Secrets and Lies (Book One): Seduction

The Supreme Court of Justice was hushed as everyone waited for the judge to arrive. Amber Banks sat next to her attorney with her head held high at the Counsel’s table. Her emerald green eyes stared straight at the wooden panelled walls opposite from where she sat, not making eye contact with anyone. She was dressed in an oversized orange prisoner jumpsuit which was much too big for her petite frame and her fiery red curls were tied back in a loose ponytail.

Behind her, a soft glow of warm sunlight streamed into the otherwise stuffy room filled with highly tensed people, highlighting the dust particles that danced and twirled in the air.

To the untrained eye, Amber came off as aloof, emanating a sense of emotional detachment from her surroundings—inwardly however, she was breaking down.

None of the jury sitting behind the bulletproof glass wall could see, but beneath the wooden table where her cuffed hands lay, she was trembling. Her hands were shaking so much that she had to dig her thumbnails into her index fingers just to calm herself.

Amber Banks was on trial for murder. A murder she did not commit.

“All rise! The court is now in session.”

Everyone in the room stood up solemnly.

In walked Judge Rodney, in a plain black robe. It was his last case as a judge before his official retirement and it was also one of the biggest trials of the decade. A CEO of an upcoming start-up tech company had been murdered in cold blood.

Judge Rodney raised his hand, signalling for everyone to sit before taking a seat himself. As he sat himself down, his aging back made a little cracking sound. He was getting too old for this and could not wait for the trial to end, but he had a dreaded feeling that the case would drag on for some time. He cleared his throat, “Everyone but the jury may be seated, Bailiff John Deere, please swear in the jury.”

The young bailiff nodded at the judge and turned to the jury of twelve, “Please raise your right hands. Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will truly listen to this case and render a true verdict and a fair sentence as to this defendant?”

The members of the jury looked at Amber, who sat seemingly emotionless at the Counsel’s table. Her expression was unreadable.

In a resounding voice, every member of the jury replied, “Yes I do.”

Amber swallowed hard. There was no way out now. This was the end of the road for her.

Judge Rodney began, “Members of the jury, your duty today will be to determine whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty based only on facts and evidence provided in this case. The prosecution has the burden of proving the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. This burden remains on the prosecution through the trial. The prosecution must prove that a crime was committed and that the defendant is the person who committed the crime. However, if you are not satisfied with the defendant’s guilt to that extent, then reasonable doubt exists and the defendant must be found not guilty.”

“Bailiff John Deere, what is today’s case?”

Bailiff John Deere who remained standing replied, “Your Honor, today’s case is the State of California versus Amber Banks.”

The case had shocked the nation, no one understood how a young woman such as Amber could have ended the life of a healthy, well-built man and come out unscathed.

The judge peered at the prosecutor through his rimless spectacle, “Is the prosecution ready?”

“Yes, your Honor.”

Then he looked over to the defence attorney, “Is the defence ready?”

The defence attorney looked at Amber, but she did not meet his gaze. Instead, she remained still as a statue in her chair. The attorney shook his head a little, his client wasn’t even putting up a fight to claim her innocence—but just before he could reply to the judge, the double panelled door of the courtroom burst open with a bang, catching everyone by surprise.

“STOP!”

A man charged in, shouting frantically as two court officers jumped into action to restrain him.

At the sight of the man, Amber’s eyes fluttered wide in shock as her mouth formed an “O.” She stood up and for a brief moment, her eyes met the man’s as he struggled to free himself from the grasp of the officers.

“I killed him! It was me! I killed him!”

***

TWO MONTHS AGO

“Now don’t you look pretty as a pie hon,” Madam Cecil smiled, her bright red lips curling all the way up the corners of her heavily painted eyes. She placed her hands on Amber’s slender shoulders and twirled her around.

“Sure, you don’t want to consider working as a hostess here? We pay our girls very well, “Madam Cecil made sure to emphasize the word ‘very’ as she mentally undressed Amber who stood uncomfortably in front of her.

Amber Banks was a beauty, but she did not know it. She had grown up far too immersed in bringing food to the table to care for such things. When she was fourteen, both her parents died in a car crash and she and her brother were left in the care of a distant relative who gave them neither love nor shelter. They were left to fend for themselves.

Her brother was only eleven then, but Amber could see that he was more academically inclined than she, so she dropped out of school to work full time, often juggling between three to four jobs a day just to make sure that her brother, Anson got the education he deserved.

And now at the age of twenty-one, her hard work paid off. Anson had just graduated from high school and was recently offered a spot at Stanford University. But everything came at a price, his admission to the prestigious university meant that she would have to triple her earnings.

