Pepper awoke the next morning feeling strange. She felt as if she should have felt well-rested, but instead, the redhead felt oddly fatigued. Her entire body felt tired and sore. Pepper laid in bed with her brow furrowed and thought back to what she had drank the night before. It wasn’t enough to bring on a hangover. Finally, she found the energy to sit up in bed. She was just about to get up when another thought struck her sluggish mind.
Her sheets and mattress was all sticky. She paused for a few moments and thought things over.
Getting up finally, Pepper reached for the phone next to the clock radio on her bedside table. She shook her head, hoping to clear the cobwebs, and dialed the number for room service. After a few rings, a man’s voice answered.
“Hello, my name is Pepper Potts,” the redhead stated, matter-of-factly, “I require a change of bedding in my cabin. Thank you very much.”
“Of course, Miss Potts,” the voice on the other end responded, “Can I do anything else for you today?”
Pepper was about to say no, when she recalled what she had told the girls from the previous night. How she would get to the bottom of BLISS’ hiring practices when it came to their female staff. For a moment, her head swam and Pepper closed her eyes and rubbed temples with her free hand. She exhaled a heavy sigh, before finally answering the man on the other end, “...I would also like to speak with Max if you could transfer me to his office.”
“Certainly,” the voice stated, “One second and I’ll transfer you to Holli, his personal assistant.”
“Can you connect me directly,” Pepper stated. The idea of talking with any of Max’s female staff annoyed her deeply. Besides, she was the CEO of Stark Industries. Max could make time to talk with her. Finally, she declared, “This is very important.”
“...I will see what I can do,” the man stammered, trying to maintain his polite timbre to his voice, despite Pepper’s humorless tone, “I will need to put you on hold.”
“Fine,” Pepper said. It would have to do.
Some time passed, and Pepper was about to hang up the phone and march her way down to Max’s office and remind him that Stark Industries was BLISS’ partners in this venture, when the line clicked and Max answered on the other end, “Pepper! What a pleasant surprise to hear from you this beautiful morning. What can I do for you?”
“We need to schedule a meeting this morning, Max. Clear your schedule,” Pepper declared, “It’s very serious.”
“Bien sûr, Pepper,” Max said, his own jovial tone shifting to a more serious one, “I will tell Holli to cancel all of my appointments. We will get to the bottom of what is troubling you. You can come right away. I will be expecting you.”
“Thank you, Max,” Pepper spoke, trying to muster a smile, “I will be there within the hour.”
“I am looking forward to it,” Max said, his cheerful tone returning.
Pepper raised her eyebrows at Max’s confident demeanor and hung up the phone without saying goodbye. She then went about getting ready for the day. Still, throughout the entire process, something nagged at her. It seemed to be right on the tip of her tongue, and yet it eluded her. Pepper sighed as she stood in front of her bedroom mirror and buttoned up her stylish blouse.
The redhead left her room, and to her relief the hallway was empty. She exhaled a long, drawn-out sigh. Pepper was in no mood for idle chit-chat this morning. Furrowing her brow, a pang of sudden awareness that washed over her and Pepper shook her head. Pepper knew that Max would try to shmooze her, and she simply couldn’t allow this. Stark Industries’ reputation was at stake. Hell, her own reputation was at stake.
She bit back a yawn, scowling as she did so. For all BLISS’ much-vaunted sense of luxury, she hadn’t gotten nearly as good a night’s sleep as she’d experienced on the cot in her own office at Stark Industries. She should be able to use that against Max when they spoke.
But first coffee. She needed to feel awake and human. To really put on her A-game.
“Some vacation,” the redhead muttered to herself and proceeded on her way to Max’s office.
A short time later, Pepper passed a common area where guests were beginning to make their way to breakfast, which was being served at a large buffet. Pepper managed to smile politely at the other guests as she walked over to the coffee maker to pour herself a cup. That was when she saw them out of the corner of her eye.
Two of the members of Max’s female staff made their way into the common area. One was a tall, golden-skinned Latina, while the other was a shorter brunette. They were once more dressed identically, this time wearing red bikini tops that put their large breasts on full display and tight white booty shorts. The simple but incredibly outrageous look was completed by the highest of high heeled pumps, as well as their ever-present gold necklaces around their necks that featured a medallion with their name etched in fancy lettering. The shapely pair sashayed into the room with wide, cheerful smiles on their perfectly made-up faces. Their hair was immaculately coiffed and pulled back in sleek ponytails. Pepper watched the two women greet the guests, and it looked as if there was not a shred of intelligence either walking wet dreams’ eyes. It sent an uneasy chill through the CEO.
Pepper stole a glance over to the smiling duo, who were greeting the guests and wishing them a good morning. The Latina’s voice was low and husky, while the brunette’s was huskier. Either way, they dripped sex appeal, and Pepper saw one man who was dining with his wife get red in the face as a big, goofy grin spread across his face. His wife didn’t look pleased, and Pepper shook her head thinking how unbelievable this all was. Here this couple probably saved for this trip for months so they could have a romantic cruise, and this poor woman had to watch her husband practically drool at the sight of the two augmented beauties’ bodies on full display. It made her sick.
