The Zoo

THE ZOO

THE ZOO

Life has always been easy for "A". Of course, when you have always been the most beautiful girl, young woman, and adult woman in the room, that makes it much easier. Anastasia Ambrose Anderson, or A as her friends have always called her, has a perfect figure with deep blue eyes and long, blonde, curly hair that perfectly highlights a face that stops rooms when she enters. She has always been the prettiest wherever she has been.

Of less importance to the people around her, but of equal value to her was her intelligence. She was smart enough to understand her looks would only get her so far, and she made it a point to not be a stuck-up bitch to other kids. She made certain to have friends in all areas, and being popular with the "normal" kids made her life easier.

Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia made her a southern belle, and she could play that accent to the hilt whenever it helped her. Otherwise, she downplayed the accent, understanding it would be a hinderance in the business world and some social circles.

By the time she graduated from college at 22, her social calendar was full of influential people in Atlanta, and beyond. She knew she would never need her financial services degree, but she hadn't taken it to work in banks or financial institutions. No, she fully intended to use her looks as leverage with the men who have hung around her like flies since she hit puberty.

By the time she hit twenty-five she had collected enough "gifts" from her boyfriends to lay a foundation for financial freedom if continued for the duration of her looks. She never asked for anything and was always a sweet and happy companion. In response her gentleman "friends" lavished her with apartments, bank accounts, cars; anything they thought she might like but had never had to ask for.

As she approached thirty, she was living in New York with a very successful investment banker. He was one of the one hundred richest men in the world, and she had everything she had hoped for. She traveled the world, always having private jets, yachts, and houses to use as she wanted.

It was while she was in the Middle East with Robert that she finally met "real" money. At the time, they were staying at a private estate of some royal prince in Abu Dabi as his personal guests. By then, she had an account in a Swiss bank, in the Caymen Islands, and her "known" accounts in New York.

Her financial future was assured, and she was beginning to grow restless. She could only fuck so many boring, rich guys without losing the façade she hid behind all these years. She was starting to not care much any longer, and she knew her shell was beginning to crack.

It was a hot, typical summer day and Anastasia was at the private pool of the prince, talking to one of his wives. She liked talking to the Arab wives. They are always quiet and deferential in public, but behind the scenes, this is where she could find the real power in the Middle East. The bored wife pointed out to Anastasia each of the celebrity Arabs at the event they were attending, telling her how important or rich each actually was, and which were pretending. Anastasia loved this, and they talked well into the evening. The wife explained to her that it was not "her" night with her husband, and she was free stay as late as her bodyguard would allow.

Suddenly the wife sat up straight and froze. The entire pool area stopped as if they had been frozen. Anastasia looked around to see what happened and noticed a large entourage moving through the side area of the pool. There were dozens of obviously well-armed men surrounding one man. Several women followed at a discreet distance. Once the entourage was gone, life returned to the pool area.

Anastasia had to know. "Okay, who's that?"

The wife leaned over and whispered. "That is Prince Saadian Al-Enezi."

She couldn't believe it. The richest man in the world had just walked by her. She knew his worth was estimated at almost 1 trillion dollars. It is believed he would become the first trillionaire. Now that's REAL money.

Once he was gone, the wife became a bubbling fountain of information and gossip. Anastasia loved this stuff, and you could never know too much.

"You saw the women that followed him?" Anastasia nodded. "Not his wives, his zoo."

"Zoo?"

"Yeah, yeah. See, he is a collector. He has the world's largest collection of paintings. He has cars, art works, anything that strikes his fancy. One thing that strikes his fancy is beautiful women. However, he has very strict rules about the women in his life. We don't know what those rules are, but they never speak to anyone in public. The older women leading them is their supervisor, or "handler" if you will. She is the only person they are allowed to talk to. We would all die to hear of some of the other rules they must follow to be with him."

The wife continued talking until Robert showed up to take her back to their suite. Anastasia had stopped listening after she heard about the "zoo". She didn't care how rich this man was, no woman had to be treated like that. She knew she'd never do that. She had all the money she would ever need.

