by Nikki Bopp
“Did you get any sleep last night?”
“About an hour,” he replies after a second of thought as though he honestly wasn’t sure, which is somewhat concerning.
“What kept you from sleeping last night?”
“My brother.”
“I didn't know you had a brother,” I murmur leaning forward until his face is the only thing I can see. “Why did your brother keep you from sleeping Edward?”
“He’s going through withdrawals and I promised that I wouldn’t send him to rehab again.”
Well that was the last thing that I would have expected him to say. I didn't expect him to have a brother at all, and I really didn't expect him to be helping him to fight off a terrible addiction. I've watched several people I love be swallowed alive by addiction and it's truly terrible, so to have a brother so dedicated to sticking it out is pretty great.
“Is that why Pat had to leave last night?”
“Yeah,” dropping his head into his hands, Ed shakes his head. “Lewis passed out in the shower and hit his head. I thought he killed himself before I found a pulse. I asked Pat to come check him out since he’s First Aide Certified just to be on the safe side.”
“I'm so sorry Edward.”
“It’s fine. I've honestly gotten used to it at this point. Our parents basically washed their hands of Lewis after high school and he just spiraled out of control from there. I'm the only one he has so I try to help him out as much as I can. He's been doing so good. Going to meetings, he got a good job, a nice apartment. The day you got out of the hospital after your accident, I got a call from a friend that he had been picked up with narcotics in his system. He was lucky they let him off. If it wasn't for me… I don't know where he’d be.”
Edward’s words are so clear in my head, and yet they ring like someone has taken a damn bell to my skull. Lewis was picked up on the same day that I got out of the hospital, the same day that I accused him of sleeping with Breezy. I was so angry at him because I thought he spent the day with her, slept in her bed and betrayed my trust at the same time. In reality, it was my overactive imagination that got the better of me, that let my pride get in the way of just asking the man outright if he slept with her or hell, asking my friend if she slept with him. There could have been so many better ways to deal with the situation, and I dealt with it in the worst way.
“I'm sorry,” I whisper, my voice barely loud enough to my own ears. Edward lifts his head and gives me a look of confusion, his hair in complete disarray.
“What?”
“I'm sorry, for everything. For your brother, and for the way I spoke to you last week. I...I was jealous,” actually saying that out loud is like taking a punch to the chest. “I was confused and upset and I shouldn't have assumed anything. I'm sorry that I acted the way that I did.”
“You don't have to apologize, Jenny.” Reaching out, Ed lays his hand over mine, a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth. “I should have been smarter and just told you everything from the beginning.”
“Well…,” I draw sarcastically with a roll of my eyes which only makes him laugh at my antics.
“Alright, how about this?” Stepping closer, Edward gathers both of my hands in his. “Would you honor the three of us with a date tonight? We’ll go the whole nine yards. We’ll get out our tuxes, you can put on your prettiest dress, and we’ll wine and dine you until there is no question about anyone’s intentions.”
“I-” My answer is cut off by the patter of feet and a sleepy, “Mommy?”
“Yes, baby?”
“I'm hungry.”
“Well,” Edward answers, pulling away abruptly with a wink. “It’s a good thing that I made breakfast then! Do you like bacon?”
Having only met him once before, it’s not all that surprising that Eva simply nods and tries to hide herself behind my legs which makes me laugh.
“It's okay, pumpkin. This is Edward, can you say hello?”
A squeaked hi can be heard from behind me which only makes me shake my head.
“It's alright, she just doesn't know me yet,” Ed assures me with a smile. “Do you want to carry the bacon into the living room, Eva? I thought we could eat out there, it’s a little bit more comfortable than the bar.”
At the mention of bacon, her tiny brown head peeks out from behind my legs until she inches forward to grab the plate heaping with fried pork. She quickly books it out of the room with the plate, a piece of bacon in hand. Ed picks up the platters of eggs and potatoes and I take the toast but before he can follow her out, I stop him with a hand on his forearm.
