A Cup of Tea Bk. 02

"So how was it, my love?" asked his Mistress, knowing the answer but wanting to hear the words from his mouth.

"Incredible. Beyond words."

"Don't worry, it'll get better," she said with a wry smile.

* * *

Precisely at 7:30 a.m., Dax's personal chef Madeline placed his breakfast service on the glass table overlooking the East River. The breakfast, uneaten, was cleared an hour later with Dax a surprising no show. It wasn't until 10 a.m., after repeated calls from Mel, that Dax stirred from a deep slumber.

"Hello?" he said in a sleepy voice.

"Dax, it's Mel, it's after 10 a.m. Where the fuck are you? Your 10 a.m. appointment is waiting and Hank Rossetti has already called a half dozen times wanting to speak to you urgently. I swear to God if I have to talk to that asshole one more time I'm going to quit. What's going on?" Mel was both pissed and worried.

"Uhh ... I had a late night with Keiko." Truth be told his ass was so sore from the flogging that he could barely get out of bed, even three hours late.

There was a long pause on the phone. "You've been a naughty boy."

"You can't imagine."

Another pause. "But I can." Mel had no doubt that Dax was involved in something kinky because he never arrived at work this late.

"Fine, fine," said Dax, the haze in his head finally clearing. "Reschedule my 10 a.m. meeting. What the fuck does Hank want? I never want to see that asshole again."

"I don't either, but he said it's extremely urgent." Mel was equally repulsed with the idea of seeing him.

"He can come in an hour. Have him meet with me then. Tell him he has five minutes with me, and no more."

"He's already on his way here."

"Whatever. The fucker can wait."

Dax pulled himself out of bed and rubbed his sore bottom. Then details of the previous evening started filtering into his memory, each of them arousing him and rekindling the fire that Keiko had built the night before. He stood under the spray of a hot shower and resisted the temptation to masturbate. He was already two hours late to work and reality inevitably had to intervene. He finished getting ready and texted Mason that he was ready to go.

Dax's longtime buddy was a first-hand witness to Dax's change in lifestyle and said nothing when he opened the Bentley's rear passenger door for him at 10:30 a.m., two and a half hours tardy. There was no conversation in the car, Mason respecting Dax's privacy and Dax lost in his thoughts. The limo was caught in the tail end of a horrendous morning commute and arrived at the office at a quarter past eleven. Dax exited the elevator and saw that Hank was sitting in the waiting area. Hank put down the magazine he was reading and pasted on a smile to greet him.

"Dax, thanks for taking the time to meet with me." Hank didn't make mention of the fact that he had been waiting for over an hour. He extended his hand.

Late to work, sore, and seeing basically the last person in the world he wanted to see, Dax kept his hands at his side, which forced Hank to sheepishly drop his outstretched hand. "You've got five minutes. I'm only doing this because you were a friend of my Dad's." He led Hank to his office and shut the door firmly behind them. Hank took a seat in one of the guest chairs and Dax sat behind the desk, doing his best not to give Hank a death stare.

Hank started talking as soon as he sat, almost breathlessly, the excitement evident in his voice. "I met with the Reynolds team yesterday afternoon. They're finally ready to move forward on the sale of their office building on Park but they want me to team with you. You've got the banking relationships we need to secure the necessary financing. You'll be the majority owner of the building."

The building on Park Avenue was a trophy office building and it was common knowledge that Dax had sought it for years. It was adjacent to another one of his properties, and would have been the crown jewel of his portfolio. It was the deal he let go once before and vowed he wouldn't let slip through his grasp again.

Dax paused only for a moment. He put both of his hands on the desk and leaned slightly forward. "I don't like people who threaten me and I don't like people that hurt the ones that I love. So I'm going to tell you this once, and only once. No."

Despite their previous hostile encounter, Hank was incredulous that Dax would turn down the opportunity to make potentially millions of dollars by working with him.

"Dax ... I urge you to ..."

"What part of 'no' don't you understand?"

"But ... "

"Your five minutes are up. Now get the fuck out of my office."

Hank stomped out of Dax's office and had to make his way past a series of cubicles to enter the main lobby. Mel's cubicle was right next to Dax's office, and the young brunette couldn't help but see her former lover as he passed by. Hank spotted Mel and was about to say something when she silently raised her middle finger and held it in front of his face. Hank left in a huff, never to be seen in that office again.

