressa wasn't hungry, but the sight of the tasty dishes was too tempting, and she couldn't resist serving a little of each. And while she ate she didn't raise her eyes, feeling that Andrey was watching her intently, she ate as if she had not seen food for a long time. She smiled to herself, imagining that he must be comparing her to an animal as she ate without decorum, on purpose. And even though she wasn't hungry at all, she made a point of stuffing her mouth and trying to talk to anyone, as the food slipped out of her mouth along with the words. She was having fun and didn't even feel like herself. No one scolded her, not even Mrs. Gloria who stared at her in horror.

When dinner was over, everyone left, until only Andrey and Andressa remained. The one who lingered the longest was Mrs. Gloria, who was still trying to convince Andrey to include her in everything that was given to her daughter, but he wouldn't even listen to her anymore, and Andressa suspected that he didn't even hear her while they were eating dinner. He was distracted, with his thoughts far away and his eyes fixed on Andressa, who strangely enough was too calm for him to appeal to him with conviction to give her the chance to pay in another way. Mrs. Gloria finally understood that he would not talk to her anymore and even fearing a more aggressive attitude, withdrew leaving them alone.

"Did you enjoy the ride?" Andrey asked in an indifferent tone. He didn't know what to talk about with that girl, he was only interested in one thing about her, but he thought he should at least try to strike up a friendship with her. After all, she wasn't to blame for anything. Francine had never been so quickly captivated by someone as to want to take her debt upon herself. Her phone call irritated him. They were acting as if he was going to hurt the girl, and he just wanted a little of what probably many have had. There must have been something besides her beauty that he hadn't seen yet. They were all acting like the age difference between them was something glaring, but he turned twenty in less than two weeks.

"No." She said simply and he suspended his thoughts to stare at her in surprise. She was bold and ungrateful.

"Did something upset you?"

"I didn't like the waxing, I should try it on you. In the future, I will only use depilatory creams."

Andrey smiled beginning to amuse himself. She talked about something women avoid talking about with men, in the most natural way there was. He leaned back in his chair.

"Did they mistreat you?"

"In a way yes..." She said and stared at him not liking the amusement she saw shining in his eyes. "You should go there at least once to see what it's like."

Andrey couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Do you want me to go through the same thing you went through?" He asked trying to get serious.

"Why not? I feel that you believe you have done a good deed, nothing more fair than for you to experience it."

"I did the laser. I couldn't make time to schedule that one for you because it takes a few sessions. But you can do it if you want to in the future. What about the shopping? I know you didn't have time to buy much, but.... The most important and urgent, you must have had time."

"You are so arrogant, disgusting and selfish that I get goose bumps." Andressa said without anger, as if complimenting him, and took a napkin and wiped her mouth.

"Why do you think that? After all I've done for you, your brother and your mother?"

The mood suddenly began to tense.

"Everything you do is for yourself. You helped my brother, my mother, and me for nothing? These things I did today, I did them for you. You're the one who gains from all this. What you do for charity should not be charged for."

Andrey closed his countenance and stood up.

"You'd better go to your room. I'll be there soon." He said and retreated toward his office.

Andressa hurriedly got up and went upstairs. She knew she was provoking a dangerous man, but she didn't mind dying. And someone had to tell him the truth sometimes for that arrogance of his to have an end. She went inside the room and into the bathroom, where she brushed her teeth and ran back to her room. She took the bottle Francine had given her and opened it. She remembered that she had no glasses and needed two very quickly. She called the kitchen and asked Carla to hurry and bring her two glasses. Carla took them immediately and left in a hurry. She didn't even want to know what the girl was up to. Andressa took her mother's medicines, all of them, without worrying that Andrey would overdose, because she had seen her mother take too many of them and nothing happened to her, other than she fell into a deep sleep. She crushed them with the handle of her toothbrush and poured the two glasses. Andrey didn't take long to come up. He entered the room and she went to him, already a little drunk, for while she waited for him, she had taken three glasses of the drink, and handed him her glass. She raised the glass in a mute invitation to toast, and he accepted, taking, in one gulp, the entire contents of the cup that Andressa ran to fill again.

"I don't want you to get drunk to be with me." He said annoyed.

"Otherwise, it would be impossible for me..." Andressa said laughing.

"Do you really think I'm that disgusting? Are you disgusted with me?"

"I'm disgusted by what you're thinking of doing to me. I don't stop to think about you. You're too insignificant to be able to penetrate my mind or be part of any feeling."

He raised his head in irritation and stared at her seriously.

"You don't know what I think about doing with you, but.... I promise you Andressa, that one day I will return those words to you, but when I am in your feelings." He said and his eyes turned to the bed. He saw the intact package and turned his attention to Andressa. "You didn't even open it to see if the model appealed to you?"

"No. It was probably one of your criminals who picked it out. Send it as a gift to the wife of the person responsible for the purchase. I don't want anything from you. And besides if you were worried about what I like, you would have asked me which one I wanted..."

Andrey, in stride overcame the distance between them and took her by the chin and their faces were inches from each other.

