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xp_logsAdrienne makes discoveries
As per usual, the Hellfire Club threw a memorable party. The food and the alcohol were the best to be had and the company consisted of some of the most influential businesspeople in high society. Adrienne also considered the night memorable because she'd found out some intriguing things about Sebastian Shaw's operations. First, that his personal aide was remarkably easy to manipulate. A five minute conversation, a sudden remembrance of having to check something at 'home', a request to use the man's phone, and instant knowledge for the psychometrist. Secondly, he and his aide had visited some very interesting places recently. One in particular that raised alarm bells in Adrienne's head.
After reading the lackey's phone Adrienne dialed Manuel's number and had a pretend conversation with an imaginary lover (which she hoped Manuel would enjoy listening to later), then made her exit and slipped away from the party to have a quick look around some of the upstairs offices. She was just reading the first closed door she came upon to see whose office it led to and who they interacted with when a staff member had intercepted her. A lame excuse about looking for the washroom had been made and she'd found herself back in the main room with the crush of socialites.
She was contemplating how best to get back to the offices to do some more snooping around when Adrienne saw a figure that made her mind go blank. Franklin Burke. The man whose modeling agency Adrienne had negatively affected when she'd started 64 Square and had begun to win his clients and his contracts away from him. The man who had convinced the NYPD to reopen its investigation against her an entire year ago. The man who had deliberately waited until she'd gone into teaching, handed over the day-to-day business of her company to her staff, and had relocated permanently to London before starting to make noises to the police about her suspicious contacts and her shady dealings and how all of her actions- and her success- of the past several years had all stemmed from having her husband killed. It had been his accusals that had led to the reopening of the investigation and her move to New York. He had been silent publicly since she'd returned to the country, and Adrienne had not encountered him in person. Recently, however, he had been making noise again, this time about her involvement in tax fraud.
And now he was here. He wasn't a member, she knew that for certain. So he was here as someone's escort, as she was herself. He was at a function for the club she wished to join. It left a foul taste in her mouth, so she ordered a drink and sailed over to him, all composure and smiles on the outside. "Franklin!" she simpered, glowing with apparent excitement at seeing him.
"Ah. My dear Adrienne," the tall, bearded man crooned at her as she swept across the room. In a gentlemanly fashion, he took up her hand and placed a kiss to the back of her palm. "One never knows where they may stumble across your beauty, do they?" His Armani suit fit perfectly and not a hair on his slightly graying head was out of place while he smiled at his business rival. "Such a pleasant surprise. And how are you these days, my dear?" Gallant he might have seemed but smarmy was more apt description of the distinguished looking man who knew how to use the power and influence he'd collected over the years to his benefit.
Adrienne forced down a shudder at the faux gallantry. It was the same thing that had attracted her to Steven all those years ago- a chivalric mask that couldn't quite hide the darker subtext of passion underneath the charm. Praising women for their beauty, all the fancy words he spouted just reeked of subtext. She'd been drawn to it at the time, seeing only the fact that underneath the apparent worship of the feminine form was a passionate, powerful man. She'd been blind to the fact that the passion was actually a temper which could translate easily into verbal, emotional, even physical abuse of those he felt unworthy of his power and influence. Adrienne had read some of Frank Burke's things in their early encounters together, seen some things that she wished she could bring to light without incriminating herself. He was a man she knew to be dangerous, and it unnerved her slightly.
But she wouldn't let that show. She smiled back at him, sipping at her drink. "I'm doing magnificently these days, darling," she cooed. "Fashion Week was a great triumph for me. The designs under my label made a proud showing, but of course my first passion will always be the modelling end of the business, so you can only imagine how proud I was at the buzz my girls made on the runways. The contracts that will come of it should allow me to expand to more offices and possibly even a second shop for the design label. And speaking of surprise," she added, changing track, "I must say it is a surprise seeing you here." How the fuck did you get a member to bring you along? she thought, but bit her tongue. "I hope I'll be introduced to your escort this evening?"
"Ah, yes. Fashion Week. I thought I saw you flittering about like a mother hen. I do hope you forgive me for not saying hello; my own girls demanded all of my attention as usual," he said, nursing his whiskey. "And with preparations being the way they were this year, please also accept my apologies for not extending my sympathies to a grieving widow in her time of trials. How many years has it been? Seven?" Frank asked with mock astonishment and even went so far as to click his tongue in reproach. "My how time flies."
"Eight," Adrienne corrected, smile never faltering. "And yes, I'm sure you demanded attention from all your girls," she simpered, a touch of steel entering the edge of her voice.
"Tut tut, Miss Frost," the tall man admonished, wagging a finger at her. "Jealousy does not become you and encourages wrinkles. My women are the ones who keep me busy, not the other way around. I am but a slave to their every wish and would deny no woman of beauty the pleasures she desires."
She opened her mouth to spit out something along the lines of 'if you think I'm jealous of the things I've seen you do to your girls then you are one sick fuck, buster' but Adrienne managed to restrain herself. Speaking unrestrained, as she tended to do in the gym or on the smoker's porch at the mansion, was not something Adrienne was accustomed to doing in public, and she did not intend to start now. "Your 'women'?" she inquired, keeping her voice low for propriety's sake, though not low enough to indicate that she cared about keeping what she was saying a secret, "don't you mean 'girls'?" It was a subtle difference, but one she hoped he would understand the implications of. "And some of us, while not actually displaying any wrinkles, recognize that being of an age where wrinkles are likely to appear means we should not be pursuing our girls in the first place. It's a little tacky, darling." Not that she had ever pursued any of her models. Sure, she had pursued them when she'd been one, but by the time she started her own agency Adrienne was engaged to Steven, and she had remained faithful to him. After his death she had no interests in pursuing anyone. When she did advance her public image of being a woman who enjoyed flirting with men, it was always business associates she turned her attentions to, not her models. 64 Square was known in the fashion world as being largely free of the stain of management taking advantage of the models, and models sleeping their way up the corporate chain. This was due to the fact that Adrienne had tried the latter while she was a model, and did not want any of her employees to be allowed to try it at her own company. Self-preservation, as always. And with her psychometric powers and loyal managers in the branch offices she had the ability to keep fairly good tabs on such things. Burke's agency, however, while not public about it, was known in the modeling world as being a place where such avenues for advancement were tolerated, possibly even encouraged, if Burke was an example for his staff.
The charming smile flickered for an instant as a coldness seeped in like the bite of a winter wind before melting as quickly as it had come. "I do not pursue, my dear Adrienne. I am pursued as you are well aware." Frank's eyes slid over the brunette's frame, taking each inch and curve. "Wrinkles perhaps not but a few pounds it would seem."
Well, wasn't this a fun game? Adrienne smiled more genuinely now that she'd seen his smile waver. "I assure you, it's all muscle, darling," she cooed in a low voice, going so far as to extend the arm that held her champagne glass out to him so he could admire her bicep from a different angle. The sleeveless heart-shaped crimson gown showed off her porcelain skin to her complete approval. "I've been working out. Taking boxing lessons, in addition to my work on the shooting range. I've had so much more free time now that the pesky murder investigation you convinced the authorities to open against me has been all wrapped up." She finished the rest of her champagne and took another glass from a passing waitress. "And yes, darling, I know all about how they pursue you. And how you buy them pretty things and offer them international contracts and exactly what they want if only they do pursue you."
"How charming. I didn't realize you needed to add four or five inches to your waist to handle a gun. Or that someone who arranged her husband's murder would be allowed to. The things I learn from you." Frank sipped from his tumbler before gesturing to her with a long wave of his hand. "Merely perks. I treat my girls well; a little shiny bauble here and there never hurt anyone. Of course, around tax time incentives could get troublesome when not reported correctly, don't you agree, Miss Frost?"
