54 The Coke Is A Lie

 “Temptation is the fire that brings up the scum of the heart.”
~William Shakespeare~

---

Miles Edgeworth and Lana Skye
Huxi Manor, Cigar Lounge
October 13, 2024, 8:15 PM

The dinner served in Ku’s magnificent, regal dining area, was sublime. On the finest of bone china plates and with gleaming silverware, they feasted on shrimp scampi, baby lamb chops, and asparagus tips, then topped it all off with a perfectly heavenly cappuccino, which Miles, although he would have preferred tea, drank with no complaint.

Ku’s companion that evening was a breathtaking Chinese woman, as undeterminable of age as the man himself, named Wong Li Tsong, although she insisted Lana and Miles call her Li. The exotic beauty’s satiny, jet-black hair fell nearly to her waist, and her full lips were the same magenta color of her fitted, sleeveless sheath dress, which highlighted her delicate features and petite frame. She was apparently the daughter of some diplomat friend of Ku’s, and while she smiled demurely and nodded when appropriate during the conversation, she said very little the whole time.

As Lana couldn’t recall seeing Li at the party a couple of months ago, she surmised that the Asian female was the latest addition of living trophies in Ku’s supposedly extensive collection. She was uncertain how much shop talk they would be able to do within Li’s presence, but then gave a mental shrug and decided they could proceed unless otherwise directed. The drug lord was no fool – he surely wouldn’t have opted to invite company that evening whom he didn’t deem trustworthy.

The brunette sat rigidly on the white leather loveseat next to her undercover partner, unhurriedly sipping the cognac from the crystal tumbler the host had poured them. Erring on the side of caution this time, she had ensured that she’d eaten every savory morsel of dinner, while also vowing to make this glass of booze her sole one. The last thing she needed was a repeat of last time and need to use Miles as a human crutch all night! She didn’t think she could withstand another virulent glare such actions would consequentially garner her from the ever-watchful Franziska. The last scathing glower Lana had earned from the hawk-eyed German could have peeled paint!

That night, however, Lana was relieved to note that aside from kissing her hand upon greeting her and Miles earlier that evening, Ku had been on his most gentlemanly behavior. This was possibly due to the presence of the lovely Li, or simply because Max, ensuring he clearly marked his territory this time, had made a point to have a possessive arm wrapped around Debbie’s shoulders the majority of the night.

“So, Mr. Ku,” Miles began, setting his half-finished drink down on the glass coffee table. “That was a superb meal, and we are most grateful for the hospitality, but I think we can finally get down to business now, don’t you?”

Ku blew three smoke rings out of his cigar, while with his free hand, he mimicked the prosecutor’s action of looping an arm around his date’s shoulders.

“Always so businesslike, Mr. Banks,” the Chinese man smiled easily, stubbing the cheroot out in his ashtray on the glass table beside him. “I was sincerely hoping that we would have a chance to get to know one another better since I don’t have dozens of guests to play host to this time. However, if you wish, we can most certainly cut to the chase. First things first, I wanted to thank you for holding up your end of the deal as agreed upon.”

Ku discreetly gestured to the center of the table in silent directive to his uniformed maid, who had just entered with a silver tray full of what appeared to be white powdered donuts. He waited until the servant had placed the platter down, then left as stealthily as she’d arrived, before continuing.

“My associate in Zheng-Fa was most pleased indeed with the promptness of the arrival. I appreciate that you can be trusted.”

“I’m a man of my word, Mr. Ku,” Miles replied, shaking his head as Li rose and offered to pour him another drink. “Like I said before, whatever it takes to secure your utmost trust in me, consider it done.”

“I can see that.” A sly smile curled on Ku’s lips as he gestured to the sweets on the table in front of them. “Why don’t we all savor the saccharinity of this new partnership by having you indulge in the sweetness that was your shipment?”

Miles’ eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline as he stared at the powdered donuts and then back at his smirking host again.

“I beg your pardon?”

“My brother owns the most successful chain of gourmet bakeries in all of Zheng-Fa,” Ku informed them, his almond eyes dancing with amusement as a look of understanding dawned on both his guests’ faces. “He sent these over to us, freshly baked this morning. They’re topped with only the finest icing sugar Asia has to offer.”

