“Bitch, do you even know who I am?”
“Better yet, do you know who I am?” I asked and she looked from me to Alex and then her expression changed.
“Ladies, is there a problem here?” A handsome tuxedoed man stepped forward, I swear I heard Alex giggle.
“No problem for me, Lukey Poo, this heathen just hit me,” the blonde bimbo cooed.
Before I could even say anything, I was pulled behind Alex and she stood in front of the man. “This thing is a fucking liar, she crashed into my sister. She was super rude, then called her a bitch. Where I come from, we take bitches like this one out back and whup their ass.”
“Well, I never. Luke, please get me away from this trash.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him with her.
When he brushed her hand away, he turned back to Alex and me. “I’m so very sorry, ladies. Unfortunately Anise missed the step in home training that would have given her the ability to apologize for being wrong. So let me apologize on her behalf and I will keep her far away from you.”
“That’s fine, and we accept your apology. However, if she comes at me again, I will show her what it’s like to have her ass kicked,” Alex said seriously, before turning to look at the blonde. “Boo,” she spit out and the girl jumped. I laughed.
Luke and the blonde walked away. Alex and I began to wade through the throngs of people to join Brianna. The table we were seated at wasn’t the same one Mom and Dad were, thank goodness. Our table was filled with family, although one chair was empty, having been reserved for Dani. I was so glad to be sitting in between Alex and our brother Ethan.
I leaned over and told Ethan what had happened earlier with the blonde at the front door. He was ready to whup someone’s ass for their disrespect, especially knowing that this was our father’s event. No one here was more important.
Kissing the top of my head, he gave me a side hug, reassuring me that no one was going to start anything with me again; he wouldn’t allow it. When the lights dimmed a couple of times, the host of the evening started making his way to the stage. Ethan took my hand while everyone sat. We stood up and followed behind the curtain to be officially announced.
Mom was doing last minute once overs, making sure we were all neat and tidy, as if we were toddlers.
As soon as the announcer started to talk, Alex closed her eyes and pretended to snore.
“Without further ado, I’m pleased to introduce Jonathan Thomas.”
The four of us clapped and cheered for our daddy, it was a great feeling.
We listened to his speech, that he promised wouldn’t be very long. He spoke about the platforms he strongly believed in, and the things he was hoping to do. He was working on ways to change some very outdated laws and he wanted to make sure the focus was on family again.
The mention of family had us all ready to be announced. As always, Mom went first. She was elegant as she stood next to Dad, they looked like royalty out there. Ethan went after her; Dad spoke of how Ethan was now one of the top lawyers in the firm he worked at. He spoke about all of his accomplishments, Ethan even blushed a little bit. Brianna went next. Dad spoke all about her work with the newspaper. Alex stepped up after her, she put on a show. She waved and even threw in a curtsy for laughs. He spoke about her photos being in Time Magazine and that she would be featured in Vogue next month. Everyone clapped loudly.
“Last, but certainly not least, is my beautiful baby girl, Christianna,” he said, sticking his hand out to me. I walked out on the stage, overcome by a sudden bout of stage fright I’d never had before. “Christianna has amazed me from the moment she was born and continues to amaze me to this day. I was just informed moments before I went on that my Angel made the New York Times list for her latest book.”
I gasped at the news and hugged my dad. I was surrounded by my entire family in congratulations. I no longer cared about the people in the audience. I was shocked at the news.
Somehow I ended up backstage with Alex, who was dancing around in circles as Dad hugged me again. Mom mentioned that dinner was about to be served. We stepped through from behind the stage curtains, then made our way back to the tables to a round of applause.
Ethan led me to my seat, the whole walk whispering how proud of me he was. He promised to take Layla and me out next week for ice cream. I couldn’t wait. Ethan pulled out my chair, I put my hands behind me to smooth out the train of my dress so it didn’t get bunched up and wrinkled. Then I felt the overwhelming urge to look to my left.
Turning my head slightly, standing in the back of the room stood a beautiful man with dark hair and piercing silver eyes. My heart started to beat wildly in my chest. I couldn’t get past the fact he was looking at me like he was disgusted by what he saw. Just then I saw the blonde bimbo sidle up next to him and proceed to lick his neck, before turning to see me and giving me the finger.
I shot back the same look of disgust he had for me at that rude ass bitch from earlier. I turned my head, slipping into my seat, ready to receive my meal.
“Chris, say cheese.”
I looked up and saw Alex with her phone out, I smiled big and bright for her. As soon as the flash went off we laughed. Despite that man and that woman, it had been an amazing night so far.
***
Nico
Sitting here watching my mom and dad looking at each other so in love, it gives me hope that I may find something like that for myself one of these days. Mom placed a kiss on Dad’s cheek before she walked off to talk to some ladies that looked familiar.
A blur of bleached blonde hair and the tackiest of dresses flashed in my peripheral vision. I turned to see Luke dragging Anise toward our table. The look on his face was one of anger. I stood up, hoping to calm whatever issue that she undoubtedly had caused.
“What’s going on?”
