by Blue Saffire
“You three can leave,” I say without taking my eyes off the dove standing before me. “Mother, I need to go. See to it that nobody over there is at my apartment this evening by seven to pitch the proper event proposal. The one she just finished putting together for them.”
With that I stand and bend to kiss my mother’s cheek. I turn to leave the room, but not before one last comment to the concerned looking vixen I have every intention of getting to know better. Her eyes widen as I get closer and lean into her.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle. I’ll make this all easy on you,” I whisper.
Cinder
He smells delicious. The kind of lingering scent that makes you want to drop to your knees and see if he smells as good down there. The man is pure gorgeous.
I don’t usually like blondes, but he’s my exception, with his light blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, strong jaw, and straight nose… good God. I just want to lie on his chest. That body is fine as hell too. I love a tall man. He has to be at least six three. Not lean, but not bulky either.
Ow-wee, he’s so right for my fantasies at night. Yes, ma’am, I’ll be imaging those big hands under my sheets tonight. Phew, what did he just say to me? I stare after him drooling as he leaves out of the door.
“What your son is requesting isn’t going to be possible,” my stepmother spatters, bringing me back to the room.
Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard. I can’t stand this woman or her daughters. I clench my fists at my sides. They’ll be the death of my family’s legacy if I allow it.
“And why is that?” Mrs. Blake asks.
“Well… because… she doesn’t do house calls. I’d rather be able to supervise her. You know how hard it can be to find good help.”
“She looks like a capable young woman to me. This ball is important to me. I want my son to be happy with the outcome. If this young lady is the key to that, I think it would be best if you make this happen,” Mrs. Blake says lifting her chin.
“I will be happy to help in any way I can. However, she’s right. I can’t this evening. I’m already in charge of the Whitman event. I’ll be attending their masquerade ball,” I say softly.
Mrs. Blake claps her hands together. “I was invited to that event.” She pauses for a moment. “Perhaps I can persuade Princeton to come along. His father had to suddenly leave on business and I was going to bow out, but my gown is so divine. Yes, I’ll have Princeton come along.”
“I’ll be working. I don’t know if I’ll have much time to discuss your event with him,” I say and start to chew my lip.
I have to save this account. Bianca and her idiot daughters are on the verge of ruining one of the biggest events we’ve had so far this year. I can’t afford for this event to fall apart. If word gets out that we botched the Blake gala the company will be ruined.
These three don’t even know who these people truly are. They would if they did their homework. Bianca saw the budget for the event and suddenly became so invested in our new clients. If only she knew.
“We’ll make it work, dear. Princeton has a way of making things work.” She winks at me. “Ladies, thank you.”
Mrs. Blake stands to leave. I’m dumbfounded as she starts for the door. I furrow my brows.
“But wait, everyone will be in costumes. Including the staff. How will he find me? The Whitmans have restricted cellphone use. All guests will have to turn in their phones.”
She turns back to face me, her eyes rolling over me from head to toe. She gives a sly grin. “This just got more interesting. If he finds you, it was meant to be, dear. It will all work out.”
I stare after her with my mouth hanging open as she leaves. I don’t know what just happened. I’ve been swamped with all the work Bianca has been taking on.
I should’ve had the Blake proposal ready before this morning’s meeting, but I had three parties almost blow up in my face and the meeting had been moved up from its original time. I had to scramble to get the proposal finished and rush it into the broad room.
“What the hell was that?” My stepmother snarls after Mrs. Blake is out of earshot.
“I told you not to move the meeting up. I would have been ready had they come at their scheduled time,” I say.
“We have a spa appointment this morning to get ready for the ball tonight. We needed to move them up,” Glenda says flipping her blonde weave over her shoulder.
As much as she spends on those damn hairstyles, you’d think they’d be able to make them look real. I fight not to roll my eyes at her. On top of everything else, the three of them are selfish.
“I’ll take care of it.” Like I always do, I think to myself. “I’ll work out the details of the party with Mr. Blake and secure the account.”
Bianca narrows her glaring eyes at me. I count backwards in my head. Only a few more months and I can buy this witch and her spawns out of my father’s business before they ruin it.
“I will talk to Princeton myself, this evening. Leave the proposals with us. I’ll make sure he sees the great ideas we’ve come up with,” she says.
We as in her and her twit daughters. Bullshit. These three wouldn’t even know where to start. I sigh. It’s no use fighting with them. They’ll just find a way to make my life worse.
“As you wish.” I turn to head back to my office.
“By the way, your rental for this evening must be returned by midnight. There was a slight mix up. I suggest you make sure to get all your tasks done before then. The cars are the only way off the island, and you won’t fit with us.”
Sure, I won’t fit into the twenty-passenger vehicle I booked for me and my staff that Bianca and her nitwits decided to take over. My poor staff will now have to stuff into an eight-passenger vehicle when there are ten of us. Good thing most of them will be finished at the event by twelve. I’ll have to find the others a ride.