"Wholeheartedly, Mister Burke," she responded without missing a beat. "This is why I insist on using the most reputable accountants in Boston." Her books were impeccable, and had been since Steven's death. Luckily she had no tax records dating back to the time of his death anymore, anyway, since the seven years she was required by law to keep them had expired. Burke had no basis for starting these rumors, and he knew it. You just enjoy trying to fuck me over sideways, don't you? she thought to herself, since you couldn't get me into bed when I was a model with your agency. "And of course, I must have forgotten to tell you- my husband's murderer was finally apprehended, thank God, and so the baseless rumours that were mysteriously started about how I arranged for Steven's death have now been put to rest." She took a sip of her champagne, washing the foul taste Burke always brought to her mouth down with the crisp liquid. "Of course you treat them well, darling. Several girls you treated work for me now, and they've told me all about how you treated them." It was a little bit of a bluff- she had never spoken to the girls personally, but had read some of their things (jewelry was particularly useful, as were mobile phones) and knew what Burke got up to, and if she chose to make an issue out of it, the way he so loved spreading rumors about her, she could speak to them easily enough.
He snorted - half scoffing, half amused by the brunette woman. "You don't honestly have it stuck in that pretty head of yours that anyone believes your version of events, do you Adrienne? Ah well, I suppose even the pretty ones are allowed to have their delusions." Frank clicked his tongue again while withdrawing a cigar from the inside pocket of his jacket. "As such, not one of those girls you seduced into jumping ship have anything complain about save they've now negotiated less lucrative contracts with an inferior company. My hands are as clean as you claim your books are."
"The only delusions entertained here tonight, darling," the psychometrist simpered, refusing to let Burke ruffle her, "are yours that I'm guilty of anything. And that you can smoke in here," she added as an afterthought, smiling sweetly. "You'll have to go out onto the terrace or the smoking room to light up. It's alright, I was a little bit unsure of the rules my first time here, too." She pulled her cigarette case and silver Zippo out of her handbag, indicating that she wasn't finished with their conversation and was prepared to follow him wherever he decided to go. "I'm afraid your hands aren't as clean as you claim, Burke, unlike my books," she said definitively, in a sort of 'I know something you don't know' tone.
Frank gave her a small nod before making a sweeping gesture of the 'after you' variety. "And how would you know where my hands have been, my dear? I don't know whether to be appalled or flattered that you're attempting to keep tabs on me."
Adrienne wasn't too keen on exposing her back to Burke- lovely though she knew it was- but she led the way into the smoking room and glided over to a corner table with two chairs as if she owned this place. "Of course I've been keeping tabs on you, Burke," she laughed, as innocently as if they were discussing the weather, "just as you have on me. You see, it's been so long since we've seen each other and spoken to each other, and we're such old acquaintances it would be a shame if we lost touch. Unless we both agreed to quit keeping tabs on each other, of course," she amended, lighting a cigarette with her Zippo and even going so far as to hold the flame out to Burke so he could light his cigar. Right now she would like nothing better than to have Franklin Burke out of her life, for the time being, at least, and was beginning to believe she had a way to accomplish this, but she was actually enjoying toying with the man and wasn't ready to show her cards as of yet.
He accepted the light and took the seat next to her with a curious frown. "Why ever would I want to stop keeping tabs on you my dear? You lead such an... interesting life. My own would become so dull without the entertainment and excitement you provide me. Why, I might die of boredom. To have such a light in my life extinguished, I'd never dream of it." Cold blue eyes raked over her frame again before focusing on her own striking gaze. "Why sever ties when it would be so much more fun to strengthen them? Hmm?"
Adrienne nearly choked on her inhalation of cigarette smoke, but managed to hold on with only an indignant snort. "Strengthen ties between us?" Was he really that desperate? She had been hurting his business a lot since she'd started her own, but Adrienne hadn't thought Frank Burke would ever be desperate enough to want to join forces with her. "However would you propose to do that, Frank darling?"
"A grieving widow of eight years surely must be in need of some... relief by now," he replied on a slow exhale of smoke. "Surely even a frigid monarch needs to thaw every now and then my dear Miss Frost. I've been watching you all evening and the man you arrived with seems hardly your type while my companion..." His voice trailed off as his smirk became more wolfish. "Let's just say she could easily be persuaded to serve two masters this evening."
In an attempt to keep her eyes from bugging out of her head, Adrienne sipped at her champagne. It was the sort of offer she might have indulged in years ago, when she'd worked for Burke, though he had never made her the offer of a threesome back then. She joked about such things now, but to have the proposition actually laid out in front of her, seriously, was quite something else. "I see you've truly entered into the spirit of the Hellfire Club," she replied in a low tone, leaning over the table in an apparent conspiratorial whisper. "I'd love to take you up on your offer, darling, but I don't believe the man I'm with would approve. Not the man I'm here with- although he and I are quite... familiar, as well, but the other. Brazilian. Doing his best to resist my efforts to hire him for the new Jockey ad I've landed." She hoped Morgan wouldn't mind her borrowing Daniel. They had gone out together, after all.
"If he is not the one escorting you this evening, how would he know?" Frank Burke was not a man who took rejection lightly. His fingers brushed over the back of her wrist and began to fiddle with the bracelet she wore as he likewise leaned into her. "We both know my offer would be more lucrative for you than a Jockey model."
"Alas, here lies the fundamental difference between us, Franklin," Adrienne said with a theatrical sigh. "I would know, and I will not betray his trust, as I never betrayed my husband's." His fingers on her hand made her want to draw back, but she fought down her fear. "His involvement in my sexual... indulgences is quite another matter, so if he were here tonight I might contemplate what you are insinuating, but he's not. Besides, what sort of lucrative offer could you give me? I don't believe you have any business I'm interested in at the moment, darling."
"Ah, but I believe I do," Frank corrected. "What was it you said about us being such old acquaintances who shouldn't lose touch unless it was mutually agreed upon that things like pesky talk of tax evasion, fixed books, under aged girls and I don't know, murder, drifted off into nothingness. Plus, I'm certain I could afford to buy you much better jewelry than your little plaything could."
The brunette thought she was beginning to understand. "You're offering to walk away from my life, and give me jewelry, if I sleep with you?" She said it in a light, amused, interested tone, as if she was actually considering it as a very good idea rather than being quite appalled.
"I am offering a strengthening of bonds between us and our companies by extension," the dark haired businessman said, spreading his hands with a flourish. "The sex and jewelry are merely incentives to make the deal more enjoyable for both parties involved. Or all three if you're interested in including my blonde companion."
"What if I don't want your blonde companion, but my Brazilian one instead?" Adrienne asked, as if this were a serious business negotiation.
"Then you can let him out of his crate when you arrive home tomorrow morning and have all the fun you desire. I assure you, however, my blonde would be much more pleasing in this scenario."
She laughed off the part about the crate, but raised an eyebrow as if her curiosity was piqued. "I'd like to meet her." Adrienne had been wondering since she'd seen Burke who he had accompanied to get here.
"You were always as fond of fair-haired creatures as I, Miss Frost," Frank chuckled darkly before puffing on his cigar. Leaning back in his seat, the tall man kept his fingers wandering along Adrienne's skin; stroking the soft underside of her arm with barely there whispered of touch. "What was that little Greek spitfire's name? They all start to blend together after so many years."
Adrienne was having a little fun envisioning all the self-defensive holds she could get Burke into right now if she decided she no longer liked his touch. Running through the moves in her head was definitely preferable to having nothing up there but fear when it came to a snake like Burke touching her. She made a mental note to send pretty things to Ororo, Jennie and maybe Scott since he had arranged for her classes with the two women. And something pointy for Morgan. "Lilith," she answered, smile still in place though it didn't reach her eyes. "Although it's funny, Burke, the last conversation I had with her, she told me you'd been sniffing around her, and she laughed it off because she was thoroughly entrenched in the female-on-female camp, and then I got word weeks later that she'd moved back to her native Greece to work for her father's family business because she couldn't get a modeling job anywhere."