It was then that the two women turned their round, vacant eyes to Pepper and flashed her twin beaming smiles. They then began to sashay their way over to where she stood. Their carefree smiles didn’t sit well with Pepper, and the redhead wondered what exactly their duties were this morning in the common area. Hoping to avoid what was assuredly an inane conversation, Pepper grabbed her cup of coffee, turned and continued on her way towards Max’s office.
The coffee worked wonders on Pepper’s attitude. Like her meal the night before, it tasted delicious. ‘At least Max had gotten the food and drink right,’ Pepper thought to herself.
Taking another sip of the warm liquid, she rounded a corner and nearly slammed into an oncoming woman. It startled Pepper, but she managed to not spill her coffee. Looking up, her eyes grew wide when she saw who she had almost run into.
It was another member of the female staff. She could tell right away by her outlandish figure, the mindless look in her eyes as she blinked stupidly up at her and, of course, the gold necklace with the medallion around her dainty neck. As she gazed at the pretty little Asian bimbo before her, Pepper thought back and recalled that it was one of the new women that had joined the crew. Looking down at the medallion, Pepper saw the name ‘Luci.’
“Oooooh, I’m, like, so, so sorry, Miss,” Luci cooed out apologetically, “Bad, naughty Luci not looking where she was going! You see, I’m on way to teach a morning yoga class. You seem pretty fit. Would you wanna greet the sun with us?”
Pepper stared at Luci for a moment and took in her appearance. The short, full-figured girl had on a pink sports bra that somehow contained her enormous bust, as well brief little black shorts. Her hard stomach was on display and her black hair was tied back in the same sleek ponytail as the two doll-like women at the buffet. Pepper wondered what the other guests would think if this little sexpot showed up as heir yoga instructor. She was, to be frank, a completely ridiculous sight. Luci continued to gaze up hopefully at Pepper, but the redheaded woman was having none of it. She simply shook her head and continued on her way to her destination.
“Like, maybe next time!” Luci called after Pepper, her voice was happy and chipper and it made Pepper all the angrier. It wasn’t that these women just looked like bimbos. They acted and talked like bimbos as well! Selling with sex appeal was one thing. Lord knew that Tony had pulled similar antics before they’d started dating, but you still needed professionalism amidst the eye candy.
Finally, Pepper arrived at Max’s office. She had worked herself up into a fury as she had passed more and more of Max’s bimbos on her way. The redhead knew that it was all so wrong, and she wanted nothing more than to tear Max a new one the second she laid eyes on the man. Rather than knocking politely, as she would have normally done, Pepper instead opened the door and strode inside the office only to find Holli, Max’s personal secretary sitting in a reception area outside the office.
Pepper looked down scornfully at the seated woman, who appeared to be useful for nothing more than filing her long nails. Holli’s big tits were on full display in her tight white collared shirt with a plunging neckline. Even her fat nipples were clear as day in the brief top. To Pepper it was like something out of a porno, and it disgusted her even more.
“Oh, Ms. Potts!” Holli exclaimed in her high-pitched, breathy voice. She rose up to her high-heel-clad feet and revealed that she was wearing a pink, black and white plaid skirt that showed off plenty of her legs, and only barely concealed the tops of her stockings, “Um…I’ll, like...”
“Shut up, Holli,” Pepper seethed, and the poor blonde jumped at the redhead’s tone, “I don’t want to hear another word out of any one of you. You...you… bimbos!”
Holli just stood there, her plump, shiny lip trembling as Pepper went on.
“You, and that Luci bitch and those two silicone-pumped whores at the buffet,” Pepper ranted, all decorum stripped from her, “What great eye candy! Something nice for the pervs to look at. Meanwhile, good, decent people are subjected to that vile display! How dare Max try to sell me on this as luxury and class when it’s clear that he’d much rather try to recreate the Hustler club at sea? Oh, just wait until I get my hands on that sleazebag!”
Suddenly, the door to Max’s office opened and he stepped out with a worried look on his face, “Ah, Mademoiselle Potts. You’ve arrived. Now, is something the matter?” he asked.
“Oh, you better believe there is, creep,” Pepper hissed, shooting daggers at the suddenly nervous-looking Frenchman.
“Please, come into my office and we can discuss whatever is troubling you,” Max said, looking over at Holli. The vapid-brained woman looked visibly shaken by Pepper’s sudden outburst and he smiled at her reassuringly. It seemed to calm the woman slightly.
Pepper clenched her jaw and thought for a moment about laying into him in front of his sexpot of a secretary, but somehow thought better of it. She marched right past Max, who calmly shut the door and moved back over to his desk. It was clear as day that she was absolutely fuming and about to curse him out.
“Now, Ms. Potts, if you would please take a seat so we can discuss what is troubling you,” Max stated, his normal suave French charm abandoned for a more serious tone.
“I’ll stand. This won’t take long, you asshole,” Pepper spat venomously, she was once more getting more and more worked up with every passing thought, “I demand an explanation, Max! What the hell is going on around here?”
Max looked Pepper straight in the eye, unflinching in the face of her ire.
“BLISS is a way of life,” he enunciated. Reaching to the edge of his desk, he tapped twice at a small service bell, the high sound dinging and echoing around the four walls of the small office.
“Pepper,” he breathed out, more an exhale than an actual word. “There’s no need to be so angry at me. Please. We are civilized beings. Sit. Would you care for a coffee? I will explain everything.”