"I even chose the color. They just went to get it. You will wear it Andressa! Wherever you go, you will take it with you." His anger was so great that Andressa could see the vein bulging in his neck. "You don't ask what pleases a person you wish to surprise."

She looked at him defiantly, feeling pain from the tightness in her chin that forced her to face him, but too proud to ask him to let go.

"I won't use it. And you can't make me."

He looked at her for a while longer, his eyes cold as steel, and released her. He went to the bed, picked up the wrapping and placed it on top of the dresser, then turned to her, cold as the glaciers of the south pole.

"You will wear Andressa, or I will kill you one by one, everyone you love." He said and began to undress.

"I don't love anyone. Not even myself... Have you forgotten that there is no one left for me to love?"

"Oh, I know of a godmother for whom you have affection. I also know of your true history and cousins you don't even know exist." He lied. "I can introduce that family to you and then kill them all. Not even Arnald and his wife will I leave alive if you stand up to me and don't use him. I know everyone who is related to you. Even the name of each of your students."

Andressa stared at him in awe. She knew he wasn't kidding and would do exactly what he said. He finished taking off his clothes and Andressa was embarrassed when she realized that he took everything off. His body was tall and muscular. He must have been going to the gym, because his diet was not what the nutritionists would approve of. Andressa stood with her back to him.

"Now it's your turn." He said in a dulled voice and Andressa knew the medicine would knock him out in less than three minutes now.

"Please lie down and turn off the light, and I will join you soon." She said and stayed on her back until the light went out and she heard the sound of him falling heavily onto the bed and smiled breathing a relieved breath.

Andressa walked over to him and threw a sheet over him. Then she put on her old pajamas and lay down beside him. His perfume flooded her soul. She took advantage of the fact that he was passed out and ran her hand through his well-manicured beard. She wanted to be lucky enough to win a handsome man who smelled like that. But not a mafia boss. He didn't even need to be successful. He just needed to match her feelings.

And she fell asleep with her hand on his face. She didn't stop to think about the consequences of what she had just done. She didn't stop to think that she might get the death penalty for drugging the boss. She didn't care about any of those things. She knew that she was nothing in a world with a vastness of important people and that she would be missed. She knew that deep down it didn't matter to anyone what her fate was. And being aware of it didn't disturb her, it freed her. She was resigned to her fate of dying young.

Andressa woke up and opened her eyes slowly. She was startled when she found two greenish eyes staring at her curiously. She removed her hand that was still on his face, sat up in bed, and he held her by the arm so she wouldn't get up and run away. She didn't know what to think, or how to act. It was the first time she had ever slept with a man. Her face flushed violently.

"Andressa... Did you drug me?" he asked in amazement, there was no anger in his voice.

Andressa turned to him and stared into his eyes that were still surprised.

"Yes." Andressa answered defiantly, but at the same time, curious and surprised. He didn't look angry and his eyes were innocent, in the way that he, as a man was not. She caught herself wondering if he really liked that life he was leading.

"And why did you do that?" He asked getting up and preventing with that gesture, Andressa from seeing his face. But his question was in a reassuring tone.

"You don't seem indignant at my attitude, nor even very surprised..." He then, already standing, stared at her and started to approach, opening a smile, when he realized that she was moving away at the same time.

"Outraged no, but surprised yes. I thought it was poison... I even wondered when you offered me the drink, what you would do next, because my men would kill you as soon as they came to that conclusion, and would not let your death be quick..."

"You knew there was something in the drink? Then why did you accept it? Did you wish to die?"

He smiled and Andressa couldn't help but feel admiration. Andrey, without a doubt was the most beautiful man she had ever come into contact with.

"I'm not an idiot, Andressa. Or I never would have made it this far. Of course I saw in your eyes that you put something in my drink. I also saw the happiness when I accepted and the relief when I drank. My curiosity was great, to know what I had done, and I am not afraid of death, I can't be. But I was wondering about your motive for doing anything against me, since up to this point I have been quite generous with you. Can you enlighten me?" He asked, crossing his arms, stopping less than a foot away from her.

"I... I'm not ready to be your mistress. I'm still too young."

Andrey opened his mouth, and the surprise in his eyes was clear. He was silent for a while. And when he spoke again there was a hidden anger behind his words.

"What do you think? Are you used to those boys and kids with no experience who just do and then get dressed and leave?" He said with contempt. "You'll like it much better with me. And I guarantee you that you will never want to make me sleep again to stop the act. You may have only taken brute teenagers, but I am a man Andressa! And I can guarantee you that it will be just as good for me, as it will be for you."

"Will you insist on lying with me still, after what I did to you?"

"Much more so now." He said and advanced towards her, stopping her from running away, pinning her against the wall that was not far away and kissed her savagely. At first Andressa tried to reject it, but then the kiss became softer and they both started to enjoy that moment. Andressa even dared to hold him by the head, to keep him from stopping. He felt her resistance breaking down and began to run his hands over her body, delighted when he felt her moan as she embraced him. He went further in his caresses and slowly squeezed her hard breasts, and then lowered his hand. Underneath her shorts he found the one he so desired, totally smooth, and felt like putting his mouth on it. Without any protest from Andressa, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed, where he laid her down carefully. He undressed first and then did the same to her.