The host reached over and took a bite of a snowy-topped pastry.

“Won’t you join me in sampling these decadent donuts?”

“Donuts?” Lana echoed, stunned.

“Icing sugar?” Miles repeated, dazed. “Are you telling me that the packed 50 kilos … the 1.5 million dollars worth of what you told me was cocaine, which I had shipped out on my private jet…”

His incredulous voice trailed off and he grabbed his tumbler and took a large swallow of amber before he could continue speaking.

“…Was just icing sugar?”

“I had to ensure you were a man I could trust, Max Banks.” Ku calmly took another bite of his donut, unfazed by the expression of unbridled indignation in Miles’s eyes. “Obviously, now I have determined that I can. No harm was done, after all, in the taking of extra precautionary measures, right? What’re a measly million dollars to a billionaire, after all? It would be the equivalent of losing a dollar to the general masses, hmmm?”

“The coke is a lie? Er – was a lie, I mean?” Miles’ heart dropped into his stomach. “Do you mean to tell me that I actually bribed the customs officials thousands of dollars…For what turned out to be mere baker’s confectionary?”

He took another long swig from his tumbler and barely swallowed back the urge to punch Ku’s stupid, smug mug, right there and then.

God’s elbow! I’ll never hear the end of this unforeseen snafu! Lang will never let me live this down!

Just then, he felt Lana’s well-manicured fingertips firmly grasp his thigh, digging her nails in ever-so-slightly, as if cautioning him to keep calm. Knowing she was right; he acknowledged the silent prompt.

“One simply cannot put a price tag on trust, which most definitely has to be earned. A few meager dollars and having the proverbial egg on my face is ultimately meaningless if it means I passed your test! Nonetheless, that’s quite the sense of humor you have, my good man! I mean, really… confectioner’s sugar?! Ha-ha!”

He took one more gulp of alcohol, then forced himself to emit a light-hearted laugh, and then Ku joined in until soon all four of them dissolved into gales of mirth at the madness of it all. The prosecutor finally took a bite of the dessert, which was, Miles hated to admit, quite tasty, despite the duplicity that had gone into making them.

“You’re a funny man, Mr. Ku,” the fake playboy drawled, sitting up straight in his seat and waving his finger at the other man, more in playful reprimand than in a warning. “All the same, you’re a funny man who serves superlative donuts.”

“Please forgive my underhanded whimsy.” Ku wiped his fingertips on a napkin. “You can’t imagine how a man in my renowned position is often the target of suspicion amongst narcs and federal agents, not to mention business rivals who would be most content to put a hindrance to my operations, once and for all.”

“Of course,” Lana murmured sympathetically, flashing a dazzling smile. “As you said, Mr. Ku, no harm, no foul.”

“Indeed,” Miles agreed. “And now that you have determined I am a man you can trust at any cost, could we perhaps go back to my initial request, which was, shall we say, 10 kilos?”

“Not a problem at all, Mr. Banks. The same rate applies. $350,000 in cash. I can arrange a shipment for you next week or so, shall we say?” Ku winked. “I shall see if I can expedite things in light of this slight… inconvenience.”

“Sounds good.”

Miles then proceeded to outline the details of the shipment, as he’d been instructed, while Ku, with steepled fingertips, listened intently the whole time, smiling and nodding. Finally, he turned to Li and murmured something in her ear. She nodded and left the room for a moment, only to return with a small glass ampoule and a mirrored tray.

Ku poured the contents of the vial onto the mirror, which he’d placed on the table, and made four lines with the edge of a playing card he swiped from his side table.

“As a celebration of our newfound partnership, what say we all take a little sample of the goods to prove there are no hard feelings? There’s no better way to guarantee the quality of your shipment than firsthand knowledge, eh, Max?” He fished a $100 bill from his pocket and rolled it tightly before holding it up to Lana and Miles, who were trying to maintain their cool at this unpredicted turn of events. “Who would like to do the honors first?”

The logic enthusiast felt his mouth go dry. In his entire life, he’d never even touched a cigarette. He barely drank – for heaven’s sake he prosecuted men like Ku for a living! How had his life come to this? He felt completely torn. There was Lang’s golden rule of doing whatever it took to seal the deal, but when it came to something of this magnitude, which grossly went against his ethics … not to mention the law …

He could sense Lana’s disinclination as well; her unnervingly sharp talons were once again anxiously digging into his thigh.