“Anise was starting shit with those two when they were coming in.” Luke tipped his head to the left, indicating a girl in a red dress pulling a beautiful woman in blue behind her. I lost sight of them as they entered the crowd of people before I turned back to Anise and Luke.
“Nico baby, that’s not what happened at all. The ugly bitch in blue, she knocked into me and didn’t even apologize. I almost fell. I think I may have sprained my ankle a little. Ouch,” she said, hopping from foot to foot, completely full of shit.
When the lights started to flicker, I pulled her by her hand and told her to sit and that we’d finish this later. Bobby took a seat next to Luke when he came in, giving me a nod, letting me know someone was watching outside. The last thing I needed was drama to happen here, Anise was certainly enough.
The master of ceremonies was some senator or something. I couldn’t remember his name, not that I cared. I just focused on my parents and the reason we were here. With someone like Thomas in our back pocket, we’d be set. Seeing as how he and Dad were on good terms, this would be a cake walk.
When Jonathan took the stage, I watched how poised he was as he spoke about the things that mattered to him with conviction. He would definitely be a shoe-in for a senatorial race or the presidency, as these people were eating it up.
When he announced his wife, I knew her name instantly. Mom smiled, I think she did too. He started announcing the family members. The son Ethan was a lawyer, I made a mental note of his name to look him up later. You can never have enough lawyers and a loyal one was hard to find. When the daughter in the red dress walked out, Luke’s head shot up and he stared.
She did some silly bow thing and Luke laughed before he caught himself. I was thinking maybe the one in blue would be next. I scanned the crowd, searching for her anywhere, I wasn’t listening to a word he was saying until he said “Angel.”
This time it was me who perked my head up. I saw the shiny blue material float out, but all I could see was her profile as she stared at her father. He congratulated her on being in the New York Times, for a book. She’s a writer? I’d have to find out more.
I willed her to turn and look at me, but she d
idn’t. There was just a sea of people and congratulatory hugging—I didn’t see a thing. I kept looking toward the exit, hoping that she’d come out and face me. I don’t know why I was suddenly intrigued and consumed with the need to see her, I just was. I sat back in my chair and waited.
The waiters started to spill into the room carrying plates of food at the same time the family came out from behind the curtain.
“Look at me,” my mind shouted. I watched her walk, accompanied by her brother, to her table.
Slowly I rose to my feet, stood there seconds from screaming her name to get her to look at me. When she did, she stared directly at me. I was floored, this was her. The woman I’d placed on every woman I’ve been with for over a year, and she was the daughter of an Attorney General. Someone I’d never met. Immediately I wondered if I had met her. Wondered if she had tried to get close to me to get dirt on my family. I had the overwhelming urge to do something illegal; when her face turned to one of hatred, I knew she was up to something.
She shook her head at the same time I felt a wet scratchy surface lick my neck.
“Anise, show some decorum. This isn’t a bedroom,” my mother said, hitting her fist on the table.
“Sorry.”
When I looked back she had sat down, a camera flashed, and that was the end of it. I took my seat again, still stewing in the feelings of some sort of betrayal. I looked at Luke and Bobby, who were looking at me in return, both realizing something was up.
Not wanting to put the rest of the table, especially Anise, on alert, I removed my phone from my pocket and sent the boys a quick text.
Nicholas: Girl in blue dress, familiar, she knows me, I somehow know her. She needs a tail, until I figure this out. I think she may have been a plant.
I went about my meal, every so often I’d look up in the direction I knew she was sitting. When all of the courses were done, the host spoke about the silent auction that was in the next room. I was just about to excuse myself when I saw that familiar blue skirt head into that room.
“I’m going to see what auction items they have to bid on,” I said, not waiting for anyone to respond. I moved through the crowds with ease. The moment I crossed the threshold the atmosphere changed. It was like a pull toward her, a pull I was desperately fighting because I didn’t know the reasons behind it.
She seemed to float around the room until she finally stopped, looked down at the paperwork, and smiled. She started to write something on a piece of paper before slipping it into a coordinating box. She walked out of the room and I made my way over to see what made her so happy. Before I could reach the table, my ass was grabbed. I turned—of course, it was Anise.
“Stop that shit, Anise,” I said as close to her face as I could manage without people noticing.
“Oh come on now, Nico baby. Don’t be like that.”
As I stepped up to the table and looked down at the paper. I saw what had made her smile. Several first editions of old books. Being a writer, of course she’d be interested in them.
“Who’d want some old used books? That’s what book stores are for, duh.”
Shaking my head, I leaned over and filled out the form. I bid an exorbitantly high amount for the books, sliding my folded slip of paper into the slot on the box. This would be my in, I’d find out about her one way or another.
“Oh Nico baby, look at this gorgeous sapphire necklace. This would be perfect for me. Will you get it for me, please? I’ll show you how much I appreciate you.”
“No.” And with that, I walked away.
However, I didn’t get very far. Anise was hot on my heels within seconds, cornering me in the hallway outside of the ballroom.
“Nico, I don’t want to wait until we’re married. I want you to fuck me, right here, right now.” She leaned up and whispered in my ear. “I’m not wearing any panties.”
I smiled my signature smirk before leaning down to her ear. “I don’t give a fuck.”