A customer at the bakery where she worked had suggested for her to try out a waitressing position at the La Fire Club—it was THE hottest and poshest club in the whole of California, catering only to VIPs.

“They pay so well you’ll even be able to put yourself through school!” the customer had gushed.

So here she was, standing uncomfortably in a simple light blue blouse and mommy jeans under the scrutinizing gaze of the head hostess who circled her like an eagle. She clasped her hands and dug her thumb into her palm tightly as Madam Cecil pulled off Amber’s scrunchie, letting her red curls loose. Her natural and soft wavy locks tumbled down past her shoulders, highlighting her fair complexion even more just to hang slightly above her tiny waistline.

They stood in a brightly lit dressing room surrounded by rows upon rows of vanity tables. A few scantily clad women were on sitting on fluffy white stools putting on what looked to Amber like too much makeup. The place reeked of heavily scented perfume too, and it was starting to give Amber a headache. Perhaps she should not have come, but she needed the money.

She shook her head politely and gave a timid smile, “I’m here for the waitressing position ma’am.”

“Cecil.”

“Sorry, ma’am. I mean Cecil,” she squeaked slightly. The older woman, though still seductively gorgeous, had an awfully intimating stare.

“You have a beautiful voice too, like milk flowing on honey,” Cecil complimented her.

That sounds like my cornflakes, Amber thought with a frown as she lowered her head. Why is she comparing my voice to food?

Cecil stepped even closer and lifted Amber’s oval face by her dainty chin, “Heads up young lady, be proud of the bountiful blessings that Aphrodite has gifted you.”

Huh? Amber was confused.

Cecil eyed Amber’s face as she traced her soft full lips, “Mmmm…good for kissing too.”

At this, Amber recoiled from Cecil’s grasp, “I’m sorry?”

Cecil laughed and some of the girls in the room stopped to stare, curious as to what was happening.

Cecil waved her hand in the air, “Nothing darling. Alright, I won’t force you. You can start waitressing tonight. Our shift starts from ten to three. We pay thirty per hour.”

Amber’s eyes opened wide. Thirty?! She’d have to work five bone-breaking hours at the bakery just to get THAT amount.

Cecil could see the awe in Amber’s innocent face. She smiled, “We pay a hundred per hour for hostesses…”

A hundred! Amber could feel her heart racing as her breathing became more rapid. That would be easy money. With that kind of money, she wouldn’t have to work so many jobs a day!

“And our girls get tips for extra services.” A wink from the woman sent a chill down Amber’s spine and the image of a hundred dollars disappeared in a poof. She knew exactly what the “extra services” were.

And as much as she needed the money, she could never, no she would never sell her own body and dignity.

I’d die before I let any man touch me, she thought to herself.

Amber straightened herself, pulling at her light blue cotton blouse and gave her bravest smile, “Thank you, I’ll take the waitressing job.”

Cecil raised an eyebrow, impressed by the redhead’s determination, “Alright then.”

She handed Amber’s blue and black polka-dotted scrunchie back and shouted at a raven-haired beauty who was lounging on a leather-covered sofa in the corner of the room, “Lola!”

“Yeah?” Lola called out even as she got up with swanlike grace.

“Give our new staff…Annie?”

“I’m Amber.”

“Ah yes, Amber the redhead, I’ll remember the name from now on. Give Amber her waitressing uniform. And don’t forget the pumps!”

Cecil’s eyes narrowed, “Thirty-four, twenty-three, thirty-four…hmmm, give her a size one. She’s starting right away. Oh, and Lola? I don’t want you smoking at the back alley you hear? Williams and Smith will be here tonight.”

Lola nodded nonchalantly as she strutted to the back of the dressing room before emerging with a brand new outfit wrapped in a gigantic clear plastic bag in one hand, an incredibly high pair of heels in another.

With that, Cecil sashayed off, clapping her hands and rousing the hostesses, “Hurry up! Hurry up! We haven’t got all night!”

Lola looked at Amber from head to toe before a catlike smile appeared on her face, “You’re a beauty you know that? With a face and body like that, you should be modelling instead.”

Amber shook her head, the mentioning of modelling starting to raise her ire. Once bitten, twice shy. Back when she was younger, a stranger had suddenly approached her, promising her easy money in the form of modelling—but only if she gave him a deposit to secure her contract. So at just sixteen, Amber lost all her life savings to the stranger who took the money and left for the unknown.

“How about you?” Amber changed the subject as she accepted the waitressing uniform from Lola. Lola lead the way to the back of the dressing room, allowing Amber some privacy to change.

“Me?” Lola chuckled rather sheepishly as Amber drew a curtain to a close. “I’m just here for the money sweetheart, it’s seeing me through my degree in Accounting.”

