by M. E. Gordon
Grabbing my phone, I called Simon to fill him in on all that had happened. “Can you believe they are going after them now? I mean like really going after them? I hope it doesn’t hurt the opening of the club.”
“I’m so sorry. Hopefully that will be the worst of it.” The sincerity in his voice was comforting and just what I needed to hear. “I’m sure it’s not going to affect the club opening at all,” he continued. “It will probably hype it up even more, believe it or not.”
I didn’t want to believe it but I knew he was right. As much as this was hurting my family, it was probably the best thing that could happen right before they opened.
“I can come over if you want me to?” he asked.
“Nah, I think Gia will be in need of a girl’s night once she gets back. I should give my undivided attention to her.”
I did want him there but I thought Gia and I both needed to hype ourselves for tomorrow night’s opening.
“Okay, I can find some work to keep me busy. Oh I’m going to meet you at 21 tomorrow. I have to get a few shots early on, so if you don’t mind, I’ll just find you inside.”
Anxiety took over. I needed him next to me. I didn’t want to be sucked in Spencer’s web. I needed Simon. I needed his presence next to me.
“What do you mean? When are you getting there?” I asked anxiously
“Relax, babe. I’ll be there. I’m just not going to ride with you. I have to get there early. Soon as I see you, I’m dropping the camera and I’ll be all yours.”
Oh, thank God.
***
The house was spotless. I had the wine chilled and ready for consumption. All I needed now was for Gia to get back. Finally, the door opened and Gia walked in. Red eyed and defeated.
“That good?” I asked
“It’s over. He said he needed some space. He thinks we rushed into it too fast.” Sitting next to me, she covered her face with a pillow.
“I’m sorry, Gia. This is all my fault.”
Moving the pillow, she stared at me. “How could this possibly be your fault?”
“If I had never been with Spencer, the media wouldn’t be hanging around. They wouldn’t have touched you guys if I hadn’t been so stupid. I knew being with Salvatore was too good to be true, but I didn’t think--well, I did think. I just thought with the wrong part of my anatomy.”
Laughing, we settled into the couch. “That all might be true, but you slept with the sexiest man alive. Own it, scars and all.”
“I think this conversation needs wine. Lots of wine,” I said, smiling across at her.
“Agreed.”
One pizza, two bottles of wine, three shots of tequila, and four spoonfuls of Ben and Jerry’s later, Gia and I were feeling damn good.
“I’m going to march right up to him and slap him then tell him to leave me the hell alone,” I said, slurring my words.
“You march right up to his fine ass and do that. Just get all up in there and--and--hey, do you mind if I try to...you know?” she said, wiggling her eyebrows at me. “You know once you’re finished kicking him up and down the street?”
Why the hell does she keep moving? Oh wait, I’m swaying back and forth. Glaring at her, I placed my hands on my hips. “Hell no! You can’t have sex with him! I can’t--you can’t--no one is having sex with him tomorrow night!” I said, slashing my arms about.
Pouting, Gia sat down, or fell down. I couldn’t tell.
Hearing a knock at the door, our eyes got huge.
“Who the hell could that be?” Stumbling to the door, I reached up on my tiptoes and peered through the peep hole.
“Well, who is it?” Gia asked, taking a bite of cold pizza.
Drunkenly turning around, I leaned against the door. “It’s Teddy,” I said, like a kid getting caught. “Clean that shit up. Put the alcohol in the kitchen!”
Running around, we quickly cleaned up the living room, tossing pillows back on the couch and removing the pizza box, melted ice cream, and bag of chips. Neither one of us wanted to show weakness in front of my brothers.
Laughing hysterically, I almost peed my pants as we ran around. Gia plopped on the couch as I took a breath to gain whatever composure I could, which wasn’t much right now. I unlocked the door and let Teddy in. Still chuckling silently, we tried not to make eye contact with him. Walking in, he took in the room, no doubt noticing the mess we had attempted to clean up.