Anise laughed and before I realized what was happening. She had fallen to her knees, trying to get into the fly of my pants. I was trying to push her away and pull her up. If we were anywhere else I would have punched the fuck out of her for disrespect. I’ve never hit a woman, but this one crossed the line.
A gasp alerted me that we were no longer alone in the hallway. Turning, I saw her. She looked pained. I couldn’t get a word out before Anise stood up, rubbing her body against mine.
“Nico, this is the bitch that hit me earlier. I think you need to school her about apologies.”
“You were in the wrong, Anise. Not her.”
“Whatever.” Anise walked over and stood before her. “My fiancé is a very important man, and I’m important to him. You disrespected me and I’m his queen. I don’t care who your father is, he can make you disappear.” She snapped her fingers. “Like that.”
I was about to snatch Anise and kick her ass into next week. I didn’t even get a word out when the beautiful lady who stood before me started to speak.
“You think you scare me, Botox Barbie. You don’t know me and I don’t give two shits about you. I wish I had hit you, maybe it would have knocked some sense into you. You need to learn not to fuck with people you don’t know.”
I listened to her and watched her advance on Anise as she backed up, trying to get behind me.
“I’m respecting my father’s function. If it were any other moment, I would have lost my shoes and your ass would be on the floor with my fist to your mouth.” She looked at me, flicked her eyes, and then looked back at Anise. “As for your fiancé, fuck you and fuck him. I don’t associate with garbage. So in case you want to settle this another time, I’ll be waiting.”
I watched in awe as she stepped back and smoothed down her dress. “Boo!” she yelled in Anise’s face. Anise yelped and hid further behind me. “That was funnier the second time, dumb bimbo.” She stalked off, head high, with a smile on her face.
“I can’t believe you let her threaten me, Nico.”
I turned to her, pinning her with my stare as she cowered against the wall.
“Yet again you overstepped. I’m not your fucking fiancé, you’re throwing around that lie like a get out of shit card and I’m tired of it. I will be informing my father and yours tonight that I have no intention of taking you as my wife ever in my lifetime.”
She grabbed the lapels of my jacket. “No, Nico, you can’t do that. You have to marry me. You have to join the families.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t have to do anything. Especially when my father told me today it was my decision and yours was warned. After tonight, I wouldn’t marry you if my life depended on it. I’d hand over things to someone else first. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to speak to my father.”
Turning to walk away, I was ready to start paving my future without this person hanging on.
“It’s about that bitch, isn’t it?”
I spun around and walked up to her. “What did you say?”
“I said, it’s about that woman who was just here. I’m not stupid. I saw you looking at her. You can’t be the boss if you don’t marry me!”
I laughed in return. “Oh, I’ll be the boss, and you’ll still be a vapid, heartless bitch with over inflated tits. Less is more, Anise. Good luck smoothing this over with your dad.”
I walked away with an extra pep in my step. I found my Dad and explained everything. I even told him that things were going to start changing and soon, for everyone. I found Bobby and Luke over in the corner. Luke was eyeing Jonathan Thomas’ daughter.
“Well, I told Dad I won’t be marrying Anise.”
“Good for you. I thought I was going to have to watch out for cat fights. I mean I’m all for cat fights, but I didn’t want to see Alexandra hurt in a scuffle.”
“Alexandra?” I questioned.
“Thomas’ daughter. She’s the one that was protecting her sister from Anise earlier.”
I laughed. “Well, I just had a run-in with th
e other sister and Anise in the hallway. I can safely say she can handle herself. She even yelled ‘boo’ just to watch her jump.”
“That’s exactly what the sister did. It amazes me the lengths women will go through to try and fight someone else but then end up having their ass handed to them. In this case, she got scared because of a word. Anise needs to learn to keep her mouth shut before someone shuts it for her.”
“No doubt,” I said.
“So what was your deal with Christianna?” Bobby asked.
“What did you say?”
“The girl in the blue dress—Christianna. What’s going on with her?”
The moment Bobby said her name I was taken back. The beautiful brunette that I had been thinking about for over a year began to flood back to me. Her smile, the sound of her laugh, I could almost feel her body under me when I pictured it.
“Where is she?”
“Who?”
“The girl in the blue dress,” I asked, scanning the crowd.
“I think she left, at least I watched her hugging and kissing her parents and sisters and then she walked out with her brother.”
“Do we have anyone on her?”
“Well, yeah, Jeffery is on her. Why?”
“Because I have some questions.”
“You okay, Nico?” Luke moved forward to place his hand on my shoulder.
“As soon as I get some answers, I will be.”
Saying goodnight to my parents, I explained I had a little business to attend to. I walked outside to get in the waiting car when memories came flooding back. I had to stop and focus.
God, she was beautiful, I held her while we danced. I sat back and watched her as she undressed before me. Every single inch of her was perfect. I remember thinking how different she was. That after this night with her it would change the dynamic of everything that was happening, she wasn’t like the others.
“Nico?” Luke jostled me. “What’s going on, man?”
Can't Walk Away (The Thomas Family Chronicles #1) Page 3