When I landed in Sydney, Australia sixteen hours later I instantly felt at home. I had managed to get a decent amount of sleep on the flight and walked out of the terminal refreshed and ready to hit the ground running. I didn’t usually take on new clients but Lou insisted that I take this client on. I never usually relied on another persons judgment when it came to this kind of work but she had never lead me down the wrong path before. Whenever a booking was made I was given a full brief on the client, what they wanted me to do and we charged accordingly. I worked for an agency that was based out of Paris for legal reasons and when a new client contacted them my pseudonym was never given out unless they were specifically referred. Each person was vetted to ensure they 1. Weren’t a cop and 2. Had enough money to actually pay up.
The agency always took a cash advance hold for The Luxe Ladies because we were classed as the creme de la creme out of all the girls on their books. We were the ones that always made the most amount of money, caused the least amount of drama and were successful outside of the life. The going rate for the cash advance hold was no less than $500,000 but there was never a paper trail that lead back to any of us girls. Depending on how well known we were, what the client wanted and where they were based would determine how much they would be charged. For some reason I would always be booked for the “Girlfriend Experience” and this was of course the most expensive option and that wasn’t including expenses.
The “Girlfriend Experience” was just as it sounds, a full service experience from attending dinner, schmoozing with clients through to bedroom antics. Most of the time the men I was booked for would request a full day and night so they were able to prep me before about what they wanted and also made sure that I was taken care of to make the best impression for whatever was happening.
* * * *
After I left my home I had to begin fighting to survive. I had two options, I could return to that house and end up like my mother or I could move out and make something of myself, I chose the latter. I knew if I stayed in that house that I would end up dying inside and that was not an option. For the first few months I lived with friends and got a part-time job as a receptionist for a law firm while I studied and finished my schooling. I made myself a promise that I would finish high-school and nothing was going to stand in my way. I began dating a nice young man named Charlie who was nineteen and we moved in together within a month. When I turned nine-teen I began going to clubs with my friends and partying the night away. I had saved up a small fortune and decided that I could either go to college or save to buy a house. Charlie was incredible to me, he always made sure that I had anything I wanted, but I never wanted for anything...except for the nightmares of my past to stop. Each night I would wake up with tears streaming down my face and a cold sweat that soaked my body. Charlie would hold me until I fell asleep again crying. In the beginning he never asked me what was causing them but one night when he woke me I lashed out at him and broke his nose in my sleep screaming at him to leave me alone, it was then that he started becoming extremely concerned about my welfare. After that night I found myself partying more often and spending as little time as possible with Charlie. I was afraid of his questions, of what he would want me to do and where we would end up. As much as I wanted to put distance between us I still was too afraid of losing him and the fact that I had let him in that much scared me more than I cared to admit. Within a year Charlie couldn’t take it anymore and I was well on my way to outgrowing him. The night he left me a group of girls and I went out clubbing to get my mind off him. We had argued that day about the never ending nightmares and in the end I told him if he couldn’t handle my not wanting to talk about it, then he should leave. So he did just that.
The girls and I decided to try a new bar that had opened up in Sydney called “Copyright”, it was the hottest place to hang out and was highly exclusive. We had spent over an hour getting ready. By the time we had finished picking out our outfits, put the finishing touches on our hair and makeup we were out the door and ready to dance the night away. When we arrived the line was well and truly around the block and in our heels we really couldn’t be bothered standing and hoping to be able to get in. Just as we decided to try another bar a group of girls sauntered past us in tiny little dresses, the highest heels but looked immaculate. No matter how short their dresses may have looked to others they managed to pull it off and look classy at the same time. The group of tanned girls walked straight up to the security guard and were immediately let in. We watched in awe as the leggy blonde kissed the security guard on the right cheek, placing her perfectly manicured hand on his left shoulder before whispering something in his ear and then joining her friends as they walked through the glass doors and out of sight.
Our own token blonde Tash turned to us and winked before walking shamelessly up towards the same security guard and tried to gain us all access. She failed miserably and returned with her head hanging. When she finally reached us I turned to her and tried to cheer her up.
“Fuck it Tash, seriously it’s probably shit anyway” we all knew it wasn’t but I just wanted to see a smile return to her face.
“Yeah let’s just go to The Boom Box and get drunk” she said half cheerfully. In unison we agreed and began making our way towards the cab rank. As we walked past the security guard I dropped my clutch and the entire contents of it spilled out onto the sidewalk, so I bent down to begin picking it up when I realized that my friends had already lined up for a cab.
“Do you need a hand?” said the security guard as he handed me my clear lipgloss that had landed at his feet.
“Thank you. I can’t believe that just happened” I responded, utterly embarrassed.