“Yes, I will go on a date with you tonight, all of you. As crazy as that sounds.”
“It’s going to be amazing,” quicker than I can process, he leans in and presses a butterfly soft kiss on my lips and is gone before I know it. “You won’t regret it.” He tosses over his shoulder.
“Which one?” Holding up a red and black dress, I wait for Eva to decide which one looks best. I probably shouldn’t be depending on a toddler to help me decide which dress to wear to my date tonight but Mia isn’t here yet and I need to start getting ready or else I'm going to end up being late.
“The red one,” Eva declares after a moment of deliberation.
Stepping in front of the floor-length mirror, I hold the red dress up and stare at myself in the mirror. The fabric is stretchy and soft and molds to every single curve which I loved prior to having a child but I haven’t worn this dress since getting pregnant and between that and the plunging neckline, I’m not really sure if it's really the best option for a night out with the three executives. When Daniel dropped me off earlier that afternoon, he told me that they’d be by to pick me up around six but he didn’t tell me anything about what we’d be doing tonight and the anticipation is killing me. Ed said they’d be wearing tuxedos so it's definitely not a jeans and t-shirt kind of affair.
“Ugh,” I grumble to myself, flopping onto the bed next to Eva who lets out a giggle.
“What’s wrong momma?”
“I don't know what to wear.”
“You don't like the pretty red dress?”
“I think I’ll look fat in it.”
“Well, your butt is kinda big,” Eva pauses at my gasp. “But I think you'll look real pretty.”
“Thanks, kid,” I tell her in a dry tone. Why do kids have to be so honest?
“Hello?Jenny?” Mia calls from down the hall making me jump up from the bed with a squeal of excitement.
“You're here!”
“Sorry, I’m running late. Sierra and I got into it,” Mia lets out a sigh but follows me back into my bedroom and takes a seat on the edge of the bed beside Eva.
“What happened?” I ask, kind of wanting to know, while also kind of not wanting to know. I still haven't told her what I found out, but I really don't know how to tell her.
“She’s just being really distant lately and I tried to confront her to see if there’s something that I’ve done, or even if there’s something that I can do to fix things between us.”
“Mia,” I begin, seeing that this is the opportunity I've been looking for. I need to tell her. “ I need to tell you-” My words are cut off by the ring of the doorbell.
“What…?” Looking down at my watch, I let out a gasp of horror and vault off the bed. “They're here. It's them.”
“You're not even dressed though,” Mia states the obvious, looking at me with a raised brow. Running my hands through my hair, I snatch the red dress of the floor where it had previously landed and gesture wildly towards the direction of the door.
“Can you let them in? And keep them occupied so I can get dressed?” Before she can answer, I’m slamming the bathroom door between us and yanking my clothes off as fast as I can manage without getting rug burn.
Quicker than I thought possible, I am applying the finishing touches to my makeup. The smokey eye and winged liner is perfect and seductive with a scarlet red lipstick that pushes it into downright sinful
and when I finally get up the courage to slip into the dress, I'm actually surprised with how comfortable it feels. While it still clings as much as I remember, it clings in all the right places, highlighting the curves of my thighs, hips and breasts. The straps at the top are thick enough that I can wear a bra underneath which I'm eternally grateful for, and who knows, maybe someone will see the fire-engine red bra and panty set I picked out for just this sort of occasion.
“You look amazing Jenny,” I tell myself with a smile. Leaving my room in search of my dates, daughter and best friend, I’m somewhat surprised to find Mia sitting in the living room by herself watching TV.
Noticing me in the doorway, she looks over and immediately drops her jaw to the floor. Well not really, but I like to think it was to the floor.
“Wow, you look stunning.”
“Yeah?” I ask, doing a little twirl. “Do you think this color looks okay on me?”
“Yes, that color is great on you. They're going to fall over when they see you.”
