by Nicola Jane
The room begins to clear as I gather the scattered papers and brochure. Vass’s grandmother approaches us, “You have some amazing idea’s, I’m very impressed.”
“Thank you,” I say as she moves in to hug me.
When she makes her way out of the room Vass takes a seat, “Wow you melted the old crows heart, I’ve never seen her hug anyone like that before,” he says.
“I have a charm about me,” I mutter.
“Are you mad at me?” he asks.
“I wouldn’t say mad Vass, a little annoyed maybe,” I say, stopping to look at him, “You left me to run the meeting whilst you went and did whatever with Bianca.” There I said it, yes I’m jealous but I think I’ve hid that well.
“You’re jealous,” he says with a smirk.
“I am not,” I almost screech, “I am sick of doing all of the work around here whilst you two have your training sessions,” I say using my fingers to make quote marks around the words training session.
“My zipper was down because I went to the toilet on the way up here,” he says with a grin, “The board like to think I’m some sex god keeping the place going with my wicked ways, I don’t like to disappoint,” he says with a shrug, “And for your information, Bianca has handed her notice in so I’ll make sure to hire a harder worker,” he adds.
“Why?” I ask, shocked. Bianca loves working here.
“Her mother called this morning, she needs her to go home to Leeds and help out with her father who is terminally ill.”
“Oh wow, poor Bianca,” I mutter feeling guilty. I glance at my watch, “Shit, I have to go, Khan will be here any minute,” I say gathering my stuff and heading back to the office.
Vass follows me, “I thought he’d got all the shots he needed,” he says.
“Yeah, he did, I’m helping him out with some shots he needs for a new job he’s going for. I okayed it with Clarisse, he gave us money off our bill,” I say dumping everything on my desk.
I get down to the reception just as Khan is arriving. He looks trendy in his flat cap and tight jeans and I can’t help but smile at his quirky fashion sense.
“You are going to die when you see the outfits, I have for you today,” he grins.
He leads me outside to a camper van, “This is your changing room,” he says, “Katie is inside setting up outfits and makeup.”
“Makeup?” I repeat.
“Yeah this is going to be a proper shoot Liv, only the best for my new model.”
“Khan I’m not a model, I just thought you’d want a few pics of me smiling,” I groan wondering what I’ve let myself in for. Khan pushes me towards the door of the campervan and I reluctantly go inside.
Katie is fantastic, my makeup is flawless and I stare in the mirror in amazement, “I look so different,” I gasp, “How did you do that?”
“Years of beauty school,” she smiles, “Now for the outfit,” she says with a grin. I watch in horror as she pulls a red lace bodice.
“I can’t wear that,” I squeak.
“Don’t worry you won’t see any of your private areas,” says Katie taking it off the hanger, “It has clever panels to hide everything.”
I take a hold of it and hold it before me, there’s a low dip down the front that’s going to go straight down the middle of my breasts exposing my stomach to just below my navel. “I can’t go out there in this, isn’t there something with more coverage?” I plead and she shakes her head.
“Put it on, you’ll feel better when it’s on.”
I step behind the partition that Katie kindly popped up and change in to the barely there bodice, noting that its from Victoria’s secret. There’s no mirror behind here so I step out to where Katie is waiting, she gasps in delight. “Oh my, you look stunning,” she says pushing the door open and shouting for Khan.
“No don’t bring him in here I haven’t even looked at myself,” I screech.
Khan pops his head in and freezes, “Wow, Liv, that looks so much better than I could have imagined, you look gorgeous.” He grins at me. I glance in the long mirror and although the bodice is ridiculously revealing Katie is right, everything important is covered up. She passes me a pair of stilettos in black with the famous red bottoms and it’s love at first sight, despite them being much higher than I’d ever wear.
“Let’s go and take your picture beautiful,” says Khan taking my hand.
I pull back halting him mid step, “No, I really can’t go out there in this,” I beg. We get in to a tugging battle which he eventually wins. “Is there anyone out there?” I ask before stepping out.