“I’m afraid I must politely decline,” Miles, at last, replied smoothly, his affixed smile never wavering. “As a businessman myself, I’ve never been one to eat out of my own pot, so to speak, and I prefer to keep myself in an unaltered state of mind at all times. I hope you can understand, Mr. Ku.”

“Not only do I understand, but I admire your stance.” Ku eyed him with newfound respect. “I despise doing dealings with cokeheads and drug users. Only the weak dip into their personal proceeds. You have passed yet another test of mine, Max.”

“I didn’t become a billionaire by being a weak or foolish man.” He barely stifled a sigh of relief at the reprieve he’d magically just earned himself. “I’ve never been one to partake in such indulgences if I think it means it could compromise my wits and interfere with my commerce matters, which is what I’m all about, first and foremost.”

“Then whoever do you purchase the cocaine for Mr. Banks?” Li asked then, completely out of the blue. Her sharp eyes were staring directly into his, almost as if in a challenge, despite the mildness of her tone. “You only buy, but never use?”

“Madam, I am bewildered by your line of questioning,” Miles countered smoothly. “Do you presume everyone who owns a liquor store is an alcoholic?”

Ku chuckled in response to the witty rebuttal, but Li’s eyes narrowed, so the phony billionaire quickly amended his statement, flashing a dazzling smile as he did so.

“Without unnecessarily disclosing my confidential clientele, I can profess that a big reason for my purchasing of the nose candy is for my fair lady here.” He didn’t even blink as he felt Lana’s nails dig even harder into his thigh. “Debbie is ever the party girl, after all, and I do like to keep my darling happy.”

“Oh, I’m such a lucky girl,” Lana ground out through gritted teeth as she forced a smile. “My sweetie here spoils me so!”

“Yes, well, it’s not all for her of course,” Miles added as Li raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “As discussed, the requested shipment is to go to Cohdopia.”

The Asian knockout nodded brusquely and handed the strained Interpol Agent the rolled-up bill.

“Then you can enjoy Max’s share, Miss Dallas,” she instructed firmly, her meek tone now decidedly peremptory. “Ladies first!”

Lana gulped as she looked back and forth between Ku and Li, understanding the situation for exactly what it was. Miles had thrown her under the bus to save his own skin, and now there was no choice but for her to take up the slack or risk blowing their entire cover! After all, “party girls” with porn-star names would not typically be the sort to reject a free snort of premium angel dust!

Grrr! Miles Edgeworth, you crafty son of a bitch! I’ll get you for this!

“After you, Debbie,” Ku beamed, inclining his head graciously. “As Li said, ladies first!”

The hired bimbo smiled weakly and reluctantly took the currency note from the sharp-eyed Li.

She had no choice. She was trapped.

I was warned about the drugs they sell on the streets, the ones you could slip into my drink, and the ones that might become appealing to my eyes; however, they never prepared me for the one that comes with a smile.

Reluctantly leaning forward, she covered one nostril, then inhaled first one line, then the other one, which had previously been reserved for Miles.

Having never done cocaine in her life, the ex-detective wasn’t sure what to expect as she leaned back against the cushions, dimly aware of Li, and then Ku, partaking in their share while Miles indulged in a second glass of cognac from the crystal decanter, apparently so he wouldn’t look like too much of a stuffed shirt in comparison.

Lana sat there tensely, experiencing the initial drip sensation in her throat, sort of like a constant after-taste, as well as nasal congestion. After a few minutes, a warm feeling came over her body, with a tingly sensation in her limbs.

This was nothing like her school days at all when all she’d ever done was try a hit of acid. And even that had only been a couple of times. Everyone was doing it then, and she hadn’t taken much. There had been moving lights and geometric patterns, which she’d watched in a detached way. Afterward, she’d wondered what all the talk about cosmic profundity had been about, though she hadn’t wanted to say anything. People were very competitive about the meaningfulness of their drug trips in those days.

She wasn’t sure what to expect next. Certainly not the unexpected burst of feeling more energetic, awake, and happy…

…Not to mention sexier and charged with unignorably lusty proclivities!

