by Amy Brent
I was on my way upstairs to the guest room when I passed Scott Blue on the first story landing, and it was that moment when my ring decided to come apart and slip from my finger. It hit the tile floor with a clink and rolled across to stop at his feet.
“Oops.” He reached down and got the ring and handed it to me, his bright blue eyes, strangely the same blue as my own met mine and his face lit with some kind of thought as if he were in awe. That wouldn’t have been so funny if he hadn’t been the legendary rocker who’d gotten that look from millions in his lifetime. He shook his head and seemed to come back from his daze. “You look just like your mother when she was your age. It’s still hard for me to believe she’s gone at times.” I had never heard him speak so many words at once, especially about my mother, and it took me by surprise.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever stop waiting to see her. It’s like I could turn around and see her walk in at any moment.” Things had happened so quickly with her illness not giving us anytime to come to terms with it before cancer killed her.
His chin dipped gesturing toward the ring. “That’s an unusual piece.” I glanced down to the gold and silver ring my mother had fashioned and given me just before her passing.
“Yeah, it’s a deconstructed art piece that she made from two different rings. She said it was special, but didn’t tell me why. I need to fix them to fit better, but since losing the house, I’m not sure where to set up my equipment.”
“You make jewelry too?” He folded his arms and seemed a bit surprised.
“Learned from the best, she taught me all of her tricks.” We shared a laugh, and then he stepped a bit closer.
“You should come down to dinner.” He locked his arm with mine as a voice sounded from behind me.
“That’s a wonderful idea.” Nola stepped up and hooked her arm in his and joined us to go downstairs. “You are practically family, and I’m afraid I’d assumed you’d know you’re welcome at our table anytime. With you living here and all.” She gave a little shrug and stepped away, walking into the dining room ahead of us.
The twins scowled as I walked in on their father’s arm and I took the chair beside Halle who played with her phone. Sadie sat stone-faced as usual as if the entire world could burst into flames and she’d be more at home. Neither said a word right away.
Scott took the head of the table and then Millie strolled in to take the seat at the end opposite. Nola sat by Scott and waited as dinner was served with a grin on her face that I was certain wasn’t for me. We got along okay, but I knew my place, and I had a feeling she’d never intended it to be at her dinner table.
Halle sat giggling next to me like whoever was texting her had just sent her the joke of a lifetime as dinner was served. As the heaping serving of lasagna was placed in front of me, Halle leaned over and put her phone in front of me. I glanced at the screen and saw the image she’d hope to shock me with: a fully erect penis which was being held by long, masculine fingers. I had to admit the size was impressive, but Halle’s preoccupation was not going to do anything for her reputation.
I gave the twins a wilting glance, and they snickered until Nola scolded them. You’d think we were twelve and sitting in class. “Ahem,” she said, and then she cleared her throat. “I have a little surprise for you girls.” I knew better than to think she was including me, so I continued eating as the Twins seemed reluctant to give her their attention.
She held up an envelope and waved it. “This came in the mail earlier.” Opening the card, it became quite clear that it was a formal invitation. I got a look at the thing as she opened it and the impressive, thick cardstock with embossed gold lettering bore a crown and the letter P.
“It’s from the Prince family. They’re hosting their yearly gala. I also have it on good authority through the club, that Patricia Prince is hoping to use the party as a way to land Aiden a bride. It seems she’s ready for her son to settle down.”
Scott cleared his throat. “Good luck with that. You can’t herd in people like cattle and hope a miracle happens. She’d do better to let him be a man and find his bride the old-fashioned way.”
“And what way is that, darling?” Nola seemed amused, but Scott shrugged and took a sip of his wine before stuffing his face.
Millie cleared her throat. “Not everyone has groupies, son.”
I swallowed a lump of lasagna and averted my gaze as I took some wine to wash it down.
“Mom was a groupie?” Halle gave her father an amused grin, but Nola wasn’t having it.
“I’d hardly call myself a groupie. I was a big fan, but I only met him through Layla.” I looked up as Nola mentioned my mother’s name. “Now, I guess you could call Layla a groupie, isn’t that right, dear? You met her backstage at one of your concerts, right?”
Scott gave me an apologetic look and then clarified. “Actually, no. I met her at a café early one morning after our tour bus broke down on the edge of town.”
“I’m sure it’s a charming story, dear.” She cut him off and leaned across the table. “Let’s not make our guest uncomfortable.” I had a feeling she was much more uncomfortable with the subject of my mother than Scott was.
“It’s okay. I had no idea you had known my mother before you knew Nola. I’d love to hear about it, but perhaps some other time.” Nola shot daggers across the table to me and then to Millie who seemed rather pleased with herself.
“Yes, some other time. We girls have a gala to discuss. I’m sure you’ll both want to go. Aiden Prince is quite the catch since his father’s passing. I hear that their entire estate is worth well over three billion dollars at present, and growing daily.”