“No,” reassures Khan.
I step out to find Alex and Clarisse waiting, “Khan!” I screech and he laughs.
“Fuck Liv, you’re gonna cause me an injury,” groans Alex making a show of adjusting his trousers.
Khan leads me to the front of The Luxe and sit’s me on the wall, putting me in an uncomfortable pose with my head tilted at a certain angle. I thought it would be so much easier but as it turns out it gets harder and more exhausting as the time goes on. I’m swapped into various outfits, some of which are less revealing than the first but still just as sexy. My makeup is changed over and over to accommodate the various daytime/evening time look. I’m changed for the final shoot. It’s a short black number that would probably look good for a night of clubbing. My makeup is dark and smoky, something I’d never be able to pull off if I did it myself but it looks good and I vow to try it. Khan has my laying on the grass with my arms above my head and my knees bent slightly to the right if my body. He stands over me, a leg either side of my waist and points the camera down. “Look to the left,” he instructs. I do, straight into the eyes of Vass. His stormy blues are fixed on me and he looks ready to pounce. I haven’t seen that look since we had our disagreement.
“How about a photo of the owner and our aspiring model?” suggests Khan. I shake my head in protest but Vass is already walking over. Khan scoops me up and stands me on unsteady feet. Vass doesn’t need to spend hours in makeup, he’s already perfect in his smart expensive suit and neatly styled hair. Khan places Vass’s large arm around me and turns us towards each other. He tilts my head so I’m looking up at Vass and places my hand over his heart. He positions Vass to look down at me, his face is serious and I almost swoon at his smouldering gaze. Khan snaps a few photos and then asks Vass to lift me under my arms so that I am looking down at him. He does it with no problem and I place my hands on his huge shoulders trying not to squeeze his strong muscles that bunch beneath my touch. When he puts me down he slides me down his body, I feel every hard bump and I blush and look away.
“Am I pushing it if I ask you to kiss?” asks Khan holding his camera up ready for the shot.
“Yes,” I snap but Vass places his finger gently under my chin and lifts my head to look at him. He moves his lips so close that I hold my breath for the connection, it doesn’t come, he stays just a breath away and Khan gets his shot of our pretend kiss. Disappointment sets in a knot in my stomach when he pulls away and heads back over to Alex and Clarisse seemingly unaffected and without a backward glance.
Clarisse sits in the camper van with me whilst Khan flicks back through the shots to show us. I don’t even recognise myself in most of them, I look confident like I know exactly what I’m doing. He gets to the ones of me and Vass and Clarisse grins at me, “Oh my god, look at the way you two are staring at each other, they are H.O.T,” she spells out.
“It was just for the pictures,” I mutter. She nudges me with her shoulder.
“Can she keep this dress for tonight?” she asks Khan and he nods.
“Yeah no problems.” I forgot about the drinks with Alex and Clarisse. I inwardly groan. It’s the last thing I feel like doing.
I spend the rest of the day in the office. I feel like Vass is avoiding me and I hardly see him except for when he’s dropping stuff onto Bianca’s now empty desk. When five-o-clock comes around I pop my head in to his office because the door is already
propped open.
“Have a great weekend,” I say with a smile.
He looks up from his computer, “And you,” he mutters.
Vass
Clarisse bounds into the office holding her iPad up and waving it in my face. “Oh my god these are so hot,” she says excitedly.
“What?” I ask, annoyance in my voice because I’m busy. She thrusts it under my nose and I glance at the screen. It’s the picture of me and Liv almost kissing. “How have you got this?” I ask. She’s right, the photo is hot.
“I asked Khan to forward them to me.”
“Why?” I sigh, flicking my finger over the screen to find more of the same.
“So that when you fuck it all up I can torture you with them,” she says snatching the iPad away and holding it to her chest. “Anyway, I have to go. I am hitting the town tonight with Liv, Alex and the gang,” she says with a wide grin before flouncing out of my office.