Moments later, Dax emerged from his office, a grin on his face. "I turned down the Reynolds deal," he informed Mel.

"So that's what Hank wanted to talk to you about?" Mel was instrumental in setting up the initial, aborted meeting with the Reynolds team and had spent countless hours on the pursuit. She knew how important the deal was to Dax, and was surprised and gratified that he turned down the deal because Hank was involved.

"Yeah, he thought that somehow what he did to you would be forgotten because he and I could make a lot of money."

Mel kissed her boss on the cheek. "You know what? I really love you."

"I know baby girl."

* * *

"So when am I going to be able to meet Mel?" Keiko casually dropped the question at the end of an early morning phone call with Dax.

"Well, ummm, let me see if she's available next week. Do you have a date and time in mind?" Dax was wary of the seemingly innocuous question. He knew that everything Keiko did had a purpose and he immediately began wondering if she had an agenda here.

"How about today at lunch? I have a meeting in the City around eleven. How about lunch at 1:30?"

Now Dax was on high alert. So soon? Is she jealous, Dax wondered. Dax was right to be concerned. For weeks, Keiko had heard about Mel and how fabulous she was. Dax had shared a picture of her, and of course she was young and stunning -- exactly the kind of woman a man like Dax would pursue. He even admitted to her that they had gone to bed together. Of course he claimed it didn't mean anything but he would be expected to say that. Mel was with him every day, and for long periods of time. Why shouldn't she be jealous?

Dax quickly reasoned that there was no reason to hold off the inevitable. If he hemmed and hawed about setting up the lunch, that delay would only confirm Keiko's suspicions.

"I'm free for lunch. Let me check with Mel."

"Great, if it works for Mel, can you have one of your assistants set up the lunch? Just text me the address, OK?"

The trap was set. Dax had no escape route, so now he had to trust that the interaction would be positive and that Keiko would come away convinced that there was nothing between him and Mel -- that their relationship was strictly business. Dax believed that Keiko was a resourceful person and would sniff out the truth. And that belief gave him the comfort to move forward with the meeting.

Mel had actually made a commitment to have lunch with a friend that day, but when she heard from Dax that the lunch would be with Keiko, it was an invitation she didn't want to refuse. She wanted to meet Keiko as badly as Keiko wanted to meet her. She called her friend and rescheduled the luncheon and then accepted Dax's invitation. Instead of delegating the selection of the restaurant, Mel decided to make it herself, and picked her favorite Midtown sushi bar.

When she received a text with the name of the restaurant, Keiko was amused with the dining choice as she was familiar with the owner and had eaten there a number of times. The restaurant, Sushi Saito, was owned by Ryu "Rocky" Saito, a first generation Japanese-American chef who was the first Japanese-American to win the coveted Distinguished Chef Award from the International Culinary Society. A coveted bachelor, Rocky was in his mid-30's and a rising star in the New York City restaurant scene, having already opened multiple locations in Manhattan. Rocky had briefly dated Keiko, but found her sexual tastes a bit too exotic for him. The two remained good friends and their paths crossed often.

Dax and Mel were already in the restaurant's lobby when Keiko arrived by taxi. As she entered the lobby, Rocky emerged from a throng of admirers to greet her.

"Keiko!" he cried over the dull roar of the restaurant diners. "It's been too long." He embraced his willowy friend with a sense of familiarity that suggested more than a passing acquaintance. The two chatted briefly before Keiko interrupted.

"Rocky, let me introduce you to my good friend Dax Hanlon." Dax warmly greeted the restaurant owner and took a step back to allow his introduction to Mel.

Keiko made eye contact with Mel, who was standing next to Dax. If anything, she looked more beautiful than the picture Dax showed her. The dress she was wearing highlighted her stunning figure. Keiko wondered if Dax had purposely selected a less flattering picture of Mel so as not to arouse any jealousy. Keiko put on her best smile. "And you must be Melanie."

"Call me Mel."

"Of course ... Mel. Allow me to introduce an old friend of mine, Rocky Saito."