Lana turned her head and gazed sultrily at Miles, who was eyeing her anxiously. She flashed a vixenish smile, reached out, and ran her fingers through his silky, obsidian hair. He jolted a bit at the unforeseen contact slightly but remained still.

God help me, his hair is so deliciously thick, my fingers disappear into the locks…

She just couldn’t seem to stop touching her undercover partner. Stroking the back of his neck and face and hair …

It’s all so smooth. So masculine. So familiar. So…perfect. 

Ku smiled knowingly as Lana sat back up and pressed herself against Miles’ side.

The prosecutor stiffened slightly as Lana’s firm curvaceous body pressed into his, but while he didn’t reciprocate her bold caresses, he didn’t pull away, either.

He wasn’t entirely sure if he wanted to, even if he hadn’t been under the watchful eyes of Li and Ku, and risked blowing their cover!

This is getting too real. The lines between fantasy and real life are beginning too damned blurry now…and I’m not even sure if the copious amount of alcohol in my system is reason to blame!

“It’s a wonderful feeling, sharing this experience with new friends,” Ku announced, lifting his glass in a toast. Then he stopped himself. “Wait, what am I doing? We should be toasting with the finest! Li, go tell the maid to get me a bottle of my best vintage from the cellar!”

His companion nodded, dabbing at her nose, and with a congenial smile now replacing her earlier suspicious expression, left the room, just as Ku’s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and frowned.

“Apologies, but I’ve been expecting this call. Most important. Please excuse me, I shouldn’t be too long.”

The drug lord quickly left the room as well then, quietly shutting the French doors shut behind him.

Miles turned to Lana the moment they were alone, gently taking her roaming hands into his own, as she’d graduated from stoking his hair to running her fingers over every inch of his visage, much like a sculpture artist trying to memorize every line and crevice. He managed to stop her as her nails began tracing the sensitive skin of his earlobe, and he fought back a shiver.

Undaunted, she plastered herself to him, kissing every inch of his face hungrily, devouring his neck, earlobes, and throat. He broke free with muscular ease, trying to squelch the conflicting memories and desires stirring within that her hands and lips brought back to him.

“L – Darling…” he whispered, feeling beyond remorseful. It was his fault she was in this state. “Please … don’t. This isn’t you – it’s the drugs. I’m so sorry…I had no choice…”

“Sorry for what, honey?” She purred, wrestling her hands away from his. “I haven’t felt this good in ages. I only wish you could have partaken with me so you’d know how good I’m feeling right now.”

She rose from the loveseat and stood before him, so he couldn’t look away, even if he’d wanted to tear his eyes away from her lithe, taut frame, so aptly displayed in that dress.

Aware of his fixated eyes on her, Lana slowly unwrapped the scarf from her neck and ran down her collarbone to her exposed cleavage, a naughty glint in her eye as she did so. She had never undressed like this before. The shyness, the feeling of inner panic, the dizziness, all that she had always felt when undressing in front of the younger man – it was all gone. She was now standing in front of him, self-confident, insolent, bathed in light, and astonished at her impulsive discovery of the gestures, heretofore unknown to her, of a slow provocative striptease.

Suddenly, she bent over and looped her scarf around the back of his neck like a lasso, drawing him towards her until they were eye to eye, noses touching.

“Miss Dallas,” Miles whispered, at a loss for words as he breathed in her familiar lavender scent. “You’re unbelievable.”

“This is the role of a lifetime, Max,” she whispered back. “How about I demonstrate just how believable I can be, then?”

He barely had time to process what the lasciviousness on her face meant. Miles didn’t know what was wrong or right anymore. He loved Franziska … yet it had been so long since he’d felt a woman’s touch…and Lana…was Lana.

Moreover, he wasn’t Miles Edgeworth right now. He was Max Banks and Lana was Debbie Dallas and they were supposed to remain in character at all costs.

Never had he ever felt conflicted between his morals, his lust, and his duties.

What if he drew back and Ku were to come in, then suspiciously inquire why he was resisting his sexy girlfriend’s horny, drug-addled advances? Or would it be worse if the drug lord returned and he and Lana were in flagrante delicto –

Before he could finish his diverged thoughts, she grabbed the collar of his shirt and tugged him back to her, crushing her lips to his. He made a muffled sound of surprise in the back of his throat, hesitating for a heartbeat before his mouth opened against hers. And then they were kissing for real – clumsily at first, as they felt each other out, but then she shifted forward into his lap, falling against his chest and tipping her head down, and it was like two puzzle pieces snapping into place.

