by Marie Wathen
Not a moment too soon either.
Natalie plops down beside me, draping an arm over my shoulder and yelling in my ear. “I think you and Rad are the cutest couple ever. I like you Angel,” Hiccup, “Oh, and if you ever feel like hiring my kids, I’ll babysit you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I narrow my eyes on her drunk-ass and ask, “How much did you drink tonight Natalie?”
Dropping her head against my shoulder, she laughs for a good solid minute. I look to her husband for help, but he just shrugs a shoulder innocently. Her shoulders jerk wildly while she drunkenly stammers, “I said…if you ever…feel like babysitting my kids…, I’ll hire you.”
“Uh,” Oh damn, not kids. I freak a little. “Sure Natalie, the next off night I have from the shop, after I find complete and utter bliss at the bottom of my drink, I’ll babysit your precious minions.” I say sarcastically before tipping my whiskey glass back.
She continues to laugh while the rest of our group reemerges from their hiding spots. Decks has his birthday present neatly tucked under his arm and is no longer eye fucking me. Thank you baby Jesus. After a few minutes of chaotic chatter about an after party they elect to crash Lourdes’ place since she failed to show for her brother’s birthday celebration.
But have you ever heard that little saying, “Speak of the devil and up he jumps”? Ah, yeah, that just happened. In a blazing red Nicole Miller dress and some “every bitch wishes she had these” red Jimmy Choos heels, Lourdes sashays her pompous ass straight over to our table.
“No kiss for the birthday boy?” Decks teases and everyone at our table laughs.
“Move,” Lourdes demands haughtily, glowering down at him while angrily pushing hair behind her ear.
She stands hovering above all her peasants, waiting for Decks to vacate the chair sitting on the outside of our booth, especially designated for him tonight. Obeying his Queen, Decks scoots into our already packed booth, pulling his date onto his lap and cramming Russ tighter against me. Instantly Lourdes spots me and lifts a professionally arched and contemptuous eyebrow. Obviously no one informed the Queen that I didn’t run away after our initial meeting.
“Rad,” Lourdes purrs, boring holes through me. “Isn’t vanilla last month’s flavor?”
Russ draws me against his chest, placing a kiss against the corner of my mouth. “Vanilla is my favorite flavor,” he tells her and the guys whoop their approval. The scowl on her face is priceless.
Honestly, I can’t imagine anything making me happier. At this precise moment, fate becomes my newest adversary, deciding to have the last laugh at my expense. In all his divine essence, the sex-god graces our booth, dropping a kiss against the cheek of the Queen herself. Lifting her hand up, Lourdes cups his face and he draws her body tightly against him, pressing his still swollen lips against her collagen injected ones. She drapes her arms around his wide shoulders as his hands slip around her thin waist. He drives his tongue through the slit of her lips and she responds dancing with the chaotic rhythm he is creating.
I am a fucking voyeur. Watching him claim ultra bitch in front of everyone in the club has me regretting my earlier statement. Right this very minute I would be happiest if I was the bitch in those red Jimmy Choos. I’m disgusted by the jealousy twisting in my gut.
Heavy panting makes Lourdes voice thick when she purrs, “E, don’t kiss me like that in public. I already told you PDA is not my thing.” E, as she so affectionately calls him, flinches at her tone. Lourdes doesn’t notices his reaction because she quickly snatches a mirror from her purse to check her lipstick. What a bitch! “But we’ll most certainly revisit it again once we get back to your place.”
“My man,” Decks stands and shakes E’s hand, “Sweet sounds from the blues king for my birthday. I’m touched. In fact, I think I might have shed a tear.” E only nods back.
Russ slides his mouth against my ear, which any other time would have repulsed me, but I’m still so entranced by E that I barely hear him until he shouts my name.
“Angel?”
Forcing my attention away from E and turning toward Russ who has a shit-eating grin spread clear across his face, I whine, “What?”
“You’re staring.”