Amber popped her head out from the curtain, “Excuse me?” The more she looked, the younger Lola seemed to her. Beneath the façade of a lanky black beauty was actually a struggling student and Amber’s heart immediately went out to her.

“We all have a backstory here. What’s yours?”

Amber was amazed by Lola’s boldness, “It’s similar to yours. I’m helping to pay for my little brother’s education.” Lola nodded and started to pick at her hear as Amber duck her head back behind the curtain. She started to pull out her uniform from its plastic wrap only to stop short when she saw how it looked like.

The uniform, which came in two pieces that looked suspiciously like a cheerleader’s was incredibly tiny. She pulled at it, feeling the material stretch in her hands.

Polyester? she wondered.

The top was plain white while the flared skirt was maroon; it reminded her of red wine.

“Um, Lola, are you sure this is the correct size?”

“Yep.”

“Uh…okay, I’ll put it on then.”

She proceeded to unbutton her blouse and wiggled out of her jeans. Cool air from the air-conditioned room washed over her skin, giving her goosebumps. Quickly, she slipped into what looked like a little child’s t-shirt. It came as no surprise that she had to squeeze into her uniform. It was uncomfortably tight and the shirt was cut just low enough to suggest cleavage without revealing anything while the skirt was so short that if she were to bend over, she would have to reveal her bottom to the world. She was glad she had on her black short briefs, and that gave her some relief.

Slipping into the heels made her feel like a little girl playing dress-up. How on earth did people walk in these? She would have to be careful not to rip and fall flat on her face.

She drew the curtain back, stepped out clumsily and smiled at Lola who was still digging her ear, “I’m done.”

Lola looked at her with approval and surprised Amber with a warm hug, “Don’t worry honey. You’ll do just fine.”

“But just in case, Cecil gave you this. We all have one,” Lola pushed a tiny black remote with a round red button in the middle into Amber’s palm. “Anytime someone steps over the line, press this.” Lola pointed to the red round button in the middle of the remote.

Amber’s eyes widened that the panic button. It hadn’t occurred to her that she would need it.

“The bouncers will come within ten seconds.”

Amber sucked in a deep breath and nodded her head, “Thank you, Lola.” She started to tie her hair but Lola stopped her, taking her scrunchie away and flipping it onto a dressing table nearby.

“Leave your hair down, it looks much better that way.”

***

Fabian Williams was having a bad day, and to make matters worse, he just had to bump into Liam Smith—of all places, at the La Fire Club.

Strobes of blueish red light swirled above him as he made his way through the sea of dancers on the floor as the deejay rocked the crowd to ‘Uptown Funk’.

From the corner of his ocean blue eyes, he could see Liam Smith on the first floor waving a hand frantically at him.

“Look who’s here! It’s Fabian Williams!”

Liam Smith’s unwelcomed announcement turned Fabian’s already sour mood even worse. He contemplated leaving but thought better of it. Instead, he ignored the greetings from all who came near, wanting a piece of him and headed to his private room, where he hoped to get some peace and quiet. Cecil had better serve him something good tonight.

On the way to his room, he passed by Lola, who blew him a kiss, “Fabian! You’re early. What would you like for a drink?”

The redhead who stood timidly behind Lola caught his eyes. She had her head bowed down and her hair had fallen in waves, obscuring her face.

“Who’s that?” he motioned to Amber whose head seemed to drop down even further every second.

It looked to William as if she was trying to make herself disappear. He found it amusing and felt his mood lighten a notch.

Lola smiled cheekily, “She’s a waitress Fabian. A waitress. So behave.”

He could see that the waitress was uncomfortable in her uniform for she kept tugging at the hem of her skirt. He cocked his head to one side, trying to get a better view of her, but failing to do so. She had piqued his interest.

“Get her to serve me. Vodka on the rocks,” he commanded and marched off into his room before Lola could even reply.

Only a selected few had private rooms at the La Fire Club and Fabian’s status allowed him to keep one for a five-figure fee on a monthly basis. But the amount meant nothing to Fabian as he headed straight towards a plush L shaped sofa and sat himself down, sinking into the padded cushion. A full wall of glass window opposite the sofa opened up to a magnificent view of a private landscaped backyard illuminated by soft yellow lights. A luxurious mini jacuzzi was bubbling outside, inviting him for a dip but he was not in the mood for it. Instead, Fabian picked up the remote which lay on the sofa and automatically brought the blackout curtains to a close.

Like a man weary from battle, he leaned back into the welcoming arms of the sofa and loosened his blueish grey tie. A tired sigh escaped his lips as placed an arm over his forehead and closed his eyes—outside, the muffled music continued to soar as the crowds grew even rowdier.