They were beyond the present, outside time, with no memories and no future. There was nothing but obliterating sensation, thrilling and swelling, and the sound of fabric on fabric and skin on fabric as their limbs slid across each other in this restless, sensuous wrestling.

She felt strange and wild. Her body was just a collection of organs. She was blood and plumbing, like any other creature, and there was nothing that was forbidden about any of it. She gnawed on Miles ravenously, like an animal ravaging its prey, and when she had had enough of that she swung her leg over him, like a rider swinging into a saddle, and galloped.

There wasn’t a moment of hesitation. His mouth was on hers, and she stopped breathing. He shuddered and there was a sound from the back of his throat, half growl, half moan. Little shivers of pleasure and shock shot through her as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips. She stopped thinking. She pressed against him, digging her fingers into his soft, silky hair once more. Nothing else about him felt that way – his body was all hard, masculine planes. She sparked alive; her heart swelled to the point of near bursting. The rush of sensations crawling across her body was maddening. Scary. Thrilling.

His hands were on her hips, and he lifted her as though she were made of air. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and they moved to the right of the loveseat, knocking into a floor lamp. It toppled over, but neither spared it another thought. Their lips remained sealed. It was like they couldn’t get enough of each other. They were devouring one another, drowning in each other.

And she didn’t just let it happen. She pushed it further, opening her mouth and letting his tongue find hers. She didn’t care that they were locked in a clinch on some drug lord’s leather couch, or that the stubble on his chin was scratching her face. At this moment, in her cocaine-fueled euphoria, every ounce of care she had in the world was replaced by desire.

A satisfied sigh escaped Lana’s mouth; as if she were content to stay in his arms forever.

Miles took over control as soon as she tilted her head. Their lips touched for the briefest moment before he laced his fingers in her hair and kept kissing, now softer and gentler. He cupped her cheek in his palm, feeling her baby-soft skin against his fingers. His body urged him to take advantage of the situation, but his brain (the one inside his head) kept him in check.

He brushed the tip of his tongue against her lips, enticing her to open her mouth again. She tentatively met his tongue with her own. Their mouths and tongues mingled in a slow, erotic dance until the sound of the door opening brought them crashing back to reality.

Lana had fantasized about what it’d be like to kiss Miles again over the past few months, way more than she cared to admit. But she didn’t even have time to register what had just transpired between them as without breath, upon hearing the sound at the door, he pulled back. His face froze, eyes wide with ‘oh shit’ written across them. Maybe she’d have been offended, had she not been sure that her expression matched his perfectly.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” she blurted out, her voice muffled against his ear. “I’m an idiot.”

“Yeah,” he agreed breathlessly. “You really are.”

Lana allowed herself to breathe, and vaguely realized she was sitting on top of Miles in a position that was little, uh, friendly. She motioned to get up, but he put his hand on her waist, and one of his hands fell across the inside of her knee, cautioning her to act natural and not jump away like a guilty teenager as they glanced up and saw Ku’s girlfriend standing in the doorway. Li’s fair cheeks were slightly pink at the realization at the intimate moment she’d unwittingly burst in on.

“My apologies for interrupting you lovebirds,” the Chinese femme tittered, covering her mouth with her hand. “Wa Sing just wanted me to let you know that he’s just about to wrap up his call, and the maid is just uncorking the wine right now. We’ll be right back. I’ll give you both a moment to … recover. That blow is something else, isn’t it?”

With another winsome smile, she graciously inclined her head towards them again and discreetly bowed her way out again.

Hell’s teeth! The cocaine! Lana inwardly groaned. Oh, good Lord, what have I done?

She turned her head back to Miles’ face, hovering inches from her. His expression was so open and understanding and sympathetic that her throat closed just looking at it.

And just like that, it was over. They didn’t dare look at each other as they got up, and she was gladdened and relieved because even without a mirror, she could feel what a hot mess she must look like right now!

The spell had been shattered with Li’s interruption. Neither of them was sure if they were more relieved … or chagrined.

But they were both sure about one thing … nothing would ever be the same again.