“Speaking of they,” leaning around the corner as though they’re somehow hiding in the shadows, I’m disappointed when they don't suddenly leap out of the abyss. “Where are they?”
“They're in Eva’s room,” Mia giggles pulling a bag of chips into her lap. “She talked them into a tea party.”
“I guess I better go rescue them, hmm? You'll be alright tonight?” Daniel already assured me that he would have Wyatt stay overnight outside to make sure there are no issues. When I asked him why he would do that, I was quite surprised to find out that Wyatt is ex-military, but really, I shouldn't be surprised. Wouldn't every millionaire want to hire an ex-military man as their driver/bodyguard?
“Yeah, we’ll be fine. You go have fun, and we’ll expect you tomorrow morning at the latest,” Mia responds with a wink which makes my cheeks turn nearly as red as my dress. Giving her a wave over my shoulder, I tiptoe down to Eva’s room hoping to catch a glimpse of this ‘tea party’ that I'm apparently missing out on. Thankfully the door is open so when I peek around the door jamb, I am confronted with the sight of three grown men in tuxedos seated at Eva’s miniature pink princess table, each of them holding a teacup in hand. Daniel is in deep conversation with Eva, his face set with a serious expression but it's made all the more hilarious by the purple bow clipped into his hair.
“Well, I don't know if I should be offended that I wasn't invited to your tea party.” My words cause everyone’s heads to swing in my direction. Eva immediately jumps up and runs over to give me a hug but the men stay seated, their eyes roving the red fabric expanse of my body and given the matching heat in their eyes, they approve.
“Mommy! You look so pretty!”
“Thank you, baby,” crouching down as much as the dress allows, I wrap her in a big hug. “You're gonna be a good girl for Mia, right?”
Eva nods her head and runs back over to the tea party currently taking place, “We’re still playing tea party.”
“Well, Miss Eva, we have to go unfortunately. We’ll play tea party next time though, alright?” Daniel promises, holding his hand out which Eva immediately takes. Removing the bow from his hair, Dan passes it over to Eva and then stands up, the rest of the guys following suit. Almost like one of those fashion videos, they button their jackets in sync and move in a single file towards the door. While disconcerting, the sight is by far the most sensual thing I have ever seen and by the time they make it the three feet to me, I feel like a raging mass of hormones with panties that have certainly turned to fire.
“You ready?” Pat asks, his voice low and thick in a way I’ve never heard before. My thighs immediately clench at the sound.
“Yeah,” I reply breathlessly, my chest heaving unevenly. I am most certainly not ready and ready all at the same time. If there was ever a question about me being home tonight, that question has now been answered, and it is no.
I will not be home tonight.
Chapter 20
Seductive Surrender
“Watch your step,” Ed murmurs in my ear, his hands guiding me through the darkness of the blindfold over my eyes. Even though he just warned me, I still stumble a bit and let out a nervous laugh. I'm ninety-nine percent sure that they’re not going to kill me but the large amount of stairs, high wind and change to my equilibrium makes me think we’re high up. I'm not typically scared of heights, but being off the ground and blindfolded would make anyone nervous. Thankfully, we must have reached our destination because Ed stops me with a subtle pressure, before disappearing entirely.
“Ed? Dan? Patrick?” My voice quivers with nervousness and a touch of fear.
“Take off the blindfold,” Daniel commands, his voice in front of me but a little distance away. I listen immediately, my eyes widening at the sight before me. Daniel, Patrick, and Edward all three of them in their tuxes are standing on the edge of a building with the most amazing sunset at their backs.
Waking up this morning to a beautiful sunrise, I thought it was the most beautiful thing. It rose over the horizon lazily, like a newly blooming love that had all the time in the world.
This sunset, it's stunning in an entirely different way. It's not lazy, its fire and chaos. It’s harsh and bright. A love that consumes until there’s nothing left but the other person. They’re two sides to the same coin and all the more beautiful because they leave you breathless and begging for more.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Patrick asks, making me startle. I didn't even notice the three of them moving. They’re now standing beside me with matching triumphant smiles, obviously proud of themselves at their accomplishment. Any other time I'd probably tease them about it, or even feign nonchalance but in this moment, the surreality of it all is just too momentous not to live in the here and now.