"Ah yes. Little Lili. So difficult for women of her stature to make it in the modeling world," he lamented, clicking his tongue again. "Sometimes the breaks just don't happen the way the girls wish they would, yes? Well, not that you and I could truly sympathize with your former lover; we're both running our own agencies while she's probably off stomping on grapes somewhere. Such a pity. For her." Frank sighed dramatically then gave Adrienne another lecherous grin. "Losing the game - or refusing to play at all has its consequences."
It was lamentable, but Adrienne knew that what Frank was saying was true. Refusing to play the game or losing it had consequences. She couldn't change the rules of the games in the circles she had to run in to keep the company prosperous, and while she could change the rules within the administrative structure of her own company, this was easier said than done. In the end, people were people. They stepped on each other to get what they wanted, they compromised their own beliefs to get ahead. Those who didn't ended up losing in the end. Even if they didn't see it that way; if they had the money and the friends and the life they told themselves they wanted and sat on their moral high ground looking down at those who sacrificed their values when theirs were intact, they still lost in other ways. Lost other things, people. No one was truly happy, whether they stayed true to their ideals or not. "Is that what you tell your girls nowadays, Burke?" she asked, face a mask of calm, mild amusement, and coldness despite the emotion in her head.
"I don't need to tell them," Frank said, waving his cigar. "By time I take interest in a girl, most times they've had plenty of experence with the rules and consequences of the game." Among other things. "They've seen others rise and others fall and they know there is always another girl looking to take their place. Speaking of which, you don't know if Lilith ever broke down and bred do you? Pregnancy is murder on the figure but I could make a mint off a pup from her litter provided she's a solid three or four inches taller than her mother."
"Most times they've had plenty of experience..." Adrienne drew out the phrase suggestively even as she drew narcotics from her cigarette, amusement leaving her voice. 'Most times' really was a loaded phrase in this case. Those two words might be her trump card over him. "How very interesting a phrase to use, Burke. No, I'm afraid I've lost touch with Lilith." Adrienne didn't have friends, she didn't write Christmas letters to people, or receive any. She didn't keep in touch with people who weren't of use to achieving her goals.
"You know as well as I do that those fresh-faced girls from backwater towns bring a certain naivete to the field when they pack up and leave Mommy and Daddy's farm to find a new life in a big city. All moonbeams and starshine, fantasies and daydreams. Reality is a cold and painful mistress." Frank chuckled again between puffs of smoke. "Pity about Lilith. I wonder if it's worth tracking her down on whatever vineyard she'd been stuck on all these years."
She nearly made a comment about cold and painful, but let it go. Really, it would be a little dramatic. "You want to find her because you don't have enough girls to keep you busy in your stable here?" Adrienne laughed, all pleasantry. "Is business really that bad, Franklin? I suppose I could throw you a contract or two if you need the help, considering how far back we go."
An amused shake of his head and Frank patted the back of her hand. "Not at all, my dear. I have plenty of show ponies as it were and more that ever waiting to join the ranks in my stable." His smirk spread as icy eyes flashed. "I only would wish to offer any daughter of hers that she may have produced a chance to fulfill the dream her mother failed at, considering how far back she and I go, yes? Just an act of charity, though I suppose her pups would still be far too young. Leaves plenty of time for grooming however."
Adrienne finished her cigarette and stubbed it out in the provided ashtray. "Obviously my staff aren't doing their jobs properly if you've got a lineup of girls waiting to join your ranks, Franklin," she laughed, though she was only half-joking. "Although admittedly, I don't have your particular brand of... charity to offer them." She rose from the table smoothly. Her stomach was unsettled from the prolonged exposure to Burke and she decided to try and lay out her cards and take her leave.
He rose with her as manners dictated, grinning deviously as he did. "You've yet to give me your final answer in regards to my charity, dearest Adrienne," Frank pointed out to the brunette woman. His strong fingers wrapped around her wrist, holding her in place while he took a step closer. "The business deal with a few perks, hm?"
Without hesitating, Adrienne twisted her arm towards the thumb of the hand grabbing her wrist, putting quick pressure on Frank's thumb joint so that he reflexively let go. "I'm afraid I'll have to pass, Franklin. Besides not needing your charity, I've already explained to you why I won't accept your offer."
A soft growl of displeasure sounded in the back of the tall man's throat. "Some Brazilian, so you claim," Frank echoed, dropping his hand to his side after straightening the label of his jacket. "But suit yourself, Miss Frost. I'm sure your books will prove that lack of need should anyone happen to search them in the near future."
Argh. Why was the man insisting that her books were crooked? Adrienne could understand needling her about Steven's death- at least his rumors were true, in that case, but he had completely fabricated the rumor that her accounts were being padded, and Adrienne was entirely weary of it. "Listen, Burke," she stated quietly and seriously, stepping close to him and turning bright green eyes, now cold and flat, on his blue ones. "The rumors about my books? Are going to stop. You see, rumors are funny things. Do you know why? Because anyone can use them against anyone, because they can be true or false, and the ones that have their roots in truth will always go farther than the baseless ones." She continued before he had a chance to reply, her smile back in place. "I have a rumor about you, Burke. And the difference between mine and yours, is that mine is true. And if you do not put your ridiculous notion of crooked books out of your head, I will go public with it." Taking a step back, she paused to let him counter.
He stared down at her, cold and stoic save for the small twitch that plagued his right eye. "I have no idea of what rumors you speak of, Miss Frost. My books are clean. I have killed no spouse or lover; have never raised a hand to any of my employees, even. My girls are clean, no drug problems and any other issues that pop up are dealt with discreetly and with their full cooperation." Snuffing out his cigar, Frank pulled himself to his full height so he could tower over the model-turned-businesswoman before insisting, "There is nothing to go public with."
"I beg to differ," Adrienne protested, still smiling. Making Burke let her arm go and hearing his growl had put her in a pleasant mood. "You see, Franklin, my company recently hired a young woman who had decided to leave your establishment due to a dislike in the... games you play at your... stable." There were many who had come from Burke's company to 64 Square over the years, just as there were those who had started at 64 Square and gone to Burke's when they realized they couldn't sleep their way up to the ear of upper management types. "This young woman, it seems as if she was one of those rare exceptions of girls you take an interest in who don't have experience with the rules and consequences of the game. This one didn't have experience in much of anything before you took your interest in her, actually." She regarded Burke with a pleasant smile, remaining cool and detached though inside she was delighted at the thought of possibly keeping Burke away from her in future. "In fact, she wasn't even of a legal age while she worked for you." Adrienne paused to let this sink in. "Now, of course, no one would accuse you of forcing her into anything, darling, but she does happen to be one of those backwater farm girls, with very hardworking parents, and I hear they're quite protective. I'm sure they would be quite concerned to hear of your indiscretion with their daughter. Though the young woman wishes to remain discreet about her personal involvement, I would feel obligated to go public with your predilictions if I felt it necessary to keep something like this from happening again to another girl, since we both know this is not the first instance of this happening. I will, however, keep this out of the media if you keep me out of your shoddy rumor mill."
The man's demeanor shifted from frigid stoicness to a burning fury in the matter of seconds. "How dare you even suggest that," Frank spat. There was little control left in his voice, save enough to keep the volume just between them. "There is no girl and never was a girl who shared my bed that was underage."
Her stomach had clenched when the change in Burke had taken place, but Adrienne stood firm and felt satisfaction when she fought the rising fear down. Being able to get free of his grip had given her a lot of confidence in her ability to take care of herself. "Can you be truly certain of that, darling?" she asked, not differentiating between whether she was asking him if he was sure there was no girl or sure there was no underage girl he'd slept with.