Scott whistled. “That’s a lot of money for a young man.” Then he turned to me. “You should go along, Ella. You could use a little fun too.” The twin’s heads snapped in their father’s direction, and Nola glared at me as if I were to immediately refuse.
“I’m sure the invitation wasn’t extended to me.” I folded my hands in my lap, sweat breaking out across the back of my neck as Nola threw her daggers in her husband’s direction.
“Well, it was specifically addressed to the twins.”
“Nonsense, it’s a party. The more, the merrier, and I’m sure there’s a plus one on the RSVP.” He took the card from Nola’s hands and nodded pointing out something on the card. “Yes, here it is, I’m sure it’s okay. Besides, it’s why we hired her, isn’t it? With the girls constantly finding themselves in the most precarious situations, I’m sure it would do them some good to have Ella there to watch out for them everywhere they go, not just the business trips.”
“Are you serious, Daddy? It’s not like we need a babysitter. We’re over twenty-one now.” Sadie’s eyes were narrowed, but that curl of her lip made her appear like a wild dog, ready to bite.
“I don’t think it will be so bad. Ella would love the party, and it’s good for her to meet people.” Halle glanced toward her sister, and I could only guess what kind of sly look the two of them were exchanging. “Thank you, daddy, for the suggestion.” She pulled her wine to her lips and then met me with a slow spreading smile that ended with a flash of teeth.
I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I turned and gave him a warm smile. “Yes, thank you. It does sound like fun.” I glanced down the table at Millie who stared at the twins as if she could read their minds and as she met my stare, her look was apologetic.
I was going to the gala whether I liked it or not.
Chapter 4
Aiden
Zep and I had gotten our hands on the official gala invite and had duplicates made by the original artist so that we could pass them out at our whim. As we strolled through our favorite night club, Zep had already dwindled his stack to nothing, and I only had a few. I was saving those for the girls down at the country club, but my plan was well under way.
I sat at our private table in the VIP section eye fucking one of the hot waitresses who had flashed me enough cleavage to get my attention
as Zep elbowed me.
“Look who's here.” His smile widened, and he turned to face the girls who were approaching, a matched set of legs and tits and enough venom to kill a man. The Blue Twins were hot, no arguing that, but their sour attitudes had turned me off from the moment I’d met them two years ago. Halle was the edgier of the two, with her star-kissed cheek— a tiny tattoo she’d had done during the first season of her reality show—and her blue-tipped black hair that seemed to be her trademark, stopped in front of Zep and trailed her eyes across my body. Sadie did the same and then sat beside me as Halle leaned into Zep’s side, practically in his lap.
“We got your invitation,” said Halle as a third girl, a tall and plain blonde, glanced around nervously with a doe in headlights look. She looked like she had bedhead and was totally out of her element. She didn’t manage to hold my attention as Halle spoke. “I can’t wait until the gala. I hope the both of you save me a dance.”
Sadie leaned in closer as if she could devour me in one bite. “I’d like you to save me a bit more than a dance.” Her words were an offer as she leaned in so close I could see down the front of her dress. Her perfect tits were tight, and it was apparent that she didn’t have anything on under the thin, silk dress.
She snaked her hand onto my thigh and rubbed dangerously close to my crotch. I had blood flowing already from the eye fucking I’d been preoccupied with before they strolled up, sending the gorgeous girl scurrying away.
Her sister wasn’t being outdone, and though she leaned across Zep’s lap, she offered herself to me. “I’m sure there’s enough of you for two.”
“So all those rumors are true?” asked Zep, still holding onto Halle’s waist as she leaned across him.
She snaked her hand down to Zep’s cock and rubbed him through his pants. “We’d let you join in as well, Zep.” She and Sadie giggled as Sadie’s hand moved to my cock, and she leaned in closer to my ear. She had the same black hair as her sister’s only hers hadn’t been chemically altered in blue, but she also lacked the star beauty tattoo. Even though she was the more natural of the two, her own hard expressions made her exotic enough in a predatory way, as if she could kill you with one icy glare.
“We’d make you feel so good.” Her brow lifted and she turned to her sister, throwing her arm around her twin’s neck. “Maybe they want to watch us play, sister?” She licked Halle’s cheek in a nice, long, slow stroke, and then the two turned to face one another as they shared a quick kiss on the lips.
About that time the klutzy blonde choked on her drink, and as she placed it on the table, she spilled it. It happened so fast the trail of liquid spilled down to my pants and ran across the table to Halle’s top.
“You stupid idiot!” Sadie snapped as her sister sat up and flashed narrowed eyes at the girl. She was still coughing, and I turned my head away from her and then got up to go clean myself up. Zep was behind me a moment later.
“Are you going to take them up on that offer?” At first, I thought he would be upset they’d wanted to include me, but that wasn’t it at all, he’d take them any way he could get them. “Dude, you’ve got to hit that.”
“I thought you wanted them, get back there and make a deal for yourself, I’m not interested. They can take their babysitter and go home.” I ducked into the bathroom and past the freaks who were there to share hits.