However, as Robert fucked her that night, the boredom of her life came crashing back on her. It seemed to crush her like Robert's body weight. He always liked fucking her on top in the missionary position. Anastasia hated it; thought it provincial and boring; but if that was the price, that was the price.

By the time he finished and rolled over to start snoring, Anastasia was wondering who had the worse position, the "zoo" women or her. Since she would never have to worry about it, she forgot it and fell asleep, counting her money in her head.

Robert and the Prince were there for a seminar of financial leaders. While the seminar continued the wives and girlfriends had a private pool and dining area set apart from the general public. Anastasia didn't see her friend from yesterday. The first thing that popped into Anastasia's head was, maybe this was her night, and she was getting ready. The comparison to her last night hit too close to home for Anastasia. She realized the difference between the wife and her was culture, not person. Each was surviving in the circumstances they found themselves in.

Anastasia found a quiet chaise lounge to watch the crowd. She saw the "zoo" in a separate pool. They had four large bodyguards watching the crowd and the older woman watching them. Apparently, they could talk to each other, because they were laughing and splashing around, secluded from everyone else.

Anastasia fell asleep on her lounge. She had a large umbrella above her, keeping the sun off. However, as the sun shifted, her legs became exposed as she slept.

She was awakened by a deep voice beside her. "If you don't shift your umbrella, your legs are going to burn."

She looked up into the face of the richest man on earth smiling down on her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I just would hate to have such beautiful legs burnt."

"Forgive me, your highness? I don't know how to address you."

"How about Saadian? That is my name. There are many "Princes" running around the Middle East. I would just prefer my own name."

"Well then, Saadian, thank you for rescuing my legs. I am sure I will thank you tomorrow when I don't have to take care of any burns."

"I know I haven't seen you at any of these conferences before. I would never forget someone as beautiful as you."

"You're too kind."

"Who are you here with?"

"Robert Whitaker."

"I know Bob. He's a good man." He pointed toward his ladies. "I'd better get back to my ladies before they get nervous because I'm talking to someone prettier than them. Maybe I'll see you again, here?"

He bowed and turned to leave. Anastasia had to admit; he was just as rich in the charm department as the wealth department. A dangerous man. Fortunately, Robert didn't travel in his circles, so she wouldn't have to worry about that.

Over dinner that night, she told Robert about her encounter with the prince. Robert got quiet. So quiet Anastasia finally had to ask.

"Sweetheart, that man is a shark of historic proportions. If he talked to you, he is intrigued by you. If he decides to pursue you, I'm dead. He never misses his mark."

"I'm not that shallow, Robert. I like what we have."

Robert laughed. "Comparing me to him is like comparing a Toyota to a Lamborghini. You can't imagine the world he and those women live in. It isn't the money. After a certain point, the money blurs everything around you. It is more than that. Everything around him is huge. Everyone around him is famous and powerful. He must always be on his guard. It is not general knowledge, but there have been a couple of assassination attempts at him. Some even think one of them might have been by our own CIA. I doubt it, but how knows?"

Anastasia looked down at her hands in her lap. She hadn't considered for a second that he might be interested in her. She had built her life on her looks and charm, but even she never considered herself a world-class beauty. The fact this man had stopped to engage in conversation with her made her shudder. She wasn't ready to join any man's zoo, no matter how rich he was.

"I'm sure he was just being polite to a pretty lady. He has all the beautiful women he would ever need."

Robert patted her on the hand. "My love, you and I are very much alike. We've both built our lives on moving up to better people and things. If he comes for you, I will have to just step aside. I don't want to tangle with him." He reached over and kissed her softly. "But that doesn't mean I wouldn't miss you terribly, my love."

She didn't sleep very well that night. Robert knew what troubled her. It made him sad; he'd really miss this woman. However, he had found her, and he'd find another. That would be better than tangling with Al-Enezi. He held her as she tried to sleep.