Blue eyes narrowed at her and the tall man just barely kept himself from taking her by the wrist again. "You're playing with fire, Adrienne," Frank warned, balling both fists at his sides. "Keep going and you'll get burnt. I'm telling you there is no girl." The passion with which he was denying the charge said differently however.
"I disagree," Adrienne retorted, standing her ground but keeping very sure of what Burke's fists were doing. "There is a girl, now, as there have been others in the past, and if you continue to make baseless accusations about me or my business, or involve me in any way in anything that I find distasteful, I will go public with what you've been doing. And it will bury your public image, which will bury your company. Enough is enough, Franklin." She knew from the way he'd dropped his chivalraic demeanor that she had him worried, and considered herself the victor in this exchange. It was time to return to the party. "Enjoy the remainder of your evening," she grinned, stepping around him and turning back on a heel for a final address, "because I'm sure when the Hellfire Club finds out just exactly how much money you still have, and how tenuous your social connections, you won't be returning here. Goodnight, darling."
No move was made to collect her hand for a kiss. Instead, Franklin Burke drew in a deep breath and straightened to his full height once again with shoulders squared and gaze hot. "Goodnight, Miss Frost," he hissed through clenched teeth.
Adrienne smirked a little as she returned to the crush of people and plucked up another glass of champagne. There were girls that fit the story she'd told Burke; there always had been, and the fact that he was worried confirmed for her that they existed. She'd nearly been one of them, in fact, though Adrienne was fairly certain her parents wouldn't rush to her defence if she'd told them when she'd been seventeen about men like Burke. Not that she would have told them even if she had accepted what he'd offered. She hadn't actually spoken to any girl specifically, as she'd told Burke, but that small lie was of little matter to Adrienne as she could speak to them in future if Burke decided to try his hand again. If being the operative word. He couldn't be underestimated, but Adrienne could only hope that when he did try to undermine her business again, he would choose a different track. Although, her real hope was that by the time Burke did regroup, Adrienne would have acquired his company completely and he would be out on his ass. That thought made her smile, and she began to circulate again happily.
***
The party ends
When Manuel and the others emerged from the lower depths of the mansion, Adrienne was speaking again with the lawyer and Black Court hanger-on she'd been speaking to when she'd arrived. She wrapped up her business with the man, agreeing to meet him for lunch tomorrow, took down her flimsy mental shields, and projected a thought at Emma. #Can we talk somewhere private? I only need a moment.# She could have just projected at Emma what she had learned about Shaw, or of course Emma could just poke around in her mind to figure it out on her own, but Adrienne attempted to retain some illusion of her own power by asking to tell Emma in person.
#Certainly.# Emma's response was calm, even as she regarded her sister with cold disdain. #Fuss over Manuel. Not to draw attention; just give me an excuse.#
Excuse to do what? Adrienne wasn't sure but she didn't want to ask. She approached Manuel with a broad smile. "I believe congratulations are in order? I should tell you, darling, I've been terribly bored without you, and I'm glad you're back. I was going to go, but a lady always leaves a dance with the man who brought her," she told him philosophically, fussing as Emma had instructed.
Naturally, Manuel shifted his conversation over to an end, disengaging when Adrienne approached him and he studied her and the way she pulled him so suddenly from others. "By all means," he said, recovering from the abrupt attention luring ploy and offered his arm. Having passed up the champagne, he had no drink to set down and Manuel guided Adrienne towards the dance floor, curiosity in his eyes. He may have felt her amongst the many emotions, but it was her colours that quirked his interest. She was up to something, but what, he couldn't say. He could only play along, if only because he was fairly finished with the night.
Emma's move was swift and filled with feline grace, her hand catching Adrienne's arm even as the couple glided towards the dance floor. "You seek to impose on my Bishop again," said Emma, softly. "There is much you need to understand, little sister." Her rapid movements disengaged the arms of the couple. "Excuse me a moment, Manuel. I need to provide some sisterly advice." Without waiting for a response, she towed Adrienne towards a small and private antechamber to the main room, her grip on Adrienne's arm apparently vice-like.
When they had reached the deserted antechamber, Emma swept it with her mind and then shielded it cleanly from eavesdropping. "The devil drives me, Adrienne," she said, without apology or preamble. "As long as Black Court eyes can see us, it is safer that they assume that you are my enemy. What did you find out?"
Adrienne considered some impetuous answer in response to Emma’s abruptness and the way in which she’d yanked Adrienne away from the crowd, but she held her tongue. It had been an evening fraught with drama already, and she had no desire to add to it, especially considering the fact that Emma had stated they weren’t enemies, which the younger Frost appreciated. She had no desire to give Emma cause to reevaluate their non-enemy status. “It’s about Shaw,” she answered, rubbing her arm where Emma had grabbed her. It hadn’t hurt, but she hadn’t been handled in such a way since Steven, and had to force the memories down by envisioning her mental shields and meditation techniques before continuing. “I was doing some information gathering regarding Shaw while he was away participating in the investiture, and I took a reading on his personal assistant’s phone. I notice the man’s been telling people that Shaw’s been attending meetings at certain places while they’ve actually been traveling to other places. One of which is Wakanda. I don’t know what motive Shaw has to get his flunky to lie about where he’s been traveling, and I didn’t have time to confirm what he’s been up to over there, but Wakanda struck a sour note with me through my knowledge of the work Elpis has been doing. And I just wanted to let you know that.”
Emma frowned for a moment, then smoothed her face back into its usual imperious lines. "That confirms a theory, I think," she said, softly. "Shaw is . . ." She stopped and shook her head. "Inner Court business," she said dismissively. "Thank you, Adrienne," Emma's expression didn't change, but she let a sense of warm appreciation touch Adrienne's mind. "Now perhaps we should frown and pout our way back on to the dance floor. An icy disdain is generally expected." Emma could feel the tenor of the minds in the crowd, their belief in the sister's mutual enmity. It amused her to play to the crowd.
Her disappointment in response to Emma's mention of Inner Court business faded as Adrienne felt the appreciation, and she smiled at her sister. "Inner Court seems a little too... suicidal for my liking," she stated ruefully, "but I believe I may have a hereditary claim to join the club under our father's membership status in the Boston branch. And if the claim I'm having investigated is valid, I plan on accepting the membership. It seems to me that by appearing neutral," she explained, "I may be able to easily gain information that could be more difficult for a member of a Court to obtain." She wasn't going to spell out her exact motives to Emma, but Adrienne was fairly certain her sister could read between the lines to what she was really saying. That she wanted to be able to help Emma, Manuel, and Doug, but wasn't willing to expose herself to the dangers that would come with being a Court member. She also hoped that she could get closer to the Black Court and its hangers-on by playing on the fact that she had a reputation for hating the White Queen. She gave Emma another smile. "Unless you feel we should rough each other up a little first, I agree that we should head back."
"Nobody beats anyone but the servants at the Hellfire Club," said Emma. "And that's only if the servants ask nicely enough." She paused for a moment and added softly, "Your decision is wise. The rules the Inner Court plays by are not, I would suspect, to your liking. The Outer Court is safer. Particularly if outwardly you remain my enemy." She dropped the screening, her voice sharpening appreciably. "Do not presume that an accident of birth affords you protection from Court punishment, little sister." Emma strode away from Adrienne, towards where Doug and Manny were waiting.
Emma's comment about the Outer Court being safer and about 'outwardly' remaining her enemy had Adrienne stopping in her tracks to pause. Now really wasn't the time to reflect on sisterly affection, however, and she schooled her face into a stormy expression and hissed a quiet remark about being father's favourite and accidents at birth at Emma as she struggled to keep up to her older sister, the perfect picture of a younger sibling that wasn't going to be shared.