“Thanks,” I say, but it’s dripping with sarcasm. I can’t wait to get them out of my life. Eighty-one days and counting.
Chapter 2
Haters
Cinder
It’s been a long day and it’s nowhere near over. I shutdown my laptop and get up from my desk to stretch. I need to get home to get ready for the ball this evening.
My neighbor, Ms. Randell, says she used to be a hair and makeup artist in Hollywood. She’s been all too excited to get me glammed up for this event. I don’t even know why I’m going all out. It’s not like I’ll be there to party.
I smile as I walk over to my dress hanging on the back of the closet door in my office. This is the reason I’m so excited. I finally slimmed down enough to wear my mother’s wedding gown.
I worked hard to get my waist down, but thank God it flares at the hips. It fits like a glove now. I can’t wait to pair it with the shoes I found. It’s all going to be perfect.
I unzip the bag to peek at the dress one more time. I sent it out to be cleaned and had to pick it up on my lunch-break. Pulling it out of the bag and fluffing it, I can’t stop smiling.
“Cindy,” Rosa snarls from behind me. I sigh and turn to face her. “You never gave me that vendor contact for the Anderson brunch. Are you trying to make me look stupid?”
Honey, you don’t need me for that. You were born stupid.
“I printed the vendor list for you.” Again, because she keeps asking instead of opening her damn computer to pull the information from the database. “It should be on your desk.”
“Are you getting smart with me?” She points a finger at me over the wine glass in her hand. Who drinks wine at work in the middle of the damn day? “You do know I don’t have to sell you shit. Even if you get the money, we don’t have to sell you our shares.”
I bite back my retort. I don’t know what my father was thinking. He always promised this place was mine if anything ever happened to him. I couldn’t believe my ears when his attorney announced that my father had divided the company among the four of us.
My mom has to be rolling in h
er grave. She and Daddy started this place together. They worked so hard to make something of their business and they had. After mom died, my father threw himself into this place and made it an even bigger success.
I plan to do the same thing, but first I have to play nice so I can buy these creeps out. Eighty-one more days. I can do this.
“No, Rosa. I’m not getting smart.” I move to my desk. “Here, I have another copy.”
“Oops,” she says.
A chill runs through me. Just from the sound of her voice, I know I’m going to kill this bitch when I turn around. I turn eerily slow to see what she has done.
I drop the paper in my hand and a whimper slips from my lips. My blood starts to boil. The front of my mother’s gown is covered in red wine.
“You bitch,” I snarl.
“What did you just call my daughter?” I look toward the door to find Bianca and Glenda standing there.
“She just ruined my mother’s gown,” I growl.
“Well, it looks like you won’t be going to the ball after all. Hand me the file for tonight. I’ll handle the event myself.”
I don’t know who I want to throttle more. Bianca or Rosa. I tighten my fists. I try to remind myself not to beat the shit out of them. I’m so close to buying them out. I can’t allow them to push me over the edge now.
I snatch up the Whitman pack for tonight and my purse. As I storm out of my office, I nearly fling the file at Bianca. I don’t even turn back to look at them as they snicker and whisper.
I hold my tears back as I punch the button for the elevator. I think to go back for the dress, but just the sight of it will make me change my mind and I will drag all three of them.
“Nope, you’re not going to stoop to their level, Cindy. Keep moving. Payback is a bitch. It will happen soon enough,” I mutter under my breath.
As soon as I step into the elevator and the doors close, hot tears start to fall down my cheeks. I’ve held onto that dress for sixteen years. Mom and I would play dress up and she’d always let me put it on and dance around, calling me her princess.
I was nine when she died. My father was devastated. I thought he’d never recover. Honestly, I don’t think he ever did. Taking Beauty for Ashes Events international was his way of running from it all.
It was also how he met Bianca. She started out as my nanny and somehow wiggled her way into my father’s bed. I swear that woman was the death of my father. She did nothing but stress him out.
“Spoiled bitches,” I fume.
Princeton
This is the shit I’m talking about. I asked Mother to do one thing. Get that chocolate beauty to my apartment. That wasn’t asking too much. Now, I’m in a damn tux with a mask on my face.
“How do I get myself into this shit?” I mutter as I step out of my apartment building and climb into the waiting Wraith. The driver closes the door and I settle into the seat.
“You don’t have to look so put out,” my mother says from her seat beside me.
“I had no intentions of going to this ball. This mask itches and I’d much rather be in my apartment nude. It’s too hot for this nonsense,” I mumble.
“Stop behaving like such a sour puss,” she chortles.
Puss, that what has me in this predicament in the first place. I want to see that gorgeous goddess again. I haven’t been able to get her off my mind.
Shit, I have to shift in my seat as my cock grows hard just thinking about her. This is going to be a long damn night. I can feel it.
“Now, you will have to find her. She’ll be working this evening, but if you can steal her away for a bit, you can get the details of what she has in mind for your event,” Mother says.