Rocky smiled at her. Rocky was uncharacteristically tall for a man of Japanese descent, and of course as a celebrity chef, made for TV attractive. Mel was star struck and was unable to force any words out of her mouth. Rocky saved her from further embarrassment. "Mel, it's a pleasure to meet you." He took her hand and kissed the top of it.

His unexpected affectionate greeting unstuck her mind. "Oh, I'm sorry ... Rocky ... I'm pleased to meet you as well."

Rocky was pleased to meet Mel. She was a tall, attractive brunette with a body that was the envy of every woman in the restaurant, including Keiko. "My friends, wait here a minute." Rocky went over to the hostess station and had a short, animated discussion with the hostess on duty. He came back with three menus in hand.

"I've found a good table for you. Right this way." Rocky led them to a chef's table near the rear of the restaurant and handed them each a drink menu as they were seated. "You'll be in good hands with our Chef de Cuisine, Robert Nakamura. Enjoy." Rocky went off to greet other diners.

"I didn't know that you knew Rocky," said Dax with admiration tinged with jealousy.

"There's a great deal you don't know about me Dax. But this lunch is about Mel. Mel, Dax was downplaying your beauty. The picture he showed me didn't do you justice."

Mel blushed. "I was going to say the same thing to you."

They both looked at Dax, as if he had done something wrong. "Hey, I don't want to get in the middle between you two (he really didn't). This lunch was so you could get to know each other better."

A waiter came over, interrupting the conversation. "Chef Saito told me that you're his honored guests today. After we fill your drink orders our Chef de Cuisine will prepare a special meal for you." The waiter made note of the drink orders and left, allowing the conversation to resume.

"That was nice of him," said Mel. Both she and Dax were thinking the same thing. How well did Keiko know Rocky? Were they lovers?

The other two nodded in agreement with Mel's observation. "So Mel, tell me how you know Dax."

Mel went on an extended recitation of their history together, telling Keiko about Dax taking a chance on hiring her as an inexperienced intern and how her role evolved into the one she held today. She didn't of course mention their ill-fated tryst in a Miami hotel and his defense of her honor with Hank Rossetti. But Keiko knew those omitted facts, and mentally filled them into Mel's narrative. There was a certain tenderness that came through when Mel described Dax's mentorship over the years, and that feeling of affection wasn't lost on Keiko.

The drink orders came just as Mel was wrapping up her version of her relationship with Dax. "I've been doing all of the talking. Keiko, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

Keiko also provided a sanitized narrative, leaving out the domination and submission that was the underpinning of their relationship. Mel suspected there was more, much more, but Dax was tight lipped about details and Keiko's story didn't shed any more light on why Dax was so smitten with her, other than her obvious good looks.

Both women scored the answers to the first round of questions as a draw. Both were able to navigate a drawn out answer without providing the key details to their attraction to Dax. The building tension was relieved when the Chef de Cuisine presented the first course. It was meticulously prepared and presented on an antique Japanese platter.

"Let me present one of my signature dishes, a chili shrimp roll garnished with ikura and tobiko [ed. note -- salmon roe and flying fish roe]." He plated equal portions for the three diners and served them. "Enjoy."

The conversation devolved to small talk as they enjoyed the first course. But through the successive courses, the questions became more pointed and the answers more explicit. Keiko was quickly drawing the precise conclusion that Dax was hoping wouldn't be drawn, and Mel was wondering what mysterious hold Keiko had over Dax. Dax wanted to make clear his intentions and tried to take Keiko's hand into his. She rebuffed his attempt (that Mel couldn't fail to notice), leaving Dax confused and frustrated.

As the conversation progressed, Mel asked herself why she was so jealous of Keiko. Yes, she was still attracted to Dax, but he had made it clear that he longer had any romantic interest in her, and that her unrequited affection was misplaced. What Mel didn't realize was that she was ultra-competitive in business and in love, and simply didn't like to lose. Despite her intention to be supportive, Mel's body language during the lunch suggested she was a jealous lover.

The remainder of the meal featured outstanding food, but the conversation was leading to a train wreck. All three wanted the meal to end as quickly as possible. After the last course was served, Rocky returned.

"I trust you enjoyed the meal. Robert is an outstanding chef."

Keiko put on her best face to address her friend. "Words can't express our appreciation for the meal and your hospitality."