As per usual, the Hellfire Club threw a memorable party. The food and the alcohol were the best to be had and the company consisted of some of the most influential businesspeople in high society. Adrienne also considered the night memorable because she'd found out some intriguing things about Sebastian Shaw's operations. First, that his personal aide was remarkably easy to manipulate. A five minute conversation, a sudden remembrance of having to check something at 'home', a request to use the man's phone, and instant knowledge for the psychometrist. Secondly, he and his aide had visited some very interesting places recently. One in particular that raised alarm bells in Adrienne's head.
After reading the lackey's phone Adrienne dialed Manuel's number and had a pretend conversation with an imaginary lover (which she hoped Manuel would enjoy listening to later), then made her exit and slipped away from the party to have a quick look around some of the upstairs offices. She was just reading the first closed door she came upon to see whose office it led to and who they interacted with when a staff member had intercepted her. A lame excuse about looking for the washroom had been made and she'd found herself back in the main room with the crush of socialites.
She was contemplating how best to get back to the offices to do some more snooping around when Adrienne saw a figure that made her mind go blank. Franklin Burke. The man whose modeling agency Adrienne had negatively affected when she'd started 64 Square and had begun to win his clients and his contracts away from him. The man who had convinced the NYPD to reopen its investigation against her an entire year ago. The man who had deliberately waited until she'd gone into teaching, handed over the day-to-day business of her company to her staff, and had relocated permanently to London before starting to make noises to the police about her suspicious contacts and her shady dealings and how all of her actions- and her success- of the past several years had all stemmed from having her husband killed. It had been his accusals that had led to the reopening of the investigation and her move to New York. He had been silent publicly since she'd returned to the country, and Adrienne had not encountered him in person. Recently, however, he had been making noise again, this time about her involvement in tax fraud.
And now he was here. He wasn't a member, she knew that for certain. So he was here as someone's escort, as she was herself. He was at a function for the club she wished to join. It left a foul taste in her mouth, so she ordered a drink and sailed over to him, all composure and smiles on the outside. "Franklin!" she simpered, glowing with apparent excitement at seeing him.
"Ah. My dear Adrienne," the tall, bearded man crooned at her as she swept across the room. In a gentlemanly fashion, he took up her hand and placed a kiss to the back of her palm. "One never knows where they may stumble across your beauty, do they?" His Armani suit fit perfectly and not a hair on his slightly graying head was out of place while he smiled at his business rival. "Such a pleasant surprise. And how are you these days, my dear?" Gallant he might have seemed but smarmy was more apt description of the distinguished looking man who knew how to use the power and influence he'd collected over the years to his benefit.
Adrienne forced down a shudder at the faux gallantry. It was the same thing that had attracted her to Steven all those years ago- a chivalric mask that couldn't quite hide the darker subtext of passion underneath the charm. Praising women for their beauty, all the fancy words he spouted just reeked of subtext. She'd been drawn to it at the time, seeing only the fact that underneath the apparent worship of the feminine form was a passionate, powerful man. She'd been blind to the fact that the passion was actually a temper which could translate easily into verbal, emotional, even physical abuse of those he felt unworthy of his power and influence. Adrienne had read some of Frank Burke's things in their early encounters together, seen some things that she wished she could bring to light without incriminating herself. He was a man she knew to be dangerous, and it unnerved her slightly.
But she wouldn't let that show. She smiled back at him, sipping at her drink. "I'm doing magnificently these days, darling," she cooed. "Fashion Week was a great triumph for me. The designs under my label made a proud showing, but of course my first passion will always be the modelling end of the business, so you can only imagine how proud I was at the buzz my girls made on the runways. The contracts that will come of it should allow me to expand to more offices and possibly even a second shop for the design label. And speaking of surprise," she added, changing track, "I must say it is a surprise seeing you here." How the fuck did you get a member to bring you along? she thought, but bit her tongue. "I hope I'll be introduced to your escort this evening?"
"Ah, yes. Fashion Week. I thought I saw you flittering about like a mother hen. I do hope you forgive me for not saying hello; my own girls demanded all of my attention as usual," he said, nursing his whiskey. "And with preparations being the way they were this year, please also accept my apologies for not extending my sympathies to a grieving widow in her time of trials. How many years has it been? Seven?" Frank asked with mock astonishment and even went so far as to click his tongue in reproach. "My how time flies."
"Eight," Adrienne corrected, smile never faltering. "And yes, I'm sure you demanded attention from all your girls," she simpered, a touch of steel entering the edge of her voice.
"Tut tut, Miss Frost," the tall man admonished, wagging a finger at her. "Jealousy does not become you and encourages wrinkles. My women are the ones who keep me busy, not the other way around. I am but a slave to their every wish and would deny no woman of beauty the pleasures she desires."
She opened her mouth to spit out something along the lines of 'if you think I'm jealous of the things I've seen you do to your girls then you are one sick fuck, buster' but Adrienne managed to restrain herself. Speaking unrestrained, as she tended to do in the gym or on the smoker's porch at the mansion, was not something Adrienne was accustomed to doing in public, and she did not intend to start now. "Your 'women'?" she inquired, keeping her voice low for propriety's sake, though not low enough to indicate that she cared about keeping what she was saying a secret, "don't you mean 'girls'?" It was a subtle difference, but one she hoped he would understand the implications of. "And some of us, while not actually displaying any wrinkles, recognize that being of an age where wrinkles are likely to appear means we should not be pursuing our girls in the first place. It's a little tacky, darling." Not that she had ever pursued any of her models. Sure, she had pursued them when she'd been one, but by the time she started her own agency Adrienne was engaged to Steven, and she had remained faithful to him. After his death she had no interests in pursuing anyone. When she did advance her public image of being a woman who enjoyed flirting with men, it was always business associates she turned her attentions to, not her models. 64 Square was known in the fashion world as being largely free of the stain of management taking advantage of the models, and models sleeping their way up the corporate chain. This was due to the fact that Adrienne had tried the latter while she was a model, and did not want any of her employees to be allowed to try it at her own company. Self-preservation, as always. And with her psychometric powers and loyal managers in the branch offices she had the ability to keep fairly good tabs on such things. Burke's agency, however, while not public about it, was known in the modeling world as being a place where such avenues for advancement were tolerated, possibly even encouraged, if Burke was an example for his staff.
The charming smile flickered for an instant as a coldness seeped in like the bite of a winter wind before melting as quickly as it had come. "I do not pursue, my dear Adrienne. I am pursued as you are well aware." Frank's eyes slid over the brunette's frame, taking each inch and curve. "Wrinkles perhaps not but a few pounds it would seem."
Well, wasn't this a fun game? Adrienne smiled more genuinely now that she'd seen his smile waver. "I assure you, it's all muscle, darling," she cooed in a low voice, going so far as to extend the arm that held her champagne glass out to him so he could admire her bicep from a different angle. The sleeveless heart-shaped crimson gown showed off her porcelain skin to her complete approval. "I've been working out. Taking boxing lessons, in addition to my work on the shooting range. I've had so much more free time now that the pesky murder investigation you convinced the authorities to open against me has been all wrapped up." She finished the rest of her champagne and took another glass from a passing waitress. "And yes, darling, I know all about how they pursue you. And how you buy them pretty things and offer them international contracts and exactly what they want if only they do pursue you."
"How charming. I didn't realize you needed to add four or five inches to your waist to handle a gun. Or that someone who arranged her husband's murder would be allowed to. The things I learn from you." Frank sipped from his tumbler before gesturing to her with a long wave of his hand. "Merely perks. I treat my girls well; a little shiny bauble here and there never hurt anyone. Of course, around tax time incentives could get troublesome when not reported correctly, don't you agree, Miss Frost?"
