by R. J. Lewis
“Hello,” Ana says, and what happens next shocks me. Ana…blushes. She’s looking him over like a fine-toothed comb. “I was just asking Ivy if her driver minded driving us.”
“Where are you ladies going?” Aidan casually asks.
I look down at my heels, not answering.
“Probably dinner and then a club,” Ana says. “Right, Ivy?”
I nod, saying nothing. I just keep replaying that night in his bed when he told me to get off him. I can’t help the awkwardness I feel.
“I know a few good places,” he says then.
“Really? You want to come with?”
My head jerks up and I stare at Ana with shock. Did she seriously just invite him? She’s not staring back at me. She’s smiling at Aidan like she’s challenging him to.
I begin to say, “He’s probably really busy –”
“I’ve got a phone meeting I have to be present for very shortly,” he cuts in. “But I can tell my driver to take you to the perfect place.”
Now I look at him and he’s not staring back.
Ana smiles. “That’s perfect.”
“Okay, just give me a minute to grab something.”
He disappears down the hall and to I presume his bedroom.
“What the hell, Ana,” I hiss at her in a low voice. “Why would you invite him?”
She rolls her eyes, grinning. “He wanted to come, Ivy. I could see it all over his face. And wow, Ivy, what a face. Pictures don’t do it justice.”
I put a hand to my belly, trying to ease my nerves.
“You know you wish he was coming too,” she tells me, glancing at me with glowing eyes. “And if I were you, Ivy, I’d stop the nervous look you’ve got going on. Seriously, be brave. He’ll like it more if you’ve got that feisty backbone you tell me he loves about you.”
Aidan returns. He’s got a card in his hand and he’s looking totally chill. He’s definitely not as nervous as I feel. He’s totally unaffected. This entire time I’ve been a wreck, and he’s not even batting me an eye.
I’m so confused.
He passes the gold card to Ana. “Gaston is going to call the place up before you get there. He’s got a number to an express line, so they’ll pick up his call in time. You don’t need to wait in line. Go straight to the front and flash this card to the man at the door. He’ll scan it and let you straight through.”
“Where exactly are we going?” she asks him.
“To Affinity.”
She pauses and her mouth drops open. “Oh, my God.”
“You go and have fun,” he says, still not looking at me. “On the condition you use this card to pay for everything. I’ll carry the bill.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Thank you,” I say as well, warmed by his offer.
He glances at me. His eyes pierce mine and I feel my legs go weak.
“Of course,” he says quietly.
Then he’s gone, disappearing in the direction of his office. I have this urge to chase after him, crash his office and spend the night with him instead. I’m feeling weak. I’ll call him sir, let him tongue my center, give him the blowjob of his life and we can pretend this whole thing never happened. Why, why did I push it?
I frown because I feel like I’ve fucked things up.
Ana bumps her shoulder with mine. “Come on, Ivy. Let’s have fun.”
*
Gaston is already waiting by the car when we get there. I begin to wonder if this dude has a life. He looks bored out of his mind.
“I’m taking you to Affinity, I believe,” he says. “You have the card?”
Ana shows him it.
“Very good. This is an exquisite place. You ladies will love it.”
Okay, now I’m getting excited.
The drive isn’t very long. The street he parks us in is in an upmarket business district. This area isn’t far from Aidan’s apartment, and it’s high-end as fuck.
We step out into the cold and Gaston leads the way.
“I’ve been instructed to be sure you two get in,” he explains to us.
He leads us down the block and to an upscale club called Affinity. It’s got an impressive entrance courtyard with a line of concrete stone fountains giving off a dreamy glow. There’s a line of people waiting to get in, and I’m way out of my element when I take a look at them.
They’re dressed to the nines.
My dress pales in comparison.
“We are underdressed, can you believe it?” I whisper to Ana, catching sight of a lady dripping in diamonds and a fur coat.
Ana hides her nerves easily. “We’re all in there for the same reason, right? We gotta learn to blend in or they’ll eat us alive.”
I nod. She’s right. Gaston takes us straight to the front of the line and to a suited man. They don’t even exchange words.
“Is Mr West coming?” he asks.
Gaston leans in and says something in French. The man glances at us and then nods. “Ah, I understand.”
I wonder what he said to him. French has never been my forte. He opens the glass door for us and welcomes us in.
“I will be around the area,” Gaston lets us know. “You call me when you’re ready to leave.”
“We will,” I promise.
“Goodness,” Ana says, stifling her laugh. “West really made sure he’s got tabs on you, Ivy.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s put you in a club of his choice and he’s making sure Gaston is going to be taking you home. Possessive much?”
I never thought of that. I hide my smile. “He’s got nothing to worry about.”
“He’s being sweet,” Ana acknowledges. “He wants to make sure we make it out okay…and that you don’t leave with a dude.”
We step in, looking around. It’s just as opulent as you expect for a place the wealthy frequent, and it’s buzzing with people. There’s a leather lounge area next to a bar, a dining area, and I can already feel the vibration of music coming from upstairs.
The hostess greets us immediately. “You have the gold card belonging to Mr West, yes?”