Eyeing Gia up on the couch, he then turned toward me. “Beth?” he asked
“What?” I answered back as I closed the door.
“Been drinking?”
“What’s it matter to you?” Gia said snidely.
He turned back to me with his disapproving face on. “Really, Beth, this is how you are helping her deal with all of this?”
I do not need the disapproving parent talk right now. “Don’t blame me. You’re the idiot who told her you needed space.”
I glanced at Gia who nodded her head in agreement.
“Well, now neither one of you are getting any ‘space,’” he said, taking his jacket off and laying it over one of the chairs. “Now I have to stay here and make sure neither one of you do anything stupid. Oh, here’s your phone. Charles set it all up,” he said, tossing me my new phone.
“Whatever, Teddy.” I rolled my eyes at him. If he was going to act like a parent, then I was going to be a bratty teenager.
Walking over to the couch where Gia was seated, he began to sit down.
“Umm, you can sit over there. I need my ‘space,’” she said nastily.
Go, Gia!
Shaking his head, he moved over to a chair and sat down, pulled his phone out, and started typing something. He ignored us for the rest of the night.
Chapter 30
“Spencer, is that you?” I could hear the loud music pounding through the walls. I was at the club, in a dimly lit office. There was a desk and a man sitting behind it. His back was to me, and all I could make out was the tall swivel chair and the top of someone’s head.
“You wore it,” the mystery man said.
Turning slowly, I saw Spencer’s haunting blue eyes examining my body. The closer I stepped toward the desk the faster my heart raced.
“It’s stunning on you,” he said while his predatory gaze undressed me.
I ran my shaking hands over the bead work. “I guess you remembered every curve of my body.”
Standing from the desk, he made his way from behind it. Less than three feet separated us. His hands rested casually in his pockets, his hair slicked back, but still lose. Our eyes met and the air was sucked out of me. I couldn’t breathe. Removing his hands from his pockets, he reached for my hips, pulling me closer to him with a roughness I hadn’t realized I’d been craving. I melted at his touch, giving into what my body desired.
“I couldn’t forget if I tried,” he crooned.
I was held tightly between his legs as he ran his hands over my body. His lips hovered over mine. The warmth of his breath chilled me. The room spun and I lost myself in his eyes, his arms, in all of him. Closing my eyes, I let his smell flood my senses. I was savoring this moment, never wanting it to end. Opening my eyes again, I expected to see his face, but all I saw was my ceiling.
I clutched at my chest, my heart pounding furiously within me. Fuck, these dreams of Spencer are getting out of control. I can even smell him, like really smell him. Oh my God, I’m in his shirt. Grabbing at my chest I held out his white shirt and looked down at it. How the hell--alcohol. I’m never drinking again.
I should rip it off, toss it in the trash. But it smelled too good. Making a deal with myself, I left it on for five minutes then tossed it back into the depths of my closet, this time, making sure to bury it in a pile of old ratty clothes.
***
Eight hours later, I was standing face to face with the dress Spencer had given me. I had delayed putting it on until the last minute. My hair and make-up were done, the necklace Simon had given me was securely around my neck
, and the limo my brothers had sent over to get us was waiting outside, with them in it.
“Beth? Are you ready?” Gia asked from the other side of my door.
Here goes nothing. Taking the dress off the hanger, I stepped in and slid my arms through their designated holes. “Yeah, can you come zip me up?”
Zipping it up effortlessly she stepped back to get a good look. “Damn, Spencer can pick ’em,” she said, eyeing me up.
Checking the mirror for lines or unwanted bulges, I admired myself for the first time. The fabric was tight but manageable. My chest was snug and my cleavage was amazing.
“Yeah, Spencer the personal shopper. Maybe he turned gay in the last three weeks.”
Laughing, we both took in our images in the mirror, Gia in a lacey navy blue cocktail dress, and me in all white. Gia was going to get over my brother, or brothers, and I was going to rid myself of Spencer. We had our missions for the night, and nothing was going to get in our way.
Charles jumped out of the limo, dressed in his nice suit. Helping us in, he then climbed back in and closed the door.