"Wholeheartedly, Mister Burke," she responded without missing a beat. "This is why I insist on using the most reputable accountants in Boston." Her books were impeccable, and had been since Steven's death. Luckily she had no tax records dating back to the time of his death anymore, anyway, since the seven years she was required by law to keep them had expired. Burke had no basis for starting these rumors, and he knew it. You just enjoy trying to fuck me over sideways, don't you? she thought to herself, since you couldn't get me into bed when I was a model with your agency. "And of course, I must have forgotten to tell you- my husband's murderer was finally apprehended, thank God, and so the baseless rumours that were mysteriously started about how I arranged for Steven's death have now been put to rest." She took a sip of her champagne, washing the foul taste Burke always brought to her mouth down with the crisp liquid. "Of course you treat them well, darling. Several girls you treated work for me now, and they've told me all about how you treated them." It was a little bit of a bluff- she had never spoken to the girls personally, but had read some of their things (jewelry was particularly useful, as were mobile phones) and knew what Burke got up to, and if she chose to make an issue out of it, the way he so loved spreading rumors about her, she could speak to them easily enough.
He snorted - half scoffing, half amused by the brunette woman. "You don't honestly have it stuck in that pretty head of yours that anyone believes your version of events, do you Adrienne? Ah well, I suppose even the pretty ones are allowed to have their delusions." Frank clicked his tongue again while withdrawing a cigar from the inside pocket of his jacket. "As such, not one of those girls you seduced into jumping ship have anything complain about save they've now negotiated less lucrative contracts with an inferior company. My hands are as clean as you claim your books are."
"The only delusions entertained here tonight, darling," the psychometrist simpered, refusing to let Burke ruffle her, "are yours that I'm guilty of anything. And that you can smoke in here," she added as an afterthought, smiling sweetly. "You'll have to go out onto the terrace or the smoking room to light up. It's alright, I was a little bit unsure of the rules my first time here, too." She pulled her cigarette case and silver Zippo out of her handbag, indicating that she wasn't finished with their conversation and was prepared to follow him wherever he decided to go. "I'm afraid your hands aren't as clean as you claim, Burke, unlike my books," she said definitively, in a sort of 'I know something you don't know' tone.
Frank gave her a small nod before making a sweeping gesture of the 'after you' variety. "And how would you know where my hands have been, my dear? I don't know whether to be appalled or flattered that you're attempting to keep tabs on me."
Adrienne wasn't too keen on exposing her back to Burke- lovely though she knew it was- but she led the way into the smoking room and glided over to a corner table with two chairs as if she owned this place. "Of course I've been keeping tabs on you, Burke," she laughed, as innocently as if they were discussing the weather, "just as you have on me. You see, it's been so long since we've seen each other and spoken to each other, and we're such old acquaintances it would be a shame if we lost touch. Unless we both agreed to quit keeping tabs on each other, of course," she amended, lighting a cigarette with her Zippo and even going so far as to hold the flame out to Burke so he could light his cigar. Right now she would like nothing better than to have Franklin Burke out of her life, for the time being, at least, and was beginning to believe she had a way to accomplish this, but she was actually enjoying toying with the man and wasn't ready to show her cards as of yet.
He accepted the light and took the seat next to her with a curious frown. "Why ever would I want to stop keeping tabs on you my dear? You lead such an... interesting life. My own would become so dull without the entertainment and excitement you provide me. Why, I might die of boredom. To have such a light in my life extinguished, I'd never dream of it." Cold blue eyes raked over her frame again before focusing on her own striking gaze. "Why sever ties when it would be so much more fun to strengthen them? Hmm?"
Adrienne nearly choked on her inhalation of cigarette smoke, but managed to hold on with only an indignant snort. "Strengthen ties between us?" Was he really that desperate? She had been hurting his business a lot since she'd started her own, but Adrienne hadn't thought Frank Burke would ever be desperate enough to want to join forces with her. "However would you propose to do that, Frank darling?"
"A grieving widow of eight years surely must be in need of some... relief by now," he replied on a slow exhale of smoke. "Surely even a frigid monarch needs to thaw every now and then my dear Miss Frost. I've been watching you all evening and the man you arrived with seems hardly your type while my companion..." His voice trailed off as his smirk became more wolfish. "Let's just say she could easily be persuaded to serve two masters this evening."
In an attempt to keep her eyes from bugging out of her head, Adrienne sipped at her champagne. It was the sort of offer she might have indulged in years ago, when she'd worked for Burke, though he had never made her the offer of a threesome back then. She joked about such things now, but to have the proposition actually laid out in front of her, seriously, was quite something else. "I see you've truly entered into the spirit of the Hellfire Club," she replied in a low tone, leaning over the table in an apparent conspiratorial whisper. "I'd love to take you up on your offer, darling, but I don't believe the man I'm with would approve. Not the man I'm here with- although he and I are quite... familiar, as well, but the other. Brazilian. Doing his best to resist my efforts to hire him for the new Jockey ad I've landed." She hoped Morgan wouldn't mind her borrowing Daniel. They had gone out together, after all.
"If he is not the one escorting you this evening, how would he know?" Frank Burke was not a man who took rejection lightly. His fingers brushed over the back of her wrist and began to fiddle with the bracelet she wore as he likewise leaned into her. "We both know my offer would be more lucrative for you than a Jockey model."
"Alas, here lies the fundamental difference between us, Franklin," Adrienne said with a theatrical sigh. "I would know, and I will not betray his trust, as I never betrayed my husband's." His fingers on her hand made her want to draw back, but she fought down her fear. "His involvement in my sexual... indulgences is quite another matter, so if he were here tonight I might contemplate what you are insinuating, but he's not. Besides, what sort of lucrative offer could you give me? I don't believe you have any business I'm interested in at the moment, darling."
"Ah, but I believe I do," Frank corrected. "What was it you said about us being such old acquaintances who shouldn't lose touch unless it was mutually agreed upon that things like pesky talk of tax evasion, fixed books, under aged girls and I don't know, murder, drifted off into nothingness. Plus, I'm certain I could afford to buy you much better jewelry than your little plaything could."
The brunette thought she was beginning to understand. "You're offering to walk away from my life, and give me jewelry, if I sleep with you?" She said it in a light, amused, interested tone, as if she was actually considering it as a very good idea rather than being quite appalled.
"I am offering a strengthening of bonds between us and our companies by extension," the dark haired businessman said, spreading his hands with a flourish. "The sex and jewelry are merely incentives to make the deal more enjoyable for both parties involved. Or all three if you're interested in including my blonde companion."
"What if I don't want your blonde companion, but my Brazilian one instead?" Adrienne asked, as if this were a serious business negotiation.
"Then you can let him out of his crate when you arrive home tomorrow morning and have all the fun you desire. I assure you, however, my blonde would be much more pleasing in this scenario."
She laughed off the part about the crate, but raised an eyebrow as if her curiosity was piqued. "I'd like to meet her." Adrienne had been wondering since she'd seen Burke who he had accompanied to get here.
"You were always as fond of fair-haired creatures as I, Miss Frost," Frank chuckled darkly before puffing on his cigar. Leaning back in his seat, the tall man kept his fingers wandering along Adrienne's skin; stroking the soft underside of her arm with barely there whispered of touch. "What was that little Greek spitfire's name? They all start to blend together after so many years."
Adrienne was having a little fun envisioning all the self-defensive holds she could get Burke into right now if she decided she no longer liked his touch. Running through the moves in her head was definitely preferable to having nothing up there but fear when it came to a snake like Burke touching her. She made a mental note to send pretty things to Ororo, Jennie and maybe Scott since he had arranged for her classes with the two women. And something pointy for Morgan. "Lilith," she answered, smile still in place though it didn't reach her eyes. "Although it's funny, Burke, the last conversation I had with her, she told me you'd been sniffing around her, and she laughed it off because she was thoroughly entrenched in the female-on-female camp, and then I got word weeks later that she'd moved back to her native Greece to work for her father's family business because she couldn't get a modeling job anywhere."
