"Is this true mother? We are allowed to keep the names we were given?" Tara asked completely in shock that she hadn't had to beg or grovel to the Empe...or. She remembered the third Emperor had required it of her the few times he'd talked to her."Yes daughter, it is true. This Emperor is unlike an Emperor that has ever been before. He is strict but he is also of a more fair and forgiving nature." Shelby advised a now wide open mouthed Tara.Falling to her knees at the feet of Derrick Tara almost. "There's nothing worse than preggers honey. Unless of course thefathers is...well let's not go there," Millie paled.Candi shook her head vehemently"Drugs? You're not doing drugs are you? I heard they test for drugstoo," Millie said.Candi stopped crying and smiled to herself."Yes honey it's drugs. Nothing heavy but my boyfriend made me smokesome pot last week. I hated it but he said he'd leave me if I didn't'get hip and get high' with him," Candi lied."You know what. You were really nice. "Shall we begin?"Eric and I worked hard. Like a huge vacuum, he sucked up information I struggled to feed him at the pace he demanded. His clarity and precision of thought, his quick mind, had me in awe. However, I lived those six hours in fear of what would happen later. I was constantly aware of his maleness and dominant air, even as we discussed such mundane and non-sexual things as lease financing. I felt the sexual tension the entire time.It wasn't my imagination. He touched me every. "And I'm a business associate and sometime fuck buddy. I've known Tonyfor years and the one thing I do know is that you don't cross him,"Michelle concurred.The three of them sat in silence at the table drinking scotch andsmoking; staring into space.John and Michelle broke the silence when they said in unison:"How much does it pay?"The next day there was another delivery poked through the letterbox.This time when Candi unwrapped it she found a box of Cadbury's Roseschocolates. The note.