“It’s absolutely stunning. Thank you, each of you. This was so thoughtful.”
“Here,” Pat murmurs bending over to rummage through a backpack on the ground that I didn’t notice before. He pulls out a thick blanket and wraps it over my shoulders making me notice that I’m shivering. It’s not really a cold day out but the wind whipping around us is like knives against the bare skin of my arms.
“Thanks,” I murmur leaning into his hold in gratitude. We stay like that for what feels like ages, but is probably only a couple minutes, watching the sun slowly fall below the horizon until the colors fade to darkness. Even when all the light has gone from the sky and my entire body is shaking from the cold, I don't want to move from my position. I want to keep us here in this place. I want to stay in this amazing bubble of a memory and never let it go but when my teeth start to chatter, Dan lets out a growl and tosses me over his shoulder.
“Hey!” I protest nearly biting my tongue off in the process but a smack on the ass snaps my mouth closed.
“We’re gonna be late for dinner if we let you stay out there all night and freeze.”
“Although we would have stayed out there with you,” Patrick adds as Ed and he follow behind, the backpack and blanket tossed over his shoulder.
“Awe,” I sigh, feeling like my heart is about to explode. Pat is usually the most kind and heartfelt but he’s really going all out tonight. “Thanks, guys, it really was beautiful.”
Stopping at the elevator, Daniel slides my body down to the floor in the most seductive slide I think I've ever experienced. “The night's not over yet,” Daniel murmurs in my ear, his voice husky with promise. His hand stays firmly planted on my hip and when he leans forward to press the call button, it's hard to miss the hard length that brushes against me.
All thoughts of what could possibly be waiting for me fly from my head like leaves in the wind, my entire being focusing on the single point of contact between us and the hormones that instantly rage to life at the implication of what it means. Of course, at that very moment, the doors slide open with a cheery ding. The guys move forward en masse, forcing me to go along until I'm smushed in the metal box with the trio of testosterone surrounding me.
; “So, uh, what's on the agenda tonight?” I ask shyly, feeling a little bit unsure of myself now that we’re alone and most assuredly going to be up to no good tonight.
“You,” Ed answers with a snicker. Dan laughs at his response. All too soon, or not soon enough, the elevator opens up but rather than letting us off at the lobby like I expected, we’re at Daniels floor.
“I thought we were going to dinner?”
“We are,” Daniel smirks over his shoulder, pushing the door to his apartment open so I can take in the full effect of what I'm seeing. A dining table has been set up in front of the glass wall, a golden tablecloth set for four people with candles and roses. The rest of the room is lined with tea lights and more roses giving it a romantic glow that sets my heart afire.
“Oh,” I murmur speechless, completely taken aback by the thoughtfulness of the entire setup.
“Do you like it?” Patrick asks, his voice insecure. Turning on my heel, I cradle his face in my hands.
“I absolutely love it,” I whisper against his lips knowing that he was the one that went to so much trouble setting this up. The tension in his body leeches away with my words and then he is kissing me back, his mouth consuming me until there is only us.
“Come on now,” Ed whines jokingly. “I'm hungry.”
“You're always hungry,” Daniel replies.
Ed shrugs and takes his seat at the table. Pulling away, Patrick guides me to the table and seats me so that I am facing the huge bay of windows.
“Now, before we begin, I suppose we should get this out of the way,” Dan clears his throat and hands over a familiar black box. My jaw drops in shock.
“What?” Daniel asks with worry and a little bit of concern.
“You're the one giving me these?” I ask, pulling off the lid of the box without any sort of fanfare. Inside, nestled in a bed of black velvet is a simple silver bracelet with three diamonds hanging from the band.