"Ah yes. Little Lili. So difficult for women of her stature to make it in the modeling world," he lamented, clicking his tongue again. "Sometimes the breaks just don't happen the way the girls wish they would, yes? Well, not that you and I could truly sympathize with your former lover; we're both running our own agencies while she's probably off stomping on grapes somewhere. Such a pity. For her." Frank sighed dramatically then gave Adrienne another lecherous grin. "Losing the game - or refusing to play at all has its consequences."
It was lamentable, but Adrienne knew that what Frank was saying was true. Refusing to play the game or losing it had consequences. She couldn't change the rules of the games in the circles she had to run in to keep the company prosperous, and while she could change the rules within the administrative structure of her own company, this was easier said than done. In the end, people were people. They stepped on each other to get what they wanted, they compromised their own beliefs to get ahead. Those who didn't ended up losing in the end. Even if they didn't see it that way; if they had the money and the friends and the life they told themselves they wanted and sat on their moral high ground looking down at those who sacrificed their values when theirs were intact, they still lost in other ways. Lost other things, people. No one was truly happy, whether they stayed true to their ideals or not. "Is that what you tell your girls nowadays, Burke?" she asked, face a mask of calm, mild amusement, and coldness despite the emotion in her head.
"I don't need to tell them," Frank said, waving his cigar. "By time I take interest in a girl, most times they've had plenty of experence with the rules and consequences of the game." Among other things. "They've seen others rise and others fall and they know there is always another girl looking to take their place. Speaking of which, you don't know if Lilith ever broke down and bred do you? Pregnancy is murder on the figure but I could make a mint off a pup from her litter provided she's a solid three or four inches taller than her mother."
"Most times they've had plenty of experience..." Adrienne drew out the phrase suggestively even as she drew narcotics from her cigarette, amusement leaving her voice. 'Most times' really was a loaded phrase in this case. Those two words might be her trump card over him. "How very interesting a phrase to use, Burke. No, I'm afraid I've lost touch with Lilith." Adrienne didn't have friends, she didn't write Christmas letters to people, or receive any. She didn't keep in touch with people who weren't of use to achieving her goals.
"You know as well as I do that those fresh-faced girls from backwater towns bring a certain naivete to the field when they pack up and leave Mommy and Daddy's farm to find a new life in a big city. All moonbeams and starshine, fantasies and daydreams. Reality is a cold and painful mistress." Frank chuckled again between puffs of smoke. "Pity about Lilith. I wonder if it's worth tracking her down on whatever vineyard she'd been stuck on all these years."
She nearly made a comment about cold and painful, but let it go. Really, it would be a little dramatic. "You want to find her because you don't have enough girls to keep you busy in your stable here?" Adrienne laughed, all pleasantry. "Is business really that bad, Franklin? I suppose I could throw you a contract or two if you need the help, considering how far back we go."
An amused shake of his head and Frank patted the back of her hand. "Not at all, my dear. I have plenty of show ponies as it were and more that ever waiting to join the ranks in my stable." His smirk spread as icy eyes flashed. "I only would wish to offer any daughter of hers that she may have produced a chance to fulfill the dream her mother failed at, considering how far back she and I go, yes? Just an act of charity, though I suppose her pups would still be far too young. Leaves plenty of time for grooming however."
Adrienne finished her cigarette and stubbed it out in the provided ashtray. "Obviously my staff aren't doing their jobs properly if you've got a lineup of girls waiting to join your ranks, Franklin," she laughed, though she was only half-joking. "Although admittedly, I don't have your particular brand of... charity to offer them." She rose from the table smoothly. Her stomach was unsettled from the prolonged exposure to Burke and she decided to try and lay out her cards and take her leave.
He rose with her as manners dictated, grinning deviously as he did. "You've yet to give me your final answer in regards to my charity, dearest Adrienne," Frank pointed out to the brunette woman. His strong fingers wrapped around her wrist, holding her in place while he took a step closer. "The business deal with a few perks, hm?"
Without hesitating, Adrienne twisted her arm towards the thumb of the hand grabbing her wrist, putting quick pressure on Frank's thumb joint so that he reflexively let go. "I'm afraid I'll have to pass, Franklin. Besides not needing your charity, I've already explained to you why I won't accept your offer."
A soft growl of displeasure sounded in the back of the tall man's throat. "Some Brazilian, so you claim," Frank echoed, dropping his hand to his side after straightening the label of his jacket. "But suit yourself, Miss Frost. I'm sure your books will prove that lack of need should anyone happen to search them in the near future."
Argh. Why was the man insisting that her books were crooked? Adrienne could understand needling her about Steven's death- at least his rumors were true, in that case, but he had completely fabricated the rumor that her accounts were being padded, and Adrienne was entirely weary of it. "Listen, Burke," she stated quietly and seriously, stepping close to him and turning bright green eyes, now cold and flat, on his blue ones. "The rumors about my books? Are going to stop. You see, rumors are funny things. Do you know why? Because anyone can use them against anyone, because they can be true or false, and the ones that have their roots in truth will always go farther than the baseless ones." She continued before he had a chance to reply, her smile back in place. "I have a rumor about you, Burke. And the difference between mine and yours, is that mine is true. And if you do not put your ridiculous notion of crooked books out of your head, I will go public with it." Taking a step back, she paused to let him counter.
He stared down at her, cold and stoic save for the small twitch that plagued his right eye. "I have no idea of what rumors you speak of, Miss Frost. My books are clean. I have killed no spouse or lover; have never raised a hand to any of my employees, even. My girls are clean, no drug problems and any other issues that pop up are dealt with discreetly and with their full cooperation." Snuffing out his cigar, Frank pulled himself to his full height so he could tower over the model-turned-businesswoman before insisting, "There is nothing to go public with."
"I beg to differ," Adrienne protested, still smiling. Making Burke let her arm go and hearing his growl had put her in a pleasant mood. "You see, Franklin, my company recently hired a young woman who had decided to leave your establishment due to a dislike in the... games you play at your... stable." There were many who had come from Burke's company to 64 Square over the years, just as there were those who had started at 64 Square and gone to Burke's when they realized they couldn't sleep their way up to the ear of upper management types. "This young woman, it seems as if she was one of those rare exceptions of girls you take an interest in who don't have experience with the rules and consequences of the game. This one didn't have experience in much of anything before you took your interest in her, actually." She regarded Burke with a pleasant smile, remaining cool and detached though inside she was delighted at the thought of possibly keeping Burke away from her in future. "In fact, she wasn't even of a legal age while she worked for you." Adrienne paused to let this sink in. "Now, of course, no one would accuse you of forcing her into anything, darling, but she does happen to be one of those backwater farm girls, with very hardworking parents, and I hear they're quite protective. I'm sure they would be quite concerned to hear of your indiscretion with their daughter. Though the young woman wishes to remain discreet about her personal involvement, I would feel obligated to go public with your predilictions if I felt it necessary to keep something like this from happening again to another girl, since we both know this is not the first instance of this happening. I will, however, keep this out of the media if you keep me out of your shoddy rumor mill."
The man's demeanor shifted from frigid stoicness to a burning fury in the matter of seconds. "How dare you even suggest that," Frank spat. There was little control left in his voice, save enough to keep the volume just between them. "There is no girl and never was a girl who shared my bed that was underage."
Her stomach had clenched when the change in Burke had taken place, but Adrienne stood firm and felt satisfaction when she fought the rising fear down. Being able to get free of his grip had given her a lot of confidence in her ability to take care of herself. "Can you be truly certain of that, darling?" she asked, not differentiating between whether she was asking him if he was sure there was no girl or sure there was no underage girl he'd slept with.