“Shut up!” I growl softly, my eyes drifting back to E.
“And drooling,” Russ chuckles riotously.
“I swear to all that is holy,” I glare at Russ after searching the table and failing to find a utensil sharp enough to cut him, “if you say one more fucking word…” I don’t need to finish that threat. Leaning away from me in a flash, Russ takes it seriously and shuts up.
Everyone at the table rises from their seats simultaneously and I grab Natalie on the elbow before she can scoot out the other side. “What’s going on?”
“After party,” she replies, looking at me all wild-eyed, like I have something creepy stuck on my face.
“Oh, I guess I wasn’t paying attention. Where are we going?”
“Back to Blues’ house,” she states through two obnoxious hiccups and then downs the last of her drink.
Curious about meeting the second highest ranking officer in the X’kapz and good cop gone rogue, I smile at her and ask too eagerly, “Does he know we’re crashing his house?”
“Yes.” Giggling like a kid getting tickled on her feet, she bobs her head several times before focusing on me again. “God Angel you are so funny. Like if you were to go on that reality show where unknown comics stand up telling jokes and you need my vote I would give it to you.” She snorts. “Heck, I’ll give you two.”
I shake my head because I don’t even know what the hell she’s rambling on about. Sliding out of her seat with me following closely behind, Natalie’s laughing slows and she catches her breath before turning around and grabbing me. Tugging me by the hand, she drags me up to Lourdes and E.
“Angel…” Pointing a sharp fingernail into the chest of the sexiest man I have ever laid my eyes on, Natalie gains the attention of E. Oh my, damn he is a big man and so effing gorgeous. And as my eyes lift to greet his steel gaze, after taking in every scrumptious inch of him, I fall once again into an abyss that will surely never let me go without pain, a lot of pain. “This is Blues.”
Blues. Spinning out of control would be one way to describe the way my mind feels at this very moment. Another way that you might put it is that I just had the rug snatched out from under me. But if I’m being completely honest, the best way for me to explain how I am right this very second knowing that the first man to ever captivate me belongs to the Queen bitch, I would have to say that I am royally fucked.
Chapter Eight
We pull up to an opulent house sitting pristine on top of a secluded mountain sprinkled with fifty similar matching homes north of Buckhead and my lungs seize up. Yes, my family is uber-wealthy and I’ve been in more than my fair share of mansions before, but this…this is unbelievable. Old money lives in Buckhead, but this part of it is a playground for new money. The entire house is illuminated with outside spotlights and it looks like every light inside is on, making it appear celestial against a moonless sky backdrop.
“This is big time! Everything we’ve been hoping for is happening right now. Can you believe this shit?” Smiling animatedly, Russ turns the key, silencing the heavy rumble of his GTO. “Not once have they invited me out with them, but with you, I score a damn invite to Decks’ birthday party and now we’re actually going into the fucking second in commands bitchin’ crib.” He continues smiling like a little kid going to the circus and seeing the clowns for the first time.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “Stay close and let’s just be guests tonight.”
Russ turns and glances at me, his brows pinching together. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m saying that we don’t need to draw suspicions the first night that we’re invited into the inner circle.” I tear my gaze away from him, looking back at the glowing portal into a world of more than money. Access to Blues’ house is our
egress that will allow us to clean up the drugs on the streets for future generations. “We’re bringing our A-game tonight with the undercover roles,” I smile at him encouragingly, “So make me proud.”
His apprehensions fall as the corners of his mouth tip up, again. “It’s on!”
Linking our hands together, Russ escorts me inside. Everyone in the small group arrived before us and from the sound of it they are still in full celebration mode. We enter the large den where they’ve gathered, sitting at a full-size tavern style bar at the back of the room. The place is spectacular. It’s dark except for a few recessed cans in the ceiling lighting up the perimeter of the room, and from the blaze coming from the kindling in the over-sized fireplace on the left-side of the room. The right wall is a full span of windows, a framework to the ominous black lake below and Buckhead skyline in the distance.