The conference was scheduled to end the next day. All Anastasia wanted to do was get the hell out of there. She stayed in the suite the last day while Robert finished the conference. When the limo headed out toward the airport, she finally let out a sigh of relief. Arriving at her apartment in New York made her feel a little bit better, and she decided to forget about the world's richest man who gets whatever he wants and move on with her life. She did know she was about to move on from Robert. It wasn't about the money any longer, she was bored. These things play out in a couple of different ways. Sometimes, the rich guy moves on to a new lady, and sometimes Anastasia just breaks it off. In the first case, it always came with a nice parting gift. The second case, not so much.

This was different. She got a call from Robert the next day to tell her his people informed Robert the prince was making inquiries about Anastasia. It came from one of Al-Enezi's companies in New York and had it had gotten back to Robert's people. Robert told her he already had her name, address, and phone number.

"It is better if we break it off before he shows up. If he appears to steal my girlfriend, it puts him in a bad light here in New York, and I'd rather not have that happen. Prepare for the onslaught. He can be overwhelming in his pursuit of anything or anyone he wants. It appears he wants you. Good luck, sweetheart. I'll miss you."

Anastasia was both angry and afraid at the same time. First, Robert is a fucking coward. He didn't give her a chance to choose. She may not have chosen Robert, but she sure as hell wasn't choosing the "zookeeper."

She didn't have long to stew. That evening, a man appeared at her door. "Miss Anderson. I'm from Arasia Oil Company." Arasia Oil Company is a joint venture between the prince and China. China needed a steady flow of oil years ago, and the prince needed a steady customer back then. It has worked well for each for many years. They have an office in New York, and does some sell oil to the U.S. "The Prince, Saadian Al-Enezi requests the honor of hosting a dinner for you and his excellency. He wonders if this Saturday evening would be suitable for you?"

Anastasia sighed quietly. As usual, Robert was spot on with his analysis. He usually was. He didn't become a billionaire by accident or inheritance. His instincts are good. Now what does she do? Does she dare turn him down? Does she go, and hope it turns out badly enough for him to move on? She made her decision in a second. She'll go and see what happens. "I'd be honored to have dinner with the Prince."

The man handed her a package. "My car will be here at six Saturday. Good night, Miss Anderson." He bowed and left.

She opened the package to discover a beautiful evening gown. She was sure it was her size. He wouldn't make a mistake about that. This is going to be a challenge.

The gown fitted perfectly, and she had to admit, she looked fabulous in it. She had her hair done that afternoon and spent an hour on her makeup with a beautician friend of hers. As she looked into the mirror, the woman standing before her was amazing. This was the best she had ever looked.

The limo arrived exactly at six, and she was off. It took her to the company's high rise New York headquarters. It went into the garage, where she was met by security, two male and one female. The female took her into a small room and searched her thoroughly. When she was satisfied, the three of them took her upstairs to the top floor.

The elevator door opened into a stunning suite fit for the richest man in the world. She was met by a butler who was old enough to have known Moses. He took her shawl and a maid that led her to the bar. The bartender asked what was her pleasure, and she asked for a glass of red wine.

The butler smiled and bowed. "The master will be here in a few minutes. He wishes to express his apologies for not being here to greet you. He was detained by urgent business but shall be here in a few minutes. If you'd like to sit in the living room." He pointed toward the huge room. It was not a question.

She headed to a large couch facing wall to ceiling glass displaying the skyline of New York. As she sat, sipping her wine, she stared out the window. She could see her reflection in the glass. She stared at herself and sighed. Anastaisa could see how this man could overwhelm most women. He was making headway with even her, and she has never been swayed by a man before.

That moment of indecision was the precise time he appeared. "Miss Anderson, please forgive me for being late. I assure you it was unavoidable."

"Please call me Anastasia, and my time is much more flexible than yours. I am at your disposal, Saadian."

"You're too kind." She stood up when he entered the room, and he took her hand and kissed it. "I hope you won't be too disappointed if we have our meal here in the apartment. I have found it is easier to not try to go to any restaurants here. Too many people, too disruptive."