“Yes, I’ll be sure to get those details.” I could care less about planning that damn ball.
“She’s a lovely looking young lady, isn’t she?”
I turn toward my mother to find her staring at me with an amused look on her face. Shit, I’ve given away too much. I’m sure she knows that I intend to pursue this woman.
“She is.”
She narrows her gaze. “Just remember that it’s time for you to find a bride. Whatever fun you’re planning to have, don’t let it get in the way of the purpose of your gala. You will find a nice girl and settle down.”
I hear the warning in her voice. She and my father have had enough of my bachelor lifestyle. They have been after me to settle down for years, but this year it has become a demand. I must find a bride.
No one will mention my betrothed that disappeared. The one I was destined to marry even before her birth. The bride whose mother found our arrangement lacking and ran off with her child.
Nope, we all shy away from that topic which is what this event we’re planning is all about. I must find a replacement bride. Lucky me.
I bite my tongue to keep from saying anything cheeky. “I will have a bride before the year is over,” I say dryly.
I’ll hold up my end of the bargain. I’ll find a wife. It will be difficult when the only woman to stir even an ounce of something inside me—in years—is the one that will be planning the event meant to find me a wife.
My mother clicks her tongue at my response. I guess I didn’t keep my annoyance out of my voice as much as I thought. She shifts her body in her seat to look at me.
“You are a crowned prince, Princeton. Your father and I have been very lenient with you. This will not continue if you insist on defying us and shirking your duties,” she says in warning.
“I have performed all of my duties and this gala you want to throw will allow me to do as you and father ask.”
“Just don’t allow this young woman to be a distraction from all of that.” She huffs and turns away.
I furrow my brows. She was the one to talk me into going to this event. She knew I would agree because of the beauty I’m after.
Why tear into me about it?
I remain silent for the rest of the ride. Mother is up to something. I can see it in the set of her lips. If I’m not careful, I’ll end up in one of her traps. Good lord, if she tricks me into marrying one of the women she and father choose, I’ll jump from a cliff.
While all beautiful—well, mostly—they are lackluster. Too arrogant, too self-centered, too shallow. I can be all of those things; I don’t need to have a wife that’s a bigger asshole than I am.
I wonder if my little bird will check off all my boxes? Not that they’ll allow me to marry a common woman. Although, my parents have bent a few rules for me.
I grin as I think of what I want to bend tonight.
“What’s that little grin for?” Mother asks as we pull up to the castle on the private island the party is being held on.
“Nothing, Mother, nothing at all.”
Chapter 3
You Must Go
Cinder
“Cee-cee, what’s wrong?” Ms. Randell asks as she sticks her head out of her apartment door.
“I won’t need your help tonight after all. Thanks, Ms. Randell.”
“What in the world have those monsters done now? You were so excited about this ball. You have to go.”
I press my forehead to my front door and take a deep breath to keep from bursting into tears. “My dress was ruined. Rosa spilled wine on it.”
“Oh honey, I’m so sorry.”
I turn to face her. “I swear she did it on purpose. We had this client come in today and he insisted on working with me. His mother said that they would find me at the ball to discuss their event.
“I… I just can’t believe they would ruin my mother’s dress over this. She could have had the account. I would have sent him right to her. I had planned to,” I say and sniffle.
“I don’t know why you’re surprised,” Ms. Randell deadpans. “If a man is involved you have even less reason to question their actions.”
“Bianca has been using your company to try to pawn off those terrible daughters of hers. Why do you think she tries to book all the socialite parties? It’s not
for the money. Well, not entirely,” she says and purses her lips.
“Well, I have no intention of embarrassing myself, thinking I have a chance with someone like Princeton Blake. He just wanted a competent party planner. Those two can throw themselves at him all they want,” I grumble.
“Princeton Blake?” Ms. Randell stands up straighter. “He’s the gentleman that requested your services?”
“Yes.” I tilt my head. “Why?”
“You must go to the ball.”
“What? Why?”
She waves a hand at me. “Princeton Blake doesn’t make idle requests. No, you must go.”
“How do you know about Princeton?”
Her cheeks turn pink. “It’s a part of my job.”
A part of her job. What job? I haven’t seen her go to a job since I moved in here. I’ve always wondered how she can afford this place. She must come from money. Heck, I only live here because it was one of the properties my father left me.
The other place is a Château or something, someplace in Europe that I’ve never heard of before receiving a letter after the will reading. I’ve considered selling the place, but something has always stopped me.
I’ve been too busy saving to buy back the company to go check the place out. It’s on my list of things to do when I can finally take a vacation.
“I think I’ll pass on this one,” I mutter.
“You will do no such thing. Destiny is in the works, dear. We will meet up with it.”
“Huh?”
“Trust me.”
She looks down at her watch. Her brows draw together. I feel bone tired. I just want to go inside and go to sleep.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m going to forget this day ever happened.”
“Nonsense. I’m going to make some calls and then we’ll get started on your hair and makeup,” she says.