Blue eyes narrowed at her and the tall man just barely kept himself from taking her by the wrist again. "You're playing with fire, Adrienne," Frank warned, balling both fists at his sides. "Keep going and you'll get burnt. I'm telling you there is no girl." The passion with which he was denying the charge said differently however.
"I disagree," Adrienne retorted, standing her ground but keeping very sure of what Burke's fists were doing. "There is a girl, now, as there have been others in the past, and if you continue to make baseless accusations about me or my business, or involve me in any way in anything that I find distasteful, I will go public with what you've been doing. And it will bury your public image, which will bury your company. Enough is enough, Franklin." She knew from the way he'd dropped his chivalraic demeanor that she had him worried, and considered herself the victor in this exchange. It was time to return to the party. "Enjoy the remainder of your evening," she grinned, stepping around him and turning back on a heel for a final address, "because I'm sure when the Hellfire Club finds out just exactly how much money you still have, and how tenuous your social connections, you won't be returning here. Goodnight, darling."
No move was made to collect her hand for a kiss. Instead, Franklin Burke drew in a deep breath and straightened to his full height once again with shoulders squared and gaze hot. "Goodnight, Miss Frost," he hissed through clenched teeth.
Adrienne smirked a little as she returned to the crush of people and plucked up another glass of champagne. There were girls that fit the story she'd told Burke; there always had been, and the fact that he was worried confirmed for her that they existed. She'd nearly been one of them, in fact, though Adrienne was fairly certain her parents wouldn't rush to her defence if she'd told them when she'd been seventeen about men like Burke. Not that she would have told them even if she had accepted what he'd offered. She hadn't actually spoken to any girl specifically, as she'd told Burke, but that small lie was of little matter to Adrienne as she could speak to them in future if Burke decided to try his hand again. If being the operative word. He couldn't be underestimated, but Adrienne could only hope that when he did try to undermine her business again, he would choose a different track. Although, her real hope was that by the time Burke did regroup, Adrienne would have acquired his company completely and he would be out on his ass. That thought made her smile, and she began to circulate again happily.
***
The party ends
When Manuel and the others emerged from the lower depths of the mansion, Adrienne was speaking again with the lawyer and Black Court hanger-on she'd been speaking to when she'd arrived. She wrapped up her business with the man, agreeing to meet him for lunch tomorrow, took down her flimsy mental shields, and projected a thought at Emma. #Can we talk somewhere private? I only need a moment.# She could have just projected at Emma what she had learned about Shaw, or of course Emma could just poke around in her mind to figure it out on her own, but Adrienne attempted to retain some illusion of her own power by asking to tell Emma in person.
#Certainly.# Emma's response was calm, even as she regarded her sister with cold disdain. #Fuss over Manuel. Not to draw attention; just give me an excuse.#
Excuse to do what? Adrienne wasn't sure but she didn't want to ask. She approached Manuel with a broad smile. "I believe congratulations are in order? I should tell you, darling, I've been terribly bored without you, and I'm glad you're back. I was going to go, but a lady always leaves a dance with the man who brought her," she told him philosophically, fussing as Emma had instructed.
Naturally, Manuel shifted his conversation over to an end, disengaging when Adrienne approached him and he studied her and the way she pulled him so suddenly from others. "By all means," he said, recovering from the abrupt attention luring ploy and offered his arm. Having passed up the champagne, he had no drink to set down and Manuel guided Adrienne towards the dance floor, curiosity in his eyes. He may have felt her amongst the many emotions, but it was her colours that quirked his interest. She was up to something, but what, he couldn't say. He could only play along, if only because he was fairly finished with the night.
Emma's move was swift and filled with feline grace, her hand catching Adrienne's arm even as the couple glided towards the dance floor. "You seek to impose on my Bishop again," said Emma, softly. "There is much you need to understand, little sister." Her rapid movements disengaged the arms of the couple. "Excuse me a moment, Manuel. I need to provide some sisterly advice." Without waiting for a response, she towed Adrienne towards a small and private antechamber to the main room, her grip on Adrienne's arm apparently vice-like.
When they had reached the deserted antechamber, Emma swept it with her mind and then shielded it cleanly from eavesdropping. "The devil drives me, Adrienne," she said, without apology or preamble. "As long as Black Court eyes can see us, it is safer that they assume that you are my enemy. What did you find out?"
Adrienne considered some impetuous answer in response to Emma’s abruptness and the way in which she’d yanked Adrienne away from the crowd, but she held her tongue. It had been an evening fraught with drama already, and she had no desire to add to it, especially considering the fact that Emma had stated they weren’t enemies, which the younger Frost appreciated. She had no desire to give Emma cause to reevaluate their non-enemy status. “It’s about Shaw,” she answered, rubbing her arm where Emma had grabbed her. It hadn’t hurt, but she hadn’t been handled in such a way since Steven, and had to force the memories down by envisioning her mental shields and meditation techniques before continuing. “I was doing some information gathering regarding Shaw while he was away participating in the investiture, and I took a reading on his personal assistant’s phone. I notice the man’s been telling people that Shaw’s been attending meetings at certain places while they’ve actually been traveling to other places. One of which is Wakanda. I don’t know what motive Shaw has to get his flunky to lie about where he’s been traveling, and I didn’t have time to confirm what he’s been up to over there, but Wakanda struck a sour note with me through my knowledge of the work Elpis has been doing. And I just wanted to let you know that.”
Emma frowned for a moment, then smoothed her face back into its usual imperious lines. "That confirms a theory, I think," she said, softly. "Shaw is . . ." She stopped and shook her head. "Inner Court business," she said dismissively. "Thank you, Adrienne," Emma's expression didn't change, but she let a sense of warm appreciation touch Adrienne's mind. "Now perhaps we should frown and pout our way back on to the dance floor. An icy disdain is generally expected." Emma could feel the tenor of the minds in the crowd, their belief in the sister's mutual enmity. It amused her to play to the crowd.
Her disappointment in response to Emma's mention of Inner Court business faded as Adrienne felt the appreciation, and she smiled at her sister. "Inner Court seems a little too... suicidal for my liking," she stated ruefully, "but I believe I may have a hereditary claim to join the club under our father's membership status in the Boston branch. And if the claim I'm having investigated is valid, I plan on accepting the membership. It seems to me that by appearing neutral," she explained, "I may be able to easily gain information that could be more difficult for a member of a Court to obtain." She wasn't going to spell out her exact motives to Emma, but Adrienne was fairly certain her sister could read between the lines to what she was really saying. That she wanted to be able to help Emma, Manuel, and Doug, but wasn't willing to expose herself to the dangers that would come with being a Court member. She also hoped that she could get closer to the Black Court and its hangers-on by playing on the fact that she had a reputation for hating the White Queen. She gave Emma another smile. "Unless you feel we should rough each other up a little first, I agree that we should head back."
"Nobody beats anyone but the servants at the Hellfire Club," said Emma. "And that's only if the servants ask nicely enough." She paused for a moment and added softly, "Your decision is wise. The rules the Inner Court plays by are not, I would suspect, to your liking. The Outer Court is safer. Particularly if outwardly you remain my enemy." She dropped the screening, her voice sharpening appreciably. "Do not presume that an accident of birth affords you protection from Court punishment, little sister." Emma strode away from Adrienne, towards where Doug and Manny were waiting.
Emma's comment about the Outer Court being safer and about 'outwardly' remaining her enemy had Adrienne stopping in her tracks to pause. Now really wasn't the time to reflect on sisterly affection, however, and she schooled her face into a stormy expression and hissed a quiet remark about being father's favourite and accidents at birth at Emma as she struggled to keep up to her older sister, the perfect picture of a younger sibling that wasn't going to be shared.
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