How did she know? “Yes,” I say.
She looks between us. “I take it you want to be upstairs?”
“We’ll be eating first,” Ana answers.
It’s not a response the hostess expects. I wonder why. I suspect the women Aidan's ever sent here are ones that entertain. But that's the old him, so I have nothing to worry about. She pauses before nodding and leads us to a large dining area and to a more private booth among the other diners. We’re getting a lot of looks and I think it’s because we’re not familiar.
Ana and I slide into a classy booth opposite one another. The hostess passes us our menus and leaves. I don’t flick through mine just yet. I’m too busy staring at the place. It’s so freaking fancy.
“We better drink with our pinky fingers pointed up,” I joke.
“I’ll swirl my wine glass when I get it,” she replies on a grin.
“Ah, yes, and speak in a British accent, okay?”
“I shall,” she says on an accent. “And I will point you in the direction of a Bitcoin agency so that you too shall be as rich in digital currency as I.”
I laugh. “Absolutely tremendous, colleague of mine.”
She lets out a laugh too and begins looking through the menu. Ditching the accent, she says, “Oh how the rich live.”
“I know.”
“You need to read this menu, Ivy.”
“Hit me with it.”
“We’ve got a lamb salad with fregola.”
“What’s fregola?”
“Fuck if I know.”
“What else?”
“We’ve got some sea urchin with cauliflower.”
“Ew. Pass.”
“There’s a duck dish here. Of course there is.”
“Of course.”
“It’s got this fancy word I can’t pronounce.”
“Don’t even try.”
&
nbsp; She gasps. “Oh, my God, there’s steak.”
“I’m down for that.”
She sucks in a breath. “This steak alone is five hundred dollars. That’s what I make in a week at the bank.”
“I’d be happy if I made that in a week,” I grumble.
She looks up at me and her face has fallen. “He said it’s on him.”
“He did.”
“It’s definitely a drop in the ocean for him. I mean, he sold his place for 37 million, right?”
“Yes, he did, according to you.”
But that doesn’t ease Ana, nor does it ease me. We just look at each other. It’s too much. This was what I was telling her about with the pampering. It’s not easy for us to forget just like that, and I can tell she’s understanding my point now.
“You know what,” she says, closing the menu. “We had Subway for lunch and we’re still stuffed.”
“Yummy steak and cheese. We got our calories in, girl.”
“That’s right.”
“So…”
“So… looks like we’ll be going upstairs?”
I smile. “I think so.”
We ditch the dining room and take the stairs to the club area. As we walk in, I feel Ana relax next to me. Okay, this is what we are used to. Not the extravagance of it per se, but the vibe is the same. The room is the size of the entire bottom floor. There’s a bar, a sitting area and a dance floor that dominates most of the room. The ultraviolet spectrum lights are violet and blue, and the visual is stunning.
“This is more our speed!” she shouts at me because it’s loud as hell in here.
We head for the bar area, her hand wrapped in mine. We order our margaritas and Ana flashes that gold card around.
“This will be the first party drink I have had in like a year,” I tell her. “Crazy, hey?”
“I wish I had your willpower.”
When we get our drinks, we make our way to the sitting area.
We get intercepted almost straight away.
“Where are you ladies going?” a man asks, stepping in. He looks to be our age, wearing a polo and jeans. I stare at his bulging biceps. His muscles can’t be real. I bury my face in my drink as Ana smiles in that charming way she does.
“We’re about to sit down,” she tells him.
“What’ll it take to have you girls sitting at my table?”
“Another round of drinks,” she boldly tells him.
He smirks at her, loaded with confidence. “You got it. What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“I’m Ana.”
He swings his gaze to me. “And you, blue eyes?”
I’m not impressed by his cockiness, or the nickname. It’s probably because Aidan’s destroyed the way I look at any other cocky man again.
“That’s Ivy,” she tells him when I don’t answer.
His eyes linger on me longer than a beat. “Come this way, ladies!”
He takes us to a table close-by. There are two other guys sitting around and one of them has a girl on his lap. Her brows shoot up when she sees us slipping into the booth across from her. She eyes my dress and hair and then she’s looking at Ana. She’s looking at us like we’re centipedes – gross, ugly centipedes that need to be squashed. I want to tell her she doesn’t need to worry about us stealing her spotlight. She can have it. I just want to get a little buzzed, dance a little and go home to my giant bed in my quiet, quiet, quiet room where I can hear my heart beating in my ears.
I wonder what Aidan is doing right now.
I imagine him in the office, head down, buried in paperwork.
I also remember him in the throes of passion, head back, groaning as I made him come. Definitely must not think of that.
The dude whose name is Brett (?) introduces us to the other guys. I forget their names because I’m starting to stare back at this girl, wondering what her problem is.
“This is Cynthia,” he then says.
Cynthia.
It’s a pretty name.
“Why is your name Ivy?” she asks me, raising her brow.
“Because my mother deemed it so,” I answer dryly.
“But why did she name you that?”
“I don’t know.”
“You never asked her?” She looks insulted.