“Damn,” Russ whistles as we approach the bar, “Blues this is the life, dude”
Ethan “Blues” Sloane is the nephew to one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the south. He is considered the most sought after bachelor of the century based on two reasons. The mega-billion dollar family empire his uncle Oliver built from the single ideal of offering free internet access to customers in coffee shops. Needless to say, his idea parlayed the Sloane family into the country’s top ten percent with the world’s rising addiction to coffee and social media. And the fact that Ethan is, according to all of the top gossip magazines, one of the ‘Sexiest Men of All Time,’ I would have to say that their assessment would be spot on. Although, it appears that he is no longer eligible for the bachelor title, seeing that Lourdes has taken him off the market.
The disturbing part about Blues is that he was once a great police officer. He represented the city of Atlanta with an outstanding service record for several years. He was recognized by the governor twice for his heroics in the line of duty where he was shot once protecting his partner during a shoot out. The other incident, while off duty, he rescued a family during an armed robbery of a small check to cash quick service. Sadly, at some point Blues fell from grace and became the scum that he was once good at throwing in jail.
“That it is Rad,” Blues’ eyes flash up and he smiles at Russ, while pouring himself glass of bourbon. He doesn’t even acknowledge me, hanging onto Russ’ arm. “Glad you could join us tonight. Would you care for a drink?”
“Absolutely, boss.” Russ grins wider and you could literally envelope the entire planet it is so huge.
“None of that business,” Blues tips the bottle, pouring another tumbler half-full and slides it along the bar top toward Russ, “Call me Blues.”
“Angel,” Natalie pulls on my arm, drawing me away from Russ, “Come look at this freaking view.”
Clutching me tightly, she drags me toward the vast scenery beyond the glass. We pass Decks, making out with his birthday present on an oversize sectional sofa, Murph at the end of the bar, tracking me across the room, and Wise speaking on his cell phone, unfazed by everything and everyone.
I don’t know why I do it, but I glance back over my shoulder and blush red all over after catching an odd look from Blues. No, it wasn’t odd, it was severe. He turns away quickly, starting a conversation with Russ and I continue crossing the room toward the windows. Natalie zones out peering at the incredible beauty on the outside and I take advantage of the moment to settle the damn rattlesnakes inside my stomach that woke up from Blues’ brief glare. What the hell could his total enrapture of me back at the club and now complete disregard mean? And that look? His blue eyes almost look demonic, taking on a fiery glow that matches the burn from the blistering firewood.
“You’re here?” a snarl behind me jerks me from my observations of the tall, dark god and I spin around to find Lourdes scrutinizing look. “Don’t you feel privileged? A little, trailer-trash nobody getting a glimpse of how the better-half lives and I can imagine all the dirty thoughts whipping around in that head of yours.” She steps up close and with two long, dark red painted fingernails she pinches my sleeve and then drops her hand away swiftly. “A warning: in my world, we deal with thieves in our own way. So vanquish every idea you have of taking anything here.”
That threat sounds more like a jealous lover’s speech instead of an owner hoping to protect her valuables. I simply nod, hoping to keep her from knowing that I would really rather slap the hell out of her snooty ass for saying such things to me.
“This is the most beautiful house that I have ever seen.” Natalie slips over to Lourdes, who barely acknowledges the sweet girl. “You are one lucky lady Lourdes. Taking Blues out of the bachelor lifestyle has been every single woman’s goal for years.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it, he has been mine for years,” She glares at me, “We just finally made it official.”
“Yeah…” Natalie croons all dreamy eyed, twirling around repeatedly and soaking up all of the luxury the enormous room has to offer.
“Angel, would you like a drink?” Russ asks, sidling up beside me and slinking his arm around my back. My hero.
I smile warmly. “That would be great.”
Marching me away from the super-bitch, Russ suggests, “No cat fights here.”