Rocky beamed, unaware of the tension between his three guests. "I'm so happy that you all enjoyed it. It was my pleasure to treat you." He shook Dax and Mel's hands and then gave Keiko a big hug. As they prepared to leave, Rocky pulled Mel aside.

"If you're not seeing anyone, I'd love to have your number."

Mel was flattered by the attention and forgot about her competition for Dax. She fumbled through her purse for a business card and pen and jotted down her cell phone number on the back. Rocky pocketed the card and walked away. Keiko was furious. Not only had Mel staked her claim to Dax, she had managed to turn Rocky's head as well. She stormed out of the restaurant without even a goodbye, leaving both Dax and Mel wondering what went wrong.

* * *

Keiko was fuming on her Uber ride back to Queens. As her car fought through the beginning of the evening commute, she tried to calm herself to reassert the control that was the hallmark of her persona. Powerful emotions were sweeping through her -- all related to her jealousy of Mel and Dax's longtime relationship. Even though it may not have been grounded in sex (so claimed Dax), it was a deep emotional connection that she envied. Did Dax's unwavering submission to her suffice in lieu of that level of mutual trust and admiration that could only be built through years of close personal interaction? Was she capable of building that kind of relationship, or did she simply lack the capacity to do so, no matter how hard she tried? Was she truly in love with Dax or was it simply her competitive fire to win him?

To compound her dilemma, she concluded she was also jealous of Mel's looks. Mel was the epitome of an adolescent male's wet dream. Tall, long silky hair, large, perfectly proportioned breasts, a model's face, curves in the right places and shapely legs. Even though Keiko wasn't lacking in self-confidence in her own physical appearance, there were even nagging doubts about whether Dax truly desired her for what she was, or desired her for the control she exercised over him.

It was a difficult problem to work through in the best of circumstances, and made almost impossible with the overlay of the strongest of human emotions -- love and jealousy. By the time her ride arrived at her apartment, she was emotionally exhausted. Through rote of habit, she checked her phone, which she put on silent for her luncheon, and saw that there were four voice mail messages from Dax. She deleted all four messages without listening to them, unable to summon the emotional energy to talk to him.

* * *

Dax and Mel left the restaurant shortly after Keiko's abrupt departure. They both had afternoon business appointments (which were completely unproductive given their fragile emotional states) so the first time they had to talk was in the late evening. Dax chose to handle the interaction on the phone, not wanting to risk yet another emotional meltdown, this time by Mel.

"What the fuck happened this afternoon? I thought it was going well." Dax was in the main clueless about why Keiko left without another word spoken, even a goodbye. He was heartbroken nevertheless, thinking (rightfully) that maybe she had broken up with him and that he might never see her or talk to her again. He knew that his ability to read women was poor, if not non-existent, and was hoping, no praying, that Mel could shed some light on Keiko's emotional state.

"I'm not sure. I just met her. She seemed pleasant enough and my God she is beautiful, but her running out of the restaurant was just plain fucked up."

Unfortunately Mel wasn't the best person to read the situation. She had numerous unresolved issues with Dax, the most important one being whether deep down, there really wasn't something between the two of them. Mel always harbored an irrational secret hope that Dax would sweep her into his arms and marry her. She couldn't see the world through the lens of Keiko's eyes -- that to most men she was irresistible eye candy, and that her years working closely with Dax gave the two of them chemistry that to a trained eye could be interpreted as love, and not just familial love, but the kind of love that a husband and wife share.

"Maybe it's over," lamented Dax. That was exactly what he shouldn't have said at that point. To Mel, that meant the person that had an emotional death grip over Dax was now out of the picture. Her secret irrational fantasy of the two of them being together gathered unneeded momentum. Subconsciously, Mel wasn't going to help Dax overcome his emotional angst, but rather stoke it. Mel shared no love for Keiko, and even though she hadn't seen Dax happier in years when he was with this mysterious Japanese woman, Keiko's actions during their turbulent lunch gave her the justification not to help rescue their relationship. Mel was a good person, but love and jealousy could cloud the judgment of even the most altruistic man or woman.

"Maybe," replied Mel, her voice showing none of the emotion swirling through her head. "It's certainly not the way to make a good, first impression." Mel's last observation simply twisted the knife that was already in Dax's back. Her heart was speaking instead of her head.