“Hey, Teddy.” I said, scooting closer to him.
“You look lovely, Beth,” he said, leaning over and kissing my cheek.
“Thanks, and thanks for putting me to bed last night. I really appreciate it.” I did. As much as I hated when he was over protective, I still needed him to tuck me in when I was drunk.
“It’s not a problem. I was just watching out for my girls.”
At that he glanced at Gia, who was trying not to pay attention but failing miserably. “Yeah, thanks, Teddy,” she said, trying to act like she didn’t care.
There was nothing I hated more than awkward silence.
“Well, damn, baby girl, you trying to break some hearts tonight?” Charles asked, finally breaking the silence.
“Just one,” I said, smiling wickedly. “Oh, let’s lose the whole baby girl thing tonight. Please.”
“What’s wrong with it? You’re my sister and you act like a tantrum-throwing baby. I’d say it’s rather fitting.”
He was so pleased with himself. But I wasn’t going to give in to temptation and throw a “tantrum” as he put it. So I simply huffed and looked out the window.
“Ooo, that’s pretty good self-control there, but I still see a little tantrum,” he said, pointing at my face.
Leaning across the limo, I hit his arm roughly. We all seemed to relax and make small talk the rest of the way. The awkward tension gone, my family was back--kind of.
We pulled up to the front, where the press was camped out. Teddy and Charles exited first then Gia. As she stepped out, Charles held her hand to escort her out of the limo. The cameras went off like crazy. The three of them stood side by side, as a sea of flashes went off.
Sitting by myself, I closed the door not ready to exit just yet. I wanted to yell to the driver to drive and get me as far away from that club as possible. My stomach began to turn like it did that first night at mood. What the hell am I doing here? Why am I wearing this dress, his dress? This was all a big mistake. I can still escape, right? Wrong.
The door opened back up and a hand reached in to help me out. The chill from the night’s air sent a shiver down my spine as I looked at the out stretched hand. I reached for it, simultaneously stepping out. I squeezed tighter, assuming it was Teddy’s. The cameras went off, and I knew the moment the hand squeezed back that it wasn’t my brother.
I looked up into Spencer’s blue eyes as I stood up straight from the limo. I watched numbly as he held my hand. Bringing it up to his lips, he kissed the back of it. The cameras erupted as he gently left a kiss on my hand then led me over to where my brothers and Gia stood.
Catching my gaze, Gia widened her eyes, indicating for me to stay strong. I nodded back weakly. We stood in a line--Charles, Gia, Teddy, myself, and Spencer on the end as people took our pictures. I wanted to look up at him, but not with all these people around. Although I couldn’t see his face, I could feel him staring down at me. I held my ground, smiling pretty for what seemed like hundreds of cameras.
I held on to Teddy for dear life as we stood there. Spencer’s hand began to move to the small of my back. His thumb caressed me slowly and, each time, I weakened a little more. Before I knew what I was doing, I turned to look up into those blue eyes which were thankfully focusing on the cameras. Shit! He looked sexy as hell. Oh fuck. He’s looking at me. I was frozen. His eyes cast a spell over me. The rest of the world faded around us.
“Let’s get one of just the owners,” someone called.
“Beth,” Teddy whispered in my ear and I was finally free from the trance I had been in.
Turning from Spencer, I saw Gia back away. We bee-lined for the open doors, pausing once we reached them to watch the boys get their pictures taken.
“Goddamn, they look hot. I think I’d do any one of them at this point,” she said.
“Gross, Gia. Considering that you’ve already done two of them, I’d say cool your jets. Come on, it’s cold and I need a drink,” I said, taking her arm and dragging her inside.
I was blown away by the transformation of the place. The space didn’t even resemble the once-abandoned restaurant. Spinning round, I took in all the changes. Spencer’s description from moths ago came to mind. It was exactly as he described it back then.
It was manly but still soft--warm browns and soft leather with wood furnishings. The décor had an old-world feel, yet remained updated and modern enough for those who didn’t appreciate old-world charm.