“You’re an idiot.” I snap, taking an open barstool and propping an elbow on the rail. “I’m not the one who went all “Fangirl” on Blues earlier.” I adore teasing him when the chance presents itself. Sometimes he makes it too easy.
Russ parts my legs with his wide thigh, drapes his hands over my hips and leans into me, placing his whiskey dipped mouth on the edge of my ear. “Just playing the part of good servant to the Dark Prince. And you…” still whispering, he looks me in the eyes, “What’s the deal with Lourdes being so hateful toward you?” In a concerned tone, he says, “Usually the Queen backs off the newbie’s once she enlightens them on the ways of the hierarchy.”
“Not sure.” I smirk, pushing him away from me and crossing my legs and arms. “But I can handle it. The pecking order isn’t new to me.”
He lifts a hand to my face, pushing away a feathery strand of hair with a delicate touch and I stare up into his serious, green eyes. Russ is a handsome man. He’s tall, several inches over six feet, with a well defined body, from years of working out. His silky light brown hair is short, but long enough to run your fingers through. If we had met at a club before I became friends with Kris, there’s no doubt I would have dated him.
“Say the word and we’ll leave,” he whispers, placing soft lips to mine and I nod.
“Y’all are too damn cute. I swear you could make an old married couple jealous.” Natalie exclaims, smiling up at us. Her words are still slurry, but her eyes have cleared and are focused now, catching us in the intimate moment and believing it real.
“Hey Natalie,” I smile back, “show me the bathroom?”
“Yes ma’am.” She spins around on her heels. “Follow me, Sugar.”
After winking at Russ, I hop off the stool and catch up with Natalie, bouncing out of the den. I drape my arm through hers, stilling her after she stumbles into the hallway.
“You okay Natalie?”
“Yep,” Nodding her head, she giggles and then wiggles oddly a little, “Now that you mention it, I really need to pee too.” She giggles again and it echoes loudly through the silent hall.
“Okay, you go first.” I chuckle, pointing her toward the bathroom door. “I’ll wait out here.”
“No silly. There’s another bathroom at the end of the hallway.” She pushes open the bathroom door and shuts it without another word.
I glance down at the end of the dark hall and see several closed doors. Feeling my bladder swelling by the second, I decide to scout out the other bathroom, rather than chancing an accident. She could pass out on the toilet, leaving me standing out here in severe pain. Approaching the end of the corridor, I play the eeny, meeny, miny, moe game and let fate choose the door.
Chapter Nine
Dabbing off the excessive pink lipstick, I
adjust my white, fitted button down top and smooth my hands over the front of my gray pencil skirt. Glancing around the immaculate bathroom at all the early Italian decor, I’m surprised that a guy like Blues didn’t pick a more sterile look in here. It’s very…inviting. However, since it turns out the door fate chose led into a large bedroom instead of another guest bath, I suppose a more personal touch is expected in the en suite. I finger out the tangles in my hair, which is hanging down the middle of my back and in need of a trim, twirl around on my three inch black department store pumps and reach for the doorknob ready to rejoin the group. Before I have a chance to pull, the door pushes open and in stalks the king of the castle, himself.
“What are you doing?” Blues growls lowly, entering the room and dominating the space with his large frame. He runs a hand through his unruly, sexy hair, brushing it away from his eyes. This close to him, I notice that his fitted, black long sleeve shirt, rolled three-quarters up his forearms, and faded denim jeans are designer and form against his faultless body, marvelously. His posture is impeccable and his teeth are shiner than they should be for a smoker. So damn unfair. Realizing, I have yet to answer his question, I take a significant step back while placing both hands on my hips and straightening my spine to match his daunting stance.
“I thought about starting a softball game,” I smirk like a true smartass, “but that would mean sharing this room with ten other people and I think I might be a little selfish with it.”
Unaffected by my dig he prowls closer with a pissed off look in his seriously beautiful blue eyes, making the hackles on the back of my neck raise. I take another significant step back, bumping my ass painfully into the counter behind me.