I tap my fingers on the desk, I have plans this evening with Annalise and there’s no way I can cancel on her again after not turning up the other night. I have an overwhelming urge to be near Alivia though and make sure she’s safe and ensure that Alex doesn’t do anything to threaten our friendship.
I take Annalise to the little Italian that me and Liv had lunch at, it’s my favourite and it’s not too far from Annalise’s place. She moans the entire time, service isn’t fast enough, the spaghetti doesn’t taste right, the wine isn’t up to scratch.
“Next time we should go in to central London. There’s a fantastic Sushi bar that’s to die for,” she witters on. My phone beeps with a text, I make my apologies to Annalise who looks annoyed when I pull it out.
“It might be my mother about tomorrow evening,” I say, opening the text. It takes a second to load but a picture opens of Clarisse and Liv holding up cocktails to the camera and smiling. She looks gorgeous and I stare at it for a few seconds before Annelise touches my arm and gets a quick glimpse of what has got my attention.
“Clarisse corrupting the new staff already?” she asks with distain on her face.
“Seems so,” I mutter, closing the picture and stuffing the phone in my pocket.
“How is the new girl working out?”
“Great, she has some fabulous ideas and she wowed the board with her plans today.”
“When you get it all signed over to you we can implement the plans and take all of the profit,” says Annalise with a wicked grin.
“I doubt she will stick around for long, mother offered her a position at her firm. If things go well tomorrow there will be no need for Alivia to stay, it’s not like the place needs marketing with the turnover we have. Not that I’m not grateful, I always like to make more money,” I say.
“Well lets hope tomorrow goes well then. I’ve practised my best conversation, I’m going to blow your grandmother away,” she says confidently, “I’m picking my dress up early, thank you for placing the order and taking care of that. What time is the stylist coming over?” she asks.
“Five O’ Clock, after the make up girl. I’ll have the car collect you at eight,” I confirm and she smiles. My grandmother had better be blown away, the dress alone cost me a good few grand.
When we step outside the restaurant there’s a photographer waiting. He snaps a few pictures of us and Annalise plays up to the camera by holding onto my arm and looking up at me lovingly.
I drive Annalise back to her apartment. “Did you arrange that photographer?” I ask and she pouts.
“No of course I didn’t. It wouldn’t hurt for people to see though; your grandmother is more inclined to accept it if we are splashed all over the papers. The press still think you are secretly in a relationship with Clarisse.” I don’t tell her that that’s how I like it, private. She leans over the centre console and places a kiss on my mouth. “Are you coming inside sir?” she whispers against my closed lips.
“I have somewhere to be, maybe tomorrow,” I say. She huffs like a spoilt child not getting her own way and then exits the car, slamming the door and stomping off inside. I roll my eyes and drive away. I hate drama.
I use the multi-story car park across from the nightclub, Las Deux. I know this is where everyone will be, it’s where they always end up. I walk straight inside, nodding to the door staff as I pass the line of people waiting to get inside. I head straight to the VIP area and sign my name on the guest book. As predicted Clarisse and the gang have all signed in.
I go inside and make my way to the bar where I’m handed a bottle of water. “Have you seen any of them?” I ask the bartender. He points over the bar crowd to the booths at the back of the room. I nod my thanks and move away from the bar so that I can see from a distance.
Clarisse is dancing with some guy, the girl can’t make her mind up and insists she is drawn to people by their aura not their looks or their sex. By the way he’s pressed against her, I think the guy’s aura is trying to get in side of her. Alex is sat in the booth, his eyes fixed on Alivia who is chatting to Alexia. I make my way over and Alex looks at me in surprise, “Wow, what brought you out of your cave?” and then he laughs and gives a nod towards Alivia, “Oh I see,” he grins. I take a seat opposite him.
“I thought you’d have made your move by now,” I say, glancing back over my shoulder to check out the short dress that Liv is wearing from the photo shoot earlier. It barely covers her ass.