Zep practically growled. “Man, you’re no fun. It’s not like we’ve never shared before. You keep this up, and you’ll end up with someone like that clumsy chick. What a train wreck.” As I wiped up my pants, I had to agree.
“Those two are not my speed. Besides, they are a bit young for me.” They’d only turned twenty-one a few months ago and the only reason I knew that is because they’d have a huge party and that’s where Zep had fucked Halle.
“You won’t find bigger freaks in the sheets, my friend. I don’t care how old they are, they’re legal and not in their teens, so I’m down. Give this to me, and I’ll never ask you for anything ever again.”
“No. You have at it, but not even my mother would want me with one of them, much less the two of them. They’re bad news, and their whole lives are documented for that fucking reality show. I’m surprised that shit’s still airing.”
“They aren’t that bad.” Zep was letting the promise of pussy cloud his judgment, but I wasn’t falling for it. It wasn’t like either of us were hurting in that department.
“For the last time, no. The gala is a week away, and I’m going to concentrate on finding someone I like. If I’m caught hanging with the two serpent twins then no decent girl is going to come within two feet of me, billions or not.”
“Everyone who knows who you are will know of your billions anyway. How will you know that’s not what anyone could be after?”
“I’ll know it in my gut. She’ll be real, untainted by the glam and unfazed by the idea of money. She’ll want to know about me. You know, that’s one thing I’ve noticed. No one ever asks me a damned thing about myself. They are so wrapped up in my money all they can manage is to tell me what they like in hopes that I can give them something. Half the women I’ve dated don’t even know my middle name.”
“Well, it’s a rather nerdy name, so you might just want to keep that under your hat, Bernard.” Zep snickered, and I met his eyes with a glare that reminded him I knew all too well where his own name came from.
“That’s kind of hypocritical coming from someone named after a flying gas balloon.”
“I was named after my father’s favorite band, one of the greatest of all time, fuck you very much.” He released a breath, and we both left the bathroom, heading back to find a new table as our last one had new occupants.
I sat down at the first one that was available and the waitress I’d slept with a few months back came strolling by. She shot me a glare as she approached. “Can I get you anything?” She turned and smiled at Zep who slipped in his order.
“Just get me a beer.” I eyed her up and down, remembering her long legs wrapped around my naked ass as I pounded her.
“Sure thing, honey. I’ll get you your beer with the same effort you took to call me after the sex we had.” She sauntered away, and I had to respect the girl. Most would have been insulted but never called me on my shit.
Zep belted a laugh that was loud enough to turn a few heads in our direction, the ones that weren’t already staring. “Ouch! I like that woman.”
“She was good. Maybe you should try her.” He made a face that told me he just might.
“You know, I gave her an invitation to the gala earlier. With the way you’ve disposed of a few of the locals, things could certainly get interesting.”
About that time the plain Jane who’d spilled her drink rushed past us on her way to the bathroom, she’d apparently spilled again, the front of her blouse was soaked, and tears trailed down her cheeks as she passed.
Zep curled his lip and gave me a nudge. “Poor thing, I’m sure Halle and Sadie are going to eat her alive.”
Without gawking at the poor creature, I stared across the room in the opposite direction. “Better her than me.”
Chapter 5
Ella
Halle turned in front of the three-way mirror and checked the back view of the dress as I sat watching. I could have been in my own room, looking through my collection of my mother’s gowns and choosing just the right dress for the gala, but I was expected to be at the twin’s beck and call and, apparently, they needed all hands on deck to choose the proper dress. It wasn’t as if they valued my opinion at all, but anything to keep me busy and at their mercy made them happy.
Luckily, I still had a week and already had one of the gowns in mind, and it would be there when I got a free moment. I didn’t want to suggest stepping away after what had happened the previous night. I hadn’t meant to spill my drink, but I’d choked on a piece of ice, and it had just happened.
I hadn’t wanted to go out anyway, but the girls had insisted. Of course, that was only
after they gave me ten minutes to get ready and hid my flat iron. I’d only had time to brush out the wavy strands, not control them, and by the time the humidity had hit it, it was one big mess. But that wasn’t the worst thing they’d done. They’d taken my contacts the night before, and I’d spent the entire day looking for them. I’d been a squinty, clumsy mess, just as they intended. I knew they’d done it simply because of their father’s suggestion and to show that if I was going to be their tag along, I was also going to be their comic relief.
The worst part of the night was when Halle accidentally spilled her drink too— all down the front of my dress. I’d run to the bathroom crying, but hadn’t let either of them see my tears. They were mostly tears of anger, tears for wanting to get revenge and knowing that if I ever wanted to get away from them and out of the Blue mansion, I’d have to suck it up at least until I had earned some money. According to Nola, who’d always been like an aunt to me, the banks had come for the money my mother had borrowed to do her chemo. Apparently, she hadn’t had any insurance on herself. I was thankful for Nola for looking out but hoped that once things were settled, I could make a new life on my own and build my career. That was the only reason I’d wanted to go to the gala.