“It happens all the time” he responded with a smile in his voice as I picked up the final stray coin on the ground.
“Well thank you. Have a good night” I said flashing him a simple smile and turned to join my friends.
“Hey wait!” he yelled out after me so loudly that the people around me turned to see what was happening. I turned around again and saw him standing there with a confused look on his face.
“Yes?” I responded just as confused.
“Aren’t you coming in?”
“Oh, I was but my friends have just lined up for a cab. We’re heading to The Boom Box” I turned to point at the girls who were now calling out to me to hurry up.
“My boss would KILL me if I didn’t get you to come in. You’re exactly the type of person we are aiming to get inside. Please come back and I’ll make sure you and your friends get the V.I.P treatment.” he pleaded.
“Umm, I’ll have to check with my friends. Can you give me a minute?” I responded now utterly confused and excited at the same time.
“Sure. Take all the time you need.” he responded, watching me as I briskly walked over to tell the girls.
When I finally reached them and told them the story they screamed so loudly that everyone around us was looking and then dragged me back to the security guard before I had the chance to ask if they wanted to go in.
We walked straight up to security and the gold rope was lifted without protest and the girls walked straight up to the glass doors.
“Thank you. ” I said quietly to the man, unsure of what it was about me that made him beg for me to enter the bar.
“You’re very welcome. My name is Nicolai or Nick for short and I am the manager at “Copyright”. What’s your name?” he asked.
“Antonia. Antonia Reid” I responded. As soon as my name left my mouth he motioned for another security guard to come over.
“Lucas please take Miss. Reid’s friends inside and make sure that they have everything they need, I will bring Miss. Reid in myself. I want a booth is cleared for them on the roof top and their bar tab will be paid for. I will let Mr. Richardson know that he has a V.I.P guest in the club section.”
“Yes sir.” Lucas responded.
I stood there lost for words as the girls shrieked behind me, overhearing what Nick had just said before being ushered inside.
“You really didn’t need to do that” I said politely.
“Ah but you see, The owner, Mr. Richardson wouldn’t have it any other way” he said, gesturing for me to follow my friends past the glass doors.
“Before we go in, may I ask why you let us in?” I inquired.
“Like I said, you’re the exact type of person that we are looking to attract to this establishment and it was obvious that your friends were a part of that package so it all goes hand in hand” he responded staring blankly at me.
“What about me is that type of person exactly?” I asked cautiously. He paused for a moment before cocking his head slightly to the right, almost as though he thought I was blind to whatever he saw.
“Sophisticated and Classy” Was all he said before he placed his hand on the small of my back and began walking me towards the doors. It was then that I knew the conversation had come to an end, so I followed his lead past the glass doors and into the private elevator to the right that took us straight to the top floor.
* * * *
As much as I couldn’t understand why these type of men chose to book a call girl, I felt like I couldn’t really judge them. Most of them were hard working individuals who needed no drama in their lives. A person in my line of work was perfect for them because there was no emotional attachment and it was treated as a clear business transaction...most of the time. I can’t say that I didn’t have offers from these men offering to look after me, set me up in an apartment and take care of anything that I ever needed but to me that was an instant turn off, I was never going to be indebted to anyone. I had to make sure that I never relied on anyone other than myself, because I knew I could never trust any man.
As I walked into the arrivals hall at Sydney International Airport I saw Nick standing there waiting for me with my luggage. I had almost forgotten that he had been on the flight a few hours before mine but was glad to see him nonetheless.
“Miss. Reid, I trust you’ve had a good flight” he said with a smile in his voice.
“I did. A little turbulence but nothing a little sleep didn’t help” I responded as we began walking.
When we reached the valet parking Nick already had the darkly tinted town car waiting for me and opened the door before I even had the chance to do it myself, which was a godsend as two paparazzi emerged and began snapping pictures of me exiting the airport. I climbed into the back before he shut the door and turned on my phone to catch up on emails and messages, ignoring the two men sending blinding white light flashes through the windows. Once he packed the luggage into the boot he climbed into the drivers seat and we left the airport and the paparazzi behind.
“Miss. Reid, would you like to go anywhere before the hotel?, I have already called ahead and checked you in so if you want to do anything you have more than enough time.”
“Thank you Nick. I’m ok. I think I’d just like to freshen up before tonight” I responded politely before the silence resumed.
The best thing about working with Nick was that we never really needed to speak. We had been working together for five years and as quiet as he was in person he was just as discreet when it came to all areas of my business’s. As we made our way towards the city I pulled out the client brief from my Michael Kors handbag and sat silently in the back seat of the town car studying everything that I would need for the night ahead. It was only then that I realized what I was getting myself in for and that I already knew the new client. . .very well!
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