Free Immortal Beauty by Thomas McDermott Page A

His blue eyes twinkled with devilment. He was getting far too much pleasure from this but for once Marcus didn’t mind. “You’re not going to believe what she’s up to.” They walked sided by side to the stairs and made their way to Marcus’ office. Marcus called out to the maid almost yelling at her.
    “Virginie! We are going to be in the office and we do not wish to be disturbed for any reason whatsoever. Do you understand?” There was nothing mean or officious in his voice. It was more like excitement.
    “Oui Monsieur!” She called back cheerfully. This meant she was free for a bit. Maybe she would walk the gardens herself and take in some of the lovely Spring weather that had only just arrived in Paris. She looked out the long windows out onto the terrace and took in all of the beauty that lay sprawled indifferently beneath her feet.
    Sasha sat at her desk and couldn’t stop worrying. Why would the president of the company want to see her unless something was wrong? She had never met the woman and now the owner of a multi billion dollar international company was requesting a meeting. This could not be good. Could it be, just when she was getting used to the fact that her fabulous life was indeed all her own, someone had the power to take it all away from her. She reached for her coffee cup and drank the last of the powerful brown liquid the French call café. It was bitter and it was scalding hot but it was exactly what she needed. She glanced around her desk and looked at the memo again. All it said was that she had a meeting with Ms. D’Aumont at 10:30 a.m. Well, they usually don’t fire people until the end of the day, or was that just an American thing? Maybe their French took you out for a wine and cheese lunch before they gave you the boot. She wished for the first time that she had made friends since moving to Paris. She had acquaintances all over the place but there was no one person she could call and be all paranoid with who would not think she was crazy. Someone who told her she was doing a great job and it would be foolish for the company to let someone as fabulous as Sasha go. She had no interest in friends when she moved here. All she thought about was getting to Paris then finding work and a place to live. All her life was spent working on this dream of hers and now that it had come true she was just beginning to see that no dream, no matter how grand is worth much of anything when there is nobody to share it with. Now, more ever she wished her mother were alive. She would know what to say to calm her down. She tried to imagine calling her and telling her how freaked out she was about this meeting and she imagined her mother laughing and telling her that she was being silly and it was probably nothing. More than likely it was probably good news. She could hear her mother’s voice in her head. She could hear the practical wisdom coming form her lips. Sasha suddenly worried about her outfit. Did she look professional? Did she stand out from the other women in the office who refused to be nice to the American.? Would Ms. D’Aumont approve? Oh she wished it were over already. Looking at her empty coffee cup she decided she needed action. She had some time and the people on her floor would not see her leaving or coming back for that matter, She would head outside to one of the little cafes and order another coffee. She suddenly wished that she smoked. It would give her something to do. For now, getting coffee would work. It would get her outside for a moment and she could collect her thoughts before going back in. She grabbed her purse and walked quickly to the stairway.
    Taylor’s expensive car pulled up to the front of Celgen Laboratories. It looked just like the pictures he had seen while researching his topic. After a coma like sleep on the most comfortable mattress he had ever slept on, he was good to go. He never touched the champagne that Celine had sent him. He never drank alcohol. That