She smiled her best smile. "That makes perfect sense to me. I'm sure it will be wonderful. Although, it does seem a shame to waste the effect of this beautiful gown on just the staff tonight."

"Don't be so sure it's being wasted, my dear." He hadn't dropped her hand after kissing it and led her into the next room. The dining room was larger and grander than the entry area. It looked like it would seat twenty or thirty, but there were only settings for two at the far end.

He carried her glass of wine and put it down at her place setting. Once he was seated, the servants brought the first course. It was fugu, the poisonous pufferfish that kills if not prepared correctly. She waited to see him bite into it first. He looked at her carefully. "What are you waiting for?"

She smiled, "I thought I'd wait for you to taste the fugu first."

He laughed out loud. "Very good, Anastasia, but I'm not going to kill you. At least, not until I sleep with you first. However, this is farm-raised fugu. The poison has been bred out of it by restricting its environment." He took a bite and swallowed. She ate hers. It was delicate and very good.

The rest of the meal continued in the same vein until the six other courses passed before them and they had consumed them.

Anastasia was impressed, which was his object, of course. "If I ate like this every day, I gain twenty pounds in a month."

"I can assure you I don't eat like this every day. Today is a special day. Tomorrow it's back to sandwiches and hamburgers."

She laughed. "I'm sorry. I just can't see you eating hamburgers."

"It's my favorite American food. I have an American chef with me just so I can have a hamburger whenever I want." He stood up. "How about we go back into the living room?"

He led her back to the living room, and he got her another glass of wine from the bartender. They ran through the usual small talk until he finally put his glass down. "So, Anastasia, what do you know about me?"

"I know you are the richest person on the planet. I know you have exquisite taste and are handsome to a fault. I do have one question. Are you married?"

He nodded. "I am, for twenty years now. I have three children with Amal." He could tell she was hesitating. "It's okay. Just ask the question you want to ask."

"I know you like to collect things, paintings, art, cars. Even women. You are aware of what some of your competitors call your women, right?"

"My zoo. I know. But it is not what you think it is."

"I hope not, because if you were planning on adding another exhibit to your zoo, you will be disappointed."

Anastasia could see him thinking about his next response. She had been as clear as she could where she stood. Now it was his turn.

"Are you aware of when an assassination target is the most vulnerable?"

"No, I haven't had to think about that before."

"Unfortunately, it is something I must think about constantly. No, the answer is with a woman, alone."

"I have heard rumors, but I'm new to all this. Robert never had this problem when I was with him. You heard he dumped me, right?"

"I believe dump is a little too strong. He didn't need to step aside for me. I'm not that vindictive, at least not in my personal life. I would not have attacked his company just because I wanted you. I would attack his companies if I thought I could make a profit from it. However, most of the richest men in the world tend to stay away from each other's assets. If it doesn't offend you any, I would consider you his most precious asset, and I never would have harmed him, even for you."

"I'm flattered, but back to the woman alone being a threat."

"For the obvious reason, when a man is wanting a certain woman, he wants her alone with him. If a trained assassin can get into the room with her target alone, he is dead already. Even without weapons. Their skill is the only weapon they need. I have survived two such women so far in my life. It is only because of those four women you call my zoo." He refilled her glass and sat back down. "Before I am alone with a new woman, they must pass the test of my women."

"But we are alone now."

He smiled. "Are we, now?" He pointed to a large mirror on one side of the room and waved his hand. The mirror became clear, and Anastasia could see two of the women standing behind the mirror. One had a gun pointed at Anastasia and the other was recording their conversation. Anastasia finally noticed the small hole in the ornately decorated frame. The gun could show through the hole. He snapped his fingers, and the mirror returned. "I'm sorry for that, but I needed you to understand who the four women are, and their purpose traveling with me constantly. It is also why they never talk to anyone but their team leader in public."

Anastasia couldn't get over having a gun pointed at her. "You had a gun pointed at me the entire time?"