“Well it isn’t the same if the competition isn’t here to see me make the move,” he says with another laugh.
“I’m not the competition Alex, I’ve got bigger fish to fry. But you still aren’t going near her,” I say with a warning glare.
“Why?” he screeches like a child, “If you don’t want her why can’t I?”
“Because she’s too nice for the likes of us. Plus she wouldn’t satisfy your sick sexual needs,” I say.
“I dunno, I think our little Liv is secretly turned on by the thought of being tied and fucked,” he smirks.
I curl my fist and take a deep calming breath, I don’t like him talking about her like that. “Shut the fuck up man,” I mutter.
It’s another twenty minutes before Liv drops down on the seat next to Alex, when she spots me she looks shocked, I like that she didn’t expect me. “Are you having a good night?” I ask.
“Sorry, should I go?” she asks, grabbing my arm and giving me her sad eyes.
“No, why would you go?” I ask confused.
“Because I’m here with your friends,” she wails, “I don’t want to intrude.”
She is clearly drunk, it makes me smile. “No Liv it’s fine. I just came for a catch up with the guys,” I say.
“They are a great bunch of friends,” she says, “You’re so lucky.” I look around at the group of people I have known for as long as I can remember. They are good friends and they don’t treat me any different just because I have money or The Luxe.
Alex places an arm around Liv’s shoulders and she rests her head against him. “He’s lucky we put up with his miserable ass,” he jokes and Liv grins at me.
“His ass is cute not miserable,” she says and then slaps her hand over her mouth and giggles. Alivia’s phone lights up and she looks at it closely trying to focus. “Oh crap,” she mutters.
Alex peers at the screen. “Who’s Dan?” he asks.
“I drunk texted him,” she groans, holding the phone to her chest with a horrified expression. Alex laughs hard but it pisses me off that she is still thinking about him after everything he did to her. She stands on wobbly legs, “I’ll just go somewhere and take this.”
Alex looks to me for his answer, “It’s her ex,” I explain bitterly.
“Shit, never speak to your ex when your drunk,” he says. I watch her leave the VIP area. I decide to give her a few minutes and then I head out to find her. I go out the front of the club and look around. It’s busy with people still queuing up to get inside and others flagging down passing taxi cabs. I spot her leaning against the wall talking to Dan in
the flesh. He’s standing in front of her, holding both of her hands, his face close to hers. They look deep in conversation so I stay back for a moment watching.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Alivia
I’d stupidly text Dan to see how he was. It was an innocent text but one I’d never have sent if I was sober. He’d text back saying he was out with friends and then I’d replied telling him I was at this club and low and behold, here he is. He’s holding both of my hands and is way too close to my face. We are both drunk which is never a good combination.
“Becca was just there and we were so busy that we lost track of who we were and what we were to each other,” he goes on, “But after you left I couldn’t breathe properly, it hurt so bad.” I want to believe the bull shit that comes from his mouth but I’m pretty sure it’s the alcohol talking. “When I saw you with that asshole it broke me Livvy. I didn’t expect you to move on so quick from us, that’s not like you baby.”
“Well you’d moved on before you’d even moved off from me so you can’t really judge,” I mutter.
“Livvy, you are wife material. Becca is the kind of girl that’s fun in the bedroom but actually, to talk to, there’s not much going on there. I miss laying in bed chatting with you,” he says, squeezing my hands.
“You used to tell me to stop talking because I was getting on your nerves,” I point out, “In fact once you said if I fucked as much as I talked I’d be able to do it as an Olympic sport.”
“We had good banter didn’t we,” he smiles wistfully like that’s a good memory.
“What are you doing here Dan?” I ask.
“I miss you. I want you to come home. I figure we can work on the sex, I’ll show you what I like, we didn’t communicate enough before,” he says and then he leans in and kisses me. It’s clumsy and wet and I pull back in disgust.
“What the hell was that?” I snap wiping my mouth.