“I haven’t.”
“That’s weird.”
“Okay.”
Now she’s looking at Ana. “Is that your gold card?” she asks, catching Ana slipping it in her clutch. “Because I don’t think it’s your gold card.”
“Why don’t you think it’s my gold card?” Ana returns.
“You’re not money.” She makes sure the guys know this and repeats, “Guys, these girls aren’t money.”
The guys don’t care. Cynthia is ignored and she gives me a face I can only compare to the doll Chucky on a murder spree. As they talk to Ana, I ditch my drink and stand up.
“I’m gonna dance a little,” I tell her.
“I’m coming!” she squeals, leaving her drink behind as well. Brett is by her side, and one of the guys at the table stands up too and follows behind us. I’m vaguely aware of his presence as I make it under the lights.
Ana barely pays Brett attention. She wraps her arms around me, shouting at me over the music that she’s not leaving my side. I’m only a little buzzed, not enough to go crazy, I realize, but her presence eases me. It’s so crowded, people are bumping into us. Brett’s trying hard to come up from behind her, but she scoots away and I laugh at his efforts.
“These guys think we’re here for them,” she says to me, rolling her eyes. Then she yells, “Sisters don’t need misters! We’re good on our own, thanks!”
Damn straight.
In all honesty, the guys are chill. They’re actually fun to talk to. They’re just here to have a good time. We frequent the bar and get some more drinks, chatting about random shit. The guys are loaded. Brett works for his dad, the other, Dave, is a successful entrepreneur that owns a business with a trendy name I recognize. They’re more down to earth than I gave them credit for.
“What salon do you work at?” Dave asks. He’s been giving me more attention than the other guy.
“Bella’s Salon,” I tell him. “Near Little Italy.”
“You good with hair?”
“She’s amazing,” Ana cuts in. “She recently cut Aidan West’s hair.”
I give her a smack on the shoulder and Dave flashes me a smile. “No fucking way. I’m sold then.”
“You guys know him?” Brett then asks. “He used to come here a lot.”
Ana nods, playing it cool. “A little. Do you?”
“Not personally. We used to crash his parties though. He would turn this place upside down.”
“It was Affinity he used to crash?” Ana is surprised. “I thought it was that club in Montreal.”
“That one too, but he came here a lot when he first moved to the city. Stopped going a long time ago. But sick parties, man! He’d rent out this entire floor. It was Invite only.”
“How’d you guys get in?”
“We were in the same circles.”
“He was insane,” Dave agrees. “This place would be thumping until five in the morning sometimes. It would get pretty wild.”
“He had that girl on his arm, too, remember, Dave?” Brett asks. “I always forget her fucking name.”
“Nina Hamilton,” Dave says. “I remember that girl.”
“Vicious chick.”
“She was something else.”
The guys exchange looks. Even Ana nods with understanding.
“Does she still come around?” I find myself asking.
“Nah, I don’t know where she is,” Brett answers.
“She’s probably on a beach somewhere, fucking up another guy’s life,” Dave adds on a laugh. “She got him wrapped around her little finger, though. I’m surprised they went their own ways.”
“Yeah, he would have done everything for that bloodsucker.”
Th
at doesn’t make me feel very good. Ana catches my expression. “He’s well and truly over her from what I hear.”
“She hinted on Insta she visited him at his office,” Brett says, laughing. “Not too long ago. Obviously banged him. One last hoorah.”
My stomach is in knots. Is that true? I feel like I want to vomit from jealousy. I am cold head to toe. Ana touches my arm, shaking her head at me. “We don’t know that.”
The guys glance at me, catching my odd emotion. I plaster a fake smile because I don’t want to ruin Ana’s night.
We find our way back to the dance floor. I have fun, but I still feel closed up, especially after hearing that.
“Loosen up,” Ana tells me. “Don’t think about West. Think about now, here.”
I nod. I let go as best as I can. I don’t know what it is, but it’s like I can’t tap into the girl in me that used to love this shit. Everything’s different for me now. I only move lightly to the music.
What they said about Aidan is bothering me a lot. I can’t get it out of my head. Did that woman really pay him a visit at his office? Why didn’t he mention that? He had told me she was well and truly out of his life, and he had expressed he hadn’t been with anyone the entire time we’d been speaking.
It’s really messing me up. I find myself moving to the ladies room. I don’t tell Ana where I’m going because I don’t want her to be concerned. She’s having too much fun anyway. I duck inside. I lean against the wall beside the sinks and dig into my clutch. I remove my cracked phone and turn it on. I go to my contact list. Aidan’s name is at the very top. My finger hovers over the call button. On a deep breath, I click his name. His number starts to ring, and I don’t even know what to say. I press the phone to my ear, feeling unsure.
“Ivy,” he answers quickly on the third ring. “Are you okay?”
I can’t stop myself. “If I had known being on top of you would fuck everything up, I wouldn’t have done it.”
“Everything is not fucked up,” he replies.
“It certainly feels like it.”
“When you’re home, we’ll talk about it –”
“Did Nina Hamilton go to your office recently?”