The music was loud and there was already a ton of people dancing. The tables were filled with celebrities and socialites alike. Charles had made sure to rub it in that Spencer had pulled as many stings as he could to get movie stars and musicians to show up for the opening.
Gia and I made our way to the bar where the bartender had our drinks ready and waiting for us, even though there was a line waiting to be served. Maybe this brothers owning a club wasn’t going to be so bad, I thought as I sipped on the cold liquid. Even the glasses were beautiful. We stood there, admiring all the hard work my brothers had put into the place.
“Ladies, I don’t believe we have ever been introduced. I’m Kyle.”
Kyle Foster is talking to us. A class-A movie star is actually talking to us.
Gia and I looked at one another, and then scanned the stranger up and down. His movie-star good looks were just as hot in person as they were on the big screen. His perfectly quaffed blond hair and green eyes were breathtaking. This man was famous, like legit famous, and he was standing in front of me. Another actor stood next to him. I couldn’t put my finger on who he was, but I knew I had seen him in something. His features were dark and masculine. They both eyed up Gia. Great. Here I am again, the frumpy sidekick.
“Hey, I’m Gia,” she said, placing a delicate hand on herself. “And this is--”
“Elizabeth Monroe,” Kyle said, taking the words out of her mouth. Prowling eyes ran up and down my body, and suddenly I didn’t feel like the frumpy sidekick any more. Taking my hand in his, he kissed the top of it.
A freaking movie star just kissed my hand. This is so surreal. “How do you know my name? I think I would have remembered meeting you.” I couldn’t help saying it as a smile pulled one side of my lips up.
Pulling my hand and me closer, he whispered in my ear so only I could hear. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Word travels,” he said, leaving a tender kiss upon my neck.
“Oh, and pray tell what words have been traveling about me? Huh? Cat got your tongue?” What the hell is he smirking at?
“Come dance with me?” he asked, trying to reach for the hand I had pulled out of his moments before.
Slapping his hand away, I shrieked. “No! I don’t think so,” I said, crossing my arms.
“He wasn’t kidding when he said you were a stubborn woman, but damn it’s sexy,” Kyle said, chuckling and scratching the scruff that grew on his perfect movie-star face.
Pe
eking over his tall body, I watched as Gia and the other guy start dancing. Damn that girl, she left me again. Bringing my attention back to the man standing in front of me, I eyed him up and down.
“Who told you I was stubborn? Was it Charles?” That jerk of a brother.
“No, I’ve never meet your brother until tonight. Salvatore let it slip one drunken night,” he stated.
Snapping my mouth shut, I ground my teeth together. This was just perfect. Spencer was running around, telling movie stars that I was stubborn. Doesn’t he have anything else to talk about with these people? This is good. Keep fueling my fire, Salvatore.
“So will you dance with me?” Kyle asked again.
I scanned the room, looking for Simon to come save me but he wasn’t there. I decided to take Kyle’s hand. When, if any other time but tonight, would I get to dance with a movie star? Who thinks I’m sexy, for Christ’s sake. Simon was just going to have to get over it.
A few songs later, I was done. Walking back to the bar, I glanced back to see both men dancing with Gia. She looked like she was on cloud nine. I was happy for her. Leaning against the bar, I was given another drink without even asking. Yeah, I could get use to this.
I scanned the crowd again for Simon, still nothing. A flash caught my eye and I glanced up. The second level was dimly lit by the chandeliers that hung all around. Their soft glow set a calm tranquil tone. Standing, I stepped away from the bar. I felt him before I saw him. Spencer stood at the railing, staring down at me.
His dark hair was raked loosely off his face and the light blue of his eyes seemed to glow. His fitted suit jacket was unbuttoned and moved to the sides, his hands placed securely in his pockets. I stood there, hopelessly staring up at him. My heart raced and my breath hitched. I couldn’t get my lungs to fully expand. The tightness of the dress made it impossible to take in a full gulp of oxygen.